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Chapter38—Conclusion

Reader,Imarriedhim.Aquietweddingwehad:heandI,theparsonandclerk,werealonepresent.Whenwegotbackfromchurch,Iwentintothekitchenofthemanor-house,whereMarywascookingthedinnerandJohncleaningtheknives,andIsaid-

“Mary,IhavebeenmarriedtoMr.Rochesterthismorning.”Thehousekeeperandherhusbandwerebothofthatdecentphlegmaticorderofpeople,towhomonemayatanytimesafelycommunicatearemarkablepieceofnewswithoutincurringthedangerofhavingone’searspiercedbysomeshrillejaculation,andsubsequentlystunnedbyatorrentofwordywonderment.Marydidlookup,andshedidstareatme:theladlewithwhichshewasbastingapairofchickensroastingatthefire,didforsomethreeminuteshangsuspendedinair;andforthesamespaceoftimeJohn’sknivesalsohadrestfromthepolishingprocess:

butMary,bendingagainovertheroast,saidonly-“Haveyou,Miss?Well,forsure!”

Ashorttimeaftershepursued—“Iseedyougooutwiththemaster,butIdidn’tknowyouweregonetochurchtobewed;”andshebastedaway.John,whenIturnedtohim,wasgrinningfromeartoear.

“ItelledMaryhowitwouldbe,”hesaid:“IknewwhatMr.Edward”(Johnwasanoldservant,andhadknownhismasterwhenhewasthecadetofthehouse,therefore,heoftengavehimhisChristianname)—“I

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knewwhatMr.Edwardwoulddo;andIwascertainhewouldnotwaitlongneither:andhe’sdoneright,foraughtIknow.Iwishyoujoy,Miss!”andhepolitelypulledhisforelock.

“Thankyou,John.Mr.RochestertoldmetogiveyouandMarythis.”Iputintohishandafive-poundnote.Withoutwaitingtohearmore,Ileftthekitchen.Inpassingthedoorofthatsanctumsometimeafter,Icaughtthewords-

“She’llhappendobetterforhimnoronyo’t’grandladies.”Andagain,“Ifsheben’toneo’th’handsomest,she’snoanfaalandvarrygood-natured;andi’hiseenshe’sfairbeautiful,onybodymayseethat.”

IwrotetoMoorHouseandtoCambridgeimmediately,tosaywhatIhaddone:fullyexplainingalsowhyIhadthusacted.DianaandMaryapprovedthestepunreservedly.Dianaannouncedthatshewouldjustgivemetimetogetoverthehoneymoon,andthenshewouldcomeandseeme.

“Shehadbetternotwaittillthen,Jane,”saidMr.Rochester,whenIreadherlettertohim;“ifshedoes,shewillbetoolate,forourhoneymoonwillshineourlifelong:itsbeamswillonlyfadeoveryourgraveormine.”

HowSt.Johnreceivedthenews,Idon’tknow:heneveransweredtheletterinwhichIcommunicatedit:yetsixmonthsafterhewrotetome,without,however,mentioningMr.Rochester’snameoralludingtomy

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marriage.Hisletterwasthencalm,and,thoughveryserious,kind.Hehasmaintainedaregular,thoughnotfrequent,correspondenceeversince:hehopesIamhappy,andtrustsIamnotofthosewholivewithoutGodintheworld,andonlymindearthlythings.

YouhavenotquiteforgottenlittleAdele,haveyou,reader?Ihadnot;IsoonaskedandobtainedleaveofMr.Rochester,togoandseeherattheschoolwherehehadplacedher.Herfranticjoyatbeholdingmeagainmovedmemuch.Shelookedpaleandthin:shesaidshewasnothappy.Ifoundtherulesoftheestablishmentweretoostrict,itscourseofstudytoosevereforachildofherage:Itookherhomewithme.Imeanttobecomehergovernessoncemore,butIsoonfoundthisimpracticable;mytimeandcareswerenowrequiredbyanother—myhusbandneededthemall.SoIsoughtoutaschoolconductedonamoreindulgentsystem,andnearenoughtopermitofmyvisitingheroften,andbringingherhomesometimes.Itookcaresheshouldneverwantforanythingthatcouldcontributetohercomfort:shesoonsettledinhernewabode,becameveryhappythere,andmadefairprogressinherstudies.Asshegrewup,asoundEnglisheducationcorrectedinagreatmeasureherFrenchdefects;andwhensheleftschool,Ifoundinherapleasingandobligingcompanion:docile,good-tempered,andwell-principled.Byhergratefulattentiontomeandmine,shehaslongsincewellrepaidanylittlekindnessIeverhaditinmypowertoofferher.

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Mytaledrawstoitsclose:onewordrespectingmyexperienceofmarriedlife,andonebriefglanceatthefortunesofthosewhosenameshavemostfrequentlyrecurredinthisnarrative,andIhavedone.Ihavenowbeenmarriedtenyears.IknowwhatitistoliveentirelyforandwithwhatIlovebestonearth.Iholdmyselfsupremelyblest—blestbeyondwhatlanguagecanexpress;becauseIammyhusband’slifeasfullyisheismine.Nowomanwasevernearertoher

matethanIam:evermoreabsolutelyboneofhisboneandfleshofhisflesh.IknownowearinessofmyEdward’ssociety:heknowsnoneofmine,anymorethanweeachdoofthepulsationoftheheartthatbeatsinourseparatebosoms;consequently,weareevertogether.Tobetogetherisforustobeatonceasfreeasinsolitude,asgayasincompany.Wetalk,Ibelieve,all

daylong:totalktoeachotherisbutamoreanimatedandanaudiblethinking.Allmyconfidenceisbestowedonhim,allhisconfidenceisdevotedtome;wearepreciselysuitedincharacter—perfectconcordistheresult.Mr.Rochestercontinuedblindthefirsttwoyearsofourunion;perhapsitwasthatcircumstancethatdrewussoverynear—thatknitussoveryclose:forIwasthenhisvision,asIamstillhisrighthand.Literally,Iwas(whatheoftencalledme)theappleofhiseye.Hesawnature—hesawbooksthroughme;andneverdidIwearyofgazingforhisbehalf,andofputtingintowordstheeffectoffield,tree,town,river,cloud,sunbeam—ofthelandscapebeforeus;oftheweatherroundus—and

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impressingbysoundonhisearwhatlightcouldnolongerstamponhiseye.NeverdidIwearyofreadingtohim;neverdidIwearyofconductinghimwherehewishedtogo:ofdoingforhimwhathewishedtobedone.Andtherewasapleasureinmyservices,mostfull,mostexquisite,eventhoughsad—becauseheclaimedtheseserviceswithoutpainfulshameordampinghumiliation.Helovedmesotruly,thatheknewnoreluctanceinprofitingbymyattendance:hefeltIlovedhimsofondly,thattoyieldthatattendancewastoindulgemysweetestwishes.

Onemorningattheendofthetwoyears,asIwaswritingalettertohisdictation,hecameandbentoverme,andsaid—“Jane,haveyouaglitteringornamentroundyourneck?”

Ihadagoldwatch-chain:Ianswered“Yes.”

“Andhaveyouapalebluedresson?”

Ihad.Heinformedmethen,thatforsometimehehadfanciedtheobscuritycloudingoneeyewasbecominglessdense;andthatnowhewassureofit.

HeandIwentuptoLondon.Hehadtheadviceofaneminentoculist;andheeventuallyrecoveredthesightofthatoneeye.Hecannotnowseeverydistinctly:hecannotreadorwritemuch;buthecanfindhiswaywithoutbeingledbythehand:theskyisnolongerablanktohim—theearthnolongeravoid.Whenhisfirst-bornwasputintohisarms,hecouldseethattheboyhadinheritedhisowneyes,astheyoncewere—

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large,brilliant,andblack.Onthatoccasion,heagain,withafullheart,acknowledgedthatGodhadtemperedjudgmentwithmercy.

MyEdwardandI,then,arehappy:andthemoreso,becausethosewemostlovearehappylikewise.DianaandMaryRiversarebothmarried:alternately,onceeveryyear,theycometoseeus,andwegotoseethem.Diana’shusbandisacaptaininthenavy,agallantofficerandagoodman.Mary’sisaclergyman,acollegefriendofherbrother’s,and,fromhisattainmentsandprinciples,worthyoftheconnection.BothCaptainFitzjamesandMr.Whartonlovetheirwives,andarelovedbythem.

AstoSt.JohnRivers,heleftEngland:hewenttoIndia.Heenteredonthepathhehadmarkedforhimself;hepursuesitstill.Amoreresolute,indefatigablepioneerneverwroughtamidstrocksanddangers.Firm,faithful,anddevoted,fullofenergy,andzeal,andtruth,helaboursforhisrace;heclearstheirpainfulwaytoimprovement;hehewsdownlikeagianttheprejudicesofcreedandcastethatencumberit.Hemaybestern;hemaybeexacting;hemaybeambitiousyet;buthisisthesternnessofthewarriorGreatheart,whoguardshispilgrimconvoyfromtheonslaughtofApollyon.Hisistheexactionoftheapostle,whospeaksbutforChrist,whenhesays—“Whosoeverwillcomeafterme,lethimdenyhimself,andtakeuphiscrossandfollowme.”Hisistheambitionofthehighmaster-spirit,whichaimstofillaplaceinthefirstrankofthosewhoareredeemedfromtheearth—