第191章

第191章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)—“iknewwhatmr.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’snameoralludingtomymarriage.hisletterwasthencalm，and，thoughveryserious，kind.hehasmaintainedaregular，thoughnotfrequent，correspondenceeversince：hehopesiamhappy，andtrustsiamnotofthosewholivewithoutgodintheworld，andonlymindearthlythings.

youhavenotquiteforgottenlittleadèle，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.

mytaledrawstoitsclose：onewordrespectingmyexperienceofmarriedlife，andonebriefglanceatthefortunesofthosewhosenameshavemostfrequentlyrecurredinthisnarrative，andihavedone.