CHAPTER SIXTEEN The Wedding
Before I saw Mr. Rochester the next morning I felt a little nervous. Was I really going to marry him, or was it all a dream! But I knew the answer when he came to meet me and kissed me.
“Jane, you look well and smiling and pretty,” he said. “You will be Jane Rochester in four weeks’ time, not one day more! I don’t want to wait any longer. I’ll send for my family’s jewels, which are kept in a London bank. These jewels are for the woman who will be my wife, whether she is a great lady or a poor teacher.”
“For me, sir?” I cried. “I’m too plain to wear jewels! I’m sure I wouldn’t look very good wearing them!”
Mr. Rochester laughed. “I insist, Jane! Today I’m taking you to town to buy some beautiful clothes. In one month, we will have a small wedding at the church near Thornfield, and after a few days in London, we’ll travel through all the countries of Europe.”
“Well, sir, you seem very happy to please me, but I wonder if you will do something else for me.”
“Ask me anything, Jane, anything!”
“Well, sir, I ask you not to give me jewels and fine clothes.”
“If that’s really what you want, then I agree. But can’t you think of anything I can give you?”
“Well. I’d like you to answer a question for me.” I said softly.
He looked worried, and turned away from me for a moment. He said in a strange, quiet voice.
“You may ask me something I cannot answer. Jane. What is it?”
“How stern you look! You will probably look that way when we are married! This is what I want to know. Why did you make me think you wanted to marry Miss Ingram?”
Immediately he stopped looking worried, and smiled at me, and smiled down at me.
“Is that all you want to know?! All right, I shall have to tell you, but you might be angry with me, Jane--- just like last night! I pretended to love Miss Ingram to make you jealous. I wanted you to love me as much as I loved you.”
“But didn’t you care about poor Miss Ingram’s feelings?”
“She only has one feeling—pride. Were you jealous, Jane?”
“Never mind, Mr. Rochester.” I have one more thing to ask you. Please explain everything to Mr. Fairfax. She was so surprised last night when she saw us! I’m sure she doesn’t know what to think.”
When I visited Mrs. Fairfax later that day, I knew she was amazed by the news that I was going to marry Mr. Rochester. When I saw her, she looked upset, but I did not understand why.
“Miss Eyre, I can’t believe it!” she said. “You are a wonderful young lady, and any young man should be happy to marry you. But Mr. Rochester is a gentleman, from one of the best families in this area! And he’s twenty years older than you. what will people say? He could be your father!”
“Oh, certainly not, Mrs. Fairfax!” I said. “He looks much younger than that!”
“Does he really love you?” she asked.
Her question made me hurt and a little angry. I turned around to look at her.
“Mrs. Fairfax, don’t you think he could love me?” I said.
“Oh, yes Miss Eyre! I didn’t mean to upset you. I only mean to say, you must be careful of what people will say. I think you and Mr. Rochester should not see each other too much, until you are married.”
Although Mrs. Fairfax’s words did upset me. I thought perhaps she was right. So, in the weeks before the wedding I did not let Mr. Rochester hold me or kiss me. We sat together in the library. But I was careful not to show him too much love. Sometimes he was angry with me and called me a “hard little thing!” but I knew he respected me for my actions. It was not easy, of course, because I really wanted to show him my love.
At last the night before our wedding arrived. I was ready to begin traveling. But I wanted very much to see Mr. Rochester, who had been away on business. I decided to go outside and meet him when he came. I the garden, I passed the large and broken old tree. Then suddenly, I saw him riding on his horse.
“Hello! You see, Jane!” he shouted. “You can’t do without me! Jump up onto my horse and let’s go home!” we rode back to Thornfield together. While he ate dinner, I sat quietly beside him, not talking. After awhile he looked closely at me.
“You look sad, Jane,” he said. “Is anything wrong? Are you worried about your new life?”
“No, Mr. Rochester,” I said firmly. “I’m not worried about what my new life will be like. It will be wonderful, because I love you. But last night I had a strange dream, a terrible dream! In my dream, there was a light in my room, and a strange woman looking at my wedding dress. I was too frightened to move. It wasn’t Mrs. Fairfax or any of the servants. Edward, it wasn’t even Grace Poole.it was a horrible sight!”
“Describe the woman, Jane.”
“She was tall, with long, dark hair. She put the beautiful veil you bought me on her own head. Then she looked at herself in the mirror. Then I saw her horrible face! She looked like a dead woman. She took off the veil, tore it in two and threw it on the floor.”
“And then?” Mr. Rochester looked more frightened than I had ever seen anyone look.
“She came to my bed, and put her candle close to my face so she could see me. She stared angrily at me for a long time. I must have fainted, and I think she left my room after that. Now, Edward, can you tell me who, or what, that woman was?”
“Jane, you are too upset. That was just a bad dream. Forget about it, darling,” he said.
“It wasn’t a dream. It really happened! When I woke up this morning, I looked on the floor, and there was the torn veil!” Mr. Rochester suddenly trembled.
“Oh, God! To think what she might have done…!” he cried, throwing his arms around me. “Thank God you’re not hurt!” After a few moments he said calmly, “Now, Jane, that woman in your room must have been Grace Poole. Nothing else could have happened.”
“Maybe you’re right,” I said slowly, but I was not sure.
“Jane, one day I’ll tell you why she lives here. I promise you. Tonight you should sleep in Adele’s room. Nothing can hurt you there. Have happy dreams, about our wedding!” |