第38部分(第4/7 页)

“Why　can　she　not　influence　him　more；　when　she　is　privileged　to　draw　so　near　to　him？”　I　asked　myself。　“Surely　she　cannot　truly　like　him；　or　not　like　him　with　true　affection！　If　she　did；　she　need　not　coin　her　smiles　so　lavishly；　flash　her　glances　so　unremittingly；　manufacture　airs　so　elaborate；　graces　so　multitudinous。　It　seems　to　me　that　she　might；　by　merely　sitting　quietly　at　his　side；　saying　little　and　looking　less；　get　nigher　his　heart。　I　have　seen　in　his　face　a　far　different　expression　from　that　which　hardens　it　now　while　she　is　so　vivaciously　accosting　him；　but　then　it　came　of　itself：　it　was　not　elicited　by　meretricious　arts　and　calculated　manoeuvres；　and　one　had　but　to　accept　it—to　answer　what　he　asked　without　pretension；　to　address　him　when　needful　without　grimace—and　it　increased　and　grew　kinder　and　more　genial；　and　warmed　one　like　a　fostering　sunbeam。　How　will　she　manage　to　please　him　when　they　are　married？　I　do　not　think　she　will　manage　it；　and　yet　it　might　be　managed；　and　his　wife　might；　I　verily　believe；　be　the　very　happiest　woman　the　sun　shines　on。”

I　have　not　yet　said　anything　condemnatory　of　Mr。　Rochester’s　project　of　marrying　for　interest　and　connections。　It　surprised　me　when　I　first　discovered　that　such　was　his　intention：　I　had　thought　him　a　man　unlikely　to　be　influenced　by　motives　so　monplace　in　his　choice　of　a　wife；　but　the　longer　I　considered　the　position；　education；　&c。；　of　the　parties；　the　less　I　felt　justified　in　judging　and　blaming　either　him　or　Miss　Ingram　for　acting　in　conformity　to　ideas　and　principles　instilled　into　them；　doubtless；　from　their　childhood。　All　their　class　held　these　principles：　I　supposed；　then；　they　had　reasons　for　holding　them　such　as　I　could　not　fathom。　It　seemed　to　me　that；　were　I　a　gentleman　like　him；　I　would　take　to