Page:Jane Eyre (1st edition), Volume 2.djvu/80

72 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 manœuvres; 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, Howhow [sic] 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 connexions. 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 common-place 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