“Why?”

    “BecauseIwanttoreadyourteurn!”

    “There!youwillfinditscarcelymiblethanacrumpled,scratchedpage.Readon:onlymakehaste,forIsuffer.”

    Hisfacewasverymuchagitatedandverymuchflushed,andtherewerestrongwsiures,andstrangegleamsintheeyes

    “Oh,Jane,youtortureme!”heexclaimed.“Withthatseargafaithfulandgenerouslook,youtortureme!”

    “HowIdothat?Ifyouaretrue,andyourofferreal,myonlyfeelingstoyoumustbegratitudeaion—theyottorture.”

    “Gratitude!”heejaculated;andaddedwildly—“Janeacceptmequickly.Say,Edward—givememyname—Edward—Iwillmarryyou.”

    “Areyouinear?Doyoutrulyloveme?Doyousincerelywishmetobeyourwife?”

    “Ido;andifanoathisnecessarytosatisfyyou,Iswearit.”

    “Then,sir,Iwillmarryyou.”

    “Edward—mylittlewife!”

    “DearEdward!”

    “etome—etomeentirelynow,”saidhe;andadded,inhisdeepesttone,speakinginmyearashischeekwaslaidonmine,“Makemyhappiness—Iwillmakeyours.”

    “Godpardonme!”hesubjoinederelong;“andmanmeddlenotwithme:Ihaveher,andwillholdher.”

    “Thereisomeddle,sir.Ihavenokiointerfere.”

    “No—thatisthebestofit,”hesaid.AndifIhadlovedhimlessIshouldhavethoughthisatandlookofexultationsavage;but,sittingbyhim,rousedfromthenightmare—calledtotheparadiseofunion—Ithoughtonlyoftheblissgiveodrinkinsoabundantaflow.Againandagainhesaid,“Areyouhappy,Jane?”AndagainandagainIanswered,“Yes.”Afterwhichhemurmured,“Itwillatowillatone.HaveInotfoundherfriendless,andcold,andfortless?WillInotguard,andcherish,andsolaceher?Istherenotlovei,andsta