The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1920-09-24

spoke In the silence of the empty
church:
.The marriage cannot go on: I de-
clare the existence of an impeachment
Asked by the clergyman for the
facts. the speaker showed a document
to prove that Mr.. Rochester had mar
ried Bertha Mason, fifteen years be-
fore, In Spanish Town. Jamaica; and
produced Mr.. Mason to witness that
the woman was alive and at Thorn
field.
Edward Rochester confessed hardly
and recklessly that he had married, as
the lawyer asserted: that his wife was
still living: and that he had kept her
secretly at Thornfield for years. She
was mad: and she came of q mad
family; idiots and maniacs for three
generations. He had been inveigled
into the marriage by her family, with
the connivance of his father and broth
er, who had desired him to marry
fortune. He invited the clergyman, the
lawyer, and Mr.. Mason to come up to
Thornfieid and see what sort of be-
ing he had been cheated into espous-
ing, and Judge whether or not he had
right to break the compact.
At Thornfeld he took them to the
third story. In room without win
dow, there burnt fire, guarded by
high and strong fender, and lamp
suspended from the ceiling by chain.
A trusty maid servant bent over the
fire, apparently cooking something. In
the deep shade, at the further end of
the room, figure ran backwards and
forwards What 1t was, at first sight,
one could not tell; 1t grovelled, SEEM
ingly. on all fours; 1t snatched and
growled like some strange wild ami
NAL; but 1t was covered with clothing;
and a quantity Of dark, grizzled hair.
wild as name, hid its head and face.
THAT is my wife," said Mr.. Roches-
ter.
Then all withdrew.
That night Jane sstole away from
Thornfield The few shillings that she
possessed she gave to the driver of the
first coach she saw, to take her as far
as he would for the money. Thirty
six hours later he let her off at
crossroads in the moorlands. Into the
heather she walked. That night she
ate bilberries, and slept under crag.
Two days later, famished and
drenched, she was taken into Marsh
End, the house of Rev. st. John Rivers,
a young and ambitious clergyman in
the neighboring village of Morton. His
two sisters, Mary and Diana, were
more than kind to Jane. They were
soon to return to their work as gov
ernesses In large south-of- England
city. -..a -.
st. John secured employment for
Jane as mistress Of the new girls
school in Morton, His plan was to be-
come missionary In India. He asked
Jane to become his wife and go with
him. But something kept her from
consenting: he did not really love her;
he felt the call to missionary work, but
she did not.
Then he discovered for her that her
uncle had died. leaving her 100000.
This was confirmed by Mr.. Briggs, the
solicitor in London. She discovered.
too, that the mother of st. John and
Mary and Diana had been her fathers
| sister, so that they too should have
been heirs to her uncle In Madeira. She
insisted on division of the legacy
with them.
One night st. John was pressing her
for her final decision. The one candle
was dying out: the room was full of
moonlight. She heard voice from
somewhere cry
"Janei Janet Janet"
Next day she was on her way to
Thornfeld. In thirty-six hours she ar
rived at "The Rochester Arms" two
miles away. With much misgiving she
walked up to Thornfieid-to find only
blackened ruin.
Back at the Inn she learned that
Thornfeld Hall had burned down about
harvest time in the previous year. The
fire had broken out in the dead of
night. Mr., Rochester had tried to res
cue his wife. She had climbed onto
the roof, where she had stood. waving
her arms, and shouting out till they
could hear her mile off. Mr.. Roches-
ter had assembled through the skylight.
The crowd had heard him call, "Ber-
tina !" They had seen him approach
her; and then she had yelled. and CIV
en- spring, and the next minute she
had lain dead on the pavement.
Mr., Rochester had been taken from
the ruins, alive, but sadly hurt; one
eye had been knocked out, and one
hand so crushed that the surgeon had
had to amputate 1t directly. The other
eye inflamed; he lost the sight of that
| also.
He was, now at Ferndean, a manor
house on a farm he had, about thirty
miles of; quite desolate spot. There
Jane found him, sad helpless and Grip.
pied. She married him. Eventually
the sight returned to his eye so that
when his first-born was put into his