第38部分(第5/8 頁)

as　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　my　bosom　only　such　a　wife　as　I　could　love；　but　the　very　obviousness　of　the　advantages　to　the　husband’s　own　happiness　offered　by　this　plan　convinced　me　that　there　must　be　arguments　against　its　general　adoption　of　which　I　was　quite　ignorant：　otherwise　I　felt　sure　all　the　world　would　act　as　I　wished　t