CHAPTER XX 276
what remains to you of days in a way more worthy of an immortal being. To attain this end, are you justified in overleaping an obstacle of custom-- a mere conventional impediment which neither your conscience sanctifies nor your judgment approves?"
He paused for an answer: and what was I to say? Oh, for some good spirit to suggest a judicious and satisfactory response! Vain aspiration! The west wind whispered in the ivy round me; but no gentle Ariel borrowed its breath as a medium of speech: the birds sang in the tree-tops; but their song, however sweet, was inarticulate.
Again Mr. Rochester propounded his query:
" Is the wandering and sinful, but now rest-seeking and repentant, man justified in daring the world ' s opinion, in order to attach to him for ever this gentle, gracious, genial stranger, thereby securing his own peace of mind and regeneration of life?"
" Sir," I answered, " a wanderer ' s repose or a sinner ' s reformation should never depend on a fellow-creature. Men and women die; philosophers falter in wisdom, and Christians in goodness: if any one you know has suffered and erred, let him look higher than his equals for strength to amend and solace to heal."
" But the instrument-- the instrument! God, who does the work, ordains the instrument. I have myself-- I tell it you without parable-- been a worldly, dissipated, restless man; and I believe I have found the instrument for my cure in-- "
He paused: the birds went on carolling, the leaves lightly rustling. I almost wondered they did not check their songs and whispers to catch the suspended revelation; but they would have had to wait many minutes-- so long was the silence protracted. At last I looked up at the tardy speaker: he was looking eagerly at me.