CHAPTER XXIII 324
" Are you in earnest? Do you truly love me? Do you sincerely wish me to be your wife?"
" I do; and if an oath is necessary to satisfy you, I swear it." " Then, sir, I will marry you." " Edward-- my little wife!" " Dear Edward!"
" Come to me-- come to me entirely now," said he; and added, in his deepest tone, speaking in my ear as his cheek was laid on mine, " Make my happiness-- I will make yours."
" God pardon me!" he subjoined ere long; " and man meddle not with me: I have her, and will hold her."
" There is no one to meddle, sir. I have no kindred to interfere."
" No-- that is the best of it," he said. And if I had loved him less I should have thought his accent and look of exultation savage; but, sitting by him, roused from the nightmare of parting-- called to the paradise of union-- I thought only of the bliss given me to drink in so abundant a flow. Again and again he said, " Are you happy, Jane?" And again and again I answered, " Yes." After which he murmured, " It will atone-- it will atone. Have I not found her friendless, and cold, and comfortless? Will I not guard, and cherish, and solace her? Is there not love in my heart, and constancy in my resolves? It will expiate at God ' s tribunal. I know my Maker sanctions what I do. For the world ' s judgment-- I wash my hands thereof. For man ' s opinion-- I defy it."
But what had befallen the night? The moon was not yet set, and we were all in shadow: I could scarcely see my master ' s face, near as I was. And what ailed the chestnut tree? it writhed and groaned; while wind roared in the laurel walk, and came sweeping over us.