CHAPTER XXIII 325
" We must go in ," said Mr . Rochester : " the weather changes . I could have sat with thee till morning , Jane ."
" And so ," thought I , " could I with you ." I should have said so , perhaps , but a livid , vivid spark leapt out of a cloud at which I was looking , and there was a crack , a crash , and a close rattling peal ; and I thought only of hiding my dazzled eyes against Mr . Rochester ' s shoulder .
The rain rushed down . He hurried me up the walk , through the grounds , and into the house ; but we were quite wet before we could pass the threshold . He was taking off my shawl in the hall , and shaking the water out of my loosened hair , when Mrs . Fairfax emerged from her room . I did not observe her at first , nor did Mr . Rochester . The lamp was lit . The clock was on the stroke of twelve .
" Hasten to take off your wet things ," said he ; " and before you go , good-night -- good-night , my darling !"
He kissed me repeatedly . When I looked up , on leaving his arms , there stood the widow , pale , grave , and amazed . I only smiled at her , and ran upstairs . " Explanation will do for another time ," thought I . Still , when I reached my chamber , I felt a pang at the idea she should even temporarily misconstrue what she had seen . But joy soon effaced every other feeling ; and loud as the wind blew , near and deep as the thunder crashed , fierce and frequent as the lightning gleamed , cataract-like as the rain fell during a storm of two hours ' duration , I experienced no fear and little awe . Mr . Rochester came thrice to my door in the course of it , to ask if I was safe and tranquil : and that was comfort , that was strength for anything .
Before I left my bed in the morning , little Adele came running in to tell me that the great horse-chestnut at the bottom of the orchard had been struck by lightning in the night , and half of it split away .