CHAPTER XXVI 367
The speaker came forward and leaned on the rails . He continued , uttering each word distinctly , calmly , steadily , but not loudly -
" It simply consists in the existence of a previous marriage . Mr . Rochester has a wife now living ."
My nerves vibrated to those low-spoken words as they had never vibrated to thunder -- my blood felt their subtle violence as it had never felt frost or fire ; but I was collected , and in no danger of swooning . I looked at Mr . Rochester : I made him look at me . His whole face was colourless rock : his eye was both spark and flint . He disavowed nothing : he seemed as if he would defy all things . Without speaking , without smiling , without seeming to recognise in me a human being , he only twined my waist with his arm and riveted me to his side .
" Who are you ?" he asked of the intruder . " My name is Briggs , a solicitor of -- Street , London ." " And you would thrust on me a wife ?"
" I would remind you of your lady ' s existence , sir , which the law recognises , if you do not ."
" Favour me with an account of her -- with her name , her parentage , her place of abode ."
" Certainly ." Mr . Briggs calmly took a paper from his pocket , and read out in a sort of official , nasal voice : -
"' I affirm and can prove that on the 20th of October A . D . -- ( a date of fifteen years back ), Edward Fairfax Rochester , of Thornfield Hall , in the county of - , and of Ferndean Manor , in -shire , England , was married to my sister , Bertha Antoinetta Mason , daughter of Jonas Mason , merchant , and of Antoinetta his wife , a Creole , at -- church , Spanish Town , Jamaica . The record of the marriage will be found in the register of that church -- a copy