《Jane Eyre》第135章

“not　as　a　husband。”
“yet　he　is　a　handsome　fellow。”
“and　i　am　so　plain；　you　see；　die。　we　should　never　suit。”
“plain！　you？　not　at　all。　you　are　much　too　pretty；　as　well　as　too　good；　to　be　grilled　alive　in　calcutta。”　and　again　she　earnestly　conjured　me　to　give　up　all　thoughts　of　going　out　with　her　brother。
“i　must　indeed；”　i　said；　“for　when　just　now　i　repeated　the　offer　of　serving　him　for　a　deacon；　he　expressed　himself　shocked　at　my　want　of　decency。　he　seemed　to　think　i　had　mitted　an　impropriety　in　proposing　to　acpany　him　unmarried：　as　if　i　had　not　from　the　first　hoped　to　find　in　him　a　brother；　and　habitually　regarded　him　as　such。”
“what　makes　you　say　he　does　not　love　you；　jane？”
“you　should　hear　himself　on　the　subject。　he　has　again　and　again　explained　that　it　is　not　himself；　but　his　office　he　wishes　to　mate。　he　has　told　me　i　am　formed　for　labour—not　for　love：　which　is　true；　no　doubt。　but；　in　my　opinion；　if　i　am　not　formed　for　love；　it　follows　that　i　am　not　formed　for　marriage。　would　it　not　be　strange；　die；　to　be　chained　for　life　to　a　man　who　regarded　one　but　as　a　useful　tool？”
“insupportable—unnatural—out　of　the　question！”
“and　then；”　i　continued；　“though　i　have　only　sisterly　affection　for　him　now；　yet；　if　forced　to　be　his　wife；　i　can　imagine　the　possibility　of　conceiving　an　inevitable；　strange；　torturing　kind　of　love　for　him；　because　he　is　so　talented；　and　there　is　often　a　certain　heroic　grandeur　in　his　look；　manner；　and　conversation。　in　that　case；　my　lot　would　bee　unspeakably　wretched。　he　would　not　want　me　to　love　him；　and　if　i　showed　the　feeling；　he　would　make　me　sensible　that　it　was　a　superfluity；　unrequired　by　him；　unbeing　in　me。　i　know　he　would。”
“and　yet　st。　john　is　a　good　man；”　said　diana。
“he　is　a　good　and　a　great　man；　but　he　forgets；　pitilessly；　the　feelings　and　claims　of　little　people；　in　pursuing　his　own　large　views。　it　is　better；　therefore；　for　the　insignificant　to　keep　out　of　his　way；　lest；　in　his　progress；　he　should　trample　them　down。　here　he　es！　i　will　leave　you；　diana。”　and　i　hastened　upstairs　as　i　saw　him　entering　the　garden。
but　i　was　forced　to　meet　him　again　at　supper。　during　that　meal　he　appeared　just　as　posed　as　usual。　i　had　thought　he　would　hardly　speak　to　me；　and　i　was　certain　he　had　given　up　the　pursuit　of　his　matrimonial　scheme：　the　sequel　showed　i　was　mistaken　on　both　points。　he　addressed　me　precisely　in　his　ordinary　manner；　or　what　had；　of　late；　been　his　ordinary　manner—one　scrupulously　polite。　no　doubt　he　had　invoked　the　help　of　the　holy　spirit　to　subdue　the　anger　i　had　roused　in　him；　and　now　believed　he　had　forgiven　me　once　more。
for　the　evening　reading　before　prayers；　he　selected　the　twenty…first　chapter　of　revelation。　it　was　at　all　times　pleasant　to　listen　while　from　his　lips　fell　the　words　of　the　bible：　never　did　his　fine　voice　sound　at　once　so　sweet　and　full—never　did　his　manner　bee　so　impressive　in　its　noble　simplicity；　as　when　he　delivered　the　oracles　of　god：　and　to…night　that　voice　took　a　more　solemn　tone—that　manner　a　more　thrilling　meaning—as　he　sat　in　the　midst　of　his　household　circle　（the　may　moon　shining　in　through　the　uncurtained　window；　and　rendering　almost　unnecessary　the　light　of　the　candle　on　the　table）：　as　he　sat　there；　bending　over　the　great　old　bible；　and　described　from　its　page　the　vision　of　the　new　heaven　and　the　new　earth—told　how　god　would　e　to　dwell　with　men；　how　he　would　wipe　away　all　tears　from　their　eyes；　and　promised　that　there　should　be　no　more　death；　neither　sorrow　nor　crying；　nor　any　more　pain；　because　the　former　things　were　passed　away。
the　succeeding　words　thrilled　me　strangely　as　he　spoke　them：　especially　as　i　felt；　by　the　slight；　indescribable　alteration　in　sound；　that　in　uttering　them；　his　eye　had　turned　on　me。
“he　that　overeth　shall　inherit　all　things；　and　i　will　be　his　god；　and　he　shall　be　my　son。　but；”　was　slowly；　distinctly　read；　“the　fearful；　the　unbelieving；　&c。；　shall　have　their　part　in　the　lake　which　burneth　with　fire　and　brimstone；　which　is　the　second　death。”
henceforward；　i　knew　what　fate　st。　john　feared　for　me。
a　calm；　subdued　triumph；　blent　with　a　longing　earnestness；　marked　his　enunciation　of　the　last　glorious　verses　of　that　chapter。　the　reader　believed　his　name　was　already　written　in　the　lamb’s　book　of　life；　and　he　yearned　after　the　hour　which　should　admit　him　to　the　city　to　which　the　kings　of　the　earth　bring　their　glory　and　honour；　which　has　no　need　of　sun　or　moon　to　shine　in　it；　because　the　glory　of　god　lightens　it；　and　the　lamb　is　the　light　thereof。
in　the　prayer　following　the　chapter；　all　his　energy　gathered—all　his　stern　zeal　woke：　he　was　in　deep　earnest；　wrestling　with　god；　and　resolved　on　a　conquest。　he　supplicated　strength　for　the　weak…　hearted；　guidance　for　wanderers　from　the　fold：　a　return；　even　at　the　eleventh　hour；　for　those　whom　the　temptations　of　the　world　and　the　flesh　were　luring　from　the　narrow　path。　he　asked；　he　urged；　he　claimed　the　boon　of　a　brand　snatched　from　the　burning。　earnestness　is　ever　deeply　solemn：　first；　as　i　listened　to　that　prayer；　i　wondered　at　his；　then；　when　it　continued　and　rose；　i　was　touched　by　it；　and　at　last　awed。　he　felt　the　greatness　and　goodness　of　his　purpose　so　sincerely：　others　who　heard　him　plead　for　it；　could　not　but　feel　it　too。
the　prayer　over；　we　took　leave　of　him：　he　was　to　go　at　a　very　early　hour　in　the　morning。　diana　and　mary　having　kissed　him；　left　the　room—in　pliance；　i　think；　with　a　whispered　hint　from　him：　i　tendered　my　hand；　and　wished　him　a　pleasant　journey。
“thank　you；　jane。　as　i　said；　i　shall　return　from　cambridge　in　a　fortnight：　that　space；　then；　is　yet　left　you　for　reflection。　if　i　listened　to　human　pride；　i　should　say　no　more　to　you　of　marriage　with　me；　but　i　listen　to　my　duty；　and　keep　steadily　in　view　my　first　aim—to　do　all　things　to　the　glory　of　god。　my　master　was　long…　suffering：　so　will　i　be。　i　cannot　give　you　up　to　perdition　as　a　vessel　of　wrath：　repent—resolve；　while　there　is　yet　time。　remember；　we　are　bid　to　work　while　it　is　day—warned　that　‘the　night　eth　when　no　man　shall　work。’　remember　the　fate　of　dives；　who　had　his　good　things　in　this　life。　god　give　you　strength　to　choo