PARTTHREE-AYOUNGWOMANATTHORNFIELDCHAPTEREIGHTEENMr.Rochester'sStory "IbelievedIcould.Ithoughtthatoneday,Iwouldfindawomanwhowouldunderstandmyproblem,andacceptmeanyway.""Didyoufindone,sir?""No,Jane,butIspent10longyearslooking.Itriedtakingmistresses.Butfinally,unhappyanddisappointedwithmylife,IreturnedtoThornfieldonacoldwinterday.Andwhenmyhorseslippedandfellontheice,youcameandwantedtohelpme.Inthenextweeks,Ibegantodependonyou,aquiet,bird-likeyounglady,formyhappinessinlife.Iknewyouweretheonlyoneforme.""Don'ttalkanymoreofthepast,sir,"Isaidsadly."Jane,you'reright.Thefuturewillbemuchhappier.Youunderstandnow,don'tyou?I'vespentsomuchofmylifealone,inmisery.ButnowI'vefoundyou,andyouarealwaysinmyheart.Itwasstupidofmetotryandmarryyouwithouttellingyoumystory.Ipromisetoloveyouandstaywithyouforever.Jane,promisemethesame."WhenIsaidnothing,hesaid, "Whyareyousilent,Jane?"Thiswasoneofthemostterriblemomentsofmylife.IknewthathelovedmeandIlovedhim,butIknewIcouldnotlivewithMr.Rochester. "Jane,justpromisemethatyouwillbemine.""Mr.Rochester,Iwillnotbeyours,"Isaid,shaking.Hesaidnothing."Jane,"hesaid,withagentlenessthatcutintomysoul, "Jane,doyouwantustoliveapartforever?""Yes.""OhJane,thisisaterribleshock.Itwouldnotbewrongtoloveme.""Itwouldbewrongtodowhatyouwant."