The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 02, No. 09, July, 1858 by Various
page 31 of 292 (10%)
page 31 of 292 (10%)
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is what I call an anachronism, spiritually. What do you think about the
book, Letty?" said she, turning her lithe figure round in the great chair toward the little Quakeress, whose pretty red head and apple-blossom of a face bloomed out of her gray attire and prim collar with a certain fascinating contrast. "I think it has a very good moral tendency, Cousin Jo." The clear, hazel eyes flashed a most amused comment at me. "Well, what do you call the moral, Letty?" "Why,--I should think,--I do not quite know that the moral is stated, Josephine,--but I think thee will allow it was a great triumph of principle for Jane Eyre to leave Mr. Rochester when she discovered that he was married." Jo flung herself back impatiently in the chair, and began an harangue. "That is a true world's judgment! And you, you innocent little Quaker girl! think it is the height of virtue not to elope with a married man, who has entirely and deliberately deceived you, and adds to the wrong of deceit the insult of proposing an elopement! Triumph of principle! I should call it the result of common decency, rather,--a thing that the instinct of any woman would compel her to do. My only wonder is how Jane Eyre could continue to love him." "My dear young friend," said I, rather grimly, "when a woman loves a man, it is apt, I regret to say, to become a fact, not a theory; and facts are stubborn things, you know. It is not easy to set aside a real affection." |
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