ken amongst mountains; for I heard a hill…sent echo repeat the words。 Cooler and fresher at the moment the gale seemed to visit my brow: I could have deemed that in some wild; lone scene; I and Jane were meeting。 In spirit; I believe we must have met。 You no doubt were; at that hour; in unconscious sleep; Jane: perhaps your soul wandered from its cell to fort mine; for those were your accents—as certain as I live—they were yours!”
Reader; it was on Monday night—near midnight—that I too had received the mysterious summons: those were the very words by which I replied to it。 I listened to Mr。 Rochester’s narrative; but made no disclosure in return。 The coincidence struck me as too awful and inexplicable to be municated or discussed。 If I told anything; my tale would be such as must necessarily make a profound impression on the mind of my hearer: and that mind; yet from its sufferings too prone to gloom; needed not the deeper shade of the supernatural。 I kept these things then; and pondered them in my heart。
“You cannot now wonder;” continued my master; “that when you rose upon me so unexpectedly last night; I had difficulty in believing you any other than a mere voice and vision; something that would melt to silence and annihilation; as the midnight whisper and mountain echo had melted before。 Now; I thank God! I know it to be otherwise。 Yes; I thank God!”
He put me off his knee; rose; and reverently lifting his hat from his brow; and bending his sightless