"Ah! sir，she sees you!" exclaimed Grace: "you"d better not stay."

"Only a few moments，Grace: you must allow me a few moments."

"Take care then，sir!- for God"s sake，take care!"

The maniac bellowed: she parted her shaggy locks from her visage，and gazed wildly at her visitors. I recognised well that purple face,- those bloated features. Mrs. poole advanced.

"Keep out of the way," said Mr. Rochester，thrusting her aside:

"she has no knife now，I suppose，and I"m on my guard!"

"One never knows what she has，sir: she is so cunning: it is not in mortal discretion to fathom her craft."

"We had better leave her," whispered Mason.

"Go to the devil!" was his brother-in-law"s remendation.

""Ware!" cried Grace. The three gentlemen retreated simultaneously. Mr. Rochester flung me behind him: the lunatic sprang and grappled his throat viciously，and laid her teeth to his cheek: they struggled. She was a big woman，in stature almost equalling her husband，and corpulent besides: she showed virile force in the contest- more than once she almost throttled him，athletic as he was. He could have settled her with a well-planted blow: but he would not strike: he would only wrestle. At last he mastered her arms; Grace poole gave him a cord，and he pinioned them behind her: with more rope，which was at hand，he bound her to a chair. The operation was performed amidst the fiercest yells and the most convulsive plunges. Mr. Rochester then turned to the spectators: he looked at them with a smile both acrid and desolate.

"That is my wife," said he. "Such is the sole conjugal embrace I am ever to know- such are the endearments which are to solace my leisure hours! And this is what I wished to have" (laying his hand on my shoulder): "this young girl，who stands so grave and quiet at the mouth of hell，looking collectedly at the gambols of a demon. I wanted her just as a change after that fierce ragout. Wood and Briggs，look at the difference! pare these clear eyes with the red balls yonder- this face with that mask- this form with that bulk; then judge me，priest of the gospel and man of the law，and remember with what judgment ye judge ye shall be judged! Off with you now. I must shut up my prize."