"And you will stay with me?"

"Certainly- unless you object. I will be your neighbour，your nurse，your housekeeper. I find you lonely: I will be your panion- to read to you，to walk with you，to sit with you，to wait on you，to be eyes and hands to you. Cease to look so melancholy，my dear master; you shall not be left desolate，so long as I live."

He replied not: he seemed serious- abstracted; he sighed; he half-opened his lips as if to speak: he closed them again. I felt a little embarrassed. perhaps I had too rashly overleaped conventionalities; and he，like St. John，saw impropriety in my inconsiderateness. I had indeed made my proposal from the idea that he wished and would ask me to be his wife: an expectation，not the less certain because unexpressed，had buoyed me up，that he would claim me at once as his own. But no hint to that effect escaping him and his countenance being more overcast，I suddenly remembered that I might have been all wrong，and was perhaps playing the fool unwittingly; and I began gently to withdraw myself from his arms- but he eagerly snatched me closer.

"No- no- Jane; you must not go. No- I have touched you，heard you，felt the fort of your presence- the sweetness of your consolation: I cannot give up these joys. I have little left in myself- I must have you. The world may laugh- may call me absurd，selfish- but it does not signify. My very soul demands you: it will be satisfied，or it will take deadly vengeance on its frame."

"Well，sir，I will stay with you: I have said so."