Chapter-21
Next morning, the marriage between Jane and Mr
Rochester took place at church. Both were extremely happy. Jane was his vision. She wrote to Diana and Mary about her marriage with Mr Rochester. She also corresponded with St John who was living in India. St John blessed Jane and Mr Rochester.
He entered on the path he had marked for himself. He pursued it till his last breath. A more resolute, indefatigable pioneer never wrought amidst rocks and dangers. Firm, faithful and devoted, full of energy, zeal and truth, he laboured for his race. He cleared their painful way to improvement. He hewed down like a giant the prejudices of creed and caste that encumbered it. He might be stern; he might be exacting; he might be ambitious yet. But his was the sternness of the warrior Greatheart who guarded his pilgrim convoy from the onslaught of Apollyon. His was the exaction of the apostle, who speaks but for Christ. St John remained married throughout his life.
After some time, Jane went to the school where Adele was studying. When Adele saw Jane, she felt very happy. She told Jane that she was not happy there. Jane brought her back and got her admitted in a school nearby. Diana and Mary, too, were happily married. Diana married a captain in the Navy while Mary wedded a clergyman. Both visited Jane every year. The life went on smoothly for both Jane and Mr Rochester after their marriage.
Mr Rochester continued blind the first two years of their union. Perhaps it was the circumstance that drew them so very close, that knitted them so very close, for Jane was his vision. Literally, she was the apple of his eye. He saw Nature—he saw books through her. Never did Jane become weary of gazing on his behalf, and of putting into words the effect of field, tree, town, river, cloud, sunbeam—of the landscape. Never did Jane become weary of reading to him; never did she become weary of conducting him where he wished to go; of doing for him what he wished to be done. There was a pleasure in her services, most full, most exquisite, even though sad because he claimed these services without painful shame or damping humiliation. He loved Jane so truly that he knew no reluctance in profiting by her attendance. He felt Jane loved him so fondly that to yield that attendance was to indulge her sweetest wishes.
Jane took great care of Mr Rochester and never made him feel that he was a sightless person. In due course, Jane gave birth to a handsome baby-boy. He had inherited large brilliant black eyes of Mr Rochester. But Mr Rochester was sad as he could not see his son.
After some time, they visited an eminent eye-specialist who restored the sight in one of the eyes of Mr Rochester. Now, Mr Rochester could see with one eye. He felt overjoyed to see his son. He hugged his son to his bosom. Jane had been happily married for ten years. She considered himself supremely blessed. Both Mr Rochester and Jane lived happily thereafter.
