sage　in　the　world：　for　the　rest；　you　are　not　my　conscience…keeper；　so　don’t　make　yourself　uneasy。　Here；　e　in；　bonny　wanderer！”

He　said　this　as　if　he　spoke　to　a　vision；　viewless　to　any　eye　but　his　own；　then；　folding　his　arms；　which　he　had　half　extended；　on　his　chest；　he　seemed　to　enclose　in　their　embrace　the　invisible　being。

“Now；”　he　continued；　again　addressing　me；　“I　have　received　the　pilgrim—a　disguised　deity；　as　I　verify　believe。　Already　it　has　done　me　good：　my　heart　was　a　sort　of　charnel；　it　will　now　be　a　shrine。”

“To　speak　truth；　sir；　I　don’t　understand　you　at　all：　I　cannot　keep　up　the　conversation；　because　it　has　got　out　of　my　depth。　Only　one　thing；　I　know：　you　said　you　were　not　as　good　as　you　should　like　to　be；　and　that　you　regretted　your　own　imperfection；—one　thing　I　can　prehend：　you　intimated　that　to　have　a　sullied　memory　was　a　perpetual　bane。　It　seems　to　me；　that　if　you　tried　hard；　you　would　in　time　find　it　possible　to　bee　what　you　yourself　would　approve；　and　that　if　from　this　day　you　began　with　resolution　to　correct　your　thoughts　and　actions；　you　would　in　a　few　years　have　laid　up　a　new　and　stainless　store　of　recollections；　to　which　you　might　revert　with　pleasure。”

“Justly　thought；　rightly　said；　Miss　Eyre；　and；　at　this　moment；　I　am　paving　hell　with　energy。”

“Sir？”

“I　am　laying　down　good　intentions；　which　I　believe　durable　as　flint。　Certainly；　my　associates　and　pursuits　shall　be　other　than　they　have　been。”

“And　better？”

“And　better—so　much　better　as　pure　ore　is　than　foul　dross。　You　seem　to　doubt　me；　I　don’t　doubt　myself：　I　know　what　my　aim　is；　what　my　motives　are；　and　at　this　moment　I　pass　a　law；　unalterable　as　that　of　the　Medes　and　Persians；　that　both　are　right。”

“They　cannot　be；　sir；　if　they　requi