"If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under." - Ronald Reagan

Monday, September 23, 2013

"He thought his love slept sweetly..."

I am a little obsessed with the book Jane Eyre. I thought of dressing up like the main character for Halloween, but it wouldn't be an obvious costume, say, like a witch, a ghost, or an alien time traveler who lives in a phone box. While reading, I will completely fixate on a scene or line - like the window seat where a young Jane hides to read a book while her cruel cousins try to find her. I would love to have a hiding place like that, but like Jane, I am sure I would be discovered.

In high school, I read that book at least once a year. During one such read through, I came across a paragraph that struck me so sharply, that I then insisted on reading it to every member of my family that was currently in the house, along with a few friends I called just for this purpose. I even wrote it down in a little quote book I kept (and still have). But I wrote down the wrong page number. When I tried to find it again, I was lost. Even re-reading the book didn't help; I just couldn't find it again. I started to think that maybe that awesome paragraph was like its own little Brigadoon…then the Internet sprouted. Even though I totally slaughtered the actual wording, the Internet still found it.

And because I love you, I will share it with you here:
"A lover finds his mistress asleep on a mossy bank; he wishes to catch a glimpse of her fair face without waking her. He steals softly over the grass, careful to make no sound; he pauses -- fancying she has stirred: he withdraws: not for worlds would he be seen. All is still: he again advances: he bends above her; a light veil rests on her features: he lifts it, bends lower; now his eyes anticipate the vision of beauty -- warm, and blooming, and lovely, in rest. How hurried was their first glance! But how they fix! How he starts! How he suddenly and vehemently clasps in both arms the form he dared not, a moment since, touch with his finger! How he calls aloud a name, and drops his burden, and gazes on it wildly! He thus grasps and cries, and gazes, because he no longer fears to waken by any sound he can utter -- by any movement he can make. He thought his love slept sweetly: he finds she is stone dead."
What lines from books are you obsessed with?
(And if you say something along the lines of "the lion fell in love with the lamb…" I will be forced to delete your comment.  Hehehehehe) 

4 comments:

Heidi M. said...

“‎And yet I have had the weakness, and have still the weakness, to wish you to know with what a sudden mastery you kindled me, heap of ashes that I am, into fire.” - Sydney Carton in 'Tale of Two Cities'
- one of my favs from classic literature. I am simply in love with this bad boy who turned in the end.

Jillybean said...

I can't think of any lines right now, it's been way too long since I've been able to sit down and read a book that wasn't on my kids reading list.
FYI my son dressed as the time traveling phone box for Halloween last year and nobody in our neighborhood had any idea what he was.
We live in a nerdless neighborhood, apparently.

Rupper Family said...

I don't have a line for you, though somehow I just had a flashback of you and all the Glenwood girls swooning over some guy in tights. Was it the Scarlet Pimpernel? I don't know.
But now I wonder, how many times have you seen Austenland Jess?

Jessica G. said...

Rupper Family - Ahhh…Anthony Andrews…that brings back some memories. :)
And actually, I haven't seen Austenland. I need to. Want to go with me?

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