Chapter 15

Summary

One day, Mr. Rochester finds Jane and Adèle on the grounds, and decides to tell Jane about Adèle’s mother. Céline Varens was a French opera-dancer, whom Mr. Rochester was once in love with in his youth. He dumped her when he caught her cheating on him. However, after they broke up, Céline gave birth to Adèle, claiming Mr. Rochester is the father. Later, Céline ran away to Italy with a new lover, leaving Adèle behind. Mr. Rochester does not believe she is his daughter, but he decided to take her in anyways out of charity. While he narrates his story to Jane, he interrupts himself a few times, once to tell her that it seems like his destiny is daring him to like Thornfield and he accepts the dare. This means that he feels, for the first time, as if he can be happy at Thornfield, but has misgivings about his joy due to his past. Mr. Rochester also affirms that he is sticking to his good resolutions. Unfortunately, he is still unkind to Adèle, and speaks harshly to her. Jane, on the other hand, likes Adèle more now that knows that she is virtually abandoned, and is more sympathetic now that she understands the child’s loneliness.

As she lies awake at night, unable to sleep, Jane wonders about Mr. Rochester’s moodiness and unhappiness which, she has concluded, arise from some secret pain of his. Suddenly, she hears the slow, deep laugh of Grace Poole right outside her door! It also sounds as if the person is running their fingers on the wall outside Jane’s room. Terrified, she leaps up and locks her door, and calls to the person, asking who they are. There is no response except for more eerie noises. Jane, by now extremely awake, hears the person opening Mr. Rochester’s room and closing it after a moment or two. Then there is silence. Jane sucks up her courage, and slowly opens her door, peering outside. There is nothing…except for smoke coming from Mr. Rochester’s room! Jane rushes over, and sees Mr. Rochester’s bed on fire, and him fast asleep, about to be burned alive. She grabs the nearest basin and pours water over him and the bed until the flames are doused. Mr. Rochester wakes up at that, and his initial reaction is to call Jane a witch and accuse her of trying to drown him. Jane quickly explains the situation, and Mr. Rochester says that he must pay a visit to the mysterious third floor, ordering Jane not to move while he is away. When he gets back, he blames the fire on Grace Poole, and thanks Jane for saving his life. He inadvertently admits that he has special feelings of some sort for Jane. Then she makes an excuse to leave, since he is holding her hand and won’t let go. Jane can’t sleep for the rest of the night.

Reaction

Wow! This chapter was action-packed. The fire scene was suspenseful, and very fun to read. I loved Jane’s compassionate and warm feelings toward Adèle, and this chapter made me feel very sorry for the poor little girl. And again, I seriously doubt Grace Poole was the one that tried to kill Mr. Rochester. It just can’t be her, or there would be more of a fuss. Also, Mr. Rochester’s initial reaction to waking up in a puddle of water was hilarious.