Chapter 16

Summary

In the morning, Jane hears the servants talking about the fire. They seem to think that it was caused by a falling candle, and Mr. Rochester saved himself. As Jane passes Mr. Rochester’s room, who should she see but Grace Poole, sewing calmly by the bed!  Jane is astonished at her tranquility, and decides to question her. Grace calmly says that Jane must have dreamt the strange laughs, and asks her why she did not look outside the door and if she normally bolts her door. Provoked by the questioning, Jane replies that she thought Thornfield was safe, but from now on, she will bolt her door. Grace coolly says that it might be wise to do so. Jane is flabbergasted at Grace’s serenity and seemingly awful hypocrisy. Then Jane must leave the room, for Mrs. Fairfax is waiting for her.

Jane is lost in thought while she teaches Adèle, and the little girl notices that Jane looks flushed. Jane is starting to realize that she hopes that Mr. Rochester cares for her. Also, she is determined to ask him about Grace Poole once and for all. Unfortunately, Mr. Rochester doesn’t drop by all day, even though Jane keeps waiting to hear him summoning her. Mrs. Fairfax then tells her that Mr. Rochester has gone to a party. Jane inquires about the people there, and Mrs. Fairfax tells her about a beautiful lady named Blanche Ingram that Mr. Rochester had sung a duet with. When she is alone, Jane is furious with herself. She berates herself for daring to hope that Mr. Rochester is in love with her, when beautiful women like Miss Ingram are in his company. She resolves to paint a picture of Blanche, and then draw a self-portrait, then compare the two whenever she forgets how hopeless it is for her to be in love with Mr. Rochester.

Reaction

Since Grace has not been fired, I am pretty certain that Grace is not the one that tried to murder Mr. Rochester, unless she really is blackmailing him. Jane finally, yet still indirectly, reveals that she is in love with Mr. Rochester. It seems to me that in the previous chapters, Mr. Rochester seems to love her back. I don’t know if Jane really does have to worry about Blanche Ingram. My favorite part was Jane’s conversation with Grace, because Grace was amusingly calm in contrast to Jane’s indignation and bewilderment.