"The Widow" Bertha

Now, in the huge Thornfield Manor, almost no one is dissatisfied with their thoughts.

People who don't know are still afraid and sad about the murder, while those who know are plotting to set fire. As for the hero and heroine of the original "Jane Eyre", Rochester and Jane Eyre, are even more disturbed because the true identity of the "mad woman" is revealed .

Of course, there was no Bertha among them.

Her plan to burn Thornfield Manor twisted and turned, and went back to the original point, which can be said to have basically achieved her goal.Now is the time to put it into action.

Colonel Dent and Rochester secretly sent people to buy kerosene overnight. In view of Bertha's attempted arson attempt in Rochester's master bedroom in the past, this time the arson site was still chosen in that bedroom.

As for Bertha's "corpse", Mr. Ashton spent a lot of money to buy a well-known local doctor in Millcote to make a false testimony during the autopsy, just go through the motions, and just bury it with a wooden man.

In this way, Bertha's escape plan has completed the first step.

As for the second step...

On the evening of the day Miss Jane Eyre resigned, Rochester presented a fairly detailed contract.

"The contract you want," Rochester said coldly, "I will never break my promise."

"Okay, okay, you keep your promise the most."

Bertha wasn't interested in flattering Rochester, she picked up the contract while she was perfunctory, and read it carefully.

Today's Bertha is really thankful that she was a reporter before crossing. Although she doesn't have the ability of those tech giants, she can do anything to change the world and save the common people, but she has traveled from south to north, and went to prisons to interview murderers. , Down to walking into a poor neighborhood and quarreling with a local aunt, it can be considered a rich experience.

Something like reading a contract?Naturally, it's a trivial matter. Even if Rochester really used yin and yang characters to deceive her, he would not be able to deceive Bertha, who has legal knowledge of the 21st century.

And he didn't.

The lawyer hired by Rochester not only clearly wrote Bertha's request into the contract, but even... more than what Bertha asked for!

At the beginning, Rochester and Bertha agreed verbally to repay her [-] pounds in cash first, and then pay it off in full within five years, with the interest rate calculated according to the bank's standard.

Later, after reaching an agreement with Colonel Dent to take the blame, the other party gave a lot of benefits.Therefore, it was written in the contract that Bertha should be paid [-] pounds first, and then the remaining arrears should be paid off within three years.

But apart from that, the contract in Bertha's hands clearly stated that for the remaining three years, Edward Rochester would return at least £[-] in cash to Bertha every year.

Calculated in this way, he actually wanted to give Bertha [-] pounds in cash, far exceeding the amount they agreed upon.

"What's with the extra four thousand pounds?" Bertha raised her eyebrows.

"...It's your compensation."

Rochester was silent for a moment, and then said: "If it weren't for the murder case, I might not have this ability. But the other party gave me a lot of green lights, and you are responsible for it. And..."

Bertha waited silently for him to continue.

Rochester obviously wanted Bertha to interrupt him, and few people want to face the scars of the past.But Bertha didn't, so he could only bite the bullet and finish the rest of the sentence very bluntly: "And, it's also the compensation for the past ten years."

"Compensation for what?"

"..."

"Huh?" Bertha tilted her head and smiled.

"To make up for my incapacity, and there is no way to cure your illness. Even if your married life is not satisfactory, locking the door of the attic is still the next best thing to do."

When Rochester's dry apology fell to the ground, Bertha could only feel a strong pleasure in her heart.

The need for this apology must have been deeply engraved into Bertha's physical instinct.Although objectively speaking, Rochester really has no better way, but this apology is still necessary for Bertha.

She accepted it openly.

but……

"Only four thousand?"

Bertha teased: "On average over ten years, it's only four hundred pounds a year. As far as I know, your annual salary to Grace is only two hundred pounds, isn't it, Edward?"

Rochester immediately frowned: "Then how much do you want? My financial ability is still limited, but you and I can negotiate."

Bertha: "..." Seriously.

She didn't intend to ask for Rochester's money at all, Bertha just wanted to get back what belonged to her, and sever ties with him by the way.But since Rochester gave it for nothing, Bertha was not polite to him.

"never mind."

Seeing Rochester's serious look, Bertha suddenly felt bored: "That's very good."

Rochester: "What are your future plans? I always need to know your address so that I can send money for you."

Bertha hadn't actually thought about it carefully.

With this money, she can live well wherever she goes.But... since it was mistakenly taken as an acquaintance of Holmes, it would be good to go to London to see.

"Just go to London," answered Bertha.

"Then you need to decide on your residence before you leave, and you have to hire a maid."

"..."

Bertha glanced at Rochester in surprise: Why are you planning a future life for her?

Perhaps Bertha's gaze was too obvious, Rochester said unhappily: "You were only 15 years old when your father handed you over to me. 'Miss Marple', you didn't even live in England for a day before that. Even if you I have no husband and wife relationship since then, and I have to make sure that you can settle down in the new city."

Alright, although these words are extraordinarily machismo, it at least proves that Rochester is a responsible person.

Of course Bertha doesn’t need others’ help to find a house, she can live in a hotel in London and find it on her own. In terms of choosing a rented house, social animals in the 21st century have more experience than landowners in the [-]th century. Look at where you live, where do you cry if something goes wrong?

But she needs Rochester to introduce another maid. After all, Bertha is not familiar with the place. Although Grace Poole is loyal, he is not clever enough.

"Have you any trustworthy friends in London?" asked Bertha.

"If necessary, I will personally send you to London," Rochester said, "It is also fulfilling the second promise, and I will ask a famous doctor to confirm it for you."

Forget it! !

And to walk with Rochester, thinking about that scene, Bertha's head gets dizzy.She rubbed her forehead: "Why don't you introduce the doctor to me directly, the local doctor knows more about the situation in London than you do, whether it's the residence or the maid, I just ask him to help keep an eye on it."

Speaking of this, Edward Rochester really felt Bertha's eagerness to get rid of herself.

Thinking of his wife wishing to stay away from him, Rochester's mood was complicated; but when he thought about what happened to each other in the past ten years, he felt relieved.

Many thoughts were intertwined and tangled, and Rochester was also filled with emotions.

"I never thought that you and I would come to this point in the end." He whispered.

"Which step?"

Bertha laughed a few times: "Is it hard to imagine that you and I will sever our relationship, or is it hard to imagine that you will lock me up like a prisoner?"

Rochester: "..."

Bertha: "Don't worry about it, Edward."

The original body no longer had any feelings for Rochester, so Bertha didn't bother to make enemies for herself.Help the hero in "Jane Eyre", maybe I can get benefits from him again.

It is rare for her to slow down her tone to her cheap husband: "Instead of entangled in the past, it is better to imagine the future. If you go on the wrong path, don't make the same mistake again."

Rochester did not speak.

Bertha: "You should show your heart to Miss Jane Eyre."

"You were still my wife until you left," said Rochester, "but you persuaded me to pursue other women?"

"It's not you who ever thought of getting rid of me?" Bertha mocked.

She could probably understand what Rochester was thinking.Although he wanted to get rid of Bertha's nightmare day and night, Edward Rochester was a man after all. It was one thing for him to solve the problem, but it was another thing for his wife to want to leave.

There's no emotion involved, it's all about human pride.

"If you hadn't been such a cynical and disdainful person, I would never have said so much to you," and it would not be Bertha's turn to say more, and I am afraid she would not be alive now. Whether you accept it or not, this is your only chance. If she insists on leaving, it may be a farewell from now on."

"..."

"Even if she rejects you, isn't it good to explain before that?"

As the saying goes, you don't hit a smiling face. Bertha's admonition came from the heart, and Rochester, who was always tense, slowed down somewhat.

In the past few days, Bertha has regained her sobriety, another sudden murder case, and Miss Jane Eyre even offered to resign. Many incidents have piled up in one place, and Rochester's pressure is not insignificant.It wasn't until Bertha persuaded him that he let out a breath slowly, showing a tired look.

"I'll think about it, thank you," he said.

And Edward Rochester had always been an efficient man.

After the dinner time that day, on the eve of going to sleep in the manor, Rochester invited Miss Jane Eyre to the living room of the manor.

He sat by the fireplace and watched the petite tutor come over and stand quietly five steps away from him.

Rochester knew very well that even though Jane Eyre put on an obedient and polite appearance, her nature was definitely not like that—and it was precisely because of this that he was attracted.

"You proposed to resign, I will respect your wishes." Rochester said.

Miss Jane Eyre, standing aside, relaxed as if relieved: "...Thank you, sir."

Rochester laughed dryly a few times, one or two are so anxious to leave him, what kind of plague god is he?

"But before that, you have the right to know about my past with Bertha," Rochester said, "I have been entangled with her for ten years, and now it has come to an end. This is a very long story."

"..."

Miss Jane Eyre expressed some surprise.

Of course she wanted to know about Bertha's past, and Jane Eyre could hardly restrain her curiosity about Bertha, but she never expected... Mr. Rochester would take the initiative to inform.

"What does it have to do with me, sir?" she began softly.

"Because I think it has something to do with you." Rochester took a deep breath and stood up, "My marriage was built on one lie after another, Miss Jane Eyre, so I don't want the people I care about to continue to be in the dark."

When the phrase "the one who cares" fell to the ground, Miss Jane Eyre's body was shaken and she raised her head suddenly.

The author has something to say: #今天贝尔萨把夫husband pissed off, no.But it took a lot of money#

Bertha: After divorce, I have to teach my ex-husband how to pick up girls. Alas, I feel tired.

Rochester: I don't think it's a big deal for you to watch the excitement.

Bertha: Sister Jane, send him a card!Send him a card!