Chapter 37 Cousins

1 It is a fine thing to be lifted in a moment from poverty to wealth, but not a matter that one can enjoy all at once. Besides, my uncle, my only relation, whom I had hoped one day to see, was dead.

2 'You raise your forehead at last,' said Mr Rivers. 'Perhaps you will now ask how much you are worth?'

3 'How much am I worth?'

4 'Oh, just a little! Nothing to speak of—twenty thousand pounds.'

5 'Twenty thousand pounds!'

6 'Well,' said St John, laughing, a thing I had never known him do before, 'if you had been guilty of a murder, and I had told you that your crime was discovered, you could scarcely look more disturbed.'

7 'It is a large amount. Don't you think there is a mistake?'

8 'No mistake at all.'

9 Mr Rivers now rose, and said good night. His hand was on the door, when a sudden thought came to me.

10 'Stop one minute!' I cried.

11 'Well?'

12 'It puzzles me to know why Mr Briggs wrote to you about me, or how he knew you, or could imagine that you, living in such a lonely place as this, had the power to help in discovering me.'

13 'Oh, I am a priest, and priests are often asked for help about various matters.'

14 'No. That does not satisfy me!' I exclaimed. My curiosity was wakened. 'I must know more about this business.'

15 'Another time.'

16 'No! Tonight!' and as he turned from the door, I placed myself between it and him. He looked rather undecided.

17 'I would rather Diana or Mary informed you.'

18 My eagerness only increased, and I insisted once more on being satisfied.

19 'But I warn you I am a hard man,' he said, 'difficult to persuade.'

20 'And I am a hard woman—impossible to refuse.'

21 'Well,' he said, 'I yield, if not to your eagerness, to your insistence. Besides, you must know some day—as well now as later. Your name is Jane Eyre?'

22 'Of course, that was settled before.'

23 'You do not know, perhaps, that I am called St John Eyre Rivers?'

24 'No, indeed! I remember now seeing the letter E in your name written in books you have lent me. But what then? Surely ... '

25 I stopped. The truth rushed upon me, as details began to connect themselves in my mind. St John went on:

26 'My mother's name was Eyre. She had two brothers, one a priest who married Miss Jane Reed of Gateshead, the other, John Eyre, merchant of Madeira. Mr Briggs, being Mr Eyre's lawyer, wrote to us last August to inform us of our uncle's death, and to say that he had left his property to the orphan daughter of his brother the priest, giving nothing to us, as a result of a quarrel, never forgiven, between him and my father. He wrote again, a few weeks later, to say that the heiress was lost, and asking if we knew anything of her. A name written on a strip of paper has enabled me to find her. You know the rest.'

27 'Do let me speak,' I said. 'Your mother was my father's sister?'

28 'Yes.'

29 'My Uncle John was your Uncle John? You, Diana and Mary are my cousins?'

30 'We are cousins, yes.'

31 I looked at him. This was wealth indeed, wealth to the heart.

32 'Oh, I am glad!' I exclaimed,

33 St John smiled.

34 'Did I not say you neglected essential points in favour of slight matters?' he asked. 'You were serious when I told you that you had got a fortune, and now, for a matter of no importance, you are excited.'

35 'What can you mean? It may be of no importance to you. You have sisters, and don't care about a cousin. But I had nobody, and now I have three relations. I say again, I am glad!'

36 I walked quickly to and fro. Thoughts rose more rapidly than I could express them. Mr Rivers placed a chair behind me, and gently attempted to make me sit down.

37 'Write to Diana and Mary tomorrow,' I said, 'and tell them to come home at once. Diana said a small amount of money would make a difference to them, so with five thousand pounds each they will do very well.'

38 'Let me get you a glass of water,' said St John. 'You must really try and calm yourself.'

39 'Mr Rivers! You make me lose patience. I am reasonable enough.'

40 'Perhaps, if you explained yourself a little more fully ... '

41 'Explain! What is there to explain? You must realise that twenty thousand pounds, divided equally among the four of us, will give five thousand pounds each. I am not greedily selfish, blindly unjust, or wickedly ungrateful. This money could never be all mine in justice, though it might be in law.'

42 'Jane, we will be your cousins, without expecting this sacrifice from you.'

43 'Cousins—I, wealthy, and you, poor!'

44 'And the school, Miss Eyre? It must now be shut up, I suppose?'

45 'No, I will keep my post of teacher till you find someone to take my place.'

46 He smiled approval, and left me.

47 I had many struggles and used many arguments before I got the money settled as I wished. It was hard work, but as I was absolutely determined to make a just division of the property, and my cousins must in their own hearts have felt that I was only doing what they themselves would have done in my place, they yielded at last so far as to allow the affair to be judged by lawyers. My opinion received support, the necessary papers were written out and signed, and St John, Diana, Mary and I each became the possessors of a moderate fortune.