Ext. A midsummer dawn. Thornfield the grounds

JANE

To fall in love, sir?

ROCHESTER

You've never felt love, have you

Miss Eyre? Your soul still sleeps.

JANE

Does it?

ROCHESTER

You're still floating gently in

the stream of life, unaware of

the rocks ahead waiting to dash

you to pieces.

JANE

Were you dashed to pieces, Mr

Rochester?

ROCHESTER

Not by Celine. How can one ever

truly love a woman one has paid

for?

(MORE)

Jane Eyre adapted by Moira Buffini March 2008 52.

ROCHESTER (CONT'D)

It ended when I visited her

unexpectedly one night and caught

her with her handsome, charmless

lover. I overheard her waxing

lyrical on all my defects - she was

mercenary, heartless, senseless.

The whole intoxication fell away

like a dream. I left her money to

support the little French floweret

over there, whom she swore blind

was mine. I see no proof of my grim

paternity in her features; I think

Pilot is more like me than she.

JANE

But you took her on?

Adele is curled up, seeking comfort from the dog.

ROCHESTER

Some years later, I heard that

Celine had abandoned the brat,

disappeared to Italy and left it

destitute. So I lifted it from the

mud and slime of Paris and brought

it here, to grow up clean in the

wholesome soil of an English

country garden. My one good work in

a sea of countless sins.

Jane is looking at Adele full of compassion.