Jasper’s sacrifices
“Your belief, if you believe in the criminality of Mr. Landless, is not Mr. Crisparkle’s belief, and he is a good man,” Rosa retorts.
“My belief is my own; and I reserve it, worshipped of my soul! Circumstances may accumulate so strongly even against an innocent man, that directed, sharpened, and pointed, they may slay him. One wanting link discovered by perseverance against a guilty man, proves his guilt, however slight its evidence before, and he dies. Young Landless stands in deadly peril either way.”
“If you really suppose,” Rosa pleads with him, turning paler, “that I favour Mr. Landless, or that Mr. Landless has ever in any way addressed himself to me, you are wrong.”
He puts that from him with a slighting action of his hand and a curled lip.
“I was going to show you how madly I love you. More madly now than ever, for I am willing to renounce the second object that has arisen in my life to divide it with you; and henceforth to have no object in existence but you only. Miss Landless has become your bosom friend. You care for her peace of mind?”
“I love her dearly.”
“You care for her good name?”
“I have said, sir, I love her dearly.”