Thelatter’sdistractionathisbereavementisasubjecttoopainfultobedwelton;itsaftereffectsshowedhowdeepthesorrowsunk.
Ibemoanedthat,asIgazedonthefeebleorphan;andImentallyabusedoldLintonfor(whatwasonlynaturalpartiality)thesecuringhisestatetohisowndaughter,insteadofhisson’s.
Nextmorning—brightandcheerfuloutofdoors—stolesoftenedinthroughtheblindsofthesilentroom,andsuffusedthecouchanditsoccupantwithamellow,tenderglow.
Hisyoungandfairfeatureswerealmostasdeathlikeasthoseoftheformbesidehim,andalmostasfixed:buthiswasthehushofexhaustedanguish,andhersofperfectpeace.
Herbrowsmooth,herlidsclosed,herlipswearingtheexpressionofasmile;noangelinheavencouldbemorebeautifulthansheappeared.
AndIpartookoftheinfinitecalminwhichshelay:mymindwasneverinaholierframethanwhileIgazedonthatuntroubledimageofDivinerest.
Idon’tknowifitbeapeculiarityinme,butIamseldomotherwisethanhappywhilewatchinginthechamberofdeath,shouldnofrenziedordespairingmournersharethedutywithme.
Iseeareposethatneitherearthnorhellcanbreak,andIfeelanassuranceoftheendlessandshadowlesshereafter—theEternitytheyhaveentered—wherelifeisboundlessinitsduration,andloveinitssympathy,andjoyinitsfulness.
InoticedonthatoccasionhowmuchselfishnessthereiseveninalovelikeMr.Linton’s,whenhesoregrettedCatherine’sblessedrelease!
Tobesure,onemighthavedoubted,afterthewaywardandimpatientexistenceshehadled,whether,shemeritedahavenofpeaceatlast.
Theservantsthoughtmegonetoshakeoffthedrowsinessofmyprotractedwatch;inreality,mychiefmotivewasseeingMr.Heathcliff.
Ifhehadremainedamongthelarchesallnight,hewouldhaveheardnothingofthestirattheGrange;unless,perhaps,hemightcatchthegallopofthemessengergoingtoGimmerton.
Ifhehadcomenearer,hewouldprobablybeaware,fromthelightsflittingtoandfro,andtheopeningandshuttingoftheouterdoors,thatallwasnotrightwithin.Iwished,yetfeared,tofindhim.
Hewasthere—atleastafewyardsfurtherinthepark;leantagainstanoldashtree,hishatoff,andhishairsoakedwiththedewthathadgatheredonthebuddedbranches,andfellpatteringroundhim.
Hehadbeenstandingalongtimeinthatposition,forIsawapairofouselspassingandrepassingscarcelythreefeetfromhim,busyinbuildingtheirnestandregardinghisproximitynomorethanthatofapieceoftimber.
“She’sdead!”hesaid;“I’venotwaitedforyoutolearnthat.Putyourhandkerchiefaway—don’tsnivelbeforeme.Damnyouall!shewantsnoneofyourtears!”
Iwasweepingasmuchforhimasher;wedosometimespitycreaturesthathavenoneofthefeelingeitherforthemselvesorothers.
WhenIfirstlookedintohisface,Iperceivedthathehadgotintelligenceofthecatastrophe;andafoolishnotionstruckmethathisheartwasquelledandheprayed,becausehislipsmovedandhisgazewasbentontheground.
“Yes,she’sdead!”Ianswered,checkingmysobsanddryingmycheeks.“Gonetoheaven,Ihope;wherewemay,everyone,joinher,ifwetakeduewarningandleaveourevilwaystofollowgood!”
“Didshetakeduewarning,then?”askedHeathcliff,attemptingasneer.“Didshedielikeasaint?Come,givemeatruehistoryoftheevent.Howdid-”
Heendeavoredtopronouncethename,butcouldnotmanageit;andcompressinghismouthheheldasilentcombatwithhisinwardagony,defying,meanwhile,mysympathywithanunflinchingferociousstare.“Howdidshedie?”
heresumedatlast—fain,notwithstandinghishardihood,tohaveasupportbehindhim;for,afterthestruggle,hetrembled,inspiteofhimself,tohisveryfinger-ends.
“Shedrewasigh,andstretchedherself,likeachildreviving,andsinkingagaintosleep;andfiveminutesafterIfeltonelittlepulseatherheart,andnothingmore!”
“And—didsheevermentionme?”heasked,hesitating,asifhedreadedtheanswertohisquestionwouldintroducedetailsthathecouldnotbeartohear.
“Mayshewakeintorment!”hecried,withfrightfulvehemence,stampinghisfoot,andgroaninginasuddenparoxysmofungovernablepassion.“Why,she’saliartotheend!Whereisshe?
AndIprayoneprayer—Irepeatittillmytonguestiffens—CatherineEarnshaw,mayyounotrestaslongasIamliving!YousaidIkilledyou—hauntme,then!
onlydonotleavemeinthisabyss,whereIcannotfindyou!Oh,God!itisunutterable!Icannotlivewithoutmylife!Icannotlivewithoutmysoul!”
Hedashedhisheadagainsttheknottedtrunk;and,liftinguphiseyes,howled,notlikeaman,butlikeasavagebeastbeinggoadedtodeathwithknivesandspears.
Iobservedseveralsplashesofbloodaboutthebarkofthetree,andhishandandforeheadwerebothstained;probablythesceneIwitnessedwasarepetitionofothersactedduringthenight.
Mrs.Linton’sfuneralwasappointedtotakeplaceontheFridayfollowingherdecease;andtillthenhercoffinremaineduncovered,andstrewnwithflowersandscentedleaves,inthegreatdrawing-room.
Lintonspenthisdaysandnightsthere,asleeplessguardian;and—acircumstanceconcealedfromallbutme—Heathcliffspenthisnights,atleast,outside,equallyastrangertorepose.
Iheldnocommunicationwithhim;still,Iwasconsciousofhisdesigntoenter,ifhecould;andontheTuesday,alittleafterdark,whenmymaster,fromsheerfatigue,hadbeencompelledtoretireacoupleofhours,Iwentandopenedoneofthewindows;movedbyhisperseverance,togivehimachanceofbestowingonthefadedimageofhisidolonefinaladieu.
Hedidnotomittoavailhimselfoftheopportunity,cautiouslyandbriefly:toocautiouslytobetrayhispresencebytheslightestnoise.
Indeed,Ishouldn’thavediscoveredthathehadbeenthere,exceptforthedisarrangementofthedraperyaboutthecorpse’sface,andforobservingontheflooracurloflighthair,fastenedwithasilverthread;which,onexamination,IascertainedtohavebeentakenfromalockethungroundCatherine’sneck.
Mr.Earnshawwas,ofcourse,invitedtoattendtheremainsofhissistertothegrave;hesentnoexcuse,buthenevercame;sothat,besidesherhusband,themournerswerewhollycomposedoftenantsandservants.Isabellawasnotasked.
TheplaceofCatherine’sinterment,tothesurpriseofthevillagers,wasneitherinthechapelunderthecarvedmonumentoftheLintons,noryetbythetombsofherownrelations,outside.
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