English
SUMMERdrewtoanend,andearlyautumn:itwaspastMichaelmas,buttheharvestwaslatethatyear,andafewofourfieldswerestilluncleared.
Mr.Lintonandhisdaughterwouldfrequentlywalkoutamongthereapers;atthecarryingofthelastsheaves,theystayedtilldusk,andtheeveninghappeningtobechillanddamp,mymastercaughtabadcold,thatsettledobstinatelyonhislungs,andconfinedhimindoorsthroughoutthewholeofthewinter,nearlywithoutintermission.
PoorCathy,frightenedfromherlittleromance,hadbeenconsiderablysadderanddullersinceitsabandonment;andherfatherinsistedonherreadingless,andtakingmoreexercise.
Shehadhiscompanionshipnolonger;Iesteemeditadutytosupplyitslack,asmuchaspossible,withmine:aninefficientsubstitute;forIcouldonlysparetwoorthreehours,frommynumerousdiurnaloccupations,tofollowherfootsteps,andthenmysocietywasobviouslylessdesirablethanhis.
OnanafternooninOctober,orthebeginningofNovember—afreshwateryafternoon,whentheturfandpathswererustlingwithmoist,witheredleaves,andthecold,blueskywashalfhiddenbyclouds—darkgreystreamers,rapidlymountingfromthewest,andbodingabundantrain—Irequestedmyyoungladytoforegoherramble,becauseIwascertainofshowers.
Sherefused;andIunwillinglydonnedacloak,andtookmyumbrellatoaccompanyheronastrolltothebottomofthepark:aformalwalkwhichshegenerallyaffectediflow-spirited—andthatsheinvariablywaswhenMr.Edgarhadbeenworsethanordinary,athingneverknownfromhisconfession,butguessedbothbyherandme,fromhisincreasedsilenceandthemelancholyofhiscountenance.
Shewentsadlyon:therewasnorunningorboundingnow,thoughthechillwindmightwellhavetemptedhertorace.
Andoften,fromthesideofmyeve,Icoulddetectherraisingahand,andbrushingsomethingoffhercheek.
Igazedroundforameansofdivertingherthoughts.
Ononesideoftheroadroseahigh,roughbank,wherehazelsandstuntedoaks,withtheirrootshalf-exposedhelduncertaintenure:thesoilwastoolooseforthelatter;andstrongwindshadblownsomenearlyhorizontal.
Insummer,MissCatherinedelightedtoclimbalongthesetrunks,andsitinthebranches,swingingtwentyfeetabovetheground;andI,pleasedwithheragilityandherlight,childishheart,stillconsidereditpropertoscoldeverytimeIcaughtheratsuchanelevation,butsothatsheknewtherewasnonecessityfordescending.
Fromdinnertoteashewouldlieinherbreeze-rockedcradle,doingnothingexceptsingingoldsongs—mynurserylore—toherself,orwatchingthebirds,jointtenants,feedandenticetheiryoungonestofly:ornestlingwithclosedlids,halfthinking,halfdreaming,happierthanwordscanexpress.
“Look,miss!”Iexclaimed,pointingtoanookundertherootsofonetwistedtree.“Winterisnothereyet.
There’salittleflowerupyonder,thelastbudfromthemultitudeofbluebellsthatcloudedthoseturfstepsinJulywithalilacmist.
Willyouclamberup,andpluckittoshowtopapa?”
Cathystaredalongtimeatthelonelyblossomtremblinginitsearthyshelter,andreplied,atlength:
“No,I’llnottouchit;butitlooksmelancholy,doesitnot,Ellen?”
“Yes,”Iobserved,“aboutasstarvedandsacklessasyou:yourcheeksarebloodless;letustakeholdofhandsandrun.You’resolow,IdaresayIshallkeepupwithyou.”
“No,”sherepeated,andcontinuedsaunteringon,pausingatintervals,tomuseoverabitofmoss,oratuftofblanchedgrass,orafungusspreadingitsbrightorangeamongtheheapsofbrownfoliage;and,everandanon,herhandwasliftedtoheravertedface.
“Catherine,whyareyoucrying,love?”Iasked,approachingandputtingmyarmoverhershoulder.“Youmustn’tcrybecausepapahasacold;bethankfulitisnothingworse.”
Shenowputnofurtherrestraintonhertears;herbreathwasstifledbysobs.
“Oh,itwillbesomethingworse,”shesaid.
“AndwhatshallIdowhenpapaandyouleaveme,andIambymyself!
Ican’tforgetyourwords,Ellen;theyarealwaysinmyear.
Howlifewillbechanged,howdrearytheworldwillbewhenpapaandyouaredead.”
“Nonecantell,whetheryouwon’tdiebeforeus,”Ireplied.“It’swrongtoanticipateevil.
We’llhopethereareyearsandyearstocomebeforeanyofusgo:masterisyoung,andIamstrong,andhardlyforty-five.
Mymotherlivedtilleighty,acantydametothelast.
AndsupposeMr.Lintonweresparedtillhesawsixty,thatwouldbemoreyearsthanyouhavecounted,miss.
Andwoulditnotbefoolishtomournacalamityabovetwentyyearsbeforehand?”
“ButAuntIsabellawasyoungerthanpapa,”sheremarked,gazingupwithtimidhopetoseekfurtherconsolation.
“AuntIsabellahadnotyouandmetonurseher,”Ireplied.
“Shewasn’tashappyasmaster;shehadn’tasmuchtolivefor.
Allyouneeddo,istowaitwellonyourfather,andcheerhimbylettinghimseeyoucheerful;andavoidgivinghimanxietyonanysubject:mindthat,Cathy!
I’llnotdisguisebutyoumightkillhim,ifyouwerewildandreckless,andcherishedafoolish,fancifulaffectionforthesonofapersonwhowouldbegladtohavehiminhisgrave;andallowedhimtodiscoverthatyoufrettedovertheseparationhehasjudgeditexpedienttomake.”
“Ifretaboutnothingonearthexceptpapa’sillness,”answeredmycompanion.
“Icarefornothingincomparisonwithpapa.
AndI’llnever—never—oh,never,whileIhavemysenses,doanactorsayawordtovexhim.
Ilovehimbetterthanmyself,Ellen;andIknowitbythis:IprayeverynightthatImayliveafterhim;becauseIwouldratherbemiserablethanthatheshouldbe:thatprovesIlovehimbetterthanmyself”
“Goodwords,”Ireplied.“Butdeedsmustproveitalso;andafterheiswell,rememberyoudon’tforgetresolutionsformedinthehouroffear.”
Aswetalked,wenearedadoorthatopenedontheroad;andmyyounglady,lighteningintosunshineagain,climbedupandseatedherselfonthetopofthewall,reachingovertogathersomehipsthatbloomedscarletonthesummitbranchesofthewildrosetrees,shadowingthehighwayside:thelowerfruithaddisappeared,butonlybirdscouldtouchtheupper,exceptfromCathy’spresentstation.
Instretchingtopullthem,herhatfelloff;andasthedoorwaslocked,sheproposedscramblingdowntorecoverit.
Ibidherbecautiouslestshegotafall,andshenimblydisappeared.
Butthereturnwasnosucheasymatter:thestonesweresmoothandneatlycemented,andtherosebushesandblackberrystragglerscouldyieldnoassistanceinre-ascending.
I,likeafool,didn’trecollectthat,tillIheardherlaughingandexclaiming:
“Ellen,you’llhavetofetchthekey,orelseImustrunroundtotheporter’slodge.Ican’tscaletherampartsonthisside!”
“Staywhereyouare,”Ianswered,“Ihavemybundleofkeysinmypocket:perhapsImaymanagetoopenit;ifnotI’llgo.”
Catherineamusedherselfwithdancingtoandfrobeforethedoor,whileItriedallthelargekeysinsuccession.
Ihadappliedthelast,andfoundthatnonewoulddo;so,repeatingmydesirethatshewouldremainthere,IwasabouttohurryhomeasfastasIcould,whenanapproachingsoundarrestedme.
Itwasthetrotofahorse;Cathy’sdancestoppedalso.
“Whoisthat?”Iwhispered.
“Ellen,Iwishyoucouldopenthedoor,”whisperedbackmycompanionanxiously.
“Ho,MissLinton!”criedadeepvoice(therider’s),“I’mgladtomeetyou.Don’tbeinhastetoenter,forIhaveanexplanationtoaskandobtain.”
“Ishan’tspeaktoyou,Mr.Heathcliff,”answeredCatherine.“Papasaysyouareawickedman,andyouhatebothhimandme;andEllensaysthesame.”
“Thatisnothingtothepurpose,”saidHeathcliff.(Heitwas.)
“Idon’thatemyson,Isuppose;anditisconcerninghimthatIdemandyourattention.Yes;youhavecausetoblush.
Twoorthreemonthssince,wereyounotinthehabitofwritingtoLinton?makingloveinplay,eh?
Youdeserved,bothofyou,floggingforthat!
Youespecially,theelder;andlesssensitive,asitturnsout.
I’vegotyourletters,andifyougivemeanypertnessI’llsendthemtoyourfather.
Ipresumeyougrewwearyoftheamusementanddroppedit,didn’tyou?
Well,youdroppedLintonwithitintoaSloughofDespond.Hewasinearnest:inlove,really.
AstrueasIlive,he’sdyingforyou;breakinghisheartatyourfickleness:notfiguratively,butactually.
ThoughHaretonhasmadehimastandingjestforsixweeks,andIhaveusedmoreseriousmeasures,andattemptedtofrightenhimoutofhisidiocy,hegetsworsedaily;andhe’llbeunderthesodbeforesummer,unlessyourestorehim!”
“Howcanyouliesoglaringlytothepoorchild?”Icalledfromtheinside.“Prayrideon!
Howcanyoudeliberatelygetupsuchpaltryfalsehoods?
MissCathy,I’llknockthelockoffwithastone:youwon’tbelievethatvilenonsense.
Youcanfeelinyourself,itisimpossiblethatapersonshoulddieforloveofastranger.”
“Iwasnotawaretherewereeavesdroppers,”mutteredthedetectedvillain.
“WorthyMrs.Dean,Ilikeyou,butIdon’tlikeyourdouble-dealing,”headdedaloud.
“Howcouldyouliesoglaringly,astoaffirmIhatedthe‘poorchild’?
andinventbugbearstoriestoterrifyherfrommydoor-stones?
CatherineLinton(theverynamewarmsme),mybonnielass,Ishallbefromhomeallthisweek;goandseeifIhavenotspokentruth:do,there’sadarling!
justimagineyourfatherinmyplace,andLintoninyours;thenthinkhowyouwouldvalueyourcarelessloverifherefusedtostirasteptocomfortyou,whenyourfatherhimselfentreatedhim;anddon’t,frompurestupidity,fallintothesameerror.
Iswear,onmysalvation,he’sgoingtohisgrave,andnonebutyoucansavehim!”
ThelockgavewayandIissuedout.
“IswearLintonisdying,”repeatedHeathcliff,lookinghardatme.
“Andgriefanddisappointmentarehasteninghisdeath.
Nelly,ifyouwon’tlethergo,youcanwalkoveryourself.
ButIshallnotreturntillthistimenextweek;andIthinkyourmasterhimselfwouldscarcelyobjecttohervisitinghercousin!”
“Comein,”saidI,takingCathybythearmandhalf-forcinghertore-enter;forshelingered,viewingwithtroubledeyesthefeaturesofthespeaker,toosterntoexpresshisinwarddeceit.
Hepushedhishorseclose,andbendingdown,observed:
“MissCatherine,I’llowntoyouthatIhavelittlepatiencewithLinton;andHaretonandJosephhaveless.I’llownthathe’swithaharshset.
Hepinesforkindness,aswellaslove;andakindwordfromyouwouldbehisbestmedicine.
Don’tmindMrs.Dean’scruelcautions;butbegenerous,andcontrivetoseehim.
Hedreamsofyoudayandnight,andcannotbepersuadedthatyoudon’thatehim,sinceyouneitherwritenorcall.”
Iclosedthedoor,androlledastonetoassisttheloosenedlockinholdingit;andspreadingmyumbrella,Idrewmychargeunderneath:fortherainbegantodrivethroughthemoaningbranchesofthetrees,andwarnedustoavoiddelay.
OurhurrypreventedanycommentontheencounterwithHeathcliff,aswestretchedtowardshome;butIdivinedinstinctivelythatCatherine’sheartwascloudednowindoubledarkness.
Herfeaturesweresosad,theydidnotseemhers:sheevidentlyregardedwhatshehadheardaseverysyllabletrue.
Themasterhadretiredtorestbeforewecamein.
Cathystoletohisroomtoenquirehowhewas;hehadfallenasleep.
Shereturned,andaskedmetositwithherinthelibrary.
Wetookourteatogether;andafterwardsshelaydownontherug,andtoldmenottotalk,forshewasweary.Igotabook,andpretendedtoread.
Assoonasshesupposedmeabsorbedinmyoccupation,sherecommencedhersilentweeping;itappeared,atpresent,herfavouritediversion.
Isufferedhertoenjoyitawhile;thenIexpostulated:deridingandridiculingaMr.Heathcliff’sassertionsabouthisson,asifIwerecertainshewouldcoincide.Alas!
Ihadn’tskilltocounteracttheeffecthisaccounthadproduced:itwasjustwhatheintended.
“Youmayberight,Ellen,”sheanswered;“butIshallneverfeelateasetillIknow.AndImusttellLintonitisnotmyfaultthatIdon’twrite,andconvincehimthatIshallnotchange.”
Whatusewereangerandprotestationsagainsthersillycredulity?
Wepartedthatnight—hostile;butnextdaybeheldmeontheroadtoWutheringHeights,bythesideofmywilfulyoungmistress’spony.
Icouldn’tbeartowitnesshersorrow:toseeherpaledejectedcountenance,andheavyeyes;andIyielded,inthefainthopethatLintonhimselfmightprove,byhisreceptionofus,howlittleofthetalewasfoundedonfact.
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