English
“THESETHINGShappenedlastwinter,sir,”saidMrs.Dean;“hardlymorethanayearago.
Lastwinter,Ididnotthink,atanothertwelvemonths’end,Ishouldbeamusingastrangertothefamilywithrelatingthem!
Yet,whoknowshowlongyou’llbeastranger?
You’retooyoungtorestalwayscontented,livingbyyourself;andIsomewayfancynoonecouldseeCatherineLintonandnotloveher.
Yousmile;butwhydoyoulooksolivelyandinterested,whenItalkabouther?
andwhyhaveyouaskedmetohangherpictureoveryourfireplace?andwhy-”
“Stop,mygoodfriend!”Icried.
“ItmaybeverypossiblethatIshouldloveher;butwouldsheloveme?
Idoubtittoomuchtoventuremytranquillitybyrunningintotemptation:andthenmyhomeisnothere.
I’mofthebusyworld,andtoitsarmsImustreturn.Goon.
WasCatherineobedienttoherfather’scommands?”
“Shewas,”continuedthehousekeeper,“Heraffectionforhimwasstillthechiefsentimentinherheart;andhespokewithoutanger:hespokeinthedeeptendernessofoneabouttoleavehistreasureamidperilsandfoes,wherehisrememberedwordswouldbetheonlyaidthathecouldbequeathtoguideher.Hesaidtome,afewdaysafterwards:
“’Iwishmynephewwouldwrite,Ellen,orcall.Tellme,sincerely,whatyouthinkofhim:ishechangedforthebetter,oristhereaprospectofimprovement,ashegrowsaman?’
“’He’sverydelicate,sir,’Ireplied;‘andscarcelylikelytoreachmanhood;butthisIcansay,hedoesnotresemblehisfather;andifMissCatherinehadthemisfortunetomarryhim,hewouldnotbebeyondhercontrol:unlessshewereextremelyandfoolishlyindulgent.
However,master,you’llhaveplentyoftimetogetacquaintedwithhim,andseewhetherhewouldsuither:itwantsfouryearsandmoretohisbeingofage.’”
Edgarsighed;andwalkingtothewindow,lookedouttowardsGimmertonKirk.
Itwasamistyafternoon,buttheFebruarysunshonedimly,andwecouldjustdistinguishthetwofir-treesintheyards,andthesparselyscatteredgravestones.
“I’veprayedoften,”hehalfsoliloquised,“fortheapproachofwhatiscoming;andnowIbegintoshrink,andfearit.
IthoughtthememoryofthehourIcamedownthatglenabridegroomwouldbelesssweetthantheanticipationthatIwassoon,inafewmonths,or,possibly,weeks,tobecarriedup,andlaidinitslonelyhollow!
Ellen,I’vebeenveryhappywithmylittleCathy:throughwinternightsandsummerdaysshewasalivinghopeatmyside.
ButI’vebeenashappymusingbymyselfamongthosestones,underthatoldchurch:lying,throughthelongJuneevenings,onthegreenmoundofhermother’sgrave,andwishing—yearningforthetimewhenImightliebeneathit.WhatcanIdoforCathy?HowmustIquither?
I’dnotcareonemomentforLintonbeingHeathcliff’sson;norforhistakingherfromme,ifhecouldconsoleherformyloss.
I’dnotcarethatHeathcliffgainedhisends,andtriumphedinrobbingmeofmylastblessing!
ButshouldLintonbeunworthy—onlyafeebletooltohisfather—Icannotabandonhertohim!
And,hardthoughitbetocrushherbuoyantspirit,ImustpersevereinmakinghersadwhileIlive,andleavinghersolitarywhenIdie.Darling!
I’dratherresignhertoGod,andlayherintheearthbeforeme.”
“ResignhertoGodasitis,sir,”Ianswered,“andifweshouldloseyou—whichmayHeforbid—underHisprovidence,I’llstandherfriendandcounsellortothelast.
MissCatherineisagoodgirl:Idon’tfearthatshewillgowilfullywrong;andpeoplewhodotheirdutyarealwaysfinallyrewarded.”
Springadvanced;yetmymastergatherednorealstrength,thoughheresumedhiswalksinthegroundswithhisdaughter.
Toherinexperiencednotions,thisitselfwasasignofconvalescence;andthenhischeekwasoftenflushed,andhiseyeswerebright:shefeltsureofhisrecovering.
Onherseventeenthbirthday,hedidnotvisitthechurchyard:itwasraining,andIobserved:
“You’llsurelynotgooutto-night,sir?”
Heanswered:
“No,I’lldeferitthisyearalittlelonger.”
HewroteagaintoLinton,expressinghisgreatdesiretoseehim;and,hadtheinvalidbeenpresentable,I’venodoubthisfatherwouldhavepermittedhimtocome.
Asitwas,beinginstructed,hereturnedananswer,intimatingthatMr.HeathcliffobjectedtohiscallingattheGrange;buthisuncle’skindremembrancedelightedhim,andhehopedtomeethim,sometimes,inhisrambles,andpersonallytopetitionthathiscousinandhemightnotremainlongsoutterlydivided.
Thatpartofhisletterwassimple,andprobablyhisown.HeathcliffknewhecouldpleadeloquentlyforCatherine’scompany,then.
“Idonotask,”hesaid,“thatshemayvisithere;but,amInevertoseeher,becausemyfatherforbidsmetogotoherhome,andyouforbidhertocometomine?
Do,nowandthen,ridewithhertowardstheHeights;andletusexchangeafewwords,inyourpresence!
Wehavedonenothingtodeservethisseparation;andyouarenotangrywithme;youhavenoreasontodislikeme,youallow,yourself.Dearuncle!
sendmeakindnoteto-morrow,andleavetojoinyouanywhereyouplease,exceptatThrushcrossGrange.
Ibelieveaninterviewwouldconvinceyouthatmyfather’scharacterisnotmine:heaffirmsIammoreyournephewthanhisson;andthoughIhavefaultswhichrendermeunworthyofCatherine,shehasexcusedthem,andforhersake,youshouldalso.
Youenquireaftermyhealth—itisbetter;butwhileIremaincutofffromallhope,anddoomedtosolitude,orthesocietyofthosewhoneverdidandneverwilllikeme,howcanIbecheerfulandwell?”
Edgar,thoughhefeltfortheboy,couldnotconsenttogranthisrequest;becausehecouldnotaccompanyCatherine.
Hesaid,insummer,perhaps,theymightmeet:meantime,hewishedhimtocontinuewritingatintervals,andengagedtogivehimwhatadviceandcomforthewasablebyletter;beingwellawareofhishardpositioninhisfamily.
Lintoncomplied;andhadhebeenunrestrained,wouldprobablyhavespoiledallbyfillinghisepistleswithcomplaintsandlamentations:buthisfatherkeptasharpwatchoverhim;and,ofcourse,insistedoneverylinethatmymastersentbeingshown;so,insteadofpenninghispeculiarpersonalsufferingsanddistresses,thethemesconstantlyuppermostinhisthoughts,heharpedonthecruelobligationofbeingheldasunderfromhisfriendandlove;andgentlyintimatedthatMr.Lintonmustallowaninterviewsoon,orheshouldfearhewaspurposelydeceivinghimwithemptypromises.
Cathywasapowerfulallyathome;and,betweenthem,theyatlengthpersuadedmymastertoacquiesceintheirhavingarideorawalktogetheraboutonceaweek,undermyguardianship,andonthemoorsnearesttheGrange:forJunefoundhimstilldeclining.
Thoughhehadsetasideyearlyaportionofhisincomeformyyounglady’sfortune,hehadanaturaldesirethatshemightretain—oratleastreturninashorttimeto—thehouseofherancestors;andheconsideredheronlyprospectofdoingthatwasbyaunionwithhisheir;hehadnoideathatthelatterwasfailingalmostasfastashimself,norhadanyone,Ibelieve:nodoctorvisitedtheHeights,andnoonesawMasterHeathclifftomakereportofhisconditionamongus.
I,formypart,begantofancymyforebodingswerefalse,andthathemustbeactuallyrallying,whenhementionedridingandwalkingonthemoors,andseemedsoearnestinpursuinghisobject.
IcouldnotpictureafathertreatingadyingchildastyrannicallyandwickedlyasIafterwardslearnedHeathcliffhadtreatedhim,tocompelthisapparenteagerness:hiseffortsredoublingthemoreimminentlyhisavariciousandunfeelingplanswerethreatenedwithdefeatbydeath.
Share this article to
FINISH