English
SUMMERwasalreadypastitsprime,whenEdgarreluctantlyyieldedhisassenttotheirentreaties,andCatherineandIsetoutonourfirstridetojoinhercousin.
Itwasaclose,sultryday:devoidofsunshine,butwithaskytoodappledandhazytothreatenrain;andourplaceofmeetinghadbeenfixedattheguide-stone,bythecross-roads.
Onarrivingthere,however,alittleherd-boy,despatchedasamessenger,toldusthat:
“MaisterLintonwerjusto’thissideth’Heights:andhe’dbemitchobleegedtoustogangonabitfurther.”
“ThenMasterLintonhasforgotthefirstinjunctionofhisuncle,”Iobserved:“hebiduskeepontheGrangeland,andhereweareoffatonce.”
“Well,we’llturnourhorses’headsround,whenwereachhim,”answeredmycompanion,“ourexcursionshalllietowardshome.”
Butwhenwereachedhim,andthatwasscarcelyaquarterofamilefromhisowndoor,wefoundhehadnohorse;andwewereforcedtodismount,andleaveourstograze.
Helayontheheath,awaitingourapproach,anddidnotrisetillwecamewithinafewyards.
Thenhewalkedsofeebly,andlookedsopale,thatIimmediatelyexclaimed:
“Why,MasterHeathcliff,youarenotfitforenjoyingaramble,thismorning.Howillyoudolook!”
Catherinesurveyedhimwithgriefandastonishment:shechangedtheejaculationofjoyonherlips,tooneofalarm;andthecongratulationontheirlong-postponedmeeting,toananxiousenquiry,whetherhewereworsethanusual?
“No—better—better!”hepanted,trembling,andretainingherhandasifheneededitssupport,whilehislargeblueeyeswanderedtimidlyoverher;thehollownessroundthemtransformingtohaggardwildnessthelanguidexpressiontheyoncepossessed.
“Buthaveyoubeenworse,”persistedhiscousin;“worsethanwhenIsawyoulast;youarethinner,and-”
“I’mtired,”heinterruptedhurriedly.“Itistoohotforwalking,letusresthere.And,inthemorning,Ioftenfeelsick—papasaysIgrowsofast.”
Badlysatisfied,Cathysatdown,andhereclinedbesideher.
“Thisissomethinglikeyourparadise,”saidshe,makinganeffortatcheerfulness.
“Yourecollectthetwodaysweagreedtospendintheplaceandwayeachthoughtpleasantest?
Thisissurelyyours,onlythereareclouds:butthentheyaresosoftandmellow:itisnicerthansunshine.
Nextweek,ifyoucan,we’llridedowntotheGrangePark,andtrymine.”
Lintondidnotappeartorememberwhatshetalkedof;andhehadevidentlygreatdifficultyinsustaininganykindofconversation.
Hislackofinterestinthesubjectsshestarted,andhisequalincapacitytocontributetoherentertainment,weresoobviousthatshecouldnotconcealherdisappointment.
Anindefinitealterationhadcomeoverhiswholepersonandmanner.
Thepettishnessthatmightbecaressedintofondness,hadyieldedtoalistlessapathy;therewaslessofthepeevishtemperofachildwhichfretsandteasesonpurposetobesoothed,andmoreoftheself-absorbedmorosenessofaconfirmedinvalid,repellingconsolation,andreadytoregardthegood-humouredmirthofothersasaninsult.
Catherineperceived,aswellasIdid,thathehelditratherapunishment,thanagratification,toendureourcompany;andshemadenoscrupleofproposing,presently,todepart.
Thatproposal,unexpectedly,rousedLintonfromhislethargy,andthrewhimintoastrangestateofagitation.
HeglancedfearfullytowardstheHeights,beggingshewouldremainanotherhalf-houratleast.
“ButIthink,”saidCathy,“you’dbemorecomfortableathomethansittinghere;andIcannotamuseyouto-day,Isee,bymytales,andsongs,andchatter:youhavegrownwiserthanI,inthesesixmonths;youhavelittletasteformydiversionsnow:orelse,ifIcouldamuseyou,I’dwillinglystay.”
“Staytorestyourself,”hereplied.“AndCatherine,don’tthinkorsaythatI’mveryunwell:itistheheavyweatherandheatthatmakemedull;andIwalkedabout,beforeyoucame,agreatdealforme.
TelluncleI’mintolerablehealth,willyou?”
“I’lltellhimthatyousayso,Linton.Icouldn’taffirmthatyouare,”observedmyyounglady,wonderingathispertinaciousassertionofwhatwasevidentlyanuntruth.
“AndbehereagainnextThursday,”continuedhe,shunningherpuzzledgaze.
“Andgivehimmythanksforpermittingyoutocome—mybestthanks,Catherine.
And—and,ifyoudidmeetmyfather,andheaskedyouaboutme,don’tleadhimtosupposethatI’vebeenextremelysilentandstupid:don’tlooksadanddowncast,asyouaredoing—he’llbeangry.”
“Icarenothingforhisanger,”exclaimedCathy,imaginingshewouldbeitsobject.
“ButIdo,”saidhercousin,shuddering,“Don’tprovokehimagainstme,Catherine,forheisveryhard.”
“Isheseveretoyou,MasterHeathcliff?”Ienquired.“Hashegrownwearyofindulgence,andpassedfrompassivetoactivehatred?”
Lintonlookedatme,butdidnotanswer;and,afterkeepingherseatbyhissideanothertenminutes,duringwhichhisheadfelldrowsilyonhisbreast,andheutterednothingexceptsuppressedmoansofexhaustionorpain,Cathybegantoseeksolaceinlookingforbilberries,andsharingtheproduceofherresearcheswithme:shedidnotofferthemtohim,forshesawfurthernoticewouldonlywearyandannoy.
“Isithalf-an-hournow,Ellen?”shewhisperedinmyear,atlast.“Ican’ttellwhyweshouldstay.He’sasleep,andpapawillbewantingusback.”
“Well,wemustnotleavehimasleep,”Ianswered;“waittillhewakes,andbepatient.Youweremightyeagertosetoff,butyourlongingtoseepoorLintonhassoonevaporated!”
“Whydidhewishtoseeme?”returnedCatherine.
“Inhiscrossesthumours,formerly,IlikedhimbetterthanIdoinhispresentcuriousmood.
It’sjustasifitwereataskhewascompelledtoperform—thisinterview—forfearhisfathershouldscoldhim.
ButI’mhardlygoingtocometogiveMr.Heathcliffpleasure;whateverreasonhemayhavefororderingLintontoundergothispenance.
And,thoughI’mgladhe’sbetterinhealth,I’msorryhe’ssomuchlesspleasant,andsomuchlessaffectionatetome.”
“Youthinkheisbetterinhealththen?”Isaid.
“Yes,”sheanswered;“becausehealwaysmadesuchagreatdealofhissufferings,youknow.Heisnottolerablywell,ashetoldmetotellpapa;buthe’sbetter,verylikely.”
“Thereyoudifferwithme,MissCathy,”Iremarked;“Ishouldconjecturehimtobefarworse.”
Lintonherestartedfromhisslumberinbewilderedterror,andaskedifanyonehadcalledhisname.
“No,”saidCatherine;“unlessindreams.Icannotconceivehowyoumanagetodoseoutofdoors,inthemorning.”
“IthoughtIheardmyfather,”hegasped,glancinguptothefrowningnababoveus.“Youaresurenobodyspoke?”
“Quitesure,”repliedhiscousin.“OnlyEllenandIweredisputingconcerningyourhealth.
Areyoutrulystronger,Linton,thanwhenweseparatedinwinter?
IfyoubeI’mcertainonethingisnotstronger—yourregardforme:speak,—areyou?”
ThetearsgushedfromLinton’seyesasheanswered,“Yes,yes,Iam!”
And,stillunderthespelloftheimaginaryvoice,hisgazewanderedupanddowntodetectitsowner.Cathyrose.“Forto-daywemustpart,”shesaid.
“AndIwon’tconcealthatIhavebeensadlydisappointedwithourmeeting;thoughI’llmentionittonobodybutyou:notthatIstandinaweofMr.Heathcliff.”
“Hush,”murmuredLinton:“forGod’ssake,hush!He’scoming.”
AndheclungtoCatherine’sarm,strivingtodetainher;butatthatannouncementshehastilydisengagedherself,andwhistledtoMinny,whoobeyedherlikeadog.
“I’llbeherenextThursday,”shecried,springingtothesaddle.“Good-bye.Quick,Ellen!”
Andsowelefthim,scarcelyconsciousofourdeparture,soabsorbedwasheinanticipatinghisfather’sapproach.
Beforewereachedhome,Catherine’sdispleasuresoftenedintoaperplexedsensationofpityandregret,largelyblendedwithvague,uneasydoubtsaboutLinton’sactualcircumstances,physicalandsocial;inwhichIpartook,thoughIcounselledhernottosaymuch;forasecondjourneywouldmakeusbetterjudges.
Mymasterrequestedanaccountofouron-goings.
Hisnephew’sofferingofthankswasdulydelivered,MissCathygentlytouchingontherest:Ialsothrewlittlelightonhisenquiries,forIhardlyknewwhattohide,andwhattoreveal.
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