English
ONTHEMORROWofthatMonday,Earnshawbeingstillunabletofollowhisordinaryemployments,andthereforeremainingaboutthehouse,Ispeedilyfounditwouldbeimpracticabletoretainmychargebesideme,asheretofore.
Shegotdownstairsbeforeme,andoutintothegarden,whereshehadseenhercousinperformingsomeeasywork;andwhenIwenttobidthemcometobreakfast,Isawshehadpersuadedhimtoclearalargespaceofgroundfromcurrantandgooseberrybushes,andtheywerebusyplanningtogetheranimportationofplantsfromtheGrange.
Iwasterrifiedatthedevastationwhichhadbeenaccomplishedinabriefhalf-hour;theblackcurranttreesweretheappleofJoseph’seye,andshehadjustfixedherchoiceofaflower-bedinthemidstofthem.
“There!Thatwillbeallshowntothemaster,”Iexclaimed,“theminuteitisdiscovered.
Andwhatexcusehaveyoutoofferfortakingsuchlibertieswiththegarden?
Weshallhaveafineexplosionontheheadofit:seeifwedon’t!
Mr.Hareton,Iwonderyoushouldhavenomorewit,thantogoandmakethatmessatherbidding!”
“I’dforgottentheywereJoseph’s,”answeredEarnshaw,ratherpuzzled;“butI’lltellhimIdidit.”
WealwaysateourmealswithMr.Heathcliff.
Iheldthemistress’spostinmakingteaandcarving;soIwasindispensableattable.
Catherineusuallysatbyme,butto-dayshestolenearertoHareton;andIpresentlysawshewouldhavenomorediscretioninherfriendshipthanshehadinherhostility.
“Now,mindyoudon’ttalkwithandnoticeyourcousintoomuch,”weremywhisperedinstructionsasweenteredtheroom.“ItwillcertainlyannoyMr.Heathcliff,andhe’llbemadatyouboth.”
“I’mnotgoingto,”sheanswered.
Theminuteafter,shehadsidledtohim,andwasstickingprimrosesinhisplateofporridge.
Hedarednotspeaktoherthere:hedaredhardlylook;andyetshewentontearingtillhewastwiceonthepointofbeingprovokedtolaugh.
Ifrowned,andthensheglancedtowardthemaster:whosemindwasoccupiedonothersubjectsthanhiscompany,ashiscountenanceevinced;andshegrewseriousforaninstant,scrutinisinghimwithdeepgravity.
Afterwardssheturned,andrecommencedhernonsense;atlast,Haretonutteredasmotheredlaugh.
Mr.Heathcliffstarted;hiseyerapidlysurveyedourfaces.
Catherinemetitwithheraccustomedlookofnervousnessandyetdefiance,whichheabhorred.
“Itiswellyouareoutofmyreach,”heexclaimed.
“Whatfiendpossessesyoutostarebackatme,continually,withthoseinfernaleyes?Downwiththem!
anddon’tremindmeofyourexistenceagain.IthoughtIhadcuredyouoflaughing.”
“Itwasme,”mutteredHareton.
“Whatdoyousay?”demandedthemaster.
Haretonlookedathisplate,anddidnotrepeattheconfession.
Mr.Heathclifflookedathimabit,andthensilentlyresumedhisbreakfastandhisinterruptedmusing.
Wehadnearlyfinished,andthetwoyoungpeopleprudentlyshiftedwiderasunder,soIanticipatednofurtherdisturbanceduringthatsitting:whenJosephappearedatthedoor,revealingbyhisquiveringlipandfuriouseyes,thattheoutragecommittedonhispreciousshrubswasdetected.
HemusthaveseenCathyandhercousinaboutthespotbeforeheexaminedit,forwhilehisjawsworkedlikethoseofacowchewingitscud,andrenderedhisspeechdifficulttounderstand,hebegan:
“Imunheymywage,andImungoa!Ihedaimedtodee,wheareI’dsarvedfursixtyyear;andIthowtI’dlugmybooksupintot’garret,andallmybitso’stuff,andtheysudhevt’kitchentotheirseln;fort’sakeo’quietness.
Itwerehardtogieupmyawnhearthstun,butIthowtIcoulddothat!
But,nab,shoo’staanmygardenfro’me,andbyth’heart,maister,Icannotstandit!
Yahmaybendtoth’yoak,andyewill—Inoanusedto‘t,andanoldmandoesn’tsooingetusedtonewbarthens.
I’draytherarnmybiteandmysupwi’ahammerinth’road!”
“Now,now,idiot!”interruptedHeathcliff,“cutitshort!What’syourgrievance?I’llinterfereinnoquarrelsbetweenyouandNelly.ShemaythrustyouintothecoalholeforanythingIcare.”
“It’snoanNelly!”answeredJoseph.
“Isudn’tshiftforNelly—nastyillnowtasshoois.ThankGod!shoocannotstalet’sowlo’nob’dy!
Shoowereniversoahandsome,butwhatabodymudlookather‘boutwinking.
It’syonflaysome,gracelessquean,that’switchedourlad,wi’herboldeenandherforrardways—till—Nay!itfairburstsmyheart!
He’sforgottenallI’vedoneforhim,andmadeonhim,andgoanandrivenupawholerowo’t’grandestcurranttrees,i’t’garden!”
Andherehelamentedoutright;unmannedbyasenseofhisbitterinjuries,andEarnshaw’singratitudeanddangerouscondition.
“Isthefooldrunk?”askedMr.Heathcliff,“Hareton,isityouhe’sfindingfaultwith?”
“I’vepulleduptwoorthreebushes,”repliedtheyoungman;“butI’mgoingtoset‘emagain.”
“Andwhyhaveyoupulledthemup?”saidthemaster.
Catherinewiselyputinhertongue.
“Wewantedtoplantsomeflowersthere,”shecried.“I’mtheonlypersontoblame,forIwishedhimtodoit.”
“Andwhothedevilgaveyouleavetotouchastickabouttheplace?”demandedherfather-in-law,muchsurprised.“Andwhoorderedyoutoobeyher?”headded,turningtoHareton.
Thelatterwasspeechless;hiscousinreplied:
“Youshouldn’tgrudgeafewyardsofearthformetoornament,whenyouhavetakenallmyland!”
“Yourland,insolentslut!Youneverhadany,”saidHeathcliff.
“Andmymoney,”shecontinued;returninghisangryglare,andmeantimebitingapieceofcrust,theremnantofherbreakfast.
“Silence!”heexclaimed.“Getdone,andbegone!”
“AndHareton’sland,andhismoney,”pursuedtherecklessthing.“HaretonandIarefriendsnow;andIshalltellhimallaboutyou!”
Themasterseemedconfoundedamoment:hegrewpale,androseup,eyeingherallthewhile,withanexpressionofmortalhate.
“Ifyoustrikeme,Haretonwillstrikeyou,”shesaid;“soyoumayaswellsitdown.”
“IfHaretondoesnotturnyououtoftheroom,I’llstrikehimtohell,”thunderedHeathcliff.“Damnablewitch!
dareyoupretendtorousehimagainstme?Offwithher!Doyouhear?Flingherintothekitchen!
I’llkillher,EllenDean,ifyoulethercomeintomysightagain!”
Haretontried,underhisbreath,topersuadehertogo.
“Dragheraway!”hecriedsavagely.“Areyoustayingtotalk?”Andheapproachedtoexecutehisowncommand.
“He’llnotobeyyou,wickedman,anymore,”saidCatherine;“andhe’llsoondetestyouasmuchasIdo.”
“Wisht!wisht!”mutteredtheyoungmanreproachfully.“Iwillnothearyouspeaksotohim.Havedone.”
“Butyouwon’tlethimstrikeme?”shecried.
“Come,then,”hewhisperedearnestly.
Itwastoolate:Heathcliffhadcaughtholdofher.
“Nowyougo!”hesaidtoEarnshaw.“Accursedwitch!thistimeshehasprovokedmewhenIcouldnotbearit;andI’llmakeherrepentitforever!”
Hehadhishandinherhair;Haretonattemptedtoreleaseherlocks,entreatinghimnottohurtherthatonce.
Heathcliff’sblackeyesflashed;heseemedreadytotearCatherineinpieces,andIwasjustworkeduptoriskcomingtotherescue,whenofasuddenhisfingersrelaxed;heshiftedhisgraspfromherheadtoherarm,andgazedintentlyinherface.
Thenhedrewhishandoverhereyes,stoodamomenttocollecthimselfapparently,andturninganewtoCatherine,said,withassumedcalmness:“Youmustlearntoavoidputtingmeinapassion,orIshallreallymurderyousometime!
GowithMrs.Dean,andkeepwithher;andconfineyourinsolencetoherears.
AstoHaretonEarnshaw,ifIseehimlistentoyou,I’llsendhimseekinghisbreadwherehecangetit!
Yourlovewillmakehimanoutcastandabeggar.
Nelly,takeher;andleaveme,allofyou!Leaveme!”
Iledmyyoungladyout:shewastoogladofherescapetoresist;theotherfollowed,andMr.Heathcliffhadtheroomtohimselftilldinner.
IhadcounselledCatherinetodineupstairs;but,assoonasheperceivedhervacantseat,hesentmetocallher.
Hespoketononeofus,ateverylittle,andwentoutdirectlyafterwards,intimatingthathewouldnotreturnbeforeevening.
Thetwonewfriendsestablishedthemselvesinthehouseduringhisabsence;whenIheardHaretonsternlycheckhiscousin,onherofferingarevelationofherfather-in-law’sconducttohisfather.
Hesaidhewouldn’tsufferawordtobeutteredinhisdisparagement:ifhewerethedevil,itdidn’tsignify:hewouldstandbyhim;andhe’drathershewouldabusehimself,assheusedto,thanbeginonMr.Heathcliff.
Catherinewaswaxingcrossatthis;buthefoundmeanstomakeherholdhertongue,byaskinghowshewouldlikehimtospeakillofherfather?
ThenshecomprehendedthatEarnshawtookthemaster’sreputationhometohimself;andwasattachedbytiesstrongerthanreasoncouldbreak—chains,forgedbyhabit,whichitwouldbecrueltoattempttoloosen.
Sheshowedagoodheart,thenceforth,inavoidingbothcomplaintsandexpressionsofantipathyconcerningHeathcliff;andconfessedtomehersorrowthatshehadendeavouredtoraiseabadspiritbetweenhimandHareton:indeed,Idon’tbelieveshehaseverbreathedasyllable,inthelatter’shearing,againstheroppressorsince.
Whenthisslightdisagreementwasover,theywerefriendsagain,andasbusyaspossibleintheirseveraloccupationsofpupilandteacher.
Icameintositwiththem,afterIhaddonemywork;andIfeltsosoothedandcomfortedtowatchthem,thatIdidnotnoticehowtimegoton.
Youknow,theybothappearedinameasuremychildren:Ihadlongbeenproudofone;andnow,Iwassure,theotherwouldbeasourceofequalsatisfaction.
Hishonest,warm,andintelligentnatureshookoffrapidlythecloudsofignoranceanddegradationinwhichithadbeenbred;andCatherine’ssincerecommendationsactedasaspurtohisindustry.
Hisbrighteningmindbrightenedhisfeatures,addaddedspiritandnobilitytotheiraspect:IcouldhardlyfancyitthesameindividualIhadbeheldonthedayIdiscoveredmylittleladyatWutheringHeights,afterherexpeditiontotheCrags.
WhileIadmiredandtheylaboured,duskgrewon,andwithitreturnedthemaster.
Hecameuponusquiteunexpectedly,enteringbythefrontway,andhadafullviewofthewholethree,erewecouldraiseourheadstoglanceathim.
Well,Ireflected,therewasneverapleasanter,ormoreharmlesssight;anditwillbeaburningshametoscoldthem.
Theredfirelightglowedontheirtwobonnyheads,andrevealedtheirfacesanimatedwiththeeagerinterestofchildren;for,thoughhewastwenty-threeandsheeighteen,eachhadsomuchofnoveltytofeelandlearn,thatneitherexperiencednorevincedthesentimentsofsoberdisenchantedmaturity.
Theyliftedtheireyestogether,toencounterMr.Heathcliffperhapsyouhaveneverremarkedthattheireyesarepreciselysimilar,andtheyarethoseofCatherineEarnshaw.
ThepresentCatherinehasnootherlikenesstoher,exceptabreadthofforehead,andacertainarchofthenostrilthatmakesherappearratherhaughty,whethershewillornot.
WithHaretontheresemblanceiscarriedfarther:itissingularatalltimes,thenitwasparticularlystriking;becausehissenseswerealert,andhismentalfacultieswakenedtounwontedactivity.
IsupposethisresemblancedisarmedMr.Heathcliff;hewalkedtothehearthinevidentagitation;butitquicklysubsidedashelookedattheyoungman:or,Ishouldsay,altereditscharacter;foritwasthereyet.
Hetookthebookfromhishand,andglancedattheopenpage,thenreturneditwithoutanyobservation;merelysigningCatherineaway:hercompanionlingeredverylittlebehindher,andIwasabouttodepartalso,buthebidmesitstill.
“Itisapoorconclusion,isitnot?”heobserved,havingbroodedawhileonthescenehehadjustwitnessed:“anabsurdterminationtomyviolentexertions?
Igetleversandmattockstodemolishthetwohouses,andtrainmyselftobecapableofworkinglikeHercules,andwheneverythingisreadyandinmypower,Ifindthewilltoliftaslateoffeitherroofhasvanished!
Myoldenemieshavenotbeatenme;nowwouldbetheprecisetimetorevengemyselfontheirrepresentatives:Icoulddoit;andnonecouldhinderme.Butwhereistheuse?
Idon’tcareforstriking;Ican’ttakethetroubletoraisemyhand!
ThatsoundsasifIhadbeenlabouringthewholetimeonlytoexhibitafinetraitofmagnanimity.
Itisfarfrombeingthecase:Ihavelostthefacultyofenjoyingtheirdestruction,andIamtooidletodestroyfornothing.
“Nelly,thereisastrangechangeapproaching:I’minitsshadowatpresent.
Itakesolittleinterestinmydailylife,thatIhardlyremembertoeatanddrink.
Thosetwowhohavelefttheroomaretheonlyobjectswhichretainadistinctmaterialappearancetome;andthatappearancecausesmepain,amountingtoagony.
AboutherIwon’tspeak;andIdon’tdesiretothink;butIearnestlywishshewereinvisible:herpresenceinvokesonlymaddeningsensations.
Hemovesmedifferently:andyetifIcoulddoitwithoutseeminginsane,I’dneverseehimagain.
You’llperhapsthinkmeratherinclinedtobecomeso,”headded,makinganefforttosmile,“ifItrytodescribethethousandformsofpastassociationsandideasheawakensorembodies.
Butyou’llnottalkofwhatItellyou;andmymindissoeternallysecludedinitself,itistemptingatlasttoturnitouttoanother.
“Fiveminutesago,Haretonseemedapersonificationofmyyouth,notahumanbeing:Ifelttohiminsuchavarietyofways,thatitwouldhavebeenimpossibletohaveaccostedhimrationally.
Inthefirstplace,hisstartlinglikenesstoCatherineconnectedhimfearfullywithher.
That,however,whichyoumaysupposethemostpotenttoarrestmyimagination,isactuallytheleast:forwhatisnotconnectedwithhertome?andwhatdoesnotrecallher?
Icannotlookdowntothisfloor,butherfeaturesareshapedintheflags!
Ineverycloud,ineverytree—fillingtheairatnight,andcaughtbyglimpsesineveryobjectbyday—Iamsurroundedwithherimage!
Themostordinaryfacesofmenandwomen—myownfeatures—mockmewitharesemblance.
Theentireworldisadreadfulcollectionofmemorandathatshedidexist,andthatIhavelosther!
Well,Hareton’saspectwastheghostofmyimmortallove;ofmywildendeavourstoholdmyright;mydegradation,mypride,myhappiness,andmyanguish:
“Butitisfrenzytorepeatthesethoughtstoyou:onlyitwillletyouknowwhy,withareluctancetobealwaysalone,hissocietyisnobenefit;ratheranaggravationoftheconstanttormentIsuffer;anditpartlycontributestorendermeregardlesshowheandhiscousingoontogether.
Icangivethemnoattention,anymore.”
“Butwhatdoyoumeanbyachange,Mr.Heathcliff?”
Isaid,alarmedathismanner:thoughhewasneitherindangeroflosinghissenses,nordying,accordingtomyjudgment:hewasquitestrongandhealthy:and,astohisreason,fromchildhoodhehadadelightindwellingondarkthings,andentertainingoddfancies.
Hemighthavehadamonomaniaonthesubjectofhisdepartedidol;butoneveryotherpointhiswitswereassoundasmine.
“Ishallnotknowthattillitcomes,”hesaid,“I’monlyhalfconsciousofitnow.”
“Youhavenofeelingsofillness,haveyou?”Iasked.
“No,Nelly,Ihavenot,”heanswered.
“Thenyouarenotafraidofdeath?”Ipursued.
“Afraid?No!”hereplied.
“Ihaveneitherafear,norapresentiment,norahopeofdeath.WhyshouldI?
Withmyhardconstitutionandtemperatemodeofliving,andunperilousoccupations,Ioughtto,andprobablyshall,remainabovegroundtillthereisscarcelyablackhaironmyhead.
Andyet,Icannotcontinueinthiscondition!
Ihavetoremindmyselftobreathe—almosttoremindmyhearttobeat!
Anditislikebendingbackastiffspring:itisbycompulsionthatIdotheslightestactnotpromptedbyonethought;andbycompulsionthatInoticeanythingaliveordead,whichisnotassociatedwithoneuniversalidea.
Ihaveasinglewish,andmywholebeingandfacultiesareyearningtoattainit.
Theyhaveyearnedtowardsitsolong,andsounwaveringly,thatI’mconvinceditwillbereached—andsoon—becauseithasdevouredmyexistence:Iamswallowedupintheanticipationofitsfulfillment.
Myconfessionshavenotrelievedme;buttheymayaccountforsomeotherwiseunaccountablephasesofhumourwhichIshow.OGod!
Itisalongfight,Iwishitwereover!”
Hebegantopacetheroom,mutteringterriblethingstohimself,tillIwasinclinedtobelieve,ashesaidJosephdid,thatconsciencehadturnedhishearttoanearthlyhell.Iwonderedgreatlyhowitwouldend.
Thoughheseldombeforehadrevealedthisstateofmind,evenbylooks,itwashishabitualmood,Ihadnodoubt:heassertedithimself;butnotasoul,fromhisgeneralbearing,wouldhaveconjecturedthefact.
Youdidnotwhenyousawhim,Mr.Lockwood:andattheperiodofwhichIspeakhewasjustthesameasthen;onlyfonderofcontinuedsolitude,andperhapsstillmorelaconicincompany.
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