CHAPTER IX
He entered, vociferating oaths dreadful to hear; and caught me in the actof stowing his son away in the kitchen cupboard. Hareton was impressedwith a wholesome terror of encountering either his wild beast's fondnessor his madman's rage; for in one he ran a chance of being squeezed andkissed to death, and in the other of being flung into the fire, or dashedagainst the wall; and the poor thing remained perfectly quiet wherever Ichose to put him.
'There, I've found it out at last!' cried Hindley, pulling me back by theskin of my neck, like a dog. 'By heaven and hell, you've sworn betweenyou to murder that child! I know how it is, now, that he is always outof my way. But, with the help of Satan, I shall make you swallow thecarving-knife, Nelly! You needn't laugh; for I've just crammed Kenneth,head-downmost, in the Black-horse marsh; and two is the same as one--andI want to kill some of you: I shall have no rest till I do!'
'But I don't like the carving-knife, Mr. Hindley,' I answered; 'it hasbeen cutting red herrings. I'd rather be shot, if you please.'
'You'd rather be damned!' he said; 'and so you shall. No law in Englandcan hinder a man from keeping his house decent, and mine's abominable!Open your mouth.' He held the knife in his hand, and pushed its pointbetween my teeth: but, for my part, I was never much afraid of hisvagaries. I spat out, and affirmed it tasted detestably--I would nottake it on any account.
'Oh!' said he, releasing me, 'I see that hideous little villain is notHareton: I beg your pardon, Nell. If it be, he deserves flaying alivefor not running to welcome me, and for screaming as if I were a goblin.Unnatural cub, come hither! I'll teach thee to impose on a good-hearted,deluded father. Now, don't you think the lad would be handsomer cropped?It makes a dog fiercer, and I love something fierce--get me ascissors--something fierce and trim! Besides, it's infernalaffectation--devilish conceit it is, to cherish our ears--we're assesenough without them. Hush, child, hush! Well then, it is my darling!wisht, dry thy eyes--there's a joy; kiss me. What! it won't? Kiss me,Hareton! Damn thee, kiss me! By God, as if I would rear such a monster!As sure as I'm living, I'll break the brat's neck.'
Poor Hareton was squalling and kicking in his father's arms with all hismight, and redoubled his yells when he carried him up-stairs and liftedhim over the banister. I cried out that he would frighten the child intofits, and ran to rescue him. As I reached them, Hindley leant forward onthe rails to listen to a noise below; almost forgetting what he had inhis hands. 'Who is that?' he asked, hearing some one approaching thestairs'-foot. I leant forward also, for the purpose of signing toHeathcliff, whose step I recognised, not to come further; and, at theinstant when my eye quitted Hareton, he gave a sudden spring, deliveredhimself from the careless grasp that held him, and fell.
There was scarcely time to experience a thrill of horror before we sawthat the little wretch was safe. Heathcliff arrived underneath just atthe critical moment; by a natural impulse he arrested his descent, andsetting him on his feet, looked up to discover the author of theaccident. A miser who has parted with a lucky lottery ticket for fiveshillings, and finds next day he has lost in the bargain five thousandpounds, could not show a blanker countenance than he did on beholding thefigure of Mr. Earnshaw above. It expressed, plainer than words could do,the intensest anguish at having made himself the instrument of thwartinghis own revenge. Had it been dark, I daresay he would have tried toremedy the mistake by smashing Hareton's skull on the steps; but, wewitnessed his salvation; and I was presently below with my preciouscharge pressed to my heart. Hindley descended more leisurely, soberedand abashed.
'It is your fault, Ellen,' he said; 'you should have kept him out ofsight: you should have taken him from me! Is he injured anywhere?'
'Injured!' I cried angrily; 'if he is not killed, he'll be an idiot! Oh!I wonder his mother does not rise from her grave to see how you use him.You're worse than a heathen--treating your own flesh and blood in thatmanner!' He attempted to touch the child, who, on finding himself withme, sobbed off his terror directly. At the first finger his father laidon him, however, he shrieked again louder than before, and struggled asif he would go into convulsions.
'You shall not meddle with him!' I continued. 'He hates you--they allhate you--that's the truth! A happy family you have; and a pretty stateyou're come to!'
'I shall come to a prettier, yet, Nelly,' laughed the misguided man,recovering his hardness. 'At present, convey yourself and him away. Andhark you, Heathcliff! clear you too quite from my reach and hearing. Iwouldn't murder you to-night; unless, perhaps, I set the house on fire:but that's as my fancy goes.'
While saying this he took a pint bottle of brandy from the dresser, andpoured some into a tumbler.
'Nay, don't!' I entreated. 'Mr. Hindley, do take warning. Have mercy onthis unfortunate boy, if you care nothing for yourself!'
'Any one will do better for him than I shall,' he answered.
'Have mercy on your own soul!' I said, endeavouring to snatch the glassfrom his hand.
'Not I! On the contrary, I shall have great pleasure in sending it toperdition to punish its Maker,' exclaimed the blasphemer. 'Here's to itshearty damnation!'
He drank the spirits and impatiently bade us go; terminating his commandwith a sequel of horrid imprecations too bad to repeat or remember.
'It's a pity he cannot kill himself with drink,' observed Heathcliff,muttering an echo of curses back when the door was shut. 'He's doing hisvery utmost; but his constitution defies him. Mr. Kenneth says he wouldwager his mare that he'll outlive any man on this side Gimmerton, and goto the grave a hoary sinner; unless some happy chance out of the commoncourse befall him.'
I went into the kitchen, and sat down to lull my little lamb to sleep.Heathcliff, as I thought, walked through to the barn. It turned outafterwards that he only got as far as the other side the settle, when heflung himself on a bench by the wall, removed from the fire and remainedsilent.
I was rocking Hareton on my knee, and humming a song that began,--
It was far in the night, and the bairnies grat, The mither beneath the mools heard that,
when Miss Cathy, who had listened to the hubbub from her room, put herhead in, and whispered,--'Are you alone, Nelly?'
'Yes, Miss,' I replied.
She entered and approached the hearth. I, supposing she was going to saysomething, looked up. The expression of her face seemed disturbed andanxious. Her lips were half asunder, as if she meant to speak, and shedrew a breath; but it escaped in a sigh instead of a sentence. I resumedmy song; not having forgotten her recent behaviour.
'Where's Heathcliff?' she said, interrupting me.
'About his work in the stable,' was my answer.
He did not contradict me; perhaps he had fallen into a doze. Therefollowed another long pause, during which I perceived a drop or twotrickle from Catherine's cheek to the flags. Is she sorry for hershameful conduct?--I asked myself. That will be a novelty: but she maycome to the point--as she will--I sha'n't help her! No, she felt smalltrouble regarding any subject, save her own concerns.
'Oh, dear!' she cried at last. 'I'm very unhappy!'
'A pity,' observed I. 'You're hard to please; so many friends and so fewcares, and can't make yourself content!'
'Nelly, will you keep a secret for me?' she pursued, kneeling down by me,and lifting her winsome eyes to my face with that sort of look whichturns off bad temper, even when one has all the right in the world toindulge it.
'Is it worth keeping?' I inquired, less sulkily.
'Yes, and it worries me, and I must let it out! I want to know what Ishould do. To-day, Edgar Linton has asked me to marry him, and I'vegiven him an answer. Now, before I tell you whether it was a consent ordenial, you tell me which it ought to have been.'
'Really, Miss Catherine, how can I know?' I replied. 'To be sure,considering the exhibition you performed in his presence this afternoon,I might say it would be wise to refuse him: since he asked you afterthat, he must either be hopelessly stupid or a venturesome fool.'
'If you talk so, I won't tell you any more,' she returned, peevishlyrising to her feet. 'I accepted him, Nelly. Be quick, and say whether Iwas wrong!'
'You accepted him! Then what good is it discussing the matter? You havepledged your word, and cannot retract.'
'But say whether I should have done so--do!' she exclaimed in anirritated tone; chafing her hands together, and frowning.
'There are many things to be considered before that question can beanswered properly,' I said, sententiously. 'First and foremost, do youlove Mr. Edgar?'
'Who can help it? Of course I do,' she answered.
Then I put her through the following catechism: for a girl of twenty-twoit was not injudicious.
'Why do you love him, Miss Cathy?'
'Nonsense, I do--that's sufficient.'
'By no means; you must say why?'
'Well, because he is handsome, and pleasant to be with.'
'Bad!' was my commentary.
'And because he is young and cheerful.'
'Bad, still.'
'And because he loves me.'
'Indifferent, coming there.'
'And he will be rich, and I shall like to be the greatest woman of theneighbourhood, and I shall be proud of having such a husband.'
'Worst of all. And now, say how you love him?'
'As everybody loves--You're silly, Nelly.'
'Not at all--Answer.'
'I love the ground under his feet, and the air over his head, andeverything he touches, and every word he says. I love all his looks, andall his actions, and him entirely and altogether. There now!'
'And why?'
'Nay; you are making a jest of it: it is exceedingly ill-natured! It'sno jest to me!' said the young lady, scowling, and turning her face tothe fire.
'I'm very far from jesting, Miss Catherine,' I replied. 'You love Mr.Edgar because he is handsome, and young, and cheerful, and rich, andloves you. The last, however, goes for nothing: you would love himwithout that, probably; and with it you wouldn't, unless he possessed thefour former attractions.'
'No, to be sure not: I should only pity him--hate him, perhaps, if hewere ugly, and a clown.'
'But there are several other handsome, rich young men in the world:handsomer, possibly, and richer than he is. What should hinder you fromloving them?'
'If there be any, they are out of my way: I've seen none like Edgar.'
'You may see some; and he won't always be handsome, and young, and maynot always be rich.'
'He is now; and I have only to do with the present. I wish you wouldspeak rationally.'
'Well, that settles it: if you have only to do with the present, marryMr. Linton.'
'I don't want your permission for that--I _shall_ marry him: and yet youhave not told me whether I'm right.'
'Perfectly right; if people be right to marry only for the present. Andnow, let us hear what you are unhappy about. Your brother will bepleased; the old lady and gentleman will not object, I think; you willescape from a disorderly, comfortless home into a wealthy, respectableone; and you love Edgar, and Edgar loves you. All seems smooth and easy:where is the obstacle?'
'_Here_! and _here_!' replied Catherine, striking one hand on herforehead, and the other on her breast: 'in whichever place the soullives. In my soul and in my heart, I'm convinced I'm wrong!'
'That's very strange! I cannot make it out.'
'It's my secret. But if you will not mock at me, I'll explain it: Ican't do it distinctly; but I'll give you a feeling of how I feel.'
She seated herself by me again: her countenance grew sadder and graver,and her clasped hands trembled.
'Nelly, do you never dream queer dreams?' she said, suddenly, after someminutes' reflection.
'Yes, now and then,' I answered.
'And so do I. I've dreamt in my life dreams that have stayed with meever after, and changed my ideas: they've gone through and through me,like wine through water, and altered the colour of my mind. And this isone: I'm going to tell it--but take care not to smile at any part of it.'
'Oh! don't, Miss Catherine!' I cried. 'We're dismal enough withoutconjuring up ghosts and visions to perplex us. Come, come, be merry andlike yourself! Look at little Hareton! _he's_ dreaming nothing dreary.How sweetly he smiles in his sleep!'
'Yes; and how sweetly his father curses in his solitude! You rememberhim, I daresay, when he was just such another as that chubby thing:nearly as young and innocent. However, Nelly, I shall oblige you tolisten: it's not long; and I've no power to be merry to-night.'
'I won't hear it, I won't hear it!' I repeated, hastily.
I was superstitious about dreams then, and am still; and Catherine had anunusual gloom in her aspect, that made me dread something from which Imight shape a prophecy, and foresee a fearful catastrophe. She wasvexed, but she did not proceed. Apparently taking up another subject,she recommenced in a short time.
'If I were in heaven, Nelly, I should be extremely miserable.'
'Because you are not fit to go there,' I answered. 'All sinners would bemiserable in heaven.'
'But it is not for that. I dreamt once that I was there.'
'I tell you I won't hearken to your dreams, Miss Catherine! I'll go tobed,' I interrupted again.
She laughed, and held me down; for I made a motion to leave my chair.
'This is nothing,' cried she: 'I was only going to say that heaven didnot seem to be my home; and I broke my heart with weeping to come back toearth; and the angels were so angry that they flung me out into themiddle of the heath on the top of Wuthering Heights; where I woke sobbingfor joy. That will do to explain my secret, as well as the other. I'veno more business to marry Edgar Linton than I have to be in heaven; andif the wicked man in there had not brought Heathcliff so low, I shouldn'thave thought of it. It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now; so heshall never know how I love him: and that, not because he's handsome,Nelly, but because he's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls aremade of, his and mine are the same; and Linton's is as different as amoonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire.'
Ere this speech ended I became sensible of Heathcliff's presence. Havingnoticed a slight movement, I turned my head, and saw him rise from thebench, and steal out noiselessly. He had listened till he heardCatherine say it would degrade her to marry him, and then he stayed tohear no further. My companion, sitting on the ground, was prevented bythe back of the settle from remarking his presence or departure; but Istarted, and bade her hush!
'Why?' she asked, gazing nervously round.
'Joseph is here,' I answered, catching opportunely the roll of hiscartwheels up the road; 'and Heathcliff will come in with him. I'm notsure whether he were not at the door this moment.'
'Oh, he couldn't overhear me at the door!' said she. 'Give me Hareton,while you get the supper, and when it is ready ask me to sup with you. Iwant to cheat my uncomfortable conscience, and be convinced thatHeathcliff has no notion of these things. He has not, has he? He doesnot know what being in love is!'
'I see no reason that he should not know, as well as you,' I returned;'and if you are his choice, he'll be the most unfortunate creature thatever was born! As soon as you become Mrs. Linton, he loses friend, andlove, and all! Have you considered how you'll bear the separation, andhow he'll bear to be quite deserted in the world? Because, MissCatherine--'
'He quite deserted! we separated!' she exclaimed, with an accent ofindignation. 'Who is to separate us, pray? They'll meet the fate ofMilo! Not as long as I live, Ellen: for no mortal creature. EveryLinton on the face of the earth might melt into nothing before I couldconsent to forsake Heathcliff. Oh, that's not what I intend--that's notwhat I mean! I shouldn't be Mrs. Linton were such a price demanded!He'll be as much to me as he has been all his lifetime. Edgar must shakeoff his antipathy, and tolerate him, at least. He will, when he learnsmy true feelings towards him. Nelly, I see now you think me a selfishwretch; but did it never strike you that if Heathcliff and I married, weshould be beggars? whereas, if I marry Linton I can aid Heathcliff torise, and place him out of my brother's power.'
'With your husband's money, Miss Catherine?' I asked. 'You'll find himnot so pliable as you calculate upon: and, though I'm hardly a judge, Ithink that's the worst motive you've given yet for being the wife ofyoung Linton.'
'It is not,' retorted she; 'it is the best! The others were thesatisfaction of my whims: and for Edgar's sake, too, to satisfy him. Thisis for the sake of one who comprehends in his person my feelings to Edgarand myself. I cannot express it; but surely you and everybody have anotion that there is or should be an existence of yours beyond you. Whatwere the use of my creation, if I were entirely contained here? My greatmiseries in this world have been Heathcliff's miseries, and I watched andfelt each from the beginning: my great thought in living is himself. Ifall else perished, and _he_ remained, _I_ should still continue to be;and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe wouldturn to a mighty stranger: I should not seem a part of it.--My love forLinton is like the foliage in the woods: time will change it, I'm wellaware, as winter changes the trees. My love for Heathcliff resembles theeternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary.Nelly, I _am_ Heathcliff! He's always, always in my mind: not as apleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself, but as my ownbeing. So don't talk of our separation again: it is impracticable; and--'
She paused, and hid her face in the folds of my gown; but I jerked itforcibly away. I was out of patience with her folly!
'If I can make any sense of your nonsense, Miss,' I said, 'it only goesto convince me that you are ignorant of the duties you undertake inmarrying; or else that you are a wicked, unprincipled girl. But troubleme with no more secrets: I'll not promise to keep them.'
'You'll keep that?' she asked, eagerly.
'No, I'll not promise,' I repeated.
She was about to insist, when the entrance of Joseph finished ourconversation; and Catherine removed her seat to a corner, and nursedHareton, while I made the supper. After it was cooked, my fellow-servantand I began to quarrel who should carry some to Mr. Hindley; and wedidn't settle it till all was nearly cold. Then we came to the agreementthat we would let him ask, if he wanted any; for we feared particularlyto go into his presence when he had been some time alone.
'And how isn't that nowt comed in fro' th' field, be this time? What ishe about? girt idle seeght!' demanded the old man, looking round forHeathcliff.
'I'll call him,' I replied. 'He's in the barn, I've no doubt.'
I went and called, but got no answer. On returning, I whispered toCatherine that he had heard a good part of what she said, I was sure; andtold how I saw him quit the kitchen just as she complained of herbrother's conduct regarding him. She jumped up in a fine fright, flungHareton on to the settle, and ran to seek for her friend herself; nottaking leisure to consider why she was so flurried, or how her talk wouldhave affected him. She was absent such a while that Joseph proposed weshould wait no longer. He cunningly conjectured they were staying awayin order to avoid hearing his protracted blessing. They were 'ill eneughfor ony fahl manners,' he affirmed. And on their behalf he added thatnight a special prayer to the usual quarter-of-an-hour's supplicationbefore meat, and would have tacked another to the end of the grace, hadnot his young mistress broken in upon him with a hurried command that hemust run down the road, and, wherever Heathcliff had rambled, find andmake him re-enter directly!
'I want to speak to him, and I _must_, before I go upstairs,' she said.'And the gate is open: he is somewhere out of hearing; for he would notreply, though I shouted at the top of the fold as loud as I could.'
Joseph objected at first; she was too much in earnest, however, to suffercontradiction; and at last he placed his hat on his head, and walkedgrumbling forth. Meantime, Catherine paced up and down the floor,exclaiming--'I wonder where he is--I wonder where he can be! What did Isay, Nelly? I've forgotten. Was he vexed at my bad humour thisafternoon? Dear! tell me what I've said to grieve him? I do wish he'dcome. I do wish he would!'
'What a noise for nothing!' I cried, though rather uneasy myself. 'Whata trifle scares you! It's surely no great cause of alarm that Heathcliffshould take a moonlight saunter on the moors, or even lie too sulky tospeak to us in the hay-loft. I'll engage he's lurking there. See if Idon't ferret him out!'
I departed to renew my search; its result was disappointment, andJoseph's quest ended in the same.
'Yon lad gets war und war!' observed he on re-entering. 'He's left th'gate at t' full swing, and Miss's pony has trodden dahn two rigs o' corn,and plottered through, raight o'er into t' meadow! Hahsomdiver, t'maister 'ull play t' devil to-morn, and he'll do weel. He's patienceitsseln wi' sich careless, offald craters--patience itsseln he is! Budhe'll not be soa allus--yah's see, all on ye! Yah mun'n't drive him outof his heead for nowt!'
'Have you found Heathcliff, you ass?' interrupted Catherine. 'Have youbeen looking for him, as I ordered?'
'I sud more likker look for th' horse,' he replied. 'It 'ud be to moresense. Bud I can look for norther horse nur man of a neeght loikethis--as black as t' chimbley! und Heathcliff's noan t' chap to coom at_my_ whistle--happen he'll be less hard o' hearing wi' _ye_!'
It _was_ a very dark evening for summer: the clouds appeared inclined tothunder, and I said we had better all sit down; the approaching rainwould be certain to bring him home without further trouble. However,Catherine would not be persuaded into tranquillity. She kept wanderingto and fro, from the gate to the door, in a state of agitation whichpermitted no repose; and at length took up a permanent situation on oneside of the wall, near the road: where, heedless of my expostulations andthe growling thunder, and the great drops that began to plash around her,she remained, calling at intervals, and then listening, and then cryingoutright. She beat Hareton, or any child, at a good passionate fit ofcrying.
About midnight, while we still sat up, the storm came rattling over theHeights in full fury. There was a violent wind, as well as thunder, andeither one or the other split a tree off at the corner of the building: ahuge bough fell across the roof, and knocked down a portion of the eastchimney-stack, sending a clatter of stones and soot into thekitchen-fire. We thought a bolt had fallen in the middle of us; andJoseph swung on to his knees, beseeching the Lord to remember thepatriarchs Noah and Lot, and, as in former times, spare the righteous,though he smote the ungodly. I felt some sentiment that it must be ajudgment on us also. The Jonah, in my mind, was Mr. Earnshaw; and Ishook the handle of his den that I might ascertain if he were yet living.He replied audibly enough, in a fashion which made my companionvociferate, more clamorously than before, that a wide distinction mightbe drawn between saints like himself and sinners like his master. Butthe uproar passed away in twenty minutes, leaving us all unharmed;excepting Cathy, who got thoroughly drenched for her obstinacy inrefusing to take shelter, and standing bonnetless and shawlless to catchas much water as she could with her hair and clothes. She came in andlay down on the settle, all soaked as she was, turning her face to theback, and putting her hands before it.
'Well, Miss!' I exclaimed, touching her shoulder; 'you are not bent ongetting your death, are you? Do you know what o'clock it is? Half-pasttwelve. Come, come to bed! there's no use waiting any longer on thatfoolish boy: he'll be gone to Gimmerton, and he'll stay there now. Heguesses we shouldn't wait for him till this late hour: at least, heguesses that only Mr. Hindley would be up; and he'd rather avoid havingthe door opened by the master.'
'Nay, nay, he's noan at Gimmerton,' said Joseph. 'I's niver wonder buthe's at t' bothom of a bog-hoile. This visitation worn't for nowt, and Iwod hev' ye to look out, Miss--yah muh be t' next. Thank Hivin for all!All warks togither for gooid to them as is chozzen, and piked out fro'th' rubbidge! Yah knaw whet t' Scripture ses.' And he began quotingseveral texts, referring us to chapters and verses where we might findthem.
I, having vainly begged the wilful girl to rise and remove her wetthings, left him preaching and her shivering, and betook myself to bedwith little Hareton, who slept as fast as if everyone had been sleepinground him. I heard Joseph read on a while afterwards; then Idistinguished his slow step on the ladder, and then I dropped asleep.
Coming down somewhat later than usual, I saw, by the sunbeams piercingthe chinks of the shutters, Miss Catherine still seated near thefireplace. The house-door was ajar, too; light entered from its unclosedwindows; Hindley had come out, and stood on the kitchen hearth, haggardand drowsy.
'What ails you, Cathy?' he was saying when I entered: 'you look as dismalas a drowned whelp. Why are you so damp and pale, child?'
'I've been wet,' she answered reluctantly, 'and I'm cold, that's all.'
'Oh, she is naughty!' I cried, perceiving the master to be tolerablysober. 'She got steeped in the shower of yesterday evening, and thereshe has sat the night through, and I couldn't prevail on her to stir.'
Mr. Earnshaw stared at us in surprise. 'The night through,' he repeated.'What kept her up? not fear of the thunder, surely? That was over hourssince.'
Neither of us wished to mention Heathcliff's absence, as long as we couldconceal it; so I replied, I didn't know how she took it into her head tosit up; and she said nothing. The morning was fresh and cool; I threwback the lattice, and presently the room filled with sweet scents fromthe garden; but Catherine called peevishly to me, 'Ellen, shut thewindow. I'm starving!' And her teeth chattered as she shrank closer tothe almost extinguished embers.
'She's ill,' said Hindley, taking her wrist; 'I suppose that's the reasonshe would not go to bed. Damn it! I don't want to be troubled with moresickness here. What took you into the rain?'
'Running after t' lads, as usuald!' croaked Joseph, catching anopportunity from our hesitation to thrust in his evil tongue. 'If I waryah, maister, I'd just slam t' boards i' their faces all on 'em, gentleand simple! Never a day ut yah're off, but yon cat o' Linton comessneaking hither; and Miss Nelly, shoo's a fine lass! shoo sits watchingfor ye i' t' kitchen; and as yah're in at one door, he's out at t'other;and, then, wer grand lady goes a-courting of her side! It's bonnybehaviour, lurking amang t' fields, after twelve o' t' night, wi' thatfahl, flaysome divil of a gipsy, Heathcliff! They think _I'm_ blind; butI'm noan: nowt ut t' soart!--I seed young Linton boath coming and going,and I seed _yah_' (directing his discourse to me), 'yah gooid fur nowt,slattenly witch! nip up and bolt into th' house, t' minute yah heard t'maister's horse-fit clatter up t' road.'
'Silence, eavesdropper!' cried Catherine; 'none of your insolence beforeme! Edgar Linton came yesterday by chance, Hindley; and it was _I_ whotold him to be off: because I knew you would not like to have met him asyou were.'
'You lie, Cathy, no doubt,' answered her brother, 'and you are aconfounded simpleton! But never mind Linton at present: tell me, wereyou not with Heathcliff last night? Speak the truth, now. You need notbe afraid of harming him: though I hate him as much as ever, he did me agood turn a short time since that will make my conscience tender ofbreaking his neck. To prevent it, I shall send him about his businessthis very morning; and after he's gone, I'd advise you all to look sharp:I shall only have the more humour for you.'
'I never saw Heathcliff last night,' answered Catherine, beginning to sobbitterly: 'and if you do turn him out of doors, I'll go with him. But,perhaps, you'll never have an opportunity: perhaps, he's gone.' Here sheburst into uncontrollable grief, and the remainder of her words wereinarticulate.
Hindley lavished on her a torrent of scornful abuse, and bade her get toher room immediately, or she shouldn't cry for nothing! I obliged her toobey; and I shall never forget what a scene she acted when we reached herchamber: it terrified me. I thought she was going mad, and I beggedJoseph to run for the doctor. It proved the commencement of delirium:Mr. Kenneth, as soon as he saw her, pronounced her dangerously ill; shehad a fever. He bled her, and he told me to let her live on whey andwater-gruel, and take care she did not throw herself downstairs or out ofthe window; and then he left: for he had enough to do in the parish,where two or three miles was the ordinary distance between cottage andcottage.
Though I cannot say I made a gentle nurse, and Joseph and the master wereno better, and though our patient was as wearisome and headstrong as apatient could be, she weathered it through. Old Mrs. Linton paid usseveral visits, to be sure, and set things to rights, and scolded andordered us all; and when Catherine was convalescent, she insisted onconveying her to Thrushcross Grange: for which deliverance we were verygrateful. But the poor dame had reason to repent of her kindness: sheand her husband both took the fever, and died within a few days of eachother.
Our young lady returned to us saucier and more passionate, and haughtierthan ever. Heathcliff had never been heard of since the evening of thethunder-storm; and, one day, I had the misfortune, when she had provokedme exceedingly, to lay the blame of his disappearance on her: whereindeed it belonged, as she well knew. From that period, for severalmonths, she ceased to hold any communication with me, save in therelation of a mere servant. Joseph fell under a ban also: he would speakhis mind, and lecture her all the same as if she were a little girl; andshe esteemed herself a woman, and our mistress, and thought that herrecent illness gave her a claim to be treated with consideration. Thenthe doctor had said that she would not bear crossing much; she ought tohave her own way; and it was nothing less than murder in her eyes for anyone to presume to stand up and contradict her. From Mr. Earnshaw and hiscompanions she kept aloof; and tutored by Kenneth, and serious threats ofa fit that often attended her rages, her brother allowed her whatever shepleased to demand, and generally avoided aggravating her fiery temper. Hewas rather too indulgent in humouring her caprices; not from affection,but from pride: he wished earnestly to see her bring honour to the familyby an alliance with the Lintons, and as long as she let him alone shemight trample on us like slaves, for aught he cared! Edgar Linton, asmultitudes have been before and will be after him, was infatuated: andbelieved himself the happiest man alive on the day he led her toGimmerton Chapel, three years subsequent to his father's death.
Much against my inclination, I was persuaded to leave Wuthering Heightsand accompany her here. Little Hareton was nearly five years old, and Ihad just begun to teach him his letters. We made a sad parting; butCatherine's tears were more powerful than ours. When I refused to go,and when she found her entreaties did not move me, she went lamenting toher husband and brother. The former offered me munificent wages; thelatter ordered me to pack up: he wanted no women in the house, he said,now that there was no mistress; and as to Hareton, the curate should takehim in hand, by-and-by. And so I had but one choice left: to do as I wasordered. I told the master he got rid of all decent people only to runto ruin a little faster; I kissed Hareton, said good-by; and since thenhe has been a stranger: and it's very queer to think it, but I've nodoubt he has completely forgotten all about Ellen Dean, and that he wasever more than all the world to her and she to him!
* * * * *
At this point of the housekeeper's story she chanced to glance towardsthe time-piece over the chimney; and was in amazement on seeing theminute-hand measure half-past one. She would not hear of staying asecond longer: in truth, I felt rather disposed to defer the sequel ofher narrative myself. And now that she is vanished to her rest, and Ihave meditated for another hour or two, I shall summon courage to goalso, in spite of aching laziness of head and limbs.