| 1 |
ON the fifth morning, or rather afternoon, a different
step approached -- lighter and shorter -- and, this time, the
person entered the room.
It was Zillah; donned in her scarlet shawl, with a black silk
bonnet on her head, and a willow basket swung to her arm.
| 2 |
"Eh, dear!
Mrs Dean," she exclaimed.
"Well! there is a talk about you at Gimmerton.
I never thought, but you were sunk in the Blackhorse marsh, and
Missy with you, till master told me you'd been found, and he'd
lodged you here!
What, and you must have got on an island, sure?
And how long were you in the hole?
Did master save you, Mrs Dean?
But you're not so thin -- you've not been so poorly, have you?"
| | 3 |
"Your master is a true scoundrel!" I replied.
"But he shall answer for it.
He needn't have raised that tale -- it shall all be laid bare!"
| | 4 |
"What do you mean?" asked Zillah.
"It's not his tale -- they tell that in the village -- about your
being lost in the marsh; and I calls to Earnshaw, when I come in --
| | 5 |
" 'Eh, they's queer things, Mr Hareton, happened since I went off.
It's a sad pity of that likely young lass, and cant Nelly Dean."
| | 6 |
"He stared, I thought he had not heard aught, so I told him the
rumour.
| | 7 |
"The master listened, and he just smiled to himself, and said --
| | 8 |
" 'If they have been in the marsh, they are out now, Zillah.
Nelly Dean is lodged, at this minute, in your room.
You can tell her to flit, when you go up; here is the key.
The bog-water got into her head, and she would have run
her senses.
You can bid her go to the Grange, at once, if she be able, and
carry a message from me, that her young lady will follow in time to
attend the squire's funeral.' "
| | 9 |
"Mr Edgar is not dead?" I gasped.
"Oh!
Zillah, Zillah!"
| | 10 |
"No, no -- sit you down, my good mistress," she replied, "you're
right sickly yet.
He's not dead: Dr Kenneth thinks he may last another day -- I met
him on the road and asked."
| | 11 |
Instead of sitting down, I snatched my outdoor things, and hastened
below, for the way was free.
| | 12 |
On entering the house, I looked about for some one to give
information of Catherine.
| | 13 |
The place was filled with sunshine, and the door stood wide open,
but nobody seemed at hand.
| | 14 |
As I hesitated whether to go off at once, or return and seek my
mistress, a slight cough drew my attention to the hearth.
| | 15 |
Linton lay on the settle, sole tenant, sucking a stick of sugar-
candy, and pursuing my movements with apathetic eyes.
| | 16 |
"Where is Miss Catherine?" I demanded, sternly, supposing I could
frighten him into giving intelligence, by catching him thus alone.
| | 17 |
He sucked on like an innocent.
| | 18 |
"Is she gone?" I said.
| | 19 |
"No," he replied; "she's up stairs -- she's not to go; we won't let
her."
| | 20 |
"You won't let her, little idiot!" I exclaimed.
"Direct me to her room immediately, or I'll make you sing out
sharply."
| | 21 |
"Papa would make you sing out, if you attempted to get there," he
answered.
"He says I'm not to be soft with Catherine -- she's my wife, and
it's shameful that she should wish to leave me!
He says, she hates me, and wants me to die, that she may have my
home! she never shall! she may cry, and be sick as much as she
pleases!"
| | 22 |
He resumed his former occupation, closing his lids, as if he meant
to drop asleep.
| | 23 |
"Master Heathcliff," I resumed, "have you forgotten all Catherine's
kindness to you, last winter, when you affirmed you loved her, and
when she brought you books, and sung you songs, and came many a
time through wind and snow to see you?
She wept to miss one evening, because you would be disappointed;
and you felt then, that she was a hundred times too good to you;
and now you believe the lies your father tells, though you know he
detests you both!
And you join him against her.
That's fine gratitude, is it not?"
| | 24 |
The corner, of Linton's mouth, fell, and he took the sugar-candy
from his lips.
| | 25 |
"Did she come to Wuthering Heights, because she hated you?" I
continued.
"Think for yourself!
As to your money, she does not even know that you will have any.
And you say she's sick; and yet, you leave her alone, up there in a
strange house!
You, who have felt what it is to be so neglected!
You could pity your own sufferings, and she pitied them, too, but
you won't pity hers!
I shed tears Master Heathcliff, you see -- an elderly woman, and a
servant merely -- and you, after pretending such affection, and
having reason to worship her, almost, store every tear you have for
yourself, and lie there quite at ease.
Ah! you're a heartless, selfish boy!"
| | 26 |
"I can't stay with her," he answered crossly.
"I'll not stay, by myself.
She cries so I can't bear it.
And she won't give over, though I say I'll call my father -- I did
call him once; and he threatened to strangle her, if she was not
quiet, but she began again, the instant he left the room; moaning
vexation that I couldn't sleep."
| | 27 |
"Is Mr Heathcliff out?" I inquired, perceiving that the wretched
creature had no power to sympathize with his cousin's mental
tortures.
| | 28 |
"He's in the court," he replied, "talking to Doctor Kenneth who
says uncle is dying, truly, at last -- I'm glad for I shall be
master of the Grange after him -- and Catherine always spoke of it,
as her house.
It isn't hers!
It's mine -- papa says everything she has is mine, All her nice
books are mine -- she offered to give me them, and her pretty
birds, and her pony Minny, if I would get the key of our room, and
let her out: but I told her she had nothing to give, they were all,
all mine.
And then she cried, and took a little picture from her neck, and
said I should have that -- two pictures in a gold case -- on one
side her mother, and on the other, uncle, when they were young.
That was yesterday -- I said they were mine, too; and
tried to get them from her.
The spiteful thing wouldn't let me; she pushed me off, and hurt me.
I shrieked out -- that frightens her -- she heard papa coming, and
she broke the hinges, and divided the case, and gave me her
mother's portrait; the other she attempted to hide; but papa asked
what was the matter and I explained it.
He took the one I had away; and ordered her to resign hers to me;
she refused, and he -- he struck her down, and wrenched it off the
chain, and crushed it with his foot."
| | 29 |
"And were you pleased to see her struck?" I asked: having my
designs in encouraging his talk.
| | 30 |
"I winked," he answered.
"I wink to see my father strike a dog, or a horse, he does it so
hard -- yet I was glad at first -- she deserved punishing for
pushing me: but when papa was gone, she made me come to the window
and showed me her cheek cut on the inside, against her teeth, and
her mouth filling with blood: and then she gathered up the bits
to the wall, and she has never spoken to me since; and I sometimes
think she can't speak for pain.
I don't like to think so! but she's a naughty thing for crying
continually; and she looks so pale and wild, I'm afraid of her!"
| | 31 |
"And you can get the key if you choose?" I said.
| | 32 |
"Yes, when I am up-stairs," he answered; "but I can't walk up-
stairs now."
| | 33 |
"In what apartment is it?" I asked.
| | 34 |
"Oh," he cried, "I shan't tell you where it is!
It is our secret.
Nobody, neither Hareton, nor Zillah are to know.
There! you've tired me -- go away, go away!"
And he turned his face onto his arm, and shut his eyes, again.
| | 35 |
I considered it best to depart without seeing Mr Heathcliff; and
bring a rescue for my young lady, from the Grange.
| | 36 |
On reaching it the astonishment of my fellow servants to see me,
and their joy also, was intense; and when they heard that their
little mistress was safe, two or three were about to hurry up, and
shout the news at Mr Edgar's door: but I bespoke the announcement
of it, myself.
| | 37 |
How changed I found him, even in those few days!
He lay an image of sadness, and resignation, waiting his death.
Very young he looked: though his actual age was thirty-nine; one
would have called him ten years younger, at least.
He thought of Catherine for he murmured her name.
I touched his hand, and spoke.
| | 38 |
"Catherine is coming, dear master!" I whispered, "she is alive, and
well; and will be here I hope to-night."
| | 39 |
I trembled at the first effects of this intelligence: he half rose
up, looked eagerly round the apartment, and then sank back in a
swoon.
| | 40 |
As soon as he recovered, I related our compulsory visit, and
detention at the Heights: I said Heathcliff forced me to go in,
which was not quite true; I uttered as little as pos
brutal conduct -- my intentions being to add no bitterness, if I
could help it, to his already overflowing cup.
| | 41 |
He divined that one of his enemy's purposes was to secure the
personal property, as well as the estate to his son, or rather
himself; yet why he did not wait till his decease, was a puzzle to
my master; because ignorant how nearly he, and his nephew would
quit the world together.
| | 42 |
However, he felt that his will had better be altered -- instead of
leaving Catherine's fortune at her own disposal, he determined to
put it in the hands of trustees, for her use during life; and for
her children, if she had any, after her.
By that means, it could not fall to Mr Heathcliff should Linton
die.
| | 43 |
Having received his orders, I despatched a man to fetch the
attorney, and four more, provided with serviceable weapons, to
demand my young lady of her jailer.
Both parties were delayed very late.
The single servant returned first.
| | 44 |
He said Mr Green, the lawyer, was out when he arrived at his house,
and he had to wait two hours for his re-entrance: and then Mr Green
told him he had a little business in the village, that must be
done, but he would be at Thrushcross Grange before morning.
| | 45 |
The four men came back unaccompanied, also.
They brought word that Catherine was ill, too ill to quit her room,
and Heathcliff would not suffer them to see her.
| | 46 |
I scolded the stupid fellows well, for listening to that tale,
which I would not carry to my master; resolving to take a whole
bevy up to the Heights, at daylight, and storm it, literally,
unless the prisoner were quietly surrendered to us.
| | 47 |
Her father shall see her, I vowed, and vowed again, if
that devil be killed on his own doorstones, in trying to prevent
it!
| | 48 |
I had gone downstairs at three o'clock to fetch a jug of water; and
was passing through the hall, with it in my hand, when a sharp
knock, at the front door, made me jump.
| | 49 |
"Oh! it is Green -- I said recollecting myself -- only Green," and
I went on, intending to send someone else to open it; but the knock
was repeated, not loud, and still importunately.
| | 50 |
I put the jug on the bannister, and hastened to admit him, myself.
| | 51 |
The harvest moon shone clear outside.
It was not the attorney.
My own sweet little mistress sprung on my neck sobbing,
| | 52 |
"Ellen!
Ellen! is papa alive?"
| | 53 |
"Yes!" I cried, "yes, my angel, he is!
God be thanked, you are safe with us again!"
| | 54 |
She wanted to run, breathless as she was, up-stairs to Mr Linton's
room; but I compelled her to sit down on a chair, and made her
drink, and washed her pale face, chafing it into a faint colour
with my apron.
Then I said I must go first, and tell of her arrival; imploring her
to say, she should be happy, with young Heathcliff.
She stared, but soon comprehended why I counselled her to utter the
falsehood, she assured me she would not complain.
| | 55 |
I couldn't abide to be present at their meeting.
I stood outside the chamber-door, a quarter of an hour, and hardly
ventured near the bed, then.
| | 56 |
All was composed, however; Catherine's despair was as silent as her
father's joy.
She supported him calmly, in appearance; and he fixed on her
features his raised eyes that seemed dilating with ecstasy.
| | 57 |
He died blissfully, Mr Lockwood; he died so, kissing her cheek, he
murmured,
| | 58 |
"I am going to her, and you darling child shall come to us;" and
never stirred or spoke again, but continued that
and his soul departed.
None could have noticed the exact minute of his death, it was so
entirely without a struggle.
| | 59 |
Whether Catherine had spent her tears, or whether the grief were
too weighty to let them flow, she sat there dry-eyed till the sun
rose -- she sat till noon, and would still have remained, brooding
over that deathbed, but I insisted on her coming away, and taking
some repose.
| | 60 |
It was well I succeeded in removing her, for at dinner-time
appeared the lawyer, having called at Wuthering Heights to get his
instructions how to behave.
He had sold himself to Mr Heathcliff, and that was the cause of his
delay in obeying my master's summons.
Fortunately, no thought of worldly affairs crossed the latter's
mind, to disturb him, after his daughter's arrival.
| | 61 |
Mr Green took upon himself to order everything and everybody about
the place.
He gave all the servants but me, notice to quit.
He would have carried his delegated authority to the point of
insisting that Edgar Linton should not be buried beside his wife,
but in the chapel, with his family.
There was the will, however, to hinder that, and my loud
protestations against any infringement of its directions.
| | 62 |
The funeral was hurried over; Catherine, Mrs Linton Heathcliff now,
was suffered to stay at the Grange, till her father's corpse had
quitted it.
| | 63 |
She told me that her anguish had at last spurred Linton to incur
the risk of liberating her.
She heard the men I sent, disputing at the door, and she gathered
the sense of Heathcliff's answer.
It drove her desperate -- Linton, who had been conveyed up to the
little parlour soon after I left, was terrified into fetching the
key before his father re-ascended.
| | 64 |
He had the cunning to unlock, and re-lock the door,
he begged to sleep with Hareton, and his petition was granted, for
once.
| | 65 |
Catherine stole out before break of day.
She dare not try the doors, lest the dogs should raise an alarm;
she visited the empty chambers, and examined their windows; and,
luckily, lighting on her mother's, she got easily out of its
lattice, and onto the ground, by means of the fir tree, close by.
Her accomplice suffered for his share in the escape,
notwithstanding his timid contrivances.
| | 66 |
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