| 1 |
ON the morrow of that Monday, Earnshaw being still
unable to follow his ordinary employments, and, therefore,
remaining about the house, I speedily found it would be
impracticable to retain my charge beside me, as heretofore.
| 2 |
She got downstairs before me, and out into the garden; where she
had seen her cousin performing some easy work; and when I went to
bid them come to breakfast, I saw she had persuaded him to clear a
large space of ground from currant and gooseberry bushes, and they
were busy planning together an importation of plants from the
Grange.
| | 3 |
I was terrified at the devastation which had been accomplished in a
brief half hour; the black currant trees were the apple of Joseph's
eye, and she had just fixed her choice of a flower bed in the midst
of them!
| | 4 |
"There!
That will be all shewn to the master," I exclaimed, "the minute it
is discovered.
And what excuse have you to offer for taking such liberties with
the garden?
We shall have a fine explosion on the head of it: see if we don't!
Mr Hareton, I wonder you should have no more wit, than to go and
make that mess at her bidding!"
| | 5 |
"I'd forgotten they were Joseph's," answered Earnshaw, rather
puzzled, "but I'll tell him I did it."
| | 6 |
We always ate our meals with Mr Heathcliff.
I held the mistress's post in making tea and carving; so I was
indispensable at table.
Catherine usually sat by me; but to-day, she stole nearer to
Hareton, and I presently saw she would have no more discretion in
her friendship, than she had in her hostility.
| | 7 |
"Now, mind you don't talk with and notice your cousin too much,"
room; "It will certainly annoy Mr Heathcliff, and he'll be mad at
you both."
| | 8 |
"I'm not going to," she answered.
| | 9 |
The minute after, she had sidled to him, and was sticking primroses
in his plate of porridge.
| | 10 |
He dared not speak to her, there; he dared hardly look; and yet she
went on teasing, till he was twice on the point of being provoked
to laugh; and I frowned, and then she glanced towards the master,
whose mind was occupied on other subjects than his company, as his
countenance evinced, and she grew serious for an instant,
scrutinizing him with deep gravity.
Afterwards she turned, and re-commenced her nonsense; at last,
Hareton uttered a smothered laugh.
| | 11 |
Mr Heathcliff started; his eye rapidly surveyed our faces.
Catherine met it with her accustomed look of nervousness, and yet
defiance, which he abhorred.
| | 12 |
"It is well you are out of my reach;" he exclaimed.
"What fiend possesses you to stare back at me, continually, with
those infernal eyes?
Down with them! and don't remind me of your existence again.
I thought I had cured you of laughing!"
| | 13 |
"It was me," muttered Hareton.
| | 14 |
"What do you say?" demanded the master.
| | 15 |
Hareton looked at his plate, and did not repeat the confession.
| | 16 |
Mr Heathcliff looked at him a bit, and then silently resumed his
breakfast, and his interrupted musing.
| | 17 |
We had nearly finished, and the two young people prudently shifted
wider asunder, so I anticipated no further disturbance during that
sitting; when Joseph appeared at the door, revealing by his
quivering lip, and furious eyes, that the outrage committed on his
precious shrubs was detected.
| | 18 |
He must have seen Cathy, and her cousin about the spot,
of a cow chewing its cud, and rendered his speech difficult to
understand, he began:
| | 19 |
"Aw mun hev my wage, and Aw mun goa!
Aw hed aimed tuh dee, wheare Aw'd sarved fur sixty year;
un' Aw thowt Aw'd lug my books up intuh t' garret, un' all my bits
uh stuff, un' they sud hev t' kitchen tuh theirseln; fur t' sake uh
quietness.
It wur hard tuh gie up my awn hearthstun, bud Aw thowt Aw
could do that!
Bud, nah, shoo's taan my garden frough me, un' by th' heart!
Maister, Aw cannot stand it!
Yah muh bend tuh th' yoak, an ye will -- Aw 'noan used
to't and an ow'd man doesn't sooin get used tuh new barthens --
Aw'd rayther arn my bite, an' my sup, wi' a hammer in th' road!"
| | 20 |
"Now, now, idiot!" interrupted Heathcliff, "cut it short!
What's your grievance?
I'll interfere in no quarrels between you, and Nelly -- She may
thrust you into the coal-hole for anything I care."
| | 21 |
"It's noan Nelly!" answered Joseph.
"Aw sudn't shift fur Nelly -- Nasty, ill nowt as shoo is, Thank
God! shoo cannot stale t' sowl uh nob'dy!
Shoo wer niver soa handsome, bud whet a body mud look at her 'baht
winking.
It's yon flaysome, graceless quean, ut's witched ahr lad, wi' her
bold een, un' her forrard ways -- till -- Nay! it fair brusts my
heart!
He's forgetten all E done for him, un' made on him, un' goan un'
riven up a whole row ut t' grandest currant trees i' t' garden!"
And here he lamented outright, unmanned by a sense of his bitter
injuries, and Earnshaw's ingratitude and dangerous condition.
| | 22 |
"Is the fool drunk?" asked Mr Heathcliff.
"Hareton, is it you he's finding fault with?"
| | 23 |
"I've pulled up two or three bushes," replied the young man, "but
I'm going to set 'em again."
| | 24 |
| | 25 |
Catherine wisely put in her tongue.
| | 26 |
"We wanted to plant some flowers there," she cried.
"I'm the only person to blame, for I wished him to do it."
| | 27 |
"And who the devil gave you leave to touch a stick about
the place?" demanded her father-in-law, much surprised.
"And who ordered you to obey her?" he added turning to
Hareton.
| | 28 |
The latter was speechless; his cousin replied --
| | 29 |
"You shouldn't grudge a few yards of earth, for me to ornament,
when you have taken all my land!"
| | 30 |
"Your land, insolent slut?
You never had any!" said Heathcliff.
| | 31 |
"And my money," she continued, returning his angry glare, and
meantime, biting a piece of crust, the remnant of her breakfast.
| | 32 |
"Silence!" he exclaimed.
"Get done, and begone!"
| | 33 |
"And Hareton's land, and his money," pursued the reckless thing.
"Hareton, and I are friends now; and I shall tell him all about
you!"
| | 34 |
The master seemed confounded a moment, he grew pale, and rose up,
eyeing her all the while, with an expression of mortal hate.
| | 35 |
"If you strike me, Hareton will strike you!" she said, "so you may
as well sit down."
| | 36 |
"If Hareton does not turn you out of the room, I'll strike him to
Hell," thundered Heathcliff.
"Damnable witch! dare you pretend to rouse him against me?
Off with her!
Do you hear?
Fling her into the kitchen!
I'll kill her, Ellen Dean, if you let her come into my sight
again!"
| | 37 |
Hareton tried under his breath to persuade her to go.
| | 38 |
"Drag her away!" he cried savagely.
"Are you staying to talk?"
And he approached to execute his own command.
| | 39 |
"He'll not obey you, wicked man, any more!" said Catherine, "and
| | 40 |
"Wisht! wisht!" muttered the young man reproachfully.
"I will not hear you speak so to him -- Have done!"
| | 41 |
"But you won't let him strike me?" she cried.
| | 42 |
"Come then!" he whispered earnestly.
| | 43 |
It was too late -- Heathcliff had caught hold of her.
| | 44 |
"Now you go!" he said to Earnshaw.
"Accursed witch! this time she has provoked me, when I could not
bear it; and I'll make her repent it for ever!"
| | 45 |
He had his hand in her hair; Hareton attempted to release the
locks, entreating him not to hurt her that once.
His black eyes flashed, he seemed ready to tear Catherine in
pieces, and I was just worked up to risk coming to the rescue, when
of a sudden, his fingers relaxed, he shifted his grasp from her
head, to her arm, and gazed intently in her face -- Then, he drew
his hand over her eyes, stood a moment to collect himself
apparently, and turning anew to Catherine, said with assumed
calmness,
| | 46 |
"You must learn to avoid putting me in a passion, or I shall really
murder you, sometime! go with Mrs Dean, and keep with her, and
confine your insolence to her ears.
As to Hareton Earnshaw if I see him listen to you, I'll send him
seeking his bread where he can get it! your love will make him an
outcast, and a beggar -- Nelly, take her, and leave me, all of you!
Leave me!"
| | 47 |
I led my young lady out; she was too glad of her escape, to resist;
the other followed, and Mr Heathcliff had the room to himself, till
dinner.
| | 48 |
I had counselled Catherine to get hers up-stairs; but, as soon as
he perceived her vacant seat, he sent me to call her.
He spoke to none of us, eat very little, and went out directly
afterwards, intimating that he should not return before evening.
| | 49 |
The two new friends established themselves in the house,
his cousin, on her offering a revelation of her father-in-law's
conduct to his father.
| | 50 |
He said he wouldn't suffer a word to be uttered to him, in his
disparagement; if he were the devil, it didn't signify; he would
stand by him; and he'd rather she would abuse himself, as she used
to, than begin on Mr Heathcliff.
| | 51 |
Catherine was waxing cross at this; but he found means to make her
hold her tongue, by asking, how she would like him to
speak ill of her father? and then she comprehended that Earnshaw
took the master's reputation home to himself: and was attached by
ties stronger than reason could break -- chains, forged by habit,
which it would be cruel to attempt to loosen.
| | 52 |
She showed a good heart, thenceforth, in avoiding both complaints
and expressions of antipathy concerning Heathcliff; and confessed
to me her sorrow that she had endeavoured to raise a bad spirit
between him and Hareton -- indeed, I don't believe she has ever
breathed a syllable, in the latter's hearing, against her
oppressor, since.
| | 53 |
When this slight disagreement was over, they were thick again, and
as busy as possible, in their several occupations, of pupil and
teacher.
I came in to sit with them, after I had done my work, and I felt so
soothed, and comforted to watch them, that I did not notice how
time got on.
You know, they both appeared in a measure, my children: I had long
been proud of one, and now, I was sure, the other would be a source
of equal satisfaction.
His honest, warm, and intelligent nature shook off rapidly the
clouds of ignorance, and degradation in which it had been bred; and
Catherine's sincere commendations acted as a spur to his industry.
His brightening mind brightened his features, and added spirit and
nobility to their aspect -- I could hardly fancy it the
little lady at Wuthering Heights, after her expedition to the
Crags.
| | 54 |
While I admired, and they laboured, dusk drew on, and with it
returned the master.
He came upon us quite unexpectedly, entering by the front way, and
had a full view of the whole three, ere we could raise our heads to
glance at him.
| | 55 |
Well, I reflected, there never was a pleasanter, or more harmless
sight; and it will be a burning shame to scold them.
The red fire-light glowed on their two bonny heads, and revealed
their faces, animated with the eager interest of children; for,
though he was twenty-three, and she eighteen, each had so much of
novelty to feel, and learn, that neither experienced, nor evinced
the sentiments of sober disenchanted maturity.
| | 56 |
They lifted their eyes together, to encounter Mr Heathcliff --
perhaps, you have never remarked that their eyes are precisely
similar, and they are those of Catherine Earnshaw.
The present Catherine has no other likeness to her, except a
breadth of forehead, and a certain arch of the nostril that makes
her appear rather haughty, whether she will, or not.
With Hareton the resemblance is carried farther, it is singular, at
all times -- then it was particularly striking: because his senses
were alert, and his mental faculties wakened to unwonted activity.
| | 57 |
I suppose this resemblance disarmed Mr Heathcliff: he walked to the
hearth in evident agitation, but it quickly subsided, as he looked
at the young man; or, I should say, altered its character, for it
was there yet.
| | 58 |
He took the book from his hand, and glanced at the open page, then
returned it without any observation; merely signing Catherine away
I was about to depart also, but he bid me sit still.
| | 59 |
'It is a poor conclusion, is it not,' he observed, having brooded a
while on the scene he had just witnessed.
"An absurd termination to my violent exertions?
I get levers, and mattocks to demolish the two houses, and train
myself to be capable of working like Hercules, and when everything
is ready, and in my power, I find the will to lift a slate off
either roof has vanished!
My old enemies have not beaten me -- now would be the precise time
to revenge myself on their representatives -- I could do it; and
none could hinder me -- But where is the use?
I don't care for striking, I can't take the trouble to raise my
hand!
That sounds as if I had been labouring the whole time, only to
exhibit a fine trait of magnanimity.
It is far from being the case -- I have lost the faculty of
enjoying their destruction, and I am too idle to destroy for
nothing.
| | 60 |
'Nelly, there is a strange change approaching -- I'm in its shadow
at present -- I take so little interest in my daily life, that I
hardly remember to eat, and drink -- Those two, who have left the
room are the only objects which retain a distinct material
appearance to me; and, that appearance causes me pain, amounting to
agony.
About her I won't speak; and I don't desire to think; but
I earnestly wish she were invisible -- her presence invokes only
maddening sensations.
He moves me differently; and yet if I could do it without
seeming insane, I'd never see him again!
You'll perhaps think me rather inclined to become so," he added,
making an effort to smile, 'if I try to describe the thousand forms
of past associations, and ideas he awakens, or embodies -- But
you'll not talk of what I tell you, and my mind is so eternally
secluded in itself, it is tempting, at last, to turn it out to
| | 61 |
"Five minutes ago, Hareton seemed a personification of my youth,
not a human being -- I felt to him in such a variety of ways, that
it would have been impossible to have accosted him rationally.
| | 62 |
"In the first place, his startling likeness to Catherine connected
him fearfully with her -- That however which you may suppose the
most potent to arrest my imagination, is actually the least -- for
what is not connected with her to me? and what does not recall her?
I cannot look down to this floor, but her features are shaped in
the flags!
In every cloud, in every tree -- filling the air at night, and
caught by glimpses in every object, by day I am surrounded with her
image!
The most ordinary faces of men, and women -- my own features mock
me with a resemblance.
The entire world is a dreadful collection of memoranda that she did
exist, and that I have lost her!
| | 63 |
"Well, Hareton's aspect was the ghost of my immortal love, of my
wild endeavours to hold my right, my degradation, my pride, my
happiness, and my anguish --
| | 64 |
"But it is frenzy to repeat these thoughts to you; only it will let
you know, why, with a reluctance to be always alone, his society is
no benefit, rather an aggravation of the constant torment I suffer
-- and it partly contributes to render me regardless how he and his
cousin go on together.
I can give them no attention, any more."
| | 65 |
"But what do you mean by a change, Mr Heathcliff?" I
said, alarmed at his manner, though he was neither in danger of
losing his senses, nor dying, according to my judgment he was quite
strong and healthy; and, as to his reason, from childhood, he had a
delight in dwelling on dark things, and entertaining odd fancies --
he might have had a monomania on the subject of his departed idol;
but on every other point his wits were as sound as mine.
| | 66 |
"I shall not know that, till it comes," he said, "I'm only half
| | 67 |
"You have no feeling of illness, have you?" I asked.
| | 68 |
"No, Nelly, I have not," he answered.
| | 69 |
"Then, you are not afraid of death?" I pursued.
| | 70 |
"Afraid?
No!" he replied.
"I have neither a fear, nor a presentiment, nor a hope of death --
Why should I?
With my hard constitution, and temperate mode of living, and
unperilous occupations, I ought to, and probably shall
remain above ground, till there is scarcely a black hair on my head
-- And yet I cannot continue in this condition!
-- I have to remind myself to breathe -- almost to remind my heart
to beat!
And it is like bending back a stiff spring... it is by compulsion,
that I do the slightest act, not prompted by one thought, and by
compulsion, that I notice anything alive, or dead, which is not
associated with one universal idea...
I have a single wish, and my whole being, and faculties are
yearning to attain it.
They have yearned towards it so long, and so unwaveringly, that I'm
convinced it will be reached -- and soon --
because it has devoured my existence -- I am swallowed in the
anticipation of its fulfilment.
| | 71 |
"My confessions have not relieved me -- but, they may account for
some, otherwise unaccountable phases of humour, which I show.
O, God!
It is a long fight, I wish it were over!"
| | 72 |
He began to pace the room, muttering terrible things to himself;
till I was inclined to believe, as he said Joseph did, that
conscience had turned his heart to an earthly hell -- I wondered
greatly how it would end.
| | 73 |
Though he seldom before had revealed this state of mind, even by
looks, it was his habitual mood, I had no doubt: he asserted it
himself -- but, not a soul, from his general bearing would have
conjectured the fact.
You did not, when you saw him, Mr Lockwood -- and at the period of
which I speak, he was just the same as then, only fonder of
continued solitude, and perhaps still more laconic in company.
| | 74 |
| |
