| 1 |
CATHY stayed at Thrushcross Grange five weeks, till
Christmas.
By that time her ankle was thoroughly cured, and her manners much
improved.
The mistress visited her often, in the interval, and commenced her
plan of reform, by trying to raise her self-respect with fine
clothes, and flattery, which she took readily: so that, instead of
a wild, hatless little savage jumping into the house, and rushing
to squeeze us all breathless, there lighted from a handsome black
pony a very dignified person with brown ringlets falling from the
cover of a feathered beaver, and a long cloth habit which she was
obliged to hold up with both hands that she might sail in.
| 2 |
Hindley lifted her from her horse exclaiming delightedly,
| | 3 |
"Why Cathy, you are quite a beauty!
I should scarcely have known you -- you look like a lady now --
Isabella Linton is not to be compared with her, is she Frances?"
| | 4 |
"Isabella has not her natural advantages," replied his wife, "but
she must mind and not grow wild again here.
Ellen, help Miss Catherine off with her things -- Stay, dear, you
will disarrange your curls -- let me untie your hat."
| | 5 |
I removed the habit, and there shone forth, beneath a grand plaid
silk frock, white trousers, and burnished shoes; and, while her
eyes sparkled joyfully when the dogs came bounding up to welcome
her, she dare hardly touch them lest they should fawn upon her
splendid garments.
| | 6 |
She kissed me gently, I was all flour making the christmas cake,
and it would not have done to give me a hug; and, then, she looked
round for Heathcliff.
Mr and Mrs Earnshaw watched anxiously their meeting, thinking it
grounds they had for hoping to succeed in separating the two
friends.
| | 7 |
Heathcliff was hard to discover, at first -- If he were careless,
and uncared for, before Catherine's absence, he had been ten times
more so, since.
| | 8 |
Nobody, but I even did him the kindness to call him a dirty boy,
and bid him wash himself, once a week; and children of his age,
seldom have a natural pleasure in soap and water.
Therefore, not to mention his clothes, which had seen three months'
service, in mire and dust, and his thick uncombed hair; the surface
of his face and hands was dismally beclouded.
He might well skulk behind the settle, on beholding such a bright,
graceful damsel enter the house, instead of a rough-headed
counterpart of himself, as he expected.
| | 9 |
"Is Heathcliff not here?" she demanded pulling off her gloves, and
displaying fingers wonderfully whitened with doing nothing, and
staying indoors.
| | 10 |
"Heathcliff you may come forward," cried Mr Hindley enjoying his
discomfiture and gratified to see what a forbidding young
blackguard he would be compelled to present himself.
"You may come and wish Miss Catherine welcome, like the other
servants."
| | 11 |
Cathy, catching a glimpse of her friend in his concealment, flew to
embrace him, she bestowed seven or eight kisses on his cheek within
the second, and, then, stopped, and drawing back, burst into a
laugh, exclaiming,
| | 12 |
"Why, how very black and cross you look! and how -- how funny and
grim!
But that's because I'm used to Edgar, and Isabella Linton.
Well, Heathcliff, have you forgotten me?"
| | 13 |
She had some reason to put the question, for shame, and pride threw
double gloom over his countenance, and kept him immovable.
| | 14 |
"Shake hands, Heathcliff," said Mr Earnshaw, condescendingly; "once
in a way, that is permitted."
| | 15 |
"I shall not!" replied the boy finding his tongue at last, "I shall
not stand to be laughed at, I shall not bear it!"
| | 16 |
And he would have broken from the circle, but Miss Cathy seized him
again.
| | 17 |
"I did not mean to laugh at you," she said, "I could not hinder
myself, Heathcliff, shake hands, at least!
What are you sulky for?
It was only that you looked odd -- If you wash your face, and brush
your hair it will be all right.
But you are so dirty!"
| | 18 |
She gazed concernedly at the dusky fingers she held in her own, and
also at her dress which she feared had gained no embellishment from
its contact with his.
| | 19 |
"You needn't have touched me!"
He answered, following her eye and snatching away his hand.
"I shall be as dirty as I please, and I like to be dirty, and I
will be dirty."
| | 20 |
With that he dashed head foremost out of the room, amid the
merriment of the master and mistress, and to the serious
disturbance of Catherine who could not comprehend how her remarks
should have produced such an exhibition of bad temper.
| | 21 |
After playing lady's maid to the newcomer, and putting my cakes in
the oven, and making the house and kitchen cheerful with great
fires befitting Christmas eve, I prepared to sit down and amuse
myself by singing carols, all alone; regardless of Joseph's
affirmations that he considered the merry tunes I chose as next
door to songs.
| | 22 |
He had retired to private prayer in his chamber, and Mr and Mrs
Earnshaw were engaging Missy's attention by sundry gay trifles
bought for her to present to the little Lintons, as an
acknowledgment of their kindness.
| | 23 |
They had invited them to spend the morrow at Wuthering Heights, and
Mrs Linton begged that her darlings might be kept carefully apart
from that "naughty, swearing boy."
| | 24 |
Under these circumstances I remained solitary.
I smelt the rich scent of the heating spices; and admired the
shining kitchen utensils, the polished clock, decked in holly, the
silver mugs ranged on a tray ready to be filled with mulled ale for
supper; and, above all, the speckless purity of my particular care
-- the scoured and well-swept floor.
| | 25 |
I gave due inward applause to every object and, then, I remembered
how old Earnshaw used to come in when all was tidied, and call me a
cant lass, and slip a shilling into my hand, as a christmas box:
and, from that, I went on to think of his fondness for Heathcliff,
and his dread lest he should suffer neglect after death had removed
him; and that naturally led me to consider the poor lad's situation
now, and from singing I changed my mind to crying.
It struck me soon, however, there would be more sense in
endeavouring to repair some of his wrongs than shedding tears over
them -- I got up and walked into the court to seek him.
| | 26 |
He was not far, I found him smoothing the glossy coat of the new
pony in the stable, and feeding the other beasts, according to
custom.
| | 27 |
"Make haste, Heathcliff!" I said "the kitchen is so comfortable --
and Joseph is up-stairs; make haste, and let me dress you smart
before Miss Cathy comes out -- and then you can sit together, with
the whole hearth to yourselves, and have a long chatter till bed-
time."
| | 28 |
He proceeded with his task and never turned his head towards me.
| | 29 |
"Come -- are you coming?" I continued, "There's a little cake for
each of you, nearly enough; and you'll need half an hour's
donning."
| | 30 |
I waited five minutes, but getting no answer left him...
Catherine supped with her brother and sister-in-law: Jo
reproofs on one side, and sauciness on the other.
His cake and cheese remained on the table all night, for the
fairies.
He managed to continue work till nine o'clock, and, then, marched
dumb and dour, to his chamber.
| | 31 |
Cathy sat up late; having a world of things to order for the
reception of her new friends: she came into the kitchen, once, to
speak to her old one, but he was gone, and she only staid to ask
what was the matter with him, and then went back.
| | 32 |
In the morning, he rose early; and as it was a holiday, carried his
ill-humour on to the moors; not re-appearing till the family were
departed for church.
Fasting, and reflection seemed to have brought him to a better
spirit.
He hung about me, for a while, and having screwed up his courage,
exclaimed abruptly,
| | 33 |
"Nelly, make me decent, I'm going to be good."
| | 34 |
"High time, Heathcliff," I said, "you have grieved
Catherine; she's sorry she ever came home, I dare say!
It looks as if you envied her, because she is more thought of than
you."
| | 35 |
The notion of envying Catherine was incomprehensible to
him, but the notion of grieving her, he understood clearly enough.
| | 36 |
"Did she say she was grieved?" he inquired looking very serious.
| | 37 |
"She cried when I told her you were off again this morning."
| | 38 |
"Well, I cried last night" he returned, "and I had more
reason to cry than she."
| | 39 |
"Yes, you had the reason of going to bed, with a proud heart, and
an empty stomach," said I, "Proud people breed sad sorrows for
themselves -- But, if you be ashamed of your touchiness, you must
ask pardon, mind, when she comes in.
know best what to say, only do it heartily, and not as if you
thought her converted into a stranger by her grand dress.
And now, though I have dinner to get ready, I'll steal time to
arrange you so that Edgar Linton shall look quite a doll beside
you: and that he does -- You are younger, and yet, I'll be bound,
you are taller and twice as broad across the shoulders -- you could
knock him down in a twinkling; don't you feel that you could?"
| | 40 |
Heathcliff's face brightened a moment; then, it was overcast
afresh, and he sighed.
| | 41 |
"But, Nelly, if I knocked him down twenty times, that wouldn't make
him less handsome, or me more so.
I wish I had light hair and a fair skin, and was dressed, and
behaved as well, and had a chance of being as rich as he will be!"
| | 42 |
"And cried for mamma, at every turn -- " I added, "and trembled if
a country lad heaved his fist against you, and sat at home all day
for a shower of rain.
-- O, Heathcliff, you are showing a poor spirit!
Come to the glass, and I'll let you see what you should wish.
Do you mark those two lines between your eyes, and those thick
brows, that instead of rising arched, sink in the middle, and that
couple of black fiends, so deeply buried, who never open their
windows boldly, but lurk glinting under them, like devil's spies?
Wish and learn to smooth away the surly wrinkles, to raise your
lids frankly, and change the fiends to confident, innocent angels,
suspecting and doubting nothing, and always seeing friends where
they are not sure of foes -- Don't get the expression of a vicious
cur that appears to know the kicks it gets are its desert, and yet,
hates all the world, as well as the kicker, for what it suffers."
| | 43 |
"In other words, I must wish for Edgar Linton's great blue eyes and
even forehead," he replied.
"I do -- and that won't help me to them."
| | 44 |
"A good heart will help you to a bonny face my lad," I
turn the bonniest into something worse than ugly.
And now that we've done washing, and combing, and sulking -- tell
me whether you don't think yourself rather handsome?
I'll tell you, I do.
You're fit for a prince in disguise.
Who knows, but your father was Emperor of China, and your mother an
Indian queen, each of them able to buy up, with one week's income,
Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange together?
And you were kidnapped by wicked sailors, and brought to England.
Were I in your place, I would frame high notions of my birth; and
the thoughts of what I was should give me courage and dignity to
support the oppressions of a little farmer!"
| | 45 |
So I chattered on; and Heathcliff gradually lost his frown, and
began to look quite pleasant; when, all at once, our conversation
was interrupted by a rumbling sound moving up the road and entering
the court.
He ran to the window, and I to the door, just in time to behold the
two Lintons descend from the family carriage, smothered in cloaks
and furs, and the Earnshaws dismount from their horses -- they
often rode to church in winter.
Catherine took a hand of each of the children, and brought them
into the house, and set them before the fire which quickly put
colour into their white faces.
| | 46 |
I urged my companion to hasten now, and show his amiable humour;
and he willingly obeyed: but ill luck would have it; that as he
opened the door leading from the kitchen on one side, Hindley
opened it on the other; they met, and the master irritated at
seeing him clean and cheerful, or, perhaps, eager to keep his
promise to Mrs Linton shoved him back with a sudden thrust, and
angrily bade Joseph "keep the fellow out of the room -- send him
into the garret till dinner is over.
He'll be cramming his fingers in the tarts, and stealing the fruit,
| | 47 |
"Nay, sir," I could not avoid answering, "he'll touch nothing, not
he -- and, I suppose, he must have his share of the dainties as
well as we."
| | 48 |
"He shall have his share of my hand, if I catch him down stairs
again till dark," cried Hindley.
"Begone, you vagabond!
What, you are attempting the coxcomb, are you?
Wait till I get hold of those elegant locks -- see if I won't pull
them a bit longer!"
| | 49 |
"They are long enough already," observed Master Linton, peeping
from the door-way, "I wonder they don't make his head ache.
It's like a colt's mane over his eyes!"
| | 50 |
He ventured this remark without any intention to insult; but,
Heathcliff's violent nature was not prepared to endure the
appearance of impertinence from one whom he seemed to hate, even
then, as a rival.
He seized a tureen of hot apple-sauce, the first thing that came
under his gripe, and dashed it full against the speaker's face and
neck -- who instantly commenced a lament that brought Isabella and
Catherine hurrying to the place.
| | 51 |
Mr Earnshaw snatched up the culprit directly and conveyed him to
his chamber, where, doubtless, he administered a rough remedy to
cool the fit of passion, for he appeared red and breathless.
I got the dish-cloth, and, rather spitefully, scrubbed Edgar's nose
and mouth, affirming, it served him right for meddling.
His sister began weeping to go home, and Cathy stood by confounded,
blushing for all.
| | 52 |
"You should not have spoken to him!" she expostulated with Master
Linton.
"He was in a bad temper, and now you've spoilt your visit, and
he'll be flogged -- I hate him to be flogged!
I can't eat my dinner.
Why did you speak to him, Edgar?"
| | 53 |
"I didn't," sobbed the youth, escaping from my hands, and finishing
pocket-handkerchief.
"I promised mamma that I wouldn't say one word to him, and I
didn't!"
| | 54 |
"Well, don't cry!" replied Catherine, contemptuously.
"You're not killed -- don't make more mischief -- my brother is
coming -- be quiet!
Give over, Isabella!
Has anybody hurt you?"
| | 55 |
"There, there, children -- to your seats!" cried Hindley, bustling
in.
"That brute of a lad has warmed me nicely.
Next time, Master Edgar, take the law into your own fists -- it
will give you an appetite!"
| | 56 |
The little party recovered its equanimity at sight of the fragrant
feast.
They were hungry, after their ride, and easily consoled, since no
real harm had befallen them.
| | 57 |
Mr Earnshaw carved bountiful platefuls; and the mistress made them
merry with lively talk.
I waited behind her chair, and was pained to behold Catherine, with
dry eyes and an indifferent air, commence cutting up the wing of a
goose before her.
| | 58 |
"An unfeeling child," I thought to myself, "how lightly she
dismisses her old playmate's troubles.
I could not have imagined her to be so selfish."
| | 59 |
She lifted a mouthful to her lips; then, she set it down again: her
cheeks flushed, and the tears gushed over them.
She slipped her fork to the floor, and hastily dived under the
cloth to conceal her emotion.
I did not call her unfeeling long, for, I perceived she was in
purgatory throughout the day, and wearying to find an opportunity
of getting by herself, or paying a visit to Heathcliff, who had
been locked up by the master, as I discovered, on endeavouring to
introduce to him a private mess of victuals.
| | 60 |
In the evening we had a dance.
Cathy begged that he might be liberated then, as Isabella Linton
had no partner; her entreaties were vain, and I was appointed to
| | 61 |
We got rid of all gloom in the excitement of the exercise, and our
pleasure was increased by the arrival of the Gimmerton band,
mustering fifteen strong; a trumpet, a trombone, clarionets,
bassoons, French horns, and a bass viol, besides singers.
They go the rounds of all the respectable houses, and receive
contributions every Christmas, and we esteemed it a first-rate
treat to hear them.
| | 62 |
After the usual carols had been sung, we set them to songs and
glees.
Mrs Earnshaw loved the music, and, so, they gave us plenty.
| | 63 |
Catherine loved it too; but she said it sounded sweetest at the top
of the steps, and she went up in the dark; I followed.
They shut the house door below, never noting our absence, it was so
full of people.
She made no stay at the stairs' head, but mounted farther, to the
garret where Heathcliff was confined; and called him.
He stubbornly declined answering for a while -- she persevered, and
finally persuaded him to hold communion with her through the
boards.
| | 64 |
I let the poor things converse unmolested, till I supposed the
songs were going to cease, and the singers to get some refreshment:
then, I clambered up the ladder to warn her.
| | 65 |
Instead of finding her outside, I heard her voice within.
The little monkey had crept by the skylight of one garret, along
the roof, into the skylight of the other, and it was with the
utmost difficulty I could coax her out again.
| | 66 |
When she did come, Heathcliff came with her; and she insisted that
I should take him into the kitchen, as my fellow-servant had gone
to a neighbour's to be removed from the sound of our "devil's
psalmody," as it pleased him to call it.
| | 67 |
I told them I intended, by no means, to encourage their tricks; but
as the prisoner had never broken his fast since yesterday's dinner,
| | 68 |
He went down; I set him a stool by the fire, and offered him a
quantity of good things; but, he was sick, and could eat little:
and my attempts to entertain him were thrown away.
He leant his two elbows on his knees, and his chin on his hands,
and remained wrapt in dumb meditation.
On my inquiring the subject of his thoughts, he answered gravely --
| | 69 |
"I'm trying to settle how I shall pay Hindley back.
I don't care how long I wait, if I can only do it, at last.
I hope he will not die before I do!"
| | 70 |
"For shame, Heathcliff!" said I.
"It is for God to punish wicked people; we should learn to
forgive."
| | 71 |
"No, God won't have the satisfaction that I shall," he returned.
"I only wish I knew the best way!
Let me alone, and I'll plan it out: while I'm thinking of that, I
don't feel pain."
| | 72 |
But, Mr Lockwood, I forget these tales cannot divert you.
I'm annoyed how I should dream of chattering on at such a rate; and
your gruel cold, and you nodding for bed!
I could have told Heathcliff's history, all that you need hear, in
half-a-dozen words.
| | 73 |
Thus interrupting herself, the housekeeper rose, and proceeded to
lay aside her sewing; but I felt incapable of moving from the
hearth, and I was very far from nodding.
| | 74 |
"Sit still, Mrs Dean," I cried, "do sit still, another half hour!
You've done just right to tell the story leisurely.
That is the method I like; and you must finish in the same style.
I am interested in every character you have mentioned, more or
less."
| | 75 |
"The clock is on the stroke of eleven, sir."
| | 76 |
"No matter -- I'm not accustomed to go to bed in the long hours.
One or two is early enough for a person who lies till ten."
| | 77 |
"You shouldn't lie till ten.
that time.
A person who has not done one half his day's work by ten o'clock,
runs a chance of leaving the other half undone."
| | 78 |
"Nevertheless, Mrs Dean, resume your chair; because to-morrow I
intend lengthening the night till afternoon.
I prognosticate for myself an obstinate cold, at least."
| | 79 |
"I hope not, sir.
Well, you must allow me to leap over some three years; during that
space, Mrs Earnshaw -- "
| | 80 |
"No, no, I'll allow nothing of the sort!
Are you acquainted with the mood of mind in which, if you were
seated alone, and the cat licking its kitten on the rug before you,
you would watch the operation so intently that puss's neglect of
one ear would put you seriously out of temper?"
| | 81 |
"A terribly lazy mood, I should say."
| | 82 |
"On the contrary, a tiresomely active one.
It is mine, at present, and, therefore, continue minutely.
I perceive that people in these regions acquire over people in
towns the value that a spider in a dungeon does over a spider in a
cottage, to their various occupants; and yet the deepened
attraction is not entirely owing to the situation of the looker-on.
They do live more in earnest, more in themselves, and
less in surface change, and frivolous external things.
I could fancy a love for life here almost possible; and I was a
fixed unbeliever in any love of a year's standing -- one state
resembles setting a hungry man down to a single dish on which he
may concentrate his entire appetite, and do it justice -- the
other, introducing him to a table laid out by French cooks; he can
perhaps extract as much enjoyment from the whole; but each part is
a mere atom in his regard and remembrance."
| | 83 |
"Oh! here we are the same as anywhere else, when you get to know
us," observed Mrs Dean, somewhat puzzled at my speech.
| | 84 |
"Excuse me," I responded; "you, my good friend, are a
Excepting a few provincialisms of slight consequence, you have no
marks of the manners that I am habituated to consider as peculiar
to your class.
I am sure you have thought a great deal more than the generality of
servants think.
You have been compelled to cultivate your reflective faculties, for
want of occasions for frittering your life away in silly trifles."
| | 85 |
Mrs Dean laughed.
| | 86 |
"I certainly esteem myself a steady, reasonable kind of body," she
said; "not exactly from living among the hills, and seeing one set
of faces, and one series of actions, from year's end to year's end:
but I have undergone sharp discipline which has taught me wisdom;
and then, I have read more than you would fancy, Mr Lockwood.
You could not open a book in this library that I have not looked
into, and got something out of also; unless it be that range of
Greek and Latin, and that of French -- and those I know one from
another, it is as much as you can expect of a poor man's daughter.
| | 87 |
"However, if I am to follow my story in true gossip's fashion, I
had better go on; and instead of leaping three years, I will be
content to pass to the next summer -- the summer of 1778, that is,
nearly twenty-three years ago."
| |
