CHAPTER I

1801—Ihavejustreturnedfromavisittomylandlord—thesolitaryneighbourthatIshallbetroubledwith.Thisiscertainlyabeautifulcountry!InallEngland,IdonotbelievethatIcouldhavefixedonasituationsocompletelyremovedfromthestirofsociety.Aperfectmisanthropist’sHeaven—andMr.HeathcliffandIaresuchasuitablepairtodividethedesolationbetweenus.Acapitalfellow!HelittleimaginedhowmyheartwarmedtowardshimwhenIbeheldhisblackeyeswithdrawsosuspiciouslyundertheirbrows,asIrodeup,andwhenhisfingersshelteredthemselves,withajealousresolution,stillfurtherinhiswaistcoat,asIannouncedmyname. “Mr.Heathcliff?”Isaid. Anodwastheanswer. “Mr.Lockwood,yournewtenant,sir.Idomyselfthehonourofcallingassoonaspossibleaftermyarrival,toexpressthehopethatIhavenotinconveniencedyoubymyperseveranceinsolicitingtheoccupationofThrushcrossGrange:Iheardyesterdayyouhadhadsomethoughts—” “ThrushcrossGrangeismyown,sir,”heinterrupted,wincing.“Ishouldnotallowanyonetoinconvenienceme,ifIcouldhinderit—walkin!” The“walkin”wasutteredwithclosedteeth,andexpressedthesentiment,“GototheDeuce!”eventhegateoverwhichheleantmanifestednosympathisingmovementtothewordsandIthinkthatcircumstancedeterminedmetoaccepttheinvitation:Ifeltinterestedinamanwhoseemedmoreexaggeratedlyreservedthanmyself. Whenhesawmyhorse’sbreastfairlypushingthebarrier,hedidputouthishandtounchainit,andthensullenlyprecededmeupthecauseway,calling,asweenteredthecourt,—“Joseph,takeMr.Lockwood’shorseandbringupsomewine.” “Herewehavethewholeestablishmentofdomestics,Isuppose,”wasthereflectionsuggestedbythiscompoundorder.“Nowonderthegrassgrowsupbetweentheflags,andcattlearetheonlyhedge-cutters.” Josephwasanelderly,nay,anoldman,veryold,perhaps,thoughhaleandsinewy.“TheLordhelpus!”hesoliloquisedinanundertoneofpeevishdispleasure,whilerelievingmeofmyhorse:looking,meantime,inmyfacesosourlythatIcharitablyconjecturedhemusthaveneedofdivineaidtodigesthisdinner,an