CHAPTER XIII

Fortwomonthsthefugitivesremainedabsentinthosetwomonths,Mrs.Lintonencounteredandconqueredtheworstshockofwhatwasdenominatedabrainfever.NomothercouldhavenursedanonlychildmoredevotedlythanEdgartendedher.Dayandnighthewaswatching,andpatientlyenduringalltheannoyancesthatirritablenervesandashakenreasoncouldinflictand,thoughKennethremarkedthatwhathesavedfromthegravewouldonlyrecompensehiscarebyformingthesourceofconstantfutureanxiety—infact,thathishealthandstrengthwerebeingsacrificedtopreserveamereruinofhumanity—heknewnolimitsingratitudeandjoywhenCatherine’slifewasdeclaredoutofdangerandhourafterhourhewouldsitbesideher,tracingthegradualreturntobodilyhealth,andflatteringhistoosanguinehopeswiththeillusionthathermindwouldsettlebacktoitsrightbalancealso,andshewouldsoonbeentirelyherformerself. ThefirsttimesheleftherchamberwasatthecommencementofthefollowingMarch.Mr.Lintonhadputonherpillow,inthemorning,ahandfulofgoldencrocuseshereye,longstrangertoanygleamofpleasure,caughttheminwaking,andshonedelightedasshegatheredthemeagerlytogether. “ThesearetheearliestflowersattheHeights,”sheexclaimed.“Theyremindmeofsoftthawwinds,andwarmsunshine,andnearlymeltedsnow.Edgar,istherenotasouthwind,andisnotthesnowalmostgone?” “Thesnowisquitegonedownhere,darling,”repliedherhusband“andIonlyseetwowhitespotsonthewholerangeofmoors:theskyisblue,andthelarksaresinging,andthebecksandbrooksareallbrimfull.Catherine,lastspringatthistime,Iwaslongingtohaveyouunderthisroofnow,Iwishyouwereamileortwoupthosehills:theairblowssosweetly,Ifeelthatitwouldcureyou.” “Ishallneverbetherebutoncemore,”saidtheinvalid“andthenyou’llleaveme,andIshallremainforever.Nextspringyou’lllongagaintohavemeunderthisroof,andyou’lllookbackandthinkyouwerehappyto-day.” Lintonlavishedonherthekindestcaresses,andtriedtocheerherbythefondestwordsbut,vaguelyregardingtheflowers,sheletthetearscollectonherlashesandstreamdownhercheeksunheeding.Weknewshewasreallybetter,and,therefore,decidedthatlongconfinementtoasingleplaceproducedmuchofthisdespondency,anditmightbepartiallyremovedbyachangeofscene.Themastertoldmetolightafireinthemany-weeks’desertedparlour,andtosetaneasy-chairinthesunshinebythewindowandthenhebroughtherdown,andshesatalongwhileenjoyingthegenialheat,and,asweexpected,revivedbytheobjectsroundher:which,thoughfamiliar,werefreefromthedrearyassociationsinvestingherhatedsickchamber.Byeveningsheseemedgreatlyexhaustedyetnoargumentscouldpersuadehertoreturntothatapartment,andIhadtoarrangetheparloursofaforherbed,tillanotherroomcouldbeprepared.Toobviatethefatigueofmountinganddescendingthestairs,wefittedupthis,whereyoulieatpresent—onthesamefloorwiththeparlourandshewassoonstrongenoughtomovefromonetotheother,leaningonEdgar’sarm.Ah,Ithoughtmyself,shemightrecover,sowaitedonasshewas.Andtherewasdoublecausetodesireit,foronherexistencedependedthatofanother:wecherishedthehopethatinalittlewhileMr.Linton’sheartwouldbegladdened,andhislandssecuredfromastranger’sgripe,bythebirthofanheir. IshouldmentionthatIsabellasenttoherbrother,somesixweeksfromherdeparture,ashortnote,announcinghermarriagewithHeathcliff.Itappeareddryandcoldbutatthebottomwasdottedinwithpencilanobscureapology,andanentreatyforkindremembranceandreconciliation,ifherproceedinghadoffendedhim:assertingthatshecouldnothelpitthen,andbeingdone,shehadnownopowertorepealit.Lintondidnotreplytothis,Ibelieveand,inafortnightmore,Igotalongletter,whichIconsideredodd,comingfromthepenofabridejustoutofthehoneymoon.I’llreadit:forIkeepityet.Anyrelicofthedeadisprecious,iftheywerevaluedliving. ***** DEARELLEN,itbegins,—IcamelastnighttoWutheringHeights,andheard,forthefirsttime,thatCatherinehasbeen,andisyet,veryill.Imustnotwritetoher,Isuppose,andmybrotheriseithertooangryortoodistressedtoanswerwhatIsenthim.Still,Imustwritetosomebody,andtheonlychoiceleftmeisyou. InformEdgarthatI’dgivetheworldtoseehisfaceagain—thatmyheartreturnedtoThrushcrossGrangeintwenty-fourhoursafterIleftit,an