CHAPTER XXI

WehadsadworkwithlittleCathythatday:sheroseinhighglee,eagertojoinhercousin,andsuchpassionatetearsandlamentationsfollowedthenewsofhisdeparturethatEdgarhimselfwasobligedtosootheher,byaffirmingheshouldcomebacksoon:headded,however,“ifIcangethim”andtherewerenohopesofthat.ThispromisepoorlypacifiedherbuttimewasmorepotentandthoughstillatintervalssheinquiredofherfatherwhenLintonwouldreturn,beforeshedidseehimagainhisfeatureshadwaxedsodiminhermemorythatshedidnotrecognisehim. WhenIchancedtoencounterthehousekeeperofWutheringHeights,inpayingbusinessvisitstoGimmerton,IusedtoaskhowtheyoungmastergotonforhelivedalmostassecludedasCatherineherself,andwasnevertobeseen.Icouldgatherfromherthathecontinuedinweakhealth,andwasatiresomeinmate.ShesaidMr.Heathcliffseemedtodislikehimeverlongerandworse,thoughhetooksometroubletoconcealit:hehadanantipathytothesoundofhisvoice,andcouldnotdoatallwithhissittinginthesameroomwithhimmanyminutestogether.Thereseldompassedmuchtalkbetweenthem:Lintonlearnthislessonsandspenthiseveningsinasmallapartmenttheycalledtheparlour:orelselayinbedallday:forhewasconstantlygettingcoughs,andcolds,andaches,andpainsofsomesort. “AndIneverknewsuchafaint-heartedcreature,”addedthewoman“noronesocarefulofhisseln.Hewillgoon,ifIleavethewindowopenabitlateintheevening.Oh!it’skilling,abreathofnightair!AndhemusthaveafireinthemiddleofsummerandJoseph’sbacca-pipeispoisonandhemustalwayshavesweetsanddainties,andalwaysmilk,milkforever—heedingnaughthowtherestofusarepinchedinwinterandtherehe’llsit,wrappedinhisfurredcloakinhischairbythefire,withsometoastandwaterorothersloponthehobtosipatandifHareton,forpity,comestoamusehim—Haretonisnotbad-natured,thoughhe’srough—they’resuretopart,oneswearingandtheothercrying.IbelievethemasterwouldrelishEarnshaw’sthrashinghimtoamummy,ifhewerenothissonandI’mcertainhewouldbefittoturnhimoutofdoors,ifheknewhalfthenursinghegiveshisseln.Butthenhewon’tgointodangeroftemptation:heneverenterstheparlour,andshouldLintonshowthosewaysinthehousewhereheis,hesendshimupstairsdirectly.” Idivined,fromthisaccount,thatutterlackofsympathyhadrenderedyoungHeathcliffselfishanddisagreeable,ifhewerenotsooriginallyandmyinterestinhim,consequently,decayed:thoughstillIwasmovedwithasenseofgriefathislot,andawishthathehadbeenleftwithus.Mr.Edgarencouragedmetogaininformation:hethoughtagreatdealabouthim,Ifancy,andwouldhaverunsomerisktoseehimandhetoldmeoncetoaskthehousekeeperwhetherheevercameintothevillage?Shesaidhehadonlybeentwice,onhorseback,accompanyinghisfatherandbothtimeshepretendedtobequiteknockedupforthreeorfourdaysafterwards.Thathousekeeperleft,ifIrecollectrightly,twoyearsafterhecameandanother,whomIdidnotknow,washersuccessorshelivestherestill. TimeworeonattheGrangeinitsformerpleasantwaytillMissCathyreachedsixteen.Ontheanniversaryofherbirthwenevermanifestedanysignsofrejoicing,becauseitwasalsotheanniversaryofmylatemistress’sdeath.Herfatherinvariablyspentthatdayaloneinthelibraryandwalked,atdusk,asfarasGimmertonkirkyard,wherehewouldfrequentlyprolonghisstaybeyondmidnight.ThereforeCatherinewasthrownonherownresourcesforamusement.ThistwentiethofMarchwasabeautifulspringday,andwhenherfatherhadretired,myyoungladycamedowndressedforgoingout,andsaidsheaskedtohavearambleontheedgeofthemoorwithme:Mr.Lintonhadgivenherleave,ifwewentonlyashortdistanceandwerebackwithinthehour. “Somakehaste,Ellen!”shecried.“IknowwhereIwishtogowhereacolonyofmoor-gamearesettled:Iwanttoseewhethertheyhavemadetheirnestsyet.” “Thatmustbeagooddistanceup,”Ianswered“theydon’tbreedontheedgeofthemoor.” “No,it’snot,”shesaid.“I’vegoneverynearwithpapa.” Iputonmybonnetandsalliedout,thinkingnothingmoreofthematter.Sheboundedbeforeme,andreturnedtomyside,andwasoffagainlikeayounggreyhoundand,atfirst,Ifoundplentyofentertainmentinlisteningtothelarkssingingfarandnear,andenjoyingthesweet,warmsunshineandwatchingher,mypetandmydelight,withhergoldenringletsflyingloosebehind,andherbrightcheek,assoftandpureinitsbloomasawildrose,andhereyesradiantwithcloudlesspleasure.Shewasahappycreature,andanangel,inthosedays.It’sapityshecouldnotbecontent. “Well,”saidI,“whereareyourmoor-game,MissCathy?Weshouldbeatthem:theGrangepark-fenceisagreatwayoffnow.” “Oh,alittlefurther—onlyalittlefurther,Ellen,”washeranswer,continually.“Climbtothathillock,passthatbank,andbythetimeyoureachtheothersideIshallhaveraisedthebirds.” Butthereweresomanyhillocksandbankstoclimbandpass,that,atlength,Ibegantobeweary,andtoldherwemusthalt,andretraceoursteps.Ishoutedtoher,asshehadoutstrippedmealongwaysheeitherdidnothearordidnotregard,forshestillsprangon,andIwascompelledtofollow.Finally,shedivedintoahollowandbeforeIcameinsightofheragain,shewastwomilesnearerWutheringHeightsthanherownhomeandIbeheldacoupleofpersonsarresther,oneofwhomIfeltconvincedwasMr.Heathcliffhimself. Cathyhadbeencaughtinthefactofplundering,or,atleast,huntingoutthenestsofthegrouse.TheHeightswereHeathcliff’sland,andhewasreprovingthepoacher. “I’veneithertakenanynorfoundany,”shesaid,asItoiledtothem,expandingherhandsincorroborationofthestatement.“Ididn’tmeantotakethembutpapatoldmetherewerequantitiesuphere,andIwishedtoseetheeggs.” Heathcliffglancedatmewithanill-meaningsmile,expressinghisacquaintancewiththeparty,and,consequently,hismalevolencetowardsit,anddemandedwho“papa”was? “Mr.LintonofThrushcrossGrange,”shereplied.“Ithoughtyoudidnotknowme,oryouwouldn’thavespokeninthatway.” “Yousupposepapaishighlyesteemedandrespected,then?”hesaid,sarcastically. “Andwhatareyou?”inquiredCatherine,gazingcuriouslyonthespeaker.“ThatmanI’veseenbefore.Isheyourson?” ShepointedtoHareton,theotherindividual,whohadgainednothingbutincreasedbulkandstrengthbytheadditionoftwoyearstohisage:heseemedasawkwardandroughasever. “MissCathy,”Iinterrupted,“itwillbethreehoursinsteadofonethatweareout,presently.Wereallymustgoback.” “No,thatmanisnotmyson,”answeredHeathcliff,pushingmeaside.“ButIhaveone,andyouhaveseenhimbef