CHAPTER I

otmighthaveguessedIwasoverheadandears:sheunderstoodmeatlast,andlookedareturn—thesweetestofallimaginablelooks.AndwhatdidIdo?Iconfessitwithshame—shrunkicilyintomyself,likeasnailateveryglanceretiredcolderandfarthertillfinallythepoorinnocentwasledtodoubtherownsenses,and,overwhelmedwithconfusionathersupposedmistake,persuadedhermammatodecamp. BythiscuriousturnofdispositionIhavegainedthereputationofdeliberateheartlessnesshowundeserved,Ialonecanappreciate. Itookaseatattheendofthehearthstoneoppositethattowardswhichmylandlordadvanced,andfilledupanintervalofsilencebyattemptingtocaressthecaninemother,whohadlefthernursery,andwassneakingwolfishlytothebackofmylegs,herlipcurledup,andherwhiteteethwateringforasnatch.Mycaressprovokedalong,gutturalgnarl. “You’dbetterletthedogalone,”growledMr.Heathcliffinunison,checkingfiercerdemonstrationswithapunchofhisfoot.“She’snotaccustomedtobespoiled—notkeptforapet.”Then,stridingtoasidedoor,heshoutedagain,“Joseph!” Josephmumbledindistinctlyinthedepthsofthecellar,butgavenointimationofascendingsohismasterdiveddowntohim,leavingmevis-à-vistheruffianlybitchandapairofgrimshaggysheep-dogs,whosharedwithherajealousguardianshipoverallmymovements.Notanxioustocomeincontactwiththeirfangs,Isatstillbut,imaginingtheywouldscarcelyunderstandtacitinsults,Iunfortunatelyindulgedinwinkingandmakingfacesatthetrio,andsometurnofmyphysiognomysoirritatedmadam,thatshesuddenlybrokeintoafuryandleaptonmyknees.Iflungherback,andhastenedtointerposethetablebetweenus.Thisproceedingarousedthewholehive:half-a-dozenfour-footedfiends,ofvarioussizesandages,issuedfromhiddendenstothecommoncentre.Ifeltmyheelsandcoat-lapspeculiarsubjectsofassaultandparryingoffthelargercombatantsaseffectuallyasIcouldwiththepoker,Iwasconstrainedtodemand,aloud,assistancefromsomeofthehouseholdinre-establishingpeace. Mr.Heathcliffandhismanclimbedthecellarstepswithvexatiousp