CHAPTER III

.‘Maister,coomhither!MissCathy’sriventh’backoff“Th’Helmeto’Salvation,”un’Heathcliff’spawsedhisfitintot’firstparto’“T’BrooadWaytoDestruction!”It’sfairflaysomethatyelet’emgoonthisgait.Ech!th’owdmanwadha’laced’emproperly—buthe’sgoan!’ “Hindleyhurriedupfromhisparadiseonthehearth,andseizingoneofusbythecollar,andtheotherbythearm,hurledbothintotheback-kitchenwhere,Josephasseverated,‘owdNick’wouldfetchusassureaswewereliving:and,socomforted,weeachsoughtaseparatenooktoawaithisadvent.Ireachedthisbook,andapotofinkfromashelf,andpushedthehouse-doorajartogivemelight,andIhavegotthetimeonwithwritingfortwentyminutesbutmycompanionisimpatient,andproposesthatweshouldappropriatethedairywoman’scloak,andhaveascamperonthemoors,underitsshelter.Apleasantsuggestion—andthen,ifthesurlyoldmancomein,hemaybelievehisprophecyverified—wecannotbedamper,orcolder,intherainthanwearehere.” ****** IsupposeCatherinefulfilledherproject,forthenextsentencetookupanothersubject:shewaxedlachrymose. “HowlittledidIdreamthatHindleywouldevermakemecryso!”shewrote.“Myheadaches,tillIcannotkeepitonthepillowandstillIcan’tgiveover.PoorHeathcliff!Hindleycallshimavagabond,andwon’tlethimsitwithus,noreatwithusanymoreand,hesays,heandImustnotplaytogether,andthreatenstoturnhimoutofthehouseifwebreakhisorders.Hehasbeenblamingourfather(howdaredhe?)fortreatingH.tooliberallyandswearshewillreducehimtohisrightplace—” ****** Ibegantonoddrowsilyoverthedimpage:myeyewanderedfrommanuscripttoprint.Isawaredornamentedtitle—“SeventyTimesSeven,andtheFirstoftheSeventy-First.APiousDiscoursedeliveredbytheReverendJabezBranderham,intheChapelofGimmerdenSough.”AndwhileIwas,half-consciously,worryingmybraintoguesswhatJabezBranderhamwouldmakeofhissubject,Isankbackinbed,andfellasleep.Alas,fortheeffectsofbadteaandbadtemper!Whatelsecoulditbethatmademepasssuchaterriblenight?Idon’trememberanotherthatIcanatallcomparewithitsinceIwascapableofsuffering. Ibegantodream,almostbeforeIceasedtobesensibleofmylocality.IthoughtitwasmorningandIhadsetoutonmywayhome,withJosephforaguide.Thesnowlayyardsdeepinourroadand,asweflounderedon,mycompanionweariedmewithconstantreproachesthatIhadnotbroughtapilgrim’sstaff:tellingmethatIcouldnevergetintothehousewithoutone,andboastfullyflourishingaheavy-headedcudgel,whichIunderstoodtobesodenominated.ForamomentIconsidereditabsurdthatIshouldneedsuchaweapontogainadmittanceintomyownresidence.Thenanewideaflashedacrossme.Iwasnotgoingthere:wewerejourneyingtohearthefamousJabezBranderhampreach,fromthetext—“SeventyTimesSeven”andeitherJoseph,thepreacher,orIhadcommittedthe“FirstoftheSeventy-First,”andweretobepubliclyexposedandexcommunicated. Wecametothechapel.Ihavepasseditreallyinmywalks,twiceorthriceitliesinahollow,betweentwohills:anelevatedhollow,nearaswamp,whosepeatymoistureissaidtoanswerallthepurposesofembalmingonthefewcorpsesdepositedthere.Theroofhasbeenkeptwholehithertobutastheclergyman’sstipendisonlytwentypoundsperannum,andahousewithtworooms,threateningspeedilytodetermineintoone,noclergymanwillundertakethedutiesofpastor:especiallyasitiscurrentlyreportedthathisflockwouldratherlethimstarvethanincreasethelivingbyonepennyfromtheirownpockets.However,inmydream,Jabezhadafullandattentivecongregationandhepreached—goodGod!whatasermondividedintofourhundredandninetyparts,eachfullyequaltoanordinaryaddressfromthepulpit,andeachdiscussingaseparatesin!Wherehesearchedforthem,Icannottell.Hehadhisprivatemannerofinterpretingthephrase,anditseemednecessarythebrothershouldsindifferentsinsoneveryoccasion.Theywereofthemostcuriouscharacter:oddtransgressionsthatIneverimaginedpreviously. Oh,howwearyIgrew.HowIwrithed,andyawned,andnodded,andrevived!HowIpinchedandprickedmyself,andrubbedmyeyes,andstoodup,andsatdownagain,andnudgedJosephtoinformmeifhewouldeverhavedone.Iwascondemnedtohearallout:finally,hereachedthe“FirstoftheSeventy-First.”Atthatcrisis,asuddeninspirationdescendedonmeIwasmovedtoriseanddenounceJabezBranderhamasthesinnerofthesinthatnoChristianneedpardon. “Sir,”Iexclaimed,“sittingherewithinthesefourwalls,atonestretch,Ihaveenduredandforgiventhefourhundredandninetyheadsofyourdiscourse.SeventytimesseventimeshaveIpluckedupmyhatandbeenabouttodepart—Seventytimesseventimeshaveyoupreposterouslyforcedmetoresumemyseat.Thefourhundredandninety-firstistoomuch.Fellow-martyrs,haveathim!Draghimdown,andcrushhimtoatoms,thattheplacewhichknowshimmayknowhimnomore!” “ThouarttheMan!”criedJabez,afterasolemnpause,leaningoverhiscushion.“Seventytimesseventimesdidstthougapinglycontortthyvisage—seventytimessevendidItakeco