CHAPTER III

ubetohislips,foldedhisarms,andpuffedaway.Ilethimenjoytheluxuryunannoyedandaftersuckingouthislastwreath,andheavingaprofoundsigh,hegotup,anddepartedassolemnlyashecame. AmoreelasticfootstepenterednextandnowIopenedmymouthfora“good-morning,”butcloseditagain,thesalutationunachievedforHaretonEarnshawwasperforminghisorisonsottovoce,inaseriesofcursesdirectedagainsteveryobjecthetouched,whileherummagedacornerforaspadeorshoveltodigthroughthedrifts.Heglancedoverthebackofthebench,dilatinghisnostrils,andthoughtaslittleofexchangingcivilitieswithmeaswithmycompanionthecat.Iguessed,byhispreparations,thategresswasallowed,and,leavingmyhardcouch,madeamovementtofollowhim.Henoticedthis,andthrustataninnerdoorwiththeendofhisspade,intimatingbyaninarticulatesoundthattherewastheplacewhereImustgo,ifIchangedmylocality. Itopenedintothehouse,wherethefemaleswerealreadyastirZillahurgingflakesofflameupthechimneywithacolossalbellowsandMrs.Heathcliff,kneelingonthehearth,readingabookbytheaidoftheblaze.Sheheldherhandinterposedbetweenthefurnace-heatandhereyes,andseemedabsorbedinheroccupationdesistingfromitonlytochidetheservantforcoveringherwithsparks,ortopushawayadog,nowandthen,thatsnoozleditsnoseoverforwardlyintoherface.IwassurprisedtoseeHeathclifftherealso.Hestoodbythefire,hisbacktowardsme,justfinishingastormyscenewithpoorZillahwhoeverandanoninterruptedherlabourtopluckupthecornerofherapron,andheaveanindignantgroan. “Andyou,youworthless—”hebrokeoutasIentered,turningtohisdaughter-in-law,andemployinganepithetasharmlessasduck,orsheep,butgenerallyrepresentedbyadash—.“Thereyouare,atyouridletricksagain!Therestofthemdoearntheirbread—youliveonmycharity!Putyourtrashaway,andfindsomethingtodo.Youshallpaymefortheplagueofhavingyoueternallyinmysight—doyouhear,damnablejade?” “I’llputmytrashaway,becauseyoucanmakemeifIrefuse,”answeredtheyounglady,closingherbook,andthrowingitonachair.“ButI’llnotdoanything,thoughyoushouldswearyourtongueout,exceptwhatIplease!” Heathcliffliftedhishand,andthespeakersprangtoasaferdistance,obviouslyacquaintedwithitsweight.Havingnodesiretobeentertainedbyacat-and-dogcombat,Isteppedforwardbriskly,asifeagertopartakethewarmthofthehearth,andinnocentofanyknowledgeoftheinterrupteddispute.Eachhadenoughdecorumtosuspendfurtherhostilities:Heathcliffplacedhisfists,outoftemptation,inhispocketsMrs.Heathcliffcurledherlip,andwalkedtoaseatfaroff,whereshekeptherwordbyplayingthepartofastatueduringtheremainderofmystay.Thatwasnotlong.Ideclinedjoiningtheirbreakfast,and,atthefirstgleamofdawn,tookanopportunityofescapingintothefreeair,nowclear,andstill,andcoldasimpalpableice. MylandlordhalloedformetostopereIreachedthebottomofthegarden,andofferedtoaccompanymeacrossthemoor.Itwaswellhedid,forthewholehill-backwasonebillowy,whiteoceantheswellsandfallsnotindicatingcorrespondingrisesanddepressionsintheground:manypits,atleast,werefilledtoalevelandentirerangesofmounds,therefuseofthequarries,blottedfromthechartwhichmyyesterday’swalkleftpicturedinmymind.Ihadremarkedononesideoftheroad,atintervalsofsixorsevenyards,alineofuprightstones,continuedthroughthewholelengthofthebarren:thesewereerectedanddaubedwithlimeonpurposetoserveasguidesinthedark,andalsowhenafall,likethepresent,confoundedthedeepswampsoneitherhandwiththefirmerpath:but,exceptingadirtydotpointinguphereandthere,alltracesoftheirexistencehadvanished:andmycompanionfounditnecessarytowarnmefrequentlytosteertotherightorleft,whenIimaginedIwasfollowing,correctly,thewindingsoftheroad. Weexchangedlittleconversation,andhehaltedattheentranceofThrushcrossPark,saying,Icouldmakenoerrorthere.Ouradieuxwerelimitedtoahastybow,andthenIpushedforward,trustingtomyownresourcesfortheporter’slodgeisuntenantedasyet.ThedistancefromthegatetotheGrangeistwomilesIbelieveImanagedtomakeitfour,whatwithlosingmyselfamongthetrees,andsinkinguptotheneckinsnow:apredicamentwhichonlythosewhohaveexperienceditcanappreciate.Atanyrate,whateverweremywanderings,theclockchimedtwelveasIenteredthehouseandthatgaveexactlyanhourforeverymileoftheusualwayfromWutheringHeights. Myhumanfixtureandhersatellitesrushedtowelcomemeexclaiming,tumultuously,theyhadcompletelygivenmeup:everybodyconjecturedthatIperishedlastnightandtheywerewonderinghowtheymustsetaboutthesearchformyremains.Ibidthembequiet,nowthattheysawmereturned,and,benumbedtomyveryheart,Idraggedupstairswhence,afterputtingondryclothes,andpacingtoandfrothirtyorfortyminutes,torestoretheanimalheat,Iadjournedtomystudy,feebleasakitten:almosttoomuchsotoenjoythecheerfulfireandsmokingcoffeewhichtheservanthadpreparedformyrefreshment.