CHAPTER IV

tle,forIshallwalkthereandback:sixtymileseachway,thatisalongspell!”Hindleynamedafiddle,andthenheaskedMissCathyshewashardlysixyearsold,butshecouldrideanyhorseinthestable,andshechoseawhip.Hedidnotforgetmeforhehadakindheart,thoughhewasratherseveresometimes.Hepromisedtobringmeapocketfulofapplesandpears,andthenhekissedhischildren,saidgood-bye,andsetoff. Itseemedalongwhiletousall—thethreedaysofhisabsence—andoftendidlittleCathyaskwhenhewouldbehome.Mrs.Earnshawexpectedhimbysupper-timeonthethirdevening,andsheputthemealoffhourafterhourtherewerenosignsofhiscoming,however,andatlastthechildrengottiredofrunningdowntothegatetolook.Thenitgrewdarkshewouldhavehadthemtobed,buttheybeggedsadlytobeallowedtostayupand,justabouteleveno’clock,thedoor-latchwasraisedquietly,andinsteppedthemaster.Hethrewhimselfintoachair,laughingandgroaning,andbidthemallstandoff,forhewasnearlykilled—hewouldnothavesuchanotherwalkforthethreekingdoms. “Andattheendofittobeflightedtodeath!”hesaid,openinghisgreat-coat,whichheheldbundledupinhisarms.“Seehere,wife!Iwasneversobeatenwithanythinginmylife:butyoumuste’entakeitasagiftofGodthoughit’sasdarkalmostasifitcamefromthedevil.” Wecrowdedround,andoverMissCathy’sheadIhadapeepatadirty,ragged,black-hairedchildbigenoughbothtowalkandtalk:indeed,itsfacelookedolderthanCatherine’syetwhenitwassetonitsfeet,itonlystaredround,andrepeatedoverandoveragainsomegibberishthatnobodycouldunderstand.Iwasfrightened,andMrs.Earnshawwasreadytoflingitoutofdoors:shedidflyup,askinghowhecouldfashiontobringthatgipsybratintothehouse,whentheyhadtheirownbairnstofeedandfendfor?Whathemeanttodowithit,andwhetherheweremad?Themastertriedtoexplainthematterbuthewasreallyhalfdeadwithfatigue,andallthatIcouldmakeout,amongstherscolding,wasataleofhisseeingitstarving,andhouseless,andasgoodasdumb,inthestreetsofLiverpool,wherehepickeditupandinquiredforitsowner.Notasoulknewtowhomitbelonged,hesaidandhismoneyandtimebeingbothlimited,hethoughtitbettertotakeithomewithhimatonce,thanrunintovainexpensesthere:becausehewasdeterminedhewouldnotleaveitashefoundit.Well,theconclusionwas,thatmymistressgrumbledherselfcalmandMr.Earnshawtoldmetowashit,andgiveitcleanthings,andletitsleepwiththechildren. HindleyandCathycontentedthemselveswithlookingandlisteningtillpeacewasrestored:then,bothbegansearchingtheirfather’spocketsforthepresentshehadpromisedthem.Theformerwasaboyoffourteen,butwhenhedrewoutwhathadbeenafiddle,crushedtomorselsi