CHAPTER IV

nthegreat-coat,heblubberedaloudandCathy,whenshelearnedthemasterhadlostherwhipinattendingonthestranger,showedherhumourbygrinningandspittingatthestupidlittlethingearningforherpainsasoundblowfromherfather,toteachhercleanermanners.Theyentirelyrefusedtohaveitinbedwiththem,orevenintheirroomandIhadnomoresense,soIputitonthelandingofthestairs,hopingitmightbegoneonthemorrow.Bychance,orelseattractedbyhearinghisvoice,itcrepttoMr.Earnshaw’sdoor,andtherehefounditonquittinghischamber.InquiriesweremadeastohowitgotthereIwasobligedtoconfess,andinrecompenseformycowardiceandinhumanitywassentoutofthehouse. ThiswasHeathcliff’sfirstintroductiontothefamily.Oncomingbackafewdaysafterwards(forIdidnotconsidermybanishmentperpetual),Ifoundtheyhadchristenedhim“Heathcliff”:itwasthenameofasonwhodiedinchildhood,andithasservedhimeversince,bothforChristianandsurname.MissCathyandhewerenowverythickbutHindleyhatedhim:andtosaythetruthIdidthesameandweplaguedandwentonwithhimshamefully:forIwasn’treasonableenoughtofeelmyinjustice,andthemistressneverputinawordonhisbehalfwhenshesawhimwronged. Heseemedasullen,patientchildhardened,perhaps,toill-treatment:hewouldstandHindley’sblowswithoutwinkingorsheddingatear,andmypinchesmovedhimonlytodrawinabreathandopenhiseyes,asifhehadhurthimselfbyaccident,andnobodywastoblame.ThisendurancemadeoldEarnshawfurious,whenhediscoveredhissonpersecutingthepoorfatherlesschild,ashecalledhim.HetooktoHeathcliffstrangely,believingallhesaid(forthatmatter,hesaidpreciouslittle,andgenerallythetruth),andpettinghimupfaraboveCathy,whowastoomischievousandwaywardforafavourite. So,fromtheverybeginning,hebredbadfeelinginthehouseandatMrs.Earnshaw’sdeath,whichhappenedinlessthantwoyearsafter,theyoungmasterhadlearnedtoregardhisfatherasanoppressorratherthanafriend,andHeathcliffasausurperofhisparent’saffectionsandhisprivilegesandhegrewbitterwithbroodingovertheseinjuries.Isympathisedawhilebutwhenthechildrenfellillofthemeasles,andIhadtotendthem,andtakeonmethecaresofawomanatonce,Ichangedmyidea.Heathcliffwasdangerouslysickandwhilehelayattheworsthewouldhavemeconstantlybyhispillow:IsupposehefeltIdidagooddealforhim,andhehadn’twittoguessthatIwascompelledtodoit.However,Iwillsaythis,hewasthequietestchildthatevernursewatchedover.Thedifferencebetweenhimandtheothersforcedmetobelesspartial.Cathyandherbrotherharassedmeterribly:hewasasuncomplainingasalambthoughhardness,notgentleness,madehimgivelittletrouble.