CHAPTER VI

Mr.Hindleycamehometothefuneraland—athingthatamazedus,andsettheneighboursgossipingrightandleft—hebroughtawifewithhim.Whatshewas,andwhereshewasborn,heneverinformedus:probably,shehadneithermoneynornametorecommendher,orhewouldscarcelyhavekepttheunionfromhisfather. Shewasnotonethatwouldhavedisturbedthehousemuchonherownaccount.Everyobjectshesaw,themomentshecrossedthethreshold,appearedtodelightherandeverycircumstancethattookplaceabouther:exceptthepreparingfortheburial,andthepresenceofthemourners.Ithoughtshewashalfsilly,fromherbehaviourwhilethatwenton:sheranintoherchamber,andmademecomewithher,thoughIshouldhavebeendressingthechildren:andthereshesatshiveringandclaspingherhands,andaskingrepeatedly—“Aretheygoneyet?”Thenshebegandescribingwithhystericalemotiontheeffectitproducedonhertoseeblackandstarted,andtrembled,and,atlast,fella-weeping—andwhenIaskedwhatwasthematter,answered,shedidn’tknowbutshefeltsoafraidofdying!Iimaginedheraslittlelikelytodieasmyself.Shewasratherthin,butyoung,andfresh-complexioned,andhereyessparkledasbrightasdiamonds.Ididremark,tobesure,thatmountingthestairsmadeherbreatheveryquickthattheleastsuddennoisesetherallinaquiver,andthatshecoughedtroublesomelysometimes:butIknewnothingofwhatthesesymptomsportended,andhadnoimpulsetosympathisewithher.Wedon’tingeneraltaketoforeignershere,Mr.Lockwood,unlesstheytaketousfirst. YoungEarnshawwasalteredconsiderablyinthethreeyearsofhisabsence.Hehadgrownsparer,andlosthiscolour,andspokeanddressedquitedifferentlyand,ontheverydayofhisreturn,hetoldJosephandmewemustthenceforthquarterourselvesintheback-kitchen,andleavethehouseforhim.Indeed,hewouldhavecarpetedandpaperedasmallspareroomforaparlourbuthiswifeexpressedsuchpleasureatthewhitefloorandhugeglowingfireplace,atthepewterdishesanddelf-case,anddog-kennel,andthewidespacetherewastomoveaboutinwheretheyusuallysat,thathethoughtitunnecessarytohercomfort,andsodroppedtheintention. Sheexpressedpleasure,too,atfindingasisteramonghernewacquaintanceandsheprattledtoCatherine,andkissedher,andranaboutwithher,andgaveherquantitiesofpresents,atthebeginning.Heraffectiontiredverysoon,however,andwhenshegrewpeevish,Hindleybecametyrannical.Afewwordsfromher,evincingadisliketoHeathcliff,wereenoughtorouseinhimallhisoldhatredoftheboy.Hedrovehimfromtheircompanytotheservants,deprivedhimoftheinstructionsofthecurate,andinsistedthatheshouldlabouroutofdoorsinsteadcompellinghimtodosoashardasanyot