CHAPTER VII

esubjectofhisthoughts,heansweredgravely—“I’mtryingtosettlehowIshallpayHindleyback.Idon’tcarehowlongIwait,ifIcanonlydoitatlast.IhopehewillnotdiebeforeIdo!” “Forshame,Heathcliff!”saidI.“ItisforGodtopunishwickedpeopleweshouldlearntoforgive.” “No,Godwon’thavethesatisfactionthatIshall,”hereturned.“IonlywishIknewthebestway!Letmealone,andI’llplanitout:whileI’mthinkingofthatIdon’tfeelpain.” But,Mr.Lockwood,Iforgetthesetalescannotdivertyou.I’mannoyedhowIshoulddreamofchatteringonatsucharateandyourgruelcold,andyounoddingforbed!IcouldhavetoldHeathcliff’shistory,allthatyouneedhear,inhalfadozenwords. ***** Thusinterruptingherself,thehousekeeperrose,andproceededtolayasidehersewingbutIfeltincapableofmovingfromthehearth,andIwasveryfarfromnodding.“Sitstill,Mrs.Dean,”Icried“dositstillanotherhalf-hour.You’vedonejustrighttotellthestoryleisurely.ThatisthemethodIlikeandyoumustfinishitinthesamestyle.Iaminterestedineverycharacteryouhavementioned,moreorless.” “Theclockisonthestrokeofeleven,sir.” “Nomatter—I’mnotaccustomedtogotobedinthelonghours.Oneortwoisearlyenoughforapersonwholiestillten.” “Youshouldn’tlietillten.There’stheveryprimeofthemorninggonelongbeforethattime.Apersonwhohasnotdoneone-halfhisday’sworkbyteno’clock,runsachanceofleavingtheotherhalfundone.” “Nevertheless,Mrs.Dean,resumeyourchairbecauseto-morrowIintendlengtheningthenighttillafternoon.Iprognosticateformyselfanobstinatecold,atleast.” “Ihopenot,sir.Well,youmustallowmetoleapoversomethreeyearsduringthatspaceMrs.Earnshaw—” “No,no,I’llallownothingofthesort!Areyouacquaintedwiththemoodofmindinwhich,ifyouwereseatedalone,andthecatlickingitskittenontherugbeforeyou,youwouldwatchtheoperationsointentlythatpuss’sneglectofoneearwouldputyouseriouslyoutoftemper?” “Aterriblylazymood,Ishouldsay.” “Onthecontrary,atiresomelyactiveone.Itismine,atpresentand,therefore,continueminutely.Iperceivethatpeopleintheseregionsacquireoverpeopleintownsthevaluethataspiderinadungeondoesoveraspiderinacottage,totheirvariousoccupantsandyetthedeepenedattractionisnotentirelyowingtothesituationofthelooker-on.Theydolivemoreinearnest,moreinthemselves,andlessinsurface,change,andfrivolousexternalthings.IcouldfancyaloveforlifeherealmostpossibleandIwasafixedunbelieverinanyloveofayear’sstanding.Onestateresemblessettingahungrymandowntoasingledish,onwhichhemayconcentratehisentireappetiteanddoitjusticetheother,introducinghimtoatablelaidoutbyFrenchcooks:hecanperhapsextractasmuchenjoymentfromthewholebuteachpartisamereatominhisregardandremembrance.” “Oh!herewearethesameasanywhereelse,whenyougettoknowus,”observedMrs.Dean,somewhatpuzzledatmyspeech. “Excuseme,”Iresponded“you,mygoodfriend,areastrikingevidenceagainstthatassertion.Exceptingafewprovincialismsofslightconsequence,youhavenomarksofthemannerswhichIamhabituatedtoconsideraspeculiartoyourclass.Iamsureyouhavethoughtagreatdealmorethanthegeneralityofservantsthink.Youhavebeencompelledtocultivateyourreflectivefacultiesforwantofoccasionsforfritteringyourlifeawayinsillytrifles.” Mrs.Deanlaughed. “Icertainlyesteemmyselfasteady,reasonablekindofbody,”shesaid“notexactlyfromlivingamongthehillsandseeingonesetoffaces,andoneseriesofactions,fromyear’sendtoyear’sendbutIhaveundergonesharpdiscipline,whichhastaughtmewisdomandthen,Ihavereadmorethanyouwouldfancy,Mr.Lockwood.YoucouldnotopenabookinthislibrarythatIhavenotlookedinto,andgotsomethingoutofalso:unlessitbethatrangeofGreekandLatin,andthatofFrenchandthoseIknowonefromanother:itisasmuchasyoucanexpectofapoorman’sdaughter.However,ifIamtofollowmystoryintruegossip’sfashion,Ihadbettergoonandinsteadofleapingthreeyears,Iwillbecontenttopasstothenextsummer—thesummerof1778,thatisnearlytwenty-threeyearsago.”