CHAPTER IX

Heentered,vociferatingoathsdreadfultohearandcaughtmeintheactofstowinghissonawayinthekitchencupboard.Haretonwasimpressedwithawholesometerrorofencounteringeitherhiswildbeast’sfondnessorhismadman’srageforinoneheranachanceofbeingsqueezedandkissedtodeath,andintheotherofbeingflungintothefire,ordashedagainstthewallandthepoorthingremainedperfectlyquietwhereverIchosetoputhim. “There,I’vefounditoutatlast!”criedHindley,pullingmebackbytheskinofmyneck,likeadog.“Byheavenandhell,you’veswornbetweenyoutomurderthatchild!Iknowhowitis,now,thatheisalwaysoutofmyway.But,withthehelpofSatan,Ishallmakeyouswallowthecarving-knife,Nelly!Youneedn’tlaughforI’vejustcrammedKenneth,head-downmost,intheBlack-horsemarshandtwoisthesameasone—andIwanttokillsomeofyou:IshallhavenoresttillIdo!” “ButIdon’tlikethecarving-knife,Mr.Hindley,”Ianswered“ithasbeencuttingredherrings.I’dratherbeshot,ifyouplease.” “You’dratherbedamned!”hesaid“andsoyoushall.NolawinEnglandcanhinderamanfromkeepinghishousedecent,andmine’sabominable!Openyourmouth.” Heheldtheknifeinhishand,andpusheditspointbetweenmyteeth:but,formypart,Iwasnevermuchafraidofhisvagaries.Ispatout,andaffirmedittasteddetestably—Iwouldnottakeitonanyaccount. “Oh!”saidhe,releasingme,“IseethathideouslittlevillainisnotHareton:Ibegyourpardon,Nell.Ifitbe,hedeservesflayingalivefornotrunningtowelcomeme,andforscreamingasifIwereagoblin.Unnaturalcub,comehither!I’llteachtheetoimposeonagood-hearted,deludedfather.Now,don’tyouthinktheladwouldbehandsomercropped?Itmakesadogfiercer,andIlovesomethingfierce—getmeascissors—somethingfierceandtrim!Besides,it’sinfernalaffectation—devilishconceititis,tocherishourears—we’reassesenoughwithoutthem.Hush,child,hush!Wellthen,itismydarling!wisht,drythyeyes—there’sajoykissme.What!itwon’t?Kissme,Hareton!Damnthee,kissme!ByGod,asifIwouldrearsuchamonster!AssureasI’mliving,I’llbreakthebrat’sneck.” PoorHaretonwassquallingandkickinginhisfather’sarmswithallhismight,andredoubledhisyellswhenhecarriedhimupstairsandliftedhimoverthebanister.Icriedoutthathewouldfrightenthechildintofits,andrantorescuehim.AsIreachedthem,Hindleyleantforwardontherailstolistentoanoisebelowalmostforgettingwhathehadinhishands.“Whoisthat?”heasked,hearingsomeoneapproachingthestairs’-foot.Ileantforwardalso,forthepurposeofsigningtoHeathcliff,whosestepIrecognised,nottocomefurtherand,attheinstantwhenmyeyequittedHareton,hegaveasuddenspring,deliveredhimselffromthecarelessgraspthatheldhim,andfell. Therewasscarcelytimetoexperienceathrillofhorrorbeforewesawthatthelittlewretchwassafe.Heathcliffarrivedunderneathjustatthecriticalmomentbyanaturalimpulsehearrestedhisdescent,andsettinghimonhisfeet,lookeduptodiscovertheauthoroftheaccident.Amiserwhohaspartedwithaluckylotteryticketforfiveshillings,andfindsnextdayhehaslostinthebargainfivethousandpounds,couldnotshowablankercountenancethanhedidonbeholdingthefigureofMr.Earnshawabove.Itexpressed,plainerthanwordscoulddo,theintensestanguishathavingmadehimselftheinstrumentofthwartinghisownrevenge.Haditbeendark,IdaresayhewouldhavetriedtoremedythemistakebysmashingHareton’sskullonthestepsbut,wewitnessedhissalvationandIwaspresentlybelowwithmypreciouschargepressedtomyheart.Hindleydescendedmoreleisurely,soberedandabashed. “Itisyourfault,Ellen,”hesaid“youshouldhavekepthimoutofsight:youshouldhavetakenhimfromme!Isheinjuredanywhere?” “Injured!”Icriedangrily“ifheisnotkilled,he’llbeanidiot!Oh!Iwonderhismotherdoesnotrisefromhergravetoseehowyouusehim.You’reworsethanaheathen—treatingyourownfleshandbloodinthatmanner!” Heattemptedtotouchthechild,who,onfindinghimselfwithme,sobbedoffhisterrordirectly.Atthefirstfingerhisfatherlaidonhim,however,heshriekedagainlouderthanbefore,andstruggledasifhewouldgointoconvulsions. “Youshallnotmeddlewithhim!”Icontinued.“Hehatesyou—theyallhateyou—that’sthetruth!Ahappyfamilyyouhaveandaprettystateyou’recometo!” “Ishallcometoaprettier,yet,Nelly,”laughedthemisguidedman,recoveringhishardness.“Atpresent,conveyyourselfandhimaway.Andharkyou,Heathcliff!clearyoutooquitefrommyreachandhearing.Iwouldn’tmurderyouto-nightunless,perhaps,Isetthehouseonfire:butthat’sasmyfancygoes.” Whilesayingthishetookapintbottleofbrandyfromthedresser,andpouredsomeintoatumbler. “Nay,don’t!”Ientreated.“Mr.Hindley,dotakewarning.Havemercyonthisunfortunateboy,ifyoucarenothingforyourself!” “AnyonewilldobetterforhimthanIshall,”heanswered. “Havemercyonyourownsoul!”Isaid,endeavouringtosnatchtheglassfromhishand. “NotI!Onthecontrary,IshallhavegreatpleasureinsendingittoperditiontopunishitsMaker,”exclaimedtheblasphemer.“Here’stoitsheartydamnation!” Hedrankthespiritsandimpatientlybadeusgoterminatinghiscommandwithasequelofhorridimprecationstoobadtorepeatorremember. “It’sapityhecannotkillhimselfwithdrink,”observedHeathcliff,mutteringanechoofcursesbackwhenthedoorwasshut.“He’sdoinghisveryutmostbuthisconstitutiondefieshim.Mr.Kennethsayshewouldwagerhismarethathe’lloutliveanymanonthissideGimmerton,andgotothegraveahoarysinnerunlesssomehappychanceoutofthecommoncoursebefallhim.” Iwentintothekitchen,andsatdowntolullmylittlelambtosleep.Heathcliff,asIthought,walkedthroughtothebarn.Itturnedoutafterwardsthatheonlygotasfarastheothersidethesettle,whenheflunghimselfonabenchbythewall,removedfromthefire,andremainedsilent. IwasrockingHaretononmyknee,andhummingasongthatbegan,— Itwasfarinthenight,andthebairniesgrat, Themitherbeneaththemoolsheardthat, whenMissCathy,whohadlistenedtothehubbubfromherroom,putherheadin,andwhispered,—“Areyoualone,Nelly?” “Yes,Miss,”Ireplied. Sheenteredandapproachedthehearth