CHAPTER IX

scentsfromthegardenbutCatherinecalledpeevishlytome,“Ellen,shutthewindow.I’mstarving!”Andherteethchatteredassheshrankclosertothealmostextinguishedembers. “She’sill,”saidHindley,takingherwrist“Isupposethat’sthereasonshewouldnotgotobed.Damnit!Idon’twanttobetroubledwithmoresicknesshere.Whattookyouintotherain?” “Runningaftert’lads,asusuald!”croakedJoseph,catchinganopportunityfromourhesitationtothrustinhiseviltongue.“IfIwaryah,maister,I’djustslamt’boardsi’theirfacesallon’em,gentleandsimple!Neveradayutyah’reoff,butyoncato’LintoncomessneakinghitherandMissNelly,shoo’safinelass!shoositswatchingforyei’t’kitchenandasyah’reinatonedoor,he’soutatt’otherand,then,wergrandladygoesa-courtingofherside!It’sbonnybehaviour,lurkingamangt’fields,aftertwelveo’t’night,wi’thatfahl,flaysomedivilofagipsy,Heathcliff!TheythinkI’mblindbutI’mnoan:nowtutt’soart!—IseedyoungLintonboathcomingandgoing,andIseedyah”(directinghisdiscoursetome),“yahgooidfurnowt,slattenlywitch!nipupandboltintoth’house,t’minuteyahheardt’maister’shorse-fitclatterupt’road.” “Silence,eavesdropper!”criedCatherine“noneofyourinsolencebeforeme!EdgarLintoncameyesterdaybychance,HindleyanditwasIwhotoldhimtobeoff:becauseIknewyouwouldnotliketohavemethimasyouwere.” “Youlie,Cathy,nodoubt,”answeredherbrother,“andyouareaconfoundedsimpleton!ButnevermindLintonatpresent:tellme,wereyounotwithHeathclifflastnight?Speakthetruth,now.Youneednotbeafraidofharminghim:thoughIhatehimasmuchasever,hedidmeagoodturnashorttimesincethatwillmakemyconsciencetenderofbreakinghisneck.Topreventit,Ishallsendhimabouthisbusinessthisverymorningandafterhe’sgone,I’dadviseyoualltolooksharp:Ishallonlyhavethemorehumourforyou.” “IneversawHeathclifflastnight,”answeredCatherine,beginningtosobbitterly:“andifyoudoturnhimoutofdoors,I’llgowithhim.But,perhaps,you’llneverhaveanopportunity:perhaps,he’sgone.”Heresheburstintouncontrollablegrief,andtheremainderofherwordswereinarticulate. Hindleylavishedonheratorrentofscornfulabuse,andbadehergettoherroomimmediately,orsheshouldn’tcryfornothing!IobligedhertoobeyandIshallneverforgetwhatascenesheactedwhenwereachedherchamber:itterrifiedme.Ithoughtshewasgoingmad,andIbeggedJosephtorunforthedoctor.Itprovedthecommencementofdelirium:Mr.Kenneth,assoonashesawher,pronouncedherdangerouslyillshehadafever.Hebledher,andhetoldmetoletherliveonwheyandwater-gruel,andtakecareshedidnotthrowherselfdownstairsoroutofthewindowandthenheleft:forhehadenoughtodointheparish,wheretwoorthreemileswastheordinarydistancebetweencottageandcottage. ThoughIcannotsayImadeagentlenurse,andJosephandthemasterwerenobetter,andthoughourpatientwasaswearisomeandheadstrongasapatientcouldbe,sheweathereditthrough.OldMrs.Lintonpaidusseveralvisits,tobesure,andsetthingstorights,andscoldedandorderedusallandwhenCatherinewasconvalescent,sheinsistedonconveyinghertoThrushcrossGrange:forwhichdeliverancewewereverygrateful.Butthepoordamehadreasontorepentofherkindness:sheandherhusbandbothtookthefever,anddiedwithinafewdaysofeachother. Ouryoungladyreturnedtoussaucierandmorepassionate,andhaughtierthanever.Heathcliffhadneverbeenheardofsincetheeveningofthethunder-stormand,oneday,Ihadthemisfortune,whenshehadprovokedmeexceedingly,tolaytheblameofhisdisappearanceonher:whereindeeditbelonged,asshewellknew.Fromthatperiod,forseveralmonths,sheceasedtoholdanycommunicationwithme,saveintherelationofamereservant.Josephfellunderabanalso:hewouldspeakhismind,andlectureherallthesameasifshewerealittlegirlandsheesteemedherselfawoman,andourmistress,andthoughtthatherrecentillnessgaveheraclaimtobetreatedwithconsideration.Thenthedoctorhadsaidthatshewouldnotbearcrossingmuchsheoughttohaveherownwayanditwasnothinglessthanmurderinhereyesforanyonetopresumetostandupandcontradicther.FromMr.EarnshawandhiscompanionsshekeptaloofandtutoredbyKenneth,andseriousthreatsofafitthatoftenattendedherrages,herbrotherallowedherwhatevershepleasedtodemand,andgenerallyavoidedaggravatingherfierytemper.Hewasrathertooindulgentinhumouringhercapricesnotfromaffection,butfrompride:hewishedearnestlytoseeherbringhonourtothefamilybyanalliancewiththeLintons,andaslongasshelethimaloneshemighttrampleonuslikeslaves,foraughthecared!EdgarLinton,asmultitudeshavebeenbeforeandwillbeafterhim,wasinfatuated:andbelievedhimselfthehappiestmanaliveonthedayheledhertoGimmertonChapel,threeyearssubsequenttohisfather’sdeath. Muchagainstmyinclination,IwaspersuadedtoleaveWutheringHeightsandaccompanyherhere.LittleHaretonwasnearlyfiveyearsold,andIhadjustbeguntoteachhimhisletters.WemadeasadpartingbutCatherine’stearsweremorepowerfulthanours.WhenIrefusedtogo,andwhenshefoundherentreatiesdidnotmoveme,shewentlamentingtoherhusbandandbrother.Theformerofferedmemunificentwagesthelatterorderedmetopackup:hewantednowomeninthehouse,hesaid,nowthattherewasnomistressandastoHareton,thecurateshouldtakehiminhand,by-and-by.AndsoIhadbutonechoiceleft:todoasIwasordered.ItoldthemasterhegotridofalldecentpeopleonlytoruntoruinalittlefasterIkissedHareton,saidgood-byandsincethenhehasbeenastranger:andit’sveryqueertothinkit,butI’venodoubthehascompletelyforgottenallaboutEllenDean,andthathewasevermorethanalltheworldtoherandshetohim! ***** Atthispointofthehousekeeper’sstoryshechancedtoglancetowardsthetime-pieceoverthechimneyandwasinamazementonseeingtheminute-handmeasurehalf-pastone.Shewouldnothearofstayingasecondlonger:intruth,Ifeltratherdisposedtodeferthesequelofhernarrativemyself.Andnowthatsheisvanishedtoherrest,andIhavemeditatedforanotherhourortwo,Ishallsummoncouragetogoalso,inspiteofachinglazinessofheadandlimbs.