CHAPTER X

Acharmingintroductiontoahermit’slife!Fourweeks’torture,tossing,andsickness!Oh,thesebleakwindsandbitternorthernskies,andimpassableroads,anddilatorycountrysurgeons!Andoh,thisdearthofthehumanphysiognomy!and,worsethanall,theterribleintimationofKenneththatIneednotexpecttobeoutofdoorstillspring! Mr.Heathcliffhasjusthonouredmewithacall.Aboutsevendaysagohesentmeabraceofgrouse—thelastoftheseason.Scoundrel!HeisnotaltogetherguiltlessinthisillnessofmineandthatIhadagreatmindtotellhim.But,alas!howcouldIoffendamanwhowascharitableenoughtositatmybedsideagoodhour,andtalkonsomeothersubjectthanpillsanddraughts,blistersandleeches?Thisisquiteaneasyinterval.IamtooweaktoreadyetIfeelasifIcouldenjoysomethinginteresting.WhynothaveupMrs.Deantofinishhertale?Icanrecollectitschiefincidents,asfarasshehadgone.Yes:Irememberherherohadrunoff,andneverbeenheardofforthreeyearsandtheheroinewasmarried.I’llring:she’llbedelightedtofindmecapableoftalkingcheerfully.Mrs.Deancame. “Itwantstwentyminutes,sir,totakingthemedicine,”shecommenced. “Away,awaywithit!”Ireplied“Idesiretohave—” “Thedoctorsaysyoumustdropthepowders.” “Withallmyheart!Don’tinterruptme.Comeandtakeyourseathere.Keepyourfingersfromthatbitterphalanxofvials.Drawyourknittingoutofyourpocket—thatwilldo—nowcontinuethehistoryofMr.Heathcliff,fromwhereyouleftoff,tothepresentday.DidhefinishhiseducationontheContinent,andcomebackagentleman?ordidhegetasizar’splaceatcollege,orescapetoAmerica,andearnhonoursbydrawingbloodfromhisfoster-country?ormakeafortunemorepromptlyontheEnglishhighways?” “Hemayhavedonealittleinallthesevocations,Mr.LockwoodbutIcouldn’tgivemywordforany.IstatedbeforethatIdidn’tknowhowhegainedhismoneyneitheramIawareofthemeanshetooktoraisehismindfromthesavageignoranceintowhichitwassunk:but,withyourleave,I’llproceedinmyownfashion,ifyouthinkitwillamuseandnotwearyyou.Areyoufeelingbetterthismorning?” “Much.” “That’sgoodnews.” ***** IgotMissCatherineandmyselftoThrushcrossGrangeand,tomyagreeabledisappointment,shebehavedinfinitelybetterthanIdaredtoexpect.Sheseemedalmostover-fondofMr.Lintonandeventohissistersheshowedplentyofaffection.Theywerebothveryattentivetohercomfort,certainly.Itwasnotthethornbendingtothehoneysuckles,butthehoneysucklesembracingthethorn.Therewerenomutualconcessions:onestooderect,andtheothersyielded:andwhocanbeill-naturedandbad-temperedwhentheyencounterneitheroppositionnorindifference?IobservedthatMr.Edgarhadadeep-rootedfearofrufflingherhumour.Heconcealeditfromherbutifeverheheardmeanswersharply,orsawanyotherservantgrowcloudyatsomeimperiousorderofhers,hewouldshowhistroublebyafrownofdispleasurethatneverdarkenedonhisownaccount.Hemanyatimespokesternlytomeaboutmypertnessandaverredthatthestabofaknifecouldnotinflictaworsepangthanhesufferedatseeinghisladyvexed.Nottogrieveakindmaster,Ilearnedtobelesstouchyand,forthespaceofhalfayear,thegunpowderlayasharmlessassand,becausenofirecameneartoexplodeit.Catherinehadseasonsofgloomandsilencenowandthen:theywererespectedwithsympathisingsilencebyherhusband,whoascribedthemtoanalterationinherconstitution,producedbyherperilousillnessasshewasneversubjecttodepressionofspiritsbefore.Thereturnofsunshinewaswelcomedbyansweringsunshinefromhim.IbelieveImayassertthattheywerereallyinpossessionofdeepandgrowinghappiness. Itended.Well,wemustbeforourselvesinthelongrunthemildandgenerousareonlymorejustlyselfishthanthedomineeringanditendedwhencircumstancescausedeachtofeelthattheone’sinterestwasnotthechiefconsiderationintheother’sthoughts.OnamelloweveninginSeptember,IwascomingfromthegardenwithaheavybasketofappleswhichIhadbeengathering.Ithadgotdusk,andthemoonlookedoverthehighwallofthecourt,causingundefinedshadowstolurkinthecornersofthenumerousprojectingportionsofthebuilding.Isetmyburdenonthehouse-stepsbythekitchen-door,andlingeredtorest,anddrewinafewmorebreathsofthesoft,sweetairmyeyeswereonthemoon,andmybacktotheentrance,whenIheardavoicebehindmesay,—“Nelly,isthatyou?” Itwasadeepvoice,andforeignintoneyettherewassomethinginthemannerofpronouncingmynamewhichmadeitsoundfamiliar.Iturnedabouttodiscoverwhospoke,fearfullyforthedoorswereshut,andIhadseennobodyonapproachingthesteps.Somethingstirredintheporchand,movingnearer,Idistinguishedatallmandressedindarkclothes,withdarkfaceandhair.Heleantagainsttheside,andheldhisfingersonthelatchasifintendingtoopenforhimself.“Whocanitbe?”Ithought.“Mr.Earnshaw?Oh,no!Thevoicehasnoresemblancetohis.” “Ihavewaitedhereanhour,”heresumed,whileIcontinuedstaring“andthewholeofthattimeallroundhasbeenasstillasdeath.Idarednotenter.Youdonotknowme?Look,I’mnotastranger!” Arayfellonhisfeaturesthecheeksweresallow,andhalfcoveredwithblackwhiskersthebrowslowering,theeyesdeep-setandsingular.Irememberedtheeyes. “What!”Icried,uncertainwhethertoregardhimasaworldlyvisitor,andIraisedmyhandsinamazement.“What!youcomeback?Isitreallyyou?Isit?” “Yes,Heathcliff,”hereplied,glancingfrommeuptothewindows,whichreflectedascoreofglitteringmoons,butshowednolightsfromwithin.“Aretheyathome?whereisshe?Nelly,youarenotglad!youneedn’tbesodisturbed.Isshehere?Speak!Iwanttohaveonewordwithher—yourmistress.Go,andsaysomepersonfromGimmertondesirestoseeher.” “Howwillshetakeit?”Iexclaimed.“Whatwillshedo?Thesurprisebewildersme—itwillputheroutofherhead!AndyouareHeathcliff!Butaltered!Nay,there’snocomprehendingit.Haveyoubeenforasoldier?” “Goandcarrymymessage,”heinterrupted,impatiently.“I’minhelltillyoudo!” Heliftedthelatch,andIenteredbutwhenIgottotheparlourwhereMr.andMrs.Lintonwere,Icouldnotpersuademyselftoproceed.AtlengthIresolvedonmakinganexcusetoaskiftheywouldhavethecandleslighted,andIopenedthedoor. Theysattogetherinawindowwhoselatticelaybackagainstthewall,anddisplayed,beyondthegardentrees,andthewildgreenpark,thevalleyofGimmerton,withalonglineofmistwindingnearlytoitstop(forverysoonafteryoupassthechapel,asyoumayhavenoticed,thesoughthatrunsfromthemarshesjoinsabeckwhichfollowsthebendoftheglen).WutheringHeightsroseabovethissilveryvapourbutouroldhousew