CHAPTER X

ottomofmyheartthathehadbetterhaveremainedaway. Aboutthemiddleofthenight,IwaswakenedfrommyfirstnapbyMrs.Lintonglidingintomychamber,takingaseatonmybedside,andpullingmebythehairtorouseme. “Icannotrest,Ellen,”shesaid,bywayofapology.“AndIwantsomelivingcreaturetokeepmecompanyinmyhappiness!Edgarissulky,becauseI’mgladofathingthatdoesnotinteresthim:herefusestoopenhismouth,excepttoutterpettish,sillyspeechesandheaffirmedIwascruelandselfishforwishingtotalkwhenhewassosickandsleepy.Healwayscontrivestobesickattheleastcross!IgaveafewsentencesofcommendationtoHeathcliff,andhe,eitherforaheadacheorapangofenvy,begantocry:soIgotupandlefthim.” “WhatuseisitpraisingHeathclifftohim?”Ianswered.“Asladstheyhadanaversiontoeachother,andHeathcliffwouldhatejustasmuchtohearhimpraised:it’shumannature.LetMr.Lintonaloneabouthim,unlessyouwouldlikeanopenquarrelbetweenthem.” “Butdoesitnotshowgreatweakness?”pursuedshe.“I’mnotenvious:IneverfeelhurtatthebrightnessofIsabella’syellowhairandthewhitenessofherskin,atherdaintyelegance,andthefondnessallthefamilyexhibitforher.Evenyou,Nelly,ifwehaveadisputesometimes,youbackIsabellaatonceandIyieldlikeafoolishmother:Icallheradarling,andflatterherintoagoodtemper.Itpleasesherbrothertoseeuscordial,andthatpleasesme.Buttheyareverymuchalike:theyarespoiledchildren,andfancytheworldwasmadefortheiraccommodationandthoughIhumourboth,Ithinkasmartchastisementmightimprovethemallthesame.” “You’remistaken,Mrs.Linton,”saidI.“Theyhumouryou:Iknowwhattherewouldbetodoiftheydidnot.Youcanwellaffordtoindulgetheirpassingwhimsaslongastheirbusinessistoanticipateallyourdesires.Youmay,however,fallout,atlast,oversomethingofequalconsequencetobothsidesandthenthoseyoutermweakareverycapableofbeingasobstinateasyou.” “Andthenweshallfighttothedeath,sha’n’twe,Nelly?”shereturned,laughing.“No!Itellyou,IhavesuchfaithinLinton’slove,thatIbelieveImightkillhim,andhewouldn’twishtoretaliate.” Iadvisedhertovaluehimthemoreforhisaffection. “Ido,”sheanswered,“butheneedn’tresorttowhiningfortrifles.Itischildishand,insteadofmeltingintotearsbecauseIsaidthatHeathcliffwasnowworthyofanyone’sregard,anditwouldhonourthefirstgentlemaninthecountrytobehisfriend,heoughttohavesaiditforme,andbeendelightedfromsympathy.Hemustgetaccustomedtohim,andhemayaswelllikehim:consideringhowHeathcliffhasreasontoobjecttohim,I’msurehebehavedexcellently!” “WhatdoyouthinkofhisgoingtoWutheringHeights?”Iinquired.“Heisreformedineveryrespect,apparently:quiteaChristian:offeringtherighthandoffellowshiptohisenemiesallaround!” “Heexplainedit,”shereplied.“Iwonderasmuchasyou.Hesaidhecalledtogatherinformationconcerningmefromyou,supposingyouresidedtherestillandJosephtoldHindley,whocameoutandfelltoquestioninghimofwhathehadbeendoing,andhowhehadbeenlivingandfinally,desiredhimtowalkin.ThereweresomepersonssittingatcardsHeathcliffjoinedthemmybrotherlostsomemoneytohim,and,findinghimplentifullysupplied,herequestedthathewouldcomeagainintheevening:towhichheconsented.Hindleyistoorecklesstoselecthisacquaintanceprudently:hedoesn’ttroublehimselftoreflectonthecauseshemighthaveformistrustingonewhomhehasbaselyinjured.ButHeathcliffaffirmshisprincipalreasonforresumingaconnectionwithhisancientpersecutorisawishtoinstallhimselfinquartersatwalkingdistancefromtheGrange,andanattachmenttothehousewherewelivedtogetherandlikewiseahopethatIshallhavemoreopportunitiesofseeinghimtherethanIcouldhaveifhesettledinGimmerton.HemeanstoofferliberalpaymentforpermissiontolodgeattheHeightsanddoubtlessmybrother’scovetousnesswillprompthimtoaccepttheterms:hewasalwaysgreedythoughwhathegraspswithonehandheflingsawaywiththeother.” “It’saniceplaceforayoungmantofixhisdwellingin!”saidI.“Haveyounofearoftheconsequences,Mrs.Linton?” “Noneformyfriend,”shereplied:“hisstrongheadwillkeephimfromdangeralittleforHindley:buthecan’tbemademorallyworsethanheisandIstandbetweenhimandbodilyharm.TheeventofthiseveninghasreconciledmetoGodandhumanity!IhadriseninangryrebellionagainstProvidence.Oh,I’veenduredvery,verybittermisery,Nelly!Ifthatcreatureknewhowbitter,he’dbeashamedtoclouditsremovalwithidlepetulance.Itwaskindnessforhimwhichinducedmetobearitalone:hadIexpressedtheagonyIfrequentlyfelt,hewouldhavebeentaughttolongforitsalleviationasardentlyasI.However,it’sover,andI’lltakenorevengeonhisfollyIcanaffordtosufferanythinghereafter!Shouldthemeanestthingaliveslapmeonthecheek,I’dnotonlyturntheother,butI’daskpardonforprovokingitand,asaproof,I’llgomakemypeacewithEdgarinstantly.Good-night!I’manangel!” Inthisself-complacentconvictionshedepartedandthesuccessofherfulfilledresolutionwasobviousonthemorrow:Mr.Lintonhadnotonlyabjuredhispeevishness(thoughhisspiritsseemedstillsubduedbyCatherine’sexuberanceofvivacity),butheventurednoobjectiontohertakingIsabellawithhertoWutheringHeightsintheafternoonandsherewardedhimwithsuchasummerofsweetnessandaffectioninreturnasmadethehouseaparadiseforseveraldaysbothmasterandservantsprofitingfromtheperpetualsunshine. Heathcliff—Mr.HeathcliffIshouldsayinfuture—usedthelibertyofvisitingatThrushcrossGrangecautiously,atfirst:heseemedestimatinghowfaritsownerwouldbearhisintrusion.Catherine,also,deemeditjudicioustomoderateherexpressionsofpleasureinreceivinghimandhegraduallyestablishedhisrighttobeexpected.Heretainedagreatdealofthereserveforwhichhisboyhoodwasremarkableandthatservedtorepressallstartlingdemonstrationsoffeeling.Mymaster’suneasinessexperiencedalull,andfurthercircumstancesdiverteditintoanotherchannelforaspace. HisnewsourceoftroublesprangfromthenotanticipatedmisfortuneofIsabellaLintonevincingasuddenandirresistibleattractiontowardsthetoleratedguest.Shewasatthattimeacharmingyoungladyofeighteeninfantileinmanners,thoughpossessedofkeenwit,keenfeelings,andakeentemper,too,ifirritated.Herbrother,wholovedhertenderly,wasappalledatthisfantasticpreference.Leavingasidethedegradationofanalliancewithanamelessman,andthepossiblefactthathisproperty,indefaultofheirsmale,mightpassintosuchaone’spower,hehadsensetocomprehendHeathcliff’sdisposition:toknowthat,tho