CHAPTER X

ughhisexteriorwasaltered,hismindwasunchangeableandunchanged.Andhedreadedthatmind:itrevoltedhim:heshrankforebodinglyfromtheideaofcommittingIsabellatoitskeeping.Hewouldhaverecoiledstillmorehadhebeenawarethatherattachmentroseunsolicited,andwasbestowedwhereitawakenednoreciprocationofsentimentfortheminutehediscovereditsexistencehelaidtheblameonHeathcliff’sdeliberatedesigning. Wehadallremarked,duringsometime,thatMissLintonfrettedandpinedoversomething.ShegrewcrossandwearisomesnappingatandteasingCatherinecontinually,attheimminentriskofexhaustingherlimitedpatience.Weexcusedher,toacertainextent,onthepleaofill-health:shewasdwindlingandfadingbeforeoureyes.Butoneday,whenshehadbeenpeculiarlywayward,rejectingherbreakfast,complainingthattheservantsdidnotdowhatshetoldthemthatthemistresswouldallowhertobenothinginthehouse,andEdgarneglectedherthatshehadcaughtacoldwiththedoorsbeingleftopen,andwelettheparlourfiregooutonpurposetovexher,withahundredyetmorefrivolousaccusations,Mrs.Lintonperemptorilyinsistedthatsheshouldgettobedand,havingscoldedherheartily,threatenedtosendforthedoctor.MentionofKennethcausedhertoexclaim,instantly,thatherhealthwasperfect,anditwasonlyCatherine’sharshnesswhichmadeherunhappy. “HowcanyousayIamharsh,younaughtyfondling?”criedthemistress,amazedattheunreasonableassertion.“Youaresurelylosingyourreason.WhenhaveIbeenharsh,tellme?” “Yesterday,”sobbedIsabella,“andnow!” “Yesterday!”saidhersister-in-law.“Onwhatoccasion?” “Inourwalkalongthemoor:youtoldmetoramblewhereIpleased,whileyousaunteredonwithMr.Heathcliff!” “Andthat’syournotionofharshness?”saidCatherine,laughing.“Itwasnohintthatyourcompanywassuperfluouswedidn’tcarewhetheryoukeptwithusornotImerelythoughtHeathcliff’stalkwouldhavenothingentertainingforyourears.” “Oh,no,”wepttheyounglady“youwishedmeaway,becauseyouknewIlikedtobethere!” “Isshesane?”askedMrs.Linton,appealingtome.“I’llrepeatourconversation,wordforword,Isabellaandyoupointoutanycharmitcouldhavehadforyou.” “Idon’tmindtheconversation,”sheanswered:“Iwantedtobewith—” “Well?”saidCatherine,perceivingherhesitatetocompletethesentence. “Withhim:andIwon’tbealwayssentoff!”shecontinued,kindlingup.“Youareadoginthemanger,Cathy,anddesirenoonetobelovedbutyourself!” “Youareanimpertinentlittlemonkey!”exclaimedMrs.Linton,insurprise.“ButI’llnotbelievethisidiocy!ItisimpossiblethatyoucancovettheadmirationofHeathcliff—thatyouconsiderhimanagreeableperson!IhopeIhavemisunderstoodyou,Isabella?” “No,youhavenot,”saidtheinfatuatedgirl.“IlovehimmorethaneveryoulovedEdgar,andhemightloveme,ifyouwouldlethim!” “Iwouldn’tbeyouforakingdom,then!”Catherinedeclared,emphatically:andsheseemedtospeaksincerely.“Nelly,helpmetoconvinceherofhermadness.TellherwhatHeathcliffis:anunreclaimedcreature,withoutrefinement,withoutcultivationanaridwildernessoffurzeandwhinstone.I’dassoonputthatlittlecanaryintotheparkonawinter’sday,asrecommendyoutobestowyourheartonhim!Itisdeplorableignoranceofhischaracter,child,andnothingelse,whichmakesthatdreamenteryourhead.Pray,don’timaginethatheconcealsdepthsofbenevolenceandaffectionbeneathasternexterior!He’snotaroughdiamond—apearl-containingoysterofarustic:he’safierce,pitiless,wolfishman.Ineversaytohim,‘Letthisorthatenemyalone,becauseitwouldbeungenerousorcrueltoharmthem’Isay,‘Letthemalone,becauseIshouldhatethemtobewronged:’andhe’dcrushyoulikeasparrow’segg,Isabella,ifhefoundyouatroublesomecharge.Iknowhecouldn’tloveaLintonandyethe’dbequitecapableofmarryingyourfortuneandexpectations:avariceisgrowingwithhimabesettingsin.There’smypicture:andI’mhisfriend—somuchso,thathadhethoughtseriouslytocatchyou,Ishould,perhaps,haveheldmytongue,andletyoufallintohistrap.” MissLintonregardedhersister-in-lawwithindignation. “Forshame!forshame!”sherepeated,angrily.“Youareworsethantwentyfoes,youpoisonousfriend!” “Ah!youwon’tbelieveme,then?”saidCatherine.“YouthinkIspeakfromwickedselfishness?” “I’mcertainyoudo,”retortedIsabella“andIshudderatyou!” “Good!”criedtheother.“Tryforyourself,ifthatbeyourspirit:Ihavedone,andyieldtheargumenttoyoursaucyinsolence.”— “AndImustsufferforheregotism!”shesobbed,asMrs.Lintonlefttheroom.“All,allisagainstme:shehasblightedmysingleconsolation.Butsheutteredfalsehoods,didn’tshe?Mr.Heathcliffisnotafiend:hehasanhonourablesoul,andatrueone,orhowcouldherememberher?” “Banishhimfromyourthoughts,Miss,”Isaid.“He’sabirdofbadomen:nomateforyou.Mrs.Lintonspokestrongly,andyetIcan’tcontradicther.SheisbetteracquaintedwithhisheartthanI,oranyonebesidesandsheneverwouldrepresenthimasworsethanheis.Honestpeopledon’thidetheirdeeds.Howhashebeenliving?howhashegotrich?whyishestayingatWutheringHeights,thehouseofamanwhomheabhors?TheysayMr.Earnshawisworseandworsesincehecame.Theysitupallnighttogethercontinually,andHindleyhasbeenborrowingmoneyonhisland,anddoesnothingbutplayanddrink:Iheardonlyaweekago—itwasJosephwhotoldme—ImethimatGimmerton:‘Nelly,’hesaid,‘we’shaeacrowner’s’questenow,atahrfolks’.Oneon’em’sa’mostgettenhisfingercutoffwi’haudingt’otherfro’stickin’hisselnloikeacawlf.That’smaister,yahknaw,’at’ssoaupo’goingtuht’grand’sizes.He’snoanfearedo’t’bencho’judges,northerPaul,nurPeter,nurJohn,nurMatthew,nornoanon’em,nothe!Hefairlikes—helangstosethisbrazenedfaceagean’em!AndyonbonnyladHeathcliff,yahmind,he’sarare’un.Hecangirnalaughaswell’sonybodyataraightdivil’sjest.Doesheniversaynowtofhisfinelivingamangus,whenhegoestot’Grange?Thisist’wayon’t:—upatsun-down:dice,brandy,cloisedshutters,undcan’le-lighttillnextdayatnoon:then,t’fooilgangsbanningunravingtohischam’er,makkingdacentfowksdigthurfingersi’thurlugsfurvarryshameun’theknave,whyhecancainthisbrass,un’ate,un’sleep,un’offtohisneighbour’stogossipwi’t’wife.I’course,hetellsDameCatherinehowherfathur’sgooldrunsintohispocket,andherfathur’ssongallopsdownt’broadroad,whilehefleesaforetooppent’pikes!’Now,MissLinton,Josephisanoldrascal,butnoliarand,ifhisaccountofHeathcliff’sconductbetrue,youwouldneverthinkofdesiringsuchahusband,wouldyou?” “Youareleaguedwiththerest,Ellen!”sh