CHAPTER X

ereplied.“I’llnotlistentoyourslanders.Whatmalevolenceyoumusthavetowishtoconvincemethatthereisnohappinessintheworld!” Whethershewouldhavegotoverthisfancyiflefttoherself,orperseveredinnursingitperpetually,Icannotsay:shehadlittletimetoreflect.Thedayafter,therewasajustice-meetingatthenexttownmymasterwasobligedtoattendandMr.Heathcliff,awareofhisabsence,calledratherearlierthanusual.CatherineandIsabellaweresittinginthelibrary,onhostileterms,butsilent:thelatteralarmedatherrecentindiscretion,andthedisclosureshehadmadeofhersecretfeelingsinatransientfitofpassiontheformer,onmatureconsideration,reallyoffendedwithhercompanionand,ifshelaughedagainatherpertness,inclinedtomakeitnolaughingmattertoher.ShedidlaughasshesawHeathcliffpassthewindow.Iwassweepingthehearth,andInoticedamischievoussmileonherlips.Isabella,absorbedinhermeditations,orabook,remainedtillthedooropenedanditwastoolatetoattemptanescape,whichshewouldgladlyhavedonehaditbeenpracticable. “Comein,that’sright!”exclaimedthemistress,gaily,pullingachairtothefire.“Herearetwopeoplesadlyinneedofathirdtothawtheicebetweenthemandyouaretheveryoneweshouldbothofuschoose.Heathcliff,I’mproudtoshowyou,atlast,somebodythatdotesonyoumorethanmyself.Iexpectyoutofeelflattered.Nay,it’snotNellydon’tlookather!Mypoorlittlesister-in-lawisbreakingherheartbymerecontemplationofyourphysicalandmoralbeauty.ItliesinyourownpowertobeEdgar’sbrother!No,no,Isabella,yousha’n’trunoff,”shecontinued,arresting,withfeignedplayfulness,theconfoundedgirl,whohadrisenindignantly.“Wewerequarrellinglikecatsaboutyou,HeathcliffandIwasfairlybeateninprotestationsofdevotionandadmiration:and,moreover,IwasinformedthatifIwouldbuthavethemannerstostandaside,myrival,asshewillhaveherselftobe,wouldshootashaftintoyoursoulthatwouldfixyouforever,andsendmyimageintoeternaloblivion!” “Catherine!”saidIsabella,callingupherdignity,anddisdainingtostrugglefromthetightgraspthatheldher,“I’dthankyoutoadheretothetruthandnotslanderme,eveninjoke!Mr.Heathcliff,bekindenoughtobidthisfriendofyoursreleaseme:sheforgetsthatyouandIarenotintimateacquaintancesandwhatamusesherispainfultomebeyondexpression.” Astheguestanswerednothing,buttookhisseat,andlookedthoroughlyindifferentwhatsentimentsshecherishedconcerninghim,sheturnedandwhisperedanearnestappealforlibertytohertormentor. “Bynomeans!”criedMrs.Lintoninanswer.“Iwon’tbenamedadoginthemangeragain.Youshallstay:nowthen!Heathcliff,whydon’tyouevincesatisfactionatmypleasantnews?IsabellaswearsthattheloveEdgarhasformeisnothingtothatsheentertainsforyou.I’msureshemadesomespeechofthekinddidshenot,Ellen?Andshehasfastedeversincethedaybeforeyesterday’swalk,fromsorrowandragethatIdespatchedheroutofyoursocietyundertheideaofitsbeingunacceptable.” “Ithinkyoubelieher,”saidHeathcliff,twistinghischairtofacethem.“Shewishestobeoutofmysocietynow,atanyrate!” Andhestaredhardattheobjectofdiscourse,asonemightdoatastrangerepulsiveanimal:acentipedefromtheIndies,forinstance,whichcuriosityleadsonetoexamineinspiteoftheaversionitraises.Thepoorthingcouldn’tbearthatshegrewwhiteandredinrapidsuccession,and,whiletearsbeadedherlashes,bentthestrengthofhersmallfingerstoloosenthefirmclutchofCatherineandperceivingthatasfastassheraisedonefingeroffherarmanothercloseddown,andshecouldnotremovethewholetogether,shebegantomakeuseofhernailsandtheirsharpnesspresentlyornamentedthedetainer’swithcrescentsofred. “There’satigress!”exclaimedMrs.Linton,settingherfree,andshakingherhandwithpain.“Begone,forGod’ssake,andhideyourvixenface!Howfoolishtorevealthosetalonstohim.Can’tyoufancytheconclusionshe’lldraw?Look,Heathcliff!theyareinstrumentsthatwilldoexecution—youmustbewareofyoureyes.” “I’dwrenchthemoffherfingers,iftheyevermenacedme,”heanswered,brutally,whenthedoorhadclosedafterher.“Butwhatdidyoumeanbyteasingthecreatureinthatmanner,Cathy?Youwerenotspeakingthetruth,wereyou?” “IassureyouIwas,”shereturned.“Shehasbeendyingforyoursakeseveralweeks,andravingaboutyouthismorning,andpouringforthadelugeofabuse,becauseIrepresentedyourfailingsinaplainlight,forthepurposeofmitigatingheradoration.Butdon’tnoticeitfurther:Iwishedtopunishhersauciness,that’sall.Ilikehertoowell,mydearHeathcliff,toletyouabsolutelyseizeanddevourherup.” “AndIlikehertooilltoattemptit,”saidhe,“exceptinaveryghoulishfashion.You’dhearofoddthingsifIlivedalonewiththatmawkish,waxenface:themostordinarywouldbepaintingonitswhitethecoloursoftherainbow,andturningtheblueeyesblack,everydayortwo:theydetestablyresembleLinton’s.” “Delectably!”observedCatherine.“Theyaredove’seyes—angel’s!” “She’sherbrother’sheir,isshenot?”heasked,afterabriefsilence. “Ishouldbesorrytothinkso,”returnedhiscompanion.“Halfadozennephewsshallerasehertitle,pleaseheaven!Abstractyourmindfromthesubjectatpresent:youaretoopronetocovetyourneighbour’sgoodsrememberthisneighbour’sgoodsaremine.” “Iftheyweremine,theywouldbenonethelessthat,”saidHeathcliff“butthoughIsabellaLintonmaybesilly,sheisscarcelymadand,inshort,we’lldismissthematter,asyouadvise.” FromtheirtonguestheydiddismissitandCatherine,probably,fromherthoughts.Theother,Ifeltcertain,recalleditofteninthecourseoftheevening.Isawhimsmiletohimself—grinrather—andlapseintoominousmusingwheneverMrs.Lintonhadoccasiontobeabsentfromtheapartment. Ideterminedtowatchhismovements.Myheartinvariablycleavedtothemaster’s,inpreferencetoCatherine’sside:withreasonIimagined,forhewaskind,andtrustful,andhonourableandshe—shecouldnotbecalledtheopposite,yetsheseemedtoallowherselfsuchwidelatitude,thatIhadlittlefaithinherprinciples,andstilllesssympathyforherfeelings.IwantedsomethingtohappenwhichmighthavetheeffectoffreeingbothWutheringHeightsandtheGrangeofMr.Heathcliff,quietlyleavingusaswehadbeenpriortohisadvent.Hisvisitswereacontinualnightmaretomeand,Isuspected,tomymasteralso.HisabodeattheHeightswasanoppressionpastexplaining.IfeltthatGodhadforsakenthestraysheeptheretoitsownwickedwanderings,andanevilbeastprowledbetweenitandthefold,waitinghistimetospringanddestroy.