CHAPTER XI

ttleinthesamestyle,andrefrainfrominsultasmuchasyouareable.Havinglevelledmypalace,don’terectahovelandcomplacentlyadmireyourowncharityingivingmethatforahome.IfIimaginedyoureallywishedmetomarryIsabel,I’dcutmythroat!” “Oh,theevilisthatIamnotjealous,isit?”criedCatherine.“Well,Iwon’trepeatmyofferofawife:itisasbadasofferingSatanalostsoul.Yourblisslies,likehis,ininflictingmisery.Youproveit.Edgarisrestoredfromtheill-temperhegavewaytoatyourcomingIbegintobesecureandtranquilandyou,restlesstoknowusatpeace,appearresolvedonexcitingaquarrel.QuarrelwithEdgar,ifyouplease,Heathcliff,anddeceivehissister:you’llhitonexactlythemostefficientmethodofrevengingyourselfonme.” Theconversationceased.Mrs.Lintonsatdownbythefire,flushedandgloomy.Thespiritwhichservedherwasgrowingintractable:shecouldneitherlaynorcontrolit.Hestoodonthehearthwithfoldedarms,broodingonhisevilthoughtsandinthispositionIleftthemtoseekthemaster,whowaswonderingwhatkeptCatherinebelowsolong. “Ellen,”saidhe,whenIentered,“haveyouseenyourmistress?” “Yesshe’sinthekitchen,sir,”Ianswered.“She’ssadlyputoutbyMr.Heathcliff’sbehaviour:and,indeed,Idothinkit’stimetoarrangehisvisitsonanotherfooting.There’sharminbeingtoosoft,andnowit’scometothis—.”AndIrelatedthesceneinthecourt,and,asnearasIdared,thewholesubsequentdispute.IfancieditcouldnotbeveryprejudicialtoMrs.Lintonunlessshemadeitsoafterwards,byassumingthedefensiveforherguest.EdgarLintonhaddifficultyinhearingmetotheclose.Hisfirstwordsrevealedthathedidnotclearhiswifeofblame. “Thisisinsufferable!”heexclaimed.“Itisdisgracefulthatsheshouldownhimforafriend,andforcehiscompanyonme!Callmetwomenoutofthehall,Ellen.Catherineshalllingernolongertoarguewiththelowruffian—Ihavehumouredherenough.” Hedescended,andbiddingtheservantswaitinthepassage,went,followedbyme,tothekitchen.Itsoccupantshadrecommencedtheirangrydiscussion:Mrs.Linton,atleast,wasscoldingwithrenewedvigourHeathcliffhadmovedtothewindow,andhunghishead,somewhatcowedbyherviolentratingapparently.Hesawthemasterfirst,andmadeahastymotionthatsheshouldbesilentwhichsheobeyed,abruptly,ondiscoveringthereasonofhisintimation. “Howisthis?”saidLinton,addressingher“whatnotionofproprietymustyouhavetoremainhere,afterthelanguagewhichhasbeenheldtoyoubythatblackguard?Isuppose,becauseitishisordinarytalkyouthinknothingofit:youarehabituatedtohisbaseness,and,perhaps,imagineIcangetusedtoittoo!” “Haveyoubeenlisteningatthedoor,Edgar?”askedthemistress,inatoneparticularlycalculatedtoprovokeherhusband,implyingbothcarelessnessandcontemptofhisirritation.Heathcliff,whohadraisedhiseyesattheformerspeech,gaveasneeringlaughatthelatteronpurpose,itseemed,todrawMr.Linton’sattentiontohim.HesucceededbutEdgardidnotmeantoentertainhimwithanyhighflightsofpassion. “I’vebeensofarforbearingwithyou,sir,”hesaidquietly“notthatIwasignorantofyourmiserable,degradedcharacter,butIfeltyouwereonlypartlyresponsibleforthatandCatherinewishingtokeepupyouracquaintance,Iacquiesced—foolishly.Yourpresenceisamoralpoisonthatwouldcontaminatethemostvirtuous:forthatcause,andtopreventworseconsequences,Ishalldenyyouhereafteradmissionintothishouse,andgivenoticenowthatIrequireyourinstantdeparture.Threeminutes’delaywillrenderitinvoluntaryandignominious.” Heathcliffmeasuredtheheightandbreadthofthespeakerwithaneyefullofderision. “Cathy,thislambofyoursthreatenslikeabull!”hesaid.“Itisindangerofsplittingitsskullagainstmyknuckles.ByGod!Mr.Linton,I’mmortallysorrythatyouarenotworthknockingdown!” Mymasterglancedtowardsthepassage,andsignedmetofetchthemen:hehadnointentionofhazardingapersonalencounter.IobeyedthehintbutMrs.Linton,suspectingsomething,followedandwhenIattemptedtocallthem,shepulledmeback,slammedthedoorto,andlockedit. “Fairmeans!”shesaid,inanswertoherhusband’slookofangrysurprise.“Ifyouhavenotcouragetoattackhim,makeanapology,ora