CHAPTER XI

g!Well,ifIcannotkeepHeathcliffformyfriend—ifEdgarwillbemeanandjealous,I’lltrytobreaktheirheartsbybreakingmyown.Thatwillbeapromptwayoffinishingall,whenIampushedtoextremity!Butit’sadeedtobereservedforaforlornhopeI’dnottakeLintonbysurprisewithit.Tothispointhehasbeendiscreetindreadingtoprovokemeyoumustrepresenttheperilofquittingthatpolicy,andremindhimofmypassionatetemper,verging,whenkindled,onfrenzy.Iwishyoucoulddismissthatapathyoutofthatcountenance,andlookrathermoreanxiousaboutme.” ThestoliditywithwhichIreceivedtheseinstructionswas,nodoubt,ratherexasperating:fortheyweredeliveredinperfectsinceritybutIbelievedapersonwhocouldplantheturningofherfitsofpassiontoaccount,beforehand,might,byexertingherwill,managetocontrolherselftolerably,evenwhileundertheirinfluenceandIdidnotwishto“frighten”herhusband,asshesaid,andmultiplyhisannoyancesforthepurposeofservingherselfishness.ThereforeIsaidnothingwhenImetthemastercomingtowardstheparlourbutItookthelibertyofturningbacktolistenwhethertheywouldresumetheirquarreltogether.Hebegantospeakfirst. “Remainwhereyouare,Catherine,”hesaidwithoutanyangerinhisvoice,butwithmuchsorrowfuldespondency.“Ishallnotstay.IamneithercometowranglenorbereconciledbutIwishjusttolearnwhether,afterthisevening’sevents,youintendtocontinueyourintimacywith—” “Oh,formercy’ssake,”interruptedthemistress,stampingherfoot,“formercy’ssake,letushearnomoreofitnow!Yourcoldbloodcannotbeworkedintoafever:yourveinsarefullofice-waterbutmineareboiling,andthesightofsuchchillnessmakesthemdance.” “Togetridofme,answermyquestion,”perseveredMr.Linton.“Youmustansweritandthatviolencedoesnotalarmme.Ihavefoundthatyoucanbeasstoicalasanyone,whenyouplease.WillyougiveupHeathcliffhereafter,orwillyougiveupme?ItisimpossibleforyoutobemyfriendandhisatthesametimeandIabsolutelyrequiretoknowwhichyouchoose.” “Irequiretobeletalone!”exclaimedCatherine,furiously.“Idemandit!Don’tyouseeIcanscarcelystand?Edgar,you—youleaveme!” SherangthebelltillitbrokewithatwangIenteredleisurely.Itwasenoughtotrythetemperofasaint,suchsenseless,wickedrages!Thereshelaydashingherheadagainstthearmofthesofa,andgrindingherteeth,sothatyoumightfancyshewouldcrashthemtosplinters!Mr.Lintonstoodlookingatherinsuddencompunctionandfear.Hetoldmetofetchsomewater.Shehadnobreathforspeaking.Ibroughtaglassfullandasshewouldnotdrink,Isprinkleditonherface.Inafewsecondsshestretchedherselfoutstiff,andturneduphereyes,whilehercheeks,atonceblanchedandlivid,assumedtheaspectofdeath.Lintonlookedterrified. “Thereisnothingintheworldthematter,”Iwhispered.Ididnotwanthimtoyield,thoughIcouldnothelpbeingafraidinmyheart. “Shehasbloodonherlips!”hesaid,shuddering. “Nevermind!”Ianswered,tartly.AndItoldhimhowshehadresolved,previoustohiscoming,onexhibitingafitoffrenzy.Iincautiouslygavetheaccountaloud,andsheheardmeforshestartedup—herhairflyingoverhershoulders,hereyesflashing,themusclesofherneckandarmsstandingoutpreternaturally.Imadeupmymindforbrokenbones,atleastbutsheonlyglaredaboutherforaninstant,andthenrushedfromtheroom.ThemasterdirectedmetofollowIdid,toherchamber-door:shehinderedmefromgoingfurtherbysecuringitagainstme. Assheneverofferedtodescendtobreakfastnextmorning,Iwenttoaskwhethershewouldhavesomecarriedup.“No!”shereplied,peremptorily.Thesamequestionwasrepeatedatdinnerandteaandagainonthemorrowafter,andreceivedthesameanswer.Mr.Linton,onhispart,spenthistimeinthelibrary,anddidnotinquireconcerninghiswife’soccupations.Isabellaandhehadhadanhour’sinterview,duringwhichhetriedtoelicitfromhersomesentimentofproperhorrorforHeathcliff’sadvances:buthecouldmakenothingofherevasivereplies,andwasobligedtoclosetheexaminationunsatisfactorilyadding,however,asolemnwarning,thatifsheweresoinsaneastoencouragethatworthlesssuitor,itwoulddissolveallbondsofrelationshipbetweenherselfandhim.