CHAPTER XII

oumaypleaseyourselfwhetheryougotothemorcometome!” “Catherine,whathaveyoudone?”commencedthemaster.“AmInothingtoyouanymore?DoyoulovethatwretchHeath—” “Hush!”criedMrs.Linton.“Hush,thismoment!YoumentionthatnameandIendthematterinstantlybyaspringfromthewindow!Whatyoutouchatpresentyoumayhavebutmysoulwillbeonthathill-topbeforeyoulayhandsonmeagain.Idon’twantyou,Edgar:I’mpastwantingyou.Returntoyourbooks.I’mgladyoupossessaconsolation,forallyouhadinmeisgone.” “Hermindwanders,sir,”Iinterposed.“Shehasbeentalkingnonsensethewholeeveningbutletherhavequiet,andproperattendance,andshe’llrally.Hereafter,wemustbecautioushowwevexher.” “Idesirenofurtheradvicefromyou,”answeredMr.Linton.“Youknewyourmistress’snature,andyouencouragedmetoharassher.Andnottogivemeonehintofhowshehasbeenthesethreedays!Itwasheartless!Monthsofsicknesscouldnotcausesuchachange!” Ibegantodefendmyself,thinkingittoobadtobeblamedforanother’swickedwaywardness.“IknewMrs.Linton’snaturetobeheadstronganddomineering,”criedI:“butIdidn’tknowthatyouwishedtofosterherfiercetemper!Ididn’tknowthat,tohumourher,IshouldwinkatMr.Heathcliff.Iperformedthedutyofafaithfulservantintellingyou,andIhavegotafaithfulservant’swages!Well,itwillteachmetobecarefulnexttime.Nexttimeyoumaygatherintelligenceforyourself!” “Thenexttimeyoubringataletomeyoushallquitmyservice,EllenDean,”hereplied. “You’dratherhearnothingaboutit,Isuppose,then,Mr.Linton?”saidI.“Heathcliffhasyourpermissiontocomea-courtingtoMiss,andtodropinateveryopportunityyourabsenceoffers,onpurposetopoisonthemistressagainstyou?” ConfusedasCatherinewas,herwitswerealertatapplyingourconversation. “Ah!Nellyhasplayedtraitor,”sheexclaimed,passionately.“Nellyismyhiddenenemy.Youwitch!Soyoudoseekelf-boltstohurtus!Letmego,andI’llmakeherrue!I’llmakeherhowlarecantation!” Amaniac’sfurykindledunderherbrowsshestruggleddesperatelytodisengageherselffromLinton’sarms.Ifeltnoinclinationtotarrytheeventand,resolvingtoseekmedicalaidonmyownresponsibility,Iquittedthechamber. Inpassingthegardentoreachtheroad,ataplacewhereabridlehookisdrivenintothewall,Isawsomethingwhitemovedirregularly,evidentlybyanotheragentthanthewind.Notwithstandingmyhurry,Istayedtoexamineit,lesteverafterIshouldhavetheconvictionimpressedonmyimaginationthatitwasacreatureoftheotherworld.Mysurpriseandperplexityweregreatondiscovering,bytouchmorethanvision,MissIsabella’sspringer,Fanny,suspendedbyahandkerchief,andnearlyatitslastgasp.Iquicklyreleasedtheanimal,andlifteditintothegarden.Ihadseenitfollowitsmistressupstairswhenshewenttobedandwonderedmuchhowitcouldhavegotoutthere,andwhatmischievouspersonhadtreateditso.Whileuntyingtheknotroundthehook,itseemedtomethatIrepeatedlycaughtthebeatofhorses’feetgallopingatsomedistancebutthereweresuchanumberofthingstooccupymyreflectionsthatIhardlygavethecircumstanceathought:thoughitwasastrangesound,inthatplace,attwoo’clockinthemorning. Mr.KennethwasfortunatelyjustissuingfromhishousetoseeapatientinthevillageasIcameupthestreetandmyaccountofCatherineLinton’smaladyinducedhimtoaccompanymebackimmediately.Hewasaplainroughmanandhemadenoscrupletospeakhisdoubtsofhersurvivingthissecondattackunlesssheweremoresubmissivetohisdirectionsthanshehadshownherselfbefore. “NellyDean,”saidhe,“Ican’thelpfancyingthere’sanextracauseforthis.WhathastherebeentodoattheGrange?We’veoddreportsuphere.Astout,heartylasslikeCatherinedoesnotfallillforatrifleandthatsortofpeopleshouldnoteither.It’shardworkbringingthemthroughfevers,andsuchthings.Howdiditbegin?” “Themasterwillinformyou,”Ianswered“butyouareacquaintedwiththeEarnshaws’violentdispositions,andMrs.Lintoncapsthemall.Imaysaythisitcommencedinaquarrel.Shewasstruckduringatempestofpassionwithakindoffit.That’sheraccount,atleast:forsheflewoffintheheightofit,andlockedherselfup.Afterwards,sherefusedtoeat,andnowshealternatelyravesandremainsinahalfdreamknowingthoseabouther,buthavinghermindfilledwithallsortsofstrangeideasandillusions.” “Mr.Lintonwillbesorry?”observedKenneth,interrogatively. “Sorry?he’llbreakhisheartshouldanythinghappen!”Ireplied.“Don’talarmhimmorethannecessary.” “Well,Itoldhimtobeware,”saidmycompanion“andhemustbidetheconsequencesofneglectingmywarning!Hasn’thebeenintimatewithMr.Heathclifflately?” “HeathclifffrequentlyvisitsattheGrange,”answeredI,“thoughmoreonthestrengthofthemistresshavingknownhimwhenaboy,thanbecausethemasterlikeshiscompany.Atpresenthe’sdischargedfromthetroubleofcallingowingtosomepresumptuousaspirationsafterMissLintonwhichhemanifested.Ihardlythinkhe’llbetakeninagain.” “AnddoesMissLintonturnaco