CHAPTER XII
關燈
小
中
大
ldshoulderonhim?”wasthedoctor’snextquestion.
“I’mnotinherconfidence,”returnedI,reluctanttocontinuethesubject.
“No,she’saslyone,”heremarked,shakinghishead.“Shekeepsherowncounsel!Butshe’sareallittlefool.Ihaveitfromgoodauthoritythatlastnight(andaprettynightitwas!)sheandHeathcliffwerewalkingintheplantationatthebackofyourhouseabovetwohoursandhepressedhernottogoinagain,butjustmounthishorseandawaywithhim!Myinformantsaidshecouldonlyputhimoffbypledgingherwordofhonourtobepreparedontheirfirstmeetingafterthat:whenitwastobehedidn’thearbutyouurgeMr.Lintontolooksharp!”
ThisnewsfilledmewithfreshfearsIoutstrippedKenneth,andranmostofthewayback.Thelittledogwasyelpinginthegardenyet.Isparedaminutetoopenthegateforit,butinsteadofgoingtothehousedoor,itcoursedupanddownsnuffingthegrass,andwouldhaveescapedtotheroad,hadInotseizeditandconveyeditinwithme.OnascendingtoIsabella’sroom,mysuspicionswereconfirmed:itwasempty.HadIbeenafewhourssoonerMrs.Linton’sillnessmighthavearrestedherrashstep.Butwhatcouldbedonenow?Therewasabarepossibilityofovertakingthemifpursuedinstantly.Icouldnotpursuethem,howeverandIdarednotrousethefamily,andfilltheplacewithconfusionstilllessunfoldthebusinesstomymaster,absorbedashewasinhispresentcalamity,andhavingnohearttospareforasecondgrief!Isawnothingforitbuttoholdmytongue,andsuffermatterstotaketheircourseandKennethbeingarrived,Iwentwithabadlycomposedcountenancetoannouncehim.Catherinelayinatroubledsleep:herhusbandhadsucceededinsoothingtheexcessoffrenzyhenowhungoverherpillow,watchingeveryshadeandeverychangeofherpainfullyexpressivefeatures.
Thedoctor,onexaminingthecaseforhimself,spokehopefullytohimofitshavingafavourabletermination,ifwecouldonlypreservearoundherperfectandconstanttranquillity.Tome,hesignifiedthethreateningdangerwasnotsomuchdeath,aspermanentalienationofintellect.
Ididnotclosemyeyesthatnight,nordidMr.Linton:indeed,weneverwenttobedandtheservantswerealluplongbeforetheusualhour,movingthroughthehousewithstealthytread,andexchangingwhispersastheyencounteredeachotherintheirvocations.EveryonewasactivebutMissIsabellaandtheybegantoremarkhowsoundsheslept:herbrother,too,askedifshehadrisen,andseemedimpatientforherpresence,andhurtthatsheshowedsolittleanxietyforhersister-in-law.ItrembledlestheshouldsendmetocallherbutIwassparedthepainofbeingthefirstproclaimantofherflight.Oneofthemaids,athoughtlessgirl,whohadbeenonanearlyerrandtoGimmerton,camepantingupstairs,open-mouthed,anddashedintothechamber,crying:“Oh,dear,dear!Whatmunwehavenext?Master,master,ouryounglady—”
“Holdyournoise!”criedIhastily,enragedatherclamorousmanner.
“Speaklower,Mary—Whatisthematter?”saidMr.Linton.“Whatailsyouryounglady?”
“She’sgone,she’sgone!Yon’Heathcliff’srunoffwi’her!”gaspedthegirl.
“Thatisnottrue!”exclaimedLinton,risinginagitation.“Itcannotbe:howhastheideaenteredyourhead?EllenDean,goandseekher.Itisincredible:itcannotbe.”
Ashespokehetooktheservanttothedoor,andthenrepeatedhisdemandtoknowherreasonsforsuchanassertion.
“Why,Imetontheroadaladthatfetchesmilkhere,”shestammered,“andheaskedwhetherweweren’tintroubleattheGrange.Ithoughthemeantformissis’ssickness,soIanswered,yes.Thensayshe,‘There’ssomebodygoneafter’em,Iguess?’Istared.HesawIknewnoughtaboutit,andhetoldhowagentlemanandladyhadstoppedtohaveahorse’sshoefastenedatablacksmith’sshop,twomilesoutofGimmerton,notverylongaftermidnight!andhowtheblacksmith’slasshadgotuptospywhotheywere:sheknewthembothdirectly.Andshenoticedtheman—Heathcliffitwas,shefeltcertain:nob’dycouldmistakehim,besides—putasovereigninherfather’shandforpayment.Theladyhadacloakaboutherfacebuthavingdesiredasupofwater,whileshedrankitfellback,andshesawherveryplain.Heathcliffheldbothbridlesastheyrodeon,andtheysettheirfacesfromthevillage,andwentasfastastheroughroadswouldletthem.Thelasssaidnothingtoherfather,butshetolditalloverGimmertonthismorning.”
Iranandpeeped,forform’ssake,intoIsabella’sroomconfirming,whenIreturned,theservant’sstatement.Mr.Lintonhadresumedhisseatbythebedonmyre-entrance,heraisedhiseyes,readthemeaningofmyblankaspect,anddroppedthemwithoutgivinganorder,orutteringaword.
“Arewetotryanymeasuresforovertakingandbringingherback,”Iinquired.“Howshouldwedo?”
“Shewentofherownaccord,”answeredthemaster“shehadarighttogoifshepleased.Troublemenomoreabouther.Hereaftersheisonlymysisterinname:notbecauseIdisownher,butbecauseshehasdisownedme.”
Andthatwasallhesaidonthesubject:hedidnotmakeasingleinquiryfurther,ormentionherinanyway,exceptdirectingmetosendwhatpropertyshehadinthehousetoherfreshhome,whereveritwas,whenIknewit.
