CHAPTER XIV

rselfandendedbyhopingthathewouldfollowMr.Linton’sexampleandavoidfutureinterferencewithhisfamily,forgoodorevil. “Mrs.Lintonisnowjustrecovering,”Isaid“she’llneverbelikeshewas,butherlifeissparedandifyoureallyhavearegardforher,you’llshuncrossingherwayagain:nay,you’llmoveoutofthiscountryentirelyandthatyoumaynotregretit,I’llinformyouCatherineLintonisasdifferentnowfromyouroldfriendCatherineEarnshaw,asthatyoungladyisdifferentfromme.Herappearanceischangedgreatly,hercharactermuchmoresoandthepersonwhoiscompelled,ofnecessity,tobehercompanion,willonlysustainhisaffectionhereafterbytheremembranceofwhatsheoncewas,bycommonhumanity,andasenseofduty!” “Thatisquitepossible,”remarkedHeathcliff,forcinghimselftoseemcalm:“quitepossiblethatyourmastershouldhavenothingbutcommonhumanityandasenseofdutytofallbackupon.ButdoyouimaginethatIshallleaveCatherinetohisdutyandhumanity?andcanyoucomparemyfeelingsrespectingCatherinetohis?Beforeyouleavethishouse,Imustexactapromisefromyouthatyou’llgetmeaninterviewwithher:consent,orrefuse,Iwillseeher!Whatdoyousay?” “Isay,Mr.Heathcliff,”Ireplied,“youmustnot:younevershall,throughmymeans.Anotherencounterbetweenyouandthemasterwouldkillheraltogether.” “Withyouraidthatmaybeavoided,”hecontinued“andshouldtherebedangerofsuchanevent—shouldhebethecauseofaddingasingletroublemoretoherexistence—why,IthinkIshallbejustifiedingoingtoextremes!IwishyouhadsincerityenoughtotellmewhetherCatherinewouldsuffergreatlyfromhisloss:thefearthatshewouldrestrainsme.Andthereyouseethedistinctionbetweenourfeelings:hadhebeeninmyplace,andIinhis,thoughIhatedhimwithahatredthatturnedmylifetogall,Ineverwouldhaveraisedahandagainsthim.Youmaylookincredulous,ifyouplease!Ineverwouldhavebanishedhimfromhersocietyaslongasshedesiredhis.Themomentherregardceased,Iwouldhavetornhisheartout,anddrunkhisblood!But,tillthen—ifyoudon’tbelieveme,youdon’tknowme—tillthen,IwouldhavediedbyinchesbeforeItouchedasinglehairofhishead!” “Andyet,”Iinterrupted,“youhavenoscruplesincompletelyruiningallhopesofherperfectrestoration,bythrustingyourselfintoherremembrancenow,whenshehasnearlyforgottenyou,andinvolvingherinanewtumultofdiscordanddistress.” “Yousupposeshehasnearlyforgottenme?”hesaid.“Oh,Nelly!youknowshehasnot!YouknowaswellasIdo,thatforeverythoughtshespendsonLintonshespendsathousandonme!Atamostmiserableperiodofmylife,Ihadanotionofthekind:ithauntedmeonmyreturntotheneighbourhoodlastsummerbutonlyherownassurancecouldmakemeadmitthehorribleideaagain.Andthen,Lintonwouldbenothing,norHindley,norallthedreamsthateverIdreamt.Twowordswouldcomprehendmyfuture—deathandhell:existence,afterlosingher,wouldbehell.YetIwasafooltofancyforamomentthatshevaluedEdgarLinton’sattachmentmorethanmine.Ifhelovedwithallthepowersofhispunybeing,hecouldn’tloveasmuchineightyyearsasIcouldinaday.AndCatherinehasaheartasdeepasIhave:theseacouldbeasreadilycontainedinthathorse-troughasherwholeaffectionbemonopolisedbyhim.Tush!Heisscarcelyadegreedearertoherthanherdog,orherhorse.Itisnotinhimtobelovedlikeme:howcansheloveinhimwhathehasnot?” “C