CHAPTER XVI

dstrewnwithflowersandscentedleaves,inthegreatdrawing-room.Lintonspenthisdaysandnightsthere,asleeplessguardianand—acircumstanceconcealedfromallbutme—Heathcliffspenthisnights,atleast,outside,equallyastrangertorepose.Iheldnocommunicationwithhimstill,Iwasconsciousofhisdesigntoenter,ifhecouldandontheTuesday,alittleafterdark,whenmymaster,fromsheerfatigue,hadbeencompelledtoretireacoupleofhours,Iwentandopenedoneofthewindowsmovedbyhisperseverancetogivehimachanceofbestowingonthefadedimageofhisidolonefinaladieu.Hedidnotomittoavailhimselfoftheopportunity,cautiouslyandbrieflytoocautiouslytobetrayhispresencebytheslightestnoise.Indeed,Ishouldn’thavediscoveredthathehadbeenthere,exceptforthedisarrangementofthedraperyaboutthecorpse’sface,andforobservingontheflooracurloflighthair,fastenedwithasilverthreadwhich,onexamination,IascertainedtohavebeentakenfromalockethungroundCatherine’sneck.Heathcliffhadopenedthetrinketandcastoutitscontents,replacingthembyablacklockofhisown.Itwistedthetwo,andenclosedthemtogether. Mr.Earnshawwas,ofcourse,invitedtoattendtheremainsofhissistertothegravehesentnoexcuse,buthenevercamesothat,besidesherhusband,themournerswerewhollycomposedoftenantsandservants.Isabellawasnotasked. TheplaceofCatherine’sinterment,tothesurpriseofthevillagers,wasneitherinthechapelunderthecarvedmonumentoftheLintons,noryetbythetombsofherownrelations,outside.Itwasdugonagreenslopeinacornerofthekirkyard,wherethewallissolowthatheathandbilberry-plantshaveclimbedoveritfromthemoorandpeat-mouldalmostburiesit.Herhusbandliesinthesamespotnowandtheyhaveeachasimpleheadstoneabove,andaplaingreyblockattheirfeet,tomarkthegraves.