CHAPTER XVII

ThatFridaymadethelastofourfinedaysforamonth.Intheeveningtheweatherbroke:thewindshiftedfromsouthtonorth-east,andbroughtrainfirst,andthensleetandsnow.Onthemorrowonecouldhardlyimaginethattherehadbeenthreeweeksofsummer:theprimrosesandcrocuseswerehiddenunderwintrydriftsthelarksweresilent,theyoungleavesoftheearlytreessmittenandblackened.Anddreary,andchill,anddismal,thatmorrowdidcreepover!MymasterkepthisroomItookpossessionofthelonelyparlour,convertingitintoanursery:andthereIwas,sittingwiththemoaningdollofachildlaidonmykneerockingittoandfro,andwatching,meanwhile,thestilldrivingflakesbuilduptheuncurtainedwindow,whenthedooropened,andsomepersonentered,outofbreathandlaughing!Myangerwasgreaterthanmyastonishmentforaminute.Isupposeditoneofthemaids,andIcried—“Havedone!Howdareyoushowyourgiddinesshere?WhatwouldMr.Lintonsayifheheardyou?” “Excuseme!”answeredafamiliarvoice“butIknowEdgarisinbed,andIcannotstopmyself.” Withthatthespeakercameforwardtothefire,pantingandholdingherhandtoherside. “IhaverunthewholewayfromWutheringHeights!”shecontinued,afterapause“exceptwhereI’veflown.Icouldn’tcountthenumberoffallsI’vehad.Oh,I’machingallover!Don’tbealarmed!ThereshallbeanexplanationassoonasIcangiveitonlyjusthavethegoodnesstostepoutandorderthecarriagetotakemeontoGimmerton,andtellaservanttoseekupafewclothesinmywardrobe.” TheintruderwasMrs.Heathcliff.Shecertainlyseemedinnolaughingpredicament:herhairstreamedonhershoulders,drippingwithsnowandwatershewasdressedinthegirlishdressshecommonlywore,befittingheragemorethanherposition:alowfrockwithshortsleeves,andnothingoneitherheadorneck.Thefrockwasoflightsilk,andclungtoherwithwet,andherfeetwereprotectedmerelybythinslippersaddtothisadeepcutunderoneear,whichonlythecoldpreventedfrombleedingprofusely,awhitefacescratchedandbruised,andaframehardlyabletosupportitselfthroughfatigueandyoumayfancymyfirstfrightwasnotmuchallayedwhenIhadhadleisuretoexamineher. “Mydearyounglady,”Iexclaimed,“I’llstirnowhere,andhearnothing,tillyouhaveremovedeveryarticleofyourclothes,andputondrythingsandcertainlyyoushallnotgotoGimmertonto-night,soitisneedlesstoorderthecarriage.” “CertainlyIshall,”shesaid“walkingorriding:yetI’venoobjectiontodressmyselfdecently.And—ah,seehowitflowsdownmynecknow!Thefiredoesmakeitsmart.” Sheinsistedonmyfulfillingherdirections,beforeshewouldletmetouchherandnottillafterthecoachmanhadbeeninstructedtogetready,andamaidsettopackupsomenecessaryattire,didIobtainherconsentforbindingthewoundandhelpingtochangehergarments. “Now,Ellen,”shesaid,whenmytaskwasfinishedandshewasseatedinaneasy-chaironthehearth,withacupofteabeforeher,“yousitdownoppositeme,andputpoorCatherine’sbabyaway:Idon’tliketoseeit!Youmustn’tthinkIcarelittleforCatherine,becauseIbehavedsofoolishlyonentering:I’vecried,too,bitterly—yes,morethananyoneelsehasreasontocry.Wepartedunreconciled,youremember,andIsha’n’tforgivemyself.But,forallthat,Iwasnotgoingtosympathisewithhim—thebrutebeast!Oh,givemethepoker!ThisisthelastthingofhisIhaveaboutme:”sheslippedthegoldringfromherthirdfinger,andthrewitonthefloor.“I’llsmashit!”shecontinued,strikingitwithchildishspite,“andthenI’llburnit!”andshetookanddroppedthemisusedarticleamongthecoals.“There!heshallbuyanother,ifhegetsmebackagain.He’dbecapableofcomingtoseekme,toteaseEdgar.Idarenotstay,lestthatnotionshouldpossesshiswickedhead!Andbesides,Edgarhasnotbeenkind,hashe?AndIwon’tcomesuingforhisassistancenorwillIbringhimintomoretrouble.Necessitycompelledmetoseekshelterherethough,ifIhadnotlearnedhewasoutoftheway,I’dhavehaltedatthekitchen,washedmyface,warmedmyself,gotyoutobringwhatIwanted,anddepartedagaintoanywhereoutofthereachofmyaccursed—ofthatincarnategoblin!Ah,hewasinsuchafury!Ifhehadcaughtme!It’sapityEarnshawisnothismatchinstrength:Iwouldn’thaveruntillI’dseenhimallbutdemolished,hadHindleybeenabletodoit!” “Well,don’ttalksofast,Miss!”Iinterrupted“you’lldisorderthehandkerchiefIhavetiedroundyourface,andmakethecutbleedagain.Drinkyourtea,andtakebreath,andgiveoverlaughing:laughterissadlyoutofplaceunderthisroof,andinyourcondition!” “Anundeniabletruth,”shereplied.“Listentothatchild!Itmaintainsaconstantwail—senditoutofmyhearingforanhourIsha’n’tstayanylonger.” Irangthebell,andcommittedittoaservant’scareandthenIinquiredwhathadurgedhertoescapefromWutheringHeightsinsuchanunlikelyplight,andwhereshemeanttogo,assherefusedremainingwithus. “Iought,andIwishedtoremain,”answeredshe,“tocheerEdgarandtakecareofthebaby,fortwothings,andbecausetheGrangeismyrighthome.ButItellyouhewouldn’tletme!Doyouthinkhecouldbeartoseemegrowfatandmerry—couldbeartothinkthatweweretranquil,andnotresolveonpoisoningourcomfort?Now,Ihavethesatisfactionofbeingsurethathedetestsme,tothepointofitsannoyinghimseriouslytohavemewithinear-shotoreyesight:Inotice,whenIenterhispresence,themusclesofhiscountenanceareinvoluntarilydistortedintoanexpressionofhatredpartlyarisingfromhisknowledgeofthegoodcausesIhavetofeelthatsentimentforhim,andpartlyfromoriginalaversion.ItisstrongenoughtomakemefeelprettycertainthathewouldnotchasemeoverEngland,supposingIcontrivedaclearescapeandthereforeImustgetquiteaway.I’verecoveredfrommyfirstdesiretobekilledbyhim:I’dratherhe’dkillhimself!Hehasextinguishedmyloveeffectually,andsoI’matmyease.IcanrecollectyethowIlovedhimandcandimlyimaginethatIcouldstillbelovinghim,if—no,no!Evenifhehaddotedonme,thedevilishnaturewouldhaverevealeditsexistencesomehow.Catherinehadanawfullypervertedtastetoesteemhimsodearly,knowinghimsowell.Monster!wouldthathecouldbeblottedoutofcreation,andoutofmymemory!” “Hush,hush!He’sahumanbeing,”Isaid.“Bemorecharitable:thereareworsementhanheisyet!” “He’snotahumanbeing,”sheretorted“andhehasnoclaimonmycharity.Igavehimmyheart,andhetookandpinchedittodeath,andflungitbacktome.Peoplefeelwiththeirhearts,Ellen:andsincehehasdestroyedmine,Ihavenotpowertofeelforhim:andIwouldnot,thoughhegroanedfromthistohisdyingday,andwepttearsofbloodforCatherine!No,indeed,indeed,Iwouldn’t!”AndhereIsabellabegantocrybut,immediatelydashingthewaterfromherlashes,sherecommenced.“Youasked,whathasdrivenmetoflightatlast?Iwascompelledtoattemptit,becauseIhadsucceededinrousinghisrageapitchabovehismalignity.Pullingoutthenerveswithredhotpincersrequiresmorecoolnessthanknockingonthehead.Hewasworkeduptoforgetthefiendishprudenceheboastedof,andproceededtomurderousviolence.Iexperien