CHAPTER XVII

cedpleasureinbeingabletoexasperatehim:thesenseofpleasurewokemyinstinctofself-preservation,soIfairlybrokefreeandifeverIcomeintohishandsagainheiswelcometoasignalrevenge. “Yesterday,youknow,Mr.Earnshawshouldhavebeenatthefuneral.Hekepthimselfsoberforthepurpose—tolerablysober:notgoingtobedmadatsixo’clockandgettingupdrunkattwelve.Consequently,herose,insuicidallowspirits,asfitforthechurchasforadanceandinstead,hesatdownbythefireandswallowedginorbrandybytumblerfuls. “Heathcliff—Ishuddertonamehim!hasbeenastrangerinthehousefromlastSundaytillto-day.Whethertheangelshavefedhim,orhiskinbeneath,Icannottellbuthehasnoteatenamealwithusfornearlyaweek.Hehasjustcomehomeatdawn,andgoneupstairstohischamberlockinghimselfin—asifanybodydreamtofcovetinghiscompany!Therehehascontinued,prayinglikeaMethodist:onlythedeityheimploredissenselessdustandashesandGod,whenaddressed,wascuriouslyconfoundedwithhisownblackfather!Afterconcludingthesepreciousorisons—andtheylastedgenerallytillhegrewhoarseandhisvoicewasstrangledinhisthroat—hewouldbeoffagainalwaysstraightdowntotheGrange!IwonderEdgardidnotsendforaconstable,andgivehimintocustody!Forme,grievedasIwasaboutCatherine,itwasimpossibletoavoidregardingthisseasonofdeliverancefromdegradingoppressionasaholiday. “IrecoveredspiritssufficienttohearJoseph’seternallectureswithoutweeping,andtomoveupanddownthehouselesswiththefootofafrightenedthiefthanformerly.Youwouldn’tthinkthatIshouldcryatanythingJosephcouldsaybutheandHaretonaredetestablecompanions.I’drathersitwithHindley,andhearhisawfultalk,thanwith‘t’littlemaister’andhisstaunchsupporter,thatodiousoldman!WhenHeathcliffisin,I’moftenobligedtoseekthekitchenandtheirsociety,orstarveamongthedampuninhabitedchamberswhenheisnot,aswasthecasethisweek,Iestablishatableandchairatonecornerofthehousefire,andnevermindhowMr.Earnshawmayoccupyhimselfandhedoesnotinterferewithmyarrangements.Heisquieternowthanheusedtobe,ifnooneprovokeshim:moresullenanddepressed,andlessfurious.Josephaffirmshe’ssurehe’sanalteredman:thattheLordhastouchedhisheart,andheissaved‘soasbyfire.’I’mpuzzledtodetectsignsofthefavourablechange:butitisnotmybusiness. “Yester-eveningIsatinmynookreadingsomeoldbookstilllateontowardstwelve.Itseemedsodismaltogoupstairs,withthewildsnowblowingoutside,andmythoughtscontinuallyrevertingtothekirkyardandthenew-madegrave!Idaredhardlyliftmyeyesfromthepagebeforeme,thatmelancholyscenesoinstantlyusurpeditsplace.Hindleysatopposite,hisheadleantonhishandperhapsmeditatingonthesamesubject.Hehadceaseddrinkingatapointbelowirrationality,andhadneitherstirrednorspokenduringtwoorthreehours.Therewasnosoundthroughthehousebutthemoaningwind,whichshookthewindowseverynowandthen,thefaintcracklingofthecoals,andtheclickofmysnuffersasIremovedatintervalsthelongwickofthecandle.HaretonandJosephwereprobablyfastasleepinbed.Itwasvery,verysad:andwhileIreadIsighed,foritseemedasifalljoyhadvanishedfromtheworld,nevertoberestored. “Thedolefulsilencewasbrokenatlengthbythesoundofthekitchenlatch:Heathcliffhadreturnedfromhiswatchearlierthanusualowing,Isuppose,tothesuddenstorm.Thatentrancewasfastened,andweheardhimcomingroundtogetinbytheother.IrosewithanirrepressibleexpressionofwhatIfeltonmylips,whichinducedmycompanion,whohadbeenstaringtowardsthedoor,toturnandlookatme. “‘I’llkeephimoutfiveminutes,’heexclaimed.‘Youwon’tobject?’ “‘No,youmaykeephimoutthewholenightforme,’Ianswered.‘Do!putthekeyinthelock,anddrawthebolts.’ “Earnshawaccomplishedthiserehisguestreachedthefronthethencameandbroughthischairtotheothersideofmytable,leaningoverit,andsearchinginmyeyesforasympathywiththeburninghatethatgleamedfromhis:ashebothlookedandfeltlikeanassassin,hecouldn’texactlyfindthatbuthediscoveredenoughtoencouragehimtospeak. “‘You,andI,’hesaid,‘haveeachagreatdebttosettlewiththemanoutyonder!Ifwewereneitherofuscowards,wemightcombinetodischargeit.Areyouassoftasyourbrother?Areyouwillingtoenduretothelast,andnotonceattemptarepayment?’ “‘I’mwearyofenduringnow,’Ireplied‘andI’dbegladofaretaliationthatwouldn’trecoilonmyselfbuttreacheryandviolencearespearspointedatbothendstheywoundthosewhoresorttothemworsethantheirenemies.’ “‘Treacheryandviolenceareajustreturnfortreacheryandviolence!’criedHindley.‘Mrs.Heathcliff,I’llaskyoutodonothingbutsitstillandbedumb.Tellmenow,canyou?I’msureyouwouldhaveasmuchpleasureasIinwitnessingtheconclusionofthefiend’sexistencehe’llbeyourdeathunlessyouoverreachhimandhe’llbemyruin.Damnthehellishvillain!Heknocksatthedoorasifheweremasterherealready!Promisetoholdyourtongue,andbeforethatclockstrikes—itwantsthreeminutesofone—you’reafreewoman!’ “HetooktheimplementswhichIdescribedtoyouinmyletterfromhisbreast,andwouldhaveturneddownthecandle.Isnatcheditaway,however,andseizedhisarm. “‘I’llnotholdmytongue!’Isaid‘youmustn’ttouchhim.Letthedoorremainshut,andbequiet!’ “‘No!I’veformedmyresolution,andbyGodI’llexecuteit!’criedthedesperatebeing.‘I’lldoyouakindnessinspiteofyourself,andHaretonjustice!Andyouneedn’ttroubleyourheadtoscreenmeCatherineisgone.Nobodyalivewouldregretme,orbeashamed,thoughIcutmythroatthisminute—andit’stimetomakeanend!’ “Imightaswellhavestruggledwithabear,orreasonedwithalunatic.Theonlyresourceleftmewastoruntoalatticeandwarnhisintendedvictimofthefatewhichawaitedhim. “‘You’dbetterseeksheltersomewhereelseto-night!’Iexclaimed,inratheratriumphanttone.‘Mr.Earnshawhasamindtoshootyou,ifyoupersistinendeavouringtoenter.’ “‘You’dbetteropenthedoor,you—’heanswered,addressingmebysomeeleganttermthatIdon’tcaretorepeat. “‘Ishallnotmeddleinthematter,’Iretortedagain.‘Comeinandgetshot,ifyouplease.I’vedonemyduty.’ “WiththatIshutthewindowandreturnedtomyplacebythefirehavingtoosmallastockofhypocrisyatmycommandtopretendanyanxietyforthedangerthatmenacedhim.Earnshawsworepassionatelyatme:affirmingthatIlovedthevillainyetandcallingmeallsortsofnamesforthebasespiritIevinced.AndI,inmysecretheart(andconscienceneverreproachedme),thoughtwhatablessingitwouldbeforhimshouldHeathcliffputhimoutofmiseryandwhatablessingformeshouldhesendHeathclifftohisrightabode!AsIsatnursingthesereflections,thecasementbehindmewasbangedontothefloorbyablowfromthelatterindividual,andhisblackcountenancelookedblightinglythrough.Thestanchionsstoodtooclosetosufferhisshoulderstofollow,andIsmiled,exultinginmyfanciedsecurity.Hishairandc