CHAPTER XVII

lotheswerewhitenedwithsnow,andhissharpcannibalteeth,revealedbycoldandwrath,gleamedthroughthedark. “‘Isabella,letmein,orI’llmakeyourepent!’he‘girned,’asJosephcallsit. “‘Icannotcommitmurder,’Ireplied.‘Mr.Hindleystandssentinelwithaknifeandloadedpistol.’ “‘Letmeinbythekitchendoor,’hesaid. “‘Hindleywillbetherebeforeme,’Ianswered:‘andthat’sapoorloveofyoursthatcannotbearashowerofsnow!Wewereleftatpeaceinourbedsaslongasthesummermoonshone,butthemomentablastofwinterreturns,youmustrunforshelter!Heathcliff,ifIwereyou,I’dgostretchmyselfoverhergraveanddielikeafaithfuldog.Theworldissurelynotworthlivinginnow,isit?YouhaddistinctlyimpressedonmetheideathatCatherinewasthewholejoyofyourlife:Ican’timaginehowyouthinkofsurvivingherloss.’ “‘He’sthere,ishe?’exclaimedmycompanion,rushingtothegap.‘IfIcangetmyarmoutIcanhithim!’ “I’mafraid,Ellen,you’llsetmedownasreallywickedbutyoudon’tknowall,sodon’tjudge.Iwouldn’thaveaidedorabettedanattemptonevenhislifeforanything.Wishthatheweredead,ImustandthereforeIwasfearfullydisappointed,andunnervedbyterrorfortheconsequencesofmytauntingspeech,whenheflunghimselfonEarnshaw’sweaponandwrencheditfromhisgrasp. “Thechargeexploded,andtheknife,inspringingback,closedintoitsowner’swrist.Heathcliffpulleditawaybymainforce,slittingupthefleshasitpassedon,andthrustitdrippingintohispocket.Hethentookastone,struckdownthedivisionbetweentwowindows,andsprangin.Hisadversaryhadfallensenselesswithexcessivepainandtheflowofblood,thatgushedfromanarteryoralargevein.Theruffiankickedandtrampledonhim,anddashedhisheadrepeatedlyagainsttheflags,holdingmewithonehand,meantime,topreventmesummoningJoseph.Heexertedpreterhumanself-denialinabstainingfromfinishinghimcompletelybutgettingoutofbreath,hefinallydesisted,anddraggedtheapparentlyinanimatebodyontothesettle.TherehetoreoffthesleeveofEarnshaw’scoat,andboundupthewoundwithbrutalroughnessspittingandcursingduringtheoperationasenergeticallyashehadkickedbefore.Beingatliberty,Ilostnotimeinseekingtheoldservantwho,havinggatheredbydegreesthepurportofmyhastytale,hurriedbelow,gasping,ashedescendedthestepstwoatonce. “‘Whatisthertodo,now?whatisthertodo,now?’ “‘There’sthistodo,’thunderedHeathcliff,‘thatyourmaster’smadandshouldhelastanothermonth,I’llhavehimtoanasylum.Andhowthedevildidyoucometofastenmeout,youtoothlesshound?Don’tstandmutteringandmumblingthere.Come,I’mnotgoingtonursehim.Washthatstuffawayandmindthesparksofyourcandle—itismorethanhalfbrandy!’ “‘Andsoye’vebeenmurtheringonhim?’exclaimedJoseph,liftinghishandsandeyesinhorror.‘IfiverIseedaseeghtloikethis!MaytheLord—’ “Heathcliffgavehimapushontohiskneesinthemiddleoftheblood,andflungatoweltohimbutinsteadofproceedingtodryitup,hejoinedhishandsandbeganaprayer,whichexcitedmylaughterfromitsoddphraseology.Iwasintheconditionofmindtobeshockedatnothing:infact,Iwasasrecklessassomemalefactorsshowthemselvesatthefootofthegallows. “‘Oh,Iforgotyou,’saidthetyrant.‘Youshalldothat.Downwithyou.Andyouconspirewithhimagainstme,doyou,viper?There,thatisworkfitforyou!’ “Heshookmetillmyteethrattled,andpitchedmebesideJoseph,whosteadilyconcludedhissupplications,andthenrose,vowinghewouldsetofffortheGrangedirectly.Mr.Lintonwasamagistrate,andthoughhehadfiftywivesdead,heshouldinquireintothis.Hewassoobstinateinhisresolution,thatHeathcliffdeemeditexpedienttocompelfrommylipsarecapitulationofwhathadtakenplacestandingoverme,heavingwithmalevolence,asIreluctantlydeliveredtheaccountinanswertohisquestions.ItrequiredagreatdealoflabourtosatisfytheoldmanthatHeathcliffwasnottheaggressorespeciallywithmyhardly-wrungreplies.However,Mr.EarnshawsoonconvincedhimthathewasalivestillJosephhastenedtoadministeradoseofspirits,andbytheirsuccourhismasterpresentlyregainedmotionandconsciousness.Heathcliff,awarethathisopponentwasignorantofthetreatmentreceivedwhileinsensible,calledhimdeliriouslyintoxicatedandsaidheshouldnotnoticehisatrociousconductfurther,butadvisedhimtogettobed.Tomyjoy,heleftus,aftergivingthisjudiciouscounsel,andHindleystretchedhimselfonthehearthstone.Idepartedtomyownroom,marvellingthatIhadescapedsoeasily. “Thismorning,whenIcamedown,abouthalfanhourbeforenoon,Mr.Earnshawwassittingbythefire,deadlysickhisevilgenius,almostasgauntandghastly,leantagainstthechimney.Neitherappearedinclinedtodine,and,havingwaitedtillallwascoldonthetable,Icommencedalone.Nothinghinderedmefromeatingheartily,andIexperiencedacertainsenseofsatisfactionandsuperiority,as,atintervals,Icastalooktowardsmysilentcompanions,andfeltthecomfortofaquietconsciencewithinme.AfterIhaddone,Iventuredontheunusuallibertyofdrawingnearthefire,goingroundEarnshaw’sseat,andkneelinginthecornerbesidehim. “Heathcliffdidnotglancemyway,andIgazedup,andcontemplatedhisfeaturesalmostasconfidentlyasiftheyhadbeenturnedtostone.Hisforehead,thatIoncethoughtsomanly,andthatInowthinksodiabolical,wasshadedwithaheavycloudhisbasiliskeyeswerenearlyquenchedbysleeplessness,andweeping,perhaps,forthelasheswerewetthen:hislipsdevoidoftheirferocioussneer,andsealedinanexpressionofunspeakablesadness.Haditbeenanother,Iwouldhavecoveredmyfaceinthepresenceofsuchgrief.Inhiscase,Iwasgratifiedand,ignobleasitseemstoinsultafallenenemy,Icouldn’tmissthischanceofstickinginadart:hisweaknesswastheonlytimewhenIcouldtastethedelightofpayingwrongforwrong.” “Fie,fie,Miss!”Iinterrupted.“OnemightsupposeyouhadneveropenedaBibleinyourlife.IfGodafflictyourenemies,surelythatoughttosufficeyou.Itisbothmeanandpresumptuoustoaddyourtorturetohis!” “IngeneralI’llallowthatitwouldbe,Ellen,”shecontinued“butwhatmiserylaidonHeathcliffcouldcontentme,unlessIhaveahandinit?I’dratherhesufferedless,ifImightcausehissufferingsandhemightknowthatIwasthecause.Oh,Iowehimsomuch.OnonlyoneconditioncanIhopetoforgivehim.Itis,ifImaytakeaneyeforaneye,atoothforatoothforeverywrenchofagonyreturnawrench:reducehimtomylevel.Ashewasthefirsttoinjure,makehimthefirsttoimplorepardonandthen—whythen,Ellen,Imightshowyousomegenerosity.ButitisutterlyimpossibleIcaneverberevenged,andthereforeIcannotforgivehim.Hindleywantedsomewater,andIhandedhimaglass,andaskedhimhowhewas. “‘NotasillasIwish,’hereplied.‘Butleavingoutmyarm,everyinchofmeisassoreasifIhadbeenfightingwithalegionofimps!’ “‘Yes,nowonder,’wasmynextremark.‘Catherineusedtoboastthatshestoodbetweenyouandbodilyharm:shemeantthatcertainperso