CHAPTER XVII

dwerebothattachedtotheirchildrenandIcouldnotseehowtheyshouldn’tbothhavetakenthesameroad,forgoodorevil.But,Ithoughtinmymind,Hindley,withapparentlythestrongerhead,hasshownhimselfsadlytheworseandtheweakerman.Whenhisshipstruck,thecaptainabandonedhispostandthecrew,insteadoftryingtosaveher,rushedintoriotandconfusion,leavingnohopefortheirlucklessvessel.Linton,onthecontrary,displayedthetruecourageofaloyalandfaithfulsoul:hetrustedGodandGodcomfortedhim.Onehoped,andtheotherdespaired:theychosetheirownlots,andwererighteouslydoomedtoendurethem.Butyou’llnotwanttohearmymoralising,Mr.Lockwoodyou’lljudge,aswellasIcan,allthesethings:atleast,you’llthinkyouwill,andthat’sthesame.TheendofEarnshawwaswhatmighthavebeenexpecteditfollowedfastonhissister’s:therewerescarcelysixmonthsbetweenthem.We,attheGrange,nevergotaverysuccinctaccountofhisstateprecedingitallthatIdidlearnwasonoccasionofgoingtoaidinthepreparationsforthefuneral.Mr.Kennethcametoannouncetheeventtomymaster. “Well,Nelly,”saidhe,ridingintotheyardonemorning,tooearlynottoalarmmewithaninstantpresentimentofbadnews,“it’syoursandmyturntogointomourningatpresent.Who’sgivenustheslipnow,doyouthink?” “Who?”Iaskedinaflurry. “Why,guess!”hereturned,dismounting,andslinginghisbridleonahookbythedoor.“Andnipupthecornerofyourapron:I’mcertainyou’llneedit.” “NotMr.Heathcliff,surely?”Iexclaimed. “What!wouldyouhavetearsforhim?”saidthedoctor.“No,Heathcliff’satoughyoungfellow:helooksbloomingto-day.I’vejustseenhim.He’srapidlyregainingfleshsincehelosthisbetterhalf.” “Whoisit,then,Mr.Kenneth?”Irepeatedimpatiently. “HindleyEarnshaw!YouroldfriendHindley,”hereplied,“andmywickedgossip:thoughhe’sbeentoowildformethislongwhile.There!Isaidweshoulddrawwater.Butcheerup!Hediedtruetohischaracter:drunkasalord.Poorlad!I’msorry,too.Onecan’thelpmissinganoldcompanion:thoughhehadtheworsttrickswithhimthatevermanimagined,andhasdonememanyarascallyturn.He’sbarelytwenty-seven,itseemsthat’syourownage:whowouldhavethoughtyouwereborninoneyear?” IconfessthisblowwasgreatertomethantheshockofMrs.Linton’sdeath:ancientassociationslingeredroundmyheartIsatdownintheporchandweptasforabloodrelation,desiringMr.Kennethtogetanotherservanttointroducehimtothemaster.Icouldnothindermyselffromponderingonthequestion—“Hadhehadfairplay?”WhateverIdid,thatideawouldbotherme:itwassotiresomelypertinaciousthatIresolvedonrequestingleavetogotoWutheringHeights,andassistinthelastdutiestothedead.Mr.Lintonwasextremelyreluctanttoconsent,butIpleadedeloquentlyforthefriendlessconditioninwhichhelayandIsaidmyoldmasterandfoster-brotherhadaclaimonmyservicesasstrongashisown.Besides,IremindedhimthatthechildHaretonwashiswife’snephew,and,intheabsenceofnearerkin,heoughttoactasitsguardianandheoughttoandmustinquirehowthepropertywasleft,andlookovertheconcernsofhisbrother-in-law.Hewasunfitforattendingtosuchmattersthen,buthebidmespeaktohislawyerandatlengthpermittedmetogo.HislawyerhadbeenEarnshaw’salso:Icalledatthevillage,andaskedhimtoaccompanyme.Heshookhishead,andadvisedthatHeathcliffshouldbeletaloneaffirming,ifthetruthwereknown,Haretonwouldbefoundlittleelsethanabeggar. “Hisfatherdiedindebt,”hesaid“thewholepropertyismortgaged,andthesolechanceforthenaturalheiristoallowhimanopportunityofcreatingsomeinterestinthecreditor’sheart,thathemaybeinclinedtodeallenientlytowardshim.” WhenIreachedtheHeights,IexplainedthatIhadcometoseeeverythingcarriedondecentlyandJoseph,whoappearedinsufficientdistress,expressedsatisfactionatmypresence.Mr.HeathcliffsaidhedidnotperceivethatIwaswantedbutImightstayandorderthearrangementsforthefuneral,ifIchose. “Correctly,”heremarked,“thatfool’sbodyshouldbeburiedatthecross-roads,withoutceremonyofanykind.Ihappenedtoleavehimtenminutesyesterdayafternoon,andinthatintervalhefastenedthetwodoorsofthehouseagainstme,andhehasspentthenightindrinkinghimselftodeathdeliberately!Webrokeinthismorning,forweheardhimsnortinglikeahorseandtherehewas,laidoverthesettle:flayingandscalpingwouldnothavewakenedhim.IsentforKenneth,andhecamebutnottillthebeasthadchangedintocarrion:hewasbothdeadandcold,andstarkandsoyou’llallowitwasuselessmakingmorestirabouthim!” Theoldservantconfirmedthisstatement,butmuttered: “I’draytherhe’dgoanhisselnfort’doctor!Isudha’taentento’t’maisterbetternorhim—andhewarn’tdeeadwhenIleft,naughto’t’soart!” Iinsistedonthefuneralbeingrespectable.Mr.HeathcliffsaidImighthavemyownwaytheretoo:only,hedesiredmetorememberthatthemoneyforthewholeaffaircameoutofhispocket.Hemaintainedahard,carelessdeportment,indicativeofneitherjoynorsorrow:ifanything,itexpressedaflintygratificationatapieceofdifficultworksuccessfullyexecuted.Iobservedonce,indeed,somethinglikeexultationinhisaspect:itwasjustwhenthepeoplewerebearingthecoffinfromthehouse.Hehadthehypocrisytorepresentamourner:andprevioustofollowingwithHareton,heliftedtheunfortunatechildontothetableandmuttered,withpeculiargusto,“Now,mybonnylad,youaremine!Andwe’llseeifonetreewon’tgrowascrookedasanother,withthesamewindtotwistit!”Theunsuspectingthingwaspleasedatthisspeech:heplayedwithHeathcliff’swhiskers,andstrokedhischeekbutIdivineditsmeaning,andobservedtartly,“ThatboymustgobackwithmetoThrushcrossGrange,sir.Thereisnothingintheworldlessyoursthanheis!” “DoesLintonsayso?”hedemanded. “Ofcourse—hehasorderedmetotakehim,”Ireplied. “Well,”saidthescoundrel,“we’llnotarguethesubjectnow:butIhaveafancytotrymyhandatrearingayoungonesointimatetoyourmasterthatImustsupplytheplaceofthiswithmyown,ifheattempttoremoveit.Idon’tengagetoletHaretongoundisputedbutI’llbeprettysuretomaketheothercome!Remembertotellhim.” Thishintwasenoughtobindourhands.IrepeateditssubstanceonmyreturnandEdgarLinton,littleinterestedatthecommencement,spokenomoreofinterfering.I’mnotawarethathecouldhavedoneittoanypurpose,hadhebeeneversowilling. TheguestwasnowthemasterofWutheringHeights:heheldfirmpossession,andprovedtotheattorney—who,inhisturn,provedittoMr.Linton—thatEarnshawhadmortgagedeveryyardoflandheownedforcashtosupplyhismaniaforgamingandhe,Heathcliff,wasthemortgagee.InthatmannerHareton,whoshouldnowbethefirstgentlemanintheneighbourhood,wasreducedtoastateofcompletedependenceonhisfather’sinveterateenemyandlivesinhisownhouseasaservant,deprivedoftheadvantageofwages:quiteunabletorighthimself,becauseofhisfriendlessness,andhisignorancethathehasbeenwronged.