CHAPTER XVIII

llyillthankstohisfearlessnature,whichofferednotemptationtothatcourseofoppression:hehadnoneofthetimidsusceptibilitythatwouldhavegivenzesttoill-treatment,inHeathcliff’sjudgment.Heappearedtohavebenthismalevolenceonmakinghimabrute:hewasnevertaughttoreadorwriteneverrebukedforanybadhabitwhichdidnotannoyhiskeeperneverledasinglesteptowardsvirtue,orguardedbyasinglepreceptagainstvice.AndfromwhatIheard,Josephcontributedmuchtohisdeterioration,byanarrow-mindedpartialitywhichpromptedhimtoflatterandpethim,asaboy,becausehewastheheadoftheoldfamily.AndashehadbeeninthehabitofaccusingCatherineEarnshawandHeathcliff,whenchildren,ofputtingthemasterpasthispatience,andcompellinghimtoseeksolaceindrinkbywhathetermedtheir“offaldways,”soatpresenthelaidthewholeburdenofHareton’sfaultsontheshouldersoftheusurperofhisproperty.Iftheladswore,hewouldn’tcorrecthim:norhoweverculpablyhebehaved.ItgaveJosephsatisfaction,apparently,towatchhimgotheworstlengths:heallowedthattheladwasruined:thathissoulwasabandonedtoperditionbutthenhereflectedthatHeathcliffmustanswerforit.Hareton’sbloodwouldberequiredathishandsandtherelayimmenseconsolationinthatthought.Josephhadinstilledintohimaprideofname,andofhislineagehewould,hadhedared,havefosteredhatebetweenhimandthepresentowneroftheHeights:buthisdreadofthatowneramountedtosuperstitionandheconfinedhisfeelingsregardinghimtomutteredinnuendoesandprivatecomminations.Idon’tpretendtobeintimatelyacquaintedwiththemodeoflivingcustomaryinthosedaysatWutheringHeights:IonlyspeakfromhearsayforIsawlittle.ThevillagersaffirmedMr.Heathcliffwasnear,andacruelhardlandlordtohistenantsbutthehouse,inside,hadregaineditsancientaspectofcomfortunderfemalemanagement,andthescenesofriotcommoninHindley’stimewerenotnowenactedwithinitswalls.Themasterwastoogloomytoseekcompanionshipwithanypeople,goodorbadandheisyet. This,however,isnotmakingprogresswithmystory.MissCathyrejectedthepeace-offeringoftheterrier,anddemandedherowndogs,CharlieandPhoenix.Theycamelimpingandhangingtheirheadsandwesetoutforhome,sadlyoutofsorts,everyoneofus.Icouldnotwringfrommylittleladyhowshehadspentthedayexceptthat,asIsupposed,thegoalofherpilgrimagewasPenistoneCragsandshearrivedwithoutadventuretothegateofthefarmhouse,whenHaretonhappenedtoissueforth,attendedbysomecaninefollowers,whoattackedhertrain.Theyhadasmartbattle,beforetheirownerscouldseparatethem:thatformedanintroduction.CatherinetoldHaretonwhoshewas,andwhereshewasgoingandaskedhimtoshowhertheway:finally,beguilinghimtoaccompanyher.HeopenedthemysteriesoftheFairyCave,andtwentyotherqueerplaces.But,beingindisgrace,Iwasnotfavouredwithadescriptionoftheinterestingobjectsshesaw.Icouldgather,however,thatherguidehadbeenafavouritetillshehurthisfeelingsbyaddressinghimasaservantandHeathcliff’shousekeeperhurthersbycallinghimhercousin.Thenthelanguagehehadheldtoherrankledinherheartshewhowasalways“love,”and“darling,”and“queen,”and“angel,”witheverybodyattheGrange,tobeinsultedsoshockinglybyastranger!ShedidnotcomprehenditandhardworkIhadtoobtainapromisethatshewouldnotlaythegrievancebeforeherfather.IexplainedhowheobjectedtothewholehouseholdattheHeights,andhowsorryhewouldbetofindshehadbeentherebutIinsistedmostonthefact,thatifsherevealedmynegligenceofhisorders,hewouldperhapsbesoangrythatIshouldhavetoleaveandCathycouldn’tbearthatprospect:shepledgedherword,andkeptitformysake.Afterall,shewasasweetlittlegirl.