CHAPTER XX
關燈
小
中
大
Toobviatethedangerofthisthreatbeingfulfilled,Mr.Lintoncommissionedmetotaketheboyhomeearly,onCatherine’sponyand,saidhe—“Asweshallnowhavenoinfluenceoverhisdestiny,goodorbad,youmustsaynothingofwhereheisgonetomydaughter:shecannotassociatewithhimhereafter,anditisbetterforhertoremaininignoranceofhisproximitylestsheshouldberestless,andanxioustovisittheHeights.Merelytellherhisfathersentforhimsuddenly,andhehasbeenobligedtoleaveus.”
Lintonwasveryreluctanttoberousedfromhisbedatfiveo’clock,andastonishedtobeinformedthathemustprepareforfurthertravellingbutIsoftenedoffthematterbystatingthathewasgoingtospendsometimewithhisfather,Mr.Heathcliff,whowishedtoseehimsomuch,hedidnotliketodeferthepleasuretillheshouldrecoverfromhislatejourney.
“Myfather!”hecried,instrangeperplexity.“MammanevertoldmeIhadafather.Wheredoeshelive?I’dratherstaywithuncle.”
“HelivesalittledistancefromtheGrange,”Ireplied“justbeyondthosehills:notsofar,butyoumaywalkoverherewhenyougethearty.Andyoushouldbegladtogohome,andtoseehim.Youmusttrytolovehim,asyoudidyourmother,andthenhewillloveyou.”
“ButwhyhaveInotheardofhimbefore?”askedLinton.“Whydidn’tmammaandhelivetogether,asotherpeopledo?”
“Hehadbusinesstokeephiminthenorth,”Ianswered,“andyourmother’shealthrequiredhertoresideinthesouth.”
“Andwhydidn’tmammaspeaktomeabouthim?”perseveredthechild.“Sheoftentalkedofuncle,andIlearnttolovehimlongago.HowamItolovepapa?Idon’tknowhim.”
“Oh,allchildrenlovetheirparents,”Isaid.“Yourmother,perhaps,thoughtyouwouldwanttobewithhimifshementionedhimoftentoyou.Letusmakehaste.Anearlyrideonsuchabeautifulmorningismuchpreferabletoanhour’smoresleep.”
“Isshetogowithus,”hedemanded,“thelittlegirlIsawyesterday?”
“Notnow,”repliedI.
“Isuncle?”hecontinued.
“No,Ishallbeyourcompanionthere,”Isaid.
Lintonsankbackonhispillowandfellintoabrownstudy.
“Iwon’tgowithoutuncle,”hecriedatlength:“Ican’ttellwhereyoumeantotakeme.”
Iattemptedtopersuadehimofthenaughtinessofshowingreluctancetomeethisfatherstillheobstinatelyresistedanyprogress
