CHAPTER XXI

oretooand,thoughyournurseisinahurry,Ithinkbothyouandshewouldbethebetterforalittlerest.Willyoujustturnthisnabofheath,andwalkintomyhouse?You’llgethomeearlierfortheeaseandyoushallreceiveakindwelcome.” IwhisperedCatherinethatshemustn’t,onanyaccount,accedetotheproposal:itwasentirelyoutofthequestion. “Why?”sheasked,aloud.“I’mtiredofrunning,andthegroundisdewy:Ican’tsithere.Letusgo,Ellen.Besides,hesaysIhaveseenhisson.He’smistaken,IthinkbutIguesswherehelives:atthefarmhouseIvisitedincomingfromPenistoneCrags.Don’tyou?” “Ido.Come,Nelly,holdyourtongue—itwillbeatreatforhertolookinonus.Hareton,getforwardswiththelass.Youshallwalkwithme,Nelly.” “No,she’snotgoingtoanysuchplace,”Icried,strugglingtoreleasemyarm,whichhehadseized:butshewasalmostatthedoor-stonesalready,scamperingroundthebrowatfullspeed.Herappointedcompaniondidnotpretendtoescorther:heshiedoffbytheroad-side,andvanished. “Mr.Heathcliff,it’sverywrong,”Icontinued:“youknowyoumeannogood.Andthereshe’llseeLinton,andallwillbetoldassoonaseverwereturnandIshallhavetheblame.” “IwanthertoseeLinton,”heanswered“he’slookingbetterthesefewdaysit’snotoftenhe’sfittobeseen.Andwe’llsoonpersuadehertokeepthevisitsecret:whereistheharmofit?” “Theharmofitis,thatherfatherwouldhatemeifhefoundIsufferedhertoenteryourhouseandIamconvincedyouhaveabaddesigninencouraginghertodoso,”Ireplied. “Mydesignisashonestaspossible.I’llinformyouofitswholescope,”hesaid.“Thatthetwocousinsmayfallinlove,andgetmarried.I’mactinggenerouslytoyourmaster:hisyoungchithasnoexpectations,andshouldshesecondmywishesshe’llbeprovidedforatonceasjointsuccessorwithLinton.” “IfLintondied,”Ianswered,“andhislifeisquiteuncertain,Catherinewouldbetheheir.” “No,shewouldnot,”hesaid.“Thereisnoclauseinthewilltosecureitso:hispropertywouldgotomebut,topreventdisputes,Idesiretheirunion,andamresolvedtobringitabout.” “AndI’mresolvedsheshallneverapproachyourhousewithmeagain,”Ireturned,aswereachedthegate,whereMissCathywaitedourcoming. Heathcliffbademebequietand,precedingusupthepath,hastenedtoopenthedoor.Myyoungladygavehimseverallooks,asifshecouldnotexactlymakeuphermindwhattothinkofhimbutnowhesmiledwhenhemethereye,andsoftenedhisvoiceinaddressingherandIwasfoolishenoughtoimaginethememoryofhermothermightdisarmhimfromdesiringherinjury.Lintonstoodonthehearth.Hehadbeenoutwalkinginthefields,forhiscapwason,andhewascallingtoJosephtobringhimdryshoes.Hehadgrowntallofhisage,stillwantingsomemonthsofsixteen.Hisfeatureswereprettyyet,andhiseyeandcomplexionbrighterthanIrememberedthem,thoughwithmerelytemporarylustreborrowedfromthesalubriousairandgenialsun. “Now,whoisthat?”askedMr.Heathcliff,turningtoCathy.“Canyoutell?” “Yourson?”shesaid,havingdoubtfullysurveyed,firstoneandthentheother. “Yes,yes,”answeredhe:“butisthistheonlytimeyouhavebeheldhim?Think!Ah!youhaveashortmemory.Linton,don’tyourecallyourcousin,thatyouusedtoteaseussowithwishingtosee?” “What,Linton!”criedCathy,kindlingintojoyfulsurpriseatthename.“IsthatlittleLinton?He’stallerthanIam!AreyouLinton?” Theyouthsteppedforward,andacknowledgedhimself:shekissedhimfervently,andtheygazedwithwonderatthechangetimehadwroughtintheappearanceofeach.Catherinehadreachedherfullheightherfigurewasbothplumpandslender,elasticassteel,andherwholeaspectsparklingwithhealthandspirits.Linton’slooksandmovementswereverylanguid,andhisformextremelyslightbuttherewasagraceinhismannerthatmitigatedthesedefects,andrenderedhimnotunpleasing.Afterexchangingnumerousmarksoffondnesswithhim,hiscousinwenttoMr.Heathcliff,wholingeredbythedoor,dividinghisattentionbetweentheobjectsinsideandthosethatlaywithout:pretending,thatis,toobservethelatter,andreallynotingtheformeralone. “Andyouaremyuncle,then!”shecried,reachinguptosalutehim.“IthoughtIlikedyou,thoughyouwerecrossatfirst.Whydon’tyouvisitattheGrangewithLinton?Tolivealltheseyearssuchcloseneighbours,andneverseeus,isodd:whathaveyoudonesofor?” “Ivisiteditonceortwicetoooftenbeforeyouwereborn,”heanswered.“There—damnit!Ifyouhaveanykissestospare,givethemtoLinton:theyarethrownawayonme.” “NaughtyEllen!”exclaimedCatherine,flyingtoattackmenextwithherlavishcaresses.“WickedEllen!totrytohindermefromentering.ButI’lltakethiswalkeverymorninginfuture:mayI,uncle?andsometimesbringpapa.Won’tyoubegladtoseeus?” “Ofcourse,”repliedtheuncle,withahardlysuppressedgrimace,resultingfromhisdeepaversiontoboththeproposedvisitors.“Butstay,”hecontinued,turningtowardstheyounglady.“NowIthinkofit,I’dbettertellyou.Mr.Lintonhasaprejudiceagainstme:wequarrelledatonetimeofourlives,withunchristianferocityand,ifyoumentioncomingheretohim,he’llputavetoonyourvisitsaltogether.Therefore,youmustnotmentionit,unlessyoubecarelessofseeingyourcousinhereafter:youmaycome,ifyouwill,butyoumustnotmentionit.” “Whydidyouquarrel?”askedCatherine,considerablycrestfallen. “Hethoughtmetoopoortowedhissister,”answeredHeathcliff,“andwasgrievedthatIgother:hispridewashurt,andhe’llneverforgiveit.” “That’swrong!”saidtheyounglady:“sometimeI’lltellhimso.ButLintonandIhavenoshareinyourquarrel.I’llnotcomehere,thenheshallcometotheGrange.” “Itwillbetoofarforme,”murmuredhercousin:“towalkfourmileswouldkillme.No,comehere,MissCatherine,nowandthen:noteverymorning,butonceortwiceaweek.” Thefatherlaunchedtowardshissonaglanceofbittercontempt. “Iamafraid,Nelly,Ishalllosemylabour,”hemutteredtome.“MissCatherine,astheninnycallsher,willdiscoverhisvalue,andsendhimtothedevil.Now,ifithadbeenHareton!—Doyouknowthat,twentytimesaday,IcovetHareton,withallhisdegradation?I’dhavelovedtheladhadhebeensomeoneelse.ButIthinkhe’ssafefromherlove.I’llpithimagainstthatpaltrycreature,unlessitbestiritselfbriskly.Wecalculateitwillscarcelylasttillitiseighteen.Oh,confoundthevapidthing!He’sabsorbedindryinghisfeet,andneverlooksather.—Linton!” “Yes,father,”answeredtheboy. “Haveyounothingtoshowyourcousinanywhereabout,notevenarabbitoraweasel’snest?Takeherintothegarden,beforeyouchangeyourshoesandi