CHAPTER XXI

ourprolongedabsence.Aswewalkedhome,Iwouldfainhaveenlightenedmychargeonthecharactersofthepeoplewehadquitted:butshegotitintoherheadthatIwasprejudicedagainstthem. “Aha!”shecried,“youtakepapa’sside,Ellen:youarepartialIknoworelseyouwouldn’thavecheatedmesomanyyearsintothenotionthatLintonlivedalongwayfromhere.I’mreallyextremelyangryonlyI’msopleasedIcan’tshowit!Butyoumustholdyourtongueaboutmyunclehe’smyuncle,rememberandI’llscoldpapaforquarrellingwithhim.” Andsosheranon,tillIrelinquishedtheendeavourtoconvinceherofhermistake.Shedidnotmentionthevisitthatnight,becauseshedidnotseeMr.Linton.Nextdayitallcameout,sadlytomychagrinandstillIwasnotaltogethersorry:Ithoughttheburdenofdirectingandwarningwouldbemoreefficientlybornebyhimthanme.ButhewastootimidingivingsatisfactoryreasonsforhiswishthatsheshouldshunconnectionwiththehouseholdoftheHeights,andCatherinelikedgoodreasonsforeveryrestraintthatharassedherpettedwill. “Papa!”sheexclaimed,afterthemorning’ssalutations,“guesswhomIsawyesterday,inmywalkonthemoors.Ah,papa,youstarted!you’venotdoneright,haveyou,now?Isaw—butlisten,andyoushallhearhowIfoundyououtandEllen,whoisinleaguewithyou,andyetpretendedtopitymeso,whenIkepthoping,andwasalwaysdisappointedaboutLinton’scomingback!” Shegaveafaithfulaccountofherexcursionanditsconsequencesandmymaster,thoughhecastmorethanonereproachfullookatme,saidnothingtillshehadconcluded.Thenhedrewhertohim,andaskedifsheknewwhyhehadconcealedLinton’snearneighbourhoodfromher?Couldshethinkitwastodenyherapleasurethatshemightharmlesslyenjoy? “ItwasbecauseyoudislikedMr.Heathcliff,”sheanswered. “ThenyoubelieveIcaremoreformyownfeelingsthanyours,Cathy?”hesaid.“No,itwasnotbecauseIdislikedMr.Heathcliff,butbecauseMr.Heathcliffdislikesmeandisamostdiabolicalman,delightingtowrongandruinthosehehates,iftheygivehimtheslightestopportunity.IknewthatyoucouldnotkeepupanacquaintancewithyourcousinwithoutbeingbroughtintocontactwithhimandIknewhewoulddetestyouonmyaccountsoforyourowngood,andnothingelse,ItookprecautionsthatyoushouldnotseeLintonagain.Imeanttoexplainthissometimeasyougrewolder,andI’msorryIdelayedit.” “ButMr.Heathcliffwasquitecordial,papa,”observedCatherine,notatallconvinced“andhedidn’tobjecttoourseeingeachother:hesaidImightcometohishousewhenIpleasedonlyImustnottellyou,becauseyouhadquarrelledwithhim,andwouldnotforgivehimformarryingauntIsabella.Andyouwon’t.Youaretheonetobeblamed:heiswillingtoletusbefriends,atleastLintonandIandyouarenot.” Mymaster,perceivingthatshewouldnottakehiswordforheruncle-in-law’sevildisposition,gaveahastysketchofhisconducttoIsabella,andthemannerinwhichWutheringHeightsbecamehisproperty.Hecouldnotbeartodiscourselonguponthetopicforthoughhespokelittleofit,hestillfeltthesamehorroranddetestationofhisancientenemythathadoccupiedhishearteversinceMrs.Linton’sdeath.“Shemighthavebeenlivingyet,ifithadnotbeenforhim!”washisconstantbitterreflectionand,inhiseyes,Heathcliffseemedamurderer.MissCathy—conversantwithnobaddeedsexceptherownslightactsofdisobedience,injustice,andpassion,arisingfromhottemperandthoughtlessness,andrepentedofonthedaytheywerecommitted—wasamazedattheblacknessofspiritthatcouldbroodonandcoverrevengeforyears,anddeliberatelyprosecuteitsplanswithoutavisitationofremorse.Sheappearedsodeeplyimpressedandshockedatthisnewviewofhumannature—excludedfromallherstudiesandallherideastillnow—thatMr.Edgardeemeditunnecessarytopursuethesubject.Hemerelyadded:“Youwillknowhereafter,darling,whyIwishyoutoavoidhishouseandfamilynowreturntoyouroldemploymentsandamusements,andthinknomoreaboutthem.” Catherinekissedherfather,andsatdownquietlytoherlessonsforacoupleofhours,accordingtocustomthensheaccompaniedhimintothegrounds,andthewholedaypassedasusual:butintheevening,whenshehadretiredtoherroom,andIwenttohelphertoundress,Ifoundhercrying,onherkneesbythebedside. “Oh,fie,sillychild!”Iexclaimed.“Ifyouhadanyrealgriefsyou’dbeashamedtowasteatearonthislittlecontrariety.Youneverhadoneshadowofsubstantialsorrow,MissCatherine.Suppose,foraminute,thatmasterandIweredead,andyouwerebyyourselfintheworld:howwouldyoufeel,then?Comparethepresentoccasionwithsuchanafflictionasthat,andbethankfulforthefriendsyouhave,insteadofcovetingmore.” “I’mnotcryingformyself,Ellen,”sheanswered,“it’sforhim.Heexpectedtoseemeagainto-morrow,andtherehe’llbesodisappointed:andhe’llwaitforme,andIsha’n’tcome!” “Nonsense!”saidI,“doyouimaginehehasthoughtasmuchofyouasyouhaveofhim?Hasn’theHaretonforacompanion?Notoneinahundredwouldweepatlosingarelationtheyhadjustseentwice,fortwoafternoons.Lintonwillconjecturehowitis,andtroublehimselfnofurtheraboutyou.” “ButmayInotwriteanotetotellhimwhyIcannotcome?”sheasked,risingtoherfeet.“AndjustsendthosebooksIpromisedtolendhim?Hisbooksarenotasniceasmine,andhewantedtohavethemextremely,whenItoldhimhowinterestingtheywere.MayInot,Ellen?” “No,indeed!no,indeed!”repliedIwithdecision.“Thenhewouldwritetoyou,andthere’dneverbeanendofit.No,MissCatherine,theacquaintancemustbedroppedentirely:sopapaexpects,andIshallseethatitisdone.” “Buthowcanonelittlenote—?”sherecommenced,puttingonanimploringcountenance. “Silence!”Iinterrupted.“We’llnotbeginwithyourlittlenotes.Getintobed.” Shethrewatmeaverynaughtylook,sonaughtythatIwouldnotkisshergood-nightatfirst:Icoveredherup,andshutherdoor,ingreatdispleasurebut,repentinghalf-way,Ireturnedsoftly,andlo!therewasMissstandingatthetablewithabitofblankpaperbeforeherandapencilinherhand,whichsheguiltilyslippedoutofsightonmyentrance. “You’llgetnobodytotakethat,Catherine,”Isaid,“ifyouwriteitandatpresentIshallputoutyourcandle.” Isettheextinguisherontheflame,receivingasIdidsoaslaponmyhandandapetulant“crossthing!”Ithenquittedheragain,andshedrewtheboltinoneofherworst,mostpeevishhumours.Theletterwasfinishedandforwardedtoitsdestinationbyamilk-fetcherwhocamefromthevillagebutthatIdidn’tlearntillsometimeafterwards.Weekspassedon,andCathyrecoveredhertemperthoughshegrewwond