CHAPTER XXII

aktoyou,Mr.Heathcliff,”answeredCatherine.“Papasaysyouareawickedman,andyouhatebothhimandmeandEllensaysthesame.” “Thatisnothingtothepurpose,”saidHeathcliff.(Heitwas.)“Idon’thatemyson,IsupposeanditisconcerninghimthatIdemandyourattention.Yesyouhavecausetoblush.Twoorthreemonthssince,wereyounotinthehabitofwritingtoLinton?makingloveinplay,eh?Youdeserved,bothofyou,floggingforthat!Youespecially,theelderandlesssensitive,asitturnsout.I’vegotyourletters,andifyougivemeanypertnessI’llsendthemtoyourfather.Ipresumeyougrewwearyoftheamusementanddroppedit,didn’tyou?Well,youdroppedLintonwithitintoaSloughofDespond.Hewasinearnest:inlove,really.AstrueasIlive,he’sdyingforyoubreakinghisheartatyourfickleness:notfiguratively,butactually.ThoughHaretonhasmadehimastandingjestforsixweeks,andIhaveusedmoreseriousmeasures,andattemptedtofrightenhimoutofhisidiocy,hegetsworsedailyandhe’llbeunderthesodbeforesummer,unlessyourestorehim!” “Howcanyouliesoglaringlytothepoorchild?”Icalledfromtheinside.“Prayrideon!Howcanyoudeliberatelygetupsuchpaltryfalsehoods?MissCathy,I’llknockthelockoffwithastone:youwon’tbelievethatvilenonsense.Youcanfeelinyourselfitisimpossiblethatapersonshoulddieforloveofastranger.” “Iwasnotawaretherewereeavesdroppers,”mutteredthedetectedvillain.“WorthyMrs.Dean,Ilikeyou,butIdon’tlikeyourdouble-dealing,”headdedaloud.“HowcouldyouliesoglaringlyastoaffirmIhatedthe‘poorchild’?andinventbugbearstoriestoterrifyherfrommydoor-stones?CatherineLinton(theverynamewarmsme),mybonnylass,IshallbefromhomeallthisweekgoandseeifIhavenotspokentruth:do,there’sadarling!Justimagineyourfatherinmyplace,andLintoninyoursthenthinkhowyouwouldvalueyourcarelessloverifherefusedtostirasteptocomfortyou,whenyourfatherhimselfentreatedhimanddon’t,frompurestupidity,fallintothesameerror.Iswear,onmysalvation,he’sgoingtohisgrave,andnonebutyoucansavehim!” ThelockgavewayandIissuedout. “IswearLintonisdying,”repeatedHeathcliff,lookinghardatme.“Andgriefanddisappointmentarehasteninghisdeath.Nelly,ifyouwon’tlethergo,youcanwalkoveryourself.ButIshallnotreturntillthistimenextweekandIthinkyourmasterhimselfwouldscarcelyobjecttohervisitinghercousin.