CHAPTER XXIII

behind. “Hush,MasterHeathcliff!”Isaid“that’syourfather’stale,too,Isuppose.” “Itisn’t:youholdyourtongue!”heanswered.“Shedid,shedid,Catherine!shedid,shedid!” Cathy,besideherself,gavethechairaviolentpush,andcausedhimtofallagainstonearm.Hewasimmediatelyseizedbyasuffocatingcoughthatsoonendedhistriumph.Itlastedsolongthatitfrightenedevenme.Astohiscousin,sheweptwithallhermight,aghastatthemischiefshehaddone:thoughshesaidnothing.Iheldhimtillthefitexhausteditself.Thenhethrustmeaway,andleanthisheaddownsilently.Catherinequelledherlamentationsalso,tookaseatopposite,andlookedsolemnlyintothefire. “Howdoyoufeelnow,MasterHeathcliff?”Iinquired,afterwaitingtenminutes. “IwishshefeltasIdo,”hereplied:“spiteful,cruelthing!Haretonnevertouchesme:heneverstruckmeinhislife.AndIwasbetterto-day:andthere—”hisvoicediedinawhimper. “Ididn’tstrikeyou!”mutteredCathy,chewingherliptopreventanotherburstofemotion. Hesighedandmoanedlikeoneundergreatsuffering,andkeptitupforaquarterofanhouronpurposetodistresshiscousinapparently,forwheneverhecaughtastifledsobfromherheputrenewedpainandpathosintotheinflexionsofhisvoice. “I’msorryIhurtyou,Linton,”shesaidatlength,rackedbeyondendurance.“ButIcouldn’thavebeenhurtbythatlittlepush,andIhadnoideathatyoucould,either:you’renotmuch,areyou,Linton?Don’tletmegohomethinkingI’vedoneyouharm.Answer!speaktome.” “Ican’tspeaktoyou,”hemurmured“you’vehurtmesothatIshalllieawakeallnightchokingwiththiscough.Ifyouhadityou’dknowwhatitwasbutyou’llbecomfortablyasleepwhileI’minagony,andnobodynearme.Iwonderhowyouwouldliketopassthosefearfulnights!”Andhebegantowailaloud,forverypityofhimself. “Sinceyouareinthehabitofpassingdreadfulnights,”Isaid,“itwon’tbeMisswhospoilsyourease:you’dbethesamehadshenevercome.However,sheshallnotdisturbyouagainandperhapsyou’llgetquieterwhenweleaveyou.” “MustIgo?”askedCatherinedolefully,bendingoverhim.“Doyouwantmetogo,Linton?” “Youcan’talterwhatyou’vedone,”herepliedpettishly,shrinkingfromher,“unlessyoualteritfortheworsebyteasingmeintoafever.” “Well,then,Imustgo?”sherepeated. “Letmealone,atleast,”saidhe“Ican’tbearyourtalking.” Shelingered,andresistedmypersuasionstodepartureatiresomewhilebutasheneitherlookedupnorspoke,shefinallymadeamovementtothedoor,andIfollowed.Wewererecalledbyascream.Lintonhadslidfromhisseatontothehearthstone,andlaywrithinginthemereperversenessofanindulgedplagueofachild,determinedtobeasgrievousandharassingasitcan.Ithoroughlygaugedhisdispositionfromhisbehaviour,andsawatonceitwouldbefollytoattempthumouringhim.Notsomycompanion:sheranbackinterror,kneltdown,andcried,andsoothed,andentreated,tillhegrewquietfromlackofbreath:bynomeansfromcompunctio