CHAPTER XXIII

him.I’molderthanheis,youknow,andwiser:lesschildish,amInot?Andhe’llsoondoasIdirecthim,withsomeslightcoaxing.He’saprettylittledarlingwhenhe’sgood.I’dmakesuchapetofhim,ifheweremine.Weshouldneverquarrel,shouldwe,afterwewereusedtoeachother?Don’tyoulikehim,Ellen?” “Likehim!”Iexclaimed.“Theworst-temperedbitofasicklyslipthateverstruggledintoitsteens.Happily,asMr.Heathcliffconjectured,he’llnotwintwenty.Idoubtwhetherhe’llseespring,indeed.Andsmalllosstohisfamilywheneverhedropsoff.Andluckyitisforusthathisfathertookhim:thekinderhewastreated,themoretediousandselfishhe’dbe.I’mgladyouhavenochanceofhavinghimforahusband,MissCatherine.” Mycompanionwaxedseriousathearingthisspeech.Tospeakofhisdeathsoregardlesslywoundedherfeelings. “He’syoungerthanI,”sheanswered,afteraprotractedpauseofmeditation,“andheoughttolivethelongest:hewill—hemustliveaslongasIdo.He’sasstrongnowaswhenhefirstcameintothenorthI’mpositiveofthat.It’sonlyacoldthatailshim,thesameaspapahas.Yousaypapawillgetbetter,andwhyshouldn’the?” “Well,well,”Icried,“afterall,weneedn’ttroubleourselvesforlisten,Miss,—andmind,I’llkeepmyword,—ifyouattemptgoingtoWutheringHeightsagain,withorwithoutme,IshallinformMr.Linton,and,unlessheallowit,theintimacywithyourcousinmustnotberevived.” “Ithasbeenrevived,”mutteredCathy,sulkily. “Mustnotbecontinued,then,”Isaid. “We’llsee,”washerreply,andshesetoffatagallop,leavingmetotoilintherear. Webothreachedhomebeforeourdinner-timemymastersupposedwehadbeenwanderingthroughthepark,andthereforehedemandednoexplanationofourabsence.AssoonasIenteredIhastenedtochangemysoakedshoesandstockingsbutsittingsuchawhileattheHeightshaddonethemischief.OnthesucceedingmorningIwaslaidup,andduringthreeweeksIremainedincapacitatedforattendingtomyduties:acalamityneverexperiencedpriortothatperiod,andnever,Iamthankfultosay,since. Mylittlemistressbehavedlikeanangelincomingtowaitonme,andcheermysolitudetheconfinementbroughtmeexceedinglylow.Itiswearisome,toastirringactivebody:butfewhaveslighterreasonsforcomplaintthanIhad.ThemomentCatherineleftMr.Linton’sroomsheappearedatmybedside.Herdaywasdividedbetweenusnoamusementusurpedaminute:sheneglectedhermeals,herstudies,andherplayandshewasthefondestnursethateverwatched.Shemusthavehadawarmheart,whenshelovedherfatherso,togivesomuchtome.Isaidherdaysweredividedbetweenusbutthemasterretiredearly,andIgenerallyneedednothingaftersixo’clock,thustheeveningwasherown.Poorthing!Ineverconsideredwhatshedidwithherselfaftertea.Andthoughfrequently,whenshelookedintobidmegood-night,Iremarkedafreshcolourinhercheeksandapinknessoverherslenderfingers,insteadoffancyingthehueborrowedfromacoldrideacrossthemoors,Ilaidittothechargeofahotfireinthelibrary.