CHAPTER XXVII

Sevendaysglidedaway,everyonemarkingitscoursebythehenceforthrapidalterationofEdgarLinton’sstate.Thehavocthatmonthshadpreviouslywroughtwasnowemulatedbytheinroadsofhours.Catherinewewouldfainhavedeludedyetbutherownquickspiritrefusedtodeludeher:itdivinedinsecret,andbroodedonthedreadfulprobability,graduallyripeningintocertainty.Shehadnotthehearttomentionherride,whenThursdaycameroundImentioneditforher,andobtainedpermissiontoorderheroutofdoors:forthelibrary,whereherfatherstoppedashorttimedaily—thebriefperiodhecouldbeartositup—andhischamber,hadbecomeherwholeworld.Shegrudgedeachmomentthatdidnotfindherbendingoverhispillow,orseatedbyhisside.Hercountenancegrewwanwithwatchingandsorrow,andmymastergladlydismissedhertowhatheflatteredhimselfwouldbeahappychangeofsceneandsocietydrawingcomfortfromthehopethatshewouldnotnowbeleftentirelyaloneafterhisdeath. Hehadafixedidea,Iguessedbyseveralobservationsheletfall,that,ashisnephewresembledhiminperson,hewouldresemblehiminmindforLinton’slettersborefewornoindicationsofhisdefectivecharacter.AndI,throughpardonableweakness,refrainedfromcorrectingtheerroraskingmyselfwhatgoodtherewouldbeindisturbinghislastmomentswithinformationthathehadneitherpowernoropportunitytoturntoaccount. WedeferredourexcursiontilltheafternoonagoldenafternoonofAugust:everybreathfromthehillssofulloflife,thatitseemedwhoeverrespiredit,thoughdying,mightrevive.Catherine’sfacewasjustlikethelandscape—shadowsandsunshineflittingoveritinrapidsuccessionbuttheshadowsrestedlonger,andthesunshinewasmoretransientandherpoorlittleheartreproacheditselfforeventhatpassingforgetfulnessofitscares. WediscernedLintonwatchingatthesamespothehadselectedbefore.Myyoungmistressalighted,andtoldmethat,asshewasresolvedtostayaverylittlewhile,IhadbetterholdtheponyandremainonhorsebackbutIdissented:Iwouldn’trisklosingsightofthechargecommittedtomeaminutesoweclimbedtheslopeofheathtogether.MasterHeathcliffreceiveduswithgreateranimationonthisoccasion:nottheanimationofhighspiritsthough,noryetofjoyitlookedmorelikefear. “Itislate!”hesaid,speakingshortandwithdifficulty.“Isnotyourfatherveryill?Ithoughtyouwouldn’tcome.” “Whywon’tyoubecandid?”criedCatherine,swallowinghergreeting.“Whycannotyousayatonceyoudon’twantme?Itisstrange,Linton,thatforthesecondtimeyouhavebroughtmehereonpurpose,apparentlytodistressusboth,andfornoreasonbesides!” Lintonshivered,andglancedather,halfsupplicating,halfashamedbuthiscousin’spatiencewasnotsufficienttoendurethisenigmaticalbehaviour. “Myfatherisveryill,”shesaid“andwhyamIcalledfromhisbedside?Whydidn’tyousendtoabsolvemefrommypromise,whenyouwishedIwouldn’tkeepit?Come!Idesireanexplanation:playingandtriflingarecompletelybanishedoutofmymindandIcan’tdanceattendanceonyouraffectationsnow!” “Myaffectations!”hemurmured“whatarethey?Forheaven’ssake,Catherine,don’tlooksoangry!DespisemeasmuchasyoupleaseIamaworthless,cowardlywretch:Ican’tbescornedenoughbutI’mtoomeanforyouranger.Hatemyfather,andsparemeforcontempt.” “Nonsense!”criedCatherineinapassion.“Foolish,sillyboy!Andthere!hetrembles,asifIwerereallygoingtotouchhim!Youneedn’tbespeakcontempt,Linton:anybodywillhaveitspontaneouslyatyourservice.Getoff!Ishallreturnhome:itisfollydraggingyoufromthehearth-stone,andpretending—whatdowepretend?Letgomyfrock!IfIpitiedyouforcryingandlookingsoveryfrightened,youshouldspurnsuchpity.Ellen,tellhimhowdisgracefulthisconductis.Rise,anddon’tdegradeyourselfintoanabjectreptile—don’t!” Withstreamingfaceandanexpressionofagony,Lintonhadthrownhisnervelessframealongtheground:heseemedconvulsedwithexquisiteterror. “Oh!”hesobbed,“Icannotbearit!Catherine,Catherine,I’matraitor,too,andIdarenottellyou!Butleaveme,andIshallbekilled!DearCatherine,mylifeisinyourhands:andyouhavesaidyoulovedme,andifyoudid,itwouldn’tharmyou.You’llnotgo,then?kind,sweet,goodCatherine!Andperhapsyouwillconsent—andhe’llletmediewithyou!” Myyounglady,onwitnessinghisintenseanguish,stoopedtoraisehim.Theoldfeelingofindulgenttendernessovercamehervexation,andshegrewthoroughlymovedandalarmed. “Consenttowhat?”sheasked.“Tostay!tellmethemeaningofthisstrangetalk,andIwill.Youcontradictyourownwords,anddistractme!Becalmandfrank,andconfessatonceallthatweighsonyourheart.Youwouldn’ti