CHAPTER XXVII

njureme,Linton,wouldyou?Youwouldn’tletanyenemyhurtme,ifyoucouldpreventit?I’llbelieveyouareacoward,foryourself,butnotacowardlybetrayerofyourbestfriend.” “Butmyfatherthreatenedme,”gaspedtheboy,claspinghisattenuatedfingers,“andIdreadhim—Idreadhim!Idarenottell!” “Oh,well!”saidCatherine,withscornfulcompassion,“keepyoursecret:I’mnocoward.Saveyourself:I’mnotafraid!” Hermagnanimityprovokedhistears:heweptwildly,kissinghersupportinghands,andyetcouldnotsummoncouragetospeakout.Iwascogitatingwhatthemysterymightbe,anddeterminedCatherineshouldneversuffertobenefithimoranyoneelse,bymygoodwillwhen,hearingarustleamongtheling,IlookedupandsawMr.Heathcliffalmostcloseuponus,descendingtheHeights.Hedidn’tcastaglancetowardsmycompanions,thoughtheyweresufficientlynearforLinton’ssobstobeaudiblebuthailingmeinthealmostheartytoneheassumedtononebesides,andthesincerityofwhichIcouldn’tavoiddoubting,hesaid— “Itissomethingtoseeyousoneartomyhouse,Nelly.HowareyouattheGrange?Letushear.Therumourgoes,”headded,inalowertone,“thatEdgarLintonisonhisdeath-bed:perhapstheyexaggeratehisillness?” “Nomymasterisdying,”Ireplied:“itistrueenough.Asadthingitwillbeforusall,butablessingforhim!” “Howlongwillhelast,doyouthink?”heasked. “Idon’tknow,”Isaid. “Because,”hecontinued,lookingatthetwoyoungpeople,whowerefixedunderhiseye—Lintonappearedasifhecouldnotventuretostirorraisehishead,andCatherinecouldnotmove,onhisaccount—“becausethatladyonderseemsdeterminedtobeatmeandI’dthankhisuncletobequick,andgobeforehim!Hallo!hasthewhelpbeenplayingthatgamelong?Ididgivehimsomelessonsaboutsnivelling.IsheprettylivelywithMissLintongenerally?” “Lively?no—hehasshownthegreatestdistress,”Ianswered.“Toseehim,Ishouldsay,thatinsteadoframblingwithhissweetheartonthehills,heoughttobeinbed,underthehandsofadoctor.” “Heshallbe,inadayortwo,”mutteredHeathcliff.“Butfirst—getup,Linton!Getup!”heshouted.“Don’tgrovelonthegroundthere:up,thismoment!” Lintonhadsunkprostrateagaininanotherparoxysmofhelplessfear,causedbyhisfather’sglancetowardshim,Isuppose:therewasnothingelsetoproducesuchhumiliation.Hemadeseveraleffortstoobey,buthislittlestrengthwasannihilatedforthetime,andhefellbackagainwithamoan.Mr.Heathcliffadvanced,andliftedhimtoleanagainstaridgeofturf. “Now,”saidhe,withcurbedferocity,“I’mgettingangry—andifyoudon’tcommandthatpaltryspiritofyours—damnyou!getupdirectly!” “Iwill,father,”hepanted.“Only,letmealone,orIshallfaint.I’vedoneasyouwished,I’msure.CatherinewilltellyouthatI—thatI—havebeencheerful.Ah!keepbyme,Catherinegivemeyourhand.” “Takemine,”saidhisfather“standonyourfeet.Therenow—she’lllendyouherarm:that’sright,lookather.YouwouldimagineIwasthedevilhimself,MissLinton,toexcitesuchhorror.Besokindastowalkhomewithhim,willyou?HeshuddersifItouchhim.” “Lintondear!”whisperedCatherine,“Ican’tgotoWutheringHeights:papahasforbiddenme.He’llnotharmyou:whyareyousoafraid?” “Icanneverre-enterthathouse,”heanswered.“I’mnottore-enteritwithoutyou!” “Stop!”criedhisfather.“We’llrespectCatherine’sfilialscruples.Nelly,takehimin,andI’llfollowyouradviceconcerningthedoctor,withoutdelay.” “You’lldowell,”repliedI.“ButImustremainwithmymistress:tomindyoursonisnotmybusiness.” “Youareverystiff,”saidHeathcliff,“Iknowthat:butyou’llforcemetopinchthebabyandmakeitscreambeforeitmovesyourcharity.Come,then,myhero.Areyouwillingtoreturn,escortedbyme?” Heapproachedoncemore,andmadeasifhewouldseizethefragilebeingbut,shrinkingback,Lintonclungtohiscousin,andimploredhertoaccompanyhim,withafranticimportunitythatadmittednodenial.HoweverIdisapproved,Icouldn’thinderher:indeed,howcouldshehaverefusedhimherself?Whatwasfillinghimwithdreadwehadnomeansofdiscerningbuttherehewas,powerlessunderitsgripe,andanyadditionseemedcapableofshockinghimintoidiocy.WereachedthethresholdCatherinewalkedin,andIstoodwaitingtillshehadconductedtheinvalidtoachair,expectingheroutimmediatelywhenMr.Heathcliff,pushingmeforward,exclaimed—“Myhouseisnotstrickenwiththeplague,NellyandIhaveamindtobehospitableto-day:sitdown,andallowmetoshutthedoor.” Heshutandlockeditalso.Istarted. “Youshallhaveteabeforeyougohome,”headded.“Iambymyself.HaretonisgonewithsomecattletotheLees,andZillahandJosephareoffonajourneyofpleas