CHAPTER XXVIII

nsbeingtoaddnobitterness,ifIcouldhelpit,tohisalreadyoverflowingcup. Hedivinedthatoneofhisenemy’spurposeswastosecurethepersonalproperty,aswellastheestate,tohisson:orratherhimselfyetwhyhedidnotwaittillhisdeceasewasapuzzletomymaster,becauseignoranthownearlyheandhisnephewwouldquittheworldtogether.However,hefeltthathiswillhadbetterbealtered:insteadofleavingCatherine’sfortuneatherowndisposal,hedeterminedtoputitinthehandsoftrusteesforheruseduringlife,andforherchildren,ifshehadany,afterher.Bythatmeans,itcouldnotfalltoMr.HeathcliffshouldLintondie. Havingreceivedhisorders,Idespatchedamantofetchtheattorney,andfourmore,providedwithserviceableweapons,todemandmyyoungladyofherjailor.Bothpartiesweredelayedverylate.Thesingleservantreturnedfirst.HesaidMr.Green,thelawyer,wasoutwhenhearrivedathishouse,andhehadtowaittwohoursforhisre-entranceandthenMr.GreentoldhimhehadalittlebusinessinthevillagethatmustbedonebuthewouldbeatThrushcrossGrangebeforemorning.Thefourmencamebackunaccompaniedalso.TheybroughtwordthatCatherinewasill:tooilltoquitherroomandHeathcliffwouldnotsufferthemtoseeher.Iscoldedthestupidfellowswellforlisteningtothattale,whichIwouldnotcarrytomymasterresolvingtotakeawholebevyuptotheHeights,atdaylight,andstormitliterally,unlesstheprisonerwerequietlysurrenderedtous.Herfathershallseeher,Ivowed,andvowedagain,ifthatdevilbekilledonhisowndoor-stonesintryingtopreventit! Happily,Iwassparedthejourneyandthetrouble.Ihadgonedownstairsatthreeo’clocktofetchajugofwaterandwaspassingthroughthehallwithitinmyhand,whenasharpknockatthefrontdoormademejump.“Oh!itisGreen,”Isaid,recollectingmyself—“onlyGreen,”andIwenton,intendingtosendsomebodyelsetoopenitbuttheknockwasrepeated:notloud,andstillimportunately.Iputthejugonthebanisterandhastenedtoadmithimmyself.Theharvestmoonshoneclearoutside.Itwasnottheattorney.Myownsweetlittlemistresssprangonmynecksobbing,“Ellen,Ellen!Ispapaalive?” “Yes,”Icried:“yes,myangel,heis,Godbethanked,youaresafewithusagain!” Shewantedtorun,breathlessasshewas,upstairstoMr.Linton’sroombutIcompelledhertositdownonachair,andmadeherdrink,andwashedherpaleface,chafingitintoafaintcolourwithmyapron.ThenIsaidImustgofirst,andtellofherarrivalimploringhertosay,sheshouldbehappywithyoungHeathcliff.Shestared,butsooncomprehendingwhyIcounselledhertoutterthefalsehood,sheassuredmeshewouldnotcomplain. Icouldn’tabidetobep