CHAPTER XXVIII

resentattheirmeeting.Istoodoutsidethechamber-dooraquarterofanhour,andhardlyventurednearthebed,then.Allwascomposed,however:Catherine’sdespairwasassilentasherfather’sjoy.Shesupportedhimcalmly,inappearanceandhefixedonherfeatureshisraisedeyesthatseemeddilatingwithecstasy. Hediedblissfully,Mr.Lockwood:hediedso.Kissinghercheek,hemurmured,—“Iamgoingtoherandyou,darlingchild,shallcometous!”andneverstirredorspokeagainbutcontinuedthatrapt,radiantgaze,tillhispulseimperceptiblystoppedandhissouldeparted.Nonecouldhavenoticedtheexactminuteofhisdeath,itwassoentirelywithoutastruggle. WhetherCatherinehadspenthertears,orwhetherthegriefweretooweightytoletthemflow,shesattheredry-eyedtillthesunrose:shesattillnoon,andwouldstillhaveremainedbroodingoverthatdeathbed,butIinsistedonhercomingawayandtakingsomerepose.ItwaswellIsucceededinremovingher,foratdinner-timeappearedthelawyer,havingcalledatWutheringHeightstogethisinstructionshowtobehave.HehadsoldhimselftoMr.Heathcliff:thatwasthecauseofhisdelayinobeyingmymaster’ssummons.Fortunately,nothoughtofworldlyaffairscrossedthelatter’smind,todisturbhim,afterhisdaughter’sarrival. Mr.Greentookuponhimselftoordereverythingandeverybodyabouttheplace.Hegavealltheservantsbutme,noticetoquit.HewouldhavecarriedhisdelegatedauthoritytothepointofinsistingthatEdgarLintonshouldnotbeburiedbesidehiswife,butinthechapel,withhisfamily.Therewasthewill,however,tohinderthat,andmyloudprotestationsagainstanyinfringementofitsdirections.ThefuneralwashurriedoverCatherine,Mrs.LintonHeathcliffnow,wassufferedtostayattheGrangetillherfather’scorpsehadquittedit. ShetoldmethatheranguishhadatlastspurredLintontoincurtheriskofliberatingher.SheheardthemenIsentdisputingatthedoor,andshegatheredthesenseofHeathcliff’sanswer.Itdroveherdesperate.LintonwhohadbeenconveyeduptothelittleparloursoonafterIleft,wasterrifiedintofetchingthekeybeforehisfatherre-ascended.Hehadthecunningtounlockandre-lockthedoor,withoutshuttingitandwhenheshouldhavegonetobed,hebeggedtosleepwithHareton,andhispetitionwasgrantedforonce.Catherinestoleoutbeforebreakofday.Shedarednottrythedoorslestthedogsshouldraiseanalarmshevisitedtheemptychambersandexaminedtheirwindowsand,luckily,lightingonhermother’s,shegoteasilyoutofitslattice,andontotheground,bymeansofthefir-treecloseby.Heraccomplicesufferedforhisshareintheescape,notwithstandinghistimidcontrivances.