CHAPTER XXX

aretonwishesyouwouldreadtous,ma’am,’Isaid,immediately.‘He’dtakeitverykind—he’dbemuchobliged.’ “Shefrownedandlookingup,answered— “‘Mr.Hareton,andthewholesetofyou,willbegoodenoughtounderstandthatIrejectanypretenceatkindnessyouhavethehypocrisytooffer!Idespiseyou,andwillhavenothingtosaytoanyofyou!WhenIwouldhavegivenmylifeforonekindword,eventoseeoneofyourfaces,youallkeptoff.ButIwon’tcomplaintoyou!I’mdrivendownherebythecoldnoteithertoamuseyouorenjoyyoursociety.’ “‘WhatcouldIha’done?’beganEarnshaw.‘HowwasItoblame?’ “‘Oh!youareanexception,’answeredMrs.Heathcliff.‘Inevermissedsuchaconcernasyou.’ “‘ButIofferedmorethanonce,andasked,’hesaid,kindlingupatherpertness,‘IaskedMr.Heathclifftoletmewakeforyou—’ “‘Besilent!I’llgooutofdoors,oranywhere,ratherthanhaveyourdisagreeablevoiceinmyear!’saidmylady. “Haretonmutteredshemightgotohell,forhim!andunslinginghisgun,restrainedhimselffromhisSundayoccupationsnolonger.Hetalkednow,freelyenoughandshepresentlysawfittoretreattohersolitude:butthefrosthadsetin,and,inspiteofherpride,shewasforcedtocondescendtoourcompany,moreandmore.However,Itookcarethereshouldbenofurtherscorningatmygoodnature:eversince,I’vebeenasstiffasherselfandshehasnoloverorlikeramongus:andshedoesnotdeserveonefor,letthemsaytheleastwordtoher,andshe’llcurlbackwithoutrespectofanyone.She’llsnapatthemasterhimself,andasgoodasdareshimtothrashherandthemorehurtshegets,themorevenomousshegrows.” Atfirst,onhearingthisaccountfromZillah,Ideterminedtoleavemysituation,takeacottage,andgetCatherinetocomeandlivewithme:butMr.HeathcliffwouldassoonpermitthatashewouldsetupHaretoninanindependenthouseandIcanseenoremedy,atpresent,unlessshecouldmarryagainandthatschemeitdoesnotcomewithinmyprovincetoarrange. ***** ThusendedMrs.Dean’sstory.Notwithstandingthedoctor’sprophecy,IamrapidlyrecoveringstrengthandthoughitbeonlythesecondweekinJanuary,Iproposegettingoutonhorsebackinadayortwo,andridingovertoWutheringHeights,toinformmylandlordthatIshallspendthenextsixmonthsinLondonand,ifhelikes,hemaylookoutforanothertenanttotaketheplaceafterOctober.Iwouldnotpassanotherwinterhereformuch.