CHAPTER XXXI

hekitchen,sothatIremainedalone. “I’mgladtoseeyououtofdoorsagain,Mr.Lockwood,”hesaid,inreplytomygreeting“fromselfishmotivespartly:Idon’tthinkIcouldreadilysupplyyourlossinthisdesolation.I’vewonderedmorethanoncewhatbroughtyouhere.” “Anidlewhim,Ifear,sir,”wasmyanswer“orelseanidlewhimisgoingtospiritmeaway.IshallsetoutforLondonnextweekandImustgiveyouwarningthatIfeelnodispositiontoretainThrushcrossGrangebeyondthetwelvemonthsIagreedtorentit.IbelieveIshallnotlivethereanymore.” “Oh,indeedyou’retiredofbeingbanishedfromtheworld,areyou?”hesaid.“Butifyoubecomingtopleadoffpayingforaplaceyouwon’toccupy,yourjourneyisuseless:Ineverrelentinexactingmyduefromanyone.” “I’mcomingtopleadoffnothingaboutit,”Iexclaimed,considerablyirritated.“Shouldyouwishit,I’llsettlewithyounow,”andIdrewmynote-bookfrommypocket. “No,no,”hereplied,coolly“you’llleavesufficientbehindtocoveryourdebts,ifyoufailtoreturn:I’mnotinsuchahurry.Sitdownandtakeyourdinnerwithusaguestthatissafefromrepeatinghisvisitcangenerallybemadewelcome.Catherine!bringthethingsin:whereareyou?” Catherinereappeared,bearingatrayofknivesandforks. “YoumaygetyourdinnerwithJoseph,”mutteredHeathcliff,aside,“andremaininthekitchentillheisgone.” Sheobeyedhisdirectionsverypunctually:perhapsshehadnotemptationtotransgress.Livingamongclownsandmisanthropists,sheprobablycannotappreciateabetterclassofpeoplewhenshemeetsthem. WithMr.Heathcliff,grimandsaturnine,ontheonehand,andHareton,absolutelydumb,ontheother,Imadeasomewhatcheerlessmeal,andbadeadieuearly.Iwouldhavedepartedbythebackway,togetalastglimpseofCatherineandannoyoldJosephbutHaretonreceivedorderstoleadupmyhorse,andmyhosthimselfescortedmetothedoor,soIcouldnotfulfilmywish. “Howdrearylifegetsoverinthathouse!”Ireflected,whileridingdowntheroad.“WhatarealisationofsomethingmoreromanticthanafairytaleitwouldhavebeenforMrs.LintonHeathcliff,hadsheandIstruckupanattachment,ashergoodnursedesired,andmigratedtogetherintothestirringatmosphereofthetown!”