CHAPTER XXXIII

ougo!”hesaidtoEarnshaw.“Accursedwitch!thistimeshehasprovokedmewhenIcouldnotbearitandI’llmakeherrepentitforever!” HehadhishandinherhairHaretonattemptedtoreleaseherlocks,entreatinghimnottohurtherthatonce.Heathcliff’sblackeyesflashedheseemedreadytotearCatherineinpieces,andIwasjustworkeduptoriskcomingtotherescue,whenofasuddenhisfingersrelaxedheshiftedhisgraspfromherheadtoherarm,andgazedintentlyinherface.Thenhedrewhishandoverhiseyes,stoodamomenttocollecthimselfapparently,andturninganewtoCatherine,said,withassumedcalmness—“Youmustlearntoavoidputtingmeinapassion,orIshallreallymurderyousometime!GowithMrs.Dean,andkeepwithherandconfineyourinsolencetoherears.AstoHaretonEarnshaw,ifIseehimlistentoyou,I’llsendhimseekinghisbreadwherehecangetit!Yourlovewillmakehimanoutcastandabeggar.Nelly,takeherandleaveme,allofyou!Leaveme!” Iledmyyoungladyout:shewastoogladofherescapetoresisttheotherfollowed,andMr.Heathcliffhadtheroomtohimselftilldinner.IhadcounselledCatherinetodineupstairsbut,assoonasheperceivedhervacantseat,hesentmetocallher.Hespoketononeofus,ateverylittle,andwentoutdirectlyafterwards,intimatingthatheshouldnotreturnbeforeevening. ThetwonewfriendsestablishedthemselvesinthehouseduringhisabsencewhereIheardHaretonsternlycheckhiscousin,onherofferingarevelationofherfather-in-law’sconducttohisfather.Hesaidhewouldn’tsufferawordtobeutteredinhisdisparagement:ifhewerethedevil,itdidn’tsignifyhewouldstandbyhimandhe’drathershewouldabusehimself,assheusedto,thanbeginonMr.Heathcliff.Catherinewaswaxingcrossatthisbuthefoundmeanstomakeherholdhertongue,byaskinghowshewouldlikehimtospeakillofherfather?ThenshecomprehendedthatEarnshawtookthemaster’sreputationhometohimselfandwasattachedbytiesstrongerthanreasoncouldbreak—chains,forgedbyhabit,whichitwouldbecrueltoattempttoloosen.Sheshowedagoodheart,thenceforth,inavoidingbothcomplaintsandexpressionsofantipathyconcerningHeathcliffandconfessedtomehersorrowthatshehadendeavouredtoraiseabadspiritbetweenhimandHareton:indeed,Idon’tbelieveshehaseverbreathedasyllable,inthelatter’shearing,againstheroppressorsince. Whenthisslightdisagreementwasover,theywerefriendsagain,andasbusyaspossibleintheirseveraloccupationsofpupilandteacher.Icameintositwiththem,afterIhaddonemyworkandIfeltsosoothedandcomfortedtowatchthem,thatIdidnotnoticehowtimegoton.Youknow,theybothappearedinameasuremychildren:Ihadlongbeenproudofoneandnow,Iwassure,theotherwouldbeasourceofequalsatisfaction.Hishonest,warm,andintelligentnatureshookoffrapidlythecloudsofignoranceanddegradationinwhichithadbeenbredandCatherine’ssincerecommendationsactedasaspurtohisindustry.Hisbrighteningmindbrightenedhisfeatures,andaddedspiritandnobilitytotheiraspect:IcouldhardlyfancyitthesameindividualIhadbeheldonthedayIdiscoveredmylittleladyatWutheringHeights,afterherexpeditiontotheCrags.WhileIadmiredandtheylaboured,duskdrewon,andwithitreturnedthemaster.Hecameuponusquiteunexpectedly,enter