CHAPTER XXXIII

ingbythefrontway,andhadafullviewofthewholethree,erewecouldraiseourheadstoglanceathim.Well,Ireflected,therewasneverapleasanter,ormoreharmlesssightanditwillbeaburningshametoscoldthem.Theredfire-lightglowedontheirtwobonnyheads,andrevealedtheirfacesanimatedwiththeeagerinterestofchildrenfor,thoughhewastwenty-threeandsheeighteen,eachhadsomuchofnoveltytofeelandlearn,thatneitherexperiencednorevincedthesentimentsofsoberdisenchantedmaturity. Theyliftedtheireyestogether,toencounterMr.Heathcliff:perhapsyouhaveneverremarkedthattheireyesarepreciselysimilar,andtheyarethoseofCatherineEarnshaw.ThepresentCatherinehasnootherlikenesstoher,exceptabreadthofforehead,andacertainarchofthenostrilthatmakesherappearratherhaughty,whethershewillornot.WithHaretontheresemblanceiscarriedfarther:itissingularatalltimes,thenitwasparticularlystrikingbecausehissenseswerealert,andhismentalfacultieswakenedtounwontedactivity.IsupposethisresemblancedisarmedMr.Heathcliff:hewalkedtothehearthinevidentagitationbutitquicklysubsidedashelookedattheyoungman:or,Ishouldsay,altereditscharacterforitwasthereyet.Hetookthebookfromhishand,andglancedattheopenpage,thenreturneditwithoutanyobservationmerelysigningCatherineaway:hercompanionlingeredverylittlebehindher,andIwasabouttodepartalso,buthebidmesitstill. “Itisapoorconclusion,isitnot?”heobserved,havingbroodedawhileonthescenehehadjustwitnessed:“anabsurdterminationtomyviolentexertions?Igetleversandmattockstodemolishthetwohouses,andtrainmyselftobecapableofworkinglikeHercules,andwheneverythingisreadyandinmypower,Ifindthewilltoliftaslateoffeitherroofhasvanished!Myoldenemieshavenotbeatenmenowwouldbetheprecisetimetorevengemyselfontheirrepresentatives:Icoulddoitandnonecouldhinderme.Butwhereistheuse?Idon’tcareforstriking:Ican’ttakethetroubletoraisemyhand!ThatsoundsasifIhadbeenlabouringthewholetimeonlytoexhibitafinetraitofmagnanimity.Itisfarfrombeingthecase:Ihavelostthefacultyofenjoyingtheirdestruction,andIamtooidletodestroyfornothing. “Nelly,thereisastrangechangeapproachingI’minitsshadowatpresent.ItakesolittleinterestinmydailylifethatIhardlyremembertoeatanddrink.Thosetwowhohavelefttheroomaretheonlyobjectswhichretainadistinctmaterialappearancetomeandthatappearancecausesmepain,amountingtoagony.AboutherIwon’tspeakandIdon’tdesiretothinkbutIearnestlywishshewereinvisible:herpresenceinvokesonlymaddeningsensations.Hemovesmedifferently:andyetifIcoulddoitwithoutseeminginsane,I’dneverseehimagain!You’llperhapsthinkmeratherinclinedtobecomeso,”headded,makinganefforttosmile,“ifItrytodescribethethousandformsofpastassociationsandideasheawakensorembodies.Butyou’llnottalkofwhatItellyouandmymindissoeternallysecludedinitself,itistemptingatlasttoturnitouttoanother. “FiveminutesagoHaretonseemedapersonificationofmyyouth,notahumanbeingIfelttohiminsuchavarietyofways,thatitwouldhavebeenimpossibletohaveaccostedhimrationally.Inthefirstplace,hisstartling