CHAPTER XXXIV

And,Nelly,onceforall,letmebegyoutowarnHaretonandtheotherawayfromme.Iwishtobetroubledbynobody:Iwishtohavethisplacetomyself.” “Istheresomenewreasonforthisbanishment?”Iinquired.“Tellmewhyyouaresoqueer,Mr.Heathcliff?Wherewereyoulastnight?I’mnotputtingthequestionthroughidlecuriosity,but—” “Youareputtingthequestionthroughveryidlecuriosity,”heinterrupted,withalaugh.“YetI’llanswerit.LastnightIwasonthethresholdofhell.To-day,Iamwithinsightofmyheaven.Ihavemyeyesonit:hardlythreefeettoseverme!Andnowyou’dbettergo!You’llneitherseenorhearanythingtofrightenyou,ifyourefrainfromprying.” Havingsweptthehearthandwipedthetable,Idepartedmoreperplexedthanever. Hedidnotquitthehouseagainthatafternoon,andnooneintrudedonhissolitudetill,ateighto’clock,Ideemeditproper,thoughunsummoned,tocarryacandleandhissuppertohim.Hewasleaningagainsttheledgeofanopenlattice,butnotlookingout:hisfacewasturnedtotheinteriorgloom.Thefirehadsmoulderedtoashestheroomwasfilledwiththedamp,mildairofthecloudyeveningandsostill,thatnotonlythemurmurofthebeckdownGimmertonwasdistinguishable,butitsripplesanditsgurglingoverthepebbles,orthroughthelargestoneswhichitcouldnotcover.Iutteredanejaculationofdiscontentatseeingthedismalgrate,andcommencedshuttingthecasements,oneafteranother,tillIcametohis. “MustIclosethis?”Iasked,inordertorousehimforhewouldnotstir. ThelightflashedonhisfeaturesasIspoke.Oh,Mr.Lockwood,IcannotexpresswhataterriblestartIgotbythemomentaryview!Thosedeepblackeyes!Thatsmile,andghastlypaleness!Itappearedtome,notMr.Heathcliff,butagoblinand,inmyterror,Iletthecandlebendtowardsthewall,anditleftmeindarkness. “Yes,closeit,”hereplied,inhisfamiliarvoice.“There,thatispureawkwardness!Whydidyouholdthecandlehorizontally?Bequick,andbringanother.” Ihurriedoutinafoolishstateofdread,andsaidtoJoseph—“Themasterwishesyoutotakehimalightandrekindlethefire.”ForIdarednotgoinmyselfagainjustthen. Josephrattledsomefireintotheshovel,andwent:buthebroughtitbackimmediately,withthesupper-trayinhisotherhand,explainingthatMr.Heathcliffwasgoingtobed,andhewantednothingtoeattillmorning.Weheardhimmountthestairsdirectlyhedidnotproceedtohisordinarychamber,butturnedintothatwiththepanelledbed:itswindow,asImentionedbefore,iswideenoughforanybodytogetthroughanditstruckmethatheplottedanothermidnightexcursion,ofwhichhehadratherwehadnosuspicion. “Isheaghouloravampire?”Imused.Ihadreadofsuchhideousincarnatedemons.AndthenIsetmyselftoreflecthowIhadtendedhimininfancy,andwatchedhimgrowtoyouth,andfollowedhimalmostthroughhiswholecourseandwhatabsurdnonsenseitwastoyieldtothatsenseofhorror.“Butwheredidhecomefrom,thelittledarkthing,harbouredbyagoodmantohisbane?”mutteredSuperstition,asIdozedintounconsciousness.AndIbegan,halfdreaming,towearymyselfwithimaginingsomefitparentageforhimand,repeatingmywakingmeditations,Itrackedhisexistenceoveragain,withgrimvariationsatlast,picturinghisdeathandfuneral:ofwhich,allIcanrememberis,beingexceedinglyvexedathavingthetaskofdictatinganinscriptionforhismonument,andconsultingthesextonaboutitand,ashehadnosurname,andwecouldnottellhisage,wewereobligedtocontentourselveswiththesingleword,“Heathcliff.”Thatcametrue:wewere.Ifyouenterthekirkyard,you’llread,onhisheadstone,onlythat,andthedateofhisdeath. Dawnrestoredmetocommonsense.Irose,andwentintothegarden,assoonasIcouldsee,toascertainiftherewereanyfootmarksunderhiswindow.Therewerenone.“Hehasstayedathome,”Ithought,“andhe’llbeallrightto-day.”Ipreparedbreakfastforthehousehold,aswasmyusualcustom,buttoldHaretonandCatherinetogettheirserethemastercamedown,forhelaylate.Theypreferredtakingitoutofdoors,underthetrees,andIsetalittletabletoaccommodatethem. Onmyre-entrance,IfoundMr.Heathcliffbelow.HeandJosephwereconversingaboutsomefarmingbusinesshegaveclear,minutedirectionsconcerningthematterdiscussed,buthespokerapidly,andturnedhisheadcontinuallyaside,andhadthesameexcitedexpression,evenmoreexaggerated.WhenJosephquittedtheroomhetookhisseatintheplacehegenerallychose,andIputabasinofcoffeebeforehim.Hedrewitnearer,andthenrestedhisarmsonthetable,andlookedatt