wohnzimmer sessel mit armlehne

chapter xii while miss linton moped about the park andgarden, always silent, and almost always in tears; and her brother shut himself upamong books that he never opened--wearying, i guessed, with a continual vague expectation that catherine, repenting herconduct, would come of her own accord to ask pardon, and seek a reconciliation--andshe fasted pertinaciously, under the idea, probably, that at every meal edgar was ready to choke for her absence, andpride alone held him from running to cast himself at her feet; i went about myhousehold duties, convinced that the grange

had but one sensible soul in its walls, andthat lodged in my body. i wasted no condolences on miss, nor anyexpostulations on my mistress; nor did i pay much attention to the sighs of mymaster, who yearned to hear his lady's name, since he might not hear her voice. i determined they should come about as theypleased for me; and though it was a tiresomely slow process, i began to rejoiceat length in a faint dawn of its progress: as i thought at first. mrs. linton, on the third day, unbarred herdoor, and having finished the water in her pitcher and decanter, desired a renewedsupply, and a basin of gruel, for she

believed she was dying. that i set down as a speech meant foredgar's ears; i believed no such thing, so i kept it to myself and brought her sometea and dry toast. she ate and drank eagerly, and sank back onher pillow again, clenching her hands and groaning.'oh, i will die,' she exclaimed, 'since no one cares anything about me. i wish i had not taken that.'then a good while after i heard her murmur, 'no, i'll not die--he'd be glad--he doesnot love me at all--he would never miss me!'

'did you want anything, ma'am?'i inquired, still preserving my external composure, in spite of her ghastlycountenance and strange, exaggerated manner. 'what is that apathetic being doing?' shedemanded, pushing the thick entangled locks from her wasted face.'has he fallen into a lethargy, or is he dead?' 'neither,' replied i; 'if you mean mr.linton. he's tolerably well, i think, though hisstudies occupy him rather more than they ought: he is continually among his books,since he has no other society.'

i should not have spoken so if i had knownher true condition, but i could not get rid of the notion that she acted a part of herdisorder. 'among his books!' she cried, confounded. 'and i dying!i on the brink of the grave! my god! does he know how i'm altered?'continued she, staring at her reflection in a mirror hanging against the opposite wall. 'is that catherine linton?he imagines me in a pet--in play, perhaps. cannot you inform him that it is frightfulearnest? nelly, if it be not too late, as soon as ilearn how he feels, i'll choose between

these two: either to starve at once--thatwould be no punishment unless he had a heart--or to recover, and leave thecountry. are you speaking the truth about him now?take care. is he actually so utterly indifferent formy life?' 'why, ma'am,' i answered, 'the master hasno idea of your being deranged; and of course he does not fear that you will letyourself die of hunger.' 'you think not? cannot you tell him i will?' she returned.'persuade him! speak of your own mind: say you are certain i will!'

'no, you forget, mrs. linton,' i suggested,'that you have eaten some food with a relish this evening, and to-morrow you willperceive its good effects.' 'if i were only sure it would kill him,'she interrupted, 'i'd kill myself directly! these three awful nights i've never closedmy lids--and oh, i've been tormented! i've been haunted, nelly! but i begin to fancy you don't like me.how strange! i thought, though everybody hated anddespised each other, they could not avoid loving me. and they have all turned to enemies in afew hours: they have, i'm positive; the

people here.how dreary to meet death, surrounded by their cold faces! isabella, terrified and repelled, afraid toenter the room, it would be so dreadful to watch catherine go. and edgar standing solemnly by to see itover; then offering prayers of thanks to god for restoring peace to his house, andgoing back to his books! what in the name of all that feels has heto do with books, when i am dying?' she could not bear the notion which i hadput into her head of mr. linton's philosophical resignation.

tossing about, she increased her feverishbewilderment to madness, and tore the pillow with her teeth; then raising herselfup all burning, desired that i would open the window. we were in the middle of winter, the windblew strong from the north-east, and i objected. both the expressions flitting over herface, and the changes of her moods, began to alarm me terribly; and brought to myrecollection her former illness, and the doctor's injunction that she should not becrossed. a minute previously she was violent; now,supported on one arm, and not noticing my

refusal to obey her, she seemed to findchildish diversion in pulling the feathers from the rents she had just made, and ranging them on the sheet according totheir different species: her mind had strayed to other associations. 'that's a turkey's,' she murmured toherself; 'and this is a wild duck's; and this is a pigeon's.ah, they put pigeons' feathers in the pillows--no wonder i couldn't die! let me take care to throw it on the floorwhen i lie down. and here is a moor-cock's; and this--ishould know it among a thousand--it's a

lapwing's. bonny bird; wheeling over our heads in themiddle of the moor. it wanted to get to its nest, for theclouds had touched the swells, and it felt rain coming. this feather was picked up from the heath,the bird was not shot: we saw its nest in the winter, full of little skeletons.heathcliff set a trap over it, and the old ones dared not come. i made him promise he'd never shoot alapwing after that, and he didn't. yes, here are more!did he shoot my lapwings, nelly?

are they red, any of them? let me look.''give over with that baby-work!' i interrupted, dragging the pillow away,and turning the holes towards the mattress, for she was removing its contents byhandfuls. 'lie down and shut your eyes: you'rewandering. there's a mess!the down is flying about like snow.' i went here and there collecting it. 'i see in you, nelly,' she continueddreamily, 'an aged woman: you have grey hair and bent shoulders.

this bed is the fairy cave under penistonecrags, and you are gathering elf-bolts to hurt our heifers; pretending, while i amnear, that they are only locks of wool. that's what you'll come to fifty yearshence: i know you are not so now. i'm not wandering: you're mistaken, or elsei should believe you really were that withered hag, and i should think i wasunder penistone crags; and i'm conscious it's night, and there are two candles on the table making the black press shine likejet.' 'the black press? where is that?'i asked. 'you are talking in your sleep!'

'it's against the wall, as it always is,'she replied. 'it does appear odd--i see a face in it!' 'there's no press in the room, and neverwas,' said i, resuming my seat, and looping up the curtain that i might watch her.'don't you see that face?' she inquired, gazing earnestly at the mirror. and say what i could, i was incapable ofmaking her comprehend it to be her own; so i rose and covered it with a shawl.'it's behind there still!' she pursued, anxiously. 'and it stirred.who is it?

i hope it will not come out when you aregone! oh! nelly, the room is haunted! i'm afraid of being alone!'i took her hand in mine, and bid her be composed; for a succession of shuddersconvulsed her frame, and she would keep straining her gaze towards the glass. 'there's nobody here!'i insisted. 'it was yourself, mrs. linton: you knewit a while since.' 'myself!' she gasped, 'and the clock isstriking twelve! it's true, then! that's dreadful!'her fingers clutched the clothes, and

gathered them over her eyes. i attempted to steal to the door with anintention of calling her husband; but i was summoned back by a piercing shriek--theshawl had dropped from the frame. 'why, what is the matter?' cried i. 'who is coward now?wake up! that is the glass--the mirror, mrs. linton;and you see yourself in it, and there am i too by your side.' trembling and bewildered, she held me fast,but the horror gradually passed from her countenance; its paleness gave place to aglow of shame.

'oh, dear! i thought i was at home,' she sighed.'i thought i was lying in my chamber at wuthering heights.because i'm weak, my brain got confused, and i screamed unconsciously. don't say anything; but stay with me.i dread sleeping: my dreams appal me.' 'a sound sleep would do you good, ma'am,'i answered: 'and i hope this suffering will prevent your trying starving again.' 'oh, if i were but in my own bed in the oldhouse!' she went on bitterly, wringing her hands.'and that wind sounding in the firs by the

lattice. do let me feel it--it comes straight downthe moor--do let me have one breath!' to pacify her i held the casement ajar afew seconds. a cold blast rushed through; i closed it,and returned to my post. she lay still now, her face bathed intears. exhaustion of body had entirely subdued herspirit: our fiery catherine was no better than a wailing child.'how long is it since i shut myself in here?' she asked, suddenly reviving. 'it was monday evening,' i replied, 'andthis is thursday night, or rather friday

morning, at present.''what! of the same week?' she exclaimed. 'only that brief time?' 'long enough to live on nothing but coldwater and ill-temper,' observed i. 'well, it seems a weary number of hours,'she muttered doubtfully: 'it must be more. i remember being in the parlour after theyhad quarrelled, and edgar being cruelly provoking, and me running into this roomdesperate. as soon as ever i had barred the door,utter blackness overwhelmed me, and i fell on the floor. i couldn't explain to edgar how certain ifelt of having a fit, or going raging mad,

if he persisted in teasing me! i had no command of tongue, or brain, andhe did not guess my agony, perhaps: it barely left me sense to try to escape fromhim and his voice. before i recovered sufficiently to see andhear, it began to be dawn, and, nelly, i'll tell you what i thought, and what has keptrecurring and recurring till i feared for my reason. i thought as i lay there, with my headagainst that table leg, and my eyes dimly discerning the grey square of the window,that i was enclosed in the oak-panelled bed at home; and my heart ached with some great

grief which, just waking, i could notrecollect. i pondered, and worried myself to discoverwhat it could be, and, most strangely, the whole last seven years of my life grew ablank! i did not recall that they had been at all. i was a child; my father was just buried,and my misery arose from the separation that hindley had ordered between me andheathcliff. i was laid alone, for the first time; and,rousing from a dismal doze after a night of weeping, i lifted my hand to push thepanels aside: it struck the table-top! i swept it along the carpet, and thenmemory burst in: my late anguish was

swallowed in a paroxysm of despair. i cannot say why i felt so wildly wretched:it must have been temporary derangement; for there is scarcely cause. but, supposing at twelve years old i hadbeen wrenched from the heights, and every early association, and my all in all, asheathcliff was at that time, and been converted at a stroke into mrs. linton, the lady of thrushcross grange, and the wife ofa stranger: an exile, and outcast, thenceforth, from what had been my world.you may fancy a glimpse of the abyss where i grovelled!

shake your head as you will, nelly, youhave helped to unsettle me! you should have spoken to edgar, indeed youshould, and compelled him to leave me quiet! oh, i'm burning!i wish i were out of doors! i wish i were a girl again, half savage andhardy, and free; and laughing at injuries, not maddening under them! why am i so changed? why does my blood rushinto a hell of tumult at a few words? i'm sure i should be myself were i onceamong the heather on those hills. open the window again wide: fasten it open!

quick, why don't you move?''because i won't give you your death of cold,' i answered.'you won't give me a chance of life, you mean,' she said, sullenly. 'however, i'm not helpless yet; i'll openit myself.' and sliding from the bed before i couldhinder her, she crossed the room, walking very uncertainly, threw it back, and bentout, careless of the frosty air that cut about her shoulders as keen as a knife. i entreated, and finally attempted to forceher to retire. but i soon found her delirious strengthmuch surpassed mine (she was delirious, i

became convinced by her subsequent actionsand ravings). there was no moon, and everything beneathlay in misty darkness: not a light gleamed from any house, far or near all had beenextinguished long ago: and those at wuthering heights were never visible--stillshe asserted she caught their shining. 'look!' she cried eagerly, 'that's my roomwith the candle in it, and the trees swaying before it; and the other candle isin joseph's garret. joseph sits up late, doesn't he? he's waiting till i come home that he maylock the gate. well, he'll wait a while yet.

it's a rough journey, and a sad heart totravel it; and we must pass by gimmerton kirk to go that journey! we've braved its ghosts often together, anddared each other to stand among the graves and ask them to come.but, heathcliff, if i dare you now, will you venture? if you do, i'll keep you.i'll not lie there by myself: they may bury me twelve feet deep, and throw the churchdown over me, but i won't rest till you are with me. i never will!'she paused, and resumed with a strange

smile.'he's considering--he'd rather i'd come to him! find a way, then! not through thatkirkyard. you are slow!be content, you always followed me!' perceiving it vain to argue against herinsanity, i was planning how i could reach something to wrap about her, withoutquitting my hold of herself (for i could not trust her alone by the gaping lattice), when, to my consternation, i heard therattle of the door-handle, and mr. linton entered.

he had only then come from the library;and, in passing through the lobby, had noticed our talking and been attracted bycuriosity, or fear, to examine what it signified, at that late hour. 'oh, sir!'i cried, checking the exclamation risen to his lips at the sight which met him, andthe bleak atmosphere of the chamber. 'my poor mistress is ill, and she quitemasters me: i cannot manage her at all; pray, come and persuade her to go to bed.forget your anger, for she's hard to guide any way but her own.' 'catherine ill?' he said, hastening to us.'shut the window, ellen!

catherine! why--'he was silent. the haggardness of mrs. linton's appearancesmote him speechless, and he could only glance from her to me in horrifiedastonishment. 'she's been fretting here,' i continued,'and eating scarcely anything, and never complaining: she would admit none of ustill this evening, and so we couldn't inform you of her state, as we were notaware of it ourselves; but it is nothing.' i felt i uttered my explanations awkwardly;the master frowned. 'it is nothing, is it, ellen dean?' he saidsternly. 'you shall account more clearly for keepingme ignorant of this!'

and he took his wife in his arms, andlooked at her with anguish. at first she gave him no glance ofrecognition: he was invisible to her abstracted gaze. the delirium was not fixed, however; havingweaned her eyes from contemplating the outer darkness, by degrees she centred herattention on him, and discovered who it was that held her. 'ah! you are come, are you, edgar linton?'she said, with angry animation. 'you are one of those things that are everfound when least wanted, and when you are wanted, never!

i suppose we shall have plenty oflamentations now--i see we shall--but they can't keep me from my narrow home outyonder: my resting-place, where i'm bound before spring is over! there it is: not among the lintons, mind,under the chapel-roof, but in the open air, with a head-stone; and you may pleaseyourself whether you go to them or come to 'catherine, what have you done?' commencedthe master. 'am i nothing to you any more?do you love that wretch heath--' 'hush!' cried mrs. linton. 'hush, this moment!you mention that name and i end the matter

instantly by a spring from the window! what you touch at present you may have; butmy soul will be on that hill-top before you lay hands on me again.i don't want you, edgar: i'm past wanting you. return to your books.i'm glad you possess a consolation, for all you had in me is gone.''her mind wanders, sir,' i interposed. 'she has been talking nonsense the wholeevening; but let her have quiet, and proper attendance, and she'll rally.hereafter, we must be cautious how we vex her.'

'i desire no further advice from you,'answered mr. linton. 'you knew your mistress's nature, and youencouraged me to harass her. and not to give me one hint of how she hasbeen these three days! it was heartless!months of sickness could not cause such a change!' i began to defend myself, thinking it toobad to be blamed for another's wicked waywardness. 'i knew mrs. linton's nature to beheadstrong and domineering,' cried i: 'but i didn't know that you wished to foster herfierce temper!

i didn't know that, to humour her, i shouldwink at mr. heathcliff. i performed the duty of a faithful servantin telling you, and i have got a faithful servant's wages! well, it will teach me to be careful nexttime. next time you may gather intelligence foryourself!' 'the next time you bring a tale to me youshall quit my service, ellen dean,' he replied.'you'd rather hear nothing about it, i suppose, then, mr. linton?' said i. 'heathcliff has your permission to come a-courting to miss, and to drop in at every

opportunity your absence offers, on purposeto poison the mistress against you?' confused as catherine was, her wits werealert at applying our conversation. 'ah! nelly has played traitor,' sheexclaimed, passionately. 'nelly is my hidden enemy. you witch!so you do seek elf-bolts to hurt us! let me go, and i'll make her rue!i'll make her howl a recantation!' a maniac's fury kindled under her brows;she struggled desperately to disengage herself from linton's arms. i felt no inclination to tarry the event;and, resolving to seek medical aid on my

own responsibility, i quitted the chamber. in passing the garden to reach the road, ata place where a bridle hook is driven into the wall, i saw something white movedirregularly, evidently by another agent than the wind. notwithstanding my hurry, i stayed toexamine it, lest ever after i should have the conviction impressed on my imaginationthat it was a creature of the other world. my surprise and perplexity were great ondiscovering, by touch more than vision, miss isabella's springer, fanny, suspendedby a handkerchief, and nearly at its last gasp.

i quickly released the animal, and liftedit into the garden. i had seen it follow its mistress up-stairswhen she went to bed; and wondered much how it could have got out there, and whatmischievous person had treated it so. while untying the knot round the hook, itseemed to me that i repeatedly caught the beat of horses' feet galloping at somedistance; but there were such a number of things to occupy my reflections that i hardly gave the circumstance a thought:though it was a strange sound, in that place, at two o'clock in the morning. mr. kenneth was fortunately just issuingfrom his house to see a patient in the

village as i came up the street; and myaccount of catherine linton's malady induced him to accompany me backimmediately. he was a plain rough man; and he made noscruple to speak his doubts of her surviving this second attack; unless shewere more submissive to his directions than she had shown herself before. 'nelly dean,' said he, 'i can't helpfancying there's an extra cause for this. what has there been to do at the grange?we've odd reports up here. a stout, hearty lass like catherine doesnot fall ill for a trifle; and that sort of people should not either.it's hard work bringing them through

fevers, and such things. how did it begin?''the master will inform you,' i answered; 'but you are acquainted with the earnshaws'violent dispositions, and mrs. linton caps them all. i may say this; it commenced in a quarrel.she was struck during a tempest of passion with a kind of fit. that's her account, at least: for she flewoff in the height of it, and locked herself up. afterwards, she refused to eat, and now shealternately raves and remains in a half

dream; knowing those about her, but havingher mind filled with all sorts of strange ideas and illusions.' 'mr. linton will be sorry?' observedkenneth, interrogatively. 'sorry? he'll break his heart shouldanything happen!' i replied. 'don't alarm him more than necessary.''well, i told him to beware,' said my companion; 'and he must bide theconsequences of neglecting my warning! hasn't he been intimate with mr. heathclifflately?' 'heathcliff frequently visits at thegrange,' answered i, 'though more on the

strength of the mistress having known himwhen a boy, than because the master likes his company. at present he's discharged from the troubleof calling; owing to some presumptuous aspirations after miss linton which hemanifested. i hardly think he'll be taken in again.' 'and does miss linton turn a cold shoulderon him?' was the doctor's next question. 'i'm not in her confidence,' returned i,reluctant to continue the subject. 'no, she's a sly one,' he remarked, shakinghis head. 'she keeps her own counsel!but she's a real little fool.

i have it from good authority that lastnight (and a pretty night it was!) she and heathcliff were walking in the plantationat the back of your house above two hours; and he pressed her not to go in again, butjust mount his horse and away with him! my informant said she could only put himoff by pledging her word of honour to be prepared on their first meeting after that:when it was to be he didn't hear; but you urge mr. linton to look sharp!' this news filled me with fresh fears; ioutstripped kenneth, and ran most of the way back.the little dog was yelping in the garden yet.

i spared a minute to open the gate for it,but instead of going to the house door, it coursed up and down snuffing the grass, andwould have escaped to the road, had i not seized it and conveyed it in with me. on ascending to isabella's room, mysuspicions were confirmed: it was empty. had i been a few hours sooner mrs. linton'sillness might have arrested her rash step. but what could be done now? there was a bare possibility of overtakingthem if pursued instantly. i could not pursue them, however; and idared not rouse the family, and fill the place with confusion; still less unfold thebusiness to my master, absorbed as he was

in his present calamity, and having noheart to spare for a second grief! i saw nothing for it but to hold my tongue,and suffer matters to take their course; and kenneth being arrived, i went with abadly composed countenance to announce him. catherine lay in a troubled sleep: herhusband had succeeded in soothing the excess of frenzy; he now hung over herpillow, watching every shade and every change of her painfully expressivefeatures. the doctor, on examining the case forhimself, spoke hopefully to him of its having a favourable termination, if wecould only preserve around her perfect and constant tranquillity.

to me, he signified the threatening dangerwas not so much death, as permanent alienation of intellect. i did not close my eyes that night, nor didmr. linton: indeed, we never went to bed; and the servants were all up long beforethe usual hour, moving through the house with stealthy tread, and exchanging whispers as they encountered each other intheir vocations. every one was active but miss isabella; andthey began to remark how sound she slept: her brother, too, asked if she had risen,and seemed impatient for her presence, and hurt that she showed so little anxiety forher sister-in-law.

i trembled lest he should send me to callher; but i was spared the pain of being the first proclaimant of her flight. one of the maids, a thoughtless girl, whohad been on an early errand to gimmerton, came panting up-stairs, open-mouthed, anddashed into the chamber, crying: 'oh, dear, dear! what mun we have next?master, master, our young lady--' 'hold your noise!' cried, i hastily,enraged at her clamorous manner. 'speak lower, mary--what is the matter?'said mr. linton. 'what ails your young lady?''she's gone, she's gone!

yon' heathcliff's run off wi' her!' gaspedthe girl. 'that is not true!' exclaimed linton,rising in agitation. 'it cannot be: how has the idea enteredyour head? ellen dean, go and seek her.it is incredible: it cannot be.' as he spoke he took the servant to thedoor, and then repeated his demand to know her reasons for such an assertion. 'why, i met on the road a lad that fetchesmilk here,' she stammered, 'and he asked whether we weren't in trouble at thegrange. i thought he meant for missis's sickness,so i answered, yes.

then says he, "there's somebody gone after'em, i guess?" i stared. he saw i knew nought about it, and he toldhow a gentleman and lady had stopped to have a horse's shoe fastened at ablacksmith's shop, two miles out of gimmerton, not very long after midnight! and how the blacksmith's lass had got up tospy who they were: she knew them both directly. and she noticed the man--heathcliff it was,she felt certain: nob'dy could mistake him, besides--put a sovereign in her father'shand for payment.

the lady had a cloak about her face; buthaving desired a sup of water, while she drank it fell back, and she saw her veryplain. heathcliff held both bridles as they rodeon, and they set their faces from the village, and went as fast as the roughroads would let them. the lass said nothing to her father, butshe told it all over gimmerton this morning.' i ran and peeped, for form's sake, intoisabella's room; confirming, when i returned, the servant's statement. mr. linton had resumed his seat by the bed;on my re-entrance, he raised his eyes, read

the meaning of my blank aspect, and droppedthem without giving an order, or uttering a word. 'are we to try any measures for overtakingand bringing her back,' i inquired. 'how should we do?' 'she went of her own accord,' answered themaster; 'she had a right to go if she pleased.trouble me no more about her. hereafter she is only my sister in name:not because i disown her, but because she has disowned me.' and that was all he said on the subject: hedid not make single inquiry further, or

mention her in any way, except directing meto send what property she had in the house to her fresh home, wherever it was, when iknew it. > chapter xiii for two months the fugitives remainedabsent; in those two months, mrs. linton encountered and conquered the worst shockof what was denominated a brain fever. no mother could have nursed an only childmore devotedly than edgar tended her. day and night he was watching, andpatiently enduring all the annoyances that irritable nerves and a shaken reason couldinflict; and, though kenneth remarked that

what he saved from the grave would only recompense his care by forming the sourceof constant future anxiety--in fact, that his health and strength were beingsacrificed to preserve a mere ruin of humanity--he knew no limits in gratitude and joy when catherine's life was declaredout of danger; and hour after hour he would sit beside her, tracing the gradual returnto bodily health, and flattering his too sanguine hopes with the illusion that her mind would settle back to its right balancealso, and she would soon be entirely her former self.the first time she left her chamber was at

the commencement of the following march. mr. linton had put on her pillow, in themorning, a handful of golden crocuses; her eye, long stranger to any gleam ofpleasure, caught them in waking, and shone delighted as she gathered them eagerlytogether. 'these are the earliest flowers at theheights,' she exclaimed. 'they remind me of soft thaw winds, andwarm sunshine, and nearly melted snow. edgar, is there not a south wind, and isnot the snow almost gone?' 'the snow is quite gone down here,darling,' replied her husband; 'and i only see two white spots on the whole range ofmoors: the sky is blue, and the larks are

singing, and the becks and brooks are allbrim full. catherine, last spring at this time, i waslonging to have you under this roof; now, i wish you were a mile or two up those hills:the air blows so sweetly, i feel that it would cure you.' 'i shall never be there but once more,'said the invalid; 'and then you'll leave me, and i shall remain for ever. next spring you'll long again to have meunder this roof, and you'll look back and think you were happy to-day.' linton lavished on her the kindestcaresses, and tried to cheer her by the

fondest words; but, vaguely regarding theflowers, she let the tears collect on her lashes and stream down her cheeksunheeding. we knew she was really better, and,therefore, decided that long confinement to a single place produced much of thisdespondency, and it might be partially removed by a change of scene. the master told me to light a fire in themany-weeks' deserted parlour, and to set an easy-chair in the sunshine by the window;and then he brought her down, and she sat a long while enjoying the genial heat, and, as we expected, revived by the objectsround her: which, though familiar, were

free from the dreary associations investingher hated sick chamber. by evening she seemed greatly exhausted;yet no arguments could persuade her to return to that apartment, and i had toarrange the parlour sofa for her bed, till another room could be prepared. to obviate the fatigue of mounting anddescending the stairs, we fitted up this, where you lie at present--on the same floorwith the parlour; and she was soon strong enough to move from one to the other,leaning on edgar's arm. ah, i thought myself, she might recover, sowaited on as she was. and there was double cause to desire it,for on her existence depended that of

another: we cherished the hope that in alittle while mr. linton's heart would be gladdened, and his lands secured from astranger's gripe, by the birth of an heir. i should mention that isabella sent to herbrother, some six weeks from her departure, a short note, announcing her marriage withheathcliff. it appeared dry and cold; but at the bottomwas dotted in with pencil an obscure apology, and an entreaty for kindremembrance and reconciliation, if her proceeding had offended him: asserting that she could not help it then, and being done,she had now no power to repeal it. linton did not reply to this, i believe;and, in a fortnight more, i got a long

letter, which i considered odd, coming fromthe pen of a bride just out of the honeymoon. i'll read it: for i keep it yet.any relic of the dead is precious, if they were valued living. dear ellen, it begins,--i came last nightto wuthering heights, and heard, for the first time, that catherine has been, and isyet, very ill. i must not write to her, i suppose, and mybrother is either too angry or too distressed to answer what i sent him.still, i must write to somebody, and the only choice left me is you.

inform edgar that i'd give the world to seehis face again--that my heart returned to thrushcross grange in twenty-four hoursafter i left it, and is there at this moment, full of warm feelings for him, andcatherine! i can't follow it though--(these wordsare underlined)--they need not expect me, and they may draw what conclusions theyplease; taking care, however, to lay nothing at the door of my weak will ordeficient affection. the remainder of the letter is for yourselfalone. i want to ask you two questions: the firstis,--how did you contrive to preserve the common sympathies of human nature when youresided here?

i cannot recognise any sentiment whichthose around share with me. the second question i have great interestin; it is this--is mr. heathcliff a man? if so, is he mad? and if not, is he a devil? i sha'n't tell my reasons for making thisinquiry; but i beseech you to explain, if you can, what i have married: that is, whenyou call to see me; and you must call, ellen, very soon. don't write, but come, and bring mesomething from edgar. now, you shall hear how i have beenreceived in my new home, as i am led to

imagine the heights will be. it is to amuse myself that i dwell on suchsubjects as the lack of external comforts: they never occupy my thoughts, except atthe moment when i miss them. i should laugh and dance for joy, if ifound their absence was the total of my miseries, and the rest was an unnaturaldream! the sun set behind the grange as we turnedon to the moors; by that, i judged it to be six o'clock; and my companion halted halfan hour, to inspect the park, and the gardens, and, probably, the place itself, as well as he could; so it was dark when wedismounted in the paved yard of the farm-

house, and your old fellow-servant, joseph,issued out to receive us by the light of a dip candle. he did it with a courtesy that redounded tohis credit. his first act was to elevate his torch to alevel with my face, squint malignantly, project his under-lip, and turn away. then he took the two horses, and led theminto the stables; reappearing for the purpose of locking the outer gate, as if welived in an ancient castle. heathcliff stayed to speak to him, and ientered the kitchen--a dingy, untidy hole; i daresay you would not know it, it is sochanged since it was in your charge.

by the fire stood a ruffianly child, strongin limb and dirty in garb, with a look of catherine in his eyes and about his mouth. 'this is edgar's legal nephew,' ireflected--'mine in a manner; i must shake hands, and--yes--i must kiss him.it is right to establish a good understanding at the beginning.' i approached, and, attempting to take hischubby fist, said--'how do you do, my dear?'he replied in a jargon i did not comprehend. 'shall you and i be friends, hareton?' wasmy next essay at conversation.

an oath, and a threat to set throttler onme if i did not 'frame off' rewarded my perseverance. 'hey, throttler, lad!' whispered the littlewretch, rousing a half-bred bull-dog from its lair in a corner.'now, wilt thou be ganging?' he asked authoritatively. love for my life urged a compliance; istepped over the threshold to wait till the others should enter. mr. heathcliff was nowhere visible; andjoseph, whom i followed to the stables, and requested to accompany me in, after staringand muttering to himself, screwed up his

nose and replied--'mim! mim! mim! did iver christian body hear aught like it?mincing un' munching! how can i tell whet ye say?''i say, i wish you to come with me into the house!' i cried, thinking him deaf, yet highlydisgusted at his rudeness. 'none o' me! i getten summut else to do,' he answered,and continued his work; moving his lantern jaws meanwhile, and surveying my dress andcountenance (the former a great deal too fine, but the latter, i'm sure, as sad ashe could desire) with sovereign contempt.

i walked round the yard, and through awicket, to another door, at which i took the liberty of knocking, in hopes some morecivil servant might show himself. after a short suspense, it was opened by atall, gaunt man, without neckerchief, and otherwise extremely slovenly; his featureswere lost in masses of shaggy hair that hung on his shoulders; and his eyes, too, were like a ghostly catherine's with alltheir beauty annihilated. 'what's your business here?' he demanded,grimly. 'who are you?' 'my name was isabella linton,' i replied.'you've seen me before, sir.

i'm lately married to mr. heathcliff, andhe has brought me here--i suppose, by your permission.' 'is he come back, then?' asked the hermit,glaring like a hungry wolf. 'yes--we came just now,' i said; 'but heleft me by the kitchen door; and when i would have gone in, your little boy playedsentinel over the place, and frightened me off by the help of a bull-dog.' 'it's well the hellish villain has kept hisword!' growled my future host, searching the darkness beyond me in expectation ofdiscovering heathcliff; and then he indulged in a soliloquy of execrations, and

threats of what he would have done had the'fiend' deceived him. i repented having tried this secondentrance, and was almost inclined to slip away before he finished cursing, but ere icould execute that intention, he ordered me in, and shut and re-fastened the door. there was a great fire, and that was allthe light in the huge apartment, whose floor had grown a uniform grey; and theonce brilliant pewter-dishes, which used to attract my gaze when i was a girl, partook of a similar obscurity, created by tarnishand dust. i inquired whether i might call the maid,and be conducted to a bedroom!

mr. earnshaw vouchsafed no answer. he walked up and down, with his hands inhis pockets, apparently quite forgetting my presence; and his abstraction was evidentlyso deep, and his whole aspect so misanthropical, that i shrank fromdisturbing him again. you'll not be surprised, ellen, at myfeeling particularly cheerless, seated in worse than solitude on that inhospitablehearth, and remembering that four miles distant lay my delightful home, containing the only people i loved on earth; and theremight as well be the atlantic to part us, instead of those four miles: i could notoverpass them!

i questioned with myself--where must i turnfor comfort? and--mind you don't tell edgar, or catherine--above every sorrowbeside, this rose pre-eminent: despair at finding nobody who could or would be myally against heathcliff! i had sought shelter at wuthering heights,almost gladly, because i was secured by that arrangement from living alone withhim; but he knew the people we were coming amongst, and he did not fear theirintermeddling. i sat and thought a doleful time: the clockstruck eight, and nine, and still my companion paced to and fro, his head benton his breast, and perfectly silent, unless a groan or a bitter ejaculation forceditself out at intervals.

i listened to detect a woman's voice in thehouse, and filled the interim with wild regrets and dismal anticipations, which, atlast, spoke audibly in irrepressible sighing and weeping. i was not aware how openly i grieved, tillearnshaw halted opposite, in his measured walk, and gave me a stare of newly-awakenedsurprise. taking advantage of his recoveredattention, i exclaimed--'i'm tired with my journey, and i want to go to bed!where is the maid-servant? direct me to her, as she won't come to me!' 'we have none,' he answered; 'you must waiton yourself!'

'where must i sleep, then?' i sobbed; i was beyond regarding self-respect, weighed down by fatigue and wretchedness. 'joseph will show you heathcliff'schamber,' said he; 'open that door--he's in there.' i was going to obey, but he suddenlyarrested me, and added in the strangest tone--'be so good as to turn your lock, anddraw your bolt--don't omit it!' 'well!' i said.'but why, mr. earnshaw?'

i did not relish the notion of deliberatelyfastening myself in with heathcliff. 'look here!' he replied, pulling from hiswaistcoat a curiously-constructed pistol, having a double-edged spring knife attachedto the barrel. 'that's a great tempter to a desperate man,is it not? i cannot resist going up with this everynight, and trying his door. if once i find it open he's done for; i doit invariably, even though the minute before i have been recalling a hundredreasons that should make me refrain: it is some devil that urges me to thwart my ownschemes by killing him. you fight against that devil for love aslong as you may; when the time comes, not

all the angels in heaven shall save him!' i surveyed the weapon inquisitively.a hideous notion struck me: how powerful i should be possessing such an instrument!i took it from his hand, and touched the blade. he looked astonished at the expression myface assumed during a brief second: it was not horror, it was covetousness. he snatched the pistol back, jealously;shut the knife, and returned it to its concealment.'i don't care if you tell him,' said he. 'put him on his guard, and watch for him.

you know the terms we are on, i see: hisdanger does not shock you.' 'what has heathcliff done to you?'i asked. 'in what has he wronged you, to warrantthis appalling hatred? wouldn't it be wiser to bid him quit thehouse?' 'no!' thundered earnshaw; 'should he offerto leave me, he's a dead man: persuade him to attempt it, and you are a murderess!am i to lose all, without a chance of retrieval? is hareton to be a beggar?oh, damnation! i will have it back; and i'll have hisgold too; and then his blood; and hell

shall have his soul! it will be ten times blacker with thatguest than ever it was before!' you've acquainted me, ellen, with your oldmaster's habits. he is clearly on the verge of madness: hewas so last night at least. i shuddered to be near him, and thought onthe servant's ill-bred moroseness as comparatively agreeable. he now recommenced his moody walk, and iraised the latch, and escaped into the kitchen. joseph was bending over the fire, peeringinto a large pan that swung above it; and a

wooden bowl of oatmeal stood on the settleclose by. the contents of the pan began to boil, andhe turned to plunge his hand into the bowl; i conjectured that this preparation wasprobably for our supper, and, being hungry, i resolved it should be eatable; so, crying out sharply, 'i'll make the porridge!'i removed the vessel out of his reach, and proceeded to take off my hat and riding-habit. 'mr. earnshaw,' i continued, 'directs me towait on myself: i will. i'm not going to act the lady among you,for fear i should starve.' 'gooid lord!' he muttered, sitting down,and stroking his ribbed stockings from the

knee to the ankle. 'if there's to be fresh ortherings--justwhen i getten used to two maisters, if i mun hev' a mistress set o'er my heead,it's like time to be flitting. i niver did think to see t' day that imud lave th' owld place--but i doubt it's nigh at hand!' this lamentation drew no notice from me: iwent briskly to work, sighing to remember a period when it would have been all merryfun; but compelled speedily to drive off the remembrance. it racked me to recall past happiness andthe greater peril there was of conjuring up

its apparition, the quicker the thible ranround, and the faster the handfuls of meal fell into the water. joseph beheld my style of cookery withgrowing indignation. 'thear!' he ejaculated. 'hareton, thou willn't sup thy porridge to-neeght; they'll be naught but lumps as big as my neive.thear, agean! i'd fling in bowl un' all, if i wer ye! there, pale t' guilp off, un' then ye'llhae done wi' 't. bang, bang.it's a mercy t' bothom isn't deaved out!'

it was rather a rough mess, i own, whenpoured into the basins; four had been provided, and a gallon pitcher of new milkwas brought from the dairy, which hareton seized and commenced drinking and spillingfrom the expansive lip. i expostulated, and desired that he shouldhave his in a mug; affirming that i could not taste the liquid treated so dirtily. the old cynic chose to be vastly offendedat this nicety; assuring me, repeatedly, that 'the barn was every bit as good' as i,'and every bit as wollsome,' and wondering how i could fashion to be so conceited. meanwhile, the infant ruffian continuedsucking; and glowered up at me defyingly,

as he slavered into the jug.'i shall have my supper in another room,' i said. 'have you no place you call a parlour?''parlour!' he echoed, sneeringly, 'parlour!nay, we've noa parlours. if yah dunnut loike wer company, there'smaister's; un' if yah dunnut loike maister, there's us.''then i shall go up-stairs,' i answered; 'show me a chamber.' i put my basin on a tray, and went myselfto fetch some more milk. with great grumblings, the fellow rose, andpreceded me in my ascent: we mounted to the

garrets; he opened a door, now and then, tolook into the apartments we passed. 'here's a rahm,' he said, at last, flingingback a cranky board on hinges. 'it's weel eneugh to ate a few porridge in. there's a pack o' corn i' t' corner, thear,meeterly clane; if ye're feared o' muckying yer grand silk cloes, spread yer hankerchiro' t' top on't.' the 'rahm' was a kind of lumber-holesmelling strong of malt and grain; various sacks of which articles were piled around,leaving a wide, bare space in the middle. 'why, man,' i exclaimed, facing himangrily, 'this is not a place to sleep in. i wish to see my bed-room.''bed-rume!' he repeated, in a tone of

mockery. 'yah's see all t' bed-rumes thear is--yon's mine.' he pointed into the second garret, onlydiffering from the first in being more naked about the walls, and having a large,low, curtainless bed, with an indigo- coloured quilt, at one end. 'what do i want with yours?'i retorted. 'i suppose mr. heathcliff does not lodge atthe top of the house, does he?' 'oh! it's maister hathecliff's ye'rewanting?' cried he, as if making a new discovery.

'couldn't ye ha' said soa, at onst? un'then, i mud ha' telled ye, baht all this wark, that that's just one ye cannut see--he allas keeps it locked, un' nob'dy iver mells on't but hisseln.' 'you've a nice house, joseph,' i could notrefrain from observing, 'and pleasant inmates; and i think the concentratedessence of all the madness in the world took up its abode in my brain the day ilinked my fate with theirs! however, that is not to the presentpurpose--there are other rooms. for heaven's sake be quick, and let mesettle somewhere!' he made no reply to this adjuration; onlyplodding doggedly down the wooden steps,

and halting, before an apartment which,from that halt and the superior quality of its furniture, i conjectured to be the bestone. there was a carpet--a good one, but thepattern was obliterated by dust; a fireplace hung with cut-paper, dropping topieces; a handsome oak-bedstead with ample crimson curtains of rather expensive material and modern make; but they hadevidently experienced rough usage: the vallances hung in festoons, wrenched fromtheir rings, and the iron rod supporting them was bent in an arc on one side, causing the drapery to trail upon thefloor.

the chairs were also damaged, many of themseverely; and deep indentations deformed the panels of the walls. i was endeavouring to gather resolution forentering and taking possession, when my fool of a guide announced,--'this here ist' maister's.' my supper by this time was cold, myappetite gone, and my patience exhausted. i insisted on being provided instantly witha place of refuge, and means of repose. 'whear the divil?' began the religiouselder. 'the lord bless us!the lord forgie us! whear the hell wold ye gang? ye marred,wearisome nowt!

ye've seen all but hareton's bit of acham'er. there's not another hoile to lig down in i'th' hahse!' i was so vexed, i flung my tray and itscontents on the ground; and then seated myself at the stairs'-head, hid my face inmy hands, and cried. 'ech! ech!' exclaimed joseph. 'weel done, miss cathy! weel done, misscathy! howsiver, t' maister sall just tum'le o'erthem brooken pots; un' then we's hear summut; we's hear how it's to be. gooid-for-naught madling! ye desarve piningfro' this to churstmas, flinging t'

precious gifts o'god under fooit i' yerflaysome rages! but i'm mista'en if ye shew yer sperritlang. will hathecliff bide sich bonny ways, thinkye? i nobbut wish he may catch ye i' thatplisky. i nobbut wish he may.' and so he went on scolding to his denbeneath, taking the candle with him; and i remained in the dark. the period of reflection succeeding thissilly action compelled me to admit the necessity of smothering my pride andchoking my wrath, and bestirring myself to

remove its effects. an unexpected aid presently appeared in theshape of throttler, whom i now recognised as a son of our old skulker: it had spentits whelphood at the grange, and was given by my father to mr. hindley. i fancy it knew me: it pushed its noseagainst mine by way of salute, and then hastened to devour the porridge; while igroped from step to step, collecting the shattered earthenware, and drying the spatters of milk from the banister with mypocket-handkerchief. our labours were scarcely over when i heardearnshaw's tread in the passage; my

assistant tucked in his tail, and pressedto the wall; i stole into the nearest doorway. the dog's endeavour to avoid him wasunsuccessful; as i guessed by a scutter down-stairs, and a prolonged, piteousyelping. i had better luck: he passed on, enteredhis chamber, and shut the door. directly after joseph came up with hareton,to put him to bed. i had found shelter in hareton's room, andthe old man, on seeing me, said,--'they's rahm for boath ye un' yer pride, now, i sudthink i' the hahse. it's empty; ye may hev' it all to yerseln,un' him as allus maks a third, i' sich ill

company!' gladly did i take advantage of thisintimation; and the minute i flung myself into a chair, by the fire, i nodded, andslept. my slumber was deep and sweet, though overfar too soon. mr. heathcliff awoke me; he had just comein, and demanded, in his loving manner, what i was doing there? i told him the cause of my staying up solate--that he had the key of our room in his pocket.the adjective our gave mortal offence. he swore it was not, nor ever should be,mine; and he'd--but i'll not repeat his

language, nor describe his habitualconduct: he is ingenious and unresting in seeking to gain my abhorrence! i sometimes wonder at him with an intensitythat deadens my fear: yet, i assure you, a tiger or a venomous serpent could not rouseterror in me equal to that which he wakens. he told me of catherine's illness, andaccused my brother of causing it promising that i should be edgar's proxy insuffering, till he could get hold of him. i do hate him--i am wretched--i have been afool! beware of uttering one breath of this toany one at the grange. i shall expect you every day--don'tdisappoint me!--isabella.

chapter xiv as soon as i had perused this epistle iwent to the master, and informed him that his sister had arrived at the heights, andsent me a letter expressing her sorrow for mrs. linton's situation, and her ardent desire to see him; with a wish that hewould transmit to her, as early as possible, some token of forgiveness by me.'forgiveness!' said linton. 'i have nothing to forgive her, ellen. you may call at wuthering heights thisafternoon, if you like, and say that i am not angry, but i'm sorry to have lost her;especially as i can never think she'll be

happy. it is out of the question my going to seeher, however: we are eternally divided; and should she really wish to oblige me, lether persuade the villain she has married to leave the country.' 'and you won't write her a little note,sir?' i asked, imploringly.'no,' he answered. 'it is needless. my communication with heathcliff's familyshall be as sparing as his with mine. it shall not exist!'

mr. edgar's coldness depressed meexceedingly; and all the way from the grange i puzzled my brains how to put moreheart into what he said, when i repeated it; and how to soften his refusal of even afew lines to console isabella. i daresay she had been on the watch for mesince morning: i saw her looking through the lattice as i came up the gardencauseway, and i nodded to her; but she drew back, as if afraid of being observed. i entered without knocking.there never was such a dreary, dismal scene as the formerly cheerful house presented! i must confess, that if i had been in theyoung lady's place, i would, at least, have

swept the hearth, and wiped the tables witha duster. but she already partook of the pervadingspirit of neglect which encompassed her. her pretty face was wan and listless; herhair uncurled: some locks hanging lankly down, and some carelessly twisted round herhead. probably she had not touched her dresssince yester evening. hindley was not there. mr. heathcliff sat at a table, turning oversome papers in his pocket-book; but he rose when i appeared, asked me how i did, quitefriendly, and offered me a chair. he was the only thing there that seemeddecent; and i thought he never looked

better. so much had circumstances altered theirpositions, that he would certainly have struck a stranger as a born and bredgentleman; and his wife as a thorough little slattern! she came forward eagerly to greet me, andheld out one hand to take the expected letter.i shook my head. she wouldn't understand the hint, butfollowed me to a sideboard, where i went to lay my bonnet, and importuned me in awhisper to give her directly what i had brought.

heathcliff guessed the meaning of hermanoeuvres, and said--'if you have got anything for isabella (as no doubt youhave, nelly), give it to her. you needn't make a secret of it: we have nosecrets between us.' 'oh, i have nothing,' i replied, thinkingit best to speak the truth at once. 'my master bid me tell his sister that shemust not expect either a letter or a visit from him at present. he sends his love, ma'am, and his wishesfor your happiness, and his pardon for the grief you have occasioned; but he thinksthat after this time his household and the household here should drop

intercommunication, as nothing could comeof keeping it up.' mrs. heathcliff's lip quivered slightly,and she returned to her seat in the window. her husband took his stand on thehearthstone, near me, and began to put questions concerning catherine. i told him as much as i thought proper ofher illness, and he extorted from me, by cross-examination, most of the factsconnected with its origin. i blamed her, as she deserved, for bringingit all on herself; and ended by hoping that he would follow mr. linton's example andavoid future interference with his family, for good or evil.

'mrs. linton is now just recovering,' isaid; 'she'll never be like she was, but her life is spared; and if you really havea regard for her, you'll shun crossing her way again: nay, you'll move out of this country entirely; and that you may notregret it, i'll inform you catherine linton is as different now from your old friendcatherine earnshaw, as that young lady is different from me. her appearance is changed greatly, hercharacter much more so; and the person who is compelled, of necessity, to be hercompanion, will only sustain his affection hereafter by the remembrance of what she

once was, by common humanity, and a senseof duty!' 'that is quite possible,' remarkedheathcliff, forcing himself to seem calm: 'quite possible that your master shouldhave nothing but common humanity and a sense of duty to fall back upon. but do you imagine that i shall leavecatherine to his duty and humanity? and can you compare my feelings respectingcatherine to his? before you leave this house, i must exact apromise from you that you'll get me an interview with her: consent, or refuse, iwill see her! what do you say?'

'i say, mr. heathcliff,' i replied, 'youmust not: you never shall, through my means.another encounter between you and the master would kill her altogether.' 'with your aid that may be avoided,' hecontinued; 'and should there be danger of such an event--should he be the cause ofadding a single trouble more to her existence--why, i think i shall bejustified in going to extremes! i wish you had sincerity enough to tell mewhether catherine would suffer greatly from his loss: the fear that she would restrainsme. and there you see the distinction betweenour feelings: had he been in my place, and

i in his, though i hated him with a hatredthat turned my life to gall, i never would have raised a hand against him. you may look incredulous, if you please!i never would have banished him from her society as long as she desired his.the moment her regard ceased, i would have torn his heart out, and drunk his blood! but, till then--if you don't believe me,you don't know me--till then, i would have died by inches before i touched a singlehair of his head!' 'and yet,' i interrupted, 'you have noscruples in completely ruining all hopes of her perfect restoration, by thrustingyourself into her remembrance now, when she

has nearly forgotten you, and involving herin a new tumult of discord and distress.' 'you suppose she has nearly forgotten me?'he said. 'oh, nelly! you know she has not! you know as well as i do, that for everythought she spends on linton she spends a thousand on me! at a most miserable period of my life, ihad a notion of the kind: it haunted me on my return to the neighbourhood last summer;but only her own assurance could make me admit the horrible idea again. and then, linton would be nothing, norhindley, nor all the dreams that ever i

dreamt. two words would comprehend my future--death and hell: existence, after losing her, would be hell. yet i was a fool to fancy for a moment thatshe valued edgar linton's attachment more than mine. if he loved with all the powers of his punybeing, he couldn't love as much in eighty years as i could in a day. and catherine has a heart as deep as ihave: the sea could be as readily contained in that horse-trough as her whole affectionbe monopolised by him.

tush! he is scarcely a degree dearer to her thanher dog, or her horse. it is not in him to be loved like me: howcan she love in him what he has not?' 'catherine and edgar are as fond of eachother as any two people can be,' cried isabella, with sudden vivacity. 'no one has a right to talk in that manner,and i won't hear my brother depreciated in silence!''your brother is wondrous fond of you too, isn't he?' observed heathcliff, scornfully. 'he turns you adrift on the world withsurprising alacrity.'

'he is not aware of what i suffer,' shereplied. 'i didn't tell him that.' 'you have been telling him something, then:you have written, have you?' 'to say that i was married, i did write--you saw the note.' 'and nothing since?' 'no.''my young lady is looking sadly the worse for her change of condition,' i remarked. 'somebody's love comes short in her case,obviously; whose, i may guess; but, perhaps, i shouldn't say.''i should guess it was her own,' said

heathcliff. 'she degenerates into a mere slut!she is tired of trying to please me uncommonly early.you'd hardly credit it, but the very morrow of our wedding she was weeping to go home. however, she'll suit this house so much thebetter for not being over nice, and i'll take care she does not disgrace me byrambling abroad.' 'well, sir,' returned i, 'i hope you'llconsider that mrs. heathcliff is accustomed to be looked after and waited on; and thatshe has been brought up like an only daughter, whom every one was ready toserve.

you must let her have a maid to keep thingstidy about her, and you must treat her kindly. whatever be your notion of mr. edgar, youcannot doubt that she has a capacity for strong attachments, or she wouldn't haveabandoned the elegancies, and comforts, and friends of her former home, to fix contentedly, in such a wilderness as this,with you.' 'she abandoned them under a delusion,' heanswered; 'picturing in me a hero of romance, and expecting unlimitedindulgences from my chivalrous devotion. i can hardly regard her in the light of arational creature, so obstinately has she

persisted in forming a fabulous notion ofmy character and acting on the false impressions she cherished. but, at last, i think she begins to knowme: i don't perceive the silly smiles and grimaces that provoked me at first; and thesenseless incapability of discerning that i was in earnest when i gave her my opinionof her infatuation and herself. it was a marvellous effort of perspicacityto discover that i did not love her. i believed, at one time, no lessons couldteach her that! and yet it is poorly learnt; for thismorning she announced, as a piece of appalling intelligence, that i had actuallysucceeded in making her hate me!

a positive labour of hercules, i assureyou! if it be achieved, i have cause to returnthanks. can i trust your assertion, isabella? are you sure you hate me?if i let you alone for half a day, won't you come sighing and wheedling to me again? i daresay she would rather i had seemed alltenderness before you: it wounds her vanity to have the truth exposed. but i don't care who knows that the passionwas wholly on one side: and i never told her a lie about it.she cannot accuse me of showing one bit of

deceitful softness. the first thing she saw me do, on comingout of the grange, was to hang up her little dog; and when she pleaded for it,the first words i uttered were a wish that i had the hanging of every being belonging to her, except one: possibly she took thatexception for herself. but no brutality disgusted her: i supposeshe has an innate admiration of it, if only her precious person were secure frominjury! now, was it not the depth of absurdity--ofgenuine idiotcy, for that pitiful, slavish, mean-minded brach to dream that i couldlove her?

tell your master, nelly, that i never, inall my life, met with such an abject thing as she is. she even disgraces the name of linton; andi've sometimes relented, from pure lack of invention, in my experiments on what shecould endure, and still creep shamefully cringing back! but tell him, also, to set his fraternaland magisterial heart at ease: that i keep strictly within the limits of the law. i have avoided, up to this period, givingher the slightest right to claim a separation; and, what's more, she'd thanknobody for dividing us.

if she desired to go, she might: thenuisance of her presence outweighs the gratification to be derived from tormentingher!' 'mr. heathcliff,' said i, 'this is the talkof a madman; your wife, most likely, is convinced you are mad; and, for thatreason, she has borne with you hitherto: but now that you say she may go, she'lldoubtless avail herself of the permission. you are not so bewitched, ma'am, are you,as to remain with him of your own accord?' 'take care, ellen!' answered isabella, hereyes sparkling irefully; there was no misdoubting by their expression the fullsuccess of her partner's endeavours to make himself detested.

'don't put faith in a single word hespeaks. he's a lying fiend! a monster, and not ahuman being! i've been told i might leave him before;and i've made the attempt, but i dare not repeat it! only, ellen, promise you'll not mention asyllable of his infamous conversation to my brother or catherine. whatever he may pretend, he wishes toprovoke edgar to desperation: he says he has married me on purpose to obtain powerover him; and he sha'n't obtain it--i'll die first!

i just hope, i pray, that he may forget hisdiabolical prudence and kill me! the single pleasure i can imagine is todie, or to see him dead!' 'there--that will do for the present!' saidheathcliff. 'if you are called upon in a court of law,you'll remember her language, nelly! and take a good look at that countenance:she's near the point which would suit me. no; you're not fit to be your own guardian,isabella, now; and i, being your legal protector, must retain you in my custody,however distasteful the obligation may be. go up-stairs; i have something to say toellen dean in private. that's not the way: up-stairs, i tell you!why, this is the road upstairs, child!'

he seized, and thrust her from the room;and returned muttering--'i have no pity! i have no pity!the more the worms writhe, the more i yearn to crush out their entrails! it is a moral teething; and i grind withgreater energy in proportion to the increase of pain.''do you understand what the word pity means?' i said, hastening to resume my bonnet.'did you ever feel a touch of it in your life?''put that down!' he interrupted, perceiving my intention to depart.

'you are not going yet.come here now, nelly: i must either persuade or compel you to aid me infulfilling my determination to see catherine, and that without delay. i swear that i meditate no harm: i don'tdesire to cause any disturbance, or to exasperate or insult mr. linton; i onlywish to hear from herself how she is, and why she has been ill; and to ask if anything that i could do would be of use toher. last night i was in the grange garden sixhours, and i'll return there to-night; and every night i'll haunt the place, and everyday, till i find an opportunity of

entering. if edgar linton meets me, i shall nothesitate to knock him down, and give him enough to insure his quiescence while istay. if his servants oppose me, i shall threatenthem off with these pistols. but wouldn't it be better to prevent mycoming in contact with them, or their master? and you could do it so easily. i'd warn you when i came, and then youmight let me in unobserved, as soon as she was alone, and watch till i departed, yourconscience quite calm: you would be

hindering mischief.' i protested against playing thattreacherous part in my employer's house: and, besides, i urged the cruelty andselfishness of his destroying mrs. linton's tranquillity for his satisfaction. 'the commonest occurrence startles herpainfully,' i said. 'she's all nerves, and she couldn't bearthe surprise, i'm positive. don't persist, sir! or else i shall beobliged to inform my master of your designs; and he'll take measures to securehis house and its inmates from any such unwarrantable intrusions!'

'in that case i'll take measures to secureyou, woman!' exclaimed heathcliff; 'you shall not leave wuthering heights till to-morrow morning. it is a foolish story to assert thatcatherine could not bear to see me; and as to surprising her, i don't desire it: youmust prepare her--ask her if i may come. you say she never mentions my name, andthat i am never mentioned to her. to whom should she mention me if i am aforbidden topic in the house? she thinks you are all spies for herhusband. oh, i've no doubt she's in hell among you!i guess by her silence, as much as anything, what she feels.

you say she is often restless, and anxious-looking: is that a proof of tranquillity? you talk of her mind being unsettled.how the devil could it be otherwise in her frightful isolation? and that insipid, paltry creature attendingher from duty and humanity! from pity and charity! he might as well plant an oak in a flower-pot, and expect it to thrive, as imagine he can restore her to vigour in the soil ofhis shallow cares? let us settle it at once: will you stayhere, and am i to fight my way to catherine over linton and his footman?or will you be my friend, as you have been

hitherto, and do what i request? decide! because there is no reason for mylingering another minute, if you persist in your stubborn ill-nature!' well, mr. lockwood, i argued andcomplained, and flatly refused him fifty times; but in the long run he forced me toan agreement. i engaged to carry a letter from him to mymistress; and should she consent, i promised to let him have intelligence oflinton's next absence from home, when he might come, and get in as he was able: i wouldn't be there, and my fellow-servantsshould be equally out of the way.

was it right or wrong?i fear it was wrong, though expedient. i thought i prevented another explosion bymy compliance; and i thought, too, it might create a favourable crisis in catherine'smental illness: and then i remembered mr. edgar's stern rebuke of my carrying tales; and i tried to smooth away all disquietudeon the subject, by affirming, with frequent iteration, that that betrayal of trust, ifit merited so harsh an appellation, should be the last. notwithstanding, my journey homeward wassadder than my journey thither; and many misgivings i had, ere i could prevail onmyself to put the missive into mrs.

linton's hand. but here is kenneth; i'll go down, and tellhim how much better you are. my history is dree, as we say, and willserve to while away another morning. dree, and dreary! i reflected as the good woman descended toreceive the doctor: and not exactly of the kind which i should have chosen to amuseme. but never mind! i'll extract wholesome medicines from mrs.dean's bitter herbs; and firstly, let me beware of the fascination that lurks incatherine heathcliff's brilliant eyes.

i should be in a curious taking if isurrendered my heart to that young person, and the daughter turned out a secondedition of the mother. chapter xv another week over--and i am so many daysnearer health, and spring! i have now heard all my neighbour'shistory, at different sittings, as the housekeeper could spare time from moreimportant occupations. i'll continue it in her own words, only alittle condensed. she is, on the whole, a very fair narrator,and i don't think i could improve her style.

in the evening, she said, the evening of myvisit to the heights, i knew, as well as if i saw him, that mr. heathcliff was aboutthe place; and i shunned going out, because i still carried his letter in my pocket, and didn't want to be threatened or teasedany more. i had made up my mind not to give it tillmy master went somewhere, as i could not guess how its receipt would affectcatherine. the consequence was, that it did not reachher before the lapse of three days. the fourth was sunday, and i brought itinto her room after the family were gone to church.

there was a manservant left to keep thehouse with me, and we generally made a practice of locking the doors during thehours of service; but on that occasion the weather was so warm and pleasant that i set them wide open, and, to fulfil myengagement, as i knew who would be coming, i told my companion that the mistresswished very much for some oranges, and he must run over to the village and get a few,to be paid for on the morrow. he departed, and i went up-stairs. mrs. linton sat in a loose white dress,with a light shawl over her shoulders, in the recess of the open window, as usual.

her thick, long hair had been partlyremoved at the beginning of her illness, and now she wore it simply combed in itsnatural tresses over her temples and neck. her appearance was altered, as i had toldheathcliff; but when she was calm, there seemed unearthly beauty in the change. the flash of her eyes had been succeeded bya dreamy and melancholy softness; they no longer gave the impression of looking atthe objects around her: they appeared always to gaze beyond, and far beyond--youwould have said out of this world. then, the paleness of her face--its haggardaspect having vanished as she recovered flesh--and the peculiar expression arisingfrom her mental state, though painfully

suggestive of their causes, added to the touching interest which she awakened; and--invariably to me, i know, and to any person who saw her, i should think--refuted moretangible proofs of convalescence, and stamped her as one doomed to decay. a book lay spread on the sill before her,and the scarcely perceptible wind fluttered its leaves at intervals. i believe linton had laid it there: for shenever endeavoured to divert herself with reading, or occupation of any kind, and hewould spend many an hour in trying to entice her attention to some subject whichhad formerly been her amusement.

she was conscious of his aim, and in herbetter moods endured his efforts placidly, only showing their uselessness by now andthen suppressing a wearied sigh, and checking him at last with the saddest ofsmiles and kisses. at other times, she would turn petulantlyaway, and hide her face in her hands, or even push him off angrily; and then he tookcare to let her alone, for he was certain of doing no good. gimmerton chapel bells were still ringing;and the full, mellow flow of the beck in the valley came soothingly on the ear. it was a sweet substitute for the yetabsent murmur of the summer foliage, which

drowned that music about the grange whenthe trees were in leaf. at wuthering heights it always sounded onquiet days following a great thaw or a season of steady rain. and of wuthering heights catherine wasthinking as she listened: that is, if she thought or listened at all; but she had thevague, distant look i mentioned before, which expressed no recognition of materialthings either by ear or eye. 'there's a letter for you, mrs. linton,' isaid, gently inserting it in one hand that rested on her knee. 'you must read it immediately, because itwants an answer.

shall i break the seal?''yes,' she answered, without altering the direction of her eyes. i opened it--it was very short.'now,' i continued, 'read it.' she drew away her hand, and let it fall. i replaced it in her lap, and stood waitingtill it should please her to glance down; but that movement was so long delayed thatat last i resumed--'must i read it, ma'am? it is from mr. heathcliff.' there was a start and a troubled gleam ofrecollection, and a struggle to arrange her ideas.

she lifted the letter, and seemed to peruseit; and when she came to the signature she sighed: yet still i found she had notgathered its import, for, upon my desiring to hear her reply, she merely pointed to the name, and gazed at me with mournful andquestioning eagerness. 'well, he wishes to see you,' said i,guessing her need of an interpreter. 'he's in the garden by this time, andimpatient to know what answer i shall bring.' as i spoke, i observed a large dog lying onthe sunny grass beneath raise its ears as if about to bark, and then smoothing themback, announce, by a wag of the tail, that

some one approached whom it did notconsider a stranger. mrs. linton bent forward, and listenedbreathlessly. the minute after a step traversed the hall;the open house was too tempting for heathcliff to resist walking in: mostlikely he supposed that i was inclined to shirk my promise, and so resolved to trustto his own audacity. with straining eagerness catherine gazedtowards the entrance of her chamber. he did not hit the right room directly: shemotioned me to admit him, but he found it out ere i could reach the door, and in astride or two was at her side, and had her grasped in his arms.

he neither spoke nor loosed his hold forsome five minutes, during which period he bestowed more kisses than ever he gave inhis life before, i daresay: but then my mistress had kissed him first, and i plainly saw that he could hardly bear, fordownright agony, to look into her face! the same conviction had stricken him as me,from the instant he beheld her, that there was no prospect of ultimate recovery there--she was fated, sure to die. 'oh, cathy! oh, my life! how can i bear it?' was thefirst sentence he uttered, in a tone that did not seek to disguise his despair.

and now he stared at her so earnestly thati thought the very intensity of his gaze would bring tears into his eyes; but theyburned with anguish: they did not melt. 'what now?' said catherine, leaning back,and returning his look with a suddenly clouded brow: her humour was a mere vanefor constantly varying caprices. 'you and edgar have broken my heart,heathcliff! and you both come to bewail the deed to me,as if you were the people to be pitied! i shall not pity you, not i. you have killed me--and thriven on it, ithink. how strong you are!how many years do you mean to live after i

am gone?' heathcliff had knelt on one knee to embraceher; he attempted to rise, but she seized his hair, and kept him down.'i wish i could hold you,' she continued, bitterly, 'till we were both dead! i shouldn't care what you suffered.i care nothing for your sufferings. why shouldn't you suffer?i do! will you forget me? will you be happy when i am in the earth?will you say twenty years hence, "that's the grave of catherine earnshaw?i loved her long ago, and was wretched to

lose her; but it is past. i've loved many others since: my childrenare dearer to me than she was; and, at death, i shall not rejoice that i am goingto her: i shall be sorry that i must leave them!" will you say so, heathcliff?''don't torture me till i'm as mad as yourself,' cried he, wrenching his headfree, and grinding his teeth. the two, to a cool spectator, made astrange and fearful picture. well might catherine deem that heaven wouldbe a land of exile to her, unless with her mortal body she cast away her moralcharacter also.

her present countenance had a wildvindictiveness in its white cheek, and a bloodless lip and scintillating eye; andshe retained in her closed fingers a portion of the locks she had been grasping. as to her companion, while raising himselfwith one hand, he had taken her arm with the other; and so inadequate was his stockof gentleness to the requirements of her condition, that on his letting go i saw four distinct impressions left blue in thecolourless skin. 'are you possessed with a devil,' hepursued, savagely, 'to talk in that manner to me when you are dying?

do you reflect that all those words will bebranded in my memory, and eating deeper eternally after you have left me? you know you lie to say i have killed you:and, catherine, you know that i could as soon forget you as my existence! is it not sufficient for your infernalselfishness, that while you are at peace i shall writhe in the torments of hell?' 'i shall not be at peace,' moanedcatherine, recalled to a sense of physical weakness by the violent, unequal throbbingof her heart, which beat visibly and audibly under this excess of agitation.

she said nothing further till the paroxysmwas over; then she continued, more kindly-- 'i'm not wishing you greater torment than ihave, heathcliff. i only wish us never to be parted: andshould a word of mine distress you hereafter, think i feel the same distressunderground, and for my own sake, forgive me! come here and kneel down again!you never harmed me in your life. nay, if you nurse anger, that will be worseto remember than my harsh words! won't you come here again? do!'heathcliff went to the back of her chair,

and leant over, but not so far as to lether see his face, which was livid with emotion. she bent round to look at him; he would notpermit it: turning abruptly, he walked to the fireplace, where he stood, silent, withhis back towards us. mrs. linton's glance followed himsuspiciously: every movement woke a new sentiment in her. after a pause and a prolonged gaze, sheresumed; addressing me in accents of indignant disappointment:--'oh, you see, nelly, he would not relent a moment to keep me out of the grave.

that is how i'm loved!well, never mind. that is not my heathcliff.i shall love mine yet; and take him with me: he's in my soul. and,' added she musingly, 'the thing thatirks me most is this shattered prison, after all.i'm tired of being enclosed here. i'm wearying to escape into that gloriousworld, and to be always there: not seeing it dimly through tears, and yearning for itthrough the walls of an aching heart: but really with it, and in it. nelly, you think you are better and morefortunate than i; in full health and

strength: you are sorry for me--very soonthat will be altered. i shall be sorry for you. i shall be incomparably beyond and aboveyou all. i wonder he won't be near me!'she went on to herself. 'i thought he wished it. heathcliff, dear! you should not be sullennow. do come to me, heathcliff.'in her eagerness she rose and supported herself on the arm of the chair. at that earnest appeal he turned to her,looking absolutely desperate.

his eyes, wide and wet, at last flashedfiercely on her; his breast heaved convulsively. an instant they held asunder, and then howthey met i hardly saw, but catherine made a spring, and he caught her, and they werelocked in an embrace from which i thought my mistress would never be released alive: in fact, to my eyes, she seemed directlyinsensible. he flung himself into the nearest seat, andon my approaching hurriedly to ascertain if she had fainted, he gnashed at me, andfoamed like a mad dog, and gathered her to him with greedy jealousy.

i did not feel as if i were in the companyof a creature of my own species: it appeared that he would not understand,though i spoke to him; so i stood off, and held my tongue, in great perplexity. a movement of catherine's relieved me alittle presently: she put up her hand to clasp his neck, and bring her cheek to hisas he held her; while he, in return, covering her with frantic caresses, saidwildly-- 'you teach me now how cruel you've been--cruel and false. why did you despise me? why did you betray your own heart, cathy?i have not one word of comfort.

you deserve this.you have killed yourself. yes, you may kiss me, and cry; and wringout my kisses and tears: they'll blight you--they'll damn you.you loved me--then what right had you to leave me? what right--answer me--for the poor fancyyou felt for linton? because misery and degradation, and death,and nothing that god or satan could inflict would have parted us, you, of your ownwill, did it. i have not broken your heart--you havebroken it; and in breaking it, you have broken mine.so much the worse for me that i am strong.

do i want to live? what kind of living will it be when you--oh, god! would you like to live with your soul in the grave?''let me alone. let me alone,' sobbed catherine. 'if i've done wrong, i'm dying for it.it is enough! you left me too: but i won't upbraid you!i forgive you. forgive me!' 'it is hard to forgive, and to look atthose eyes, and feel those wasted hands,' he answered.'kiss me again; and don't let me see your

eyes! i forgive what you have done to me.i love my murderer--but yours! how can i?' they were silent--their faces hid againsteach other, and washed by each other's tears. at least, i suppose the weeping was on bothsides; as it seemed heathcliff could weep on a great occasion like this. i grew very uncomfortable, meanwhile; forthe afternoon wore fast away, the man whom i had sent off returned from his errand,and i could distinguish, by the shine of

the western sun up the valley, a concoursethickening outside gimmerton chapel porch. 'service is over,' i announced.'my master will be here in half an hour.' heathcliff groaned a curse, and strainedcatherine closer: she never moved. ere long i perceived a group of theservants passing up the road towards the kitchen wing. mr. linton was not far behind; he openedthe gate himself and sauntered slowly up, probably enjoying the lovely afternoon thatbreathed as soft as summer. 'now he is here,' i exclaimed. 'for heaven's sake, hurry down!you'll not meet any one on the front

stairs.do be quick; and stay among the trees till he is fairly in.' 'i must go, cathy,' said heathcliff,seeking to extricate himself from his companion's arms.'but if i live, i'll see you again before you are asleep. i won't stray five yards from your window.''you must not go!' she answered, holding him as firmly as her strength allowed.'you shall not, i tell you.' 'for one hour,' he pleaded earnestly. 'not for one minute,' she replied.'i must--linton will be up immediately,'

persisted the alarmed intruder. he would have risen, and unfixed herfingers by the act--she clung fast, gasping: there was mad resolution in herface. 'no!' she shrieked. 'oh, don't, don't go.it is the last time! edgar will not hurt us.heathcliff, i shall die! i shall die!' 'damn the fool!there he is,' cried heathcliff, sinking back into his seat.'hush, my darling!

hush, hush, catherine! i'll stay.if he shot me so, i'd expire with a blessing on my lips.'and there they were fast again. i heard my master mounting the stairs--thecold sweat ran from my forehead: i was horrified.'are you going to listen to her ravings?' i said, passionately. 'she does not know what she says.will you ruin her, because she has not wit to help herself?get up! you could be free instantly.

that is the most diabolical deed that everyou did. we are all done for--master, mistress, andservant.' i wrung my hands, and cried out; and mr.linton hastened his step at the noise. in the midst of my agitation, i wassincerely glad to observe that catherine's arms had fallen relaxed, and her head hungdown. 'she's fainted, or dead,' i thought: 'somuch the better. far better that she should be dead, thanlingering a burden and a misery-maker to all about her.' edgar sprang to his unbidden guest,blanched with astonishment and rage.

what he meant to do i cannot tell; however,the other stopped all demonstrations, at once, by placing the lifeless-looking formin his arms. 'look there!' he said. 'unless you be a fiend, help her first--then you shall speak to me!' he walked into the parlour, and sat down. mr. linton summoned me, and with greatdifficulty, and after resorting to many means, we managed to restore her tosensation; but she was all bewildered; she sighed, and moaned, and knew nobody. edgar, in his anxiety for her, forgot herhated friend.

i did not. i went, at the earliest opportunity, andbesought him to depart; affirming that catherine was better, and he should hearfrom me in the morning how she passed the night. 'i shall not refuse to go out of doors,' heanswered; 'but i shall stay in the garden: and, nelly, mind you keep your word to-morrow. i shall be under those larch-trees. mind! or i pay another visit, whetherlinton be in or not.' he sent a rapid glance through the half-open door of the chamber, and, ascertaining

that what i stated was apparently true,delivered the house of his luckless presence. chapter xvi about twelve o'clock that night was bornthe catherine you saw at wuthering heights: a puny, seven-months' child; and two hoursafter the mother died, having never recovered sufficient consciousness to missheathcliff, or know edgar. the latter's distraction at his bereavementis a subject too painful to be dwelt on; its after-effects showed how deep thesorrow sunk. a great addition, in my eyes, was his beingleft without an heir.

i bemoaned that, as i gazed on the feebleorphan; and i mentally abused old linton for (what was only natural partiality) thesecuring his estate to his own daughter, instead of his son's. an unwelcomed infant it was, poor thing!it might have wailed out of life, and nobody cared a morsel, during those firsthours of existence. we redeemed the neglect afterwards; but itsbeginning was as friendless as its end is likely to be. next morning--bright and cheerful out ofdoors--stole softened in through the blinds of the silent room, and suffused the couchand its occupant with a mellow, tender

glow. edgar linton had his head laid on thepillow, and his eyes shut. his young and fair features were almost asdeathlike as those of the form beside him, and almost as fixed: but his was the hushof exhausted anguish, and hers of perfect peace. her brow smooth, her lids closed, her lipswearing the expression of a smile; no angel in heaven could be more beautiful than sheappeared. and i partook of the infinite calm in whichshe lay: my mind was never in a holier frame than while i gazed on that untroubledimage of divine rest.

i instinctively echoed the words she haduttered a few hours before: 'incomparably beyond and above us all!whether still on earth or now in heaven, her spirit is at home with god!' i don't know if it be a peculiarity in me,but i am seldom otherwise than happy while watching in the chamber of death, should nofrenzied or despairing mourner share the duty with me. i see a repose that neither earth nor hellcan break, and i feel an assurance of the endless and shadowless hereafter--theeternity they have entered--where life is boundless in its duration, and love in itssympathy, and joy in its fulness.

i noticed on that occasion how muchselfishness there is even in a love like mr. linton's, when he so regrettedcatherine's blessed release! to be sure, one might have doubted, afterthe wayward and impatient existence she had led, whether she merited a haven of peaceat last. one might doubt in seasons of coldreflection; but not then, in the presence of her corpse. it asserted its own tranquillity, whichseemed a pledge of equal quiet to its former inhabitant.do you believe such people are happy in the other world, sir?

i'd give a great deal to know.i declined answering mrs. dean's question, which struck me as something heterodox.she proceeded: retracing the course of catherine linton,i fear we have no right to think she is; but we'll leave her with her maker. the master looked asleep, and i venturedsoon after sunrise to quit the room and steal out to the pure refreshing air. the servants thought me gone to shake offthe drowsiness of my protracted watch; in reality, my chief motive was seeing mr.heathcliff. if he had remained among the larches allnight, he would have heard nothing of the

stir at the grange; unless, perhaps, hemight catch the gallop of the messenger going to gimmerton. if he had come nearer, he would probably beaware, from the lights flitting to and fro, and the opening and shutting of the outerdoors, that all was not right within. i wished, yet feared, to find him. i felt the terrible news must be told, andi longed to get it over; but how to do it i did not know. he was there--at least, a few yards furtherin the park; leant against an old ash-tree, his hat off, and his hair soaked with thedew that had gathered on the budded

branches, and fell pattering round him. he had been standing a long time in thatposition, for i saw a pair of ousels passing and repassing scarcely three feetfrom him, busy in building their nest, and regarding his proximity no more than thatof a piece of timber. they flew off at my approach, and he raisedhis eyes and spoke:--'she's dead!' he said; 'i've not waited for you to learn that. put your handkerchief away--don't snivelbefore me. damn you all! she wants none of yourtears!' i was weeping as much for him as her: we dosometimes pity creatures that have none of

the feeling either for themselves orothers. when i first looked into his face, iperceived that he had got intelligence of the catastrophe; and a foolish notionstruck me that his heart was quelled and he prayed, because his lips moved and his gazewas bent on the ground. 'yes, she's dead!'i answered, checking my sobs and drying my cheeks. 'gone to heaven, i hope; where we may,every one, join her, if we take due warning and leave our evil ways to follow good!''did she take due warning, then?' asked heathcliff, attempting a sneer.

'did she die like a saint?come, give me a true history of the event. how did--?' he endeavoured to pronounce the name, butcould not manage it; and compressing his mouth he held a silent combat with hisinward agony, defying, meanwhile, my sympathy with an unflinching, ferociousstare. 'how did she die?' he resumed, at last--fain, notwithstanding his hardihood, to have a support behind him; for, after thestruggle, he trembled, in spite of himself, to his very finger-ends. 'poor wretch!'i thought; 'you have a heart and nerves the

same as your brother men!why should you be anxious to conceal them? your pride cannot blind god! you tempt him to wring them, till he forcesa cry of humiliation.' 'quietly as a lamb!'i answered, aloud. 'she drew a sigh, and stretched herself,like a child reviving, and sinking again to sleep; and five minutes after i felt onelittle pulse at her heart, and nothing more!' 'and--did she ever mention me?' he asked,hesitating, as if he dreaded the answer to his question would introduce details thathe could not bear to hear.

'her senses never returned: she recognisednobody from the time you left her,' i said. 'she lies with a sweet smile on her face;and her latest ideas wandered back to pleasant early days. her life closed in a gentle dream--may shewake as kindly in the other world!' 'may she wake in torment!' he cried, withfrightful vehemence, stamping his foot, and groaning in a sudden paroxysm ofungovernable passion. 'why, she's a liar to the end! where is she?not there--not in heaven--not perished-- where?oh! you said you cared nothing for my

sufferings! and i pray one prayer--i repeat it till mytongue stiffens--catherine earnshaw, may you not rest as long as i am living; yousaid i killed you--haunt me, then! the murdered do haunt their murderers, ibelieve. i know that ghosts have wandered onearth. be with me always--take any form--drive memad! only do not leave me in this abyss, where i cannot find you!oh, god! it is unutterable! i cannot live without my life! i cannot live without my soul!'

he dashed his head against the knottedtrunk; and, lifting up his eyes, howled, not like a man, but like a savage beastbeing goaded to death with knives and spears. i observed several splashes of blood aboutthe bark of the tree, and his hand and forehead were both stained; probably thescene i witnessed was a repetition of others acted during the night. it hardly moved my compassion--it appalledme: still, i felt reluctant to quit him so. but the moment he recollected himselfenough to notice me watching, he thundered a command for me to go, and i obeyed.

he was beyond my skill to quiet or console! mrs. linton's funeral was appointed to takeplace on the friday following her decease; and till then her coffin remaineduncovered, and strewn with flowers and scented leaves, in the great drawing-room. linton spent his days and nights there, asleepless guardian; and--a circumstance concealed from all but me--heathcliff spenthis nights, at least, outside, equally a stranger to repose. i held no communication with him: still, iwas conscious of his design to enter, if he could; and on the tuesday, a little afterdark, when my master, from sheer fatigue,

had been compelled to retire a couple of hours, i went and opened one of thewindows; moved by his perseverance to give him a chance of bestowing on the fadedimage of his idol one final adieu. he did not omit to avail himself of theopportunity, cautiously and briefly; too cautiously to betray his presence by theslightest noise. indeed, i shouldn't have discovered that hehad been there, except for the disarrangement of the drapery about thecorpse's face, and for observing on the floor a curl of light hair, fastened with a silver thread; which, on examination, iascertained to have been taken from a

locket hung round catherine's neck. heathcliff had opened the trinket and castout its contents, replacing them by a black lock of his own.i twisted the two, and enclosed them together. mr. earnshaw was, of course, invited toattend the remains of his sister to the grave; he sent no excuse, but he nevercame; so that, besides her husband, the mourners were wholly composed of tenantsand servants. isabella was not asked. the place of catherine's interment, to thesurprise of the villagers, was neither in

the chapel under the carved monument of thelintons, nor yet by the tombs of her own relations, outside. it was dug on a green slope in a corner ofthe kirk-yard, where the wall is so low that heath and bilberry-plants have climbedover it from the moor; and peat-mould almost buries it. her husband lies in the same spot now; andthey have each a simple headstone above, and a plain grey block at their feet, tomark the graves.

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