Chapter 13
For two months the fugitives remained absent; in those two months, Mrs Linton encountered and conquered the worst shock of what was denominated a brain fever. No mother could have nursed an only child more devotedly than Edgar tended her. Day and night he was watching, and patiently enduring all the annoyances that irritable nerves and a shaken reason could inflict; and, though Kenneth remarked that what he saved from the grave would only recompense his care by forming the source of constant future anxiety--in fact, that his health and strength were being sacrificed to preserve a mere ruin of humanity--he knew no limits in gratitude and joy when Catherine's life was declared out of danger; and hour after hour he would sit beside her, tracing the gradual return to bodily health, and flattering his too sanguine hopes with the illusion that her mind would settle back to its right balance also, 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 the morning, a handful of golden crocuses; her eye, long stranger to any gleam of pleasure, caught them in waking, and shone delighted as she gathered them eagerly together.
`These are the earliest flowers at the Heights,' she exclaimed. `They remind me of soft thaw winds, and warm sunshine, and nearly melted snow. Edgar, is there not a south wind, and is not 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 of moors: the sky is blue, and the larks are singing, and the becks and brooks are all brim full. Catherine, last spring at this time, I was longing 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 me under this roof, and you'll look back and think you were happy today.
Linton lavished on her the kindest caresses, and tried to cheer her by the fondest words; but, vaguely regarding the flowers, she let the tears collect on her lashes and stream down her cheeks unheeding. We knew she was really better, and, therefore, decided that long confinement to a single place produced much of this despondency, and it might be partially removed by a change of scene. The master told me to light a fire in the many-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 objects round her: which, though familiar, were free from the dreary associations investing her hated sick chamber. By evening, she seemed greatly exhausted; yet no arguments could persuade her to return to that apartment, and I had to arrange the parlour sofa for her bed, till another room could be prepared. To obviate the fatigue of mounting and descending the stairs, we fitted up this, where you lie at present: on the same floor with 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, so waited 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 a little while, Mr Linton's heart would be gladdened, and his lands secured from a stranger's gripe, by the birth of an heir.
I should mention that Isabella sent to her brother, some six weeks from her departure, a short note, announcing her marriage with Heathcliff. It appeared dry and cold; but at the bottom was dotted in with pencil an obscure apology, and an entreaty for kind remembrance 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 from the 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 night to Wuthering Heights, and heard, for the first time, that Catherine has been, and is yet, very ill. I must not write to her, I suppose, and my brother 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 see his face again--that my heart returned to Thrushcross Grange in twenty-four hours after I left it, and is there at this moment, full of warm feelings for him, and Catherine! I can't follow it, though--(those words are underlined) they need not expect me, and they may draw what conclusions they please; taking care, however, to lay nothing at the door of my weak will or deficient affection.
The remainder of the letter is for yourself alone. I want to ask you two questions: the first is--How did you contrive to preserve the common sympathies of human nature when you resided here? I cannot recognize any sentiment which those around share with me.
The second question, I have great interest in; it is this--Is Mr Heathcliff a man? If so, is he mad? And if not, is he a devil? I shan't tell my reasons for making this inquiry; but, I beseech you to explain, if you can, what I have married: that is, when you call to see me; and you must call, Ellen, very soon. Don't write, but come, and bring me something from Edgar.
Now, you shall hear how I have been received in my new home, as I am led to imagine the Heights will be. It is to amuse myself that I dwell on such subjects as the lack of external comforts: they never occupy my thoughts, except at the moment when I miss them. I should laugh and dance for joy, if I found their absence was the total of my miseries, and the rest was an unnatural dream!
The sun set behind the Grange, as we turned on to the moors; by that, I judged it to be six o'clock; and my companion halted half an hour, to inspect the park, and the gardens, and, probably, the place itself, as well as he could; so it was dark when we dismounted in the paved yard of the farmhouse, 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 to his credit. His first act was to elevate his torch to a level with my face, squint malignantly, project his under lip, and turn away. Then he took the two horses, and led them into the stables; reappearing for the purpose of locking the outer gate, as if we lived in an ancient castle.
Heathcliff stayed to speak to him, and I entered the kitchen--a dingy, untidy hole; I dare say you would not know it, it is so changed since it was in your charge. By the fire stood a ruffianly child, strong in limb and dirty in garb, with a look of Catherine in his eyes and about his mouth.
`This is Edgar's legal nephew,' I reflected--`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 his chubby fist, said: `How do you do, my dear?' He replied in a jargon I did not comprehend. `Shall you and I be friends, Hareton?' was my next essay at conversation.
An oath, and a threat to set Throttler on me if I did not `frame off', rewarded my perseverance.
`Hey, Throttler, lad!' whispered the little wretch, rousing a half-bred bulldog from its lair in a corner. Now, wilt tuh be ganging?' he asked authoritatively.
Love for my life urged a compliance; I stepped over the threshold to wait till the others should enter. Mr Heathcliff was nowhere visible; and Joseph, whom I followed to the stables, and requested to accompany me in, after staring and muttering to himself, screwed up his nose, and replied:
`Mim! mim! mim! Did iver Christian body hear aught like it? Minching Un' munching! How can Aw tell whet ye say?'
`I say, I wish you to come with me into the house!' I cried, thinking him deaf, yet highly disgusted at his rudeness.
`Nor nuh me! I getten summat else to do,' he answered, and continued his work; moving his lantern jaws meanwhile, and surveying my dress and countenance (the former a great deal too fine, but the latter, I'm sure, as sad as he could desire) with sovereign contempt.
I walked round the yard, and through a wicket, to another door, at which I took the liberty of knocking, in hopes some more civil servant might show himself. After a short suspense, it was opened by a tall, gaunt man, without neckerchief, and otherwise extremely slovenly; his features were lost in masses of shaggy hair that hung on his shoulders; and his eyes, too, were like a ghostly Catherine's with all their 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, and he 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 he left me by the kitchen door; and when I would have gone in, your little boy played sentinel over the place, and frightened me off by the help of a bulldog.'
`It's well the hellish villain has kept his word!' growled my future host, searching the darkness beyond me in expectation of discovering 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 second entrance, and was almost inclined to slip away before he finished cursing, but ere I could execute that intention, he ordered me in, and shut and refastened the door. There was a great fire, and that was all the light in the huge apartment, whose floor had grown a uniform grey; and the once brilliant pewter dishes, which used to attract my gaze when I was a girl, partook of a similar obscurity, created by tarnish and 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 in his pockets, apparently quite forgetting my presence; and his abstraction was evidently so deep, and his whole aspect so misanthropical, that I shrank from disturbing him again.
You'll not be surprised, Ellen, at my feeling particularly cheerless, seated in worse than solitude on that inhospitable hearth, and remembering that four miles distant lay my delightful home, containing the only people I loved on earth; and there might as well be the Atlantic to part us, instead of those four miles: I could not overpass them! I questioned with myself--where must I turn for comfort? and--mind you don't tell Edgar, or Catherine--above every sorrow beside, this rose pre-eminent: despair at finding nobody who could or would be my ally against Heathcliff! I had sought shelter at Wuthering Heights, almost gladly, because I was secured by that arrangement from living alone with him; but he knew the people we were coming amongst, and he did not fear their intermeddling.
I sat and thought a doleful time: the clock struck eight, and nine, and still my companion paced to and fro, his head bent on his breast, and perfectly silent, unless a groan or a bitter ejaculation forced itself out at intervals. I listened to detect a woman's voice in the house, and filled the interim with wild regrets and dismal anticipations, which, at last, spoke audibly in irrepressible sighing and weeping. I was not aware how openly I grieved, till Earnshaw halted opposite, in his measured walk, and gave me a stare of newly-awakened surprise. Taking advantage of his recovered attention, I exclaimed:
`I'm tired with my journey, and I want to go to bed! Where is the maidservant? Direct me to her, as she won't come to me!'
`We have none,' he answered; `you must wait on 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's chamber,' said he; `open that door--he's in there.'
I was going to obey, but he suddenly arrested me, and added in the strangest tone:
`Be so good as to turn your lock, and draw your bolt--don't omit it!'
`Well!' I said. `But why, Mr Earnshaw?' I did not relish the notion of deliberately fastening myself in with Heathcliff.
`Look here!' he replied, pulling from his waistcoat a curiously constructed pistol, having a double-edged spring knife attached to the barrel. `That's a great tempter to a desperate man, is it not? I cannot resist going up with this every night, and trying his door. If once I find it open he's done for! I do it invariably, even though the minute before I have been recalling a hundred reasons that should make me refrain: it is some devil that urges me to thwart my own schemes by killing him. You fight against that devil for love as long as you may; when the times 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 my face 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: his danger does not shock you.'
`What has Heathcliff done to you?' I asked. `In what has he wronged you, to warrant this appalling hatred? Wouldn't it be wiser to bid him quit the house?'
`No!' thundered Earnshaw, `should he offer to 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 his gold too; and then his blood; and hell shall have his soul! It will be ten times blacker with that guest than ever it was before!'
You've acquainted me, Ellen, with your old master's habits. He is clearly on the verge of madness: he was so last night at least. I shuddered to be near him, and thought on the servant's ill-bred moroseness as comparatively agreeable. He now recommenced his moody walk, and I raised the latch, and escaped into the kitchen. Joseph was bending over the fire, peering into a large pan that swung above it; and a wooden bowl of oatmeal stood on the settle close by. The contents of the pan began to boil, and he turned to plunge his hand into the bowl; I conjectured that this preparation was probably 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 to wait 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 they's tuh be fresh ortherings--just when Aw gettin used tuh two maisters, if Aw mun hev a mistress set o'er my heead, it's loike time tuh be flitting. Aw niver did think tuh say t' day ut Aw mud lave th' owld place--but Aw daht it's nigh at hend!'
This lamentation drew no notice from me: I went briskly to work, sighing to remember a period when it would have been all merry fun; but compelled speedily to drive off the remembrance. It racked me to recall past happiness, and the greater peril there was of conjuring up its apparition, the quicker the thible ran round, and the faster the handfuls of meal fell into the water. Joseph beheld my style of cookery with growing indignation.
`Thear!' he ejaculated, `Hareton, thah willut sup thy porridge tuh neight; they'll be nowt bud lumps as big as maw nave. Thear, agean! Aw'd fling in bowl un all, if Aw wer yah! There, pale t' guilp off, un' then yah'll hae done wi't. Bang, bang. It's a marcy t' bothom isn't deaved aht!'
It was rather a rough mess, I own, when poured into the basins; four had been provided, and a gallon pitcher of new milk was brought from the dairy, which Hareton seized and commenced drinking and spilling from the expansive lip. I expostulated, and desired that he should have his in a mug; affirming that I could not taste the liquid treated so dirtily. The old cynic chose to be vastly offended at 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 continued sucking; and glowered 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's maister's; un' if yah dunnut loike maister, there's us.
`Then I shall go upstairs!' I answered; `show me a chamber.' I put my basin on a tray, and went myself to fetch some more milk. With great grumblings, the fellow rose, and preceded me in my ascent: we mounted to the garrets; he opening a door, now and then, to look into the apartments we passed.
`Here's a rahm,' he said, at last, flinging back a cranky board on hinges. `It's weel eneugh tuh ate a few porridge in. They's a pack o' corn i' t' corner, thear, meeterly clane; if yah're feared uh muckying yer grand silk cloes, spread yer hankerchir o' t' top on't.'
The `rahm' was a kind of lumber-hole smelling 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 him angrily, `this is not a place to sleep in. I wish to see my bedroom.
`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, only differing 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 at the top of the house, does he?'
`Oh! it's Maister Hathecliff's yah're wenting!' cried he, as if making a new discovery. `Couldn't ye uh said soa, at onst? un then, Aw mud uh telled ye, baht all this wark, ut that's just one yah cannut sea--he alIas keeps it locked, un nob'dy iver mells on't but hisseln.'
`You've a nice house, Joseph,' I could not refrain from observing, `and pleasant inmates; and I think the concentrated essence of all the madness in the world took up its abode in my brain the day I linked my fate with theirs! However, that is not to the present purpose--there are other rooms. For heaven's sake be quick, and let me settle somewhere!'
He made no reply to this adjuration; only plodding 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 best one. There was a carpet: a good one, but the pattern was obliterated by dust; a fireplace hung with cut paper, dropping to pieces; a handsome oak bedstead with ample crimson curtains of rather expensive material and modern make; but they had evidently experienced rough usage: the valances hung in festoons, wrenched from their rings, and the iron rod supporting them was bent in an arc on one side, causing the drapery to trail upon the floor. The chairs were also damaged, many of them severely; and deep indentations deformed the panels of the walls. I was endeavouring to gather resolution for entering and taking possession, when my fool of a guide announced, `This here is t' maister's.' My supper by this time was cold, my appetite gone, and my patience exhausted. I insisted on being provided instantly with a place of refuge, and means of repose.
`Whear the divil?' began the religious elder. `The Lord bless us! The Lord forgie us! Whear the hell wold ye gang? ye marred, wearisome nowt! Yah seen all bud Hareton's bit uf a cham'er. They's not another hoile tuh lig dahn in i' th' hahse!'
I was so vexed, I flung my tray and its contents on the ground; and then seated myself at the stairs-head, hid my face in my hands, and cried.
`Ech! ech!' exclaimed Joseph. `Weel done, Miss Cathy! weel done, Miss Cathy! Hahsiver, t' maister saIl just tum'le o'er them brocken pots; un' then we's hear summut; we's hear hah it's tuh be. Gooid-for-nowt madling! yah desarve pining froo this to Churstmas, flinging t' precious gifts uh God under fooit i' yer flaysome rages! Bud Aw'm mista'en if yah shew yer sperrit lang. Will Hathecliff bide sich bonny ways, think ye? Aw nobbut wish he muh cotch ye i' that plisky. Aw nobbut wish he may.'
And so he went on scolding to his den beneath, taking the candle with him; and I remained in the dark. The period of reflection succeeding this silly action, compelled me to admit the necessity of smothering my pride and choking my wrath, and bestirring myself to remove its effects. An unexpected aid presently appeared in the shape of Throttler, whom I now recognized as a son of our old Skulker: it had spent its whelphood at the Grange, and was given by my father to Mr Hindley. I fancy it knew me: it pushed its nose against mine by way of salute, and then hastened to devour the porridge; while I groped from step to step, collecting the shattered earthenware, and drying the spatters of milk from the banister with my pocket handkerchief. Our labours were scarcely over when I heard Earnshaw's tread in the passage; my assistant tucked in his tail, and pressed to the wall; I stole into the nearest doorway. The dog's endeavour to avoid him was unsuccessful; as I guessed by a scutter downstairs, and a prolonged, piteous yelping. I had better luck! he passed on, entered his 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, and the old man, on seeing me, said:
`They's rahm for boath ye un yer pride, now, I sud think, i' the hahse. It's empty; ye may hev it all to yerseln, un Him as allas maks a third, i' such ill company!'
Gladly did I take advantage of this intimation; and the minute I flung myself into a chair, by the fire, I nodded, and slept. My slumber was deep and sweet, though over far too soon. Mr Heathcliff awoke me; he had just come in, and demanded, in his loving manner, what I was doing there? I told him the cause of my staying up so late--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 habitual conduct: he is ingenious and unresting in seeking to gain my abhorrence! I sometimes wonder at him with an intensity that deadens my fear: yet, I assure you, a tiger or a venomous serpent could not rouse terror in me equal to that which he wakens. He told me of Catherine's illness, and accused my brother of causing it; promising that I should be Edgar's proxy in suffering, till he could get hold of him.
I do hate him--I am wretched--I have been a fool! Beware of uttering one breath of this to anyone at the Grange. I shall expect you every day--don't disappoint me!
第十四章
我看完这封信，立即就去见主人，告诉他说他妹妹已经到了山庄，而且给了我一封信表示她对于林惇夫人的病况很挂念，她热烈地想见见他；希望他尽可能早点派我去转达他一点点宽恕的表示，越早越好。
“宽恕！”林惇说。“我没有什么可宽恕她的，艾伦。你如果愿意，你今天下午可以去呼啸山庄，说我并不生气，我只是惋惜失去了她；特别是我绝不认为她会幸福。无论如何，要我去看她是办不到的：我们是永远分开了；若是她真为我好，就让她劝劝她嫁的那个流氓离开此地吧。”
“你就不给她写个便条吗，先生？”我乞求地问着。
“不，”他回答。“用不着。我和希刺克厉夫家属的来往就像他和我家的来往一样全省掉吧。一刀两断。“
埃德加先生的冷淡使我非常难过；出田庄后一路上我绞尽脑汁想着怎样在重述他的话时加一点感情；怎样把他甚至拒绝写一两行去安慰伊莎贝拉的口气说得委婉些。我敢说她从早上起就守望着我了：在我走上花园砌道时，我看见她从窗格里向外望，我就对她点点头；可是她缩回去了，好像怕给人看见似的。我没有敲门就进去了。这栋以前是很欢乐的房子从来没有呈现过这样荒凉阴郁的景象！我必须承认，如果我处在这位年轻的夫人的地位上，至少，我要扫扫壁炉，用个鸡毛帚掸掸桌子。可是她已经沾染了几分包围着她的那种到处蔓延的懒散精神。她那姣好的脸苍白而无精打采；她的头发没有卷；有的发卷直直地挂下来，有的就乱七八糟地盘在她头上。大概她从昨天晚上起还没有梳洗过。辛德雷不在那儿。希刺克厉夫坐在桌旁，翻阅他的袖珍记事册中的纸张；可是当我出现时，他站起来了，很友好地问候我，还请我坐下。他是那里唯一的看上去很体面的人；我认为他从来没有这样好看过。环境把他们的地位更换得这么厉害，陌生人乍一看，会认定他是个天生有教养的绅士；而他的妻子则是一个道地的小懒婆！她热切地走上前来迎接我，并且伸出一只手来取她所期望的信。我摇摇头。她不懂这个暗示，却跟着我到一个餐具柜那儿，我是到那儿放下我的帽子的，她低声央求我把我所带来的东西马上给她。希刺克厉夫猜出她那举动的意思，就说：
“如果你有什么东西给伊莎贝拉（你是一定有的，耐莉）；就交给她吧。你用不着做得那样秘密：我们之间没有秘密。”
“啊，我没有带什么，”我回答，想想最好还是马上说实话。“我的主人叫我告诉他妹妹，她现在不必期望他来信或是访问。他叫我向你致意，夫人，并且他祝你幸福，他对于你所引起的悲苦都肯原谅；但是他以为从现在起，他的家和这个家庭应该断绝来往，因为再联系也没什么意思。”
希刺克厉夫夫人的嘴唇微微颤着，她又回到她在窗前的座位上。她的丈夫站在壁炉前，靠近我，开始问些有关凯瑟琳的话。我尽量告诉他一些我认为可以说的关于她的病情的话，他却问来问去，遇得我说出了与病因有关的大部分事实。我责怪了她（她是该受责怪的），因为都是她自找苦吃；最后我希望他也学林惇先生的样，不论好坏都该避免将来与他家接触。
“林惇夫人现在正在复原，”我说，“她永远不会像她以前那样了，可是她的命保住了；如果你真关心她，就不要再拦她的路了，不，你要完完全全搬出这个地方；而且我要告诉你，让你不会后悔，凯瑟琳·林惇如今跟你的老朋友凯瑟琳·恩萧大不同了，正如那位年轻太太和我也不同。她的外表变得很厉害，她的性格变得更多；那个由于必要不得不作她伴侣的人，今后只能凭借着对她昔日的追忆，以及出于世俗的仁爱和责任感，来维持他的感情了！”
“那倒是挺可能的，”希刺克厉夫说，勉强使自己显得平静，“你主人除了出于世俗的仁爱观念和一种责任感之外就没有什么可依仗的了，这是很可能的。可是你以为我就会把凯瑟琳交给他的责任和仁爱吗？你能把我尊敬凯瑟琳的情感跟他的相比吗？在你离开这所房子之前，我一定要你答应，你要让我见她一面：答应也好，拒绝也好，我一定要见她！你说怎么样？”
“我说，希刺克厉夫先生，”我回答，“你万万不能，你永远别想通过我设法而见到她。你跟我主人再碰一次面，就会把她的命送掉了。”
“有你的帮助就可以避免，”他接着说，“如果会有这么大的危险——如果他就是使她的生活增加一种烦恼的原因——那么，我以为我正好有理由走极端！我希望你诚诚恳恳告诉我，若是失去了他，凯瑟琳会不会很难过：就是怕她会难过，这才使我忍住。你这就看得出我们两人情感中间的区别了：如果他处在我的地位，而我处在他的地位，当然我恨他恨得要命，我绝不会向他抬一只手。你要是不信，那也由你！只要她还要他作伴，我就绝不会把他从她身边赶走。她对他的关心一旦停止，我就要挖出他的心，喝他的血！可是，不到那时候——你要是不相信我，那你是不了解我——不到那时候，我宁可寸磔而死，也不会碰他一根头发！”
“可是，”我插口说，“你毫无顾忌地要彻底毁掉她那完全恢复健康的一切希望，在她快要忘了你的时候却硬要把你自己插到她的记忆里，而且把她拖进一场新的纠纷和苦恼的风波中去。
“你以为她快要忘了我吗？”他说。“啊，耐莉！你知道她没有忘记！你跟我一样地知道她每想林惇一次，她就要想我一千次！在我一生中最悲惨的一个时期，我曾经有过那类的想法：去年夏天在我回到这儿附近的地方时，这想法还缠着我；可是只有她自己的亲自说明才能使我再接受这可怕的想法。到那时候，林惇才可以算不得什么，辛德雷也算不得什么，就是我做过的一切梦也都不算什么。两个词可以概括我的未来——死亡与地狱：失去她之后，生存将是地狱。但是，我曾经一时糊涂，以为她把埃德加·林惇的情爱看得比我的还重。如果他以他那软弱的身心的整个力量爱她八年，也抵不上我一天的爱。凯瑟琳有一颗和我一样深沉的心：她的整个情感被他所独占，就像把海水装在马槽里。呸！他对于她不见得比她的狗或者她的马更亲密些。他不像我，他本身有什么可以被她爱：她怎么能爱他本来没有的东西呢？”
“凯瑟琳和埃德加像任何一对夫妇那样互相热爱，”伊莎贝拉带着突然振作起来的精神大叫。“没有人有权利用那样的态度讲话，我不能听人毁谤我哥哥还不吭声。”
“你哥哥也特别喜欢你吧，是不是？”希刺克厉夫讥讽地说。“他以令人惊奇的喜爱任你在世上漂泊。”
“他不晓得我受的什么罪，”她回答。“我没有告诉他。”
“那么你是告诉了他什么啦：你写信了，是不是？”
“我是写了，说我结婚了——她看见那封短信的。”
“以后没写过么？”
“没有。”
“我的小姐自从改变环境后显得憔悴多了，”我说。“显然，有人不再爱她了；是谁，我可以猜得出；但也许我不该说。”
“我倒认为是她自己不爱自己，”希刺克厉夫说。“她退化成为一个懒婆娘了！她老早就不想讨我喜欢了。你简直难以相信，可是就在我们婚后第二天早上，她就哭着要回家。无论如何，她不太考究，正好适于这房子，而且我要注意不让她在外面乱跑来丢我的脸。”
“好呀，先生，”我回嘴，“我希望你要想到希刺克厉夫夫人是习惯于被人照护和侍候的；她是像个独生女一样地给带大的，人人都随时要服侍她。你一定得让她有个女仆给她收拾东西，而且你一定得好好对待她。不论你对埃德加先生的看法如何，你不能怀疑她有强烈的迷恋之情，不然她不会放弃她以前家里的优雅舒适的生活和朋友们，而安心和你住在这么一个荒凉的地方。”
“她是在一种错觉下放弃那些的，”他回答，“把我想象成一个传奇式的英雄，希望从我的豪侠气概的倾心中得到无尽的娇宠。我简直不能把她当作是一个有理性的人，她对于我的性格是如此执拗地坚持着一种荒谬的看法，而且凭她所孕育的错误印象来行动。但是，到底，我想她开始了解我了：起初我还没理会那使我生气的痴笑和怪相；也没理会那种糊涂的无能，当我告诉她我对她的迷恋和对她本身的看法时，她竟不能识别我是诚恳的。真是费了不少的劲才发现我本来就不爱她。我相信，曾经有一个时候，是没法教训她明白那点的！可是现在居然勉强地懂得了；因为今天早上，作为一件惊人消息，她宣布，说我实在已经使得她恨我了！我向你保证，这可是真正费了九牛二虎之力哩！如果她真是想明白了，我有理由回敬感谢。我能相信你的话吗，伊莎贝拉？你确实恨我吗？如果我让你自己一个人待半天，你会不会又叹着气走过来，又跟我甜言蜜语呢？我敢说她宁可我当着你的面显出温柔万分的样子：暴露真相是伤她的虚荣心的。可是我才不在乎有人知道这份热情完全是片面的：我也从来没在这事上对她讲过一句谎话。她不能控诉我说我表示过一点虚伪的温柔。从田庄出来时，她看见我作的第一件事，就是把她的小狗吊起来；当她求我放它时，我开头的几句话就是我愿把属于她家的个个都吊死，除了一个，可能她把那个例外当作她自己了。但是任何残忍都引不起她厌恶，我猜想只要她这宝贝的本人的安全不受损害，她对于那种残忍还有一种内心的赞赏哩！是啊，那种可怜的，奴性的，下流的母狗——纯粹的白痴——竟还梦想我能爱她岂不是荒谬透顶！告诉你的主人，耐莉，说我一辈子也没遇见过像她这样的一个下贱东西。她甚至都玷辱了林惇的名声，我试验她能忍受的能力，而她总还是含羞地谄媚地爬回来，由于实在想不出新的办法，我有时候都动了慈悲心肠哩！但是，也告诉他，请他放宽他那一副傲然的手足之情的心肠吧。我是严格遵守法律限制的。直到眼前这段时期，我一直避免给她最轻微的借口要求离开；不仅如此，谁要是分开我们，她也不会感谢的。如果她愿走，她可以走；她在我跟前所引起的我的厌恶已经超过我折磨她时所得到的满足了。”
“希刺克厉夫先生，”我说，“这是一个疯子说的话；你的妻子很可能是以为你疯了；为了这个缘故，她才跟你待到如今，可现在你说她可以走，她一定会利用你这个允许的。太太，你总不至于这么给迷住了，还自愿跟他住下去吧？”
“小心，艾伦！”伊莎贝拉回答，她的眼睛闪着怒火；从这对眼睛的表情看来，无疑的，她的配偶企图使她恨他，已经完全成功了。“他所说的话，你一个字也不要信。他是一个撒谎的恶魔！一个怪物，不是人！以前他也跟我说过我可以离开；我也试过，我可不敢试了！可就是，艾伦，答应我不要把他那无耻的话向我哥哥或凯瑟琳吐露一个字。不论他怎么装假，他只是希望把埃德加惹得拚命：他说他娶我是有意地跟他夺权；他得不到——我会先死的！我只希望，我祈求，他会忘记他那狰狞的谨慎，而把我杀掉！我所能想象到的唯一欢乐就是死去，要不就看他死！”
“好啦——现在够了！”希刺克厉夫说，“耐莉，你要是被传上法庭，可要记住她的话！好好瞧瞧那张脸吧：她已经快要达到配得上我的地步了。不，现在你是不合宜作你自己的保护人了，伊莎贝拉；我，既是你的合法保护人，一定要把你放在我的监护下，不论这义务是怎样的倒胃口。上楼去，我有话要跟丁艾伦私下说。不是这条路：我对你说上楼！对啦，这才是上楼的路啦，孩子！”
他抓住她，把她推到屋外；边走回头边咕噜着：
“我没有怜悯！我没有怜悯！虫子越扭动，我越想挤出它们的内脏！这是一种精神上的出牙；它越是痛，我就越要使劲磨。”
“你懂得怜悯这个字是什么意思吗？”我说，赶快戴上帽子。“你生平就没有感到过一丝怜悯吗？”
“放下帽子！”他插嘴，看出来我要走开。“你还不能走。现在走过来，耐莉，我一定要说服你或者强迫你帮我实现我这要见凯瑟琳的决心，而且不要耽搁了。我发誓我不想害人：我并不想引起任何乱子，也不想激怒或侮辱林惇先生；我只想听听她亲自告诉我她怎么样，她为什么生病：问问她我能作些什么对她有用的事。昨天夜里我在田庄花园里待了六个钟头，今夜我还要去；每天每夜我都要到那儿去，直到我能找到机会进去。如果埃德加·林惇遇见我，我将毫不犹豫地一拳打倒他，在我待在那儿的时候保证给他足够的时间休息。如果他的仆人们顽抗，我就要用这些手枪把他们吓走。可是，如果可以不必碰到他们或他们的主人，不是更好些吗？而你可以很容易地做到的。我到时，先让你知道，然后等她一个人的时候，你就可以让我进去不被人看见，而且守着，一直等我离开，你的良心也会十分平静：你可以防止闯出祸来。”
我抗议不肯在我东家的家里作那不忠的人：而且，我竭力劝说他为了自己的满足而破坏林惇夫人的平静是残酷而自私的。“最平常的事情都能使她痛苦地震动，”我说。“她已经神经过敏，我敢说她禁不住这意外。不要坚持吧，先生！不然我就不得不把你的计划告诉我的主人；他就要采取手段保护他的房屋和里面住的人的安全，以防止任何这类无理的闯入！”
“若是如此，我就要采取手段来保护你，女人！”希刺克厉夫叫起来，“你在明天早晨以前不能离开呼啸山庄。说凯瑟琳看见了我就受不住，那是胡扯；我也并不想吓她；你先要让她有个准备——问她我可不可以来。你说她从来没提过我的名字，也没有人向她提到我。既是在那个家里我是一个禁止谈论的题目，她能跟谁提到我呢？她以为你们全是她丈夫的密探。啊，我一点也不怀疑，她在你们中间就等于在地狱里！我从她的沉默以及任何其他事中，都可以猜到她感到什么。你说她经常不安宁，露出焦躁的神气：这难道是平静的证据吗？你说她的心绪紊乱，她处在那种可怕的孤独中，不这样又能怎么样呢？而那个没有精神的，卑鄙的东西还出于责任和仁爱来侍候她！出于怜悯和善心罢了！他与其想象他能在他那浮浅的照料中使她恢复精力，还不如说正像把一棵橡树种在一个花盆里！我们马上决定吧：你是要住在这儿，让我去同林惇和他的仆人们打一仗后去看凯瑟琳呢？还是你要作我的朋友，像从前一样，按照我请求的去作？决定吧！如果你还坚持你那顽固不化的本性，我是没有理由再耽搁一分钟了！”
唉，洛克乌德先生，我申辩，抱怨，明白地拒绝他五十次；可是到末了他还是逼得我同意了。我答应把他的一封信带给我的女主人；如果她肯，下一次林惇不在家的时候，我一定让他知道那时他可以来，让他能够进来：我不会在那儿，我的同事们也统统走开。
这是对呢？还是不对呢？恐怕这是不对的，虽然只好这样。我觉得我依从了，可以免去另一场乱子；我也认为，这也许可以在凯瑟琳的心病上创造一个有利的转机：后来我又记起埃德加先生严厉责骂我搬弄是非；我反复肯定说那次背信告密的事，如果该受这样粗暴的名称的话，也该是最后一次了，我借这个肯定来消除我对于这事所感到的一切不安。虽然如此，我在回家的旅途上比我来时更悲哀些；在我能说服自己把信交到林惇夫人的手中之前，我是有着许多忧惧的。
可是肯尼兹来啦；我要下去，告诉他你好多了。我的故事，照我们的说法，是够受的而且还可以再消磨一个早晨哩。
够受，而且凄惨！这个好女人下楼接医生时，我这样想着：其实并不是我想听来解闷的那类故事。可是没关系！我要从丁太太的苦药草里吸取有益的药品。第一，我要小心那潜藏在凯瑟琳·希刺克厉夫的亮眼睛里的魔力。如果我对那个年轻人倾心，我一定会陷入不可思议的烦恼，那个女儿正是她母亲的再版啊！
Chapter 14
As soon as I had perused this epistle, I went to the master, and informed him that his sister had arrived at the Heights, and sent me a letter expressing her sorrow for Mrs Linton's situation, and her ardent desire to see him; with a wish that he would 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 this afternoon, 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 see her, however: we are eternally divided; and should she really wish to oblige me, let her 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 family shall be as sparing as his with mine. It shall not exist!'
Mr Edgar's coldness depressed me exceedingly; and all the way from the Grange I puzzled my brains how to put more heart into what he said, when I repeated it; and how to soften his refusal of even a few lines to console Isabella. I dare say she had been on the watch for me since morning: I saw her looking through the lattice, as I came up the garden causeway, 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 the young lady's place, I would, at least, have swept the hearth, and wiped the tables with a duster. But she already partook of the pervading spirit of neglect which encompassed her. Her pretty face was wan and listless; her hair uncurled: some locks hanging lankly down, and some carelessly twisted round her head. Probably she had not touched her dress since yester evening. Hindley was not there. Mr Heathcliff sat at a table, turning over some papers in his pocket-book; but he rose when I appeared, asked me how I did, quite friendly, and offered me a chair. He was the only thing there that seemed decent: and I thought he never looked better. So much had circumstances altered their positions, that he would certainly have struck a stranger as a born and bred gentleman; and his wife as a thorough little slattern! She came forward eagerly to greet me; and held out one hand to take the expected letter. I shook my head. She wouldn't understand the hint, but followed me to a sideboard, where I went to lay my bonnet, and importuned me in a whisper to give her directly what I had brought. Heathcliff guessed the meaning of her manoeuvres, and said:
`If you have got anything for Isabella (as no doubt you have, Nelly), give it to her. You needn't make a secret of it! we have no secrets between us.'
`Oh, I have nothing,' I replied, thinking it best to speak the truth at once. `My master bid me tell his sister that she must not expect either a letter or a visit from him at present. He sends his love, ma'am, and his wishes for your happiness, and his pardon for the grief you have occasioned; but he thinks that after this time, his household and the household here should drop intercommunication, as nothing good could come of keeping it up.'
Mrs Heathcliff's lip quivered slightly, and she returned to her seat in the window. Her husband took his stand on the hearthstone, near me, and began to put questions concerning Catherine. I told him as much as I thought proper of her illness, and he extorted from me, by cross-examination, most of the facts connected with its origin. I blamed her, as she deserved, for bringing it all on herself; and ended by hoping that he would follow Mr Linton's example and avoid future interference with his family, for good or evil.
`Mrs Linton is now just recovering,' I said; `she'll never be like she was, but her life is spared; and if you really have a regard for her, you'll shun crossing her way again: nay, you'll move out of this country entirely; and that you may not regret it, I'll inform you Catherine Linton is as different now from your old friend Catherine Earnshaw, as that young lady is different from me. Her appearance is changed greatly, her character much more so; and the person who is compelled, of necessity, to be her companion, will only sustain his affection hereafter by the remembrance of what she once was, by common humanity, and a sense of duty!'
`That is quite possible,' remarked Heathcliff, forcing himself to seem calm: `quite possible that your master should have nothing but common humanity and a sense of duty to fall back upon. But do you imagine that I shall leave Catherine to his duty and humanity? and can you compare my feelings respecting Catherine to his? Before you leave this house, I must exact a promise from you, that you'll get me an interview with her: consent or refuse, I will see her! What do you say?'
`I say, Mr Heathcliff,' I replied, `you must 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,' he continued; `and should there be danger of such an event--should he be the cause of adding a single trouble more to her existence--why, I think I shall be justified in going to extremes! I wish you had sincerity enough to tell me whether Catherine would suffer greatly from his loss: the fear that she would restrains me. And there you see the distinctions between our feelings: had he been in my place, and I in his, though I hated him with a hatred that 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 single hair of his head!'
`And yet,' I interrupted, `you have no scruples in completely ruining all hopes of her perfect restoration, by thrusting yourself into her remembrance now, when she has nearly forgotten you, and involving her in 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 every thought she spends on Linton, she spends a thousand on me! At a most miserable period of my life, I had 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, nor Hindley, 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 that she valued Edgar Linton's attachment more than mine. If he loved with all the powers of his puny being, he couldn't love as much in eighty years as I could in a day. And Catherine has a heart as deep as I have: the sea could be as readily contained in that horse-trough, as her whole affection be monopolized by him! Tush! He is scarcely a degree dearer to her than her dog, or her horse. It is not in him to be loved like me: how can she love in him what he has not?'
`Catherine and Edgar are as fond of each other 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 with surprising alacrity.'
`He is not aware of what I suffer,' she replied. `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 the better for not being over nice, and I'll take care she does not disgrace me by rambling abroad.'
`Well, sir,' returned I, `I hope you'll consider that Mrs Heathcliff is accustomed to be looked after and waited on; and that she has been brought up like an only daughter, whom everyone was ready to serve. You must let her have a maid to keep things tidy about her, and you must treat her kindly. Whatever be your notion of Mr Edgar, you cannot doubt that she has a capacity for strong attachments, or she wouldn't have abandoned the elegances, 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,' he answered; `picturing in me a hero of romance, and expecting unlimited indulgences from my chivalrous devotion. I can hardly regard her in the light of a rational creature, so obstinately has she persisted in forming a fabulous notion of my character and acting on the false impressions she cherished. But, at last, I think she begins to know me: I don't perceive the silly smiles and grimaces that provoked me at first; and the senseless incapability of discerning that I was in earnest when I gave her my opinion of her infatuation and herself. It was a marvellous effort of perspicacity to discover that I did not love her. I believed, at one time, no lessons could teach her that! And yet it is poorly learnt; for this morning she announced, as a piece of appalling intelligence, that I had actually succeeded in making her hate me! A positive labour of Hercules, I assure you! If it be achieved, I have cause to return thanks. 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 dare say she would rather I had seemed all tenderness before you: it wounds her vanity to have the truth exposed. But I don't care who knows that the passion was wholly on one side; and I never told her a lie about it. She cannot accuse me of showing a bit of deceitful softness. The first thing she saw me do, on coming out 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 that exception for herself. But no brutality disgusted her: I suppose she has an innate admiration of it, if only her precious person were secure from injury! Now, was it not the depth of absurdity--of genuine idiocy, for that pitiful, slavish, mean-minded brach to dream that I could love her? Tell your master, Nelly, that I never, in all my life, met with such an abject thing as she is. She even disgraces the name of Linton; and I've sometimes relented, from pure lack of invention, in my experiments on what she could endure, and still creep shamefully cringing back! But tell him, also, to set his fraternal and magisterial heart at ease: that I keep strictly within the limits of the law. I have avoided, up to this period, giving her the slightest right to claim a separation; and, what's more, she'd thank nobody for dividing us. If she desired to go, she might: the nuisance of her presence outweighs the gratification to be derived from tormenting her!'
`Mr Heathcliff,' said I, `this is the talk of a madman, and your wife, most likely, is convinced you are mad; and, for that reason, she has borne with you hitherto: but now that you say she may go, she'll doubtless 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, her eyes sparkling irefully; there was no misdoubting by their expression the full success of her partner's endeavours to make himself detested. `Don't put faith in a single word he speaks. He's a lying fiend! a monster, and not a human 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 a syllable of his infamous conversation to my brother or Catherine. Whatever he may pretend, he wishes to provoke Edgar to desperation: he says he has married me on purpose to obtain power over him; and he shan't obtain it--I'll die first! I just hope, I pray, that he may forget his diabolical prudence and kill me! The single pleasure I can imagine is to die or see him dead!'
`There--that will do for the present!' said Heathcliff. `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 detain you in my custody, however distasteful the obligation may be. Go upstairs; I have something to say to Ellen Dean in private. That's not the way: upstairs, 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 with greater 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 in fulfilling my determination to see Catherine, and that without delay. I swear that I meditate no harm: I don't desire to cause any disturbance, or to exasperate or insult Mr Linton; I only wish 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 to her. Last night, I was in the Grange garden six hours, and I'll return there tonight; and every night I'll haunt the place, and every day, till I find an opportunity of entering. If Edgar Linton meets me, I shall not hesitate to knock him down, and give him enough to insure his quiescence while I stay. If his servants oppose me, I shall threaten them off with these pistols. But wouldn't it be better to prevent my coming in contact with them, or their master? And you could do it so easily. I'd warn you when I came, and then you might let me in unobserved, as soon as she was alone, and watch till I departed, your conscience quite calm: you would be hindering mischief.'
I protested against playing that treacherous part in my employer's house: and, besides, I urged the cruelty and selfishness of his destroying Mrs Linton's tranquillity for his satisfaction. `The commonest occurrence startles her painfully,' I said. `She's all nerves, and she couldn't bear the surprise, I'm positive. Don't persist, sir! or else, I shall be obliged to inform my master of your designs; and he'll take measures to secure his house and its inmates from any such unwarrantable intrusions!'
`In that case, I'll take measures to secure you, woman!' exclaimed Heathcliff; `you shall not leave Wuthering Heights till tomorrow morning. It is a foolish story to assert that Catherine could not bear to see me; and as to surprising her, I don't desire it: you must prepare her ask her if I may come. You say she never mentions my name, and that I am never mentioned to her. To whom should she mention me if I am a forbidden topic in the house? She thinks you are all spies for her husband. 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 attending her from duty and humanity! From pity and charity! He might as well plant an oak in a flowerpot, and expect it to thrive, as imagine he can restore her to vigour in the soil of his shallow cares! Let us settle it at once: will you stay here, and am I to fight my way to Catherine over Linton and his footmen? Or will you be my friend as you have been hitherto, and do what I request? Decide! cause there is no reason for my lingering another minute, if you persist in your stubborn ill-nature!'
Well, Mr Lockwood, I argued and complained, and flatly refused him fifty times; but in the long run he forced me to an agreement. I engaged to carry a letter from him to my mistress; and should she consent, I promised to let him have intelligence of Linton's next absence from home, when he might come, and get in as he was able: I wouldn't be there, and my fellow-servants should be equally out of the way. Was it right or wrong? I fear it was wrong, though expedient. I thought I prevented another explosion by my compliance; and I thought, too, it might create a favourable crisis in Catherine's mental illness: and then I remembered Mr Edgar's stern rebuke of my carrying tales; and I tried to smooth away all disquietude on the subject, by affirming, with frequent iteration, that that betrayal of trust, if it merited so harsh an appellation, should be the last. Notwithstanding, my journey homeward was sadder than my journey thither; and many misgivings I had, ere I could prevail on myself to put the missive into Mrs Linton's hand.
But here is Kenneth; I'll go down, and tell him how much better you are. My history is dree, as we say, and will serve to while away another morning.
Dree, and dreary! I reflected as the good woman descended to receive the doctor; and not exactly of the kind which I should have chosen to amuse me. But never mind! I'll extract wholesome medicines from Mrs Dean's bitter herbs; and firstly, let me beware the fascination that lurks in Catherine Heathcliff's brilliant eyes. I should be in a curious taking if I surrendered my heart to that young person, and the daughter turned out a second edition of the mother!
Chapter 15
Another week over--and I am so many days nearer health, and spring! I have now heard all my neighbour's history, at different sittings, as the housekeeper could spare time from more important occupations. I'll continue it in her own words, only a little 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 my visit to the Heights, I knew, as well as if I saw him, that Mr Heathcliff was about the place; and I shunned going out, because I still carried his letter in my pocket, and didn't want to be threatened or teased any more. I had made up my mind not to give it till my master went somewhere, as I could not guess how its receipt would affect Catherine. The consequence was, that it did not reach her before the lapse of three days. The fourth was Sunday, and I brought it into her room after the family were gone to church. There was a manservant left to keep the house with me, and we generally made a practice of locking the doors during the hours of service; but on that occasion the weather was so warm and pleasant that I set them wide open, and, to fulfil my engagement, as I knew who would be coming, I told my companion that the mistress wished 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 upstairs.
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 partly removed at the beginning of her illness, and now she wore it simply combed in its natural tresses over her temples and neck. Her appearance was altered, as I had told Heathcliff; but when she was calm, there seemed unearthly beauty in the change. The flash of her eyes had been succeeded by a dreamy and melancholy softness; they no longer gave the impression of looking at the objects around her: they appeared always to gaze beyond, and far beyond--you would have said out of this world. Then the paleness of her face--its haggard aspect having vanished as she recovered flesh--and the peculiar expression arising from 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 more tangible 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 she never endeavoured to divert herself with reading, or occupation of any kind, and he would spend many an hour in trying to entice her attention to some subject which had formerly been her amusement. She was conscious of his aim, and in her better moods endured his efforts placidly, only showing their uselessness by now and then suppressing a wearied sigh, and checking him at last with the saddest of smiles and kisses. At other times, she would turn petulantly away, and hide her face in her hands, or even push him off angrily; and then he took care 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 yet absent murmur of the summer foliage, which drowned that music about the Grange when the trees were in leaf. At Wuthering Heights it always sounded on quiet days following a great thaw or a season of steady rain. And of Wuthering Heights Catherine was thinking as she listened: that is, if she thought or listened at all; but she had the vague, distant look I mentioned before, which expressed no recognition of material things either by ear or eye.
`There's a letter for you, Mrs Linton,' I said, gently inserting it in one hand that rested on her knee. `You must read it immediately, because it wants 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 waiting till it should please her to glance down; but that movement was so long delayed that at last I resumed:
`Must I read it, ma'am? It is from Mr Heathcliff.'
There was a start and a troubled gleam of recollection, and a struggle to arrange her ideas. She lifted the letter, and seemed to peruse it; and when she came to the signature she sighed: yet still I found she had not gathered its import, for, upon my desiring to hear her reply, she merely pointed to the name, and gazed at me with mournful and questioning eagerness.
`Well, he wishes to see you,' said I, guessing her need of an interpreter. `He's in the garden by this time, and impatient to know what answer I shall bring.'
As I spoke, I observed a large dog lying on the sunny grass beneath raise its ears as if about to bark, and then smoothing them back, announce, by a wag of the tail, that someone approached whom it did not consider a stranger. Mrs Linton bent forward, and listened breathlessly. The minute after a step traversed the hall; the open house was too tempting for Heathcliff to resist walking in: most likely he supposed that I was inclined to shirk my promise, and so resolved to trust to his own audacity. With straining eagerness Catherine gazed towards the entrance of her chamber. He did not hit the right room directly, she motioned me to admit him, but he found it out ere I could reach the door, and in a stride or two was at her side, and had her grasped in his arms.
He neither spoke nor loosed his hold for some five minutes, during which period he bestowed more kisses than ever he gave in his life before, I dare say: but then my mistress had kissed him first, and I plainly saw that he could hardly bear, for downright 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 the first sentence he uttered, in a tone that did not seek to disguise his despair. And now he stared at her so earnestly that I thought the very intensity of his gaze would bring tears into his eyes; but they burned 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 vane for constantly varying caprices. `You and Edgar have broken my heart, Heathcliff! And you both came 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, I think. How strong you are! How many years do you mean to live after I am gone?'
Heathcliff had knelt on one knee to embrace her; 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 children are dearer to me than she was; and at death, I shall not rejoice that I am going to her: I shall be sorry that I must leave them!'' Will you say so, Heathcliff?'
`Don't torture me till I am as mad as yourself,' cried he, wrenching his head free, and grinding his teeth.
The two, to a cool spectator, made a strange and fearful picture. Well might Catherine deem that heaven would be a land of exile to her, unless with her mortal body she cast away her moral character also. Her present countenance had a wild vindictiveness in its white cheek, and a bloodless lip and scintillating eye; and she retained in her closed fingers a portion of the locks she had been grasping. As to her companion, while raising himself with one hand, he had taken her arm with the other; and so inadequate was his stock of gentleness to the requirements of her condition, that on his letting go I saw four distinct impressions left blue in the colourless skin.
`Are you possessed with a devil,' he pursued savagely, `to talk in that manner to me when you are dying? Do you reflect that all those words will be branded on 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 infernal selfishness, that while you are at peace I shall writhe in the torments of hell?'
I shall not be at peace,' moaned Catherine, recalled to a sense of physical weakness by the violent, unequal throbbing of her heart, which beat visibly and audibly under this excess of agitation. She said nothing further till the paroxysm was over; then she continued, more kindly--
`I'm not wishing you greater torment than I have, Heathcliff. I only wish us never to be parted: and should a word of mine distress you hereafter, think I feel the same distress underground, 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 worse to 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 let her see his face, which was livid with emotion. She bent round to look at him; he would not permit it: turning abruptly, he walked to the fireplace, where he stood, silent, with his back towards us. Mrs Linton's glance followed him suspiciously: every movement woke a new sentiment in her. After a pause and a prolonged gaze, she resumed; 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 that irks me most in this shattered prison, after all. I'm tired, tired of being enclosed here. I'm wearying to escape into that glorious world, and to be always there: not seeing it dimly through tears, and yearning for it through the walls of an aching heart; but really with it, and in it. Nelly, you think you are better and more fortunate than I; in full health and strength: you are sorry for me--very soon that will be altered. I shall be sorry for you. I shall be incomparably beyond and above you 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 sullen now. 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 flashed fiercely on her; his breast heaved convulsively. An instant they held asunder, and then how they met I hardly saw, but Catherine made a spring, and he caught her, and they were locked in an embrace from which I thought my mistress would never be released alive: in fact, to my eyes, she seemed directly insensible. He flung himself into the nearest seat, and on my approaching hurriedly to ascertain if she had fainted, he gnashed at me, and foamed like a mad dog, and gathered her to him with greedy jealousy. I did not feel as if I were in the company of 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 a little presently: she put up her hand to clasp his neck, and bring her cheek to his as he held her; while he, in return, covering her with frantic caresses, said wildly--
`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 ring out 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 fancy you felt for Linton? Because misery and degradation, and death, and nothing that God or Satan could inflict would have parted us, you, of your own will, did it. I have not broken your heart--you have broken 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 have 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 at those 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 against each other, and washed by each other's tears. At least, I suppose the weeping was on both sides; as it seemed Heathcliff could weep on a great occasion like this.
I grew very uncomfortable, meanwhile; for the afternoon wore fast away, the man whom I had sent off returned from his errand, and I could distinguish, by the shine of the westering sun up the valley, a concourse thickening outside Gimmerton chapel porch.
`Service is over,' I announced. `My master will be here in half an hour.'
Heathcliff groaned a curse, and strained Catherine closer: she never moved.
Ere long I perceived a group of the servants passing up the road towards the kitchen wing. Mr Linton was not far behind; he opened the gate himself and sauntered slowly up, probably enjoying the lovely afternoon that breathed as soft as summer.
`Now he is here,' I exclaimed. `For Heaven's sake, hurry down! You'll not meet anyone 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 her fingers by the act--she clung fast, gasping: there was mad resolution in her face.
`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--the cold 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 ever you did. We are all done for--master, mistress, and servant.
I wrung my hands, and cried out; Mr Linton hastened his step at the noise. In the midst of my agitation, I was sincerely glad to observe that Catherine's arms had fallen relaxed, and her head hung down.
`She's fainted or dead,' I thought: `so much the better. Far better that she should be dead, than lingering 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 form in 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 great difficulty, and after resorting to many means, we managed to restore her to sensation; but she was all bewildered; she sighed, and moaned, and knew nobody. Edgar, in his anxiety for her, forgot her hated friend. I did not. I went, at the earliest opportunity, and besought him to depart; affirming that Catherine was better, and he should hear from me in the morning how she passed the night.
`I shall not refuse to go out of doors,' he answered; `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, whether Linton 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.
第十六章
那天夜里十二点钟左右，你在呼啸山庄看见的那个凯瑟琳出生了：一个瘦小的才怀了七个月的婴儿；过了两个钟头，母亲就死了，神志根本没有完全恢复，不知道希刺克厉夫离去，也认不得埃德加。埃德加因他这个损失而引起的心烦意乱说起来可太痛苦了；从日后的影响看得出他这场悲痛有多么深。据我看，还加上一件很大的烦恼，就是他没有一个继承人。在我瞅着这个孱弱的孤儿时，我哀叹着这件事；我心里骂着老林惇，因为他（这也不过是由于天生的偏爱而已）把他的财产传给他自己的女儿，而不给他儿子的女儿。那可真是一个不受欢迎的婴儿，可怜的东西！在她才生下来的头几个钟头里，她都会哭死，也没一个人稍微过问一下。后来我们补偿了这个疏忽！但是她刚出世时所遭遇的无依无靠和她的最后结局说不定将是一样的。
第二天——外面晴朗而爽快——清晨悄悄地透过这寂静的屋子的窗帘，一道悦目而柔和的光亮映照在卧榻和睡在上面的人的身上。埃德加·林惇的头靠在枕上，他的眼睛闭着。他那年轻漂亮的面貌几乎跟他旁边的人的姿容一样，如同死去一般，也差不多一样地纹丝不动：可是他的脸是极端悲痛之后的安静，而她的确是真正的宁静。她的容貌是柔和的，眼睑闭着，嘴唇带着微笑的表情；天上的天使也不能比她看来更为美丽。我也被她安眠中的无限恬静所感染：当我凝视着这神圣的安息者那无忧无虑的面貌时，我的心境从来没有比这时更神圣。我不自觉地模仿她在几小时前说出的话，“无可比拟地超越我们，而且在我们所有的人之上！无论她还在人间，或是现在已在天堂，她的灵魂如今是与上帝同在了！”
我不知道这是不是我的特性，但是，当我守灵时，如果没有发狂的或绝望的哀悼者跟我分担守灵的义务，我是很少有不快乐的时候的。我看见一种无论人间或地狱都不能破坏的安息，我感到今后有一种无止境、无阴影的信心——他们所进入的永恒——在那儿，生命无限延续，爱情无限和谐，欢乐无限充溢。在那时候，我注意到当林惇先生如此痛惜凯瑟琳的美满的超脱时，甚至在他那样的一种爱情里也存有多少自私成分！的确，有人可以怀疑，在她度过了任性的、急躁的一生后，到末了她配不配得到和平的安息之处。遇上冷静回想的时候，人家是可以怀疑；可是，在她的灵前，却不能。它保持着它自己的宁静，仿佛对以前和它同住的人也给了同等宁静的诺言。
先生，你相信这样的人在另一个世界里是快乐的吗？我多想知道。
我拒绝回答丁太太的问题，这问题使我觉得有点邪道。她接下去说：
追述凯瑟琳·林惇的一生历程，恐怕我们都没权利认为她是快乐的；但是我们就把她交给她的造物者吧。
主人看来是睡着了。日出不久，我就大胆离开这屋子，偷偷出去吸一下清新的空气。仆人们以为我是去摆脱我那因长久守夜而产生的困倦；其实，我主要的动机是想见到希刺克厉夫。如果他整夜都待在落叶松的树林中，他就听不到田庄里的骚动；除非，也许他会听到送信人到吉默吞去的马蹄疾驰声。如果他走近些，他大概会从灯火闪来闪去，以及外面那些门的开开关关，发觉里面出事了。我想去找他，可是又怕去找他。我觉得一定得告诉他这个可怕的消息，我渴望快点熬过去，可是我又不知道该怎么说。他在那儿——在果树园里至少有几码远，靠着一棵老杨树，他没戴帽子，他的头发被那聚在含苞欲放的枝头上的露水淋得湿漉漉的，而且还在他周围淅沥淅沥地滴着。他就是照那个样子站了很久，因为我看见有一对鸫离他还不到三尺，跳过来跳过去，忙着筑它们的巢，把就在附近的他当作不过是块木头而已。我一走过去，它们飞开了，他抬起眼睛，说话了：
“她死了！”他说，“我没等你告诉就知道了。把手绢收起来——别在我跟前一把鼻涕一把泪的。你们都该死！她才不要你们的眼泪哩！”
我哭，是为她，也为他；我们有时候会怜悯那些对自己或对别人都没有一点怜悯感觉的人。我乍一看到他的脸，就看出来他已经知道这场灾祸了；我忽然愚蠢地想到他的心是镇定下来了，而且他还在祈祷，因为他的嘴唇在颤动，他的目光凝视着地上。
“是的，她死了！”我回答，压抑住我的抽泣，擦干我的脸。“我希望，是上天堂了；如果我们接受应得的警告，改邪归正，我们每个人都可以去那里和她相遇。”
“那么她也接受了应得的警告吗？”希刺克厉夫问，试图讥笑一下。”她是像个圣徒似的死去吗？来，告诉我这事的真实情况。到底——？”
他努力想说出那个名字，可是说不出；他闭紧嘴，跟他内心的苦痛进行沉默的斗争，同时又以毫不畏缩的凶狠的目光蔑视我的同情。
“她是怎么死的？”终于，他又开口了——虽然他很坚强，却也想在他背后找个靠一靠的地方；因为，在这场斗争之后，他不由自主地浑身颤抖着，连他的手指尖也在抖。
“可怜的人！”我想，“你也有跟别人一样的心和神经呀！你为什么一定要把这些隐藏起来呢？你的骄傲蒙蔽不了上帝！你使得上帝来绞扭你的心和神经，一直到他迫使你发出屈服的呼喊为止。”
“像羔羊一样地安静！”我高声回答。“她叹口气，欠伸一下，像一个孩子醒过来，随后又沉入睡眠；五分钟后我觉得她心里微微跳动一下，就再也不跳了！”
“还有——她就没有提过我吗？”他犹豫不决地问着，好像是唯恐对他这问题的答复将会引出一些他不忍听的细节。
“她的知觉根本没有恢复过；从你离开她那时起，她就谁也不认得了！”我说。“她脸上带着甜蜜的微笑躺着；她最后的思念回到愉快的儿时去了。她的生命是在一个温柔的梦里终止的——愿她在另一个世界里也平和地醒来！”
“愿她在苦痛中醒来！”他带着可怕的激动喊着，跺着脚，由于一阵无法控制的激情发作而呻吟起来。“唉，她到死都是一个撒谎的人呀！她在哪儿？不在那里——不在天堂——没有毁灭——在哪儿？啊！你说过不管我的痛苦！我只要做一个祷告——我要重复地说，直到我的舌头僵硬——凯瑟琳·恩萧，只要在我还活着的时候；愿你也不得安息！你说我害了你——那么，缠着我吧！被害的人是缠着他的凶手的。我相信——我知道鬼魂是在人世间漫游的。那就永远跟着我——采取任何形式——把我逼疯吧！只要别把我撇在这个深渊里，这儿我找不到你！啊，上帝！真是没法说呀！没有我的生命，我不能活下去！没有我的灵魂，我不能活下去啊！”
他把头朝着那多节疤的树干撞；抬起眼睛，吼叫着，不像一个人，却像一头野兽被刀和矛刺得快死了。我看见树皮上有好几块血迹，他的手和前额都沾满了血；大概我亲眼所见的景象在夜里已经重复做过几次了。这很难引起我的同情——这使我胆战心惊；但我还是不愿就这么离开他。然而，他刚刚清醒过来，发现我望着他，就吼叫着命令我走开，我服从了。我可没有那个本事使他安静下来，或者能给他慰藉！
林惇夫人的安葬定于她死后那个星期五举行；在出殡之前，她的灵柩还没合上，撒着鲜花香叶，停放在大厅里。林惇日日夜夜在那儿守着，成了一个不眠的保卫者；还有——这是除了我以外谁都不知道的一件事情——希刺克厉夫夜夜在外面度过，至少，也是个同样不眠的客人。我没有跟他联系：可我晓得如果他能够，他是想进来的；到了星期四，天黑后不久，当我的主人迫于极度的疲劳，去休息一两个钟头的时候，我就打开一扇窗户；我被他的坚韧不拔感动了，便给他一个机会，让他对他的偶像的褪色的面貌作一个最后的告别。他没有错过这个机会，谨慎而且迅速；谨慎得一点声音都没有，免得让人知道他来了。的确，要不是死人脸上的盖布有点乱，而且我看见地板上有一绺淡色的头发，我都不会发现他来过了。那头发是用一根银线扎着的，仔细一看，我断定是从凯瑟琳脖子上挂着的一只小金盒里拿出来的。希刺克厉夫把这小装饰品打开了，把里面的东西扔出来，装进他自己的一绺黑发。我把这两绺头发拧成一股，一起都放进去了。
恩萧先生当然被邀请来参加他妹妹的遗体下葬仪式；他没有任何推脱的话，可他始终没来。因此，除了她丈夫之外，送殡的全是佃户和仆人，伊莎贝拉没有得到邀请。
村里人很奇怪，凯瑟琳的安葬地点不在礼拜堂里林惇家族的已刻了字的石碑下面，也不在外面她自己家人的坟墓旁边，却是埋在墓园一角的青草坡上，在那儿，墙是这么矮，以致那些带花的长青灌木丛和覆盆子之类都从旷野那边爬过来，泥煤土丘几乎要把它埋没了。如今她丈夫也葬在同一个地点，他们坟上各竖立一块简单的石碑，它们的脚下也各有一块平平的灰石，作为坟墓的标志。
Chapter 16
About twelve o'clock that night, was born the Catherine you saw at Wuthering Heights: a puny, seven months' child; and two hours after the mother died, having never recovered sufficient consciousness to miss Heathcliff, or know Edgar. The latter's distraction at his bereavement is a subject too painful to be dwelt on; its after effects showed how deep the sorrow sunk. A great addition, in my eyes, was his being left without an heir. I bemoaned that, as I gazed on the feeble orphan; and I mentally abused old Linton for (what was only natural partiality) the securing 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 first hours of existence. We redeemed the neglect afterwards; but its beginning was as friendless as its end is likely to be.
Next morning--bright and cheerful out of doors--stole softened in through the blinds of the silent room, and suffused the couch and its occupant with a mellow, tender glow. Edgar Linton had his head laid on the pillow, and his eyes shut. His young and fair features were almost as deathlike as those of the form beside him, and almost as fixed: but his was the hush of exhausted anguish, and hers of perfect peace. Her brow smooth, her lids closed, her lips wearing the expression of a smile; no angel in heaven could be more beautiful than she appeared. And I partook of the infinite calm in which she lay: my mind was never in a holier frame than while I gazed on that untroubled image of divine rest. I instinctively echoed the words she had uttered 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 no frenzied or despairing mourner share the duty with me. I see a repose that neither earth nor hell can break, and I feel an assurance of the endless and shadowless hereafter--the Eternity they have entered--where life is boundless in its duration, and love in its sympathy, and joy in its fulness. I noticed on that occasion how much selfishness there is even in a love like Mr Linton's, when he so regretted Catherine's blessed release! To be sure, one might have doubted, after the wayward and impatient existence she had led, whether she merited a haven of peace at last. One might doubt in seasons of cold reflection; but not then, in the presence of her corpse. It asserted its own tranquillity, which seemed 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 ventured soon after sunrise to quit the room and steal out to the pure refreshing air. The servants thought me gone to shake off the drowsiness of my protracted watch; in reality, my chief motive was seeing Mr Heathcliff. If he had remained among the larches all night, he would have heard nothing of the stir at the Grange; unless, perhaps, he might catch the gallop of the messenger going to Gimmerton. If he had come nearer, he would probably be aware, from the lights flitting to and fro, and the opening and shutting of the outer doors, that all was not right within. I wished, yet feared, to find him. I felt the terrible news must be told, and I longed to get it over; but how to do it, I did not know. He was there--at least a few yards farther in the park; leant against an old ash tree, his hat off, and his hair soaked with the dew that had gathered on the budded branches, and fell pattering round him. He had been standing a long time in that position, for I saw a pair of ousels passing and repassing scarcely three feet from him, busy in building their nest, and regarding his proximity no more than that of a piece of timber. They flew off at my approach, and he raised his eyes and spoke--
`She's dead!' he said; `I've not waited for you to learn that. Put your handkerchief away--don't snivel before me. Damn you all! she wants none of your tears!'
I was weeping as much for him as her; we do sometimes pity creatures that have none of the feeling either for themselves or others; and when I first looked into his face, I perceived that he had got intelligence of the catastrophe; and a foolish notion struck me that his heart was quelled and he prayed, because his lips moved and his gaze was 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, everyone, 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, but could not manage it; and compressing his mouth he held a silent combat with his inward agony, defying, meanwhile, my sympathy with an unflinching ferocious stare. `How did she die?' he resumed at last--fain, notwithstanding his hardihood, to have a support behind him; for, after the struggle, 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 forces a 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 one little 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 that he could not bear to hear.
`Her senses never returned; she recognized nobody 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 she wake as kindly in the other world!'
`May she wake in torment!' he cried, with frightful vehemence, stamping his foot, and groaning in a sudden paroxysm of ungovernable 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 my tongue stiffens--Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living! You said I killed you--haunt me, then! The murdered do haunt their murderers, I believe. I know that ghosts have wandered on earth. Be with me always--take any form--drive me mad! 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 knotted trunk; and, lifting up his eyes, howled, not like a man, but like a savage beast getting goaded to death with knives and spears. I observed several splashes of blood about the bark of the tree, and his hand and forehead were both stained; probably the scene I witnessed was a repetition of others acted during the night. It hardly moved my compassion--it appalled me: still, I felt reluctant to quit him so. But the moment he recollected himself enough 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 take place on the Friday following her decease; and till then her coffin remained uncovered, and strewn with flowers and scented leaves, in the great drawing-room. Linton spent his days and nights there, a sleepless guardian; and--a circumstance concealed from all but me--Heathcliff spent his nights, at least, outside, equally a stranger to repose. I held no communication with him; still, I was conscious of his design to enter, if he could; and on the Tuesday, a little after dark, when my master, from sheer fatigue, had been compelled to retire a couple of hours, I went and opened one of the windows; moved by his perseverance, to give him a chance of bestowing on the faded image of his idol one final adieu. He did not omit to avail himself of the opportunity, cautiously and briefly: too cautiously to betray his presence by the slightest noise. Indeed, I shouldn't have discovered that he had been there, except for the disarrangement of the drapery about the corpse's face, and for observing on the floor a curl of light hair, fastened with a silver thread; which, on examination, I ascertained to have been taken from a locket hung round Catherine's neck. Heathcliff had opened the trinket and cast out 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 to attend the remains of his sister to the grave; and he sent no excuse, but he never came; so that, besides her husband, the mourners were wholly composed of tenants and servants. Isabella was not asked.
The place of Catherine's interment, to the surprise of the villagers, was neither in the chapel under the carved monument of the Lintons, nor yet by the tombs of her own relations, outside. It was dug on a green slope in a corner of the kirkyard, where the wall is so low that heath and bilberry plants have climbed over it from the moor; and peat mould almost buries it. Her husband lies in the same spot now; and they have each a simple headstone above, and a plain grey block at their feet, to mark the graves.
第十七章
那个星期五是一个月以来最后一个晴朗的日子。到了晚上，天气变了，南来的风变成了东北风，先是带来了雨，跟着就是霜和雪。第二天早上，人都难以想象三个星期以来一直是夏天天气：樱草和番红花躲藏在积雪下面，百灵鸟沉默了，幼树的嫩芽也被打得发黑。那个早晨就这么凄凉、寒冷、阴郁地慢慢捱过去！我的主人待在他屋子里不出来；我就占据了这个寂寞的客厅，把它改换成一间育儿室：我就在那儿坐着，把个哇哇哭的娃儿搁在我膝盖上，摇来摇去，同时瞅着那仍然刮着的雪片在那没下窗帘的窗户外面堆积着，这时门开了，有人进来，又喘又笑！当时我的怒气远胜过我的惊讶。我以为是个女仆，就喊：
“好啦！你怎么敢在这儿调皮；林惇先生若是听见你闹，他会说什么呀？”
“原谅我！”一个熟悉的声音回答，“可我知道埃德加还没起来，我又管不住自己。”说话的人说着就走向炉火跟前，喘息着，手按着腰部。
“我从呼啸山庄一路跑来的！”停了一会，她接着说，“有时简直是死。我数不清跌了多少次。啊，我浑身都痛！别慌！等我能解释的时候我会解释的！先做做好事出去吩咐马车把我送到吉默吞去，再叫佣人在我的衣橱里找出几件衣服来吧。”
闯入者是希刺克厉夫夫人。她那情形也实在叫人笑不出来：她的头发披在肩上，给雪和雨淋得直滴水；她穿的是她平常作姑娘时穿的衣服，对她的年龄比对她的身分还适合些；短袖的露胸上衣，头上和脖子上什么也没戴。上衣是薄绸的，透湿地贴在她身上，保护她的脚的只是薄薄的拖鞋；此外，一只耳朵下面还有一道深的伤痕，只因为天冷，才止住了过多的流血，一张被抓过、打过的白白的脸，一个累得都难以支持的身躯，你可以想象，等我定下心来仔细看她时，并没有减去多少我最初的惊恐。
“我亲爱的小姐，”我叫道，“我哪儿也不去，什么也不听，除非你把衣服一件件都换下来，穿上干的；你今晚当然不能去吉默吞，所以也不需要吩咐马车。”
“我当然得去，”她说，“不论走路，还是坐车，可是我也不反对把自己穿得体面些——而且啊，现在瞧瞧血怎么顺着我的脖子流吧！火一烤，可痛得火辣辣的了。”
她坚持要我先完成她的指示，然后才许我碰她，直到我叫马夫准备好了，又叫一个女仆把一些必需的衣服收拾停当之后，我才得到她的允许给她裹伤，帮她换衣服。
“现在，艾伦，”她说，这时我的工作已完毕，她坐在炉边一张安乐椅上，拿着一杯茶，“你坐在我对面，把可怜的凯瑟琳的小孩搁在一边：我不喜欢看她！你可不要因为我进来时作出这样蠢相，就以为我一点也不心痛凯瑟琳，我也哭过了，哭得很伤心——是的，比任何有理由哭的人都哭得厉害些。我们是没有和解就分开了的，你记得吧，我不能饶恕我自己。可是，尽管这样，我还是不打算同情他——那个畜生！啊，递给我火钳！这是我身边最后一样他的东西了！”她从中指上脱下那只金戒指，丢在地板上。“我要打碎它！”她接着说，带着孩子气的泄愤敲着，“我还要烧掉它！”她拾起这个搞坏了的东西往煤里一扔。“哪！他要是叫我回去，他得再买一个。他可能来找我，好惹惹埃德加。我不敢待在这儿，免得他存坏心眼，况且，埃德加也不和气，不是吗？我不要求他帮助，也不要给他带来更多的烦恼。逼得我躲到这儿来；不过，要不是我听说他没待在这儿，我还不得不待在厨房，洗洗脸，暖和暖和，叫你把我要的东西拿来，再离开，到任何一个我那可诅咒的恶魔化身所找不到的地方去！啊，他是这么光火！若是他捉到我呀！可惜恩萧在力气上不是他的对手；如果辛德雷能够做到，我不看到他全被捣烂，我才不会跑掉呢！”
“好啦，别说得这么快吧，小姐！”我打断她说，“你会把我给你扎脸的手绢弄松，那伤口又要流血了。喝点茶，缓口气．别笑啦：在这个房子里，在你这样的情况，笑是很不合适的！”
“这倒是不可否认的实话，”她回答。“听听那孩子吧！她一直没完没了地哭——把她抱开，让我有一个钟头听不见她哭吧；我不会待多久的。”
我拉拉铃，把她交给一个仆人照应，然后我盘问她是什么事逼她在这么一种狼狈境况中逃出呼啸山庄，而且，既然她拒绝留下来和我在一起，那她又打算到哪儿去。
“我应该，我也愿意留下来，”她回答，“也好陪陪埃德加；照料一下孩子，一举两得，而且因为田庄才是我真正的家。可是我告诉你他不准我！你以为他就能眼看我发胖，快乐起来——能想到我们过得很平静，而不打算来破坏我们的舒适吗？现在，使我感到满足的是，我确实知道他憎恨我，而且恨到了这种程度：一听到我，或者看见我，他就十分烦恼，我注意到，当我走到他跟前时，他脸上的肌肉不由自主地扭成憎恨的表情；这几分是由于他知道我有充分的理由憎恨他，几分是出于原来就有的反感。这就足以使我相信，假如我设法逃走，他也不会走遍全英格兰来追我的；因此我一定得走开，我已经不再有我最初那种甘愿被他杀死的欲望了；我宁可他自杀！他很有效地熄灭了我的爱情，所以我很安心。我还记得我曾如何爱过他；也能模模糊糊地想象我还会爱他，如果——不，不，即使他宠爱过我，那魔鬼的天性总会暴露出来的。凯瑟琳完全了解他，却又有一种怪癖，那么一往情深地重视他。怪物！但愿他从人间、从我的记忆里一笔勾销！”
“别说啦，别说啦！他还是个人啊，”我说。“要慈悲些；还有比他更糟的人哪！”
“他不是人，”她反驳。“我没有向他要求慈悲的权利。我把我的心交给他，他却拿过去捏死了，又丢回给我。人们是用他们的心来感觉的，艾伦；既然是他毁了我的，我就无力同情他了；而且，虽然他从今以后会一直呻吟到他死的那天，为凯瑟琳哭出血来，我也不会同情他，不，真的，真的，我才不哩！”说到这儿，伊莎贝拉开始哭起来；可是，立刻抹掉她睫毛上的泪水，又开始说，“你问我，什么事把我逼得终于逃跑吗？我是被迫作出这个打算的，因为我已经把他的愤怒煽得比他的恶毒还要高一点了。用烧红的钳子拔神经总比敲打脑袋需要更多的冷静。他被我搞得已经丢开了他所自夸的那种恶魔般的谨慎，而要进行暴力杀害了。我一想到能够激怒他，就体验到一种快感；这快感唤醒了我保全自己的本能，所以我就公然逃跑了；如果我再落在他的手里，那他肯定会狠狠地报复我的。”
“昨天，你知道，恩萧先生本该来送殡的。他还特意让自己保持清醒——相当清醒；不像往常那样到六点钟才疯疯癫癫地上床，十二点才醉醺醺地起来。后来，他起来了，不过情绪低沉得像要自杀似的，不适于到教堂，就跟不适于跳舞一样；他哪儿也没去，坐在火边，把一大杯一大杯的烧酒或白兰地直吞下去。
“希刺克厉夫——我一提这个名字就哆嗦！他从上星期日到今天就像是这家里的一个陌生人。是天使养活他，还是地狱里他的同类养活他，我也说不上来；可是他有近一个星期没跟我们一起吃饭了。天亮他才回家，就上楼到他的卧房里；把他自己锁在里头——倒像是会有人想要去陪他似的！他就在那儿待着，像个美以美会教徒似的祈祷着，不过他所祈求的神明只是无知觉的灰尘而已；而上帝，在他提及的时候，是很古怪地跟他自己的黑种父亲混在一起！做完了这些珍贵的祷告——经常拖延到他的嗓子嘶哑，喉头哽住才算完——他就又走掉了；总是径直到田庄来！我奇怪埃德加不找个警察，把他关起来！至于我，虽然我为凯瑟琳难过，却不能不把这一段从受侮辱的压迫中解脱出来的时间当作一个假期哩。
“我恢复了精力，可以去听约瑟夫的没完没了的说教而不哭泣了，而且也可以不像以前那样跟惊恐的小偷似的蹑手蹑脚地在屋里走动。你可不要以为不管约瑟夫说什么，我都会哭；可是他和哈里顿真是极为讨厌的同伴。我宁可跟辛德雷坐着，听他那可怕的言语，也比跟这个‘小主人’和他那可靠的助手，那个糟老头子，在一起好！希刺克厉夫在家的时候，我往往不得不到厨房找伴，不然就要在那些潮湿而没人住的卧房里挨饿；他不在家时，就像这个星期的情形，我就在大厅的炉火一角摆了一张桌子和一把椅子，也不管恩萧先生在搞什么，他也不干涉我的安排。如果没人惹他，他比往常可安静多了；更阴沉些，沮丧些，火气少些。约瑟夫肯定说他相信他换了一个人：说是上帝触动他的心，他就得救了，‘像受过火的锻炼一样’。我也看出这种好转的征象，很觉诧异；可那与我也无关。
“昨天晚上，我坐在我的角落里读些旧书，一直读到十二点。外面大雪纷飞，我的思潮不断地转到墓园和那新修的坟上，那时上楼去好像很凄惨！我的眼睛刚刚敢从我面前的书页上抬起来，用幅忧郁的景象立刻侵占了书本上的位置。辛德雷坐在对面，手托着头；或者也在冥想着同一件事。他已经不再喝酒了，到了比失去理性还糟的地步，两三个钟头他都不动，也不说话。屋里屋外什么声音都没有，只有呜咽着的风时不时的摇撼着窗户，煤块的轻轻爆裂声，以及间或剪着长长的烛心时的烛花剪刀声；哈里顿和约瑟夫大概都上床睡着了，周围是那么凄凉，太凄凉了！我一面看书，一面叹息着，因为看来好像世界上所有的欢乐都消失了，永远不会再恢复了。
“终于这场阴惨惨的沉寂被厨房门闩的响声打破了：希刺克厉夫守夜回来了，比平时早一点；我猜，是由于这场突来的风雪的缘故。那个门是闩住的，我们听见他绕到另一个门口要走进来。我站起来，自己也觉得嘴上带着一种压抑不住的表情，这引起了我那向门瞪视着的同伴转过头来望着我。
“‘我要让他在外面待五分钟，’他叫着。‘你不会反对吧？’
“‘不会，为了我你可以让他整夜待在外面，’我回答。‘就这样办！把钥匙插在钥匙洞里，拉上门闩。’
“恩萧在他的客人还没有走到门口以前就做完了这件事；然后他过来，把他的椅子搬到我桌子对面，靠在椅上，他眼里射出燃烧着的愤恨，也想从我眼里寻求同情。既然他看上去并且自己也感觉到像个刺客，他就不能肯定是否能从我的眼里找到同情；但是他发现这也足以是鼓励他开腔了。
“‘你和我，’他说，‘都有一大笔债要跟外面那个人算！如果我们都不是胆小鬼，我们可以联合起来清算。你难道跟你哥哥一样软弱吗？你是愿意忍受到底，一点也不想报仇吗？’
“‘我现在是忍不下去了，’我回答，‘我喜欢一种不会牵累到我自己的报复，但是阴谋和暴力是两头尖的矛，它们也能刺伤使用它们的人，比刺伤它们的敌人还会重些。’
“‘以阴谋和暴力对付阴谋和暴力是公平的报答！’辛德雷叫道。‘希刺克厉夫夫人，我不请你作别的，就坐着别动别响。现在告诉我，你能不能？我担保你亲眼看这恶魔的生命结束，会得到和我所得到的同等的愉快；他会害死你的，除非你先下手；他也会毁了我。该死的恶棍！他敲门敲得好像他已经是这儿的主人了！答应我别吭声，在钟响之前——还差三分钟到一点——你就是个自由的女人了！’
“他从他胸前取出我在信里跟你描述过的武器，正想吹蜡烛。但是我把蜡烛夺过来，抓住他的胳臂。
“‘我不能不吭气！’我说，‘你千万别碰他。就让门关着，不出声好了！’
“‘不！我已经下了决心，而且对着上帝发誓，我非实行不可！’
这个绝望的东西喊着。‘不管你自己怎么样，我要给你作件好事，而且也为哈里顿主持公道！你用不着费心维护我，凯瑟琳已经死去了。没有一个活着的人会惋惜我，或是为我羞愧，即使我这时割断我的喉咙——是到了结束的时候了！’
“我还不如跟只熊搏斗，或是跟疯子论理还好些。我唯一的方法就是跑到窗前，警告那个他所策划的牺牲者，当心等待着他的命运。
“‘今天夜里你最好在别的地方安身吧！’我叫着，简直是一种胜利的腔调。‘如果你坚持要进来，恩萧先生打算拿枪崩你。’
“‘你最好把门开开，你这——’他回答，用某种文雅的名字称呼我，我不屑再重复了。
““我不管这闲事，’我反唇相讥。‘进来挨枪崩吧，如果你愿意的话。我是已经尽到我的责任了。’
“说完，我就关上窗户，回到炉边我的位置上；能供我使用的虚伪可太少了，没法为那威胁着他的危险装出焦急的样子。恩萧激怒地咒骂我，肯定说我还在爱那个流氓，因为我所表现出那种卑贱的态度，他就用各式各样的称呼咒骂我，而我，在我的心里（良心从来没有责备过我）却在想，如果希刺克厉夫使他脱离苦难，对于他那是何等福气啊！而如果他把希刺克厉夫送到他应去的地方，对于我又是何等福气啊！在我坐着这么思索时，希刺克厉夫一拳把我背后的一扇窗户打下来了，他那黑黑的脸阴森森地向里面望着。窗子栏杆太密了，他的肩膀挤不进来。我微笑着，为自己想象出来的安全颇感得意。他的头发和衣服都被雪下白了，他那锋利的蛮族的牙齿，因为寒冷和愤怒而呲露着，在黑暗中闪闪发光。
“‘伊莎贝拉，让我进来，不然我可要让你后悔，’他就像约瑟夫所说的‘狞笑’着。
“‘我不能作杀人的事，’我回答。‘辛德雷先生拿着一把刀和实弹手枪站在那儿守着呢。’
“‘让我从厨房门进来，’他说。
“‘辛德雷会赶在我前面先到的，’我回答，‘你的爱情敢情这么可怜，竟受不了一场大雪！夏天月亮照着的时候，你还让我们安安稳稳地睡觉，可是冬天的大风一刮回来，你就非要找安身的地方不可了！希刺克厉夫，如果我是你，我就直挺挺地躺在她的坟上，像条忠实的狗一样地死去。现在当然不值得再在这个世界上过下去啦！是吧？你已经很清楚地给我这个印象，凯瑟琳是你生命里全部的欢乐：我不能想象你失去她之后怎么还想活下去。’
“‘他在那儿，是吧？’我的同伴大叫，冲到窗前。‘如果我能伸得出我的胳臂，我就能揍他！’
“我恐怕，艾伦，你会以为我真是很恶毒的；可是你不了解全部事实，所以不要下判断。即或是谋害他的性命的企图，我也无论怎样不会去帮忙或教唆的。我但愿他死掉，我必须如此；因此当他扑到恩萧的武器上，把它从他手里夺过去时，我非常非常失望！而且想到我那嘲弄的话所要引起的后果，都吓瘫了。
“枪响了，那把刀弹回去，正切着枪主的手腕。希刺克厉夫使劲向回一拉，把肉割开一条长口子，又把那直滴血的武器塞到他的口袋里。然后他拾起一块石头，敲落两扇窗户之间的窗框，跳进来了。他的敌手已经由于过度的疼痛，又由于从一条动脉或是一条大血管里涌出了大量的鲜血，而倒下来失去知觉了。那个恶棍踢他，踩他，不断地把他的头往石板地上撞，同时一只手还抓住我，防止我去叫约瑟夫来。他使出超人的自制力克制自己，才没有送他的命，可是他终于喘不过气来，罢手了，又把那显然已无生气的身体拖到高背椅子旁边。在那儿他们恩萧的外衣袖子撕下来，用兽性的粗鲁态度把伤处裹起来，在进行包扎时，他又唾又诅咒，就跟刚才踢他时那样带劲。我既得到了自由，就赶忙去找那些老仆人，他好容易一点点地领会了我那慌里慌张的叙述的意思，赶紧下楼，在他两步并一步地下楼时，大口喘着。
“‘现在，怎么办呀？现在，怎么办呀？’
“‘有办法，’希刺克厉夫吼着。‘你的主人疯了；如果他再活一个月，我就要把他送到疯人院去。你们到底干吗把我关在外面，你这没牙的狗？不要在那儿嘟嘟囔囔的，来，我可不要看护他。把那滩东西擦掉，小心你的蜡烛的火星——那比混合白兰地还多！’
“‘敢情你把他谋害啦？’约瑟夫大叫，吓得手举起来，眼睛往上翻。‘我可从来没见过这种情景呀，愿主——’
“希刺克厉夫推他一下，正好把他推得跪下来，跪在那滩血中间，又扔给他一条毛巾，可是他并不动手擦干，却交叉双手，开始祈祷了。他那古怪的措词把我引得大笑起来了。我正处在天不怕地不怕的心境中；事实上，我就像有些犯人在绞架底下所表现得那样不顾一切了。
“‘啊，我忘记你了，’这个暴君说。‘你应该作这件事，跪下去。你和他串通一起反对我，是吧，毒蛇？那，那才是你该作的事儿呢！’
“他摇撼我，直摇得我的牙齿卡嗒卡嗒地响，又把我猛推到约瑟夫身边，约瑟夫镇定地念他的祈祷词，然后站起来，发誓说他要马上动身到田庄去。林惇先生是个裁判官，就是他死了五十个妻子，他也得过问这件事。他的决心这么大，以致希刺克厉夫认为还是有必要逼我把所发生的事扼要地重述一遍；在我勉强地回答他的问题，说出这事的经过时，他逼近我，满腔怒火。费了很大的劲，特别是我那些硬挤出来的回答，才满足了这老头子，使他知道希刺克厉夫不是首先发动进攻的人；无论如何，恩萧先生不久就使他相信还是活着的；约瑟夫赶紧让他喝一杯酒，酒一下肚，他的主人立刻能动弹而且恢复知觉了。希刺克厉夫明知道他的对手对于昏迷时所受的待遇全然不知，就说他发酒疯；又说不要再看见他凶恶的举动，只劝他上床睡去。他绘了这个得体的劝告之后，就离开我们，这使我很开心；而辛德雷直挺挺地躺在炉边。我也走开回到自己屋里。想到我竟这么容易地逃掉，自己也感到惊奇。
“今天早上，我下楼时，大概还有半个钟点就到中午了。恩萧先生坐在炉火旁，病得很重；那个恶魔的化身，差不多一样地憔悴、惨白，身子倚着烟囱。两个人看来都不想吃东西，一直等到桌上的东西都冷了，我才开始自己吃起来。没有什么可以拦住我吃个痛快，时不时地朝我那两个沉默的同伴溜一眼，觉得很舒服，因为我的良心很平静，便体验出某种满足与优越感。等我吃完了，我就大胆擅自走近炉火旁，绕过恩萧的椅子，跪在他旁边的角落里烤火。
“希刺克厉夫没有向我这边瞅一眼，我就抬头盯着，而且几乎很沉着地研究着他的面貌，仿佛他的脸已经变成石头了。他的前额，我曾认为很有丈夫气概，现在我感到它变得十分恶毒，笼罩着一层浓云；他那露出怪物的凶光的眼睛由于缺乏睡眠都快熄灭了，也许还由于哭泣，因为睫毛是湿的；他的嘴唇失去了那凶恶的讥嘲神情，却被一种难以名状的悲哀的表情封住了。如果这是别人，我看到这样悲伤，都会掩面不忍一睹了。现在是他，我就很满足；侮辱一个倒下的敌人固然看来有点卑鄙，可我不能失去这个猛刺一下的机会；他软弱的时候正是我能尝到冤冤相报的愉快滋味的唯一时机。”
“呸，呸，小姐！”我打断她说。“人家还会以为你一辈子没打开过圣经呢。如果上帝使你的敌人苦恼，当然你就应该知足了。除了上帝施加于他的折磨，再加上你的，那就显得卑劣和狂妄了。”
“一般情况我可以这样，艾伦。”她接着说，“可是除非我也下手，不然，不管希刺克厉夫遭到多大的不幸，我都不会满足。如果我引起他痛苦，而且他也知道我是这痛苦的原因，我倒情原他少受点苦。啊，我对他的仇可太大了。只有一个情况，可以使我有希望饶恕他。那就是，要是我能以眼还眼，以牙还牙，每回他拧痛我，我也要扭伤他，让他也受受我的罪。既然是他先伤害我的，就叫他先求饶；然后——到那时候呀，艾伦，我也许可以向你表现出一点宽宏大量来。但我是根本报不了仇的，因此我就不能饶恕他。辛德雷要点水喝，我递给他一杯水，问他怎么样了？
“‘不像我所愿望的那么严重，’他回答。‘可是除了我的胳臂，我浑身上下都酸痛得好像我跟一大队小鬼打过仗似的。’
“‘是的，一点也不奇怪，’我接口说，‘凯瑟琳经常夸口说她护住你，使许的身体不受伤害：她的意思是说有些人因为怕惹她不高兴，就不会来伤害你。幸亏死人不会真的从坟里站起来，不然，昨天夜里，她会亲眼看见一种惹她讨厌的情景呢！你的胸部和肩膀没有被打坏割伤吧？’
“‘我也说不出来，’他回答，‘可你这话是什么意思呢？难道我倒下来时，他还敢打我吗？’
“‘他踩你，踢你，把你往地上撞，’我小声说。‘他的嘴流着口水，想用牙咬碎你；因为他只有一半是人：怕还没有一半呢。”
“恩萧先生和我一样，也抬头望望我们共同的敌人的脸，这个敌人正沉浸在他的悲痛里，对他四周的任何东西仿佛都毫无知觉：他越站得久，透过他脸上的那阴郁的思想也表露得更为明显。
“‘啊，只要上帝在我最后的苦痛时给我力量把他掐死，我就会欢欢喜喜地下地狱的。’这急躁的人呻吟着，扭动着想站起来，又绝望地倒回椅子上，明白自己是不宜再斗争下去了。
“‘不，他害死你们中的一个已经够了，’我高声说。‘在田庄，人人都知道要不是因为希刺克厉夫先生，你妹妹如今还会活着的。到底，被他爱还不如被他恨。我一回忆我们过去曾经多快乐——在他来之前，凯瑟琳曾经多么快乐——我真要诅咒如今的日子。’
“大概希刺克厉夫比较注意这话的真实性，而不大注意说话的人的口气。我看见他的注意力被唤醒了，因为他的眼泪顺着睫毛直淌，在哽咽的叹息中抽泣着，我死盯着他，轻蔑地大笑，那阴云密布的地狱之窗（他的眼睛）冲我闪了一下；无论如何，那平时看上去像个恶魔的人竟如此惨淡消沉，所以我冒昧地又发出了一声嘲笑。
“‘起来，走开，别在我眼前，’这个悲哀的人说。
“至少，我猜他说出了这几个字，虽然他的声音是难以听清的。
“‘我请你原谅，’我回答，‘可是我也爱凯瑟琳；而她哥哥需要人侍候，为了她的缘故我就得补这个缺。如今，她死了，我看见辛德雷就如同看见她一样：辛德雷的眼睛要不是你曾想挖出来，搞成这样又黑又红，倒是跟她的一模一样；而且她的——’
“‘起来，可恶的呆子，别等我踩死你！’他叫着，移动了一下，使得我也移动了一下。
“‘可是啊，’我继续说，一面准备逃跑，‘如果可怜的凯瑟琳真的信任你，承受了希刺克厉夫夫人这个可笑的、卑贱的、堕落的头衔，她不久也会落到这步田地！她才不会安静地忍受你那可恶的作风；她一定会发泄她的厌恶和憎恨的。’
“高背椅子的椅背和恩萧本人把我和他隔开了；因此他也不想走到我面前：只从桌上抓把餐刀往我头上猛掷过来。刀子正掷在我的耳朵下面，把我正在说的一句话打断了；可是，我拔出了刀，窜到门口，又说了一句；这句话我希望比他的飞镖还刺得深些。我最后一眼是看见他猛冲过来，被他的房主拦腰一抱，挡住了；两个人紧抱着倒在炉边。我跑过厨房时，叫约瑟夫赶快到他主人那儿去；我撞倒了哈里顿，他正在门口的一张椅背上吊起一窠小狗；我就像一个灵魂从涤罪所中逃出来似的，连跑带跳，飞也似地顺着陡路下来；然后避开弯路，直穿过旷野，滚下岸坡，涉过沼泽：事实上我是慌里慌张地向着田庄的灯台的光亮直奔。我宁可注定永久住在地狱里，也不肯再在呼啸山庄的屋顶下住一夜了。”
伊莎贝拉停一下：喝了口茶。然后她站起来，叫我给她戴上帽子，披上我给她拿来的一条大披巾。我恳求她再停留一个钟头，可她根本不听，她蹬上一张椅子，亲亲埃德加和凯瑟琳的肖像，对我也施以类似的礼仪，就带着凡尼上了马车；这狗又找到了她的女主人，欢喜得直叫。她走了，从来也没有再到这一带来过，但是等到事情稍安定些以后，她和我的主人就建立了正常的通信联系，我相信她的新居是在南方，靠近伦敦；她逃走后没有几个月，就在那儿生了一个儿子，取名林惇，而且从一开始，她就报告说他是一个多病的任性的东西。
有一天希刺克厉夫在村子里遇到我，就盘问我她住在哪里。我拒绝告诉他。他说那也没什么关系，只要她当心不到她哥哥这儿来：既然他得养活她，她就不该跟埃德加在一起。虽然我没说出来，他却从别的仆人口中发现了她的住处以及那个孩子的存在。可他还是没去妨害她；我猜想，为了这份宽宏大量，她也许要谢谢他的反感呢。当他看见我时，他常常打听这个婴儿；一听说他的名字，他就苦笑着说：
“他们愿意我也恨他，是吧？”
“我认为他们不愿意你知道关于这孩子的任何事情。”我回答。
“可我一定要得到他，”他说，“等我需要他的时候。他们等着瞧吧！”
幸亏他的母亲在那时候到来之前就死了；那是在凯瑟琳死后十三年左右，林惇是十二岁，也许还略略大一点。
伊莎贝拉突然到来的那天，我没有机会跟我主人说。他回避谈天，而且他的心情不适于讨论任何事情。当我好容易使他听我说话时，我看出他妹妹离开了她丈夫这回事使他很高兴；他对她丈夫憎恶到极点，其深度是他那柔和的天性几乎不能容许的。他的反感是如此痛切而敏锐，以致任何他可能看到或听到希刺克厉夫的地方他决不涉足。悲痛，加上那种反感，把他化为一个道地的隐士，他辞去裁判官的职务，甚至教堂也不去，避免一切机会到村里去，在他的花园之内过着一种完全与世隔绝的生活；只是有时到旷野上独自散散步，去他妻子坟前望望，改变一下生活方式，这还多半在晚间或清早没有游人的时候。但是他太善良了，不会长久地完全不快乐的。他也不祈求凯瑟琳的魂牵梦萦。时间会使人听天由命的，而且带来了一种比日常的欢乐还甜蜜的忧郁。他以热烈、温柔的爱情，以及她将到更好的世界的热望，来回忆她；
他毫不怀疑她是到那更好的世界去了。
而且，在尘世间还有他能得到慰藉和施以情感之处。我说过，有几天他好像并不关心那死去的人留下的小后代，然而这种冷淡就如四月里的雪融化得那么快，在这小东西还不会说出一个字，或是歪歪倒倒走一步之前，她已经盘据了林惇的心。孩子名叫凯瑟琳；可他从来不叫她全名，正如他也从来不用简名叫那头一个凯瑟琳；这大概是因为希刺克厉夫有这样叫她的习惯。这个小东西却总是叫做凯蒂：对他说来这跟她母亲既有区别又有联系，而他对她的宠爱，一大半与其说是由于她是自己的骨肉，还不如说是由于她和凯瑟琳的关系的缘故。
我总是拿他和辛德雷·恩萧相比，我想来想去也难以满意地解释出为什么他们在相似的情况下，行为却如此相反。他们都当过多情的丈夫，都疼自己的孩子；我不明白为什么好好坏坏，他们就没走上一条路。但是，我心里想，辛德雷无疑是个比较有理智的人，却表现得更糟更弱。当他的船触礁时，船长放弃了他的职守，而全体船员，不但不试着挽救这条船，却张惶失措，乱作一团，使得他们这条不幸的船毫无获救的希望，相反，林惇倒显出一个忠诚而虔敬的灵魂所具有的真正的勇气，他信赖上帝，而上帝也安慰了他。这一个在希望中，而另一个在绝望中；各自选择了自己的命运，并且自然各得其所。可是你是不会想听我的说教吧，洛克乌德先生，你会跟我一样地判断这一切的。至少，你会认为你自己可以下判断的，那就行了。
恩萧的死是在预料之中的，这是紧跟在他妹妹的逝世后，这中间还不到六个月。我们住在田庄这边，从来没人过来告诉我们关于恩萧临死前的情况，哪怕是简单的几句话。我所知道的一切都是去帮忙料理后事时才听说的。是肯尼兹过来向我的主人报告这件事的。
“喂，耐莉，”他说，有一天早晨他骑马走进院子，来得太早，不能不使我吃惊，心想一定是报告坏消息来的。“现在该轮到你我去奔丧了。你想想这回是谁不辞而别啦？”
“谁？”我慌张地问。
“怎么，猜呀！”他回嘴，下了马，把他的马缰吊在门边的钩上。“把你的围裙角捏起来吧：我断定你一定用得着。”
“该不是希刺克厉夫先生吧？”我叫出来。
“什么！你会为他掉眼泪吗？”医生说。“不，希刺克厉夫是个结实的年轻人：今天他气色好得很哪，我刚才还看见他来着。自从他失去他那位夫人后，他很快又发胖啦。”
“那么，是谁呢，肯尼兹先生？”我焦急地又问。
“辛德雷·恩萧！你的老朋友辛德雷，”他回答，“也是说我坏话的朋友：不过他骂了我这么久，也未免太过分了。瞧，我说我们会有眼泪吧。可是高兴点吧！他死得很有性格：酩酊大醉。可怜的孩子！我也很难过。一个人总不能不惋惜一个老伙伴呀，尽管他有着人们想象不出的坏行为，而且也对我使过一些流氓手段，好像他才二十七岁吧；也正是你的年龄；谁会想到你们是同年生的呢？”
我承认这个打击比林惇夫人之死所给的震动还大些；往日的联想在我心里久久不能消逝；我坐在门廊里，哭得像在哭自己亲人似的，要肯尼兹先生另找个仆人引他去见人。我自己禁不住在思忖着，“他可曾受到公平的待遇？”不论我在干什么事，这个疑问总使我烦恼。它是那样执拗地纠缠着我，以致我决定请假到呼啸山庄去，帮着料理后事。林惇先生很不愿意答应，可是我说起死者无亲无故的情况而娓娓动听地请求着；我又提到我的旧主人又是我的共乳兄弟，有权要我去为他效劳，正如有权要他自己办事一样。此外，我又提醒林惇先生，那个孩子哈里顿是他的妻子的内侄，既是没有更近的亲人，他就该作他的保护人；他应该，而且必须去追询遗产的下落，并且照料与他内兄有关的事情。他在当时是不便过问这类事的，但他吩咐我跟他的律师说去；终于他准许我去了。他的律师也曾是恩萧的律师，我到村里去了，并且请他一起去。他摇摇头，劝我别惹希刺克厉夫；可以肯定，一旦真相大白，那就会发现哈里顿同乞丐是差不了多少的。
“他的父亲是负债死去的，”他说，“全部财产都抵押了，现在这位合法继承人的唯一机会，就是应该让他在债权人心里引起一点好感，这样他还可以对他客气些。”
当我到达山庄时，我解释说我来看看一切是不是都搞得还像样；带着极度悲哀的神情出现的约瑟夫对于我的到来表示满意。希刺克厉夫先生说他看不出来这地方有什么事需要我，可是如果我愿意的话，也可以留下来，安排出殡的事。
“正确地讲，”他说，“那个傻瓜的尸首应该埋在十字路口，不用任何一种仪式。昨天下午我碰巧离开他十分钟，就在那会儿，他关上大厅的两扇门，不要我进去，他就整夜喝酒，故意大醉而死，我们今天早上是打开房门进去的，因为我们听见他哼得像匹马似的；他就在那儿，躺在高背椅子上：即使咒骂他，剥掉他的头皮，也弄不醒他。我派人去请肯尼兹，他来了，可是那时候这个畜生已经变成死尸了，他已经死了，冷了，而且僵硬了；因此你得承认再拨弄他也是没用了。”
老仆人证实了这段叙述，可是咕噜着：
“我倒巴不得他去请医生哩！我侍候主人当然比他好点——我走时，他还没死，一点死的样子也没有！”
我坚持要把丧礼办得体面点。希刺克厉夫先生说在这方面可以由我作主，只是，他要我记住办这场丧事的钱是从他口袋里掏出来的。他保持一种严酷的、漠不关心的态度，既无欢乐的表示，也没有悲哀的神色，如果有什么的话，那只有在顺利完成一件艰难工作时，所具有的感到一种满足的冷酷表情。的确，我有一次看见在他的神色里有着近乎狂喜的样子：那正是在人们把灵柩抬出屋子的时候。他还有那份虚伪去装个吊丧者：在跟着哈里顿出去之前，他把这不幸的孩子举起来放在桌上，带着特别的兴趣咕噜着，“现在，我的好孩子，你是我的了！我们要看看用同样的风吹扭它，这棵树会不会像另外一棵树长得那样弯曲！”那个天真无邪的东西挺喜欢这段话：他玩着希刺克厉夫的胡子，抚摩着他的脸，可是我猜出这话的意思，便尖刻地说，“那孩子一定得跟我回画眉田庄去，先生。在这世界上，这孩子和你丝毫不相干。”
“林惇是这么说的吗？”他质问。
“当然——他叫我来领他的。”我回答。
“好吧，”这个恶棍说，“现在我们不要争辩这件事吧，可是我很想自己带个小孩子；所以通知你主人说，如果他打算带走他，我就得要我自己的孩子补这个缺。我才不会一声不吭地让哈里顿走，可我是一定要那一个回来！记住告诉他吧。”
这个暗示已够使我束手无策了。我回去后，把这话的内容重说了一遍，埃德加·林惇本来就没多大兴趣，就从此不再提及要去干涉了”。就算他有意，我想他也不会成功。
客人如今是呼啸山庄的主人了，他掌握不可动摇的所有权，而且向律师证明——律师又转过来向林惇先生证明——恩萧已经抵押了他所有的每一码土地，换成现款，满足了他的赌博狂；而他，希刺克厉夫，是承受抵押的人。于是，哈里顿原该是附近一带的第一流绅士，却落到完全靠他父亲的多年仇人来养活的地步。他在他自己的家里倒像个仆人一样，还被剥夺了领取工钱的权利；他是翻不了身了，这是由于他的无亲无故，而且自己还根本不知道他在受人欺侮了。
Chapter 17
That Friday made the last of our fine days for a month. In the evening, the weather broke: the wind shifted from south to northeast, and brought rain first, and then sleet and snow. On the morrow one could hardly imagine that there had been three weeks of summer: the primroses and crocuses were hidden under wintry drifts; the larks were silent, the young leaves of the early trees smitten and blackened. And dreary, and chill, and dismal, that morrow did creep over! My master kept his room; I took possession of the lonely parlour, converting it into a nursery: and there I was, sitting with the moaning doll of a child laid on my knee; rocking it to and fro, and watching, meanwhile, the still driving flakes build up the uncurtained window, when the door opened, and some person entered, out of breath and laughing! My anger was greater than my astonishment for a minute. I supposed it one of the maids, and I cried--
`Have done! How dare you show your giddiness here? What would Mr Linton say if he heard you?'
`Excuse me!' answered a familiar voice; `but I know Edgar is in bed, and I cannot stop myself.'
With that the speaker came forward to the fire, panting and holding her hand to her side.
`I have run the whole way from Wuthering Heights!' she continued, after a pause; `except where I've flown. I couldn't count the number of falls I've had. Oh, I'm aching all over! Don't be alarmed! There shall be an explanation as soon as I can give it; only just have the goodness to step out and order the carriage to take me on to Gimmerton, and tell a servant to seek up a few clothes in my wardrobe.'
The intruder was Mrs Heathcliff. She certainly seemed in no laughing predicament: her hair streamed on her shoulders, dripping with snow and water; she was dressed in the girlish dress she commonly wore, befitting her age more than her position: a low frock with short sleeves, and nothing on either head or neck. The frock was of light silk, and clung to her with wet, and her feet were protected merely by thin slippers; add to this a deep cut under one ear, which only the cold prevented from bleeding profusely, a white face scratched and bruised, and a frame hardly able to support itself, through fatigue; and you may fancy my first fright was not much allayed when I had had leisure to examine her.
`My dear young lady,' I exclaimed, `I'll stir nowhere, and hear nothing, till you have removed every article of your clothes, and put on dry things; and certainly you shall not go to Gimmerton tonight, so it is needless to order the carriage.'
`Certainly, I shall,' she said; `walking or riding: yet I've no objection to dress myself decently. And--ah, see how it flows down my neck now! The fire does make it smart.'
She insisted on my fulfilling her directions, before she would let me touch her; and not till after the coachman had been instructed to get ready, and a maid set to pack up some necessary attire, did I obtain her consent for binding the wound and helping to change her garments.
`Now, Ellen,' she said, when my task was finished and she was seated in an easy chair on the hearth, with a cup of tea before her, you sit down opposite me, and put poor Catherine's baby away: I don't like to see it! You mustn't think I care little for Catherine, because I behaved so foolishly on entering: I've cried, too, bitterly--yes, more than anyone else has reason to cry. We parted unreconciled, you remember, and I shan't forgive myself. But, for all that, I was not going to sympathize with him--the brute beast! Oh, give me the poker! This is the last thing of his I have about me.' She slipped the gold ring from her third finger, and threw it on the floor. `I'll smash it!' she continued, striking it with childish spite, `and then I'll burn it!' and she took and dropped the misused article among the coals. `There! he shall buy another, if he gets me back again. He'd be capable of coming to seek me, to tease Edgar. I dare not stay, lest that notion should possess his wicked head! And besides, Edgar has not been kind, has he? And I won't come suing for his assistance; nor will I bring him into more trouble. Necessity compelled me to seek shelter here; though, if I had not learned he was out of the way, I'd have halted at the kitchen, washed my face, warmed myself, got you to bring what I wanted, and departed again to anywhere out of the reach of my accursed--of that incarnate goblin! Ah! he was in such a fury! If he had caught me! It's a pity Earnshaw is not his match in strength: I wouldn't have run till I'd seen him all but demolished, had Hindley been able to do it!'
`Well, don't talk so fast, miss!' I interrupted; `you'll disorder the handkerchief I have tied round your face, and make the cut bleed again. Drink your tea, and take breath, and give over laughing: laughter is sadly out of place under this roof, and in your condition!'
`An undeniable truth,' she replied. `Listen to that child! It maintains a constant wail--send it out of my hearing for an hour; I shan't stay any longer.'
I rang the bell, and committed it to a servant's care; and then I inquired what had urged her to escape from Wuthering Heights in such an unlikely plight, and where she meant to go, as she refused remaining with us.
`I ought, and I wish to remain,' answered she, `to cheer Edgar and take care of the baby, for two things, and because the Grange is my right home. But I Bell you he wouldn't let me! Do you think he could bear to see me grow fat and merry; and could bear to think that we were tranquil, and not resolve on poisoning our comfort? Now, I have the satisfaction of being sure that he detests me, to the point of its annoying him seriously to have me within earshot or eyesight: I notice, when I enter his presence, the muscles of his countenance are involuntarily distorted into an expression of hatred; partly arising from his knowledge of the good causes I have to feel that sentiment for him, and partly from original aversion. It is strong enough to make me feel pretty certain that he would not chase me over England, supposing I contrived a clear escape; and therefore I must get quite away. I've recovered from my first desire to be killed by him: I'd rather he'd kill himself! He has extinguished my love effectually, and so I'm at my ease. I can recollect yet how I loved him; and can dimly imagine that I could still be loving him, if--no, no! Even if he had doted on me, the devilish nature would have revealed its existence somehow. Catherine had an awfully perverted taste to esteem him so dearly, knowing him so well. Monster! would that he could be blotted out of creation, and out of my memory!'
`Hush, hush! He's a human being,' I said. `Be more charitable: there are worse men than he is yet!'
`He's not a human being,' she retorted; `and he has no claim on my charity. I gave him my heart, and he took and pinched it to death, and flung it back to me. People feel with their hearts, Ellen: and since he has destroyed mine, I have not power to feel for him: and I would not, though he groaned from this to his dying day, and wept tears of blood for Catherine! No, indeed, indeed, I wouldn't!' And here Isabella began to cry; but, immediately dashing the water from her lashes, she recommenced. `You asked, what has driven me to flight at last? I was compelled to attempt it, because I had succeeded in rousing his rage a pitch above his malignity. Pulling out the nerves with red-hot pincers requires more coolness than knocking on the head. He was worked up to forget the fiendish prudence he boasted of, and proceeded to murderous violence. I experienced pleasure in being able to exasperate him; the sense of pleasure woke my instinct of self-preservation, so I fairly broke free; and if ever I come into his hands again he is welcome to a signal revenge.
`Yesterday, you know, Mr Earnshaw should have been at the funeral. He kept himself sober for the purpose--tolerably sober: not going to bed mad at six o'clock and getting up drunk at twelve. Consequently he rose, in suicidal low spirits, as fit for the church as for a dance; and instead, he sat down by the fire and swallowed gin or brandy by tumblerfuls.
`Heathcliff--I shudder to name him! has been a stranger in the house from last Sunday till today. Whether the angels have fed him, or his kin beneath, I cannot tell; but he has not eaten a meal with us for nearly a week. He has just come home at dawn, and gone upstairs to his chamber; locking himself in--as if anybody dreamt of coveting his company! There he has continued, praying like a Methodist: only the deity he implored in senseless dust and ashes; and God, when addressed, was curiously confounded with his own black father! After concluding these precious orisons--and they lasted generally till he grew hoarse and his voice was strangled in his throat--he would be off again; always straight down to the Grange! I-wonder Edgar did not send for a constable, and give him into custody! For me, grieved as I was about Catherine, it was impossible to avoid regarding this season of deliverance from degrading oppression as a holiday.
`I recovered spirits sufficient to hear Joseph's eternal lectures without weeping, and to move up and down the house less with the foot of a frightened thief than formerly. You wouldn't think that I should cry at anything Joseph could say; but he and Hareton are detestable companions. I'd rather sit with Hindley, and hear his awful talk, than with ``t' little maister'' and his staunch supporter, that odious old man! When Heathcliff is in, I'm often obliged to seek the kitchen and their society, or starve among the damp uninhabited chambers; when he is not, as was the case this week, I establish a table and chair at one comer of the house fire, and never mind how Mr Earnshaw may occupy himself; and he does not interfere with my arrangements. He is quieter now than he used to be, if no one provokes him: more sullen and depressed, and less furious. Joseph affirms he's sure he's an altered man: that the Lord has touched his heart, and he is saved ``so as by fire''. I'm puzzled to detect signs of the favourable change: but it is not my business.
`Yester-evening I sat in my nook reading some old books till late on towards twelve. It seemed so dismal to go upstairs, with the wild snow blowing outside, and my thoughts continually reverting to the kirkyard and the new-made grave! I dared hardly lift my eyes from the page before me, that melancholy scene so instantly usurped its place. Hindley sat opposite, his head leant on his hand; perhaps meditating on the same subject. He had ceased drinking at a point below irrationality, and had neither stirred nor spoken during two or three hours. There was no sound through the house but the moaning wind, which shook the windows every now and then, the faint crackling of the coals, and the click of my snuffers as I removed at intervals the long wick of the candle. Hareton and Joseph were probably fast asleep in bed. It was very, very sad: and while I read I sighed, for it seemed as if all joy had vanished from the world, never to be restored.
`The doleful silence was broken at length by the sound of the kitchen latch: Heathcliff had returned from his watch earlier than usual; owing, I suppose, to the sudden storm. That entrance was fastened, and we beard him coming round to get in by the other. I rose with an irrepressible expression of what I felt on my lips, which induced my companion, who had been staring towards the door, to turn and look at me.
``I'Il keep him out five minutes,'' he exclaimed. ``You won't object?''
`"No, you may keep him out the whole night for me,'' I answered. ``Do! put the key in the lock, and draw the bolts.''
`Earnshaw accomplished this ere his guest reached the front; he then came and brought his chair to the other side of my table, leaning over it, and searching in my eyes, a sympathy with the burning hate that gleamed from his: as he both looked and felt like an assassin, he couldn't exactly find that; but he discovered enough to encourage him to speak.
`"You and I'', he said, ``have each a great debt to settle with the man out yonder! If we were neither of us cowards, we might combine to discharge it. Are you as soft as your brother? Are you willing to endure to the last, and not once attempt a repayment?''
``I'm weary of enduring now,'' I replied; ``and I'd be glad of a retaliation that wouldn't recoil on myself; but treachery and violence are spears pointed at both ends: they wound those who resort to them worse than their enemies.''
``Treachery and violence are a just return for treachery and violence!'' cried Hindley. ``Mrs Heathcliff, I'll ask you to do nothing; but sit still and be dumb. Tell me now, can you? I'm sure you would have as much pleasure as I in witnessing the conclusion of the fiend's existence; he'll be your death unless you overreach him; and he'll be my ruin. Damn the hellish villain! He knocks at the door as if he were master here already! Promise to hold your tongue, and before that clock strikes--it wants three minutes of one--you're a free woman!''
`He took the implements which I described to you in my letter from his breast, and would have turned down the candle. I snatched it away, however, and seized his arm.
` ``I'Il not hold my tongue!'' I said; ``you mustn't touch him. Let the door remain shut, and be quiet!''
` ``No! I've formed my resolution, and by God I'll execute it!'' cried the desperate being. ``I'Il do you a kindness in spite of yourself, and Hareton justice! And you needn't trouble your head to screen me; Catherine is gone. Nobody alive would regret me, or be ashamed, though I cut my throat this minute--and it's time to make an end!''
`I might as well have struggled with a bear, or reasoned with a lunatic. The only resource left me was to run to a lattice and warn his intended victim of the fate which awaited him.
`"You'd better seek shelter somewhere else tonight!'' I exclaimed in a rather triumphant tone. ``Mr Earnshaw has a mind to shoot you, if you persist in endeavouring to enter.''
``You'd better open the door, you--"he answered, addressing me by some elegant term that I don't care to repeat.
``I shall not meddle in the matter,'' I retorted again. ``Come in and get shot, if you please! I've done my duty.''
`With that I shut the window and returned to my place by the fire; having too small a stock of hypocrisy at my command to pretend any anxiety for the danger that menaced him. Earnshaw swore passionately at me: affirming that I loved the villain yet; and calling me all sorts of names for the base spirit I evinced. And I, in my secret heart (and conscience never reproached me), thought what a blessing it would be for him should Heathcliff put him out of misery; and what a blessing for me should he send Heathcliff to his right abode! As I sat nursing these reflections, the casement behind me was banged on to the floor by a blow from the latter individual, and his black countenance liked blightingly through. The stanchions stood too close to suffer his shoulders to follow, and I smiled, exulting in my fancied security. His hair and clothes were whitened with snow, and his sharp cannibal teeth, revealed by cold and wrath, gleamed through the dark.
`"Isabella, let me in, or I'll make you repent!'' he ``girned'', as Joseph calls it.
I cannot commit murder,'' I replied. ``Mr Hindley stands sentinel with a knife and loaded pistol.''
``Let me in by the kitchen door,'' he said.
``Hindley will be there before you,'' I answered: ``and that's a poor love of yours that cannot bear a shower of snow! We were left at peace on our beds as long as the summer moon shone, but the moment a blast of winter returns, you must run for shelter! Heathcliff, if I were you, I'd go stretch myself over her grave and die like a faithful dog. The world is surely not worth living in now, is it? You had distinctly impressed on me the idea that Catherine was the whole joy of your life: I can't imagine how you think of surviving her loss.''
``He's there, is he?'' exclaimed my companion, rushing to the gap. ``If I can get my arm out I can hit him!''
`I'm afraid, Ellen, you'll set me down as really wicked; but you don't know all, so don't judge. I wouldn't have aided or abetted an attempt on even his life for anything. Wish that he were dead, I must; and therefore I was fearfully disappointed, and unnerved by terror for the consequences of my taunting speech, when he flung himself on Earnshaw's weapon and wrenched it from his grasp.
`The charge,exploded, and the knife, in springing back, closed into its owners wrist. Heathcliff pulled it away by main force, slitting up the flesh as it passed on, and thrust it dripping into his pocket. He then took a stone, struck down the division between two windows, and sprang in. His adversary had fallen senseless with excessive pain and the flow of blood, that gushed from an artery or a large vein. The ruffian kicked and trampled on him, and dashed his head repeatedly against the flags, holding me with one hand, meantime, to prevent me summoning Joseph. He exerted preterhuman self-denial in abstaining from finishing him completely; but getting out of breath he finally desisted, and dragged the apparently inanimate body on to the settle. There he tore off the sleeve of Earnshaw's coat, and bound up the wound with brutal roughness; spitting and cursing during the operation as energetically as he had kicked before. Being at liberty, I lost no time in seeking the old servant; who, having gathered by degrees the purport of my hasty tale, hurried below, gasping, as he descended the steps two at once.
``What is there to do, now? what is there to do, now?''
`"There's this to do,'' thundered Heathcliff, ``that your master's mad; and should he last another month, I'll have him to an asylum. And how the devil did you come to fasten me out, you toothless hound? Don't stand muttering and mumbling there. Come, I'm not going to nurse him. Wash that stuff away; and mind the sparks of your candle--it is more than half brandy!''
`"And so, ye've been murthering on him?'' exclaimed Joseph, lifting his hands and eyes in horror. ``If iver I seed a seeght loike this! May the Lord-- -''
`Heathcliff gave him a push on to his knees in the middle of the blood, and flung a towel to him; but instead of proceeding to dry it up, he joined his hands and began a prayer, which excited my laughter from its odd phraseology. I was in the condition of mind to be shocked at nothing: in fact, I was as reckless as some malefactors show themselves at the foot of the gallows.
`"Oh, I forgot you,'' said the tyrant. ``You shall do that. Down with you. And you conspire with him against me, do you, viper? There, that is work fit for you!''
`He shook me till my teeth rattled, and pitched me beside Joseph, who steadily concluded his supplications and then rose, vowing he would set off for the Grange directly. Mr Linton was a magistrate, and though he had fifty wives dead, he should inquire into this. He was so obstinate in his resolution, that Heathcliff deemed it expedient to compel from my lips a recapitulation of what had taken place; standing over me, heaving with malevolence, as I reluctantly delivered the account in answer to his questions. It required a great deal of labour to satisfy the old man that Heathcliff was not the aggressor; especially with my hardly wrung replies. However, Mr Earnshaw soon convinced him that he was alive still; Joseph hastened to administer a dose of spirits, and by their succour his master presently regained motion and consciousness. Heathcliff, aware that his opponent was ignorant of the treatment received while insensible, called him deliriously intoxicated; and said he should not notice his atrocious conduct further, but advised him to get to bed. To my joy, he left us, after giving this judicious counsel, and Hindley stretched himself on the hearthstone. I departed to my own room, marvelling that I had escaped so easily.
`This morning, when I came down, about half an hour before noon, Mr Earnshaw was sitting by the fire, deadly sick; his evil genius, almost as gaunt and ghastly, leant against the chimney. Neither appeared inclined to dine, and, having waited till all was cold on the table, I commenced alone. Nothing hindered me from eating heartily, and I experienced a certain sense of satisfaction and superiority, as, at intervals, I cast a look towards my silent companions, and felt the comfort of a quiet conscience within me. After I had done, I ventured on the unusual liberty of drawing near the fire, going round Earnshaw's seat, and kneeling in the corner beside him.
`Heathcliff did not glance my way, and I gazed up, and contemplated his features almost as confidently as if they had been turned to stone. His forehead, that I once thought so manly, and that I now think so diabolical, was shaded with a heavy cloud; his basilisk eyes were nearly quenched by sleeplessness, and weeping, perhaps, for the lashes were wet then; his lips devoid of their ferocious sneer, and sealed in an expression of unspeakable sadness. Had it been another, I would have covered my face in the presence of such grief. In his case, I was gratified; and, ignoble as it seems to insult a fallen enemy, I couldn't miss this chance of sticking in a dart: his weakness was the only time when I could taste the delight of paying wrong for wrong.
`Fie, fie, miss!' I interrupted. `One might suppose you had never opened a Bible in your life. If God afflict your enemies, surely that ought to suffice you. It is both mean and presumptuous to add your torture to His!'
Chapter 18
The twelve years, continued Mrs Dean, following that dismal period, were the happiest of my life: my greatest troubles in their passage rose from our little lady's trifling illnesses, which she had to experience in common with all children, rich and poor. For the rest, after the first six months, she grew like a larch, and could walk and talk too, in her own way, before the heath blossomed a second time over Mrs Linton's dust. She was the most winning thing that ever brought sunshine into a desolate house: a real beauty in face, with the Earnshaws' handsome dark eyes, but the Lintons' fair skin and small features, and yellow curling hair. Her spirit was high, though not rough, and qualified by a heart sensitive and lively to excess in its affections. That capacity for intense attachments reminded me of her mother: still she did not resemble her; for she could be soft and mild as a dove, and she had a gentle voice and pensive expression: her anger was never furious; her love never fierce: it was deep and tender. However, it must be acknowledged, she had faults to foil her gifts. A propensity to be saucy was one; and a perverse will, that indulged children invariably acquire, whether they be good-tempered or cross. If a servant chanced to vex her, it was always--`I shall tell papa!' And if he reproved her, even by a look, you would have thought it a heart-breaking business: I don't believe he ever did speak a harsh word to her. He took her education entirely on himself, and made it an amusement. Fortunately, curiosity and a quick intellect urged her into an apt scholar: she learned rapidly and eagerly, and did honour to his teaching.
Till she reached the age of thirteen, she had not once been beyond the range of the park by herself. Mr Linton would take her with him a mile or so outside, on rare occasions; but he trusted her to no one else. Gimmerton was an unsubstantial name in her ears; the chapel, the only building she had approached or entered, except her own home. Wuthering Heights and Mr Heathcliff did not exist for her: she was a perfect recluse; and, apparently, perfectly contented. Sometimes, indeed, while surveying the country from her nursery window, she would observe:
`Ellen, how long will it be before I can walk to the top of those hills? I wonder what lies on the other side--is it the sea?'
`No, Miss Cathy,' I would answer; `it is hills again, just like these.'
`And what are those golden rocks like when you stand under them?' she once asked.
The abrupt descent of Penistone Crags particularly attracted her notice; especially when the setting sun shone on it and the topmost heights, and the whole extent of landscape besides lay in shadow. I explained that they were bare masses of stone, with hardly enough earth in their clefts to nourish a stunted tree.
`And why are they bright so long after it is evening here?' she pursued.
`Because they are a great deal higher up than we are,' replied I; `you could not climb them, they are too high and steep. In winter the frost is always there before it comes to us; and deep into summer I have found snow under that black hollow on the north-east side!'
`Oh, you have been on them!' she cried gleefully. `Then I can go, too, when I am a woman. Has papa been, Ellen?'
`Papa would tell you, miss,' I answered hastily, `that they are not worth the trouble of visiting. The moors, where you ramble with him, are much nicer; and Thrushcross Park is the finest place in the world.'
`But I know the park, and I don't know those,' she murmured to herself. `And I should delight to look round me from the brow of that tallest point: my little pony Minny shall take me some time.'
One of the maids mentioning the Fairy Cave, quite turned her head with a desire to fulfil this project: she teased Mr Linton about it; and he promised she should have the journey when she got older. But Miss Catherine measured her age by months, and, `Now, am I old enough to go to Penistone Crags?' was the constant question in her mouth. The road thither wound close by Wuthering Heights. Edgar had not the heart to pass it; so she received as constantly the answer, `Not yet, love: not yet.
I said Mrs Heathcliff lived above a dozen years after quitting her husband. Her family were of a delicate constitution: she and Edgar both lacked the ruddy health that you will generally meet in these parts. What her last illness was, I am not certain: I conjecture, they died of the same thing, a kind of fever, slow at its commencement, but incurable, and rapidly consuming life to wards the close. She wrote to inform her brother of the probable conclusion of a four months' indisposition under which she had suffered, and entreated him to come to her, if possible; for she had much to settle, and she wished to bid him adieu, and deliver Linton safely into his hands. Her hope was, that Linton might be left with him, as he had been with her: his father, she would fain convince herself, had no desire to assume the burden of his maintenance or education. My master hesitated not a moment in complying with her request: reluctant as he was to leave home at ordinary calls, he flew to answer this; commending Catherine to my peculiar vigilance, in his absence, with reiterated orders that she must not wander out of the park, even under my escort: he did not calculate on her going unaccompanied.
He was away three weeks. The first day or two, my charge sat in a corner of the library, too sad for either reading or playing: in that quiet state she caused me little trouble; but it was succeeded by an interval of impatient fretful weariness; and being too busy, and too old then, to run up and down amusing her, I hit on a method by which she might entertain herself. I used to send her on her travels round the grounds--now on foot, and now on a pony; indulging her with a patient audience of all her real and imaginary adventures, when she returned.
The summer shone in full prime; and she took such a taste for this solitary rambling that she often contrived to remain out from breakfast till tea; and then the evenings were spent in recounting her fanciful tales. I did not fear her breaking bounds; because the gates were generally locked, and I thought she would scarcely venture forth alone, if they had stood wide open. Unluckily, my confidence proved misplaced. Catherine came to me, one morning, at eight o'clock, and said she was that day an Arabian merchant, going to cross the desert with his caravan; and I must give her plenty of provision for herself and beasts: a horse, and three camels, personated by a large hound and a couple of pointers. I got together good store of dainties, and slung them in a basket on one side of the saddle; and she sprang up as gay as a fairy, sheltered by her wide-brimmed hat and gauze veil from the July sun, and trotted off with a merry laugh, mocking my cautious counsel to avoid galloping, and come back early. The naughty thing never made her appearance at tea. One traveller, the hound, being an old dog and fond of its ease, returned; but neither Cathy, nor the pony, nor the two pointers were visible in any direction: I dispatched emissaries down this path, and that path, and at last went wandering in search of her myself. There was a labourer working at a fence round a plantation, on the borders of the grounds. I inquired of him if he had seen our young lady.
`I saw her at morn,' he replied; `she would have me to cut her a hazel switch, and then she leapt her Galloway over the hedge yonder, where it is lowest, and galloped out of sight.'
You may guess how I felt at hearing this news. It struck me directly she must have started for Penistone Crags. `What will become of her?' I ejaculated, pushing through a gap which the man was repairing, and making straight to the high road. I walked as if for a wager, mile after mile, till a turn brought me in view of the Heights; but no Catherine could I detect far or near. The Crags lie about a mile and a half beyond Mr Heathcliff's place, and that is four from the Grange, so I began to fear night would fall ere I could reach them. `And what if she should have slipped in clambering among them?' I reflected, `and been killed, or broken some of her bones?' My suspense was truly painful; and, at first, it gave me delightful relief to observe, in hurrying by the farmhouse, Charlie, the fiercest of the pointers, lying under a window, with swelled head and bleeding ear. I opened the wicket and ran to the door, knocking vehemently for admittance. A woman whom I knew, and who formerly lived at Gimmerton, answered: she had been servant there since the death of Mr Earnshaw.
`Ah,' said she, `you are come a seeking your little mistress! don't be frightened. She's here safe: but I'm glad it isn't the master.'
`He is not at home then, is he?' I panted, quite breathless with quick walking and alarm.
`No, no,' she replied: `both he and Joseph are off, and I think they won't return this hour or more. Step in and rest you a bit.'
I entered, and beheld my stray lamb seated on the hearth, rocking herself in a little chair that had been her mother's when a child. Her hat was hung against the wall, and she seemed perfectly at home, laughing and chattering, in the best spirits imaginable, to Hareton--now a great, strong lad of eighteen--who stared at her with considerable curiosity and astonishment: comprehending precious little of the fluent succession of remarks and questions which her tongue never ceased pouring forth.
`Very well, miss!' I exclaimed, concealing my joy under an angry countenance. `This is your last ride, till papa comes back. I'll not trust you over the threshold again, you naughty, naughty girl!'
`Aha, Ellen!' she cried gaily, jumping up and running to my side. `I shall have a pretty story to tell tonight: and so you've found me out. Have you ever been here in your life before?'
`Put that hat on, and home at once,' said I. `I'm dreadfully grieved at you, Miss Cathy: you've done extremely wrong. It's no use pouting and crying: that won't repay the trouble I've had, scouring the country after you. To think how Mr Linton charged me to keep you in; and you stealing off so! it shows you are a, cunning little fox, and nobody will put faith in you any more.
`What have I done?' sobbed she, instantly checked. `Papa charged me nothing: he'll not scold me, Ellen--he's never cross, like you!'
`Come, come!' I repeated. `I'll tie the riband. Now, let us have no petulance. Oh, for shame! You thirteen years old, and such a baby!'
This exclamation was caused by her pushing the hat from her head, and retreating to the chimney out of my reach.
`Nay,' said the servant, `don't be hard on the bonny lass, Mrs Dean. We made her stop: she'd fain have ridden forwards, afeard you should be uneasy. But Hareton offered to go with her, and I thought he should: it's a wild road over the hills.'
Hareton, during the discussion, stood with his hands in his pockets, too awkward to speak; though he looked as if he did not relish my intrusion.
`How long am I to wait?' I continued, disregarding the woman's interference. `It will be dark in ten minutes. Where is the pony, Miss Cathy? And where is Phoenix? I shall leave you, unless you be quick; so please yourself.'
`The pony is in the yard,' she replied, `and Phoenix is shut in there. He's bitten--and so is Charlie. I was going to tell you all about it; but you are in a bad temper, and don't deserve to hear.'
I picked up her hat, and approached to reinstate it; but perceiving that the people of the house took her part, she commenced capering round the room; and on my giving chase, ran like a mouse over and under and behind the furniture, rendering it ridiculous for me to pursue. Hareton and the woman laughed, and she joined them, and waxed more impertinent still; till I cried, in great irritation:
`Well, Miss Cathy, if you were aware whose house this is, you'd be glad enough to get out.
`It's your father's, isn't it?' said she, turning to Hareton. `Nay,' he replied, looking down, and blushing bashfully.
He could not stand a steady gaze from her eyes, though they were just his own.
`Whose then--your master's?' she asked.
He coloured deeper, with a different feeling, muttered an oath, and turned away.
`Who is his master?' continued the tiresome girl, appealing to me. `He talked about ``our house'', and ``our folk''. I thought he had been the owner's son. And he never said, Miss; he should have done, shouldn't he, if he's a servant?'
Hareton grew black as a thunder cloud, at this childish speech. I silently shook my questioner, and at last succeeded in equipping her for departure.
`Now, get my horse,' she said, addressing her unknown kinsman as she would one of the stable-boys at the Grange. `And you may come with me. I want to see where the goblin-hunter rises in the marsh, and to hear about the fairishes, as you call them: but make haste! What's the matter? Get my horse, I say.
`I'll see thee damned before I be thy servant!' growled the lad. `You'll see me what?' asked Catherine in surprise. `Damned--thou saucy witch!' he replied.
`There, Miss Cathy! you see you have got into pretty company, I interposed. `Nice words to be used to a young lady! Pray don't begin to dispute with him. Come, let us seek for Minny ourselves, and begone.'
`But, Ellen,' cried she, staring, fixed in astonishment, `how dare he speak so to me? Mustn't he be made to do as I ask him? You wicked creature, I shall tell papa what you said.--Now, then!'
Hareton did not appear to feel this threat; so the tears sprang into her eyes with indignation. `You bring the pony,' she exclaimed, turning to the woman, `and let my dog free this moment!'
`Softly, miss,' answered the addressed: `you'll lose nothing by being civil. Though Mr Hareton, there, be not the master's son, he's your cousin; and I was never hired to serve you.'
`He my cousin!' cried Cathy, with a scornful laugh. `Yes, indeed,' responded her reprover.
`Oh, Ellen! don't let them say such things,' she pursued, in great trouble. `Papa is gone to fetch my cousin from London: my cousin is a gentleman's son. That my'--she stopped, and wept outright; upset at the bare notion of relationship with such a clown.
`Hush, hush!' I whispered, `people can have many cousins, and of all sorts, Miss Cathy, without being any the worse for it; only they needn't keep their company, if they be disagreeable and bad.'
`He's not--he's not my cousin, Ellen!' she went on, gathering fresh grief from reflection, and flinging herself into my arms for refuge from the idea.
I was much vexed at her and the servant for their mutual revelations; having no doubt of Linton's approaching arrival, communicated by the former, being reported to Mr Heathcliff; and feeling as confident that Catherine's first thought on her father's return, would be to seek an explanation of the latter's assertion concerning her rude-bred kindred. Hareton, recovering from his disgust at being taken for a servant, seemed moved by her distress; and, having fetched the pony round to the door, he took, to propitiate her, a fine crooked-legged terrier whelp from the kennel, and putting it into her hand bid her wisht! for he meant nought. Pausing in her lamentations, she surveyed him with a glance of awe and horror, then burst forth anew.
I could scarcely refrain from smiling at this antipathy to the poor fellow; who was a well-made, athletic youth, good-looking in features, and stout and healthy, but attired in garments befitting his daily occupations of working on the farm, and lounging among the moors after rabbits and game. Still, I thought I could detect in his physiognomy a mind owning better qualities than his father ever possessed. Good things lost amid a wilderness of weeds, to be sure, whose rankness far overtopped their neglected growth; yet, notwithstanding, evidence of a wealthy soil, that might yield luxuriant crops under other and favourable circumstances. Mr Heathcliff, I believe, had not treated him physically ill, thanks to his fearless nature, which offered no temptation to that course of oppression: it had none of the timid susceptibility that would have given zest to ill-treatment, in Heathcliff's judgment. He appeared to have bent his malevolence on making him a brute: he was never taught to read or write; never rebuked for any bad habit which did not annoy his keeper; never led a single step towards virtue, or guarded by a single precept against vice. And from what I heard, Joseph contributed much to his deterioration, by a narrow-minded partiality which prompted him to flatter and pet him, as a boy, because he was the head of the old family. And as he had been in the habit of accusing Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, when children, of putting the master past his patience, and compelling him to seek solace in drink by what he termed their `offalld ways', so at present he laid the whole burden of Hareton's faults on the shoulders of the usurper of his property. If the lad swore, he wouldn't correct him: nor however culpably he behaved. It gave Joseph satisfaction, apparently, to watch him go the worst lengths: he allowed that he was ruined: that his soul was abandoned to perdition; but then, he reflected that Heathcliff must answer for it. Hareton's blood would be required at his hands; and there lay immense consolation in that thought. Joseph had instilled into him a pride of name, and of his lineage; he would, had he dared, have fostered hate between him and the present owner of the Heights: but his dread of that owner amounted to superstition; and he confined his feelings regarding him to muttered innuendoes and private comminations. I don't pretend to be intimately acquainted with the mode of living customary in those days at Wuthering Heights: I only speak from hearsay; for I saw little. The villagers affirmed Mr Heathcliff was near, and a cruel hard landlord to his tenants; but the house, inside, had regained its ancient aspect of comfort under female management, and the scenes of riot common in Hindley's time were not now enacted within its walls. The master was too gloomy to seek companionship with any people, good or bad; and he is yet.
This, however, is not making progress with my story. Miss Cathy rejected the peace offering of the terrier, and demanded her own dogs, Charlie and Phoenix. They came limping, and hanging their heads; and we set out for home, sadly out of sorts, every one of us. I could not wring from my little lady how she had spent the day; except that, as I supposed, the goal of her pilgrimage was Penistone Crags; and she arrived without adventure to the gate of the farmhouse, when Hareton happened to issue forth, attended by some canine followers, who attacked her train. They had a smart battle, before their owners could separate them: that ormed an introduction. Catherine told Hareton who she was, nd where she was going; and asked him to show her the way: finally, beguiling him to accompany her. He opened the mysteries of the Fairy Cave, and twenty other queer places. But, being in disgrace, I was not favoured with a description of the interesting objects she saw. I could gather, however, that her guide had been a favourite till she hurt his feelings by addressing him as a servant; and Heathcliffs housekeeper hurt hers by calling him her cousin. Then the language he had held to her rankled in her heart; she who was always `love', and `darling', and `queen', and `angel', with everybody at the Grange, to be insulted so shockingly by a stranger! She did not comprehend it; and hard work I had to obtain a promise that she would not lay the grievance before her father. I explained how he objected to the whole household at the Heights, and how sorry he would be to find she had been there; but I insisted most on the fact, that if she revealed my negligence of his orders, he would perhaps be so angry, that I should have to leave; and Cathy couldn't bear that prospect: she pledged her word, and kept it, for my sake. After all, she was a sweet little girl.
第十九章
一封带黑边的信宣布了我的主人的归期。伊莎贝拉死了，他写信来叫我给他的女儿穿上丧服，并且为他年轻的外甥腾出一个房间以及做好其他准备。凯瑟琳一想到要欢迎她父亲回来，就欣喜若狂；而且胡思乱想、极为乐观地猜想她那“真正的”表弟的无数优点。预期他们到达的那个晚上来临了。从一清早起，她就忙着吩咐她自己的琐细事情；现在又穿上她新的黑衣服——可怜的东西！她姑姑的死并没有使她感到明确的悲哀——她时不时地缠住我，硬要我陪她穿过庄园去接他们。
“林惇比我才小六个月，”她喋喋不休地说着，这时候我们在树荫下悠闲地踱过那凹凸不平的草地。“有他作伴一起玩可叫人多高兴啊！伊莎贝拉姑姑给过爸爸一绺他的美丽的头发；比我的头发颜色还浅——更淡黄些，而且也相当细。我已经把它小心地藏在一个小玻璃盒子里了；我常想：要是看见有那种头发的人会是一件多么快乐的事啊。啊，我真高兴——爸爸，亲爱的，亲爱的爸爸！来呀，艾伦，我们跑吧！来呀，快跑！”
她跑着，又转回来，又跑起来，在我的稳重的脚步到达大门以前，她已经跑过好多次，然后她就坐在小径旁边的草地上，试着耐心地等着；但那是不可能的：她连一分钟也不能安定下来。
“他们要多久才来呀！”她叫着。“啊，我看见大路上有点尘土啦——他们来啦！不！他们什么时候到这儿呀？我们不能走一点路吗——半英里，艾伦，就走半英里！说可以吧！就走到转弯地方那丛桦树那儿！”
我坚决拒绝。最后她的悬念结束了；已经看得见长途马车辘辘而来。凯瑟琳一看见她父亲的脸从车窗中向外望，便尖叫一声，伸出她的双臂。他下了车，几乎和她一样的热切；一段相当长的时候，他们除了他们自己以外根本没想到别人。在他们互相拥抱的时候，我偷看了林惇一下。他在车中一个角落睡着，用一件暖和的、镶皮边的外套裹着，好像是过冬似的。一个苍白的、娇滴滴的、柔弱的男孩子，简直可以当我主人的小弟弟：两个人是这么相像：可是在他的相貌上有一种病态的乖僻，那是埃德加·林惇从来没有的。林惇先生瞧见我在望着；他握过手之后，就叫我把车门关上，不要惊扰他，因为这趟旅行已经使他很疲惫了。凯蒂想多看一眼，但是他父亲喊她过来，我在前面忙着招呼仆人，他们就一块走到花园里去了。
“现在，乖，”林惇先生对他的女儿说，他们正停在门前台阶前面，“你的表弟不像你这么健壮，也不像你这么开心，而且，记住，他才失去他的母亲没有多久；因此，别希望他马上就会跟你又玩又跑的。而且也别老是说话惹他烦：至少今天晚上让他安静一下，可以吗？”
“可以，可以，爸爸，”凯瑟琳回答，“可是我真想看看他；
他还没有向外望一下子呢！”
马车停了下来，睡着的人被唤醒了，被他舅舅抱出车外。
“这是你的表姐凯蒂·林惇，”他说，把他们的小手放在一起。“她已经很喜欢你了；你今天晚上可别哭得让她难过。现在要极力高兴起来；旅行已经结束了，你没有什么事要做就歇着，爱怎么就怎么吧。”
“那就让我上床睡觉，”那个男孩子回答，避开凯瑟琳的招呼，退缩着；又用他的手指抹掉开始流出的眼泪。
“得了，得了，是个好孩子嘛，”我低声说着，把他带进去了。“你把她也要惹哭啦——瞧瞧她为了你多么难过呀！”
我不知道是不是为他难过，可是他的表姐跟他一样地哭丧着脸，回到她父亲身边。三个人都进去，上楼到书房里，茶已经摆好在那里了。我就把林惇的帽子和斗篷都脱去，把他安置在桌旁一把椅子上，可是他刚坐定就又哭起来。我的主人问他怎么回事。
“我不能坐在椅子上。”那孩子抽泣着。
“那么，到沙发上去吧，艾伦会给你端茶去的，”他的舅舅耐心地回答。我相信，一路上，他已被他所照顾的、这个易怒的、麻烦人的孩子搞得够受的了。林惇慢慢地拖着脚步走过去，躺下来。凯蒂搬来一个脚凳，拿着自己的茶杯，走到他身边去。起初她沉默地坐在那里；可是没有过很久，她已经决定把她的小表弟当作一个宠儿，她也满心希望他是这样一个宠儿；她就开始抚摸他的卷发，亲他的脸，用她的小茶碟给他端茶，像对待一个婴孩似的。这很讨他喜欢，因为他本来不比婴孩高明多少；他擦干了他的眼睛，现出淡淡的一笑。
“啊，他会过得很好的，”主人注视他们一会之后对我说。
“会过得很好的，只要我们能留住他，艾伦。有个跟他同年龄的孩子作伴，不久就会给他灌输新的精神，而且他要是愿意有力气，也就会得到它的。”
“唉，要是我们能留住他！”我暗自沉思着，一阵痛苦的疑惧涌进我心头，那是很少有希望的。后来，我又想，那个虚弱的东西生活在呼啸山庄，在他的父亲和哈里顿中间，怎么过法呢？他们将是什么样的游伴和教师呢！我们的疑虑马上就成为事实——甚至比我所意料的还来得早些。喝完了茶后，我刚把孩子们带上楼去，看着林惇睡着了——他不准我离开他，一直要等到他睡着——我下了楼，正站在大厅里的桌子旁边，给埃德加先生点上一支到寝室去的蜡烛，这时一个女仆从厨房里走出来，告诉我希刺克厉夫的仆人约瑟夫在门口，要跟主人说话。
“我先问问他要干吗，”我惊慌失措地说。“这时来打扰人很不是时候，他们才经过长途旅行回到家来。我想主人不能见他。”
我说这些话的当儿，约瑟夫已经走过厨房，在大厅里出现了。他穿着他过礼拜日的衣服，绷着他那张伪善透顶的、阴沉的脸，一只手拿着帽子，一只手拿着手杖，他开始在垫子上擦他的皮鞋。
“晚上好，约瑟夫，”我冷冷地说，“你今天晚上来有什么事？”
“我一定要跟林惇少爷说话。”他回答，轻蔑地挥一下手，叫我别管。
“林惇先生要睡了，除非你有特别的事要说，不然我担保他现在不会听的，”我接着说。“你最好先坐在那边，把你的使命告诉我。”
“哪一间是他的屋子？”那个家伙追问着，打量着那一排关着的房门。
我明白他是根本不理睬我的想法，因此我很勉强地走到书房，给这个不合时宜的来访者通报，劝主人让他走，明天再说。林惇先生没有来得及授与我这样作的权利，因为约瑟夫紧跟着我来了，而且，冲进了这屋子，稳稳地站在桌子那边，用两只拳头握住他的手杖顶，开始提高了嗓门讲话，好像是预测到要遭驳斥似的。
“希刺克厉夫叫我来要他的孩子，不带他走，我就不回去。”
埃德加·林惇沉默了一下；一种极度悲哀的表情笼罩了他的脸：为这孩子打算，他只会可怜他；可是，回想起伊莎贝拉的那些希望和恐惧，对于她儿子的热望，以及托孤时的嘱咐，再一想到竟要把他交出去，他难过极了，心中苦苦思索着怎么避免。无计可施：如果显出留住他的愿望，那反而会使索取人要得更坚决。没有别的办法，只能放弃他。然而，他不打算把他从睡梦中唤醒。
“告诉希刺克厉夫先生，”他平静地回答，“他的儿子明天就去呼啸山庄。现在他已经上床了，并且已累得不能再走这么远的路。你也可以告诉他，林惇的母亲希望他由我来照管；
在目前，他的健康情况是很使人担心的。”
“不成！”约瑟夫说，用他的棍子在地板上砰地一戳，装出一种威风凛凛的神气。“不成！没用。希刺克厉夫根本不管那个母亲，也不管你；可是他要他的孩子；我一定得带他走——现在你明白了吧！”
“你今晚不能带走！”林惇坚决地回答。“马上下楼去，把我说的话讲给你主人听，艾伦，把他带下楼去。去——”
他把这愤怒的老头子的膀子一提，就把他拉出门外去，随手关上了门。
“很好！”约瑟夫大叫，这时他慢慢地走出去。“明天他自己来，看你敢不敢把他推出去！”
Chapter 19
A letter, edged with black, announced the day of my master's return. Isabella was dead; and he wrote to bid me get mourning for his daughter, and arrange a room, and other accommodations, for his youthful nephew. Catherine ran wild with joy at the idea of welcoming her father back; and indulged most sanguine anticipations of the innumerable excellences of her `real' cousin. The evening of their expected arrival came. Since early morning, she had been busy ordering her own small affairs; and now, attired in her new black frock--poor thing! her aunt's death impressed her with no definite sorrow--she obliged me, by constant worrying, to walk with her down through the grounds to meet them.
`Linton is just six months younger than I am,' she chattered, as we strolled leisurely over the swells and hollows of mossy turf, under shadow of the trees. `How delightful it will be to have him for a playfellow! Aunt Isabella sent papa a beautiful lock of his hair; it was lighter than mine--more flaxen, and quite as fine. I have it carefully preserved in a little glass box: and I've often thought what pleasure it would be to see its owner. Oh! I am happy--and papa, dear, dear papa! Come, Ellen, let us run! come, run.'
She ran, and returned and ran again, many times before my sober footsteps reached the gate, and then she seated herself on the grassy bank beside the path, and tried to wait patiently; but that was impossible: she couldn't be still a minute.
`How long they are!' she exclaimed. `Ah, I see some dust on the road they are coming? No! When will they be here? May we not go a little way--half a mile, Ellen: only just half a mile? Do say yes: to that clump of birches at the turn!'
I refused staunchly. At length her suspense was ended: the travelling carriage rolled in sight. Miss Cathy shrieked and stretched out her arms, as soon as she caught her father's face looking from the window. He descended, nearly as eager as herself: and a considerable interval elapsed ere they had a thought to spare for any but themselves. While they exchanged caresses, I took a peep in to see after Linton. He was asleep in a corner, wrapped in a warm, fur-lined cloak, as if it had been winter. A pale, delicate, effeminate boy, who might have been taken for my master's younger brother, so strong was the resemblance: but there was a sickly peevishness in his aspect, that Edgar Linton never had. The latter saw me looking; and having shaken hands, advised me to close the door, and leave him undisturbed; for the journey had fatigued him. Cathy would fain have taken one glance, but her father told her to come on, and they walked together up the park, while I hastened before to prepare the servants.
`Now, darling,' said Mr Linton, addressing his daughter, as they halted at the bottom of the front steps; `your cousin is not so strong or so merry as you are, and he has lost his mother, remember, a very short time since; therefore, don't expect him to play and run about with you directly. And don't harass him much by talking: let him be quiet this evening, at least, will you?'
Yes, yes, papa,' answered Catherine: `but I do want to see him; and he hasn't once looked out.'
The carriage stopped; and the sleeper being roused, was lifted to the ground by his uncle.
`This is your cousin Cathy, Linton,' he said, putting their little hands together. `She's fond of you already; and mind you don't grieve her by crying tonight. Try to be cheerful now; the travelling is at an end, and you have nothing to do but rest and amuse yourself as you please.'
`Let me go to bed, then,' answered the boy, shrinking from Catherine's salute; and he put his fingers to his eyes to remove incipient tears.
`Come, come, there's a good child,' I whispered, leading him in.
`You'll make her weep too--see how sorry she is for you!'
I do not know whether it were sorrow for him, but his cousin put on as sad a countenance as himself, and returned to her father. All three entered, and mounted to the library, where tea was laid ready. I proceeded to remove Linton's cap and mantle, and placed him on a chair by the table; but he was no sooner seated than he began to cry afresh. My master inquired what was the matter.
`I can't sit on a chair,' sobbed the boy.
`Go to the sofa, then, and Ellen shall bring you some tea, answered his uncle patiently.
He had been greatly tried during the journey, I felt convinced, by his fretful ailing charge. Linton slowly trailed himself off, and lay down. Cathy carried a footstool and her cup to his side. At first she sat silent; but that could not last: she had resolved to make a pet of her little cousin, as she would have him to be; and she commenced stroking his curls, and kissing his cheek, and offering him tea in her saucer, like a baby. This pleased him, for he was not much better: he dried his eyes, and lightened into a faint smile.
`Oh, he'll do very well,' said the master to me, after watching them a minute. `Very well, if we can keep him, Ellen. The company of a child of his own age will instil new spirit into him soon, and by wishing for strength he'll gain it.'
`Ay, if we can keep him!' I mused to myself; and sore misgivings came over me that there was slight hope of that. And then, I thought, however will that weakling live at Wuthering Heights, between his father and Hareton, what playmates and instructors they'll be. Our doubts were presently decided even earlier than I expected. I had just taken the children upstairs, after tea was finished, and seen Linton asleep--he would not suffer me to leave him till that was the case--I had come down, and was standing by the table in the hall, lighting a bedroom candle for Mr Edgar, when a maid stepped out of the kitchen and informed me that Mr Heathcliff's servant Joseph was at the door, and wished to speak with the master.
`I shall ask him what he wants first,' I said, in considerable trepidation. `A very unlikely hour to be troubling people, and the instant they have returned from a long journey. I don't think the master can see him.'
Joseph had advanced through the kitchen as I uttered these words, and now presented himself in the hall. He was donned in his Sunday garments, with his most sanctimonious and sourest face, and, holding his hat in one hand and his stick in the other, he proceeded to clean his shoes on the mat.
`Good evening, Joseph,' I said coldly. `What business brings you here tonight?'
`It's Maister Linton Aw mun spake tull,' he answered, waving me disdainfully aside.
`Mr Linton is going to bed; unless you have something particular to say, I'm sure he won't hear it now,' I continued. `You had better sit down in there, and entrust your message to me.
`Which is his rahm?' pursued the fellow, surveying the range of closed doors.
I perceived he was bent on refusing my mediation, so very reluctantly I went up to the library, and announced the unseasonable visitor, advising that he should be dismissed till next day. Mr Linton had no time to empower me to do so, for Joseph mounted close at my heels, and, pushing into the apartment, planted himself at the far side of the table, with his two fists clapped on the head of his stick, and began in an elevated tone, as if anticipating opposition:
`Heathcliff has send me for his lad, and Aw munn't goa back 'bout him.'
Edgar Linton was silent a minute; an expression of exceeding sorrow overcast his features: he would have pitied the child on his own account; but, recalling Isabella's hopes and fears, and anxious wishes for her son, and her commendations of him to his care, he grieved bitterly at the prospect of yielding him up, and searched in his heart how it might be avoided. No plan offered itself: the very exhibition of any desire to keep him would have rendered the claimant more peremptory: there was nothing left but to resign him. However, he was not going to rouse him from his sleep.
`Tell Mr Heathcliff,' he answered calmly, `that his son shall come to Wuthering Heights tomorrow. He is in bed, and too tired to go the distance now. You may also tell him that the mother of Linton desired him to remain under my guardianship; and, at present, his health is very precarious.'
`Noa!' said Joseph, giving a thud with his prop on the floor, and assuming an authoritative air; `noa! that manes nowt. Hathecliff maks noa 'cahnt uh t' mother, nur yah norther; bud he'll hev his lad; und Aw mun tak him--soa nah yah knaw!'
`You shall not tonight!' answered Linton decisively. `Walk downstairs at once, and, repeat to your master what I have said. Ellen, show him down. Go--'
And, aiding the indignant elder with a lift by the arm, he rid the room of him, and closed the door.
`Varrah weell!' shouted Joseph, as he slowly drew off. `Tuhmorn, he's come hisseln, un thrust him aht, if yah darr!'
第二十章
为了避免这威吓实现的危险，林惇先生派我早早地送这孩子回家，让他骑着凯瑟琳的小马去。他说，——“既然我们现在不能对于他的命运有所影响，无论是好或坏，你就千万别对我女儿说他去哪里了，今后她不能同他有什么联系，最好别让她知道他就在邻近；不然她就安不下心来，急着去呼啸山庄。你就告诉她说他的父亲忽然差人来接他，他就只好离开我们走了。”
五点钟时，好容易才把林惇从床上唤起来，一听说他还得准备再上路，大吃一惊；但是我告诉他得跟他的父亲希刺克厉夫先生住些时候，并说他父亲多么想看他，不愿再延迟这种见面的快乐，都等不及他恢复旅途的疲劳，这样才把事情缓和下来。
“我的父奈”他叫起来，莫名其妙地纳闷着。“妈妈从来没有告诉过我说我有一个父亲。他住在哪儿？我情愿跟舅舅住在一起。”
“他住在离山庄不远的地方，”我回答，“就在那些小山那边，不算怎么远，等你身体好些，你可以散步到这儿来。你应该欢欢喜喜地回家去见他。你一定得试着爱他，像对母亲一样，那么他也就会爱你了。”
“可是为什么我以前没听说过他呢？”林惇问道。“为什么妈妈不跟他住在一起，像别人家一样？”
“他有事情得留在北方。”我回答，“而你母亲的健康情况需要她住在南方。”
“可为什么妈妈没跟我说起他来呢？”这孩子固执地问下去。“她常常谈起舅舅，我老早就知道爱他了。我怎么去爱爸爸呢？我不认识他。”
“啊，所有的孩子们都爱他们的父母。”我说，“也许你母亲以为她要是常跟你提起他，你或者会想跟他住在一起哩。我们赶快去吧。在这样美丽的早晨，早早骑马出去比多睡一个钟头可好多了。”
“昨天我看见的那个小姑娘是不是跟我们一同去？”他问。
“现在不去。”我回答。
“舅舅呢？”他又问。
“不去，我要陪你去那儿的。”我说。
林惇又倒在他的枕头上，沉思起来。
“没有舅舅我就不去。”他终于叫喊起来了，“我闹不清你到底打算把我带到哪儿去。”
我企图说服他，说他如果表现出不愿意见他父亲，那是没规矩的行为；他仍然执拗地反抗我，不许我给他穿衣服，我只好叫主人来帮忙哄他起床。我许下了好多渺茫的保证，说他去不多久一定能回来的，说埃德加先生和凯蒂会去看他的，还有其他的诺言，毫无根据，都是我一时瞎编出来的，而且一路上我还时不时地重复着这些诺言。终于，这可怜的小东西出发了。过了一会，那纯洁的、带着青草香味的空气，那灿烂的阳光，以及敏妮的轻轻的缓步使他的沮丧神气缓和下来了。他开始带着较大的兴趣盘问他的新家的情形，家里住些什么人。
“呼啸山庄是不是一个跟画眉田庄一样好玩的地方？”他问，同时转过头向山谷中望了最后一眼，从那里有一片轻雾升起，在蓝色天空的边缘上形成了一朵白云。
“它不是像这样隐在树荫里。”我回答，“而且也没这么大，但是你四面可以看得到美丽的乡村景色；那空气对你的健康也比较适宜——比较新鲜干燥。也许你起初会觉得那所房子又旧又黑；虽然那是一所很漂亮的房子，在这附近是数一数二的了。而且你还可以在旷野里好好地溜达溜达。哈里顿·恩萧——就是，凯蒂小姐另一个表哥，也就是你的表哥，——他会带你到一切最可爱的地点看看；好天气时，你还可以带本书，把绿色的山谷当作你的书房，而且，有时候，你舅舅还可以和你一块散步，他是常常出来在山中散步的。”
“我父亲什么样？”他问。“他是不是跟舅舅一样的年轻漂亮？”
“他也是那么年轻，”我说，“可是他有黑头发和黑眼睛，而且看上去比较严厉些，也高大一些。也许一开始你觉得他不怎么和气仁慈，因为这不是他的作风；可是，你得记住，还是要跟他坦白和亲切；他就会很自然地比任何舅舅还要更喜欢你，因为你是他自己的孩子啊。”
“黑头发，黑眼睛”林惇沉思着。“我想象不出来。那么我长得不像他啦，是吗？”
“不太像，”我回答，同时心里想着：一点也不像，抱憾地望望我的同伴的白皙的容貌和纤瘦的骨骼，还有他那大而无神的眼睛——他母亲的眼睛，只是，有一种病态的焦躁会偶然地点亮这对眼睛，它们一点也没有她那种闪烁神采的痕迹。
“他从来没有去看过妈妈和我，这多奇怪！”他咕噜着。
“他看见过我没有？要是他看见过，那一定还在我是婴孩的时候。关于他，我一件事也记不得了！”
“啊，林惇少爷。”我说，“三百英里是很长的距离；而十年对于一个成年人和对于你却是不一样长短的。没准希刺克厉夫年年夏天打算去，可是从来没有找到适当的机会；现在又太晚了。关于这件事不要老问他使他心烦吧：那会使他不安的，没有一点好处。”
这孩子后来一路上就只顾想他自己的心思，直到我停在住宅花园的大门前。我细看他脸上现出什么印象。他一本正经地仔细观看着那刻花的正面房屋与矮檐的格子窗，那蔓生的醋栗丛和弯曲的枞树，然后摇摇头；他自己完全不喜欢他这新居的外表。但是他还懂得先不忙抱怨：也许里面好些，还可以弥补一下。在他下马之前，我走去开门。那时正是六点半；全家刚用过早餐；仆人正在收拾和擦桌子。约瑟夫站在他主人的椅子旁边，正在讲着关于一匹跛马的事；哈里顿正预备到干草地里去。
“好啊，耐莉！”希刺克厉夫看到我时便说，“我还恐怕自己得下山取那属于我的东西呢。你把他带来啦，是吧？让我们看看我们能把他造就成什么样的人才。”
他站起来，大步走到门口，哈里顿和约瑟夫跟着，好奇地张大着嘴。可怜的林惇害怕地对这三个人的脸溜了一眼。
“一定的，”约瑟夫严肃地细看一番，说，“他跟你掉换啦，主人，这是他的女娃！”
希刺克厉夫盯着他的儿子，盯得他儿子慌张打颤，他发出一声嘲弄的笑声。
“上帝，一个多么漂亮的人儿！一个多么可爱的、娇媚的东西！”他叫着。“他们不是用蜗牛和酸牛奶养活他的吧，耐莉？该死！可那是比我所期望的还要糟——鬼才晓得我自己过去有没有血色呢！”
我叫那颤抖着的、迷惑的孩子下马进来。他还不能完全理解他父亲的话里的意思，或者以为不是指他说的：实在，他还不大相信这个令人生畏的、讥笑着的陌生人就是他的父亲。但是他越来越哆嗦着紧贴着我；而在希刺克厉夫坐下来，叫他“过来”时，他把脸伏在我的肩膀上哭起来。
“得！”希刺克厉夫说，伸出一只手来，粗野地把他拉到他两膝中间，然后扳起他的下巴使他的头抬起来。“别胡闹！我们并不要伤害您，林惇，这是不是您的名字？您可真是您母亲的孩子，完全是！在您身体里我的成分可在哪儿啦，吱吱叫的小鸡？”
他把那孩子的小帽摘下来，把他的厚厚的淡黄的卷发向后推推，摸摸他的瘦胳臂和他的小手指头；在他这样检查的时候，林惇停止了哭泣，抬起他的蓝色的大眼睛也审视着这位检查者。
“你认识我吗？”希刺克厉夫问道，他已经检查过这孩子的四肢全是一样的脆弱。
“不！”林惇说，带着一种茫然的恐惧注视着他。
“我敢说你总听说过我吧？”
“没有。”他又回答。
“没有！这是你母亲的耻辱，从来不引起你对我的孝心！那么，我告诉你吧，你是我的儿子；你母亲是一个极坏的贱人，竟让你不知道你有个什么样的父亲。现在，不要畏缩，不要脸红！不过倒也可以看出你的血总算不是白色的。作个好孩子，我也要为你尽力。耐莉，如果你累了，你可以坐下来；如果不的话，就回家去。我猜你会把你听见的、看见的全报告给田庄那个废物；而这个东西在你还留连不去时是不会安定下来的。”
“好吧，”我回答，“我希望你会对这孩子慈爱，希刺克厉夫先生，不然你就留不住他，而他是你在这个广阔的世界里所知道的唯一的亲人了——记住吧。”
“我会对他非常慈爱的，你用不着害怕，”他说，大笑着。
“可就是用不着别人对他慈爱；我一心要独占他的感情。而且，现在就开始我的慈爱，约瑟夫，给这孩子拿点早餐来。哈里顿，你这地狱里的呆子，干你的活去。是的，耐儿，”他等他们都走了又说，“我的儿子是你们这里未来的主人，而且在我能确定他可以作继承人之前，我不应该愿意他死掉。此外，他是我的，我愿意胜利地看见我的后代很堂皇地作他们的产业的主人，我的孩子用工钱雇他们的孩子种他们父亲的土地。就是这唯一的动机才使我能容忍这个小狗仔：对他本身，我可瞧不起他，而且为了他所引起的回忆而憎恨他！但是有那个动机就足够了；他跟我在一起是同样的安全，而且也会招呼得和你的主人招呼他自己的孩子一样的仔细。我在楼上有间屋子，已经为他收拾得很漂亮；我还从二十英里路外，请了一位教师，一星期来三次，他想学什么就教他什么。我还命令哈里顿要服从他，事实上我安排了一切，想在他心上培养优越感与绅士气质，要他在那些和他在一起的人们之上。但我很遗憾：他不配人家这样操心，如果我还希望在这世界上有什么幸福的话，那就是发现他是一个值得我骄傲的东西，但这白脸、呜呜哭着的东西却使我十分失望！”
他说话的时候约瑟夫端着一盆牛奶粥回来了，并且把它放在林惇面前：林惇带着厌恶的神色搅着这盆不可口的粥，肯定说他吃不下去。我看见那个老仆人跟他主人一样，也轻视这孩子；虽然他被迫把这种情绪留在心里，因为希刺克厉夫很明显地要他的下人们尊敬他。
“吃不下去？”他重复着说，瞅着林惇的脸，又压低了声音咕噜着，怕人家听见。“可是哈里顿少爷在小时候从来不吃别的东西，我想他能吃的东西你也能吃吧！”
“我不吃！”林惇执拗地回答着，“把它拿走。”
约瑟夫愤怒地把食物急急抢去，把它送到我们跟前。
“这吃的有什么不好？”他问，把盘子向希刺克厉夫鼻子底下一推。
“有什么不好？”他说。
“对啊！”约瑟夫回答，“你这讲究的孩子说他吃不下去。可我看挺好，他母亲就这样——我们种粮食，给她作面包，她倒嫌我们脏哩。”
“不要对我提起他母亲，”主人生气地说，“就给他拿点他能吃的东西算了。耐莉，他平常吃什么？”
我建议煮牛奶或茶，管家奉命去准备了。嗯，我想他父亲的自私倒使他日子还好过些呢。他看到林惇娇弱的体质，有必要对他宽厚些。我要报告埃德加先生，说希刺克厉夫的脾气有什么样的转变，借以安慰他。我已经没有理由再留下来，就溜出去了，这时候林惇正在怯懦地抗拒着一条看羊狗的友好表示。但是他十分警觉，骗不了他：我一关上门，就听见一声叫喊，和一连串反复的狂喊：“别离开我，我不要在这儿！
我不要在这儿！”
跟着，门闩抬起来又落下了：他们不许他出来。我骑上敏妮，叫它快跑；于是我这短促的保护责任就此告终。
Chapter 20
To obviate the danger of this threat being fulfilled, Mr Linton commissioned me to take the boy home early, on Catherine's pony; and, said he: `As we shall now have no influence over his destiny, good or bad, you must say nothing of where he is gone, to my daughter: she cannot associate with him hereafter, and it is better for her to remain in ignorance of his proximity; lest she should be restless, and anxious to visit the Heights. Merely tell her his father sent for him suddenly, and he has been obliged to leave us.'
Linton was very reluctant to be roused from his bed at five o'clock, and astonished to be informed that he must prepare for further travelling; but I softened off the matter by stating that he was going to spend some time with his father, Mr Heathcliff, who wished to see him so much, he did not like to defer the pleasure till he should recover from his late journey.
`My father!' he cried, in strange perplexity. `Mamma never told me I had a father. Where does he live? I'd rather stay with uncle.'
`He lives a little distance from the Grange,' I replied; `just beyond those hills: not so far, but you may walk over here when you get hearty. And you should be glad to go home, and to see him. You must try to love him, as you did your mother, and then he will love you.'
`But why have I not heard of him before?' asked Linton. `Why didn't mamma and he live together, as other people do?'
`He had business to keep him in the north,' I answered, `and your mother's health required her to reside in the south.'
`And why didn't mamma speak to me about him?' persevered the child. `She often talked of uncle, and I learnt to love him long ago. How am I to love papa? I don't know him.'
`Oh, all children love their parents,' I said. `Your mother, perhaps, thought you would want to be with him if she mentioned him often to you. Let us make haste. An early ride on such a beautiful morning is much preferable to an hour's more sleep.
`Is she to go with us,' he demanded: `the little girl I saw yesterday?' replied I.
`Is uncle?' he continued.
`No, I shall be your companion there,' I said.
Linton sank back on his pillow and fell into a brown study.
`I won't go without uncle,' he cried at length: `I can't tell where you mean to take me.'
I attempted to persuade him of the naughtiness of showing reluctance to meet his father; still he obstinately resisted any progress towards dressing, and I had to call for my master's assistance in coaxing him out of bed. The poor thing was finally got off, with several delusive assurances that his absence should be short; that Mr Edgar and Cathy would visit him, and other promises, equally ill-founded, which I invented and reiterated at intervals throughout the way. The pure heather-scented air, and the bright sunshine, and the gentle canter of Minny, relieved his despondency after a while. He began to put questions concerning his new home, and its inhabitants, with greater interest and liveliness.
`Is Wuthering Heights as pleasant a place as Thrushcross Grange?' he inquired, turning to take a last glance into the valley, whence a light mist mounted and formed a fleecy cloud on the skirts of the blue.
`It is not so buried in trees,' I replied, `and it is not quite so large, but you can see the country beautifully all round; and the air is healthier for you--fresher and dryer. You will, perhaps, think the building old and dark at first; though it is a respectable house: the next best in the neighbourhood. And you will have such nice rambles on the moors. Hareton Earnshaw--that is Miss Cathy's other cousin, and so yours in a manner--will show you all the sweetest spots; and you can bring a book in fine weather, and make a green hollow your study; and, now and then, your uncle may join you in a walk: he does, frequently, walk out on the hills.'
`And what is my father like?' he asked. `Is he as young and handsome as uncle?'
`He's as young,' said I; `but he has black hair and eyes, and looks sterner; and he is taller and bigger altogether. He'll not seem to you so gentle and kind at first, perhaps, because it is not his way: still, mind you, be frank and cordial with him; and naturally he'll be fonder of you than any uncle, for you are his own.'
`Black hair and eyes!' mused Linton. `I can't fancy him. Then I am not like him, am I?'
`Not much,' I answered: not a morsel, I thought, surveying with regret the white complexion and slim frame of my companion, and his large languid eyes--his mother's eyes, save that, unless a morbid touchiness kindled them a moment, they had not a vestige of her sparkling spirit.
`How strange that he should never come to see mamma and me!' he murmured. `Has he ever seen me? If he have, I must have been a baby. I remember not a single thing about him!'
`Why, Master Linton,' said I, `three hundred miles is a great distance; and ten years seem very different in length to a grown-up person compared with what they do to you. It is probable Mr Heathcliff proposed going from summer to summer, but never found a convenient opportunity; and now it is too late. Don't trouble him with questions on the subject: it will disturb him, for no good.'
The boy was fully occupied with his own cogitations for the remainder of the ride, till we halted before the farmhouse garden gate. I watched to catch his impressions in his countenance. He surveyed the carved front and low-browed lattices, the straggling gooseberry bushes and crooked firs, with solemn intentness, and then shook his head: his private feelings entirely disapproved of the exterior of his new abode. But he had sense to postpone complaining: there might be compensation within. Before he dismounted, I went and opened the door. It was half past six; the family had just finished breakfast; the servant was clearing and wiping down the table. Joseph stood by his master's chair telling some tale concerning a lame horse; and Hareton was preparing for the hay field.
`Hallo, Nelly!' cried Mr Heathcliff, when he saw me. `I feared I should have to come down and fetch my property myself. You've brought it, have you? Let us see what we can make of it.'
He got up and strode to the door. Hareton and Joseph followed in gaping curiosity. Poor Linton ran a frightened eye over the faces of the three.
`Sure-ly,' said Joseph, after a grave inspection, `he's swopped wi' ye, maister, an' yon's his lass!'
Heathcliff, having stared his son into an ague of confusion, uttered a scornful laugh.
`God! what a beauty! what a lovely, charming thing!' he exclaimed. `Haven't they reared it on snails and sour milk, Nelly? Oh, damn my soul! but that's worse than I expected--and the devil knows I was not sanguine!'
I bid the trembling and bewildered child get down, and enter. He did not thoroughly comprehend the meaning of his father's speech, or whether it were intended for him: indeed, he was not yet certain that the grim, sneering stranger was his father. But he clung to me with growing trepidation; and on Mr Heathcliff's taking a seat and bidding him `come hither', he hid his face on my shoulder and wept.
`Tut, tut!' said Heathcliff, stretching out a hand and dragging him roughly between his knees, and then holding up his head by the chin. `None of that nonsense! We're not going to hurt thee, Linton--isn't that thy name? Thou art thy mother's child, entirely! Where is my share in thee, puling chicken?'
He took off the boy's cap and pushed back his thick flaxen curls, felt his slender arms and his small fingers; during which examination, Linton ceased crying, and lifted his great blue eyes to inspect the inspector.
`Do you know me?' asked Heathcliff, having satisfied himself that the limbs were all equally frail and feeble.
`No,' said Linton, with a gaze of vacant fear.
`You've heard of me, I dare say?'
`No,' he replied again.
`No? What a shame of your mother, never to waken your filial regard for me! You are my son, then, I'll tell you; and your mother was a wicked slut to leave you in ignorance of the sort of father you possessed. Now, don't wince, and colour up! Though it is something to see you have not white blood. Be a good lad; and I'll do for you. Nelly, if you be tired you may sit down; if not, get home again. I guess you'll report what you hear and see to the cipher at the Grange; and this thing won't be settled while you linger about it.'
`Well,' replied I, `I hope you'll be kind to the boy, Mr Heathcliff, or you'll not keep him long; and he's all you have akin in the wide world, that you will ever know--remember.'
`I'll be very kind to him, you needn't fear,' he said, laughing. `Only nobody else must be kind to him: I'm jealous of monopolizing his affection. And, to begin my kindness, Joseph, bring the lad some breakfast. Hareton, you infernal calf, begone to your work. Yes, Nell,' he added, when they had departed, `my son is prospective owner of your place, and I should not wish him to die till I was certain of being his successor. Besides, he's mine, and I want the triumph of seeing my descendant fairly lord of their estates: my child hiring their children to till their father's lands for wages. That is the sole consideration which can make me endure the whelp: I despise him for himself, and hate him for the memories he revives! But that consideration is sufficient: he's as safe with me, and shall be tended as carefully as your master tends his own. I have a room upstairs, furnished for him in handsome style: I've engaged a tutor, also, to come three times a week, from twenty miles distance, to teach him what he pleases to learn. I've ordered Hareton to obey him; and in fact I've arranged everything with a view to preserve the superior and the gentleman in him, above his associates. I do regret, however, that he so little deserves the trouble; if I wished any blessing in the world, it was to find him a worthy object of pride; and I'm bitterly disappointed with the whey-faced whining wretch!'
While he was speaking, Joseph returned bearing a basin of milk porridge, and placed it before Linton. He stirred round the homely mess with a look of aversion, and affirmed he could not eat it. I saw the old manservant shared largely in his master's scorn of the child; though he was compelled to retain the sentiment in his heart, because Heathcliff plainly meant his underlings to hold him in honour.
`Cannot ate it?' repeated he, peering in Linton's face, and subduing his voice to a whisper, for fear of being overheard. `But Maister Hareton nivir ate naught else, when he wer a little un; and what were gooid eneugh for him's gooid eneugh for ye, Aw's rayther think!'
`I shan't eat it!' answered Linton snappishly. `Take it away.' Joseph snatched up the food indignantly, and brought it to us. `Is there aught ails th' victuals?' he asked thrusting the tray under Heathcliff's nose.
`What should ail them?' he said.
`Wah!' answered Joseph, `yon dainty chap says he cannut ate em. But Aw guess it's raight! His mother wer just soa--we wer a'most too mucky to sow t' corn for makking her breead.'
`Don't mention his mother to me,' said the master angrily. `Get him something that he can eat, that's all. What is his usual food, Nelly?'
I suggested boiled milk or tea; and the housekeeper received instructions to prepare some. Come, I reflected, his father's selfishness may contribute to his comfort. He perceives his delicate constitution, and the necessity of treating him tolerably. I'll console Mr Edgar by acquainting him with the turn Heathcliff's humour has taken. Having no excuse for lingering longer I slipped out, while Linton was engaged in timidly rebuilding the advances of a friendly sheepdog. But he was too much on the alert to be cheated: as I closed the door, I heard a cry, and a frantic repetition of the words:
`Don't leave me! I'll not stay here! I'll not stay here!'
Then the latch was raised and fell: they did not suffer him to come forth. I mounted Minny, and urged her to a trot; and so my brief guardianship ended.
第二十一章
那一天我们对小凯蒂可煞费苦心。她兴高采烈地起床，热望着陪她的表弟，一听到他已离去的消息，紧跟着又是眼泪又是叹气，使埃德加先生不得不亲自去安慰她，肯定他不久一定会回来；可是，他又加上一句，“如果我能把他弄回来的话。”而那是全无希望的。这个诺言很难使她平静下来；但是时间却更有力；虽然有时候她还问她父亲说林惇什么时候回来，但在她真的再看见他之前，他的容貌已在她的记忆里变得很模糊，以致见面时也不认识了。
当我有事到吉默吞去时，偶然遇到呼啸山庄的管家，我总是要问问小少爷过得怎么样；因为他和凯瑟琳本人一样的与世隔绝，从来没人看见。我从她那里得悉他身体还很衰弱，是个很难相处的人。她说希刺克厉夫先生好像越来越不喜欢他了，不过他还努力不流露这种感情。他一听见他的声音就起反感，和他在一间屋子里多坐几分钟就受不了。他们很少交谈。林惇在一间他们所谓客厅的小屋子里念书，消磨他的晚上，要么就是一整天躺在床上；因为他经常地咳嗽，受凉，疼痛，害各种不舒服的病。
“我从来没有见过这么一个没精神的人，”那女人又说，“也没有见过一个这么保养自己的人。要是我在晚上把窗子稍微关迟了一点，他就一定要闹个没完。啊！吸一口夜晚的空气，就简直是要害了他！他在仲夏时分也一定要生个火；约瑟夫的烟斗也是毒药；而且他一定总要有糖果细点，总要有牛奶，永远是牛奶——也从来不管别人在冬天多受苦；而他就坐在那儿，裹着他的皮大氅坐在火炉边他的椅子上。炉台上摆着些面包、水，或别的能一点点吸着吃的饮料；如果哈里顿出于怜悯来陪他玩——哈里顿天性并不坏，虽然他是粗野的——结果准是这一个骂骂咧咧的，那一个嚎啕大哭而散伙。我相信如果他不是主人的儿子的话，主人将会看着恩萧把他打扁还会高兴；而且我相信如果主人知道他在怎样看护自己，哪怕只知道一半，也会把他赶出门的。可是主人不会有干这种事的可能：他从来不到客厅，而且林惇在这房子内任何地方一碰见他，主人就马上叫他上楼去。”
从这一段叙述，我推想小希刺克厉夫已经完全没人同情，变得自私而讨人嫌了，如果他不是本来如此的话；我对他的兴趣自然而然地也减退了，不过我为他的命运仍然感到悲哀，而且还存个愿望，他要是留下来跟我们住就好了。
埃德加先生鼓励我打听消息，我猜想他很想念他，并且愿意冒着风险去看看他。有一次还叫我问问管家林惇到不到村里来？她说他来过两次，骑着马，陪着他的父亲；而这两次之后总有三四天他都装作相当疲倦的样子。如果我记得不错的话，那个管家在他来到两年之后就离去了；我不认识的另一个接替了她；她如今还在那里。
和从前一样，大家愉快地在田庄里度着光阴，直到凯蒂小姐长到十六岁。她生日的那天，我们从来不露出任何欢乐的表示，因为这天也是我那已故的女主人的逝世纪念日。她的父亲在那天总是自己一个人整天待在图书室里；而且在黄昏时还要溜达到吉默吞教堂墓地那边去，逗留在那里常常到半夜以后。所以凯瑟琳总是想法自己玩。
二月二十日是一个美丽的春日，当她父亲休息时，我的小姐走下楼来，穿戴好打算出去，而且说她要和我在旷野边上走走。林惇先生已经答应她了，只要我们不走得太远，而且在一个钟头内回来。
“那么赶快，艾伦！”她叫着。“我知道我要去哪儿；我要到有一群松鸡的地方去：看看它们搭好窝没有。”
“那可很远哪，”我回答，“它们不在旷野边上繁殖的。”
“不，不会的，”她说。“我跟爸爸曾经去过，很近呢。”
我戴上帽子出发，不再想这事了。她在我前面跳着，又回到我身旁，然后又跑掉了，活像个小猎狗；起初我觉得挺有意思，听着远远近近百灵鸟歌唱着，享受着那甜蜜的、温暖的阳光，瞧着她，我的宝贝，我的欢乐，她那金黄色的卷发披散在后面，放光的脸儿像朵盛开的野玫瑰那样温柔和纯洁，眼睛散发着无忧无虑的快乐的光辉。真是个幸福的小东西，在那些日子里，她也是个天使。可惜她是不会知足的。
“好啦，”我说，“你的松鸡呢，凯蒂小姐？我们应该看到了：田庄的篱笆现在离我们已经很远啦。”
“啊，再走上一点点——只走一点点，艾伦，”她不断地回答。“爬上那座小山，过那个斜坡，你一到了那边，我就可以叫鸟出现。”
可是有这么多小山和斜坡要爬、要过，终于我开始感到累了，就告诉她我们必须打住往回走。我对她大声喊着，因为她已经走在我前面很远了。也许她没听见，也许就是不理，因为她还是往前走，我无奈只得跟随着她。最后，她钻进了一个山谷；在我再看见她以前，她已经离呼啸山庄比离她自己的家还要近二英里路哩；我瞅见两个人把她抓住了，我深信有一个就是希刺克厉夫先生本人。
凯蒂被抓是因为做了偷盗的事，或者至少是搜寻松鸡的窝。山庄是希刺克厉夫的土地，他在斥责着这个偷猎者。
“我没拿什么，也没找到什么，”她说，摊开她的双手证明自己的话，那时我已经向他们走去。“我并不是想来拿什么的，可是爸爸告诉我这儿有很多，我只想看看那些蛋。”
希刺克厉夫带着恶意的微笑溜我一眼，表明他已经认识了对方，因此，也表明他起了歹心，便问：“你爸爸是谁？”
“画眉田庄的林惇先生，”她回答。“我想你不认识我，不然就不会对我那样说话了。”
“那么你以为你爸爸很被人看得起，很受尊敬的吗？”他讽刺地说。
“你是什么人？”凯瑟琳问道，好奇地盯着这说话的人。
“那个人我是见过的。他是你的儿子吗？”
她指着哈里顿，这就是另一个人，他长了两岁什么也没改，就是粗壮些，更有力气些：他跟从前一样拙笨和粗鲁。
“凯蒂小姐，”我插嘴说，“我们出来不止一个钟头啦，现在快到三个钟头了，我们真得回家了。”
“不，那个人不是我的儿子，”希刺克厉夫回答，把我推开。“可是我有一个，你从前也看见过他，虽然你的保姆这么忙着走，我想你和她最好歇一会儿。你愿不愿意转过这长着常青灌木的山头，散步到我家里去呢？你休息一下，还可以早些回到家，而且你会受到款待。”
我低声对凯瑟琳说无论如何她决不能同意这个提议：那是完全不能考虑的。
“为什么？”她大声问着。“我已经跑累啦，地上又有露水；我不能坐在这儿呀。让我们去吧，艾伦。而且，他还说我见过他的儿子哩。我想他搞错了；可是我猜出他住在哪里；在我从盘尼斯吞岩来时去过的那个农舍。是不是？”
“是的。来吧，耐莉，不要多说话——进来看看我们，对于她将是件喜事哩。哈里顿，陪这姑娘往前走吧。耐莉，你跟我一道走。”
“不，她不能到这样的地方去，”我叫着，想挣脱被他抓住的胳臂：可是她已经差不多走到门前的石阶了，很快地跑着绕过屋檐。她那被指定陪她的伴侣并没装出护送她的样子：
他畏怯地走向路边，溜掉了。
“希刺克厉夫先生，那是很不对的，”我接着说，“你知道你是不怀好意的。她就要在那里看见林惇，等我们一回去，什么都要说出来，我会受到责备的。”
“我要她看看林惇，”他回答，“这几天他看来还好一点；他并不是常常适宜于被人看见的。等会我们可以劝她把这次拜访保密。这有什么害处呢？”
“害处是，如果她父亲发觉我竟允许她到你家来，就会恨我的；我相信你鼓励她这样作是有恶毒的打算的。”我回答。
“我的打算是极老实的。我可以全都告诉你，”他说。“就是要这两个表亲相爱而结婚。我对你的主人是做得很慷慨的！他这年轻的小闺女并没有什么指望，要是她能促成我的愿望，她就跟林惇一同作了继承人，马上就有了依靠。”
“如果林惇死了呢，”我回答，“他的命是保不住的，那么凯瑟琳就会成为继承人的。”
“不，她不会，”他说。“在遗嘱里并没有如此保证的条文：他的财产就要归我；但是为了避免争执起见，我愿意他们结合，而且也下决心促成这个。”
“我也下决心使她再也不会和我到你的住宅来。”我回嘴说，这时我们已经走到大门口。凯蒂小姐在那儿等着我们过来。
希刺克厉夫叫我别吭气，他走到我们前面，连忙去开门。我的小姐看了他好几眼，仿佛她在拿不定主意怎么对待他，可是现在当他的眼光与她相遇时，他微笑，并且柔声对她说话；我居然糊涂到以为他对她母亲的记忆也许会使他消除伤害她的愿望哩。林惇站在炉边。他才出去到田野散步过，因为他的小帽还戴着，正在叫约瑟夫给他拿双干净鞋来。就他的年龄来说，他已经长高了，还差几个月要满十六岁了。他的相貌挺好看，眼睛和气色也比我所记得的有精神些，虽然那仅仅是从有益健康的空气与和煦的阳光中借来的暂时的光辉。
“看，那是谁？”希刺克厉夫转身问凯蒂，“你说得出来吗？”
“你的儿子？”她疑惑地把他们两个人轮流打量一番，然后说。
“是啊，是啊，”他回答，“难道这是你第一次看见他吗？想想吧！啊！你记性太坏。林惇，你不记得你的表姐啦，你总是跟我们闹着要见她的啊？”
“什么，林惇！”凯蒂叫起来，为意外地听见这名字而兴高采烈起来。“那就是小林惇吗？他比我还高啦！你是林惇吗？”
这年轻人走向前来，承认他就是。她狂热地吻他，他们彼此凝视着，看到时光在彼此的外表上所造成的变化而惊奇。凯瑟琳已经长得够高了；她的身材又丰满又苗条，像钢丝一样地有弹性，整个容貌由于健康而精神焕发。林惇的神气和动作都很不活泼，他的外形也非常瘦弱；但是他的风度带着一种文雅，缓和了这些缺点，使他还不讨人厌。在和他互相交换多种形式的喜爱的表示之后，他的表姐走到希刺克厉夫先生跟前，他正留在门口，一面注意屋里的人，一面注意外面的事；这就是说，假装看外面，实际上只是注意屋里。
“那么，你是我的姑夫啦！”她叫着，走上前向他行礼。
“我本来就觉着挺喜欢你，虽然开始你对我不友好。你干吗不带林惇到田庄来呢？这些年住这么近，从来不来看看我们，可真古怪；你干吗这样呢？”
“在你出生以前，我去得太勤了；”他回答，“唉——倒霉！
你要是还有多余的吻，就都送给林惇吧——给我可是白糟蹋。”
“淘气的艾伦！”凯瑟琳叫着，然后又以她那过份热情的拥抱突然向我进攻。“坏艾伦！想不让我进来。可是将来我还要天天早上散步来这儿呢，可以吗，姑夫？有时候还带爸爸来。你喜欢不喜欢看见我们呢？”
“当然，”姑夫回答，现出一副难以压制的狞笑，这是由于他对这两位要来的客人的恶感所引起的。“可是等等，”他转身又对小姐说，“既然我想到了这点，还是告诉你为好。林惇先生对我有成见。我们吵过一次，吵得非常凶，你要是跟他说起你到过这儿，他就会根本禁止你来，因此你一定不要提这事，除非你今后并不在乎要看你表弟：要是你愿意，你可以来，可你决不能说出来。”
“你们为什么吵的？”凯瑟琳问，垂头丧气透了。
“他认为我太穷，不配娶他的妹妹，”希刺克厉夫回答，“我终于得到了她，这使他感到很难过。他的自尊心受到损伤，他永远也不能宽恕这件事。”
“那是不对的！”小姐说，“我迟早总会就这样对他说的。可是林惇和我并没有参加你们的争吵啊。那么我就不来了；他去田庄好啦。”
“对我来说是太远了，”他的表弟咕噜着，“要走四英里路可要把我累死了。不，来吧，凯瑟琳小姐，随时到这儿来吧——不要每天早晨来，一星期来一两次好了。”
父亲朝他儿子轻蔑地溜了一眼。
“耐莉，恐怕我要白费劲了，”他小声对我说。“凯瑟琳小姐（这呆子是这样称呼她的），会发现他的价值，就把他丢开了。要是哈里顿的话——别看哈里顿已全被贬低，我一天倒有二十回羡慕他呢！这孩子如果是别人我都会爱他了。不过我想他是得不到她的爱情的。我要使哈里顿反对那个不中用的东西，除非他赶快发奋振作起来。算算他很难活到十八岁。啊，该死的窝囊废！他在全神贯注地擦他的脚，连望都不望她一下。——林惇！”
“啊，父亲，”那孩子答应着。
“附近没有什么地方你可以领你表姐去看看吗？甚至连个兔子或者鼬鼠的窠都不去瞧瞧吗？在你换鞋之前先把她带到花园里玩，还可以到马厩去看看你的马。”
“你不是情愿坐在这儿吗？”林惇用一种表示不想动的声调问凯瑟琳。
“我不知道，”她回答，渴望地向门口瞧了一眼，显然盼望着活动活动。
他还坐着，向火炉那边更挨近些。希刺克厉夫站起来，走到厨房去，又从那儿走到院子叫哈里顿。哈里顿答应了，两个人立刻又进来了。那个年轻人刚洗完了澡，这可以从他脸上的光彩和他的湿头发看得出来。
“啊，我要问你啦，姑夫，”凯瑟琳喊着，记起了那管家的话，“那不是我的表哥吧，他是吗？”
“是的，”他回答，“你母亲的侄子。你不喜欢他吗？”
凯瑟琳神情很古怪。
“他不是一个漂亮的小伙子吗？”他接着说。
这个没礼貌的小东西踮起了脚尖，对着希刺克厉夫的耳朵小声说了一句话。他大笑起来，哈里顿的脸沉下来；我想他对猜疑到的轻蔑是很敏感的，而且显然对他的卑微有一个模糊的概念。但是他的主人或保护人却把他的怒气赶掉了，叫着：
“你要成为我们的宝贝啦，哈里顿！她说你是一个——是什么？好吧，反正是奉承人的话。喏，你陪她到田庄转转去。记住，举止要像个绅士！不要用任何坏字眼；在这位小姐不望着你的时候，你别死盯着她，当她望你时，你就准备闪开你的脸；你说话的时候，要慢，而且要把你的手从口袋里掏出来。走吧，尽力好好地招待她吧。”
他注视着这一对从窗前走过。恩萧让他的脸完全避开了他的同伴。他仿佛以一个陌生人而又是一个艺术家的兴趣在那儿研究着那熟悉的风景，凯瑟琳偷偷地看了他一眼，并没有表现出一点爱慕的神情。然后就把她的注意力转移到一些可以取乐的事情上面去了，并且欢欢喜喜地轻步向前走去，唱着曲子以弥补没话可谈。
“我把他的舌头捆住了，”希刺克厉夫观察着。“他会始终不敢说一个字！耐莉，你记得我在他那年纪的时候吧？——不，还比他小些。我也是这样笨相么：像约瑟夫所谓的这样‘莫名其妙’吗？”
“更糟，”我回答，“因为你比他更阴沉些。”
“我对他有兴趣，”他接着说，大声地说出他的想法。“他满足了我的心愿。如果他天生是个呆子，我就连一半乐趣也享受不到。可是他不是呆子；我能够同情他所有的感受，因为我自己也感受过。比如说，我准确地知道他现在感受到什么痛苦；虽然那不过是他所要受的痛苦的开始。他永远也不能从他那粗野无知中解脱出来。我把他抓得比他那无赖父亲管我还紧些，而且贬得更低些；因为他以他的野蛮而自负。我教他嘲笑一切兽性以外的东西，认为这些是愚蠢和软弱的。你不认为辛德雷要是能看见他的儿子的话，会感到骄傲吗？差不多会像我为我自己的儿子感到骄傲一样。可是有这个区别；一个是金子却当铺地的石头用了，另一个是锡擦亮了来仿制银器。我的儿子没有什么价值。可是我有本事使这类的草包尽量振作起来。他的儿子有头等的天赋，却荒废了，变得比没用还糟。我没有什么可惋惜的；他可会有很多，但是，除了我，谁也不曾留意到。最妙的是，哈里顿非常喜欢我，你可以承认在这一点上我胜过了辛德雷。如果这个死去的流氓能从坟墓里站起来谴责我对他的子嗣的虐待，我倒会开心地看到这个所说的子嗣把他打回去，为了他竟敢辱骂他在这世界上唯一的朋友而大为愤慨哩！”
希刺克厉夫一想到这里就格格地发出一种魔鬼似的笑声。我没有理他，因为我看出来他也不期待我回答。同时，我们的年轻同伴，他坐得离我们太远，听不见我们说什么，开始表示出不安的征象来了，大概是后悔不该为了怕受点累就拒绝和凯瑟琳一起玩。他的父亲注意到他那不安的眼光总往窗子那边溜，手犹豫不决地向帽子那边伸。
“起来，你这懒孩子！”他叫着，现出假装出来的热心。
“追他们去，他们正在那角上，在蜜蜂巢那边。”
林惇振作起精神，离开了炉火。窗子开着，当他走出去时，我听见凯蒂正问她那个不善交际的侍从，门上刻的是什么？哈里顿抬头呆望着，抓抓他的头活像个傻瓜。
“是些鬼字，”他回答。“我认不出。”
“认不出？”凯瑟琳叫起来，“我能念：那是英文。可是我想知道干吗刻在那儿。”
林惇吃吃地笑了：他第一次显出开心的神色。
“他不认识字，”他对他的表姐说。“你能相信会有这样的大笨蛋存在吗？”
“他一直就这样吗？”凯蒂小姐严肃地问道。“或者他头脑简单——不对吗？我问过他两次话了，而每一次他都作出这种傻相，我还以为他不懂得我的话呢。我担保我也不大懂得他！”
林惇又大笑起来，嘲弄地瞟着哈里顿；哈里顿在那会儿看来一定是还不大明白怎么回事。
“没有别的缘故，只是懒惰；是吧，恩萧？”他说。“我的表姐猜想你是个白痴哩。这下可让你尝到你嘲笑的所谓‘啃书本’所得的后果了。凯瑟琳，你注意到他那可怕的约克郡的口音没有？”
“哼，那有什么鬼用处？”哈里顿咕噜着，对他平时的同伴回嘴就方便多了。他还想再说下去，可是这两个年轻人忽然一齐大笑起来：我的轻浮的小姐很高兴地发现她可以把他的奇怪的话当作笑料了。
“那句话加个‘鬼’字有什么用呢？”林惇嗤笑着。“爸爸叫你不要说任何坏字眼，而你不说一个坏字眼就开不了口。努力像个绅士吧，现在试试看！”
“要不是因为您更像个女的，而不大像个男的的话，我马上就想把您打倒啦，我会的；可怜的瘦板条！”这大怒的乡下人回骂着，退却了，当时他的脸由于愤怒和羞耻烧得通红：因为他意识到被侮辱了，可又窘得不知道该怎么怨恨才是。
希刺克厉夫和我一样，也听见了这番话，他看见他走开就微笑了；可是马上又用特别嫌恶的眼光向这轻薄的一对瞅了一眼，他们还呆在门口瞎扯着；这个男孩子一讨论到哈里顿的错误和缺点，并且叙述他的怪举动和趣闻时，他的精神可就来了；而这小姑娘也爱听他的无礼刻薄的话，并不想想这些话中所表现的恶意。我可是开始不喜欢林惇了，憎恶的程度比以前的怜悯程度还要重些，也开始多少原谅他父亲这样看不起他了。
我们一直待到下午：我不能把凯瑟琳早点拉走；但是幸亏我的主人没有离开过他的屋子，一直不知道我们久久不回。在我们走回来的时候，我真想谈谈我们刚离开的这些人的性格，以此来开导开导我所照顾的人；可是她已经有了成见，反倒说我对他们有偏见了。
“啊哈，”她叫着，“你是站在爸爸这边的，艾伦。我知道你是有偏心的，不然你就不会骗我这么多年，说林惇住得离这儿很远。我真是非常生气，可我又是这么高兴，就发不出脾气来！但是你不许再说我姑夫；他是我的姑夫。记住，而且我还要骂爸爸，因为跟他吵过架。”
她就这样滔滔不绝地说着，到后来我只好放弃了使她觉悟到她的错误的努力。那天晚上她没有说起这次拜访，因为她没有看见林惇先生。第二天就都说出来了，使我懊恼之至；可我还不十分难过：我以为指导和警戒的担子由他担负比由我担负会有效多了。可是他懦弱得竟说不出如他所愿的令人满意的理由，好让她和山庄那个家绝交，凯瑟琳对于每一件压制她骄纵的意志的事却要有充分的理由才肯听从约束。
“爸爸，”她叫着，在请过早安之后，“猜猜我昨天在旷野上散步时看见了谁。啊，爸爸，你吃惊啦！现在你可知道你作得不对啦，是吧？我看见——可是听着，你要听听我怎么识破了你；还有艾伦，她跟你联盟，在我倒一直希望林惇回来，可又总是失望的时候还假装出可怜我的样子。”
她把她的出游和结果如实地说了；我的主人，虽然不止一次地向我投来谴责的眼光，却一语不发，直等她说完。然后他把她拉到跟前，问她知不知道他为什么把林惇住在邻近的事瞒住她！难道她以为那只是不让她去享受那毫无害处的快乐吗？
“那是因为你不喜欢希刺克厉夫先生，”她回答。
“那么你相信我关心我自己胜过关心你啦，凯蒂？”他说。
“不，那不是因为我不喜欢希刺克厉夫先生，而是因为希刺克厉夫先生不喜欢我；他是一个最凶恶的人，喜欢陷害和毁掉他所恨的人，只要这些人给了他一点点机会。我知道你若跟你表弟来往，就不能不和他接触；我也知道他为了我的缘故就会痛恨你，所以就是为了你自己好，没有别的，我才提防着让你不再看见林惇。我原想等你长大点的时候再跟你解释这件事的，我懊悔我把它拖延下来了。”
“可是希刺克厉夫先生挺诚恳的，爸爸。”凯瑟琳说。一点也没有被说服。“而且他并不反对我们见面；他说什么时候我高兴，我就可以去他家，就是要我绝对不能告诉你，因为你跟他吵过，不能饶恕他娶了伊莎贝拉姑姑。你真的不肯。你才是该受责备的人哩；他是愿意让我们作朋友的，至少是林惇和我；而你就不。”
我的主人看出来她不相信他所说的关于她姑夫的狠毒的话，便把希刺克厉夫对伊莎贝拉的行为，以及呼啸山庄如何变成他的产业，都草草地说了个梗概。他不能将这事说得太多；因为即使他说了一点点，却仍然感到自林惇夫人死后所占据在他心上的那种对过去的仇人的恐怖与痛恨之感。‘要不是因为他，她也许还会活着！’这是他经常有的痛苦的念头；在他眼中，希刺克厉夫就仿佛是一个杀人犯。凯蒂小姐——完全没接触过任何罪恶的行径，只有她自己因暴躁脾气或轻率而引起的不听话，误解，或发发脾气而已。而总是当天犯了，当天就会改过——因此对于人的心灵深处能够盘算和隐藏报复心达好多年，而且一心要实现他的计划却毫无悔恨之念，这点使凯瑟琳大为惊奇。这种对人性的新看法，仿佛给她很深的印象，并且使她震动——直到现在为止，这看法一向是在她所有的学习与思考范围之外的——因此埃德加先生认为没有必要再谈这题目了。他只是又说了一句：
“今后你就会知道，亲爱的，为什么我希望你躲开他的房子和他的家了；现在你去作你往常的事，照旧去玩吧，别再想这些了！”
凯瑟琳亲了亲她父亲，安静地坐下来读她的功课，跟平常一样，读了两小时。然后她陪他到园林走走，一整天和平常一样地过去了。但是到晚上，当她回到她的房间里去休息，我去帮她脱衣服时，我发现她跪在床边哭着。
“啊，羞呀，傻孩子！”我叫着。“要是你有过真正的悲哀，你就会觉得你为了这点小别扭掉眼泪是可耻的了。你从来没有过一点真正的悲痛的影子，凯瑟琳小姐。假定说，主人和我一下子都死了，就剩你自己活在世上：那么你将感到怎么样呢？把现在的情况和这么一种苦恼比较一下，你就该感谢你已经有了朋友，不要再贪多啦。”
“我不是为自己哭，艾伦，”她回答，“是为他。他希望明天再看见我的。可他要失望啦：他要等着我，而我又不会去！”
“无聊！”我说，“你以为他也在想你吗？他不是有哈里顿作伴吗？一百个人里也不会有一个为着失去一个才见过两次——只是两个下午的亲戚而落泪的。林惇可会猜到这究竟是怎么回事，才不会再为你烦恼的。”
“可是我可不可以写个短信告诉他我为什么不能去了呢？”她问，站起来了。“就把我答应借给他的书送去？他的书没我的好，在我告诉他我的书是多有趣的时候，他非常想看看这些呢。我不可以吗，艾伦？”
“不行，真的不行！”我决断地回答。“这样他又要写信给你，那可就永远没完没了啦。不，凯瑟琳小姐，必须完全断绝来往：爸爸这么希望，我就得照这么办。”
“可一张小纸条怎么能——？”她又开口了，作出一脸的恳求相。
“别胡扯啦！”我打断她。“我们不要再谈你的小纸条啦。
上床去吧。”
她对我作出非常淘气的表情，淘气得我起先都不想吻她和道晚安了，我极不高兴地用被把她盖好，把她的门关上；但是，半路又后悔了，我轻轻地走回头，瞧！小姐站在桌边，她面前是一张白纸，手里拿一支铅笔，我一进去，她正偷偷地把它藏起来。
“你找不到人给你送去，凯瑟琳，”我说，“就算你写的话，现在我可要熄掉你的蜡烛了。”
我把熄烛帽放在火苗上的时候，手上被打了一下，还听见一声急躁的“别扭东西”！然后我又离开了她，她在一种最坏的、最乖张的心情中上了门闩。信还是写了，而且由村里来的一个送牛奶的人送到目的地去；可是当时我不知道，直到很久以后才知道。几个星期过去了，凯蒂的脾气也平复下来；不过她变得特别喜欢一个人躲在角落里；而且往往在她看书的时候，如果我忽然走近她，她就会一惊，伏在书本上，显然想盖住那书。我看出在书页中有散张的纸边露出来。她还有个诡计，就是一清早就下楼，在厨房里留连不去，好像她正在等着什么东西到来似的，在图书室的一个书橱中，她有一个小抽屉：她常翻腾好半天，走开的时候总特别小心地把抽屉的钥匙带着。
一天，她正在翻这个抽屉时，我看见最近放在里面的玩具和零碎全变成一张张折好的纸张了。我的好奇心和疑惑被激起来了，我决定偷看她那神秘的宝藏。因此，到了夜晚，等她和我的主人都安稳地在楼上时，我就在我这串家用钥匙里搜索着，找出一把可以开抽屉锁的钥匙。一打开抽屉，我就把里面所有的东西都倒在我的围裙里，再带到我自己的屋子里从容地检查着。虽然我早就疑心，可我仍然惊讶地发现原来是一大堆信件——一定是差不多每天一封——从林惇·希刺克厉夫来的：都是她写去的信的回信。早期的信写得拘谨而短；但是渐渐地，这些信发展成内容丰富的情书了，写得很笨拙，这就作者的年龄来说是自然的；可是有不少句子据我想是从一个比较有经验的人那里借来的。有些信使我感到简直古怪，混杂着热情和平淡；以强烈的情感开始，结尾却是矫揉造作的、啰嗦的笔调，如一个中学生写给他的一个幻想的、不真实的情人一样。这些能否满足凯蒂，我不知道；可是，在我看来是非常没有价值的废物。翻阅过我认为该翻的一些信件之后，我将这些用手绢包起来，放在一边，重新锁上这个空抽屉。
我的小姐根据她的习惯，老早就下楼，到厨房里去了：我瞅见当某一个小男孩到来的时候，她走到门口，在挤奶的女工朝她的罐子里倒牛奶时，她就把什么东西塞进他的背心口袋里，又从里面扯出什么东西来。我绕到花园里，在那儿等着这送信的使者；他英勇地战斗，以保护他的受委托之物，我们抢得把牛奶都泼翻了；但是我终于成功地抽出来那封信；还威吓他说如果他不径自回家去，即将有严重的后果，我就留在墙跟底下阅读凯蒂小姐的爱情作品。这比她表弟的信简洁流利多了：写得很漂亮，也很傻气。我摇摇头，沉思着走进屋里。这一天很潮湿，她不能到花园里溜达解闷；所以早读结束后，她就向抽屉找安慰去了。她父亲坐在桌子那边看书；我呢，故意找点事作，去整理窗帘上几条扯不开的繐子，眼睛死盯着她的动静。任何鸟儿飞回它那先前离开时还充满着啾啾鸣叫的小雏，后来却被抢劫一空的巢里时，所发出的悲鸣与骚动，都比不上那一声简单的“啊！”和她那快乐的脸色因突变而表现出那种完完全全的绝望的神态。林惇先生抬头望望。
“怎么啦，宝贝儿？碰痛你哪儿啦？”他说。
他的声调和表情使她确信他不是发现宝藏的人。
“不是，爸爸！”她喘息着。“艾伦！艾伦！上楼吧——我病了！”
我服从了她的召唤，陪她出去了。
“啊，艾伦！你把那些拿去啦，”当我们走到屋里，没有别人的时候，她马上就开口了，还跪了下来！“啊，把那些给我吧，我再也不，再也不这样作啦！别告诉爸爸。你没有告诉爸爸吧，艾伦？说你没有，我是太淘气啦，可是我以后再也不这样啦！”
我带着极严肃的神情叫她站起来。
“所以，”我慨叹着，“凯瑟琳小姐，看来你任性得太过分啦，你该为这些害羞！你真的在闲的时候读这么一大堆废物呀：咳，好得可以拿去出版啦，我要是把信摆在主人面前，你以为他有什么想法呢？我还没有给他看，可你用不着幻想我会保守你这荒唐的秘密。羞！一定是你领头写这些愚蠢的东西！我肯定他是不会想到的。”
“我没有！我没有！”凯蒂抽泣着，简直伤心透了。“我一次也没有想到过爱他，直到——”
“爱！”我叫着，尽量用讥嘲的语气吐出这个字来。“爱！有什么人听到过这类事情么！那我也可以对一年来买一次我们谷子的那个磨坊主大谈其爱啦。好一个爱，真是！而你这辈子才看见过林惇两次，加起来还不到四个钟头！喏，这是小孩子的胡说八道。我要把信带到书房里去；我们要看看你父亲对于这种爱说什么。”
她跳起来抢她的宝贝信，可是我把它们高举在头顶上；然后她发出许多狂热的恳求，恳求我烧掉它们——随便怎么处置也比公开它们好。我真是想笑又想骂——因为我估计这完全是女孩子的虚荣心——我终于有几分心软了，便问道——
“如果我同意烧掉它们，你能诚实地答应不再送出或收进一封信，或者一本书（因为我看见你给他送过书），或者一卷头发，或者戒指，或者玩意儿？”
“我们不送玩意儿，”凯瑟琳叫着，她的骄傲征服了她的羞耻。
“那么，什么也不送，我的小姐？”我说。“除非你愿意这样，要不然我就走啦。”
“我答应，艾伦，”她叫着，拉住我的衣服。“啊，把它们丢在火里吧，丢吧，丢吧！”
但是当我用火钳拨开一块地方时，这样的牺牲可真是太痛苦了。她热切地哀求我给她留下一两封。
“一两封，艾伦，为了林惇的缘故留下来吧！”
我解开手绢，开始把它们从手绢角里向外倒，火焰卷上了烟囱。
“我要一封，你这残忍的坏人！”她尖声叫着，伸手到火里，抓出一些烧了一半的纸片，当然她的手指头也因此吃了点亏。
“很好——我也要留点拿给爸爸看看，”我回答着，把剩下的又抖回手绢去，重新转身向门口走。
她把她那些烧焦了的纸片又扔到火里去，向我做手势要我完成这个祭祀。烧完了，我搅搅灰烬，用一铲子煤把这些埋起来，她一声也不吭，怀着十分委屈的心情，退到她自己的屋里，我下楼告诉我主人，小姐的急病差不多已经好了。可是我认为最好让她躺一会。她不肯吃饭；可是在吃茶时她又出现了，面色苍白，眼圈红红的，外表上克制得惊人。
第二天早上我用一张纸条当作回信，上面写着，“请希刺克厉夫少爷不要再写信给林惇小姐，她是不会接受的。”自此以后那个小男孩来时，口袋便是空空的了。