[分享]呼啸山庄全集（中英文）

亦汐

Chapter 21




We had sad work with little Cathy that day; she rose in high glee, eager to join her cousin, and such passionate tears and lamentations followed the news of his departure, that Edgar himself was obliged to soothe her, by affirming he should come back soon: he added, however, `if I can get him'; and there were no hopes of that. This promise poorly pacified her: but time was more potent; and though still at intervals she inquired of her father when Linton would return, before she did see him again his features had waxed so dim in her memory that she did not recognize him.

When I chanced to encounter the housekeeper of Wuthering Heights in paying business visits to Gimmerton, I used to ask how the young master got on; for he lived almost as secluded as Catherine herself, and was never to be seen. I could gather from her that he continued in weak health, and was a tiresome inmate. She said Mr Heathcliff seemed to dislike him ever longer and worse, though he took some trouble to conceal it: he had an antipathy to the sound of his voice, and could not do at all with his sitting in the same room with him many minutes together. There seldom passed much talk between them: Linton learnt his lessons and spent his evenings in a small apartment they called the parlour: or else lay in bed all day: for he was constantly getting coughs, and colds, and aches, and pains of some sort.

And I never knew such a faint-hearted creature,' added the woman; nor one so careful of hisseln. He will go on, if I leave the window open a bit late in the evening. Oh! it's killing! a breath of night air! And he must have a fire in the middle of summer; and Joseph's bacca pipe is poison; and he must always have sweets and dainties, and always milk, milk for ever--heeding naught how the rest of us are pinched in winter; and there he'll sit, wrapped in his furred cloak in his chair by the fire, some toast and water or other slop on the hob to sip at; and if Hareton, for pity, comes to amuse him--Hareton is not bad-natured, though he's rough--they're sure to part, one swearing and the other crying. I believe the master would relish Earnshaw's thrashing him to a mummy, if he were not his son; and I'm certain he would be fit to turn him out of doors, if he knew half the nursing he gives hisseln. But then, he won't go into danger of temptation: he never enters the parlour, and should Linton show those ways in the house where he is, he sends him upstairs directly.'

I divined, from this account, that utter lack of sympathy had rendered young Heathcliff selfish and disagreeable, if he were not so originally; and my interest in him, consequently, decayed: though still I was moved with a sense of grief at his lot, and a wish that he had been left with us. Mr Edgar encouraged me to gain information: he thought a great deal about him, I fancy, and would have run some risk to see him; and he told me once to ask the housekeeper whether he ever came into the village? She said he had only been twice, on horseback, accompanying his father, and both times he pretended to be quite knocked up for three or four days afterwards. The housekeeper left, if I recollect rightly, two years after he came; and another, whom I did not know, was her successor: she lives there still.

Time wore on at the Grange in its former pleasant way, till Miss Cathy reached sixteen. On the anniversary of her birth we never manifested any signs of rejoicing, because it was also the anniversary of my late mistress's death. Her father invariably spent that day alone in the library; and walked, at dusk, as far as Gimmerton kirkyard, where he would frequently prolong his stay beyond midnight. Therefore Catherine was thrown on her own resources for amusement. This both of March was a beautiful spring day, and when her father had retired, my young lady came down dressed for going out, and said she had asked to have a ramble on the edge of the moors with me; and Mr Linton had given her leave, if we went only a short distance and were back within the hour.

`So make haste, Ellen!' she cried. `I know where I wish to go; where a colony of moor game are settled: I want to see whether they have made their nests yet.

`That must be a good distance up,' I answered; `they don't breed on the edge of the moor.

`No, it's not,' she said. `I've gone very near with papa.'

I put on my bonnet and sallied out, thinking nothing more of the matter. She bounded before me, and returned to my side, and was off again like a young greyhound; and, at first, I found plenty of entertainment in listening to the larks singing far and near, and enjoying the sweet, warm sunshine; and watching her, my pet, and my delight, with her golden ringlets flying loose behind, and her bright cheek, as soft and pure in its bloom as a wild rose, and her eyes radiant with cloudless pleasure. She was a happy creature, and an angel, in those days. It's a pity she could not be content.

`Well,' said I, `where are your moor game, Miss Cathy? We should be at them: the Grange park fence is a great way off now.'

`Oh, a little farther--only a little farther, Ellen,' was her answer continually. `Climb to that hillock, pass that bank, and by the time you reach the other side I shall have raised the birds.'

But there were so many hillocks and banks to climb and pass, that, at length, I began to be weary, and told her we must halt, and retrace our steps. I shouted to her, as she had outstripped me a long way; she either did not hear or did not regard, for she still sprang on, and I was compelled to follow. Finally, she dived into a hollow; and before I came in sight of her again, she was two miles nearer Wuthering Heights than her own home; and I beheld a couple of persons arrest her, one of whom I felt convinced was Mr Heathcliff himself.

Cathy had been caught in the fact of plundering, or, at least, hunting out the nests of the grouse. The Heights were Heathcliff's land, and he was reproving the poacher.

`I've neither taken any nor found any,' she said, as I toiled to them, expanding her hands in corroboration of the statement. `I didn't mean to take them; but papa told me there were quantities up here, and I wished to see the eggs.'

Heathcliff glanced at me with an ill-meaning smile, expressing his acquaintance with the party, and, consequently, his malevolence towards it, and demanded who `papa' was?

`Mr Linton of Thrushcross Grange,' she replied. `I thought you did not know me, or you wouldn't have spoken in that way.'

`You suppose papa is highly esteemed and respected then?' he said sarcastically.

`And what are you?' inquired Catherine, gazing curiously on the speaker. `That man I've seen before Is he your son?'

She pointed to Hareton, the other individual, who had gained nothing but increased bulk and strength by the addition of two years to his age: he seemed as awkward and rough as ever.

`Miss Cathy,' I interrupted, `it will be three hours instead of one that we are out, presently. We really must go back.'

`No, that man is not my son,' answered Heathcliff, pushing me aside. `But I have one, and you have seen him before too; and, though your nurse is in a hurry, I think both you and she would be the better for a little rest. Will you just turn this nab of heath, and walk into my house? You'll get home earlier for the ease; and you shall receive a kind welcome.

I whispered Catherine that she mustn't, on any account, accede to the proposal: it was entirely out of the question.

`Why?' she asked, aloud. `I'm tired of running, and the ground is dewy: I can't sit here. Let us go, Ellen. Besides, he says I have seen his son. He's mistaken, I think; but I guess where he lives: at the farmhouse I visited in coming from Penistone Crags. Don't you?'

`I do. Come, Nelly, hold your tongue--it will be a treat for her to look in on us. Hareton, get forwards with the lass. You shall walk with me, Nelly.'

`No, she's not going to any such place,' I cried, struggling to release my arm, which he had seized: but she was almost at the doorstones already, scampering round the brow at full speed. Her appointed companion did not pretend to escort her: he shied off by the roadside, and vanished.

`Mr Heathcliff, it's very wrong,' I continued: `you know you mean no good. And there she'll see Linton, and all will be told as soon as ever we return; and I shall have the blame.

`I want her to see Linton,' he answered; `he's looking better these few days: it's not often he's fit to be seen. And we'll soon persuade her to keep the visit secret: where is the harm of it?'

`The harm of it is, that her father would hate me if he found I suffered her to enter your house; and I am convinced you have a bad design in encouraging her to do so,' I replied.

`My design is as honest as possible. I'll inform you of its whole scope,' he said. `That the two cousins may fall in love, and get married. I'm acting generously to your master: his young chit has no expectations, and should she second my wishes, she'll be provided for at once as joint successor with Linton.'

`If Linton died,' I answered, `and his life is quite uncertain, Catherine would be the heir.'

`No, she would not,' he said. `There is no clause in the will to secure it so: his property would go to me; but, to prevent disputes, I desire their union, and am resolved to bring it about.'

`And I'm resolved she shall never approach your house with me again,' I returned, as we reached the gate, where Miss Cathy waited our coming.

Heathcliff bid me be quiet; and, preceding us up the path, hastened to open the door. My young lady gave him several looks, as if she could not exactly make up her mind what to think of him; but now he smiled when he met her eye, and softened his voice in addressing her; and I was foolish enough to imagine the memory of her mother might disarm him from desiring her injury. Linton stood on the hearth. He had been out walking in the fields, for his cap was on, and he was calling to Joseph to bring him dry shoes. He had grown tall of his age, still wanting some months of sixteen. His features were pretty yet, and his eye and complexion brighter than I remembered them, though with merely temporary lustre borrowed from the salubrious air and genial sun.

`Now, who is that?' asked Mr Heathcliff, turning to Cathy. `Can you tell?'

`Your son?' she said, having doubtfully surveyed, first one and then the other.

`Yes, yes,' answered he: `but is this the only time you have beheld him? Think! Ah! you have a short memory. Linton, don't you recall your cousin, that you used to tease us so with wishing to see?'

`What, Linton!' cried Cathy, kindling into joyful surprise at the name. `Is that little Linton? He's taller than I am! Are you, Linton?'

The youth stepped forward, and acknowledged himself: she kissed him fervently, and they gazed with wonder at the change time had wrought in the appearance of each. Catherine had reached her full height; her figure was both plump and slender, elastic as steel, and her whole aspect sparkling with health and spirits. Linton's looks and movements were very languid, and his form extremely slight; but there was a grace in his manner that mitigated these defects, and rendered him not unpleasing. After exchanging numerous marks of fondness with him, his cousin went to Mr Heathcliff, who lingered by the door, dividing his attention between the objects inside and those that lay without: pretending, that is, to observe the latter, and really noting the former alone.

`And you are my uncle, then!' she cried, reaching up to salute him. `I thought I liked you, though you were cross at first. Why don't you visit at the Grange with Linton? To live all these years such close neighbours, and never see us, is odd: what have you done so for?'

`I visited it once or twice too often before you were born,' he answered. `There--damn it! If you have any kisses to spare, give them to Linton: they are thrown away on me.

`Naughty Ellen!' exclaimed Catherine, flying to attack me next with her lavish caresses. `Wicked Ellen! to try to hinder me from entering. But I'll take this walk every morning in future: may I, uncle? and sometimes bring papa. Won't you be glad to see us?'

`Of course!' replied the uncle, with a hardly suppressed grimace, resulting from his deep aversion to both the proposed visitors. `But stay,' he continued, turning towards the young lady. `Now I think of it, I'd better tell you. Mr Linton has a prejudice against me: we quarrelled at one time of our lives, with unchristian ferocity; and, if you mention coming here to him, he'll put a veto on your visits altogether. Therefore, you must not mention it, unless you be careless of seeing your cousin hereafter: you may come, if you will, but you must not mention it.'

`Why did you quarrel?' asked Catherine, considerably crest-fallen.

`He thought me too poor to wed his sister,' answered Heathcliff, `and was grieved that I got her: his pride was hurt, and he'll never forgive it.'

`That's wrong!' said the young lady: `some time, I'll tell him so. But Linton and I have no share in your quarrel. I'll not come here, then; he shall come to the Grange.'

`It will be too far for me,' murmured her cousin: `to walk four miles would kill me. No, come here, Miss Catherine, now and then: not every morning, but once or twice a week.'

The father launched towards his son a glance of bitter contempt.

`I am afraid, Nelly, I shall lose my labour,' he muttered to me. `Miss Catherine, as the ninny calls her, will discover his value, and send him to the devil. Now, if it had been Hareton!--Do you know that, twenty times a day, I covet Hareton, with all his degradation? I'd have loved the lad had he been someone else. But I think he's safe from her love. I'll pit him against that paltry creature, unless it bestir itself briskly. We calculate it will scarcely last till it is eighteen. Oh, confound the vapid thing! He's absorbed in drying his feet, and never looks at her.--Linton!'

`Yes, father,' answered the boy.

`Have you nothing to show your cousin anywhere about? not even a rabbit or a weasel's nest? Take her into the garden, before you change your shoes; and into the stable to see your horse.

`Wouldn't you rather sit here?' asked Linton, addressing Cathy in a tone which expressed reluctance to move again.

`I don't know,' she replied, casting a longing look to the door, and evidently eager to be active.

He kept his seat, and shrank closer to the fire. Heathcliff rose, and went into the kitchen, and from thence to the yard, calling out for Hareton. Hareton responded, and presently the two reentered. The young man had been washing himself, as was visible by the glow on his cheeks and his wetted hair.

`Oh, I'll ask you, uncle,' cried Miss Cathy, recollecting the housekeeper's assertion. `That is not my cousin, is he?'

`Yes,' he replied, `your mother's nephew. Don't you like him?' Catherine looked queer. `Is he not a handsome lad?' he continued. The uncivil little thing stood on tiptoe, and whispered a sentence in Heathcliff's ear. He laughed; Hareton darkened: I perceived he was very sensitive to suspected slights, and had obviously a dim notion of his inferiority. But his master or guardian chased the frown by exclaiming:

`You'll be the favourite among us, Hareton! She says you are a--What was it? Well, something very flattering. Here! you go with her round the farm. And behave like a gentleman, mind! Don't use any bad words; and don't stare when the young lady is not looking at you, and be ready to hide your face when she is; and, when you speak, say your words slowly, and keep your hands out of your pockets. Be off, and entertain her as nicely as you can.

He watched the couple walking past the window. Earnshaw had his countenance completely averted from his companion. He seemed studying the familiar landscape with a stranger's and an artist's interest. Catherine took a sly look at him, expressing small admiration. She then turned her attention to seeking out objects of amusement for herself, and tripped merrily on, lilting a tune to supply the lack of conversation.

亦汐

I've tied his tongue,' observed Heathcliff. `He'll not venture a single syllable, all the time! Nelly, you recollect me at his age--nay, some years younger. Did I ever look so stupid: so ``gaumless'', as Joseph calls it?'

`Worse,' I replied, `because more sullen with it.'

`I've a pleasure in him,' he continued, reflecting aloud. `He has satisfied my expectations. If he were a born fool I should not enjoy it half so much. But he's no fool; and I can sympathize with all his feelings, having felt them myself. I know what he suffers now, for instance, exactly: it is merely a beginning of what he shall suffer, though. And he'll never be able to emerge from his bathos of coarseness and ignorance. I've got him faster than his scoundrel of a father secured me, and lower; for he takes a pride in his brutishness. I've taught him to scorn everything extra-animal as silly and weak. Don't you think Hindley would be proud of his son, if he could see him? almost as proud as I am of mine. But there's this difference; one is gold put to the use of paving-stones, and the other is tin polished to ape a service of silver. Mine has nothing valuable about it; yet I shall have the merit of making it go as far as such poor stuff can go. His had first-rate qualities, and they are lost: rendered worse than unavailing. I have nothing to regret; he would have more than any but I are aware of. And the best of it is, Hareton is damnably fond of me! You'll own that I've outmatched Hindley there. If the dead villain could rise from his grave to abuse me for his offspring's wrongs, I should have the fun of seeing the said offspring fight him back again, indignant that he should dare to rail at the one friend he has in the world!'

Heathcliff chuckled a fiendish laugh at the idea. I made no reply, because I saw that he expected none. Meantime, our young companion, who sat too removed from us to hear what was said, began to evince symptoms of uneasiness, probably repenting that he had denied himself the treat of Catherine's society for fear of a little fatigue. His father remarked the restless glances wandering to the window, and the hand irresolutely extended towards his cap.

`Get up, you idle boy!' he exclaimed, with assumed heartiness. `Away after them! they are just at the corner, by the stand of hives.'

Linton gathered his energies, and left the hearth. The lattice was open, and, as he stepped out, I heard Cathy inquiring of her unsociable attendant, what was that inscription over the door? Hareton stared up, and scratched his head like a true clown.

`It's some damnable writing,' he answered. `I cannot read it.'

`Can't read it?' cried Catherine; `I can read it: it's English. But I want to know why it is there.'

Linton giggled: the first appearance of mirth he had exhibited.

`He does not know his letters,' he said to his cousin. `Could you believe in the existence of such a colossal dunce?'

`Is he all as he should be?' asked Miss Cathy seriously; `or is he simple: not right? I've questioned him twice now, and each time he looked so stupid I think he does not understand me. I can hardly understand him, I'm sure!'

Linton repeated his laugh, and glanced at Hareton tauntingly; who certainly did not seem quite clear of comprehension at that moment.

`There's nothing the matter but laziness; is there, Earnshaw?' he said. `My cousin fancies you are an idiot. There you experience the consequence of scorning ``book-larning'', as you would say. Have you noticed, Catherine, his frightful Yorkshire pronunciation?'

`Why, where the devil is the use on't?' growled Hareton, more ready in answering his daily companion. He was about to enlarge further, but the two youngsters broke into a noisy fit of merriment; my giddy miss being delighted to discover that she might turn his strange talk to matter of amusement.

`Where is the use of the devil in that sentence?' tittered Linton. `Papa told you not to say any bad words, and you can't open your mouth without one. Do try to behave like a gentleman, now do!'

`If thou weren't more a lass than a lad, I'd fell thee this minute, I would; pitiful lath of a crater!' retorted the angry boor, retreating, while his face burnt with mingled rage and mortification; for he was conscious of being insulted, and embarrassed how to resent it.

Mr Heathcliff having overheard the conversation, as well as I, smiled when he saw him go; but immediately afterwards cast a look of singular aversion on the flippant pair, who remained chattering in the doorway: the boy finding animation enough while discussing Hareton's faults and deficiencies, and relating anecdotes of his goings-on; and the girl relishing his pert and spiteful sayings, without considering the ill nature they evinced: but I began to dislike, more than to compassionate Linton, and to excuse his father, in some measure, for holding him cheap.

We stayed till afternoon: I could not tear Miss Cathy away, before; but happily my master had not quitted his apartment, and remained ignorant of our prolonged absence. As we walked home, I would fain have enlightened my charge on the characters of the people we had quitted; but she got it into her head that I was prejudiced against them.

`Aha!' she cried, `you take papa's side, Ellen: you are partial, I know; or else you wouldn't have cheated me so many years into the notion that Linton lived a long way from here. I'm really extremely angry; only I'm so pleased I can't show it! But you must hold your tongue about my uncle: he's my uncle, remember; and I'll scold papa for quarrelling with him.

And so she ran on, till I dropped endeavouring to convince her of her mistake. She did not mention the visit that night, because she did not see Mr Linton. Next day it all came out, sadly to my chagrin; and still I was not altogether sorry: I thought the burden of directing and warning would be more efficiently borne by him than me. But he was too timid in giving satisfactory reasons for his wish that she should shun connection with the household of the Heights, and Catherine liked good reasons for every restraint that harassed her petted will.

`Papa!' she exclaimed, after the morning's salutations, `guess whom I saw yesterday, in my walk on the moors. Ah, papa, you started! you've not done right, have you, now? I saw--But listen, and you shall hear how I found you out; and Ellen, who is in league with you, and yet pretended to pity me so, when I kept hoping, and was always disappointed about Linton's coming back!'

She gave a faithful account of her excursion and its consequences; and my master, though he cast more than one reproachful look at me, said nothing till she had concluded. Then he drew her to him, and asked if she knew why he had concealed Linton's near neighbourhood from her. Could she think it was to deny her a pleasure that she might harmlessly enjoy?

`It was because you disliked Mr Heathcliff,' she answered.

`Then you believe I care more for my own feelings than yours, Cathy?' he said. `No, it was not because I disliked Mr Heathcliff, but because Mr Heathcliff dislikes me; and is a most diabolical man, delighting to wrong and ruin those he hates, if they give him the slightest opportunity. I knew that you could not keep up an acquaintance with your cousin, without being brought into contact with him; and I knew he would detest you on my account; so for your own good, and nothing else, I took precautions that you should not see Linton again. I meant to explain this some time as you grew older, and I'm sorry I delayed it.'

`But Mr Heathcliff was quite cordial, papa,' observed Catherine, not at all convinced; `and he didn't object to our seeing each other: he said I might come to his house when I pleased; only I must not tell you, because you had quarrelled with him, and would not forgive him for marrying aunt Isabella. And you won't. You are the one to be blamed: he is willing to let us be friends, at least; Linton and I; and you are not.

My master, perceiving that she would not take his word for her uncle-in-law's evil disposition, gave a hasty sketch of his conduct to Isabella, and the manner in which Wuthering Heights became his property. He could not bear to discourse long upon the topic; for though he spoke little of it, he still felt the same horror and detestation of his ancient enemy that had occupied his heart ever since Mrs Linton's death. `She might have been living yet, if it had not been for him!' was his constant bitter reflection; and, in his eyes, Heathcliff seemed a murderer. Miss Cathy--conversant with no bad deeds except her own slight acts of disobedience, injustice, and passion, rising from hot temper and thoughtlessness, and repented of on the day they were committed--was amazed at the blackness of spirit that could brood on and cover revenge for years, and deliberately prosecute its plans without a visitation of remorse. She appeared so deeply impressed and shocked at this new view of human nature--excluded from all her studies and all her ideas till now--that Mr Edgar deemed it unnecessary to pursue the subject. He merely added:

`You will know hereafter, darling, why I wish you to avoid his house and family; now return to your old employments and amusements, and think no more about them.'

Catherine kissed her father and sat down quietly to her lessons for a couple of hours, according to custom; then she accompanied him into the grounds, and the whole day passed as usual: but in the evening, when she had retired to her room, and I went to help her to undress, I found her crying, on her knees by the bedside.

`Oh, fie, silly child!' I exclaimed. `If you had any real griefs, you'd be ashamed to waste a tear on this little contrariety. You never had one shadow of substantial sorrow, Miss Catherine. Suppose, for a minute, that master and I were dead, and you were by yourself in the world: how would you feel then? Compare the present occasion with such an affliction as that, and be thankful for the friends you have, instead of coveting more.'

`I'm not crying for myself, Ellen,' she answered, `it's for him. He expected to see me again tomorrow, and there he'll be so disappointed: and he'll wait for me, and I shan't come!'

`Nonsense,' said I, `do you imagine he has thought as much of you as you have of him? Hasn't he Hareton for a companion? Not one in a hundred would weep at losing a relation they had just seen twice, for two afternoons. Linton will conjecture how it is, and trouble himself no further about you.'

`But may I not write a note to tell him why I cannot come?' she asked, rising to her feet. `And just send those books I promised to lend him? His books are not as nice as mine, and he wanted to have them extremely, when I told him how interesting they were. May I not, Ellen?'

`No, indeed! no, indeed!' replied I, with decision. `Then he would write to you, and there'd never be an end of it. No, Miss Catherine, the acquaintance must be dropped entirely: so papa expects, and I shall see that it is done.'

`But how can one little note---' she recommenced, putting on an imploring countenance.

`Silence!' I interrupted. `We'll not begin with your little notes. Get into bed.'

She threw at me a very naughty look, so naughty that I would not kiss her good night at first: I covered her up, and shut her door, in great displeasure; but, repenting half way, I returned softly, and lo! there was miss standing at the table with a bit of blank paper before her and a pencil in her hand, which she guiltily slipped out of sight, on my entrance.

`You'll get nobody to take that, Catherine,' I said, `if you write it; and at present I shall put out your candle.'

I set the extinguisher on the flame, receiving as I did so a slap on my hand, and petulant `Cross thing!' I then quitted her again, and she drew the bolt in one of her worst, most peevish humours. The letter was finished and forwarded to its destination by a milk-fetcher who came from the village: but that I didn't learn till some time afterwards. Weeks passed on, and Cathy recovered her temper; though she grew wondrous fond of stealing off to corners by herself; and often, if I came near her suddenly while reading, she would start and bend over the book, evidently desirous to hide it; and I detected edges of loose paper sticking out beyond the leaves. She also got a trick of coming down early in the morning and lingering about the kitchen, as if she were expecting the arrival of something: and she had a small drawer in a cabinet in the library, which she would trifle over for hours, and whose key she took special care to remove when she left it.

One day, as she inspected this drawer, I observed that the playthings, and trinkets which recently formed its contents, were transmuted into bits of folded paper. My curiosity and suspicions were aroused; I determined to take a peep at her mysterious treasures; so, at night, as soon as she and my master were safe upstairs, I searched and readily found among my house keys one that would fit the lock. Having opened, I emptied the whole contents into my apron, and took them with me to examine at leisure in my own chamber. Though I could not but suspect, I was still surprised to discover that they were a mass of correspondence--daily almost, it must have been--from Linton Heathcliff: answers to documents forwarded by her. The earlier dated were embarrassed and short; gradually, however, they expanded into copious love letters, foolish, as the age of the writer rendered natural, yet with touches here and there which I thought were borrowed from a more experienced source. Some of them struck me as singularly odd compounds of ardour and flatness; commencing in strong feeling, and concluding in the affected, wordy way that a schoolboy might use to a fancied, incorporeal sweetheart. Whether they satisfied Cathy, I don't know; but they appeared very worthless trash to me. After turning over as many as I thought proper, I tied them in a handkerchief and set them aside, relocking the vacant drawer.

亦汐

Following her habit, my young lady descended early, and visited the kitchen: I watched her go to the door, on the arrival of a certain little boy; and, while the dairymaid filled his can, she tucked something into his jacket pocket, and plucked something out. I went round by the garden, and laid wait for the messenger; who fought valorously to defend his trust, and we spilt the milk between us; but I succeeded in abstracting the epistle; and, threatening serious consequences if he did not look sharp home, I remained under the wall and perused Miss Cathy's affectionate composition. It was more simple and more eloquent than her cousin's; very pretty and very silly. I shook my head, and went meditating into the house. The day being wet, she could not divert herself with rambling about the park; so, at the conclusion of her morning studies, she resorted to the solace of the drawer. Her father sat reading at the table; and I, on purpose, had sought a bit of work in some unripped fringes of the window curtain, keeping my eye steadily fixed on her proceedings. Never did any bird flying back to a plundered nest which it had left brimful of chirping young ones, express more complete despair in its anguished cries and flutterings, than she by her single `Oh!' and the change that transfigured her late happy countenance. Mr Linton looked up.

`What is the matter, love? Have you hurt yourself?' he said.

His tone and look assured her he had not been the discoverer of the hoard.

`No, papa!' she gasped. `Ellen! Ellen! come upstairs-I'm sick!' I obeyed her summons, and accompanied her out.

`Oh, Ellen! you have got them,' she commenced immediately, dropping on her knees, when we were enclosed alone. `Oh, give them to me, and I'll never, never do so again! Don't tell papa. You have not told papa, Ellen? say you have not? I've been exceedingly naughty, but I won't do it any more!'

With a grave severity in my manner, I bid her stand up.

`So,' I exclaimed, `Miss Catherine, you are tolerably far on, it seems: you may well be ashamed of them! A fine bundle of trash you study in your leisure hours, to be sure: why, it's good enough to be printed! And what do you suppose the master will think when I display it before him? I haven't shown it yet, but you needn't imagine I shall keep your ridiculous secrets. For shame! and you must have led the way in writing such absurdities: he would not have thought of beginning, I'm certain.'

`I didn't! I didn't!' sobbed Cathy fit to break her heart. `I didn't once think of loving him till--'

`Loving!' cried I, as scornfully as I could utter the word. `Loving! Did anybody ever hear the like! I might just as well talk of loving the miller who comes once a year to buy our corn. Pretty loving, indeed! and both times together you have seen Linton hardly four hours in your life! Now here is the babyish trash. I'm going with it to the library; and we'll see what your father says to such loving.'

She sprang at her precious epistles, but I held them above my head; and then she poured out further frantic entreaties that I would burn them--do anything rather than show them. And being really fully as inclined to laugh as scold--for I esteemed it all girlish vanity--I at length relented in a measure, and asked:

`If I consent to burn them, will you promise faithfully neither to send nor receive a letter again, nor a book (for I perceive you have sent him books), nor locks of hair, nor rings, nor playthings?'

`We don't send playthings!' cried Catherine, her pride overcoming her shame.

`Nor anything at all, then, my lady,' I said. `Unless you will, here I go.'

`I promise, Ellen!' she cried, catching my dress. `Oh, put them in the fire, do, do!'

But when I proceeded to open a place with the poker, the sacrifice was too painful to be borne. She earnestly supplicated that I would spare her one or two.

`One or two, Ellen, to keep for Linton's sake!'

I unknotted the handkerchief, and commenced dropping them in from an angle, and the flame curled up the chimney.

`I will have one, you cruel wretch!' she screamed, darting her hand into the fire, and drawing forth some half consumed fragments, at the expense of her fingers.

`Very well--and I will have some to exhibit to papa!' I answered, shaking back the rest into the bundle, and turning anew to the door.

She emptied her blackened pieces into the flames, and motioned me to finish the immolation. It was done; I stirred up the ashes, and interred them under a shovelful of coals; and she mutely, and with a sense of intense injury, retired to her private apartment. I descended to tell my master that the young lady's qualm of sickness was almost gone, but I judged it best for her to lie down a while. She wouldn't dine; but she reappeared at tea, pale, and red about the eyes, and marvellously subdued in outward aspect. Next morning I answered the letter by a slip of paper, inscribed, `Master Heathcliff is requested to send no more notes to Miss Linton, as she will not receive them.' And, thenceforth, the little boy came with vacant pockets.

亦汐

第二十二章



夏天结束了，已是早秋天气，已经过了秋节，但是那年收成晚，我们的田有些还没有清除完毕。林惇先生和他的女儿常常走到收割者中间去，在搬运最后几捆时，他们都逗留到黄昏，正碰上夜晚的寒冷和潮湿，我的主人患了重感冒。这感冒顽强地滞留在他的肺部，使他整个一冬都待在家里，几乎没有出过一次门。

可怜的凯蒂，她那段小小的风流韵事使她受了惊，事过后，就变得相当闷闷不乐了，她的父亲坚持要她少读点书，多运动些。她再也没法找他作伴了；我以为我有责任尽量弥补这个缺陷，然而我这个代替者也无济于事。因为我只能从我无数的日常工作中挤出两三个小时来跟着她，于是我这陪伴显然没有他那样可人意了。

十月的一个下午，或者是十一月初吧——一个清新欲雨的下午，落在草皮与小径上的潮湿的枯叶簌簌地发出响声，寒冷的蓝天有一半被云遮住了——深灰色的流云从西边迅速地升起，预报着大雨即将来临——我请求我的小姐取消她的散步，因为我看准要下大雨。她不肯，我无可奈何只好穿上一件外套，并且拿了我的伞，陪她溜达到园林深处去：这是碰上她情绪低落时爱走的一条路——当埃德加先生比平时病得厉害些时她一定这样，他自己从来没承认过他的病势加重，可凯蒂和我却可以从他脸上比以前更沉默、忧郁的神色上猜出来。她郁郁不快地往前走着，现在也不跑不跳了，虽然这冷风满可以引诱她跑跑，而且时不时地我可以从眼角里瞅见她把一只手抬起来，从她脸上揩掉什么。我向四下里呆望着，想办法岔开她的思想。路的一旁是一条不平坦的高坡，榛树和短小的橡树半露着根，不稳地竖在那里；这土质对于橡树来说是太松了，而强烈的风把有些树都吹得几乎要和地面平行了。在夏天，凯瑟琳小姐喜欢爬上这些树干，坐在离地两丈高的树枝上摇摆；我每一次看见她爬得那么高时，虽然很喜欢看她的活泼，也喜欢她那颗轻松的童心，然而我还是觉得该骂骂她，可是听着我这样骂，她也知道并没有下来的必要。从午饭后到吃茶时，她就躺在她那被微风摇动着的摇篮里，什么事也不作，只唱些古老的歌——我唱的催眠曲——给她自己听；或是看和她一同栖在枝头上的那些鸟喂哺它们的小雏，引它们飞起来；或是闭着眼睛舒舒服服地靠着，一半在思索，一半在作梦，快乐得无法形容。

“瞧，小姐！”我叫道，指着一棵扭曲的树根下面的一个凹洞。“冬天还没有来这里哩。那边有一朵小花，七月里跟紫丁香一起布满在那些草皮台阶的蓝钟花就剩这一朵啦。你要不要爬上去，把它摘下来给爸爸看？”

凯蒂向着这朵在土洞中颤抖着的孤寂的花呆望了很久，最后回答——“不，我不要碰它：它看着很忧郁呢，是不是，艾伦？”

“是的，”我说，“就跟你一样的又瘦又干。你的脸上都没血色了。让我们拉着手跑吧。你这样无精打采，我敢说我要赶得上你了。”

“不，”她又说，继续向前闲荡着，间或停下来，望着一点青苔，或一丛变白的草，或是在棕黄色的成堆的叶子中间散布着鲜艳的橘黄色的菌沉思着，时不时地，她的手总是抬起到她那扭转过去的脸上去。

“凯瑟琳，你干吗哭呀，宝贝儿？”我问，走上前，搂着她的肩膀。“你千万不要因为爸爸受了凉就哭起来；放心吧，那不是什么重病。”

她现在不再抑制她的眼泪，抽泣起来了。

“啊，要变成重病的，”她说。“等到爸爸和你都离开了我，剩我自己一个人的时候，那我怎么办呢？我不能忘记你的话，艾伦；这些话总在我的耳朵里响着。等到爸爸和你都死了，生活将要有怎样的改变，世界将变得多么凄凉啊。”

“没有人能说你会不会死在我们前头，”我回答。“预测不祥是不对的。我们要希望在我们任何人死去之前还有好多好多年要过：主人还年轻，我也还强壮，还不到四十五岁。我母亲活到八十，直到最后还是个活泼的女人。假定林惇先生能活到六十，小姐，那比你活过的年纪还多得多呢。把一个灾难提前二十年来哀悼不是很愚蠢的吗？”

“可是伊莎贝拉姑姑比爸爸还年轻哩，”她说，抬头凝视着，胆怯地盼望能得到更进一步的安慰。

“伊莎贝拉姑姑没有你和我来照应她，”我回答。“她没有主人那样幸福，她也不像他那样生活得有意义。你所需要做的是好好侍候你父亲，让他看见你高兴，尽量避免让他着急，记住，凯蒂！如果你轻狂胡来，竟然对一个但愿他早进坟墓的人的儿子怀着愚蠢的空想的感情，如果他断定你们应该分开，却发现你还在为这事烦恼的话，那我可不骗你，你是会气死他的。”

“在世上除了爸爸的病，什么事也不会使我烦恼，”我的同伴回答。“和爸爸比起来，别的什么事我都不关心。而且我永远不——永远不——啊，在我还有知觉时，我永远不会作一件事或说一个字使他烦恼。我爱他胜过爱我自己，艾伦；这是我从下面这件事知道的：每天晚上我祈求上帝让我比他晚死：因为我宁可自己不幸，也不愿意他不幸。这就证明我爱他胜过爱我自己。”

“说得好，”我回答，“可是也必须用行为来证明。等他病好之后，记住，不要忘了你在担忧受怕时所下的决心。”

在我们谈话时我们走近了一个通向大路的门；我的小姐因为又走到阳光里而轻松起来，爬上墙，坐在墙头上，想摘点那隐蔽在大道边的野蔷薇树顶上所结的一些猩红的果实。长在树下面一点的果子已经不见了，可是除了从凯蒂现在的位置以外，只有鸟儿才能摸得到那高处的果子。她伸手去扯这些果子时，帽子掉了。由于门是锁住的，她就打算爬下去拾。我叫她小心点，不然她就要跌下去，她很灵敏地无影无踪。然而回来可不是这么容易的事。石头光滑，平整地涂了水泥，而那些蔷薇丛和黑莓的蔓枝也经不起攀登。我像个傻子似的，直等到我听她笑着叫着才明白过来——“艾伦！你得拿钥匙去啦，不然我非得绕道跑到守门人住的地方不可。我从这边爬不上围墙哩！”

“你就在那儿待着，”我回答，“我口袋里带着我那串钥匙。

也许我可以想法打开；要不然我就去拿。”

我把所有的大钥匙一个一个地试着的时候，凯瑟琳就在门外跳来跳去的自己玩。我试了最后一个，发现一个也不行，因此，我就又嘱咐她待在那儿。我正想尽快赶回家，这时候有一个走近了的声音把我留住了。那是马蹄的疾走声，凯蒂的蹦蹦跳跳也停了下来。

“那是谁？”我低声说。

“艾伦，希望你能开这个门，”我的同伴焦急地小声回话。

“喂，林惇小姐！”一个深沉的嗓门（骑马人的声音）说，“我很高兴遇见你。别忙进去，因为我要求你解释一下。”

“我不要跟你说话，希刺克厉夫先生，”凯瑟琳回答。“爸爸说你是一个恶毒的人，你恨他也恨我；艾伦也是这么说的。”

“那跟这毫无关系，”希刺克厉夫（正是他）说，“我以为我并不恨我的儿子，我请求你注意的是关于他的事。是的，你有理由脸红。两三个月以前，你不是还有给林惇写信的习惯吗？玩弄爱情，呃？你们两个都该挨顿鞭子抽！特别是你，年纪大些，结果还是你比他无情。我收着你的信，如果你对我有任何无礼的行为，我就把这些信寄给你父亲。我猜你是闹着玩的，玩腻了就丢开啦，是不是？好呀，你把林惇和这样的消遣一起丢入了‘绝望的深渊’啦。而他却是诚心诚意的爱上了，真的。就跟我现在活着一样的真实，他为了你都快死啦，因为你的三心二意而心碎啦：我这不是在打比方，是实际上如此。尽管哈里顿已讥笑了他六个星期了，我又采用了更严重的措施，企图把他的痴情吓走，但他还是一天比一天糟；到不了夏天，他就要入土啦，除非你能挽救他！”

“你怎么能对这可怜的孩子这么明目张胆地撒谎？”我从里面喊着。“请你骑马走吧！你怎么能故意编造出这么卑鄙的谎话？凯蒂小姐，我要用石头把这锁敲下来啦：你可别听那下流的瞎话。你自己也会想到一个人为爱上一个陌生人而死去是不可能的。”

“我还不知道有偷听的人哩，”这被发觉了的流氓咕噜着。

“尊贵的丁太太，我喜欢你，可是我不喜欢你的两面三刀，”他又大声说。“你怎么能这样明目张胆地说谎，肯定我恨这个‘可怜的孩子’？而且造出离奇的故事吓唬她不敢上我的门？凯瑟琳·林惇（就是这名字都使我感到温暖），我的好姑娘，今后这一个礼拜我都不在家；去瞧瞧我是不是说实话吧：去吧，那才是乖宝贝儿！只要想象你父亲处在我的地位，林惇处在你的地位；那么想想当你的父亲他亲自来请求你的爱人来的时候，而你的爱人竟不肯走一步来安慰你，那你将如何看待你这薄情的爱人呢。可不要出于纯粹的愚蠢，陷入那样的错误中去吧。我以救世主起誓，他要进坟墓了，除了你，没有别人能救他！”

锁打开了，我冲出去。

“我发誓林惇快死了，”希刺克厉夫重复着，无情地望着我。“悲哀和失望催他早死。耐莉，如果你不让她去，你自己可以走去看看。而我要到下个礼拜这个时候才回来；我想你主人他自己也不见得会反对林惇小姐去看她的表弟吧。”

“进来吧，”我说，拉着凯蒂的胳臂，一半强拉她进来；因为她还逗留着，以烦恼的目光望着这说话人的脸，那脸色太严肃，没法显示出他内在的阴险。

他把他的马拉近前来，弯下腰，又说——

“凯瑟琳小姐，我要向你承认我对林惇简直没有什么耐心啦，哈里顿和约瑟夫的忍耐心比我还少。我承认他是和一群粗暴的人在一起。他渴望着和善，还有爱情；从你嘴里说出一句和气的话就会是他最好的良药。别管丁太太那些残酷的警告，宽宏大量些，想法去看看他吧。他日日夜夜地梦着你，而且没法相信你并不恨他，因为你既不写信，又不去看他。”

我关上了门，推过一个石头来把门顶住，因为锁已被敲开。我撑开我的伞，把我保护的人拉在伞底下，雨开始穿过那悲叹着的树枝间降了下来，警告我们不能再耽搁了。在我们往家跑时，急急匆匆地，也顾不上谈论刚才遇见希刺克厉夫的事。可是我本能地看透了凯瑟琳的心如今已布满了双重的暗云。她的脸是这么悲哀，都不像她的脸了；她显然以为她所听到的话，字字句句是千真万确的。

在我们进来之前，主人已经休息去了。凯蒂悄悄地到他房里去看看他，他已经睡着了。她回来，要我陪她在书房里坐着。我们一块吃茶；这以后她躺在地毯上，叫我不要说话，因为她累了，我拿了一本书，假装在看。等到她以为我是专心看书时，她就开始了她那无声的抽泣。当时，那仿佛是她最喜爱的解闷法。我让她自我享受了一阵，然后就去规劝她了：对于希刺克厉夫所说的关于他儿子的一切我尽情地嘲笑了一番，好像我肯定她也会赞同的。唉！我却没有本事把他的话所产生的效果取消；而那正是他的打算。

“你也许对，艾伦，”她回答，“可是在我知道真相以前我就永远不会安心的。我必须告诉林惇，我不写信不是我的错，我要让他知道我是不会变心的。”

对于她那样痴心的轻信，愤怒和抗议又有什么用呢？那天晚上我们不欢而散；可第二天我又在执拗的年轻女主人的小马旁边朝着呼啸山庄的路走着。我不忍看着她难受，不忍看着她那苍白的哭泣的脸和忧郁的眼睛：我屈服了，怀着微弱的希望，只求林惇能够以他对我们的接待来证明希刺克厉夫的故事是杜撰的。

亦汐

Chapter 22



Summer drew to an end, and early autumn: it was past Michaelmas, but the harvest was late that year, and a few of our fields were still uncleared. Mr Linton and his daughter would frequently walk out among the reapers; at the carrying of the last sheaves, they stayed till dusk, and the evening happening to be chill and damp, my master caught a bad cold, that settling obstinately on his lungs, confined him indoors throughout the whole of the winter, nearly without intermission.

Poor Cathy, frightened from her little romance, had been considerably sadder and duller since its abandonment; and her father insisted on her reading less, and taking more exercise. She had his companionship no longer; I esteemed it a duty to supply its lack, as much as possible, with mine: an inefficient substitute; for I could only spare two or three hours, from my numerous diurnal occupations, to follow her footsteps, and then my society was obviously less desirable than his.

On an afternoon in October, or the beginning of November--a fresh watery afternoon, when the turf and paths were rustling with moist, withered leaves, and the cold, blue sky was half hidden by clouds--dark grey streamers, rapidly mounting from the west, and boding abundant rain--I requested my young lady to forego her ramble, because I was certain of showers. She refused; and I unwillingly donned a cloak, and took my umbrella to accompany her on a stroll to the bottom of the park; a formal walk which she generally affected if low-spirited--and that she invariably was when Mr Edgar had been worse than ordinary, a thing never known from his confession, but guessed both by her and me, from his increased silence and the melancholy of his countenance. She went sadly on: there was no running or bounding now, though the chill wind might well have tempted her to a race. And often, from the side of my eye, I could detect her raising a hand, and brushing something off her cheek. I gazed round for a means of diverting her thoughts. On one side of the road rose a high, rough bank, where hazels and stunted oaks, with their roots half exposed, held uncertain tenure: the soil was too loose for the latter; and strong winds had blown some nearly horizontal. In summer, Miss Catherine delighted to climb along these trunks, and sit in the branches, swinging twenty feet above the ground; and I, pleased with her agility and her light, childish heart, still considered it proper to scold every time I caught her at such an elevation, but so that she knew there was no necessity for descending. From dinner to tea she would lie in her breeze-rocked cradle, doing nothing except singing old songs--my nursery lore--to herself, or watching the birds, joint tenants, feed and entice their young ones to fly: or nestling with closed lids, half thinking, half dreaming, happier than words can express.

`Look, miss!' I exclaimed, pointing to a nook under the roots of one twisted tree. `Winter is not here yet. There's a little flower up yonder, the last bud from the multitude of bluebells that clouded those turf steps in July with a lilac mist. Will you clamber up, and pluck it to show to papa?'

Cathy stared a long time at the lonely blossom trembling in its earthy shelter, and replied, at length:

`No, I'll not touch it: but it looks melancholy, does it not, Ellen?'

`Yes,' I observed, `about as starved and sackless as you: your cheeks are bloodless; let us take hold of hands and run. You're so low, I dare say I shall keep up with you.

`No,' she repeated, and continued sauntering on, pausing, at intervals, to muse over a bit of moss, or a tuft of blanched grass, or a fungus spreading its bright orange among the heaps of brown foliage; and, ever and anon, her hand was lifted to her averted face.

`Catherine, why are you crying, love?' I asked, approaching and putting my arm over her shoulder. `You mustn't cry because papa has a cold; be thankful it is nothing worse.

She now put no further restraint on her tears; her breath was stifled by sobs.

`Oh, it will be something worse,' she said. `And what shall I do when papa and you leave me, and I am by myself? I can't forget your words, Ellen; they are always in my ear. How life will be changed, how dreary the world will be, when papa and you are dead.'

`None can tell, whether you won't die before us,' I replied. `It's wrong to anticipate evil. We'll hope there are years and years to come before any of us go: master is young, and I am strong, and hardly forty-five. My mother lived till eighty, a canty dame to the last. And suppose Mr Linton were spared till he saw sixty, that would be more years than you have counted, miss. And would it not be foolish to mourn a calamity above twenty years beforehand?'

`But Aunt Isabella was younger than papa,' she remarked, gazing up with timid hope to seek further consolation.

`Aunt Isabella had not you and me to nurse her,' I replied. `She wasn't as happy as master: she hadn't as much to live for. All you need do, is to wait well on your father, and cheer him by letting him see you cheerful; and avoid giving him anxiety on any subject: mind that, Cathy! I'll not disguise but you might kill him, if you were wild and reckless, and cherished a foolish, fanciful affection for the son of a person who would be glad to have him in his grave; and allowed him to discover that you fretted over the separation he had judged it expedient to make.'

`I fret about nothing on earth except papa's illness,' answered my companion. `I care for nothing in comparison with papa. And I'll never--never--oh, never, while I have my senses, do an act or say a word to vex him. I love him better than myself, Ellen; and I know it by this: I pray every night that I may live after him; because I would rather be miserable than that he should be: that proves I love him better than myself.'

`Good words,' I replied. `But deeds must prove it also; and after he is well, remember you don't forget resolutions formed in the hour of fear.'

As we talked, we neared a door that opened on the road; and my young lady, lightening into sunshine again, climbed up and seated herself on the top of the wall, reaching over to gather some hips that bloomed scarlet on the summit branches of the wild rose trees, shadowing the highway side: the lower fruit had disappeared, but only birds could touch the upper, except from Cathy's present station. In stretching to pull them, her hat fell off; and as the door was locked, she proposed scrambling down to recover it. I bid her be cautious lest she got a fall, and she nimbly disappeared. But the return was no such easy matter: the stones were smooth and neatly cemented, and the rose-bushes and blackberry stragglers could yield no assistance in re-ascending. I, like a fool, didn't recollect that, till I heard her laughing and exclaiming:

`Ellen, you'll have to fetch the key, or else I must run round to the porter's lodge. I can't scale the ramparts on this side!'

`Stay where you are,' I answered, `I have my bundle of keys in my pocket: perhaps I may manage to open it; if not I'll go.'

Catherine amused herself with dancing to and fro before the door, while I tried all the large keys in succession. I had applied the last, and found that none would do; so, repeating my desire that she would remain there, I was about to hurry home as fast as I could, when an approaching sound arrested me. It was the trot of a horse; Cathy's dance stopped, and in a minute the horse stopped also.

`Who is that?' I whispered.

`Ellen, I wish you could open the door,' whispered back my companion anxiously.

`Ho, Miss Linton!' cried a deep voice (the rider's), `I'm glad to meet you. Don't be in haste to enter, for I have an explanation to ask and obtain.'

`I shan't speak to you, Mr Heathcliff,' answered Catherine. `Papa says you are a wicked man, and you hate both him and me; and Ellen says the same.'

`That is nothing to the purpose,' said Heathcliff. (He it was.) `I don't hate my son, I suppose; and it is concerning him that I demand your attention. Yes; you have cause to blush. Two or three months since, were you not in the habit of writing to Linton? making love in play, eh? You deserved, both of you, flogging for that! You especially, the elder; and less sensitive, as it turns out. I've got your letters, and if you give me any pertness I'll send them to your father. I presume you grew weary of the amusement and dropped it, didn't you? Well, you dropped Linton with it into a slough of despond. He was in earnest: in love, really. As true as I live, he's dying for you; breaking his heart at your fickleness: not figuratively, but actually. Though Hareton has made him a standing jest for six weeks, and I have used more serious measures, and attempted to frighten him out of his idiotcy, he gets worse daily; and he'll be under the sod before summer, unless you restore him!'

`How can you lie so glaringly to the poor child?' I called from the inside. `Pray ride on! How can you deliberately get up such paltry falsehoods? Miss Cathy, I'll knock the lock off with a stone: you won't believe that vile nonsense. You can feel in yourself, it is impossible that a person should die for love of a stranger.'

`I was not aware there were eavesdroppers,' muttered the detected villain. `Worthy Mrs Dean, I like you, but I don't like your double-dealing,' he added aloud. `How could you lie so glaringly, as to affirm I hated the ``poor child''? and invent bugbear stories to terrify her from my doorstones? Catherine Linton (the very name warms me), my bonnie lass, I shall be from home all this week; go and see if I have not spoken truth: do, there's a darling! Just imagine your father in my place, and Linton in yours; then think how you would value your careless lover if he refused to stir a step to comfort you, when your father himself entreated him; and don't, from pure stupidity, fall into the same error. I swear, on my salvation, he's going to his grave, and none but you can save him!'

The lock gave way and I issued out.

`I swear Linton is dying,' repeated Heathcliff, looking hard at me. `And grief and disappointment are hastening his death. Nelly, if you won't let her go, you can walk over yourself. But I shall not return till this time next week; and I think your master himself would scarcely object to her visiting her cousin!'

`Come in,' said I, taking Cathy by the arm and half-forcing her to re-enter; for she lingered, viewing with troubled eyes the features of the speaker, too stern to express his inward deceit.

He pushed his horse close, and, bending down, observed:

`Miss Catherine, I'll owe to you that I have little patience with Linton; and Hareton and Joseph have less. I'll own that he's with a harsh set. He pines for kindness, as well as love; and a kind word from you would be his best medicine. Don't mind Mrs Dean's cruel cautions; but be generous, and contrive to see him. He dreams of you day and night, and cannot be persuaded that you don't hate him, since you neither write nor call.'

I closed the door, and rolled a stone to assist the loosened lock in holding it; and spreading my umbrella, I drew my charge underneath: for the rain began to drive through the moaning branches of the trees, and warned us to avoid delay. Our hurry prevented any comment on the encounter with Heathcliff, as we stretched towards home; but I divined instinctively that Catherine's heart was clouded now in double darkness. Her features were so sad, they did not seem hers: she evidently regarded what she had heard as every syllable true.

The master had retired to rest before we came in. Cathy stole to his room to inquire how he was; he had fallen asleep. She returned, and asked me to sit with her in the library. We took our tea together; and afterwards she lay down on the rug, and told me not to talk, for she was weary. I got a book, and pretended to read. As soon as she supposed me absorbed in my occupation, she recommenced her silent weeping: it appeared, at present, her favourite diversion. I suffered her to enjoy it a while; then I expostulated: deriding and ridiculing all Mr Heathcliff's assertions about his son, as if I were certain she would coincide. Alas! I hadn't skill to counteract the effect his account had produced: it was just what he intended.

`You may be right, Ellen,' she answered; `but I shall never feel at ease till I know. And I must tell Linton it is not my fault that I don't write, and convince him that I shall not change.'

What use were anger and protestations against her silly credulity? We parted that night--hostile; but next day beheld me on the road to Wuthering Heights, by the side of my wilful young mistress's pony. I couldn't bear to witness her sorrow: to see her pale dejected countenance, and heavy eyes; and I yielded, in the faint hope that Linton himself might prove, by his reception of us, how little of the tale was founded on fact.

亦汐

第二十三章




夜雨引来了一个雾气蒙蒙的早晨——下着霜，又飘着细雨——临时的小溪横穿过我们的小径——从高地上潺潺而下。我的脚全湿了；我心境不好，无精打采，这种情绪恰好适于作这类最不愉快的事。我们从厨房过道进去，到达了农舍，先确定一下希刺克厉夫先生究竟是否真的不在家：因为我对于他自己肯定的话是不大相信的。

约瑟夫仿佛是独自坐在一种极乐世界里，在一炉熊熊燃烧的火边；他旁边的桌子上有一杯麦酒，里面竖着大块的烤麦饼；他嘴里衔着他那黑而短的烟斗。凯瑟琳跑到炉边取暖。我就问主人在不在家？我问的话很久没有得到回答，我以为这老人已经有点聋了，就更大声地又说一遍。

“没——有！”他咆哮着，这声音还不如说是从他鼻子里叫出来的。“没——有！你从哪儿来，就滚回哪儿去。”

“约瑟夫！”从里屋传来的一个抱怨的声音跟我同时叫起来。“我要叫你几次呀？现在只剩一点红灰烬啦。约瑟夫！马上来。”

他挺带劲地喷烟，对着炉栅呆望着，表明他根本听不见这个请求。管家和哈里顿都看不见影儿；大概一个有事出去了，另一个忙他的事儿。我们听出是林惇的声音，便进去了。

“啊，我希望你死在阁楼上，活活饿死！”这孩子说，听见我们走进来，误以为是他那怠慢的听差来了呢。

他一看出他的错误就停住了，他的表姐向他奔去。

“是你吗，林惇小姐？”他说，从他靠着的大椅子扶手上抬起头来。“别——别亲我；弄得我喘不过气来了。天呀！爸爸说你会来的，”他继续说，在凯瑟琳拥抱以后稍稍定下心来；这时她站在旁边，显出很后悔的样子。“请你关上门，可以吗？你们把门开着啦；那些——那些可恶的东西不肯给火添煤。这么冷！”

我搅动一下那些余烬，自己去取了一煤斗的煤。病人抱怨着煤灰飘满他一身；可是他咳嗽没完，看来像是在发烧生病，所以我也没有斥责他的脾气。

“喂，林惇，”等他皱着的眉头展开时，凯瑟琳喃喃地说，“你喜欢看见我吗？我对你能做点什么呢？”

“你为什么以前不来呢？”他问。“你应该来的，不必写信。写这些长信把我烦死啦。我宁可跟你谈谈。现在我可连谈话也受不了，什么事都作不成。不知道齐拉上哪儿去了！你能不能（望着我）到厨房里去看一下？”

我刚才为他忙这忙那的，却并没有听到他一声谢；我也就不愿再在他的命令下跑来跑去，我回答说——

“除了约瑟夫，没有人在那儿。”

“我要喝水，”他烦恼地叫着，转过身去。“自从爸爸一走，齐拉就常常荡到吉默吞去，真倒霉！我不得不下来到这儿呆着——他们总是故意听不见我在楼上叫。”

“你父亲照顾你周到吗，希刺克厉夫少爷？”我问，看出凯瑟琳的友好的表示遭受了挫折。

“照顾？至少他叫他们照顾得太过分了，”他叫喊。“那些坏蛋！你知道吗，林惇小姐，那个野蛮的哈里顿还笑我哩！我恨他！实在的，我恨他们所有的人：尽是些讨厌的家伙。”

凯蒂开始找水；她在食橱里发现一瓶水，就倒满一大杯，端过来。他吩咐她从桌子上一个瓶子里倒出一匙酒来加上；喝下一点后，他显得平静些了，说她很和气。

“你喜欢看见我吗？”她重复她以前的问话，很高兴地看出他脸上稍稍有一点微笑的神气了。

“是的，我喜欢，听见像你讲话的这种声音是怪新鲜的事！”他回答。“可是我苦恼过，因为你不肯来。爸爸赌咒说是由于我的缘故，他骂我是一个可怜的、阴阳怪气的，不值一文的东西，又说你瞧不起我；还说如果他处在我的地位，这时他就会比你父亲更像是田庄的主人了。可你不是瞧不起我吧，是吗，小姐——？”

“我愿意你叫我凯瑟琳，或是凯蒂，”我的小姐打断他的话。“瞧不起你？不！除了爸爸和艾伦，我爱你超过爱任何活着的人。不过，我不爱希刺克厉夫先生；等他回来，我就不敢来了。他要走开好多天吗？”

“没有好多天，”林惇回答，“可是自从猎季开始，他常常到旷野去；当他不在的时候你可以陪我一两个钟头，答应我你一定要来。我想我一定不会跟你发脾气，你是不会惹我生气的，而且你总是想帮助我的，不是吗？”

“是的，”凯瑟琳说，抚着他的柔软的长发。“只要我能得到爸爸的允许，我就把我一半的时间全用来陪你。漂亮的林惇！我但愿你是我的弟弟。”

“那你就会喜欢我像喜欢你父亲一样了吗？”他说，比刚才愉快些了。“可是爸爸说，如果你是我的妻子，你就会爱我胜过爱他、爱全世界，所以我宁愿你是我的妻子。”

“不，我永远不会爱任何人胜过爱爸爸，”她严肃地回嘴。

“有时候人们恨他们的妻子，可是不恨他们的兄弟姊妹，如果你是弟弟，你就可以跟我们住在一起，爸爸就会跟喜欢我一样的喜欢你。”

林惇否认人们会恨他们的妻子；可是凯蒂肯定他们会这样，并且，一时聪明，举出他自己的父亲对她姑姑的反感为例。我想止住她那毫不思索的饶舌，但止不住她，她把她所知道的全倒出来了。希刺克厉夫少爷大为恼火，硬说她的叙述全是假的。

“爸爸告诉我的，爸爸不说假话。”她唐突地说。

“我的爸爸看不起你爸爸，”林惇大叫。“他骂他是一个鬼鬼祟祟的呆子。”

“你爸爸是一个恶毒的人，”凯瑟琳反骂起来，“你竟敢重复他所说的话，这是非常可恶的。他一定是很恶毒，才会使伊莎贝拉姑姑离开了他。”

“她并不是离开他，”那男孩子说，“你不要反驳我。”

“她是，”我的小姐嚷道。

“好，我也告诉你点事吧！”林惇说。“你的母亲恨你的父亲，怎么样吧。”

“啊！”凯瑟琳大叫，愤怒得说不下去了。

“而且她爱我的父亲。”他又说。

“你这说谎的小家伙！我现在恨你啦！”她喘息着，她的脸因为激动变得通红。

“她是的！她是的！”林惇叫着。陷到他的椅子里头，他的头往后抑靠着来欣赏站在他背后的那个辩论家的激动神气。

“住嘴，希刺克厉夫少爷？”我说，“我猜那也是你父亲编出来的故事。”

“不是：你住嘴！”他回答。“她是的，她是的，凯瑟琳！

她是的，她是的！”

凯蒂管不住自己了，把林惇的椅子猛然一推，这一下使他倒在一只扶手上。他立刻来了一阵窒息的咳嗽，很快地结束了他的胜利。他咳得这么久，连我都吓住了。至于他表姐呢，拚命大哭，为她所惹的祸吓坏了；虽然她并没说什么。我扶着他，直等到他咳嗽咳够了。然后他把我推开，默默地垂下了头。凯瑟琳也止住了她的悲泣，坐在对面的椅子上，庄严地望着火。

“你现在觉得怎么样，希刺克厉夫少爷？”等了十分钟，我问道。

“我但愿她也尝尝我所受的滋味，”他回答，“可恶的、残忍的东西！哈里顿从来没有碰过我；他从来没有打过我。今天我才好一点，就——”他的声音消失在呜咽中了。

“我并没有打你呀！”凯蒂咕噜着，咬住她的嘴唇，以防感情再一次爆发。

他又叹息又哼哼，就像是一个在忍受着极大苦痛的人。他哼了有一刻钟之久；显然是故意让他表姐难过，因为他每次一听到她发出哽咽的抽泣，他就在他的抑扬顿挫声调中重新添点痛苦与悲哀。

“我很抱歉我伤了你，林惇，”她终于说了，给折磨得受不住了。“可是那样轻轻一推，我就不会受伤，我也没想到你会。你伤得不厉害吧，是吗，林惇？别让我回家去还想着我伤害了你。理睬我吧！跟我说话呀。”

“我不能跟你说话，”他咕噜着，“你把我弄伤了，我会整夜醒着，咳得喘不过气来。要是你有这病，你就可以懂得这滋味啦；可是我在受罪的时候，你只顾舒舒服服地睡觉，没有一个人在我身边。我倒想要是你度过那些可怕的长夜，你会觉得怎么样！”他因为怜悯自己，开始大哭起来。

“既然你有度过可怕的长夜的习惯，”我说，“那就不是小姐破坏了你的安宁啦；她要是不来，你也还是这样。无论如何，她不会再来打搅你啦；也许我们离开了你，你就会安静些了。”

“我一定得走吗？”凯瑟琳忧愁地俯下身对着他问道。“你愿意我走吗？林惇？”

“你不能改变你所作的事，”他急躁地回答，躲着她，“除非你把事情改变得更糟，把我气得发烧。”

“好吧，那么，我一定得走啦，”她又重复说。

“至少，让我一个人待在这儿，”他说，“跟你谈话，我受不了。”

她踌躇不去，我好说歹说地劝她走，她就是不听。可是既然他不抬头，也不说话，她终于向门口走去，我也跟着。我们被一声尖叫召回来了。林惇从他的椅子上滑到炉前石板上，躺在那里扭来扭去，就像一个任性的死缠人的孩子在撒赖，故意要尽可能地作出悲哀和受折磨的样子。他的举动使我看透他的性格，立刻看出要迁就他，那才傻哩。我的同伴可不这样想：她恐怖地跑回去，跪下来，又叫，又安慰又哀求，直到他没了劲，安静了下来，决不是因为看她难过而懊悔的。

“我来把他抱到高背长靠椅上，”我说，“他爱怎么滚就怎么滚。我们不能停下来守着他。我希望你满意了，凯蒂小姐，因为你不是能对他有益的人；他的健康情况也不是由于对你的依恋而搞成这样的。现在，好了，让他在那儿吧！走吧，等到他一知道没有人理睬他的胡闹，他也就安安静静地躺着了。”

她把一个靠垫枕在他的头下，给他一点水喝。他拒绝喝水，又在靠垫上不舒服地翻来复去，好像那是块石头或是块木头似的。她试着把它放得更舒服些。

“我可不要那个，”他说，“不够高。”

凯瑟琳又拿来一个靠垫加在上面。

“太高啦，”这个惹人厌的东西咕噜着。

“那么我该怎么弄呢？”她绝望地问道。

他靠在她身上，因为她半跪在长椅旁，他就把她的肩膀当作一种倚靠了。

“不，那不成，”我说，“你枕着靠垫就可以知足了，希刺克厉夫少爷。小姐已经在你身上浪费太多的时间啦：我们连五分钟也不能多待了。”

“不，不，我们能！”凯蒂回答。“现在他好了，能忍着点啦。他在开始想到，如果我认为是我的来访才使他病重的话，那我今晚肯定会比他过得还要难受。那么我也就不敢再来了。

说实话吧，林惇；要是我弄痛了你，我就不能来啦。”

“你一定要来，来医治我，”他回答。“你应该来，因为你弄痛了我：你知道你把我弄痛得很厉害！你进来时我并没有像现在这样病得厉害——是吧？”

“可是你又哭又闹把你自己弄病了的——可不是我，”他的表姐说，“无论如何，现在我们要作朋友了。而且你需要我：

你有时也愿意看见我，是真的么？”

“我已经告诉了你我愿意，”他不耐烦地回答说。“坐在长椅子上，让我靠着你的膝。妈妈总是那样的，整个整个下午都那样。静静地坐着，别说话：可要是你能唱歌也可以唱个歌；或者你可以说一首又长又好又有趣的歌谣——你答应过教我的；或者讲个故事。不过，我情愿来首歌谣！开始吧。”

凯瑟琳背诵她所能记住的最长的一首。这件事使他俩都很愉快。林惇又要再来一个，完了又再来一个，丝毫不顾我拚命反对；这样他们一直搞到钟打了十二点，我们听见哈里顿在院子里，他回来吃中饭了。

“明天，凯瑟琳，明天你来吗？”小希刺克厉夫问，在她勉强站起来时拉着她的衣服。

“不，”我回答，“后天也不。”她可显然给了一个不同的答复，因为在她俯身向他耳语时，他的前额就开朗了起来。

“你明天不能来，记住，小姐！”当我们走出这所房子时，我就说。“你不是作梦吧，是不是？”

她微笑。

“啊，我要特别小心，”我继续说，“我要把那把锁修好，你就没路溜走啦。”

“我能爬墙，”她笑着说，“田庄不是监牢，艾伦，你也不是我的看守。再说，我快十七岁啦，我是一个女人。我担保如果林惇有我去照应他，他的身体会很快好起来。我比他大，你知道，也聪明点，孩子气少些，不是吗？稍微来点甜言蜜语，他就会听我的了。当他好好的时候，他是个漂亮的小宝贝哩。如果他是我家里人，我要把他当个宝贝。我们永远不吵架，等我们彼此熟悉了，我们还会吵吗？你不喜欢他吗，艾伦？”

“喜欢他！”我大叫。“一个勉强挣扎到十几岁的，脾气坏透的小病人。幸亏，如希刺克厉夫所料，他是活不到二十岁的。真的，我怀疑他还能不能看见春天。无论什么时候他死了，对他的家庭都算不得是个损失。对我们来说，总算运气好，因为他父亲把他带走了：对待他越和气，他就越麻烦，越自私。我很高兴你没有要他作你丈夫的机会，凯瑟琳小姐。”

我的同伴听着这段话时，变得很严肃。这样不经意地谈到他的死，伤了她的感情。

“他比我小，”沉思半晌之后，她答道，“他应该活得很长，他要——他一定得活得跟我一样长久。现在他和才到北方来时一样强壮，这点我敢肯定。他只是受了一点凉，就跟爸爸一样，你说爸爸会好起来的，那他为什么不能呢？”

“好啦，好啦，”我叫着，“反正我们用不着给自己找麻烦；你听着，小姐——记住，我说话可是算数的——如果你打算再去呼啸山庄，有我陪着也好，没有我陪着也好，我就告诉林惇先生；除非他准许，不然你和你表弟的亲密关系绝不能再恢复。”

“已经恢复了，”凯蒂执拗地咕噜着。

“那么就一定不能继续，”我说。

“我们走着瞧吧，”这是她的回答，她就骑马疾驰而去，丢下我在后面辛辛苦苦地赶着。

我们都在午饭之前到了家；我的主人还以为我们是在花园里溜达哩，因此没要我们解释不在家的原因。我一进门，就赶忙换掉我那湿透了的鞋袜；可是在山庄坐了这么久可惹出了祸。第二天早上我起不来了，有三个星期之久，我不能执行我的职务：这个灾难是那时期以前从未经历过的，而且感谢上帝，自那以后也没有过。

我的小女主人表现得如天使一般，来侍候我，在我寂寞时来使我愉快。这种禁闭使我的情绪很低沉。对于一个忙碌好动的人，真感到无聊极了。可是和人家相比，我简直没什么理由可抱怨的。凯瑟琳一离开林惇先生的屋子，就出现在我的床边。她一天的时间全分给我们两个人了；没有一分钟是玩掉的：吃饭、读书和游戏她都不放在心上，真是位难得的、讨人喜的看护。在她这么爱她的父亲时，还能这么关心我，她必然是有颗热情的心。我说过她一天的时间全分给我们两个人了；但是主人休息得很早，我通常在六点钟以后也不需要什么，如此晚上就是她自己的了。可怜的东西！我从来没想到在吃茶以后她去作什么了。虽然时不时地，当她进来望望我，跟我道声晚安时，我看见她的脸上有一种鲜艳的色彩，她的纤细的手指也略微泛红。但我没想到这颜色是因为冒着严寒骑马过旷野而来，却以为是因为在书房烤火的缘故哩。

亦汐

Chapter 23



The rainy night had ushered in a misty morning--half frost, half drizzle and temporary brooks crossed our path--gurgling from the uplands. My feet were thoroughly wetted; I was cross and low; exactly the humour suited for making the most of these disagreeable things. We entered the farmhouse by the kitchen way, to ascertain whether Mr Heathcliff were really absent; because I put slight faith in his own affirmation.

Joseph seemed sitting in a sort of elysium alone, beside a roaring fire; a quart of ale on the table near him, bristling with large pieces of toasted oatcake; and his black, short pipe in his mouth. Catherine ran to the hearth to warm herself. I asked if the master was in? My question remained so long unanswered, that I thought the old man had grown deaf, and repeated it louder.

`Na-ay!' he snarled, or rather screamed through his nose. `Na-ay! yah muh goa back whear yah coom frough.'

`Joseph!' cried a peevish voice, simultaneously with me, from the inner room. `How often am I to call you? There are only a few red ashes now. Joseph! come this moment.

Vigorous puffs, and a resolute stare into the grate declared he had no ear for this appeal. The housekeeper and Hareton were invisible; one gone on an errand, and the other at his work, probably. We knew Linton's tones, and entered.

`Oh, I hope you'll die in a garret! starved to death,' said the boy, mistaking our approach for that of his negligent attendant.

He stopped, on observing his error; his cousin flew to him.

`Is that you, Miss Linton?' he said, raising his head from the arm of the great chair, in which he reclined. `No--don't kiss me: it takes my breath. Dear me! Papa said you would call,' continued he, after recovering a little from Catherine's embrace; while she stood by liking very contrite. `Will you shut the door, if you please? you left it open; and those--those detestable creatures won't bring coals to the fire. It's so cold!'

I stirred up the cinders, and fetched a scuttleful myself. The invalid complained of being covered with ashes; but he had a tiresome cough, and looked feverish and ill, so I did not rebuke his temper.

`Well, Linton,' murmured Catherine, when his corrugated brow relaxed. `Are you glad to see me? Can I do you any good?'

`Why didn't you come before?' he asked. `You should have come, instead of writing. It tired me dreadfully, writing those long letters. I'd far rather have talked to you. Now, I can neither bear to talk, nor anything else. I wonder where Zillah is! Will you (looking at me) step into the kitchen and see?'

I had received no thanks for my other service; and being unwilling to run out to and fro at his behest, I replied:

`Nobody is out there but Joseph.'

`I want to drink,' he exclaimed fretfully, turning away. `Zillah is constantly gadding off to Gimmerton since papa went: it's miserable! And I'm obliged to come down here--they resolved never to hear me upstairs.'

`Is your father attentive to you, Master Heathcliff?' I asked, perceiving Catherine to be checked in her friendly advances.

`Attentive? He makes them a little more attentive at least,' he cried. `The wretches! Do you know, Miss Linton, that brute Hareton laughs at me! I hate him! indeed, I hate them all: they are odious beings.'

Cathy began searching for some water; she lighted on a pitcher in the dresser, filled a tumbler, and brought it. He bid her add a spoonful of wine from a bottle on the table; and having swallowed a small portion, appeared more tranquil, and said she was very kind.

`And are you glad to see me?' asked she, reiterating her former question, and pleased to detect the faint dawn of a smile.

`Yes, I am. It's something new to hear a voice like yours!' he replied. `But I have been vexed, because you wouldn't come. And papa swore it was owing to me: he called me a pitiful, shuffling, worthless thing; and said you despised me; and if he had been in my place, he would be more the master of the Grange than your father, by this time. But you don't despise me, do you, Miss--

`I wish you would say Catherine, or Cathy,' interrupted my young lady. `Despise you? No! Next to papa and Ellen, I love you better than anybody living. I don't love Mr Heathcliff, though; and I dare not come when he returns; will he stay away many days?'

`Not many,' answered Linton; `but he goes on to the moors frequently, since the shooting season commenced; and you might spend an hour or two with me in his absence. Do say you will. I think I should not be peevish with you: you'd not provoke me, and you'd always be ready to help me, wouldn't you?'

`Yes,' said Catherine, stroking his long soft hair; `if I could only get papa's consent, I'd spend half my time with you. Pretty Linton! I wish you were my brother.'

`And then you would like me as well as your father?' observed he, more cheerfully. `But papa says you would love me better than him and all the world, if you were my wife; so I'd rather you were that.'

`No, I should never love anybody better than papa,' she returned gravely. `And people hate their wives, sometimes; but not their sisters and brothers: and if you were the latter you would live with us, and papa would be as fond of you as he is of me.'

Linton denied that people ever hated their wives; but Cathy affirmed they did, and, in her wisdom, instanced his own father's aversion to her aunt. I endeavoured to stop her thoughtless tongue. I couldn't succeed till everything she knew was out. Master Heathcliff, much irritated, asserted her relation was false.

`Papa told me; and papa does not tell falsehoods,' she answered pertly.

`Ny papa scorns yours!' cried Linton. `He calls him a sneaking fool!'

`Yours is a wicked man,' retorted Catherine, `and you are very naughty to dare to repeat what he says. He must be wicked to have made Aunt Isabella leave him as she did!'

`She didn't leave him,' said the boy; `you shan't contradict me!'

`She did!' cried my young lady.

`Well, I'll tell you something!' said Linton. `Your mother hated your father: now then.'

`Oh!' exclaimed Catherine, too enraged to continue. `And she loved mine!' added he.

`You little liar! I hate you now,' she panted, and her face grew red with passion.

`She did! she did!' sang Linton, sinking into the recess of his chair, and leaning back his head to enjoy the agitation of the other disputant, who stood behind.

`Hush, Master Heathcliff!' I said; `that's your father's tale, too, I suppose.'

`It isn't: you hold your tongue!' he answered. `She did, she did, Catherine! she did, she did!'

Cathy, beside herself, gave the chair a violent push, and caused him to fall against one arm. He was immediately seized by a suffocating cough that soon ended his triumph. It lasted so long that it frightened even me. As to his cousin, she wept, with all her might; aghast at the mischief she had done: though she said nothing. I held him till the fit exhausted itself. Then he thrust me away, and leant his head down silently. Catherine quelled her lamentations also, took a seat opposite, and looked solemnly into the fire.

`How do you feel now, Master Heathcliff?' I inquired, after waiting ten minutes.

`I wish she felt as I do,' he replied: `spiteful, cruel thing! Hareton never touches me: he never struck me in his life. And I was better today: and there--` his voice died in a whimper.

`I didn't strike you!' muttered Cathy, chewing her lip to prevent another burst of emotion.

He sighed and moaned like one under great suffering, and kept it up for a quarter of an hour; on purpose to distress his cousin apparently, for whenever he caught a stifled sob from her he put renewed pain and pathos into the inflections of his voice.

`I'm sorry I hurt you, Linton,' she said at length, racked beyond endurance. `But I couldn't have been hurt by that little push, and I had no idea that you could, either: you're not much, are you, Linton? Don't let me go home thinking I've done you harm. Answer! speak to me.'

`I can't speak to you,' he murmured; `you've hurt me so, that I shall lie awake all night choking with this cough. If you had it you'd know what it was; but you'll be comfortably asleep while I'm in agony, and nobody near me. I wonder how you would like to pass those fearful nights!' And he began to wail aloud, for very pity of himself.

`Since you are in the habit of passing dreadful nights,' I said, `it won't be miss who spoils your ease: you'd be the same had she never come. However, she shall not disturb you again; and perhaps you'll get quieter when we leave you.

`Must I go?' asked Catherine dolefully, bending over him. `Do you want me to go, Linton?'

`You can't alter what you've done,' he replied pettishly, shrinking from her, `unless you alter it for the worse by teasing me into a fever.'

`Well, then, I must go?' she repeated.

`Let me alone, at least,' said he; `I can't bear your talking.'

She lingered, and resisted my persuasions to departure a tiresome while; but as he neither looked up nor spoke, she finally made a movement to the door and I followed. We were recalled by a scream. Linton had slid from his seat on to the hearthstone, and lay writhing in the mere perverseness of an indulged plague of a child, determined to be as grievous and harassing as it can. I thoroughly gauged his disposition from his behaviour, and saw at once it would be folly to attempt humouring him. Not so my companion: she ran back in terror, knelt down, and cried, and soothed, and entreated, till he grew quiet from lack of breath: by no means from compunction at distressing her.

`I shall lift him on the settle,' I said, `and he may roll about as he pleases: we can't stop to watch him. I hope you are satisfied, Miss Cathy, that you are not the person to benefit him; and that his condition of health is not occasioned by attachment to you. Now, then, there he is! Come away: as soon as he knows there is nobody by to care for his nonsense, he'll be glad to lie still.'

She placed a cushion under his head, and offered him some water; he rejected the latter, and tossed uneasily on the former, as if it were a stone or a block of wood. She tried to put it more comfortably.

`I can't do with that,' he said; `it's not high enough.'

Catherine brought another to lay above it.

`That's too high,' murmured the provoking thing.

`How must I arrange it, then?' she asked despairingly.

He twined himself up to her, as she half knelt by the settle, and converted her shoulder into a support.

`No, that won't do,' I said. `You'll be content with the cushion, Master Heathcliff. Miss has wasted too much time on you already: we cannot remain five minutes longer.'

`Yes, yes, we can!' replied Cathy. `He's good and patient now. He's beginning to think I shall have far greater misery than he will tonight, if I believe he is the worse for my visit; and then I dare not come again. Tell the truth about it, Linton; for I mustn't come, if I have hurt you.'

`You must come, to cure me,' he answered. `You ought to come, because you have hurt me: you know you have extremely! I was not as ill when you entered as I am at present--was I?'

`But you've made yourself ill by crying and being in a passion.'

`I didn't do it at all,' said his cousin. `However, we'll be friends

now. And you want me: you would wish to see me sometimes, really?'

`I told you I did,' he replied impatiently. `Sit on the settle and let me lean on your knee. That's as mamma used to do, whole afternoons together. Sit quite still and don't talk: but you may sing a song, if you can sing; or you may say a nice long interesting ballad--one of those you promised to teach me: or a story. I'd rather have a ballad, though: begin.'

Catherine repeated the longest she could remember. The employment pleased both mightily. Linton would have another; and after that another, notwithstanding my strenuous objections; and so they went on until the clock struck twelve, and we heard Hareton in the court, returning for his dinner.

`And tomorrow, Catherine, will you be here tomorrow?' asked young Heathcliff, holding her frock as she rose reluctantly.

`No,' I answered, `nor next day neither.' She, however, gave a different response evidently, for his forehead cleared as she stooped and whispered in his ear.

`You won't go tomorrow, recollect, miss!' I commenced, when we were out of the house. `You are not dreaming of it, are you?'

`Oh, I'll take good care,' I continued: `I'll have that lock mended, and you can escape by no way else.'

`I can get over the wall,' she said, laughing. `The Grange is not a prison, Ellen, and you are not my jailer. And besides, I'm almost seventeen: I'm a woman. And I'm certain Linton would recover quickly if he had me to look after him. I'm older than he is, you know, and wiser: less childish, am I not? And he'll soon do as I direct him, with some slight coaxing. He's a pretty little darling when he's good. I'd make such a pet of him, if he were mine. We should never quarrel, should we, after we were used to each other? Don't you like him, Ellen?'

`Like him?' I exclaimed. `The worst-tempered bit of a sickly slip that ever struggled into its teens. Happily, as Mr Heathcliff conjectured, he'll not win twenty. I doubt whether he'll see spring, indeed. And small loss to his family whenever he drops off. And lucky it is for us that his father took him: the kinder he was treated, the more tedious and selfish he'd be. I'm glad you have no chance of having him for a husband, Miss Catherine.'

My companion waxed serious at hearing this speech. To speak of his death so regardlessly, wounded her feelings.

`He's younger than I,' she answered, after a protracted pause of meditation, `and he ought to live the longest: he will--he must live as long as I do. He's as strong now as when he first came into the north; I'm positive of that. It's only a cold that ails him, the same as papa has. You say papa will get better, and why shouldn't he?'

`Well, well,' I cried, `after all, we needn't trouble ourselves; for listen, miss, and mind, I'll keep my word,--if you attempt going to Wuthering Heights again, with or without me, I shall inform Mr Linton, and, unless he allow it, the intimacy with your cousin must not be revived.'

`It has been revived,' muttered Cathy sulkily. `Must not be continued, then,' I said.

`We'll see,' was her reply, and she set off at a gallop, leaving me to toil in the rear.

We both reached home before our dinner time; my master supposed we had been wandering through the park, and therefore he demanded no explanation of our absence. As soon as I entered, I hastened to change my soaked shoes and stockings; but sitting such a while at the Heights had done the mischief. On the succeeding morning I was laid up, and during three weeks I remained incapacitated for attending to my duties: a calamity never experienced prior to that period, and never, I am thankful to say, since.

My little mistress behaved like an angel, in coming to wait on me, and cheer my solitude: the confinement brought me exceedingly low. It is wearisome, to a stirring active body: but few have slighter reasons for complaint than I had. The moment Catherine left Mr Linton's room, she appeared at my bedside. Her day was divided between us; no amusement usurped a minute: she neglected her meals, her studies, and her play; and she was the fondest nurse that ever watched. She must have had a warm heart, when she loved her father so, to give so much to me. I said her days were divided between us; but the master retired early, and I generally needed nothing after six o'clock; thus the evening was her own. Poor thing! I never considered what she did with herself after tea. And though frequently, when she looked in to bid me good night, I remarked a fresh colour in her cheeks and a pinkness over her slender fingers; instead of fancying the hue borrowed from a cold ride across the moors, I laid it to the charge of a hot fire in the library.

亦汐

第二十四章




到了三个礼拜的末尾，我已能够走出我的屋子，在这所房子里随便走动了。我第一次在晚间坐起来的时候，请凯瑟琳念书给我听，因为我的眼睛还不济事。我们是在书房里，主人已经睡觉去了：她答应了，我猜想，她可不大愿意；我以为我看的这类书不对她的劲，我叫她随便挑本她读熟的书。她挑了一本她喜欢的，一口气念下去，念了一个钟头左右；然后就老问我：“艾伦，你不累吗？现在你躺下来不是更好一些吗？你要生病啦，这么晚还不睡，艾伦。”

“不，不，亲爱的，我不累，”我不停地回答着。

当她明白劝不动我时，又试换一种方法，就是有意显出她对正在干的事儿不感兴趣，就变成打打哈欠，伸伸懒腰，以及——

“艾伦，我累了。”

“那么别念啦，谈谈话吧，”我回答。

那更糟：她又是焦躁又是叹气，总看她的表，一直到八点钟，终于回她的屋子去了，她那抱怨的、怏怏不乐的模样，还不停地揉着眼睛，完全是瞌睡极了的样子。第二天晚上她仿佛更不耐烦；第三天为了避免陪我，她抱怨着头痛，就离开我了。我想她的行为很特别；我独自待了很久，决定去看看她是不是好点了，想叫她来躺在沙发上，省得呆在黑洞洞的楼上。楼上哪有凯瑟琳的影儿，楼下也没有。仆人们都肯定说他们没看见她。我在埃德加先生的门前听听：那里面静静的。我回到她的屋里，吹熄了蜡烛，坐在窗前。

月亮照得很亮；一层雪洒在地上，我想她可能是去花园散步，清醒一下头脑去了。我的确发觉了一个人影顺着花园里面的篱笆蹑手蹑脚地前进，但那不是我的小女主人。当那人影走进亮处时，我认出那是一个马夫。他站了相当久，穿过园林望着那条马路；然后敏捷地迈步走去，好像他侦察到了什么似的，立刻又出现了，牵着小姐的马；她就在那儿，才下马，在马旁边走着。这人鬼鬼祟祟地牵着马穿过草地向马厩走去。凯蒂从客厅的窗户那儿进来了，一点声音也没有就溜到我正等着她的地方。她也轻轻地关上门，脱下她那双沾了雪的鞋子，解开她的帽子，并不晓得我在瞅着她，正要脱下她的斗篷，我忽然站起来，出现了。这个意外的事使她愣了一下：她发出一声不清晰的叫声，便站在那里不动了。

“我亲爱的凯瑟琳小姐，”我开始说，她最近的温柔给了我太鲜明的印象，使我不忍破口骂她，“这个时候你骑马到哪儿去啦？你为什么要扯谎骗我呢？你去哪儿啦？说呀！”

“到花园那头去了，”她结结巴巴地说，“我没扯谎。”

“没去别处吗？”我追问。

“没有，”她喃喃地回答。

“啊，凯瑟琳！”我难过地叫道。“你知道你作错了，不然你不会硬跟我说瞎话。这使我很难过。我宁可病三个月，也不愿听你编一套故意捏造的瞎话。”

她向前一扑，忽然大哭，搂着我的脖子。

“啊，艾伦，我多怕你生气呀，”她说。“答应我不生气，你就可以知道实在情况了：我也不愿意瞒着你呢。”

我们坐在窗台上；我向她担保无论她的秘密是什么，我也不会骂她，当然，我也猜到了；所以她就开始说——

“我是去呼啸山庄了，艾伦，自从你病倒了以后，我没有一天不去的；只有在你能出房门以前有三次没去，以后有两次没去。我给麦寇尔一些书和画，叫他每天晚上把敏妮准备好，等用过后把它牵回马厩里：记住，你也千万别骂他。我是六点半到山庄，通常待到八点半，然后再骑马跑回家。我去并不是为了让自己快乐，我常常感到心烦。有时候我也快乐，也许一个星期有一次吧。起初，我预料要说服你答应我对林惇守信用，那一定很费事；因为在我们离开他的时候，我约好了第二天再去看他的；可是第二天你却在楼上躺下了，我就避开了那场麻烦。等到麦寇尔下午把花园门上的锁重新扣上，我拿到了钥匙，就告诉他我的表弟是如何盼望着我去看他，因为他病了，不能到田庄来；还有爸爸又如何反对我去：然后我就跟他商议关于小马的事。他很喜欢看书，他又想到不久就要离开这里去结婚了，因此他就提议，如果我肯从书房里拿出书来借给他，他就听我的吩咐：但是我情愿把我自己的书送给他，这使他更满意了。

“我第二次去时，林惇看来精神挺好；齐拉（那是他们的管家）给我们预备出一间干净的屋子，一炉好火，而且告诉我们，我们爱干什么就干什么，因为约瑟夫参加一个祈祷会去了，哈里顿带着他的狗出去了——我后来听说是到我们林中偷雉鸡的。她给我拿来一点温热的酒和姜饼，而且表现得非常和气；林惇坐在安乐椅上，我坐在壁炉边的小摇椅上，我们谈笑得这么快乐，发现有这么多话要说：我们计划夏天要到哪儿去，要作什么。这里我就不必多重复了，因为你会说这是愚蠢的。

“可是有一次，我们几乎吵起来。他说消磨一个炎热的七月天最令人愉快的办法是从早到晚躺在旷野中间一片草地上，蜜蜂在花丛里梦幻似地嗡嗡叫，头顶上百灵鸟高高地歌唱着，还有那蔚蓝的天空和明亮的太阳，太阳没有云彩遮挡，一个劲儿的照耀着。那就是他所谓的天堂之乐的最完美的想法。而我想坐在一棵簌簌作响的绿树上摇荡，西风吹动，晴朗的白云在头顶上一掠而过；不止有百灵鸟，还有画眉雀、山鸟、红雀和杜鹃在各处婉转啼鸣，遥望旷野裂成许多冷幽幽的峡溪；但近处有茂盛的、长长的青草迎着微风形成波浪的起伏；还有森林和潺潺的流水，而整个世界都已苏醒过来，沉浸在疯狂的欢乐之中。他要一切都处在一种恬静的心醉神迷之中里；而我要一切在灿烂的欢欣中闪耀飞舞。我说他的天堂是半死不活的；他说我的天堂是发酒疯；我说我在他的天堂里一定要睡着的；他说他在我的天堂里就要喘不过气来，于是他开始变得非常暴躁。最后我们同意一等到适宜的天气就都试一下；然后我们互相亲吻，又成了朋友。

“坐定了有一个钟头之后，我望着那间有着光滑的不铺地毯的地板的大屋子，我想要是我们把桌子挪开，那多好玩；我要林惇叫齐拉进来帮我们，我们可以玩捉迷藏，要她捉我们。你知道你常这样玩的，艾伦。他不肯，说没意思，可是他答应和我玩球。我们在一个碗橱里找到了两个球，那里面有一大堆旧玩具，陀螺、圈、打球板、羽毛球。有一个球写着C．有一个是H．我想要那个C．因为那是代表凯瑟琳，H．可能是代表他的姓希刺克厉夫①；可是H．球里的糠都漏出来了，林惇不喜欢那个。我老是赢了他，他不高兴了，又咳起来，回到他的椅子上去了。不过，那天晚上，他很容易地恢复了他的好脾气：他听了两三只好听的歌——你的歌，艾伦——听得出神了；当我不得不走开时，他求我第二天晚上再去，我就答应了。敏妮和我飞奔回家，轻快得像阵风一样；我梦见呼啸山庄和我的可爱的宝贝表弟，这些梦一直做到清晨。

①凯瑟琳，原文是Catherine，所以可以用C来代表。希刺克厉夫，原文是Heathcliff，可用H来代表。

“早晨我很难过；是因为你还在生病，也因为我愿意我父亲知道，而且赞成我的出游；但是喝完茶后，正是美丽的月夜；我骑马往前走的时候，我的阴郁心境就消除了，心想：我又将过一个快乐的晚上了；更使我愉快的是那漂亮的林惇也将如此。我飞快地骑马到他们的花园，正要转到后面去，恩萧那个家伙看见我了，拉着我的缰绳，叫我走前门。他拍着敏妮的脖子，说它是头好牲口，看样子好像他想要我跟他说话似的。我只跟他说不要碰我的马，不然它可会踢他。他用土里土气口音说：‘就是踢了也不会受多大伤。’还看看它的腿，微微一笑。我倒想让他试试了；但是他走开去开门了，当他拔起门闩时，抬头望那门上刻着的字，带着一种又窘又得意的傻相说——‘凯瑟琳小姐，现在我能念啦。’

“‘妙呀，’我嚷道。‘让我们听听你念吧——你是变能干啦！’

“他念着这名字，逐字拖长声音——‘哈里顿·恩萧。’

“‘还有数目字呢？’我鼓励地大声喊着，看出他顿住了。

“‘我还念不起来，’他回答。

“‘啊，你这呆瓜！’我说，看他念不成就开心地笑起来。

“那个傻子瞪着眼发愣，嘴上挂着痴笑，眉头蹙起，好像不知道他该不该跟我一块笑似的，也不知我的笑是表示亲热，还是轻视——实际上也正是轻视。我解除了他的疑惑，因为我突然恢复了我的尊严，要他走开，我是来看林惇的，不是来看他的。他脸红了——我借着月光看出来的——他的手从门上垂下来，躲躲闪闪地溜掉了，一种虚荣心被羞辱了的模样。他想象他自己跟林惇一样地有才能哩，我猜想，因为他能念他自己的名字了；可是他大为狼狈，因为我并不这样想。”

“别说啦，凯瑟琳小姐，亲爱的！”我打断她。“我不骂你，可是我不喜欢你那样的作风。如果你还记得哈里顿是你的表哥，和希刺克厉夫少爷是一样的，你就要觉得那样作法是多么不恰当了。至少他渴望和林惇一样地有成就，那是值得称赞的抱负；大概他也不是单单为了炫耀才学习：你以前曾使他因为无知而感到羞耻，这点我不怀疑；他愿意补救，而讨你欢心。嘲笑他那还没完成的企图是很不礼貌的。要是你在他的环境中长大，难道你就会比较不粗鲁些？他原来是个和你一样机灵聪明的孩子；我很伤心他现在要受人轻视，只因为那个卑鄙的希刺克厉夫这么不公平地对待他。”

“啊，艾伦，你不会为这事哭起来吧，会吗？”她叫起来，我的真挚使她奇怪。“可是等等，你就可以听见他背诵他的ABC是否为了讨我欢喜，要是对这个粗人客气是否值得了。

我进去了，林惇正躺在高背长椅上，欠起身来欢迎我。

“‘今晚我病了，凯瑟琳，爱！’他说，‘只好让你一个人说话，我听着。来，坐在我旁边。我准知道你是不会失信的，在你走以前，我还要让你遵守诺言。’

“这时我知道我绝不能逗他，因为他病了，我轻轻地说话，也不发问，而且避免说任何激怒他的话。我给他带来一些我最好的书；他要我拿一本读一点点，我正要读，不料这时恩萧把门冲开，显然是经过一番思索之后起了歹心。他径直走到我们跟前，抓住林惇的胳臂，把他从椅子上拉下来。

“‘到你自己屋里去！’他说，激动得声音几乎听不清了；脸似乎肿胀着，愤恨已极。‘要是她是来看你的，就把她也带去，你不能把我撵出去。你们两个滚！’

“他对我们咒骂着，不容林惇回答，几乎把他扔到厨房里；我也跟着去了，他握紧拳头，好像也想把我打倒似的。当时我有点害怕，我掉了一本书；他把书向我踢过来，把我们关在外面了。我听见炉火旁边一声恶毒的怪笑，转过身来，就瞅见那个可恶的约瑟夫站着，搓着他的瘦骨嶙峋的手，还颤抖着。

“‘我就知道他要赶你们出来！他是好小子！他对劲啦！他知道——唉，他和我一样知道，谁应该是这里的主人——呃、呃、呃！他干得对！呃、呃、呃！’

“‘我们该到哪儿去？’我问表弟，不理会那个老东西的嘲笑。

“林惇脸色苍白，还在哆嗦。那时他可不漂亮啦，艾伦。啊，不，他望着很可怕，因为他的瘦脸和大眼睛都现出一种疯狂无力的愤怒表情。他握住门柄，摇它；里面却闩上了。

“‘要是你不让我进去，我要杀死你——要是你不让我进去，我要杀死你！’他简直是在尖叫，而不是在说话。‘恶魔！

恶魔！——我要杀死你——我要杀死你！’

“约瑟夫又发出那嘶哑的笑声来。

“‘喏，那是他父亲！’他叫。‘那是他父亲！我们两边都有点。不要理他，哈里顿，孩子——别害怕——他碰不到你！’

“我抓住林惇的手，想拉开他；可是他叫得这么怕人使我又不敢拉。最后他的叫声被一阵可怕的咳嗽呛住了；血从他的口里涌出来，他就倒在地上了。我跑到院子里，吓坏了；我尽力大声叫齐拉。她很快听到了，她正在谷包后面的一个棚子里挤牛奶，赶忙丢下活儿跑来，问我叫她干吗？我来不及解释，便把她拉进去，又去找林惇。恩萧已经出来查看他闯下的祸，他正把那可怜的东西抱上楼去。齐拉和我跟着他上了楼；可是他在楼梯上头停下来，说我不能进去，我必须回家。我喊着他害了林惇，我非要进去不可。约瑟夫把门锁上，宣称我‘不必作这些蠢事’，又问我是不是‘跟他一样生来就疯疯癫癫的’。我站在那儿哭，直到管家又出现。她肯定说他马上就会好的，可是那样大吵大闹是不会使他好起来的；她拉着我，几乎是把我拖到屋子里来。

“艾伦，我几乎想把我的头发从头上扯下来了！我哭得我的眼睛都要瞎了，你非常同情的那个恶棍就站在我对面：竟敢时不时地吩咐我‘别吵’，而且否认是他的错；最后由于我断言我要告诉爸爸，而且他一定要被关在牢狱里，还要被吊死。他怕了，自己也开始哭起来，又连忙跑出去掩盖他那怯弱的感情。但是我仍然没有摆脱他。等到最后他们强迫我走开时，我才走出屋子。当我走了还不过几百码时，他忽然从路旁的阴影里出来，拦住敏妮，抓住了我。

“‘凯瑟琳小姐，我非常难过，’他开始说，‘可那实在太糟——’

“我给他一鞭子，我以为他也许要谋害我呢。他放我走了，吼出一句他那可怕的咒骂，我骑马飞奔回家，吓得魂都要掉啦。

“那天晚上我没跟你道晚安，第二天我也没有去呼啸山庄：我极想去；可是我感到一种莫名其妙的激动，有时候怕听说林惇死了；有时候一想到要遇见哈里顿就要发抖。第三天我鼓起勇气来，至少，我再也受不了这样的心神不定了，我又偷着出去。我是五点钟去的，走去的，心想我可以想办法爬到房子里去，径自上楼到林惇的屋子里，不让人瞅见。可是，那些狗宣告了我的光临。齐拉让我进去，说‘这孩子好多了’，便把我带进一间干净的铺着地毯的小房间，在那里，使我有说不出的快乐，因为我看见林惇躺在一张小沙发上读着我的书。可是足足有一个钟头他不跟我说话，也不看我。艾伦，他有这么一种怪脾气。使我颇为狼狈的是，等他真的开口的时候，他竟胡说八道，说是我惹起了那场纷扰，不怪哈里顿！我不能回答，除非是发火，我站起来，走出这间屋子。

他没料想得到这样的反应，于是在我后面送来一声微弱的‘凯瑟琳！’可是我不转回去，第二天，就是我又在家的第二天，几乎决定不再去看他了。可是就这么上床，起身，永远听不到一点他的消息，多么难受，因此我的决心在还没有正式形成以前已经化为乌有了。以前好像到那儿去是不对的；现在又像是不去才不对了。麦寇尔来问我要不要套上敏妮；我说，‘要。’当敏妮驮我过山时，我认为自己是在尽一种责任。我不得不经过前面窗子到院子里去，想隐藏我的光临是没有用的。

“‘小少爷在屋子里，’齐拉看见我向客厅走去，她就说。我进去了；恩萧也在那儿，可是他马上离开了这房间。林惇坐在那张大扶手椅子上半醒半睡；我走到火炉跟前，用一种严肃的声调，半认真地开腔：

“‘你既然不喜欢我，林惇，既然你以为我来是故意伤害你，而且以为我每次都是这样，这就是我们最后一次见面了。让我们告别吧；告诉希刺克厉夫先生你本不愿见我，他不必再编造关于这事情的任何瞎话了。’

“‘坐下，把帽子摘下来，凯瑟琳，’他回答。‘你比我幸福多了，你应该比我好些。爸爸尽说我的缺点，已经够轻视我的了，很自然地连我对自己都怀疑起来。我怀疑我是不是完全像他时时说我的那样没有出息；我觉得十分不高兴、苦恼，恨每一个人！我是没出息，脾气坏，精神坏，差不多总是这样；你要愿意，你可以说声再见，你就可以摆脱一个麻烦了。可是，凯瑟琳，对我公道一点：相信我要是能像你一样讨人喜、和气、善良，我是愿意的；甚至比和你同样幸福健康还更愿意些。你要相信：你的善良使我更深深地爱你，比起你的爱（如果我配承受你的爱的话）还要深些，虽然我曾经不能，而且也没法不向你暴露我的本性，我很抱歉，而且悔恨；我要抱恨到死！’

“我觉得他说的是实话；我觉得我必须原谅他，而且，虽然过一会他又要吵，我还是一定又要原谅他。我们和解了；可是我们两个人都哭了，把我在那儿的整个时间都哭掉了：不完全是为悲哀；但我的确很难过，因为林惇有那样乖僻的天性。他永远不会让他的朋友们舒服，他自己也永远不会舒服，自从那天夜晚，我总是去他的小客厅；因为他的父亲第二天回来了。

“大概有三次吧，我想，我们过得很快乐，很有希望，就和我们第一天晚上那样；以后的拜访都是凄惨又烦恼的：要么是因为他的自私和怨恨，要么是因为他的病痛；可是我已经学着以极小的反感来忍受他的自私和怨恨，就像我得忍受他的病痛一样。希刺克厉夫故意避开我：我简直难得见到他。上个礼拜天，的确，我去得比平常早些，我听见他残酷地骂可怜的林惇，只为了头天晚上他的行为。我不知道他怎么知道的，除非他偷听。林惇的举止当然是惹人生气的；可是，那不是别人的事，却与我有关，我就进去打断了希刺克厉夫先生的话，而且就这样告诉他。他大笑起来，走开了，说他很喜欢我对这事采取那样的看法，自从那时候起，我就告诉林惇他必须小声诉说他的苦楚。现在，艾伦，你听见所有的事了。我不能不去呼啸山庄，只不过是使两个人受苦；可是，你只要不告诉爸爸，那我去，也碍不着任何人的平静。你不会告诉吧，会吗？要是你告诉他的话，那就太残酷无情了。”

“这一点我明天才决定，凯瑟琳小姐，”我回答。“这需要研究研究；所以我要你休息去，这事我要考虑一番。”

我所谓的考虑，是到我主人面前说出来；从她屋子里出来径直走到他屋子里，把这事和盘托出：只除了她跟她表弟的对话，以及任何提及哈里顿的内容。林惇很惊惶难过，比他愿对我承认的还要多些。早晨，凯瑟琳知道我辜负了她的信赖，也知道了她那秘密的拜访是结束了。她又哭又闹，反抗这道禁令，并且求她父亲可怜可怜林惇，他答应会写信通知林惇，允许他在高兴来的时候可以到田庄来；这是凯瑟琳所得到的唯一的安慰了。不过信上还要说明他不必再希望会在呼啸山庄看见凯瑟琳了。要是他知道他外甥的脾气和健康状况，说不定他会认为就连这点微小的慰藉也不宜给与了。

亦汐

Chapter 24

Chinese


At the close of three weeks, I was able to quit my chamber, and move about the house. And on the first occasion of my sitting up in the evening, I asked Catherine to read to me, because my eyes were weak. We were in the library, the master having gone to bed: she consented, rather unwillingly, I fancied; and imagining my sort of books did not suit her, I bid her place herself in the choice of what she perused. She selected one of her own favourites, and got forward steadily about an hour; then came frequent questions.

`Ellen, are not you tired? Hadn't you better lie down now? You'll be sick, keeping up so long, Ellen.'

`No, no, dear, I'm not tired,' I returned continually.

Perceiving me immovable, she essayed another method of showing her disrelish for her occupation. It changed to yawning, and stretching, and:

`Ellen, I'm tired.'

`Give over then and talk,' I answered.

That was worse: she fretted and sighed, and liked at her watch till eight, and finally went to her room, completely overdone with sleep; judging by her peevish, heavy look, and the constant rubbing she inflicted on her eyes. The following night she seemed more impatient still; and on the third from recovering my company, she complained of a headache, and left me. I thought her conduct odd; and having remained alone a long while, I resolved on going and inquiring whether she were better, and asking her to come and lie on the sofa, instead of upstairs in the dark. No Catherine could I discover upstairs, and none below. The servants affirmed they had not seen her. I listened at Mr Edgar's door; all was silence. I returned to her apartment, extinguished my candle, and seated myself in the window.

The moon shone bright; a sprinkling of snow covered the ground, and I reflected that she might, possibly, have taken it into her head to walk about the garden, for refreshment. I did detect a figure creeping along the inner fence of the park; but it was not my young mistress: on its emerging into the light, I recognized one of the grooms. He stood a considerable period, viewing the carriage-road through the grounds; then started off at a brisk pace, as if he had detected something, and reappeared presently, leading miss's pony; and there she was, just dismounted, and walking by its side. The man took his charge stealthily across the grass towards the stable. Cathy entered by the casement window of the drawing-room, and glided noiselessly up to where I awaited her. She put the door gently to, slipped off her snowy shoes, untied her hat, and was proceeding, unconscious of my espionage, to lay aside her mantle, when I suddenly rose and revealed myself. The surprise petrified her an instant: she uttered an inarticulate exclamation, and stood fixed.

`My dear Miss Catherine,' I began, too vividly impressed by her recent kindness to break into a scold, `where have you been riding out at this hour? And why should you try to deceive me, by telling a tale? Where have you been? Speak.'

`To the bottom of the park,' she stammered. `I didn't tell a tale.'

`And nowhere else?' I demanded.

`No,' was the muttered reply.

`Oh, Catherine!' I cried sorrowfully. `You know you have been doing wrong, or you wouldn't be driven to uttering an untruth to me. That does grieve me. I'd rather be three months ill, than hear you frame a deliberate lie.'

She sprang forward, and bursting into tears, threw her arms round my neck.

`Well, Ellen, I'm so afraid of you being angry,' she said. `Promise not to be angry, and you shall know the very truth: I hate to hide it.'

We sat down in the window-seat; I assured her I would not scold, whatever her secret might be, and I guessed it of course; so she commenced:

`I've been to Wuthering Heights, Ellen, and I've never missed going a day since you fell ill; except thrice before, and twice after you left your room. I gave Michael books and pictures to prepare Minny every evening, and to put her back in the stable: you mustn't scold him either, mind. I was at the Heights by half-past six, and generally stayed till half past eight, and then galloped home. It was not to amuse myself that I went: I was often wretched all the time. Now and then I was happy; once in a week perhaps. At first, I expected there would be sad work persuading you to let me keep my word to Linton: for I had engaged to call again next day, when we quitted him; but, as you stayed upstairs on the morrow, I escaped that trouble; and while Michael was refastening the lock of the park door in the afternoon, I got possession of the key, and told him how my cousin wished me to visit him, because he was sick, and couldn't come to the Grange; and how papa would object to my going: and then I negotiated with him about the pony. He is fond of reading, and he thinks of leaving soon to get married; so he offered, if I would lend him books out of the library, to do what I wished: but I preferred giving him my own, and that satisfied him better.

`On my second visit, Linton seemed in lively spirits; and Zillah (that is their housekeeper) made us a clean room and a good fire, and told us that, as Joseph was out at a prayer meeting and Hareton Earnshaw was off with his dogs--robbing our woods of pheasants, as I heard afterwards--we might do what we liked. She brought me some warm wine and gingerbread, and appeared exceedingly good-natured; and Linton sat in the armchair, and I in the little rocking-chair on the hearthstone, and we laughed and talked so merrily, and found so much to say: we planned where we would go, and what we would do in summer. I needn't repeat that, because you would call it silly.

`One time, however, we were near quarrelling. He said the pleasantest manner of spending a hot July day was lying from morning till evening on a bank of heath in the middle of the moors, with the bees humming dreamily about among the bloom, and the larks singing high up overhead, and the blue sky and bright sun shining steadily and cloudlessly. That was his most perfect idea of heaven's happiness: mine was rocking in a rustling green tree, with a west wind blowing, and bright white clouds flitting rapidly above; and not only larks, but throstles, and blackbirds, and linnets, and cuckoos pouring out music on every side, and the moors seen at a distance, broken into cool dusky dells; but close by great swells of long grass undulating in waves to the breeze; and woods and sounding water, and the whole world awake and wild with joy. He wanted all to lie in an ecstasy of peace; I wanted all to sparkle and dance in a glorious jubilee. I said his heaven would be only half alive; and he said mine would be drunk: I said I should fall asleep in his; and he said he could not breathe in mine, and began to grow very snappish. At last, we agreed to try both, as soon as the right weather came; and then we kissed each other and were friends.

`After sitting still an hour, I looked at the great room with its smooth uncarpeted floor, and thought how nice it would be to play in, if we removed the table; and I asked Linton to call Zillah in to help us, and we'd have a game at blind-man's buff; she should try to catch us: you used to, you know, Ellen. He wouldn't: there was no pleasure in it, he said; but he consented to play at ball with me. We found two in a cupboard, among a heap of old toys, tops, and hoops, and battledores, and shuttlecocks. One was marked C., and the other H.; I wished to have the C., because that stood for Catherine, and the H. might be for Heathcliff, his name; but the bran came out of H., and Linton didn't like it. I beat him constantly, and he got cross again, and coughed, and returned to his chair. That night, though, he easily recovered his good humour: he was charmed with two or three pretty songs--your songs, Ellen; and when I was obliged to go, he begged and entreated me to come the following evening; and I promised. Minny and I went flying home as light as air; and I dreamt of Wuthering Heights and my sweet, darling cousin, till morning.

`On the morrow I was sad; partly because you were poorly, and partly that I wished my father knew, and approved of my excursions: but it was beautiful moonlight after tea; and, as I rode on, the gloom cleared. I shall have another happy evening, I thought to myself: and what delights me more, my pretty Linton will. I trotted up their garden, and was turning round to the back, when that fellow Earnshaw met me, took my bridle, and bid me go in by the front entrance. He patted Minny's neck, and said she was a bonny beast, and appeared as if he wanted me to speak to him. I only told him to leave my horse alone, or else it would kick him. He answered in his vulgar accent, ``It wouldn't do much hurt if it did"; and surveyed its legs with a smile. I was half inclined to make it try; however, he moved off to open the door, and, as he raised the latch, he looked up to the inscription above, and said, with a stupid mixture of awkwardness and elation:

` ``Miss Catherine! I can read yon, nah.''

` ``Wonderful,'' I exclaimed. ``Pray let us hear you--you are grown clever!''

`He spelt, and drawled over by syllables, the name--"Hareton Earnshaw".

` ``And the figures?'' I cried encouragingly, perceiving that he came to a dead halt.

` ``I cannot tell them yet,'' he answered.

``Oh, you dunce!'' I said, laughing heartily at his failure.

`The fool stared, with a grin hovering about his lips, and a scowl gathering over his eyes, as if uncertain whether he might not join in my mirth: whether it were not pleasant familiarity, or what it really was, contempt. I settled his doubts, by suddenly retrieving my gravity and desiring him to walk away, for I came to see Linton, not him. He reddened--I saw that by the moonlight--dropped his hand from the latch, and skulked off, a picture of mortified vanity. He imagined himself to be as accomplished as Linton, I suppose, because he could spell his own name; and was marvellously discomfited that I didn't think the same.'

`Stop, Miss Catherine, dear!' I interrupted. `I shall not scold, but I don't like your conduct there. If you had remembered that Hareton was your cousin as much as Master Heathcliff, you would have felt how improper it was to behave in that way. At least, it was praiseworthy ambition for him to desire to be as accomplished as Linton; and probably he did not learn merely to show off: you had made him ashamed of his ignorance before, I have no doubt; and he wished to remedy it and please you. To sneer at his imperfect attempt was very bad breeding. Had you been brought up in his circumstances, would you be less rude? He was as quick and as intelligent a child as ever you were; and I'm hurt that he should be despised now, because that base Heathcliff has treated him so unjustly.'

`Well, Ellen, you won't cry about it, will you?' she exclaimed, surprised at my earnestness. `But wait, and you shall hear if he conned his A B C to please me; and if it were worth while being civil to the brute. I entered; Linton was lying on the settle, and half got up to welcome me.

` ``I'm ill tonight, Catherine, love,'' he said; ``and you must have all the talk, and let me listen. Come, and sit by me. I was sure you wouldn't break your word, and I'll make you promise again, before you go.''

`I knew now that I mustn't tease him, as he `was ill; and I spoke softly and put no questions, and avoided irritating him in any way. I had brought some of my nicest books for him; he asked me to read a little of one, and I was about to comply, when Earnshaw burst the door open: having gathered venom with reflection. He advanced direct to us, seized Linton by the arm, and swung him off the seat.

``Get to thy own room!'' he said, in a voice almost inarticulate with passion; and his face looked swelled and furious. ``Take her there if she comes to see thee: thou shalln't keep me out of this. Begone wi' ye both!''

`He swore at us, and left Linton no time to answer, nearly throwing him into the kitchen; and he clenched his fist as I followed, seemingly longing to knock me down. I was afraid for a moment, and I let one volume fall; he kicked it after me, and shut us out. I heard a malignant, crackly laugh by the fire, and turning, beheld that odious Joseph standing rubbing his bony hands, and quivering.

``Aw wer sure he'd sarve ye eht! He's a grand lad! He's getten t' raight sperrit in him! He knaws--Aye, he knaws, as weel as Aw do, who sud be t'maister yonder--Ech, ech, ech! He mad ye skift properly! Ech, ech, ech!''

``Where must we go?'' I said to my cousin, disregarding the old wretch's mockery.

`Linton was white and trembling. He was not pretty then, Ellen: oh no! he looked frightful; for his thin face and large eyes were wrought into an expression of frantic, powerless fury. He grasped the handle of the door, and shook it: it was fastened inside.

``If you don't let me in I'll kill you!--If you don't let me in, I'll kill you!'' he rather shrieked than said. ``Devil! devil!--I'll kill you--I'll kill you!''

`Joseph uttered his croaking laugh again.

``Thear, that's t' father!'' he cried. ``That's father! We've alIas summut uh orther side in us. Niver heed Hareton, lad--dunnut be `feard--he cannot get at thee!''

`I took hold of Linton's hands, and tried to pull him away; but he shrieked so shockingly that I dared not proceed. At last his cries were choked by a dreadful fit of coughing; blood gushed from his mouth, and he fell on the ground. I ran into the yard, sick with terror; and called for Zillah, as loud as I could. She soon heard me: she was milking the cows in a shed behind the barn, `and hurrying from her work, she inquired what there was to do? I hadn't breath to explain; dragging her in, I looked about for Linton. Earnshaw had come out to examine the mischief he had caused, and he was then conveying the poor thing upstairs. Zillah and I ascended after him; but he stopped me at the top of the steps, and said I shouldn't go in: I must go home. I exclaimed that he had killed Linton, and I would enter. Joseph locked the door, and declared I should do ``no sich stuff'', and asked me whether I were ``bahn to be as mad as him''. I stood crying, till the housekeeper reappeared. She affirmed he would be better in a bit, but he couldn't do with that shrieking and din; and she took me, and nearly carried me into the house.

`Ellen, I was ready to tear my hair off my head! I sobbed and wept so that my eyes were almost blind; and the ruffian you have such sympathy with stood opposite: presuming every now and then to bid me ``wisht'', and denying that it was his fault; and, finally, frightened by my assertions that I would tell papa, and that he should be put in prison and hanged, he commenced blubbering himself, and hurried out to hide his cowardly agitation. Still, I was not rid of him: when at length they compelled me to depart, and I had got some hundred yards off the premises, he suddenly issued from the shadow of the roadside, and checked Minny and took hold of me.

``Miss Catherine, I'm ill grieved,'' he began, ``but it's rayther too bad--''

`I gave him a cut with my whip, thinking perhaps he would murder me. He let go, thundering one of his horrid curses, and I galloped home more than half out of my senses.

亦汐

`I didn't bid you good night that evening, and I didn't go to Wuthering Heights the next: I wished to, exceedingly; but I was strangely excited, and dreaded to hear that Linton was dead, sometimes; and sometimes shuddered at the thought of encountering Hareton. On the third day I took courage: at least, I couldn't bear longer suspense, and stole off once more. I went at five o'clock, and walked; fancying I might manage to creep into the house, and up to Linton's room, unobserved. However, the dogs gave notice of my approach. Zillah received me, and saying, ``the lad was mending nicely'', showed me into a small, tidy, carpeted apartment, where, to my inexpressible joy, I beheld Linton laid on a little sofa, reading one of my books. But he would neither speak to me nor look at me, through a whole hour, Ellen: he has such an unhappy temper. And what quite confounded me, when he did open his mouth, it was to utter the falsehood that I had occasioned the uproar, and Hareton was not to blame! Unable to reply, except passionately, I got up and walked from the room. He sent after me a faint ``Catherine!'' He did not reckon on being answered so: but I wouldn't turn back; and the morrow was the second day on which I stayed at home, nearly determined to visit him no more. But it was so miserable going to bed and getting up, and never hearing anything about him, that my resolution melted into air before it was properly formed. It had appeared wrong to take the journey once; now it seemed wrong to refrain. Michael came to ask if he must saddle Minny; I said ``Yes'', and considered myself doing a duty as she bore me over the hills. I was forced to pass the front windows to get to the court: it was no use trying to conceal my presence.

``Young master is in the house,'' said Zillah, as she saw me making for the parlour. I went in; Earnshaw was there also, but he quitted the room directly. Linton sat in the great armchair half asleep; walking up to the fire, I began in a serious tone, partly meaning it to be true:

``As you don't like me, Linton, and as you think I come on purpose to hurt you, and pretend that I do so every time, this is our last meeting: let us say goodbye; and tell Mr Heathcliff that you have no wish to see me, and that he mustn't invent any more falsehoods on the subject.''

` ``Sit down and take your hat off, Catherine,'' he answered. ``You are so much happier than I am, you ought to be better. Papa talks enough of my defects, and shows enough scorn of me, to make it natural I should doubt myself. I doubt whether I am not altogether as worthless as he calls me, frequently; and then I feel so cross and bitter, I hate everybody! I am worthless, and bad in temper, and bad in spirit, almost always; and, if you choose, you may say goodbye: you'll get rid of an annoyance. Only, Catherine, do me this justice: believe that if I might be as sweet, and as kind, and as good as you are, I would be; as willingly, and more so, than as happy and as healthy. And believe that your kindness has made me love you deeper than if I deserved your love: and though I couldn't, and cannot help showing my nature to you, I regret it and repent it; and shall regret and repent it till I die!''

`I felt he spoke the truth; and I felt I must forgive him: and, though he should quarrel the next moment, I must forgive him again. We were reconciled; but we cried, both of us, the whole time I stayed: not entirely for sorrow; yet I was sorry Linton had that distorted nature. He'll never let his friends be at ease, and he'll never be at ease himself! I have always gone to his little parlour, since that night; because his father returned the day after.

`About three times, I think, we have been merry and hopeful, as we were the first evening; the rest of my visits were dreary and troubled: now with his selfishness and spite, and now with his sufferings: but I've learned to endure the former with nearly as little resentment as the latter. Mr Heathcliff purposely avoids me:

I have hardly seen him at all. Last Sunday, indeed, coming earlier than usual, I heard him abusing poor Linton, cruelly, for his conduct of the night before. I can't tell how he knew of it, unless he listened. Linton had certainly behaved provokingly: however, it was the business of nobody but me, and I interrupted Mr Heathcliff's lecture by entering and telling him so. He burst into a laugh, and went away, saying he was glad I took that view of the matter. Since then, I've told Linton he must whisper his bitter things. Now Ellen, you have heard all; and I can't be prevented from going to Wuthering Heights except by inflicting misery on two people; whereas, if you'll only not tell papa, my going need disturb the tranquillity of none. You'll not tell, will you? It will be very heartless if you do.'

`I'll make up my mind on that point by tomorrow, Miss Catherine,' I replied. `It requires some study; and so I'll leave you to your rest, and go think it over.'

I thought it over aloud, in my master's presence; walking straight from her room to his, and relating the whole story: with the exception of her conversations with her cousin, and any mention of Hareton. Mr Linton was alarmed and distressed, more than he would acknowledge to me. In the morning, Catherine learnt my betrayal of her confidence, and she learnt also that her secret visits were to end. In vain she wept and writhed against the interdict, and implored her father to have pity on Linton: all she got to comfort her was a promise that he would write and give him leave to come to the Grange when he pleased; but explaining that he must no longer expect to see Catherine at Wuthering Heights. Perhaps, had he been aware of his nephew's disposition and state of health, he would have seen fit to withhold even that slight consolation.

亦汐

第二十五章




“这些事是在去年冬天发生的，先生，”丁太太说，“也不过一年以前。去年冬天，我还没有想到，过了十二个月以后，我会把这些事讲给这家的一位生客解闷！可是，谁晓得你作客还要作多久呢？你太年轻了，不会总是心满意足地待下去，孤零零一个人；我总是想不论什么人见了凯瑟琳·林惇都不会不爱她。你笑啦。可是我一谈到她的时候，你干吗显得这样快活而很感兴趣呢？你干吗要我把她的画像挂在你的壁炉上面？干吗——？”

“别说啦，我的好朋友！”我叫道。“讲到我爱上她，这倒也许是很可能的；可是她肯爱我么？我对于这点太怀疑了，因此我可不敢动心拿我的平静来冒险，再说我的家也不是在这里。我是来自那个熙熙攘攘的世界，我得回到它的怀抱中去。

接着往下说吧。凯瑟琳服从她父亲的命令吗？”

“她服从了，”管家继续说。“她对他的爱仍然主宰着她的感情；而且他讲话也不带火气：他是以一个当他所珍爱的人将陷入危境和敌人手中时，所怀有的那种深沉的柔情来跟她讲话的，只要她记住他的赠言，那便是指引她的唯一帮助了。过了几天，他对我说：我愿我的外甥写信来，或是来拜访，艾伦。对我说实话，你认为他如何：他是不是变得好一点，或者在他长成人的时候，会不会有变好的希望？”

“他很娇，先生，”我回答，“而且不像可以长大成人：可是有一点我可以说，他不像他的父亲；如果凯瑟琳小姐不幸嫁给他，他不会不听她的指挥的：除非她极端愚蠢地纵容他。可是，主人，你将有很多时间和他熟识起来，看看他配不配得上她：要四年多他才成年呢？”

埃德加叹息着；走到窗前，向外望着吉默吞教堂。那是一个有雾的下午，但是二月的太阳还在淡淡地照着，我们还可以分辨出墓园里的两棵枞树，和那些零零落落的墓碑。

“我常常祈求，”他一半是自言自语地说，“祈求要来的就快来吧；现在我开始畏缩了，而且害怕了。我曾经这样想，与其回忆那时我走下山谷作新郎的情景，还不如预想要不了几个月，或者，很可能几个星期之后我被人抬起来，放进那荒凉的土坑，将更为甜蜜！艾伦，我和我的小凯蒂在一起曾经非常快乐，我们一起度过了多少个冬夜和夏日，她是我身边的一个活生生的希望。可是我也曾同样的快乐，在那些墓碑中间，在那古老的教堂下面，我自己冥想着：在那些漫长的六月的晚上，躺在她母亲绿茵的青冢上，愿望着——渴求着那个时候我也能躺在下面。我能为凯蒂作什么呢？我必须怎样才能对她尽了义务呢？我一点也不在乎林惇是希刺克厉夫的儿子；也不在乎他要把她从我身边拿走，只要他能为她失去了我而能安慰她。我不在乎希刺克厉夫达到了他的目的，因夺去了我最后的幸福而洋洋得意！但是如果林惇没出息——只是他父亲的一个软弱工具——我就不能把她丢在他手里，虽然扑灭她的热情是残忍的，可我却一定不让步，在我活着的时候就让她难过，在我死后让她孤独好了。亲爱的，我宁可在我死以前把她交给上帝，把她埋葬在土里。”

“就像现在这样，把她交给上帝好了，先生。”我回答，“如果这是天意我们不得不失去你——但愿上帝禁止这事——我要终生作她的朋友和顾问。凯瑟琳小姐是一个好姑娘：我并不担心她会有意作错事：凡是尽责任的人最后总是有好报的。”

接近春天了；但是我的主人并没有康复，虽然他又开始恢复同他女儿在田地里的散步。以她那没有经验的眼光来看，能出外散步就是痊愈的象征；而且他的面颊常常发红，眼睛发亮；她完全相信他是复元了。

在她十七岁生日那天，他没有去墓园，那天下着雨，我就说：

“今天晚上你一定不出去了吧，先生？”

他回答：“不出去了，今年我要推迟一下了。”

他又再次写信给林惇，向他表示很愿意见他；如果那个病人能见人的话，我毫不怀疑他父亲一定会允许他来的。但在当时的情况下，他是不能来的，便遵嘱回了一封信，暗示着希刺克厉夫先生不许他到田庄来；但他舅舅的亲切的关怀使他愉快，他希望他有时在散步时会遇到他，以便当面请求他不要让他的表姐和他如此长期地断绝来往。

他的信上这部分写得很简单，大概是他自己的话。希刺克厉夫知道，他为了要凯瑟琳作伴是能够娓娓动听地央求的。

“我不要求她来这里，”他说，“可是我就永远不见她了么，只因为我父亲不许我去她家，而您又不许她到我家来？请带她偶尔骑马到山岗这边来吧；让我们当着您面说几句话！我们并没作什么事该受这种隔离；您也并没有生我的气：您没有理由不喜欢我，您自己也承认。亲爱的舅舅！明天给我一封和气的信吧，叫我在您愿意的任何地点见见您们，除了在画眉田庄。我相信见一次面会使您相信我父亲的性格并不是我的性格：他肯定说我更像是您的外甥而不像是他的儿子；虽然我有些过失使我配不上凯瑟琳，可是她已经原谅了，为了她的缘故，您也该原谅吧。您问起我的健康——那是好些了。可是当我总是与一切希望割断，注定了孤寂，或者同那些永不曾、也永不会喜欢我的人们在一起，我怎么能够快活而健康起来呢？”

埃德加虽然同情那孩子，却不能答应他的请求；因为他不能陪凯瑟琳去。他说，到了夏天，也许他们可以相见；同时，他愿他有空来信，并且尽力在信上给他劝告和安慰；因为他很明白他在家中难处的地位。林惇顺从了；如果他不受拘束，他大概会使他的信中充满了抱怨和悲叹，结果就会把一切搞糟：但是他的父亲监视他很严；当然我主人送去的信每一行都非给他看不可；所以他只好不写他特有的个人痛苦和悲伤，而这是他的思想里最先想到的题目，他却只表达了硬把他与他的朋友和爱人分离之苦；他还向林惇先生慢慢暗示必须早些允许见面，不然他会担心林惇先生是故意用空话来搪塞他了。

凯蒂在家里是个有力的同盟者；他们内外呼应终于说动了我主人的心，在我的保护之下，在靠近田庄的旷野上，同意他们每星期左右在一起骑马或散步一次：因为到了六月他发现他还是在衰弱下去。虽然他每年拨出他的进项的一部分作为我小姐的财产，可是他自然也愿望她能够保留她祖先的房屋——或至少短期内能回去住；而他想到唯一的指望就在于让她和他的继承人结合；他没想到这个继承人和他自己差不多一样迅速地衰弱下去；任何人也没想到，我相信：没有医生去过山庄，也没有人看见过希刺克厉夫少爷而到我们中间来报告他的情况。在我这方面，我开始猜想我的预测是错了，当他提起到旷野骑马和散步，而且仿佛如此真挚的要达到他的目的时，他一定是真的复元了。我不能想象做父亲的对待快死的儿子会像我后来知道的希刺克厉夫那样暴虐地、恶毒地对待他，他一想到他那贪婪无情的计划马上就会受死亡的威胁而遭到失败，他的努力就更加迫切了。

亦汐

Chapter 25



`These things happened last winter, sir,' said Mrs Dean; `hardly more than a year ago. Last winter, I did not think, at another twelve months' end, I should be amusing a stranger to the family with relating them! Yet, who knows how long you'll be a stranger? You're too young to rest always contented, living by yourself; and I some way fancy no one could see Catherine Linton and not love her. You smile; but why do you look so lively and interested, when I talk about her? and why have you asked me to hang her picture over your fireplace? and why--'

`Stop, my good friend!' I cried. `It may be very possible that I should love her; but would she love me? I doubt it too much to venture my tranquillity by running into temptation: and then my home is not here. I'm of the busy world, and to its arms I must return. Go on. Was Catherine obedient to her father's commands?'

`She was,' continued the housekeeper. `Her affection for him was still the chief sentiment in her heart; and he spoke without anger: he spoke in the deep tenderness of one about to leave his treasure amid perils and foes, where his remembered words would be the only aid that he could bequeath to guide her. He said to me, a few days afterwards:

`"I wish my nephew would write, Ellen, or call. Tell me, sincerely, what you think of him: is he changed for the better, or is there a prospect of improvement, as he grows a man?''

` ``He's very delicate, sir,'' I replied; ``and scarcely likely to reach manhood; but this I can say, he does not resemble his father; and if Miss Catherine had the misfortune to marry him, he would not be beyond her control: unless she were extremely and foolishly indulgent. However, master, you'll have plenty of time to get acquainted with him, and see whether he would suit her: it wants four years and more to his being of age.'' '

Edgar sighed; and walking to the window, looked out towards Gimmerton Kirk. It was a misty afternoon, but the February sun shone dimly, and we could just distinguish the two fir trees in the yard, and the sparely scattered gravestones.

`I've prayed often', he half soliloquized, `for the approach of what is coming; and now I begin to shrink, and fear it. I thought the memory of the hour I came down that glen a bridegroom would be less sweet than the anticipation that I was soon, in a few months, or, possibly, weeks, to be carried up, and laid in its lonely hollow! Ellen, I've been very happy with my little Cathy: through winter nights and summer days she was a living hope at my side. But I've been as happy musing by myself among those stones, under that old church: lying, through the long June evenings, on the green mound of her mother's grave and wishing--yearning for the time when I might lie beneath it. What can I do for Cathy? How must I quit her? I'd not care one moment for Linton being Heathcliff's son; nor for his taking her from me, if he could console her for my loss. I'd not care that Heathcliff gained his ends, and triumphed in robbing me of my last blessing! But should Linton be unworthy--only a feeble tool to his father--I cannot abandon her to him! And, hard though it be to crush her buoyant spirit, I must persevere in making her sad while I live, and leaving her solitary when I die. Darling! I'd rather resign her to God, and lay her in the earth before me.'

Resign her to God, as it is, sir,' I answered, `and if we should lose you--which may He forbid--under His providence, I'll stand her friend and counsellor to the last. Miss Catherine is a good girl: I don't fear that she will go wilfully wrong; and people who do their duty are always finally rewarded.'

Spring advanced; yet my master gathered no real strength, though he resumed his walks in the grounds with his daughter. To her inexperienced notions, this itself was a sign of convalescence; and then his cheek was often flushed, and his eyes were bright: she felt sure of his recovering. On her seventeenth birthday, he did not visit the churchyard: it was raining, and I observed:

`You'll surely not go out tonight, sir?'

He answered:

`No, I'll defer it this year a little longer.'

He wrote again to Linton, expressing his great desire to see him; and, had the invalid been presentable, I've no doubt his father would have permitted him to come. As it was, being instructed, he returned an answer, intimating that Mr Heathcliff objected to his calling at the Grange; but his uncle's kind remembrance delighted him, and he hoped to meet him, sometimes, in his rambles, and personally to petition that his cousin and he might not remain long so utterly divided.

That part of his letter was simple, and probably his own. Heathcliff knew he could plead eloquently enough for Catherine's company, then.

`I do not ask', he said, `that she may visit here; but, am I never to see her, because my father forbids me to go to her home, and you forbid her to come to mine? Do now and then, ride with her towards the Heights; and let us exchange a few words, in your presence! We have done nothing to deserve this separation; and you are not angry with me; you have no reason to dislike me, you allow, yourself. Dear uncle! send me a kind note tomorrow, and leave to join you anywhere you please, except at Thrushcross Grange. I believe an interview would convince you that my father's character is not mine: he affirms I am more your nephew than his son; and though I have faults which render me unworthy of Catherine, she has excused them, and for her sake, you should also. You inquire after my health--it is better; but while I remain cut off from all hope, and doomed to solitude, or the society of those who never did and never will like me, how can I be cheerful and well?'

Edgar, though he felt for the boy, could not consent to grant his request; because he could not accompany Catherine. He said, in summer, perhaps, they might meet: meantime, he wished him to continue writing at intervals, and engaged to give him what advice and comfort he was able by letter; being well aware of his hard position in his family. Linton complied; and had he been unrestrained, would probably have spoiled all by filling his epistles with complaints and lamentations: but his father kept a sharp watch over him; and, of course, insisted on every line that my master sent being shown; so, instead of penning his peculiar personal sufferings and distresses, the themes constantly uppermost in his thoughts, he harped on the cruel obligation of being held asunder from his friend and love; and gently intimated that Mr Linton must allow an interview soon, or he should fear he was purposely deceiving him with empty promises.

Cathy was a powerful ally at home; and, between them, they at length persuaded my master to acquiesce in their having a ride or a walk together about once a week, under my guardianship, and on the moors nearest the Grange: for June found him still declining; and though he had set aside yearly a portion of his income for my young lady's fortune, he had a natural desire that she might retain--or at least return in a short time to--the house of her ancestors; and he considered her only prospect of doing that was by a union with his heir; he had no idea that the latter was failing almost as fast as himself; nor had anyone; I believe: no doctor visited the Heights, and no one saw Master Heathcliff to make report of his condition among us. I, for my part, began to fancy my forebodings were false, and that he must be actually rallying, when he mentioned riding and walking on the moors, and seemed so earnest in pursuing his object. I could not picture a father treating a dying child as tyrannically and wickedly as I afterwards learned Heathcliff had treated him, to compel this apparent eagerness: his efforts redoubling the more imminently his avaricious and unfeeling plans were threatened with defeat by death.

亦汐

第二十六章




当埃德加勉强答应了他们的恳求时，盛夏差不多过了，凯瑟琳和我头一回骑马出发去见她的表弟。那是一个郁闷酷热的日子，没有阳光，天上却阴霾不雨；我们相见的地点约定在十字路口的指路碑那儿。然而，我们到达那里时，一个奉命作带信人的小牧童告诉我们说：“林惇少爷就在山庄这边；

要是你们肯再走一点路，他将很感激你们。”

“那么林惇少爷已经忘了他舅舅的第一道禁令了。”我说，“他叫我们只能在田庄上，而我们马上就要越界了。”

“那么等我们到达他那儿时就掉转马头吧，”我的同伴回答，“我们再往家里走。”

可是当我们到达他那里时，已经离他家门口不到四分之一英里了，我们发现他没有带马；我们只好下马，让马去吃草。他躺在草地上，等我们来，而且一直等到我们离他只有几码远时他才站起来，看到他走路这么没劲，脸色又是这么苍白，我立刻嚷起来，——“怎么，希刺克厉夫少爷，今天早上你不适宜出来散步哩。你的气色多不好呀！”

凯瑟琳又难过又惊惶地打量着他：她那到了嘴边的欢呼变成一声惊叫；他们久别重逢的庆贺变成了一句焦急的问话：

他是否比往常病得更重呢：

“不——好一点——好一点！”他喘着，颤抖着，握住她的手，仿佛他需要它的扶持似的，当时他的大蓝眼睛怯懦地向她望着；两眼的下陷使那往日所具有的无精打采的样子变成憔悴的狂野表情了。

“可是你是病得重些了，”他的表姐坚持说，“比我上次看见你时重些；你瘦啦，而且——”

“我累了，”他急忙打断她。“走路太热了，我们在这儿歇歇吧。早上，我常常不舒服——爸爸说我长得很快呢。”

凯瑟琳很不满意地坐下来，他在她身旁半躺着。

“这有点像你的天堂了，”她说，尽力愉快起来。“你还记得我们同意按照每人认为最愉快的地点与方式来消磨两天么？这可接近你的理想了，只是有云；可是这草是这样的轻柔松软：那比阳光还好哩。下星期，要是你能够的话，我们就骑马到田庄的园林里来试试我的方式。”

看来林惇不记得她说过的事了；显然，要他无论谈什么话他都很费劲。他对于她所提起的一些话头都不感兴趣，想使她快乐他也同样无能为力，这些都是如此明显，她也不能掩盖她的失望了。他整个的人和态度已经有了一种说不出的变化。原先那种暴性子，本来还可以被爱抚软化成娇气，现在却变成冷淡无情了；小孩子为了要人安慰而麻烦人的那种任性少了一些，添上的却是一个确实有病的人那种对自己坏脾气的专注，抗拒安慰，并且准备把别人真诚的欢乐当作一种侮辱。凯瑟琳看出来了，和我一样地看出来了，他认为我们陪他，是一种惩罚，而不是一种喜悦；她立刻毫不犹豫地建议就此分手。出乎意料之外，那个建议却把林惇从他的昏沉中唤醒，使他堕入一种激动的奇怪状态。他害怕地向山庄溜了一眼，求她至少再逗留半个钟头。

“可是我想，”凯蒂说，“你在家比坐在这里舒服多了；今天我也不能用我的故事、歌儿和聊天来给你解闷了：在这六个月里，你变得比我聪明多啦；现在你对于我的消遣已经觉得不大有趣了，要不，如果我能给你解闷，我是愿意留下来的。”

“留下来，歇歇吧，”他回答。“凯瑟琳，别认为、也别说我很不舒服；是这闷热的天气使我兴味索然；而且在你来以前我走来走去，对我来说，是走得太多了。告诉舅舅我还健康，好吗？”

“我要告诉他是你这么说的，林惇。我不能肯定你是健康的，”我的小姐说，不懂他怎么那样执拗地一味说些明明不符合事实的话。

“而且下星期四再到这里来，”他接着说，避开她的困惑的凝视。“代我谢谢他允许你来——向他致谢——十分感谢，凯瑟琳。还有——还有，要是你真的遇见了我父亲，他要向你问起我的话，别让他猜想我是非常笨嘴拙舌的。别做出难过丧气的样子，像你现在这样——他会生气的。”

“我才不在乎他生气哩，”凯蒂想到他会生她的气，就叫道。

“可是我在乎，”她的表弟说，颤栗着。“别惹他责怪我，凯瑟琳，因为他是很严厉的。”

“他待你很凶吗，希刺克厉夫少爷？”我问。“他可是已经开始厌倦放任纵容，从消极的恨转成积极的恨了吗？”

林惇望望我，却没有回答：她在他旁边又坐了十分钟，这十分钟内他的头昏昏欲睡地垂在胸前，什么也不说，只发出由于疲乏或痛苦所产生的压抑的呻吟，凯瑟琳开始寻找覆盆子解闷了，把她所找到的分给我一点：她没有给他，因为她看出再来注意他反而使他烦恼。

“现在有半个钟头了吧，艾伦？”最后，她在我耳旁小声说。“我不懂我们干吗非待在这里不可。他睡着了，爸爸也该盼我们回去了。”

“那么，我们绝不能丢下他睡着，”我回答，“等他醒过来吧，要忍耐。你本来非常热心出来，可是你对可怜的林惇的思念很快地消散啦！”

“他为什么愿意见我呢？”凯瑟琳回答。“像他从前那种别扭脾气，我放比较喜欢他些，总比他现在的古怪心情好。那正像是他被迫来完成一个任务似的——这次见面——唯恐他父亲会骂他。可是我来，可不是为了给希刺克厉夫先生凑趣的；不管他有什么理由命令林惇来受这个罪。虽然我很高兴他的健康情况好些了，但他变得如此不愉快，而且对我也不亲热，使我很难过。”

“那么你以为他的健康情况是好些吗？”我说。

“是的，”她回答，“你得知道他可是很会夸张他所受的苦痛的。他不像他叫我告诉爸爸的那样好多了，可是他真是好些了。”

“在这点上你和我看法不同，”我说，“我猜想他是糟多了。”

这时林惇从迷糊中惊醒过来，问我们可有人喊过他的名字。

“没有，”凯瑟琳说，“除非你是在作梦。我不能想象你怎么早上在外面也要瞌睡。”

“我觉得听见我父亲的声音了，”他喘息着，溜了一眼我们上面的森严的山顶。“你们准知道刚才没人说话吗？”

“没错儿，”他表姐回答。“只有艾伦和我在争论你的健康情况。林惇，你是真的比我们在冬天分手时强壮些吗？如果是的话，我相信有一点却没有加强——你对于我的重视：说吧，——你是不是？”

“是的，是的，我是强壮些！”在他回答的时候，眼泪涌出来了。他仍然被那想象的声音所左右，他的目光上上下下的找着那发出声音的人。凯蒂站起来。“今天我们该分手了，”她说。“我不瞒你，我对于我们的见面非常失望，不过除了对你，我不会跟别人说的：可也不是因为我怕希刺克厉夫先生。”

“嘘，”林惇喃喃地说，“看在上帝面上，别吭气！他来啦。”他抓住凯瑟琳的胳臂，想留住她；可是一听这个宣告，她连忙挣脱，向敏妮呼啸一声，它像条狗一样的应声来了。

“下星期四我到这儿来，”她喊，跳上了马鞍。“再见。艾伦！”

于是我们就离开了他，他却还不大清楚我们走开，因为他全神贯注在期待他父亲的到来。

我们没到家之前，凯瑟琳的不快已经缓解成为一种怜悯与抱憾的迷惑的感情，大部分还掺合着对林惇身体与处境的真实情况所感到的隐隐约约的、不安的怀疑，我也有同感，虽然我劝她不要说得太过火，因为第二次的出游或者可以使我们更好地判断一下。我主人要我们报告出去的情形，他外甥的致谢当然转达了，凯蒂小姐把其余的事都轻描淡写地带过：对于他的追问，我也没说什么，因为我简直不知道该隐瞒什么和说出来什么。

亦汐

Chapter 26




Summer was already past its prime, when Edgar reluctantly yielded his assent to their entreaties, and Catherine and I set out on our first ride to join her cousin. It was a close, sultry day: devoid of sunshine, but with a sky too dappled and hazy to threaten rain; and our place of meeting had been fixed at the guide-stone, by the crossroads. On arriving there, however, a little herd-boy, dispatched as a messenger, told us that:

`Maister Linton wer just ut this side th' Heights: and he'd be mitch obleeged to us to gang on a bit farther.'

`Then Master Linton has forgot the first injunction of his uncle,' I observed: `he bid us keep on the Grange land, and here we are off at once.'

`Well, we'll turn our horses' heads round, when we reach him,' answered my companion, `our excursion shall lie towards home.'

But when we reached him, and that was scarcely a quarter of a mile from his own door, we found he had no horse; and we were forced to dismount, and leave ours to graze. He lay on the heath, awaiting our approach, and did not rise till we came within a few yards. Then he walked so feebly, and looked so pale, that I immediately exclaimed:

`Why, Master Heathcliff, you are not fit for enjoying a ramble, this morning. How ill you do look!'

Catherine surveyed him with grief and astonishment; and changed the ejaculation of joy on her lips, to one of alarm; and the congratulation on their long-postponed meeting, to an anxious inquiry, whether he were worse than usual?

`No--better--better!' he panted, trembling, and retaining her hand as if he needed its support, while his large blue eyes wandered timidly over her; the hollowness round them transforming to haggard wildness the languid expression they once possessed.

`But you have been worse,' persisted his cousin; `worse than when I saw you last; you are thinner, and--

`I'm tired,' he interrupted hurriedly. `It is too hot for walking, let us rest here. And, in the morning, I often feel sick--papa says I grow so fast.'

Badly satisfied, Cathy sat down, and he reclined beside her.

`This is something like your paradise,' said she, making an effort at cheerfulness. `You recollect the two days we agreed to spend in the place and way each thought pleasantest? This is surely yours, only there are clouds: but then they are so soft and mellow: it is nicer than sunshine. Next week, if you can, we'll ride down to the Grange Park, and try mine.'

Linton did not appear to remember what she talked of; and he had evidently great difficulty in sustaining any kind of conversation. His lack of interest in the subjects she started, and his equal incapacity to contribute to her entertainment, were so obvious that she could not conceal her disappointment. An indefinite alteration had come over his whole person and manner. The pettishness that might be caressed into fondness, had yielded to a listless apathy; there was less of the peevish temper of a child which frets and teases on purpose to be soothed, and more of the self-absorbed moroseness of a confirmed invalid, repelling consolation, and ready to regard the good-humoured mirth of others as an insult. Catherine perceived, as well as I did, that he held it rather a punishment, than a gratification, to endure our company; and she made no scruple of proposing, presently, to depart. That proposal, unexpectedly, roused Linton from his lethargy, and threw him into a strange state of agitation. He glanced fearfully towards the Heights, begging she would remain another half-hour at least.

`But I think', said Cathy, `you'd be more comfortable at home than sitting here; and I cannot amuse you today, I see, by my tales, and songs, and chatter: you have grown wiser than I, in these six months; you have little taste for my diversions now: or else, if I could amuse you, I'd willingly stay.'

`Stay to rest yourself,' he replied. `And Catherine, don't think, or say that I'm very unwell: it is the heavy weather and heat that make me dull; and I walked about, before you came, a great deal for me. Tell uncle I'm in tolerable health, will you?'

`I'll tell him that you say so, Linton. I couldn't affirm that you are,' observed my young lady, wondering at his pertinacious assertion of what was evidently an untruth.

`And be here again next Thursday,' continued he, shunning her puzzled gaze. `And give him my thanks for permitting you to come--my best thanks, Catherine. And-and, if you did meet my father, and he asked you about me, don't lead him to suppose that I've been extremely silent and stupid: don't look sad and downcast, as you are doing--he'll be angry.'

`I care nothing for his anger,' exclaimed Cathy, imagining she would be its object.

`But I do,' said her cousin, shuddering. `Don't provoke him against me, Catherine, for he is very hard.'

`Is he severe to you, Master Heathcliff?' I inquired. `Has he grown weary of indulgence, and passed from passive to active hatred?'

Linton looked at me, but did not answer; and, after keeping her seat by his side another ten minutes, during which his head fell drowsily on his breast, and he uttered nothing except suppressed moans of exhaustion or pain, Cathy began to seek solace in looking for bilberries, and sharing the produce of her researches with me: she did not offer them to him, for she saw further notice would only weary and annoy.

`Is it half an hour now, Ellen?' she whispered in my ear, at last. `I can't tell why we should stay. He's asleep, and papa will be wanting us back.'

`Well, we must not leave him asleep,' I answered; `wait till he wakes, and be patient. You were mighty eager to set off, but your longing to see poor Linton has soon evaporated!'

`Why did he wish to see me?' returned Catherine. `In his crossest humours, formerly, I liked him better than I do in his present curious mood. It's just as if it were a task he was compelled to perform--this interview--for fear his father should scold him. But I'm hardly going to come to give Mr Heathcliff pleasure; whatever reason he may have for ordering Linton to undergo this penance. And, though I'm glad he's better in health, I'm sorry he's so much less pleasant, and so much less affectionate to me.'

`You think he is better in health then?' I said.

`Yes,' she answered; `because he always made such a great deal of his sufferings, you know. He is not tolerably well, as he told me to tell papa; but he's better, very likely.'

`There you differ with me, Miss Cathy,' I remarked; `I should conjecture him to be far worse.'

Linton here started from his slumber in bewildered terror, and asked if anyone had called his name.

`No,' said Catherine; `unless in dreams. I cannot conceive how you manage to doze out of doors, in the morning.'

`I thought I heard my father,' he gasped, glancing up to the frowning nab above us. `You are sure nobody spoke?'

`Quite sure,' replied his cousin. `Only Ellen and I were disputing concerning your health. Are you truly stronger, Linton, than when we separated in winter? If you be I'm certain one thing is not stronger--your regard for me: speak,--are you?'

The tears gushed from Linton's eyes as he answered, `Yes, yes, I am!' And, still under the spell of the imaginary voice, his gaze wandered up and down to detect its owner. Cathy rose. `For today we must part,' she said. `And I won't conceal that I have been sadly disappointed with our meeting; though I'll mention it to nobody but you: not that I stand in awe of Mr Heathcliff.'

`Hush,' murmured Linton: `for God's sake, hush! He's coming.' And he clung to Catherine's arm, striving to detain her; but at that announcement she hastily disengaged herself, and whistled to Minny, who obeyed her like a dog.

`I'll be here next Thursday,' she cried, springing to the saddle. `Goodbye. Quick, Ellen!'

And so we left him, scarcely conscious of our departure, so absorbed was he in anticipating his father's approach.

Before we reached home, Catherine's displeasure softened into a perplexed sensation of pity and regret, largely blended with vague, uneasy doubts about Linton's actual circumstances, physical and social; in which I partook, though I counselled her not to say much; for a second journey would make us better judges. My master requested an account of our ongoings. His nephew's offering of thanks was duly delivered, Miss Cathy gently touching on the rest: I also threw little light on his inquiries, for I hardly knew what to hide, and what to reveal.

亦汐

第二十七章




七天很快地过去了，埃德加·林惇的病情每一天都在急剧发展。前几个月已经使他垮下来，如今更是一小时一小时地在恶化。我们还想瞒住凯瑟琳；但她的机灵可是骗不过她自己；她暗自揣度着，深思着那可怕的可能性，而那可能性已渐渐地成熟为必然性了。当星期四又来了的时候，她没有心情提起她骑马的事，我向她提起，并且得到了允许陪她到户外去：因为图书室（她父亲每天只能待一会，他只能坐极短的时间）和他的卧房，已经变成他的全部世界了。她愿意每时每刻都俯身在他枕旁，或是坐在他身旁。她的脸由于守护和悲哀变得苍白了，我主人希望她走开，他以为这样会使她快乐地改换一下环境和同伴，在他死后她就不至于孤苦伶仃了，他用这希望来安慰自己。

他有一个执着的想法，这是我从他好几次谈话中猜到的，就是，他的外甥既然长得像他，他的心地一定也像他，因为林惇的信很少或根本没有表示过他的缺陷。而我，由于可以原谅的软弱，克制着自己不去纠正这个错误，我自问：在他生命的最后时刻，对这种消息他既无力也无机会来扭转，反而使他心烦意乱，那让他知道又有什么好处呢。

我们把我们的出游延迟到下午；八月里一个难得的美好的下午：山上吹来的每一股气息都是如此洋溢着生命，仿佛无论谁吸进了它，即使是气息奄奄的人，也会复活起来。凯瑟琳的脸恰像那风景一样——阴影与阳光交替着飞掠而过；但阴影停留的时间长些，阳光则比较短暂，她那颗可怜的小小的心甚至为了偶然忘记忧虑还责备着自己呢。

我们看见林惇还在他上次选择的地方守着。我的小女主人下了马，告诉我，她决定只待一会工夫，我最好就骑在马上牵着她的小马，但我不同意：我不能冒险有一分钟看不见我的被监护者；所以我们一同爬下草地的斜坡。希刺克厉夫少爷这一次带着较大的兴奋接待我们：然而不是兴高采烈的兴奋，也不是欢乐的兴奋；倒更像是害怕。

“来晚了！”他说，说得短促吃力。“你父亲不是病得很重吧？我以为你不来了呢。”

“为什么你不坦白直说呢？”凯瑟琳叫着，把她的问好吞下去没说。“为什么你不能直截了当地说你不需要我呢？真特别，林惇，第二次你硬要我到这儿来，显然只是让我们彼此受罪，此外毫无理由！”

林惇颤栗着，半是乞求，半是羞愧地瞅她一眼；但是他的表姐没有这份耐心忍受这种暧昧的态度。

“我父亲是病得很重，”她说，“为什么要叫我离开他的床边呢？你既然愿意我不守诺言，为什么不派人送信叫我免了算啦？来！我要一个解释：我完全没有游戏瞎聊的心思：现在我也不能再给你的装腔作势凑趣了！”

“我的装腔作势！”他喃喃着，“那是什么呢？看在上帝面上，凯瑟琳，别这么生气！随你怎么看不起我好了；我是个没出息的怯弱的可怜虫：嘲笑我是嘲笑不够的，但是我太不配让你生气啦。恨我父亲吧，就蔑视我吧。“

“无聊！”凯瑟琳激动得大叫。“糊涂的傻瓜，瞧呀，他在哆嗦，好像我真要碰他似的！你用不着要求蔑视，林惇：你随时都可以叫任何人自然而然地瞧不起你。滚开！我要回家了：简直是滑稽，把你从壁炉边拖出来，装作——我们要装作什么呢？放掉我的衣服！如果我为了你的哭和你这非常害怕的神气来怜悯你，你也应该拒绝这怜悯。艾伦，告诉他这种行为多不体面。起来，可别把你自己贬成一个下贱的爬虫——可别！”

林惇泪下如注，带着一种痛苦的表情，将他那软弱无力的身子扑在地上：他仿佛由于一种剧烈的恐怖而惊恐万状。

“啊，”他抽泣着，“我受不了啦！凯瑟琳，凯瑟琳，而且我还是一个背信弃义的人，我不敢告诉你！可你要是离开我，我就要给杀死啦！亲爱的凯瑟琳，我的命在你手里：你说过你爱我的，你要是真爱，也不会对你不利的。那你不要走吧？仁慈的，甜蜜的好凯瑟琳！也许你会答应的——他要我死也要跟你在一起啊！”

我的小姐，眼看他苦痛很深，弯腰去扶他。旧有的宽容的温情压倒她的烦恼，她完全被感动而且吓住了。

“答应什么！”她问，“答应留下来吗？告诉我你这一番奇怪的话的意思，我就留下来。你自相矛盾，而且把我也搞糊涂了！镇静下来坦率些，立刻说出来你心上所有的重担。你不会伤害我的，林惇，你会吗？要是你能制止的话，你不会让任何敌人伤害我吧！我可以相信你自己是一个胆小的人，可总不会是一个怯懦地出卖你的最好的朋友的人吧。”

“可是我的父亲吓唬我，”那孩子喘着气，握紧他的瘦手指头，“我怕他——我怕他！我不敢说呀！”

“啊！好吧！”凯瑟琳说，带着讥讽的怜悯，“保守你的秘密吧，我可不是懦夫。拯救你自己吧；我可不怕！”

她的宽宏大量惹起他的眼泪；他发狂地哭着，吻她那扶着他的手，却还不能鼓起勇气说出来。我正在思考这个秘密将是什么，我都决定了绝不让凯瑟琳为了使他或任何别人受益而自己受罪，这是本着我的好心好意；这时我听见了在石楠林中一阵簌簌的响声，我抬起头来看，看见希刺克厉夫正在走下山庄，快要走近我们了。他瞅都不瞅我所陪着的这两个人，虽然他们离得很近，近得足以使他听见林惇的哭泣；但是他装出那种几乎是诚恳的声音，不对别人，只对我招呼着，那种诚恳使我不能不怀疑，他说：

“看到你们离我家这么近是一种安慰哩，耐莉。你们在田庄过得好吗？说给我们听听。”他放低了声音又说，“传说埃德加·林惇垂危了，或者他们把他的病情夸大了吧？”

“不，我的主人是快死了，”我回答，“是真的。这对于我们所有的人是件悲哀事情，对于他倒是福气哩！”

“他还能拖多久，你以为？”他问。

“我不知道，”我说。

“因为，”他接着说，望着那两个年轻人，他们在他的注意下都呆着了——林惇仿佛是不敢动弹，也不敢抬头，凯瑟琳为了他的缘故，也不能动——“因为那边那个孩子好像决定要使我为难；我巴不得他的舅舅快一点，在他之前死去！喂；这小畜生一直在玩把戏吗？对于他的鼻涕眼泪的把戏，我是已经给过他一点教训了。他跟林惇小姐在一起时，总还活泼吧？”

“活泼？不——他表现出极大的痛苦哩，”我回答。“瞧着他，我得说，他不该陪他的心上人在山上闲逛，他应该在医生照料下，躺在床上。”

“一两天，他就要躺下来啦，”希刺克厉夫咕噜着。“可是先要——起来，林惇！起来！”他吆喝着。“不要在那边地上趴着：起来，立刻起来！”

林惇又在一阵无能为力的恐惧中伏在地上，我想这是由于他父亲瞅了他一眼的缘故：没有别的可以产生这种屈辱。他好几次努力想服从，可是他的仅有的可怜体力暂时是消失了，他呻吟了一声又倒下去。希刺克厉夫走向前，把他提起来，靠在一个隆起的草堆上。

“现在，”他带着压制住的凶狠说，“我要生气了；如果你不能振作你那点元气——你这该死的！马上起来！”

“我就起来，父亲，”他喘息着。“只是，别管我，要不我要晕倒啦。我保证我已经照你的愿望作了。凯瑟琳会告诉你，我——我——本来很开心的。啊，在我这儿待着，凯瑟琳，把你的手给我。”

“拉住我的手，”他父亲说，“站起来。好了——她会把她的胳臂伸给你，那就对啦，望着她吧。林惇小姐，你会想象我就是激起这种恐怖的恶魔本身吧，做做好事，请陪他回家吧，可以吗？我一碰他，他就发抖。”

“林惇，亲爱的！”凯瑟琳低声说，“我不能去呼啸山庄……爸爸禁止我去……他不会伤害你的。你干吗这么害怕呢？”

“我永远不能再进那个房子啦，”他回答。“我不和你一块进去，就不能再进去啦！”

“住口！”他的父亲喊。“凯瑟琳由于出于孝心而有所顾虑，这我们应当尊重。耐莉，把他带进去吧，我要听从你的关于请医生的劝告，决不耽搁了。”

“那你可以带他去啊，”我回答。“可是我必须跟我的小姐在一起；照料你的儿子不是我的事。”

“你是很顽固的，”希刺克厉夫说：“我知道的：但这是你在逼我把这婴儿掐痛，让他尖声大叫，不让他打动了你的慈悲心。那么，来吧，我的英雄。你愿意回去吗，由我来护送？”

他再次走近，作出像要抓住那个脆弱的东西的样子；但是林惇向后缩着，粘住他的表姐不放，现出一种疯狂的死乞白赖的神气，简直不容人拒绝。无论我怎样不赞成，我却不能阻止她：实在，她自己又怎么能拒绝他呢？是什么东西使他充满了恐惧，我们没法看出来，但是他就在那儿，无力地在他掌握中，仿佛再加上任何一点威吓，就能把他吓成白痴。我们到达了门口：凯瑟琳走进去，我站在那儿等着她把病人引到椅子上，希望她马上就出来；这时希刺克厉夫先生，把我向前一推，叫道：“我的房子并没有遭瘟疫，耐莉；今天我还想款待客人哩；坐下来，让我去关门。”

他关上门，又锁上。我大吃一惊。

“在你们回家以前可以喝点茶，”他又说。“只有我自己一个人。哈里顿到里斯河边放牛去了，齐拉和约瑟夫出去玩了；虽然我习惯于一个人，我还情愿有几个有趣的同伴，要是我能得到的话。林惇小姐，坐在他旁边吧。我把我所有的送给你：这份礼物简直是不值得接受的；但是我没有别的可以献出来啦。我意思是指林惇。你瞪眼干吗！真古怪，对于任何像是怕我的东西，我就会起一种多么野蛮的感觉！如果我生在法律不怎么严格，风尚比较不大文雅的地方，我一定要把这两位来个慢慢的活体解剖，作为晚上的娱乐。”

他倒吸一口气，捶着桌子，对着自己诅咒着：“我可以对着地狱起誓，我恨他们。”

“我不怕你！”凯瑟琳大叫，她受不了他所说的后半段话。她走近他；她的黑眼睛闪烁着激情与决心。“把钥匙给我：我要！”她说。“我就是饿死，我也不会在这里吃喝。”

希刺克厉夫把摆在桌子上的钥匙拿在手里。他抬头看，她的勇敢反倒使他感到惊奇；或者，可能从她的声音和眼光使他想起把这些继承给她的那个人。她抓住钥匙，几乎从他那松开的手指中夺出来了，但是她的动作使他回到了现实；他很快地恢复过来。

“现在，凯瑟琳·林惇，”他说，“站开，不然我就把你打倒；那会使丁太太发疯的。”

不顾这个警告，她又抓住他那握紧的拳头和拳头里的东西。“我们一定要走！”她重复说，使出她最大的力量想让这钢铁般的肌肉松开；发现她的指甲没有效果，她便用她的牙齿使劲咬。希刺克厉夫望了我一眼，这一眼使我一下子不能干预。凯瑟琳太注意他的手指以至于忽视了他的脸了。他忽然张开手指，抛弃这引起争执的东西；但是，在她还没有拿到以前，他用这松开的手抓住她，把她拉到他面前跪下来，用另一只手对着她的头脸一阵暴雨似的狠打，要是她能够倒下来的话，只消打一下就足够达到他威胁的目的了。

看到这穷凶极恶的狂暴，我愤怒地冲到他跟前。“你这坏蛋！”我开始大叫，“你这坏蛋！”他当胸一拳使我住嘴了：我很胖，一下子就喘不过气来：加上那一击和愤怒，我昏沉沉地蹒跚倒退，觉得就要闷死，或者血管爆裂。

这一场大闹两分钟就完了；凯瑟琳被放开了，两只手放在她的鬓骨上，神气正像是她还不能准确知道她的耳朵还在上面没有。她像一根芦苇似地哆嗦着，可怜的东西，完全惊慌失措地靠在桌边。

“你瞧，我知道怎么惩罚孩子们，”这个无赖汉凶恶地说，这时他弯腰去拾掉在地板上的钥匙，“现在，按照我告诉过你的，到林惇那儿；哭个痛快吧！我将是你父亲了，明天——一两天之内你就将只有这一个父亲了——你还有的是罪要受呢。你能受得住，你不是个草包，如果我再在你眼睛里瞅见这样一种鬼神气，你就要每天尝一次！”

凯蒂没有到林惇那边去，却跑到我跟前，跪下来，将她滚烫的脸靠着我的膝，大声地哭起来。她的表弟缩到躺椅的一角，静得像个耗子，我敢说他是在私下庆贺这场惩罚降在别人头上而不是在他头上。希刺克厉夫看我们都吓呆了，就站起来，很利索地自己去沏茶。茶杯和碟子都摆好了。他倒了茶，给我一杯。

“把你的脾气冲洗掉，”他说。“帮帮忙，给你自己的淘气宝贝和我自己的孩子，倒杯茶吧。虽然是我预备的，可没有下毒。我要出去找你们的马去。”

他一走开，我们头一个念头就是在什么地方打出一条出路。我们试试厨房的门，但那是在外面闩起的：我们望望窗子——它们都太窄了，甚至凯蒂的小个儿也钻不过。

“林惇少爷，”我叫着，眼看我们是正式被监禁了，“你知道你的凶恶的父亲想作什么，你要告诉我们，不然我就打你的耳光，就像他打你的表姐一样。”

“是的，林惇，你一定得告诉我们，”凯瑟琳说。“为了你的缘故，我才来；如果你不肯的话，那太忘恩负义了。”

“给我点茶，我渴啦，然后我就告诉你，”他回答。“丁太太，走开，我不喜欢你站在我跟前。瞧，凯瑟琳，你把你的眼泪掉在我的茶杯里了，我不喝那杯，再给我倒一杯。”

凯瑟琳把另一杯推给他，揩揩他的脸。我对于这个小可怜虫的坦然态度极感厌恶，他已不再为他自己恐怖了。他一走进呼啸山庄，他在旷野上所表现的痛苦就全消失；所以我猜想他一定是受了一场暴怒的惩罚的威胁，要是他不能把我们诱到那里的话；那事既已成功，他眼下就没有什么恐惧了。

“爸爸要我们结婚，”他啜了一点茶后，接着说。“他知道你爸爸不会准我们现在结婚的；如果我们等着，他又怕我死掉，所以我们早上就结婚，你得在这儿住一夜，如果你照他所愿望的作了，第二天你就可以回家，还带我跟你一起去。”

“带你跟她一起去，可怜的三心二意的人！”我叫起来。

“你结婚？那么这个人是疯了！要不就是他以为我们是傻子，大家都是。你以为那个美丽的小姐，那个健康热诚的姑娘会把她自己拴在一个像你这样快死的小猴子身边吗？就不说林惇小姐吧，你居然妄想任何人会要你作丈夫么？你用你那怯懦的哭哭啼啼的把戏骗我们到这儿来，你简直该挨鞭子抽；而且——现在，别现出这样呆相啦！我倒想狠狠地摇撼你，就因为你的可鄙的奸诈，和你那低能的奇想。”

我真的轻轻摇撼了他一下，但是这就引起了咳嗽，他又来呻吟和哭泣那老一套，凯瑟琳责备了我。

“住一夜？不！”她说，慢慢地望望四周。“艾伦，我要烧掉那个门，我反正要出去。”

她马上就要开始实行她的威胁，但是林惇又为了他所珍爱的自身而惊慌了。他用他的两个瘦胳臂抱住她，抽泣着：

“你不愿意要我，救我了吗？不让我去田庄了吗？啊，亲爱的凯瑟琳！你千万别走开，别甩下我。你一定要服从我父亲，你一定要啊！”

“我必须服从我自己的父亲，”她回答，“要让他摆脱这个残酷的悬念。一整夜！他会怎么想呢？他已经要难受了。我一定要打一条路出去，或是绕一条路出去。别响！你没有危险——可要是你妨碍我——林惇，我爱爸爸胜过爱你！”

对希刺克厉夫先生的愤怒所感到的致命的恐怖使他又恢复了他那懦夫的辩才。凯瑟琳几乎是精神错乱了：但她仍然坚持着一定要回家，而且这回轮到她来恳求了，劝他克制他那自私的苦恼。

他们正在这样纠缠不清，我们的狱卒又进来了。

“你们的马都走掉了，”他说，“而且——嘿，林惇！又哭哭啼啼啦？她对你怎么啦？来，来——算啦，上床去吧。一两月之内，我的孩子，你就能够用一只强有力的手来报复她现在的暴虐了。你是为纯洁的爱情而憔悴的，不是吗？不是为世上别的东西：她会要你的！那么，上床去吧！今晚齐拉不会在这儿；你得自己脱衣服。嘘！别作声啦！你一进你自己的屋子，我也不会走近你了，你也用不着害怕啦。凑巧，你这回总算办得不错。其余的事我来办好了。”

他说了这些话，就开开门让他儿子走过去，后者出去的神气正像一只摇尾乞怜的小狗，唯恐那开门的人打算恶意挤他一下似的。门又锁上了。希刺克厉夫走近火炉前，我的女主人和我都默默地站在那里。凯瑟琳抬头望望，本能地将她的手举起放到她脸上：有他在邻近，疼痛的感觉又复苏了。任何别人都不能够以严厉来对待这孩子气的举动，可是他对她皱眉而且咕噜着：

“啊！你不怕我？你的勇敢装得不坏：不过你仿佛害怕得很呢！”

“现在我是怕了，”她回答，“因为，要是我待在这里，爸爸会难过的：让他难过我又怎么受得了呢——在他——在他——希刺克厉夫先生，让我回家吧！我答应嫁给林惇：爸爸会愿意我嫁给他的，而且我爱他。你干吗愿意强迫我作我自己本来愿意作的事呢？”

“看他怎么敢强迫你！”我叫。“国有国法，感谢上帝！有法律；虽然我们住在一个偏僻的地方。即使他是我自己的儿子，我也要告他；这是即使是连牧师也不能宽赦的重罪！”

“住口！”那恶徒说。“你嚷嚷个鬼！我不要你说话。林惇小姐，我想到你父亲会难过，我非常开心；我将满意得睡不着觉。你告诉我会出这样的事，那正是再好没有的理由让你非在我家里呆二十四个钟头不可了。至于你答应嫁给林惇，我会叫你守信用的；因为你不照办，就休想离开这儿。”

“那么叫艾伦去让爸爸知道我平安吧！”凯瑟琳叫着，苦苦地哀哭着。“或者现在就娶我。可怜的爸爸，艾伦，他会认为我们走失了。我们怎么办呢？”

“他才不会！他会以为你侍候他烦了，就跑开玩一下去啦，”希刺克厉夫回答。你不能否认你是违背了他的禁令，自动走进我的房子来的。在你这样的年纪，你热望一些娱乐也是相当自然的；自然，看护一个病人，而那个病人只不过是你父亲，你也会厌倦的。凯瑟琳，当你的生命开始的时候，他的最快乐的日子就结束了。我敢说，他诅咒你，因为你走进这个世界（至少，我诅咒）；如果在他走出世界时也诅咒你，那正好。我愿和他一起诅咒。我不爱你！我怎么能呢？哭去吧。据我所料，哭将成为你今后的主要消遣了：除非林惇弥补了其他的损失：你那有远虑的家长仿佛幻想他可以弥补。他的劝告和安慰的信使我大大开心。在他最后一封上，他劝我的宝贝要关心他的宝贝；而且当他得到她时，要对她温和。关心同温和——那是父亲的慈爱。但是林惇却要把他整个的关心同温和用在自己身上哩。林惇很能扮演小暴君。他会折磨死随便多少猫，只要把它们的牙齿拔掉了，爪子削掉了。我向你担保，等你再回家的时候，你就能够编造一些关于他的温和的种种美妙故事告诉他舅舅了。”

“你说得对！”我说，“你儿子的性格你解释得对。显出了他和你本人的相像处，那么，我想，凯蒂小姐在她接受这毒蛇之前可要三思啦！”

“现在我才不大在乎说说他那可爱的品质哩，”他回答，“因为要么她必得接受他，要么就做一个囚犯，而且还有你陪着，直到你的主人死去。我能把你们都留下来，相当严密的，就在此地。如果你怀疑，鼓励她撤回她的话，你就可以有个判断的机会了！”

“我不要撤回我的话，”凯瑟琳说。“如果我结完婚可以去画眉田庄，我要在这个钟头之内就跟他结婚，希刺克厉夫先生，你是一个残忍的人，可你不是一个恶魔；你不会仅仅出于恶意，就不可挽回地毁掉我所有的幸福吧。如果爸爸以为我是故意离开他的，如果在我回去之前他死了，我怎么活得下去呢？我不再哭了：可我要跪在这儿，跪在你跟前；我不要起来，我的眼睛也要看着你的脸，直等到你也回头看我一眼！不，别转过去！看吧！你不会看见什么惹你生气的。我不恨你。你打我我也不气。姑父，你一生从来没有爱过任何人吗？从来没有吗？啊！你一定要看我一下。我是这么惨啊，你不能不难过，不能不怜悯我呀。”

“拿开你那蜥蜴般的手指；走开，不然我要踢你了！”希刺克厉夫大叫，野蛮地推开她。“我宁可被一条蛇缠紧。你怎么能梦想来谄媚我？我恨极了你！”

他耸耸肩：他自己真的哆嗦了一下，好像他憎恶得不寒而栗；并且把他的椅子向后推；这时我站起来，张开口，要来一顿大骂。但是我第一句才说了一半就被一条威吓堵回去了。他说我再说一个字就把我一个人关到一间屋里去。天快黑了——我们听到花园门口有人声。我们的主人立刻赶出去了：他还有他的机智，我们可没有了。经过两三分钟的谈话，他又一个人回来了。

“我以为是你的表哥哈里顿，”我对凯瑟琳说。“我但愿他来！他也许站在我们这边，谁知道呢？”

“是从田庄派来的三个仆人找你们的，”希刺克厉夫说，听见了我的话。“你本来应该开扇窗子向外喊叫的：但是我可以发誓那个小丫头心里挺高兴你没有叫，她高兴被留下来，我肯定。”

我们知道失掉了机会，就控制不住发泄我们的悲哀了；他就让我们哭到九点钟。然后他叫我们上楼，穿过厨房，到齐拉的卧房里去：我低声叫我的同伴服从：或者我们可以设法从那边窗子出去，或者到一间阁楼里，从天窗出去呢。但是，窗子像楼下一样的窄，而阁楼也无从到达，因为我们和以前一样被锁在里面了。我们都没有躺下来：凯瑟琳就在窗前呆着，焦急地守候着早晨到来；我不断地劝她休息一下，我所能得到的唯一的回答就是一声深沉的叹息。我自己坐在一张摇椅上，摇来摇去，心里严厉地斥责我许多次的失职；我当时想到我的主人们的所有不幸都是由这些而来。我现在明白，实际上不是这回事；但是在那个凄惨的夜里，在我的想象中，确是如此；我还以为希刺克厉夫比我的罪过还轻些。

七点钟他来了，问林惇小姐起来没有。她马上跑到门口，回答着，“起来了。”“那么，到这儿来，”他说，开开门，把她拉出去。我站起来跟着，可是他又锁上了。我要求放我。

“忍耐吧，”他回答，“我一会就派人把你的早点送来。”

我捶着门板，愤怒地摇着门闩；凯瑟琳问干么还要关我？他回说，我还得再忍一个钟头，他们走了。我忍了两三个钟头；最后，我听见脚步声：不是希刺克厉夫的。

“我给你送吃的来了，”一个声音说，“开门！”

我热心地服从，看见了哈里顿，带着够我吃一整天的食物。

“拿去，”他又说，把盘子塞到我手里。

“等一分钟，”我开始说。

“不，”他叫，退出去了，我为了要留住他而苦苦哀求他，他却不理。

我就在那里被关了一整天，又一整夜；又一天，又一夜。我一共待了五夜四天，看不见人，除了每天早上看见哈里顿一次；而他是一个狱卒的典型：乖戾，不吭一声，对于打动他的正义感或同情心的各种企图完全装聋。

亦汐

Chapter 27

Seven days glided away, every one marking its course by the henceforth rapid alteration of Edgar Linton's state. The havoc that months had previously wrought was now emulated by the inroads of hours. Catherine, we would fain have deluded yet: but her own quick spirit refused to delude her: it divined in secret, and brooded on the dreadful probability, gradually ripening into certainty. She had not the heart to mention her ride, when Thursday came round; I mentioned it for her, and obtained permission to order her out of doors: for the library, where her father stopped a short time daily--the brief period he could bear to sit up--and his chamber, had become her whole world. She grudged each moment that did not find her bending over his pillow, or seated by his side: Her countenance grew wan with watching and sorrow, and my master gladly dismissed her to what he flattered himself would be a happy change of scene and society; drawing comfort from the hope that she would not now be left entirely alone after his death.

He had a fixed idea, I guessed by several observations he let fall, that, as his nephew resembled him in person, he would resemble him in mind; for Linton's letters bore few or no indications of his defective character. And I, through pardonable weakness, refrained from correcting the error; asking myself what good there would be in disturbing his last moments with information that he had neither power nor opportunity to turn to account.

We deferred our excursion till the afternoon; a golden afternoon of August: every breath from the hills so full of life, that it seemed whoever respired it, though dying, might revive. Catherine's face was just like the landscape--shadows and sunshine flitting over it in rapid succession; but the shadows rested longer, and the sunshine was more transient; and her poor little heart reproached itself for even that passing forgetfulness of its cares.

We discerned Linton watching at the same spot he had selected before. My young mistress alighted, and told me that, as she was resolved to stay a very little while, I had better hold the pony and remain on horseback; but I dissented: I wouldn't risk losing sight of the charge committed to me a minute; so we climbed the slope of heath together. Master Heathcliff received us with greater animation on this occasion: not the animation of high spirits though, nor yet of joy; it looked more like fear.

`It is late!' he said, speaking short and with difficulty. `Is not your father very ill? I thought you wouldn't come.'

`Why won't you be candid?' cried Catherine, swallowing her greeting. `Why cannot you say at once you don't want me? It is strange, Linton, that for the second time you have brought me here on purpose, apparently, to distress us both, and for no reason besides!'

Linton shivered, and glanced at her, half supplicating, half ashamed; but his cousin's patience was not sufficient to endure this enigmatical behaviour.

`My father is very ill,' she said; `and why am I called from his bedside? Why didn't you send to absolve me from my promise, when'' you wished I wouldn't keep it? Come! I desire an explanation: playing and trifling are completely banished out of my mind; and I can't dance attendance on your affectations now!'

`My affectations!' he murmured; `what are they? For Heaven's sake, Catherine, don't look so angry! Despise me as much as you please; I am a worthless, cowardly wretch: I can't be scorned enough; but I'm too mean for your anger. Hate my father, and spare me for contempt.'

`Nonsense!' cried Catherine, in a passion. `Foolish, silly boy! And there! he trembles, as if I were really going to touch him! You needn't bespeak contempt, Linton: anybody will have it spontaneously at your service. Get off! I shall return home: it is folly dragging you from the hearthstone, and pretending--what do we pretend? Let go my frock! If I pitied you for crying and looking so very frightened, you should spurn such pity. Ellen, tell him how disgraceful this conduct is. Rise, and don't degrade yourself into an abject reptile--don't!'

With streaming face and an expression of agony, Linton had thrown his nerveless frame along the ground: he seemed convulsed with exquisite terror.

`Oh!' he sobbed, `I cannot bear it! Catherine, Catherine, I'm a traitor, too, and I dare not tell you! But leave me, and I shall be killed! Dear Catherine, my life is in your hands: and you have said you loved me, and if you did, it wouldn't harm you. You'll not go, then? kind, sweet, good Catherine! And perhaps you will consent--and he'll let me die with you!'

My young lady, on witnessing his intense anguish, stooped to raise him. The old feeling of indulgent tenderness overcame her vexation, and she grew thoroughly moved and alarmed.

`Consent to what?' she asked. `To stay? Tell me the meaning of this strange talk, and I will. You contradict your own words, and distract me! Be calm and frank, and confess at once all that weighs on your heart. You wouldn't injure me, Linton, would you? You wouldn't let any enemy hurt me, if you could prevent it? I'll believe you are a coward for yourself, but not a cowardly betrayer of your best friend.'

`But my father threatened me,' gasped the boy, clasping his attenuated fingers, `and I dread him--I dread him! I dare not tell!'

`Oh, well!' said Catherine, with scornful compassion, `keep your secret: I'm no coward. Save yourself; I'm not afraid!'

Her magnanimity provoked his tears: he wept wildly, kissing her supporting hands, and yet could not summon courage to speak out. I was cogitating what the mystery might be, and determined Catherine should never suffer, to benefit him or anyone else, by my goodwill; when hearing a rustle among the ling, I looked up and saw Mr Heathcliff almost close upon us, descending the Heights. He didn't cast a glance towards my companions, though they were sufficiently near for Linton's sobs to be audible; but hailing me in the almost hearty tone he assumed to none besides, and the sincerity of which I couldn't avoid doubting, he said:

`It is something to see you so near"to my house, Nelly. How are you at the Grange? Let us hear. The rumour goes', he added in a lower tone, `that Edgar Linton is on his deathbed: perhaps they exaggerate his illness!'

`No; my master is dying,' I replied: `it is true enough. A sad thing it will be for us all, but a blessing for him!'

`How long will he last, do you think?' he asked.

`I don't know,' I said.

`Because,' he continued, looking at the two young people, who were fixed under his eye--Linton appeared as if he could not venture to stir or raise his head, and Catherine could not move, on his account--`because that lad yonder seems determined to beat me; and I'd thank his uncle to be quick, and go before him. Hallo! has the whelp been playing that game long? I did give him some lessons about snivelling. Is he pretty lively with Miss Linton generally?'

`Lively? no--he has shown the greatest distress,' I answered. `To see him, I should say, that instead of rambling with his sweetheart on the hills, he ought to be in bed, under the hands of a doctor.'

`He shall be in a day or two,' muttered Heathcliff. `But first--get up, Linton! Get up!' he shouted. `Don't grovel on the ground there: up, this moment!'

Linton had sunk prostrate again in another paroxysm of helpless fear, caused by his father's glance towards him, I suppose: there was nothing else to produce such humiliation. He made several efforts to obey, but his little strength was annihilated for the time, and he fell back again with a moan. Mr Heathcliff advanced, and lifted him to lean against a ridge of turf.

`Now,' said he, with curbed ferocity, `I'm getting angry; and if you don't command that paltry spirit of yours--Damn you! get up directly!'

`I will, Father,' he panted. `Only, let me alone, or I shall faint. I've done as you wished, I'm sure. Catherine will tell you that I--that I--have been cheerful. Ah! keep by me, Catherine: give me your hand.'

`Take mine,' said his father; `stand on your feet. There now--she'll lend you her arm: that's right, look at her. You would imagine I was the devil himself, Miss Linton, to excite such horror. Be so kind as to walk home with him, will you? He shudders if I touch him.'

`Linton, dear!' whispered Catherine, `I can't go to Wuthering Heights: papa has forbidden me. He'll not harm you: why are you so afraid?'

`I can never re-enter that house,' he answered. `I'm not to re-enter it without you!'

`Stop!' cried his father. `We'll respect Catherine's filial scruples. Nelly, take him in, and I'll follow your advice concerning the doctor, without delay.'

`You'll do well,' replied I. `But I must remain with my mistress: to mind your son is not my business.'

`You are very stiff,' said Heathcliff, `I know that: but you'll force me to pinch the baby and make it scream before it moves your charity. Come, then, my hero. Are you willing to return, escorted by me?'

He approached once more, and made as if he would seize the fragile being; but, shrinking back, Linton clung to his cousin, and implored her to accompany him, with a frantic importunity that admitted no denial. However I disapproved, I couldn't hinder her: indeed, how could she have refused him herself? What was filling him with dread we had no means of discerning: but there he was, powerless under its grip, and any addition seemed capable of shocking him into idiotcy. We reached the threshold: Catherine walked in, and I stood waiting till she had conducted the invalid to a chair, expecting her out immediately; when Mr Heathcliff, pushing me forward, exclaimed:

`My house is not stricken with the plague, Nelly; and I have a mind to be hospitable today: sit down, and allow me to shut the door.'

He shut and locked it also. I started.

`You shall have tea before you go home,' he added. `I am by myself. Hareton is gone with some cattle to the Lees, and Zillah and Joseph are off on a journey of pleasure; and, though I'm used to being alone, I'd rather have some interesting company, if I can get it. Miss Linton, take your seat by him. I give you what I have: the present is hardly worth accepting; but I have nothing else to offer. It is Linton, I mean. How she does stare! It's odd what a savage feeling I have to anything that seems afraid of me! Had I been born where laws are less strict and tastes less dainty, I should treat myself,to a slow vivisection of those two, as an evening's amusement.

He drew in his breath, struck the table, and swore to himself, `By hell! I hate them.'

`I'm not afraid of you!' exclaimed Catherine, who could not hear the latter part of his speech. She stepped close up; her black eyes flashing with passion and resolution. `Give me that key: I will have it!' she said. `I wouldn't eat or drink here, if I were starving.'

Heathcliff had the key in his hand that remained on the table. He looked up, seized with a sort of surprise at her boldness; or, possibly, reminded by her voice and glance, of the person from whom she inherited it. She snatched at the instrument, and half succeeded in getting it out of his loosened fingers: but her action recalled him to the present; he recovered it speedily.

`Now, Catherine Linton,' he said, `stand off, or I shall knock you down; and that will make Mrs Dean mad.'

Regardless of this warning, she captured his closed hand and its contents again. `We will go!' she repeated, exerting her utmost efforts to cause the iron muscles to relax; and finding that her nails made no impression, she applied her teeth pretty sharply. Heathcliff glanced at me a glance that kept me from interfering a moment. Catherine was too intent on his fingers to notice his face. He opened them suddenly, and resigned the object of dispute; but, ere she had well secured it, he seized her with the liberated hand, and, pulling her on his knee, administered with the other a shower of terrific slaps on the side of the head, each sufficient to have fulfilled his threat, had she been able to fall.

At this diabolical violence I rushed on him furiously. `You villain!' I began to cry, `you villain!' A touch on the chest silenced me: I am stout, and soon put out of breath; and, what with that and the rage, I staggered dizzily back, and felt ready to suffocate, or to burst a blood vessel. The scene was over in two minutes; Catherine, released, put her two hands to her temples, and looked just as if she were not sure whether her ears were off or on. She trembled like a reed, poor thing, and leant against the table perfectly bewildered.

`I know how to chastise children, you see,' said the scoundrel grimly, as he stooped to repossess himself of the key, which had dropped to the floor. `Go to Linton now, as I told you; and cry at your ease! I shall be your father, tomorrow--all the father you'll have in a few days--and you shall have plenty of that. You can bear plenty; you're no weakling: you shall have a daily taste, if I catch such a devil of a temper in your eyes again!'

Cathy ran to me instead of Linton, and knelt down and put her burning cheek on my lap, weeping aloud. Her cousin had shrunk into a corner of the settle, as quiet as a mouse, congratulating himself, I dare say, that the correction had lighted on another than him. Mr Heathcliff, perceiving us all confounded, rose, and expeditiously made the tea himself. The cups and saucers were laid ready. He poured it out, and handed me a cup.

`Wash away your spleen,' he said. `And help your own naughty pet and mine. It is not poisoned, though I prepared it. I'm going out to seek your horses.'

Our first thought, on his departure, was to force an exit somewhere. We tried the kitchen door, but that was fastened outside: we looked at the windows--they were too narrow for even Cathy's little figure.

`Master into,' I cried, seeing we were regularly imprisoned: `you know what your diabolical father is after, and you shall tell us, or I'll box your ears, as he has done your cousin's.'

`Yes, Linton, you must tell,' said Catherine. `It was for your sake I came; and it will be wickedly ungrateful if you refuse.'

`Give me some tea, I'm thirsty, and then I'll tell you,' he answered. `Mrs Dean, go away. I don't like you standing over me. Now, Catherine, you are letting your tears fall into my cup. I won't drink that. Give me another.'

Catherine pushed another to him, and wiped her face. I felt disgusted at the little wretch's composure, since he was no longer in terror for himself. The anguish he had exhibited on the moor subsided as soon as ever he entered Wuthering Heights; so I guessed he had been menaced with an awful visitation of wrath if he failed in decoying us there; and, that accomplished, he had no further immediate fears.

`Papa wants us to be married,' he continued, after sipping some of the liquid. `And he knows your papa wouldn't let us marry now; and he's afraid of my dying, if we wait; so we are to be married in the morning, and you are to stay here all night; and if you do as he wishes, you shall return home next day, and take me with you.'

`Take you with her, pitiful changeling?' I exclaimed. `You marry? Why, the man is mad; or he thinks us fools, every one. And do you imagine that beautiful young lady, that healthy, hearty girl, will tie herself to a little perishing monkey like you! Are you cherishing the notion that anybody, let alone Miss Catherine Linton, would have you for a husband? You want whipping for bringing us in here at all, with your dastardly puling tricks; and--don't look so silly, now! I've a very good mind to shake you severely, for your contemptible treachery, and your imbecile conceit.'

I did give him a slight shaking; but it brought on the cough, and he took to his ordinary resource of moaning and weeping, and Catherine rebuked me.

`Stay all night? No,' she said, looking slowly round. `Ellen, I'll burn that door down, but I'll get out.'

亦汐

Won't you have me, and save me? not let me come to the Grange? Oh! darling Catherine! you mustn't go and leave me, after all. You must obey my father--you must!'

`I must obey my own,' she replied, `and relieve him from this cruel suspense. The whole night! What would he think? he'll be distressed already. I'll either break or burn a way out of the house. Be quiet! You're in no danger; but if you hinder me--Linton, I love papa better than you!'

The mortal terror he felt of Mr Heathcliff's anger, restored to the boy his coward's eloquence. Catherine was near distraught: still, she persisted that she must go home, and tried entreaty in her turn, persuading him to subdue his selfish agony. While they were thus occupied, our gaoler re-entered.

`Your beasts have trotted off,' he said, `and--now, Linton! snivelling again? What has she been doing to you? Come, come--have done, and get to bed. In a month or two, my lad, you'll be able to pay her back her present tyrannies with a vigorous hand. You're pining for pure love, are you not? nothing else in the world: and she shall have you! There, to bed! Zillah won't be here tonight; you must undress yourself. Hush! hold your noise! Once in your own room, I'll not come near you: you needn't fear. By chance you've managed tolerably. I'll look to the rest.'

He spoke these words, holding the door open for his son to pass; and the latter achieved his exit exactly as a spaniel might, which suspected the person who attended on it of designing a spiteful squeeze. The lock was re-secured. Heathcliff approached the fire, where my mistress and I stood silent. Catherine looked up, and instinctively raised her hand to her cheek: his neighbourhood revived a painful sensation. Anybody else would have been incapable of regarding the childish act with sternness, but he scowled on her, and muttered:

`Oh! you are not afraid of me? Your courage is well disguised: you seem damnably afraid!'

`I am afraid now,' she replied, `because, if I stay, papa will be miserable; and how can I endure making him miserable;--when he--when he--Mr Heathcliff, let me go home! I promise to marry Linton: papa would like me to, and I love him--why should you wish to force me to do what I'll willingly do of myself?'

`Let him dare to force you!' I cried. `There's law in the land, thank God there is; though we be in an out-of-the-way place. I'd inform if he were my own son: and it's felony without benefit of clergy!'

`Silence!' said the ruffian. `To the devil with your clamour! I don't want you to speak. Miss Linton, I shall enjoy myself remarkably in thinking your father will be miserable: I shall not sleep for satisfaction. You could have hit on no surer way of fixing your residence under my roof for the next twenty-four hours, than informing me that such an event would follow. As to your promise to marry Linton, I'll take care you shall keep it; for you shall not quit this place till it is fulfilled.'

`Send Ellen, then, to let papa know I'm safe!' exclaimed Catherine, weeping bitterly. `Or marry me now. Poor papa! Ellen, he'll think we're lost. What shall we do?'

`Not he! He'll think you are tired of waiting on him, and run off for a little amusement,' answered Heathcliff. `You cannot deny that you entered my house of your own accord, in contempt of his injunctions to the contrary. And it is quite natural that you should desire amusement at your age; arid that you would weary of nursing a sick man, and that man only your father. Catherine, his happiest days were over when your days began. He cursed you, I dare say, for coming into the world (I did, at least); and it would just do if he cursed you as he went out of it. I'd join him. I don't love you! How should I? Weep away. As far as I can see, it will be your chief diversion hereafter; unless Linton make amends for other losses: and your provident parent appears to fancy he may. His letters of advice and consolation entertained me vastly. In his last he recommended my jewel to be careful of his; and kind to her when he got her. Careful and kind--that's paternal. But Linton requires his whole stock of care and kindness for himself. Linton can play the little tyrant well. He'll undertake to torture any number of cats, if their teeth be drawn and their claws pared. You'll be able to tell his uncle fine tales of his kindness, when you get home again, I assure you.'

`You're right there!' I said; `explain your son's character. Show his resemblance to yourself; and then, I hope, Miss Cathy will think twice before she takes the cockatrice!'

`I don't much mind speaking of his amiable qualities now,' he answered; `because she must either accept him or remain a prisoner, and you along with her, till your master dies. I can detain you both, quite concealed, here. If you doubt, encourage her to retract her word, and you'll have an opportunity of judging!'

`I'll not retract my word,' said Catherine. `I'll marry him within this hour, if I may go to Thrushcross Grange afterwards. Mr Heathcliff, you're a cruel man, but you're not a fiend; and you won't, from mere malice, destroy irrevocably all my happiness. If papa thought I had left him on purpose, and if he died before I returned, could I bear to live? I've given over crying: but I'm going to kneel here, at your knee; and I'll not get up, and I'll not take my eyes from your face till you look back at me! No, don't turn away! do look! You'll see nothing to provoke you. I don't hate you. I'm not angry that you struck me. Have you never loved anybody in all your life, uncle? never? Ah! you must look once. I'm so wretched, you can't help being sorry and pitying me.'

`Keep your eft's fingers off; and move, or I'll kick you!' cried Heathcliff, brutally repulsing her. `I'd rather be hugged by a snake. How the devil can you dream of fawning on me? I detest you!'

He shrugged his shoulders: shook himself, indeed, as if his flesh crept with aversion; and thrust back his chair; while I got up, and opened my mouth, to commence a downright torrent of abuse. But I was rendered dumb in the middle of the first sentence, by a threat that I should be shown into a room by myself the very next syllable I uttered. It was growing dark--we heard a sound of voices at the garden gate. Our host hurried out instantly: he had his wits about him; we had not. There was a talk of two or three minutes, and he returned alone.

`I thought it had been your cousin Hareton,' I observed to Catherine. `I wish he would arrive! Who knows but he might take our part?'

`It was three servants sent to seek you from the Grange,' said Heathcliff, overhearing me. `You should have opened a lattice and called out: but I could swear that chit is glad you didn't. She's glad to be obliged to stay, I'm certain.'

At learning the chance we had missed, we both gave vent to our grief without control; and he allowed us to wail on till nine o'clock. Then he bid us go upstairs, through the kitchen, to Zillah's chamber; and I whispered my companion to obey: perhaps we might contrive to get through the window there, or into a garret, and out by its skylight. The window, however, was narrow, like those below, and the garret trap was safe from our attempts; for we were fastened in as before. We neither of us lay down: Catherine took her station by the lattice, and watched anxiously for morning; a deep sigh being the only answer I could obtain to my frequent entreaties that she would try to rest. I seated myself in a chair, and rocked to and fro, passing harsh judgment on my many derelictions of duty; from which, it struck me then, all the misfortunes of all my employers sprang. It was not the case, in reality, I am aware; but it was, in my imagination, that dismal night; and I thought Heathcliff himself less guilty than I.

At seven o'clock he came, and inquired if Miss Linton had risen.

She ran to the door immediately, and answered, `Yes.' `Here, then,' he said, opening it, and pulling her out I rose to follow, but he turned the lock again. I demanded my release.

`Be patient,' he replied; `I'll send up your breakfast in a while.'

I thumped on the panels, and rattled the latch angrily; and Catherine asked why I was still shut up? He answered, I must try to endure it another hour, and they went away. I endured it two or three hours; at length, I heard a footstep: not Heathcliff's.

`I've brought you something to eat,' said a voice; `oppen t door!'

Complying eagerly, I beheld Hareton, laden with food enough to last me all day.

`Tak it,' he added, thrusting the tray into my hand.

`Stay one minute,' I began.

`Nay,' cried he, and retired, regardless of any prayers I could pour forth to detain him.

And there I remained enclosed the whole day, and the whole of the next night; and another, and another. Five nights and four days I remained, altogether, seeing nobody but Hareton, once every morning; and he was a model of a jailer: surly, and dumb, and deaf to every attempt at moving his sense of justice or compassion.

亦汐

第二十八章




第五天早晨，或者不如说是下午，听见了一个不同的脚步声--比较轻而短促；这一次，这个人走进屋子里来了，那是齐拉，披着她的绯红色的围巾，头上戴一顶黑丝帽，胳臂上挎个柳条篮子。

“呃，啊呀！丁太太！”她叫。“好呀，在吉默吞有人谈论着你们啦。我从来没想到你会陷在黑马沼里，还有小姐跟你在一起，后来主人告诉我已经找到你们了，他让你们住在这儿了！怎么！你们一定是爬上一个岛了吧？你们在山洞里多久？是主人救了你吗，丁太太？可你不怎么瘦--你没有怎么受罪吧，是吗？”

“你主人是个真正的无赖汉！”我回答。“可是他要负责任的。他用不着编瞎话：总要真相大白的！”

“你是什么意思？”齐拉问。“那不是他编的话：村里人都那么说--都说你们在沼地里迷失了；当我进来时，我就问起恩萧--‘呃，哈里顿先生，自从我走后有怪事发生啦。那个漂亮的小姑娘怪可惜的，还有丁耐莉也完了，’他瞪起眼来了。我以为他还没有听到，所以我就把这流言告诉他。主人听着，他自己微笑着还说，‘即使她们先前掉在沼地里，她们现在可是出来啦，齐拉。丁耐莉这会儿就住在你房间里，你上楼时可以叫她快走吧；钥匙在这里。泥水进了她的头，她神经错乱地要往家里跑；可是我留住了她，等她神志清醒过来。如果她能走，你叫她马上去田庄吧，给我捎个信去，说她的小姐跟着就来，可以赶得上送殡。”

“埃德加先生没死吧？”我喘息着。“啊，齐拉，齐拉！”

“没有，没有；你坐下吧，我的好太太，”她回答，“你还是病着呢。他没死。肯尼兹医生认为他还可以活一天。我在路上遇见他时问过了的。”

我没有坐下来，我抓起我的帽子，赶忙下楼，因为路是自由开放了。一进大厅，我四下里望着想找个人告诉我关于凯瑟琳的消息。这地方充满了阳光，门大开着；可是眼前就看不见一个人。我正犹豫着不知是马上走好呢，还是回转去找我的女主人，忽然一声轻微的咳嗽把我的注意力引到炉边。林惇躺在躺椅上，一个人待着，吮一根棒糖，以冷漠无情的眼光望着我的动作。“凯瑟琳小姐在哪儿？”我严厉地问他，以为我既然正好撞见他一个人待在那儿，就可以吓唬他好给点情报。他却像个呆子似的继续吮糖。

“她走了吗？”我说。

“没有，”他回答，“她在楼上。她走不了；我们不让她走。”

“你们不让她走，小白痴！”我叫，“马上带我到她屋里去，不然我要让你叫出声来。”

“要是你打算到那里去，爸爸还要让你叫出声来呢，”他回答。“他说我不必温和地对待凯瑟琳。她是我的妻子，她要离开我就是可耻的。他说她恨我并且愿意我死，她好得到我的钱；可是她拿不到：她回不了家！她永远不会！--她可以哭呀，生病呀，随她的便！”

他又继续吮着糖，闭着眼，好像他想瞌睡了。

“希刺克厉夫少爷，”我又开始说，“你忘了去年冬天凯瑟琳对你的所有的恩情了吗？那时候你肯定说你爱她，那时候她给你带书来，给你唱歌，而且有多少次冒着风雪来看你？有一天晚上她不能来，她就哭，唯恐你会失望；那时候你觉得她比你好几百倍：现在你却相信你父亲告诉你的谎话了，虽然你明知他憎恨你们两个人，你却和他联在一起反对她。可真是好样儿的感恩报德，是不是？”

林惇的嘴角撇下来，他把棒糖从嘴里抽出来。

“她到呼啸山庄来是因为她恨你吗？”我接着说。“你自己想想吧；至于你的钱，她甚至还不知道你会有什么钱。而你说她病了；可你还丢下她一个人，在一个陌生人家的楼上！你也受过这样被人忽视的滋味呀，你能怜悯你自己的痛苦；她也怜悯你的痛苦；可是你就不能怜悯她的痛苦！我都掉眼泪了，希刺克厉夫少爷，你瞧--我，一个年纪比较大点的女人，而且不过是个仆人--你呢，在假装出那么多温情，而且几乎有了爱她的理由之后，却把每一滴眼泪存下来为你自己用，还挺安逸地躺在那里。啊，你是个没良心的，自私的孩子！”

“我不能跟她待在一起，”他烦躁地回答。“我又不愿意一个人守在那里。她哭得我受不了。虽然我说我要叫我父亲啦，她也还是没完没了。我真叫过他一次，他吓唬她，要是她还不安静下来，他就要勒死她；可是他一离开那屋，她又哭开了，虽然我烦得大叫因为我睡不着，她还是整夜的哭哭啼啼。”

“希刺克厉夫先生出去了吗？”我看出来这个下贱的东西没有力量来同情他表姐的心灵上所受到的折磨，便盘问着。

“他在院子里，”他回答，“跟肯尼兹医生说话哩；医生说舅舅终于真的要死了。我很高兴，因为我要继承他，作田庄的主人了。凯瑟琳一说起那儿总把它当作是她的房子。那不是她的！那是我的。爸爸说她所有的每一样东西都是我的。她所有的好书是我的，她说如果我肯拿给她我们房子的钥匙，放她出去，她情愿把那些书给我，还有她那些漂亮的鸟，还有她的小马敏妮；但是我告诉她，她并没有东西可给，那些全是，全是我的。后来她就哭啦；又从她脖子上拿下一张小相片，说我可以拿那个；那是两张放在一个金盒子里的相片，一面是她母亲，另一面是她父亲，都是在他们年轻的时候照的。那是昨天发生的事。我说那也是我的，想从她手里夺过来。那个可恶的东西不让我拿：她把我推开，把我弄痛了。我就大叫--那使她害怕了--她听见爸爸来了，她拉断铰链，打开盒子，把她母亲的相片给我；那一张她打算藏起来，可是爸爸问怎么回事，我就说出来了。他把我得到的相片拿去了，又叫她把她的给我；她拒绝了，他就--他就把她打倒在地，从项链上把那盒子扯下来，用他的脚踏烂。”

“你喜欢看她挨打吗？”我问，有意鼓励他说话。

“我闭上眼睛，”他回答，“我看见我父亲打狗或打马，我都闭上眼睛，他打得真狠。但是一开头我是挺喜欢的--她既推我，就活该受罪。可是等到爸爸走了，她叫我到窗子前面，给我看她的口腔被牙齿撞破了，她满口是血；然后她把相片的碎片都收集起来，走开了，脸对着墙坐着，从此她就再也没跟我说过话：我有时候以为她是痛得不能说话。我不愿意这样想！可是她不停地哭，真是个顽劣的家伙；而且她看来是这么苍白，疯疯癫癫的样子，我都怕她啦。”

“要是你愿意的话，你能拿到钥匙吧？”我说。

“能，只要我在楼上，”他回答，“可是我现在不能走上楼。”

“在哪间屋子？”我问。

“啊，”他叫，“我才不会告诉你在哪儿。那是我们的秘密。没有人知道，哈里顿或齐拉也不知道。啊呀！你把我搞累了--走开，走开！”他把脸转过去，靠在他的胳臂上，又闭上了双眼。

我考虑最好不用看到希刺克厉夫先生就走，再从田庄带人来救我的小姐。一到家，我的伙伴们看见我，都是惊喜非常的，他们一听到他们的小女主人平安，有两三个人就要赶忙到埃德加先生的房门口前大声呼喊这个消息；但我愿自己通报。才几天的工夫，我发现他变得多么厉害呀！他带着悲哀的，听天由命的神气躺着等死。他看来很年轻：虽然他实际年龄是三十九岁。至少，人家会把他当作年轻十岁看。他想着凯瑟琳，因为他在喃喃地叫着她的名字。我摸着他的手说：

“凯瑟琳就来了，亲爱的主人！”我低声说，“她活着，而且挺好；就要来了；我希望，今天晚上。”

这消息引起的最初效果使我颤抖起来：他撑起半身，热切地向这屋子四下望着，跟着就晕过去了。等他恢复过来，我就把我们的被迫进门，以及在山庄的被扣留都说了。我说希刺克厉夫强迫我进去；那是不大真实的。我尽可能少说反对林惇的话；我也没把他父亲的禽兽行为全描述出来--我的用意是，只要我能够，就不想在他那已经溢满的苦杯中再增添苦味了。

他推测他的敌人目的之一就是取得他私人的财产以及田地，好给他的儿子；或者宁可说给他自己；但使我主人疑惑不解的是他为什么不能等自己死后再动手，而不知道他外甥将要差不多和他一同离开人世了。无论如何，他觉得他的遗嘱最好改一下：不必把凯瑟琳的财产由她自己支配了，他决定把这财产交到委托人手里，供她生前使用，如果她有孩子，在她死后给她孩子用。依靠这方法，即使林惇死了，财产也不会落到希刺克厉夫先生手里了。

我接受了他的吩咐后，就派一个人去请律师，又派了四个人，配备了可用的武器，去把我的小姐从她的狱卒那儿要回来。两批人都耽搁得很晚才回来。单人出去的仆人先回来。他说当他到律师格林先生家的时候，格林先生不在家，他不得不等了两个钟头，律师才回来。然后格林先生告诉他说他在村里有点小事要办；但他在早晨以前一定可以赶到画眉田庄。那四个人也没陪着小姐回来。他们捎回口信说凯瑟琳病了--病得离不开她的屋子，希刺克厉夫不许他们去见她。我痛痛快快骂这些笨家伙一顿，因为他们听信了那套瞎话，我不把这话传给主人，决定天亮带一群人上山庄去，认真地大闹一番，除非他们把被监禁的人稳稳地交到我们手里。他父亲一定要见到她，我发誓，又发誓，如果那个魔鬼想阻止这个，即使让他死在他自己的门阶前也成！

幸好，我省去了这趟出行和麻烦。我在三点钟下楼去拿一罐水，正在提着水罐走过大厅时，这时前门一阵猛敲使我吓一跳。“啊，那是格林，”我说，镇定着自己--“就是格林，”我仍然向前走，打算叫别人来开门；可是门又敲起来：声音不大，仍然很急促。我把水罐放在栏杆上，连忙自己开门让他进来。中秋的满月在外面照得很亮。那不是律师。我自己的可爱的小女主人跳过来搂着我的脖子哭泣着：“艾伦，艾伦！爸爸还活着吧？”

“是的，”我叫着，“是的，我的天使，他还活着，谢谢上帝，你平平安安地又跟我们在一起啦！”

她已经喘不过气来，却想跑上楼到林惇先生的屋子里去；但是我强迫她坐在椅子上，叫她喝点水，又洗洗她那苍白的脸，用我的围裙把她的脸擦得微微泛红。然后我说我必须先去说一声她来了，又求她对林惇先生说，她和小希刺克厉夫在一起会很幸福的。她愣住了，可是马上就明白我为什么劝她说假话，她向我保证她不会诉苦的。

我不忍待在那儿看他们见面。我在卧房门外站了一刻钟，简直不敢走近床前。但是，一切都很安宁：凯瑟琳的绝望如同她父亲的欢乐一样不露声色，表面上，她镇静地扶着他；他抬起他那像是因狂喜而张大的眼睛盯住她的脸。

他死得有福气，洛克乌德先生，他是这样死的：他亲亲她的脸，低声说：“我去她那儿了；你，宝贝孩子，将来也要到我们那儿去的！”就再也没动，也没说话；但那狂喜的明亮的凝视一直延续着，直到他的脉搏不知不觉地停止，他的灵魂离开了。没有人能注意到他去世的准确时刻，那是完全没有一点挣扎就死去了。

也许凯瑟琳把她的眼泪耗尽了，也许悲哀太沉重，以致哭不出来，她就这么眼中无泪地坐在那里直到日出：她坐到中午，还要待在那儿对着灵床呆想，但是我坚持要她走开，休息一下。好的是我把她劝开了，因为午饭时律师来了，他已经到过呼啸山庄，取得了如何处理的指示。他把自己卖给希刺克厉夫先生了：这就是他在我主人召唤以后迟迟不来的缘故，幸亏，在他女儿来到之后，他就根本没有想到过那些尘世间的种种事务。

格林先生自行负起责任安排一切事情以及安排这地方的每一个人。他把所有的仆人，除了我，都辞退了。他还要执行他的委托权，坚持埃德加·林惇不能葬在他妻子旁边，却要葬在教堂里，跟他的家族在一起。无论如何，遗嘱阻止那样行事，我也高声抗议，反对任何违反遗嘱指示的行为。丧事匆匆地办完了。凯瑟琳，如今的林惇·希刺克厉夫夫人，被准许住在田庄，直到她父亲起灵为止。

她告诉我说她的痛苦终于刺激了林惇，他冒险放走了她。她听见我派去的人在门口争论，她听出了希刺克厉夫的回答中的意思。那使她不顾死活了。林惇在我走后就被搬到楼上小客厅里去，他被吓得趁他父亲还没有再上楼，就拿到了钥匙。他很机灵地把门开开锁又重新上了锁，可没把它关严；当他该上床时，他要求跟哈里顿睡，他的请求这一回算是被批准了。凯瑟琳在天亮前偷偷出去。她不敢开门，生怕那些狗要引起骚扰；她到那些空的房间，检查那里的窗子；很幸运，她走到她母亲的房间，她从那里的窗台上很容易出来了，利用靠近的枞树，溜到地上。她的同谋者，尽管想出了他那怯懦的策略，为了这件逃脱的事还是吃了苦头。

亦汐

Chapter 28



On the fifth morning, or rather afternoon, a different step approached--lighter and shorter; and, this time, the person entered the room. It was Zillah; donned in her scarlet shawl, with a black silk bonnet on her head, and a willow basket swung to her arm.

`Eh, dear! Mrs Dean!' she exclaimed. `Well! there is a talk about you at Gimmerton. I never thought but you were sunk in the Blackhorse marsh, and missy with you, till master told me you'd been found, and he'd lodged you here! What! and you must have got on an island, sure? And how long were you in the hole? Did master save you, Mrs Dean? But you're not so thin--you've not been so poorly, have you?'

`Your master is a true scoundrel!' I replied. `But he shall answer for it. He needn't have raised that tale: it shall all be laid bare!'

`What do you mean?' asked zillah. `It's not his tale: they tell that in the village--about your being lost in the marsh: and I calls to Earnshaw, when I come in--"Eh, they's queer things, Mr Hareton, happened since I went off. It's a sad pity of that likely young lass, and cant Nelly Dean.'' He stared. I thought he had not heard aught, so I told him the rumour. The master listened, and he just smiled to himself, and said, ``If they have been in the marsh, they are out now, Zillah. Nelly Dean is lodged, at this minute, in your room. You can tell her to flit, when you go up; here is the key. The bog water got into her head, and she would have run home quite flighty; but I fixed her till she came round to her senses. You can bid her go to the Grange at once, if she be able, and carry a message from me, that her young lady will follow in time to attend the squire's funeral."'

`Mr Edgar is not dead?' I gasped. `Oh! Zillah, Zillah!'

`No, no; sit you down, my good mistress,' she replied, `you're right sickly yet. He's not dead: Doctor Kenneth thinks he may last another day. I met him on the road and asked.'

Instead of sitting down, I snatched my outdoor things, and hastened below, for the way was free. On entering the house, I looked about for someone to give information of Catherine. The place was filled with sunshine, and the door stood wide open; but nobody seemed at hand. As I hesitated whether to go off at once, or return and seek my mistress, a slight cough drew my attention to the hearth. Linton lay on the settle, sole tenant, sucking a stick of sugar-candy, and pursuing my movements with apathetic eyes. `Where is Miss Catherine?' I demanded sternly, supposing I could frighten him into giving intelligence, by catching him thus, alone. He sucked on like an innocent.

`Is she gone?' I said.

`No,' he replied; `she's upstairs: she's not to go; we won't let her.'

`You won't let her, little idiot!' I exclaimed. `Direct me to her room immediately, or I'll make you sing out sharply.'

`Papa would make you sing out, if you attempted to get there,' he answered. `He says I'm not to be soft with Catherine: she's my wife, and it's shameful that she should wish to leave me. He says, she hates me and wants me to die, that she may have my money; but she shan't have it: and she shan't go home! She never shall!--she may cry, and be sick as much as she pleases!'

He resumed his former occupation, closing his lids, as if he meant to drop asleep.

`Master Heathcliff,' I resumed, `have you forgotten all Catherine's kindness to you last winter, when you affirmed you loved her, and when she brought you books and sung you songs, and came many a time through wind and snow to see you? She wept to miss one evening, because you would be disappointed; and you felt then that she was a hundred times too good to you: and now you believe the lies your father tells, though you know he detests you both. And you join him against her. That's fine gratitude, is it not?'

The corner of Linton's mouth fell, and he took the sugar-candy from his lips.

`Did she come to Wuthering Heights, because she hated you?' I continued. `Think for yourself! As to your money, she does not even know that you will have any. And you say she's sick; and yet, you leave her alone, up there in a strange house! You who have felt what it is to be so neglected! You could pity your own sufferings; and she pitied them too; but you won't pity hers! I shed tears, Master Heathcliff, you see--an elderly woman, and a servant merely--and you, after pretending such affection, and having reason to worship her almost, store every tear you have for yourself, and lie there quite at ease. Ah! you're a heartless, selfish boy!'

`I can't stay with her,' he answered crossly. `I'll not stay by myself. She cries so I can't bear it. And she won't give over, though I say I'll call my father. I did call him once, and he threatened to strangle her, if she was not quiet; but she began again the instant he left the room, moaning and grieving all night long, though I screamed for vexation that I couldn't sleep.'

`Is Mr Heathcliff out?' I inquired, perceiving that the wretched creature had no power to sympathize with his cousin's mental tortures.

`He's in the court,' he replied, `talking to Dr Kenneth; who says uncle is dying, truly, at last. I'm glad, for I shall be master of the Grange after him--and Catherine always spoke of it as her house. It isn't hers! It's mine: papa says everything she has is mine. All her nice books are mine; she offered to give me them, and her pretty birds, and her pony Minny, if I would get the key of our room, and let her out; but I told her she had nothing to give, they were all, all mine. And then she cried, and took a little picture from her neck, and said I should have that; two pictures in a gold case, on one side her mother, and on the other, uncle, when they were young. That was yesterday--I said they were mine, too; and tried to get them from her. The spiteful thing wouldn't let me: she pushed me off, and hurt me. I shrieked out--that frightens her--she heard papa coming, and she broke the hinges and divided the case, and gave me her mother's portrait; the other she attempted to hide: but papa asked what was the matter, and I explained it. He took the one I had away, and ordered her to resign hers to me; she refused, and he--he struck her down, and wrenched it off the chain, and crushed it with his foot.'

`And were you pleased to see her struck?' I asked: having my designs in encouraging his talk.

`I winked,' he answered: `I wink to see my father strike a dog or a horse, he does it so hard. Yet I was glad at first--she deserved punishing for pushing me: but when papa was gone, she made me come to the window and showed me her cheek cut on the inside, against her teeth, and her mouth filling with blood; and then she gathered up the bits of the picture, and went and sat down with her face to the wall, and she has never spoken to me since: and I sometimes think she can't speak for pain. I don't like to think so; but she's a naughty thing for crying continually; and she looks so pale and wild, I'm afraid of her.'

`And you can get the key if you choose?' I said.

`Yes, when I'm upstairs,' he answered; `but I can't walk upstairs now.

`In what apartment is it?' I asked.

`Oh,' he cried, `I shan't tell you where it is! It is our secret. Nobody, neither Hareton nor Zillah, is to know. There! you've tired me--go away, go away!' And he turned his face on to his arm, and shut his eyes again.

I considered it best to depart without seeing Mr Heathcliff, and bring a rescue for my young lady from the Grange. On reaching it, the astonishment of my fellow-servants to see me, and their joy also, was intense; and when they heard that their little mistress was safe, two or three were about to hurry up and shout the news at Mr Edgar's door: but I bespoke the announcement of it, myself. How changed I found him, even in those few days! He lay an image of sadness and resignation waiting his death. Very young he looked; though his actual age was thirty-nine, one would have called him ten years younger, at least. He thought of Catherine; for he murmured her name. I touched his hand, and spoke.

`Catherine is coming, dear master!' I whispered; `she is alive and well; and will be here, I hope, tonight.'

I trembled at the first effects of this intelligence: he half rose up, looked eagerly round the apartment, and then sank back in a swoon. As soon as he recovered, I related our compulsory visit, and detention at the Heights. I said Heathcliff forced me to go in: which was not quite true. I uttered as little as possible against Linton; nor did I describe all his father's brutal conduct--my intentions being to add no bitterness, if I could help it, to his already overflowing cup.

He divined that one of his enemy's purposes was to secure the personal property, as well as the estate, to his son: or rather himself; yet why he did not wait till his decease was a puzzle to my master, because ignorant how nearly he and his nephew would quit the world together. However, he felt that his will had better be altered: instead of leaving Catherine's fortune at her own disposal, he determined to put it in the hands of trustees for her use during life, and for her children, if she had any, after her. By that means, it could not fall to Mr Heathcliff should Linton die.

Having received his orders, I dispatched a man to fetch the attorney, and four more, provided with serviceable weapons, to demand my young lady of her jailer. Both parties were delayed very late. The single servant returned first. He said Mr Green, the lawyer, was out when he arrived at his house, and he had to wait two hours for his re-entrance; and then Mr Green told him he had a little business in the village that must be done; but he would be at Thrushcross Grange before morning. The four men came back unaccompanied also. They brought word that Catherine was ill: too ill to quit her room; and Heathcliff would not suffer them to see her. I scolded the stupid fellows well for listening to that tale, which I would not carry to my master; resolving to take a whole bevy up to the Heights, at daylight, and storm it literally, unless the prisoner were quietly surrendered to us. Her father shall see her, I vowed, and vowed again, if that devil be killed on his own doorstones in trying to prevent it!

Happily, I was spared the journey and the trouble. I had gone downstairs at three o'clock to fetch a jug of water; and was passing through the hall with it in my hand, when a sharp knock at the front door made me jump. `Oh! it is Green,' I said, recollecting myself--`only Green,' and I went on, intending to send somebody else to open it; but the knock was repeated: not loud, and still importunately. I put the jug on the banister and hastened to admit him myself. The harvest moon shone clear outside. It was not the attorney. My own sweet little mistress sprang on my neck, sobbing:

`Ellen! Ellen! is papa alive?'

`Yes,' I cried: `yes, my angel, he is. God be thanked, you are safe with us again!'

She wanted to run, breathless as she was, upstairs to Mr Linton's room; but I compelled her to sit down on a chair, and made her drink, and washed her pale face, chafing it into a faint colour with my apron. Then I said I must go first, and tell of her arrival; imploring her to say, she should be happy with young Heathcliff. She stared, but soon comprehending why I counselled her to utter the falsehood, she assured me she would not complain.

I couldn't abide to be present at their meeting. I stood outside the chamber door a quarter of an hour, and hardly ventured near the bed, then. All was composed, however: Catherine's despair was as silent as her father's joy. She supported him calmly, in appearance; and he fixed on her features his raised eyes, that seemed dilating with ecstasy.

He died blissfully, Mr Lockwood: he died so. Kissing her cheek, he murmured.

`I am going to her; and you, darling child, shall come to us!' and never stirred or spoke again; but continued that rapt, radiant gaze, till his pulse imperceptibly stopped and his soul departed. None could have noticed the exact minute of his death, it was so entirely without a struggle.

Whether Catherine had spent her tears, or whether the grief were too weighty to let them flow, she sat there dry-eyed till the sun rose: she sat till noon, and would still have remained brooding over that deathbed, but I insisted on her coming away and taking some repose. It was well I succeeded in removing her; for at dinner time appeared the lawyer, having called at Wuthering Heights to get his instructions how to behave. He had sold himself to Mr Heathcliff, and that was the cause of his delay in obeying my master's summons. Fortunately, no thought of worldly affairs crossed the latter's mind, to disturb him, after his daughter's arrival.

Mr Green took upon himself to order everything and everybody about the place. He gave all the servants, but me, notice to quit. He would have carried his delegated authority to the point of insisting that Edgar Linton should not be buried beside his wife, but in the chapel, with his family. There was the will, however, to hinder that, and my loud protestations against any infringement of its directions. The funeral was hurried over; Catherine, Mrs Linton Heathcliff now, was suffered to stay at the Grange till her father's corpse had quitted it.

She told me that her anguish had at last spurred Linton to incur the risk of liberating her. She heard the men I sent disputing at the door, and she gathered the sense of Heathcliff's answer. It drove her desperate. Linton, who had been conveyed up to the little parlour soon after I left, was terrified into fetching the key before his father re-ascended. He had the cunning to unlock and relock the door, without shutting it; and when he should have gone to bed, he begged to sleep with Hareton, and his petition was granted for once. Catherine stole out before break of day. She dare not try the doors, lest the dogs should raise an alarm; she visited the empty chambers and examined their windows; and, luckily, lighting on her mother's, she got easily out of its lattice, and on to the ground, by means of the fir tree close by. Her accomplice suffered for his share in the escape, notwithstanding his timid contrivances.

亦汐

第二十九章




丧事办完后的那天晚上，我的小姐和我坐在书房里；一会儿哀伤地思索着我们的损失——我们中间有一个是绝望地思索着，一会儿又对那黯淡的未来加以推测。

我们刚刚一致认为对凯瑟琳说来，最好的命运就是答应她继续在田庄住下去；至少是在林惇活着的时候；也准许他来和她在一起，而我还是作管家。那仿佛是简直不敢希望的太有利的安排了；可我还是希望着，而且一想到可以保留我的家，我的职务，还有，最重要的是，我可爱的年轻的女主人，我就开始高兴起来；不料，这时候一个仆人——被遣散却还未离去的一个——急急忙忙地冲进来说“那个魔鬼希刺克厉夫”正在穿过院子走来；他要不要当他面就把门闩上？

即使我们真气得吩咐他闩门，也来不及了。他不顾礼貌，没有敲门，或通报他的姓名：他是主人，利用了作主人的特权，径直走进来，没说一个字。向我们报告的人的声音把他引到书房来；他进来了，作个手势，叫他出去，关上了门。

这间屋子就是十八年前他作为客人被引进来的那间：同样的月亮从窗外照进来；外面是同样的一片秋景。我们还没有点蜡烛，但是整个房间看得清清楚楚，甚至墙上的肖像：林惇夫人漂亮的头像，和她丈夫文雅的头像。希刺克厉夫走到炉边。时间也没有把他这个人改变多少。还是这个人：他那发黑的脸稍稍发黄些，也宁静些，他的身躯，或者重一两石①，并没有其他的不同。凯瑟琳一看见他就站起来想冲出去。

①石——重量名，常用来表示体重，等于十四磅，在实用上因物而异。

“站住！”他说，抓住她的胳臂。“不要再跑掉啦！你要去哪儿？我是来把你带回家去的；我希望你作个孝顺的儿媳妇，不要再鼓励我的儿子不听话了。当我发现他参与了这件事时，我不知道该怎么罚他才好，他是这么一个蜘蛛网，一抓就要使他灭亡；可是等你瞧见他的样子就知道他已经得到他应得的报应了！有天晚上，就是前天，我把他带下楼来，就把他放在椅子上，这以后再也没碰过他。我叫哈里顿出去，屋里就是我们俩。过两个钟头，我叫约瑟夫再把他带上楼去；自此以后我一在他跟前就像一个摆脱不了的鬼似的缠住他的神经；即使我不在他旁边，我猜想他也常常看得见我。哈里顿说他在夜里常一连几个钟头的醒着，大叫，叫你去保护他，免得受我的害；不管你喜欢不喜欢你那宝贝的伴侣，你一定得去：现在他归你管了；我把对他的一切兴趣全让给你。”

“为什么不让凯瑟琳留在这儿，”我恳求着，“也叫林惇少爷到她这儿来吧，既是你恨他们俩，他们不在，你也不会想念的；他们只能使你的硬心肠每天烦恼罢了。”

“我要为田庄找一个房客，”他回答，“而且我当然要我的孩子们在我身边。此外，那个丫头既有面包吃，就得作事。我不打算在林惇去世后使她养尊处优、无所事事。现在，赶快预备好吧，不要逼我来强迫你。”

“我要去的，”凯瑟琳说。“林惇是我在这世界上所能爱的一切了。虽然你已经努力使他让我厌恶，也使我让他厌恶，可是你不能使我们互相仇恨。当我在旁边的时候，我不怕你伤害他，我也不怕你吓唬我！”

“你是一个夸口的勇士，”希刺克厉夫回答，“可是我还不至于因为喜欢你而去伤害他；你要受尽折磨，能有多久就受多久。不是我使他让你厌恶——是他自己的好性子使你厌恶。他对于你的遗弃和这后果是怨恨透啦；对于你这种高尚的爱情不要期待感谢吧。我听见他很生动地对齐拉描绘着他要是跟我一样强壮，他就要如何如何了；他已经有了这种心思，他的软弱正促使他的机灵更敏锐地去寻找一种代替力气的东西。”

“我知道他的天性坏，”凯瑟琳说，“他是你的儿子。可是我高兴我天性比较好，可以原谅他；我知道他爱我，因此我也爱他。希刺克厉夫先生，你没有一个人爱你；你无论把我们搞得多惨，我们一想到你的残忍是从你更大的悲哀中产生出来的，我们还是等于报了仇了。你是悲惨的，你不是么？寂寞，像魔鬼似的，而且也像魔鬼似的嫉妒心重吧？没有人爱你——你死了，没有人哭你！我可不愿意作为你！”

凯瑟琳带着一种凄凉的胜利口气说着话。她仿佛决心进入她的未来家庭的精神中去，从她敌人的悲哀中汲取愉快。

“要是你站在那儿再多一分钟的话，你马上就要因为你这样神气而难过啦。”她的公公说，“滚，妖精，收拾你的东西去！”

她轻蔑地退开了。等她走掉，我就开始要求齐拉在山庄的位置，请求把我的让给她；但是他根本不答应。他叫我别说话；然后，他头一回让自己瞅瞅这房间，而且望了望那些肖像。仔细看了林惇夫人的肖像之后，他说：“我要把它带回家去。不是因为我需要它，可——”他猛然转身向着壁炉，带着一种，我找不出更好的字眼来说，只好说这算是一种微笑吧，他接着说：“我要告诉你我昨天作什么来着！我找到了给林惇掘坟的教堂司事，就叫他把她的棺盖上的土拨开，我打开了那棺木。我当时一度想我将来也要埋在那儿；我又看见了她的脸——还是她的模样！——他费了很大的劲才赶开我；可是他说如果吹了风那就会起变化，所以我就把棺木的一边敲松，又盖上了土；不是靠林惇那边，滚他的！我愿把他用铅焊住。我贿赂了那掘坟的人等我埋在那儿时，把它抽掉，把我的尸首也扒出来；我要这样搞法：等到林惇到我们这儿来，他就分不清哪个是哪个了！”

“你是非常恶毒的，希刺克厉夫先生！”我叫起来，“你扰及死者就不害臊吗？”

“我没有扰及任何人，耐莉，”他回答，“我给我自己一点安宁而已。如今我将要舒服多了；等我到那儿的时候你也能使我在地下躺得住了。扰及了她吗？不！她扰了我日日夜夜，十八年以来——不断地——毫无怜悯的——一直到昨夜；昨夜我平静了，我梦见我靠着那长眠者睡我最后的一觉，我的心停止了跳动，我的脸冰冷地偎着她的脸。”

“要是她已经化入泥土，或是更糟；那你还会梦见什么呢？”我说。

“梦见和她一同化掉，而且还会更快乐些！”他回答。“你以为我害怕那样的变化吗？我掀起棺盖时，我原等待着会有这么一个变化：但是我很高兴它还没有开始，那要等到我和它一同变化。而且，除非我脑子里清清楚楚地印下了她那冷若冰霜的面貌的印象，否则那种奇异的感觉是很难消除的。开始得很古怪。你知道她在死后我发狂了；每天每天我永远在祈求她的灵魂回到我这儿来！我很相信鬼魂，我相信它们能够，而且的确是生存在我们中间！她下葬的那天，下了雪。晚上我到墓园那儿去。风刮得阴冷如冬——四周是一片凄凉。我不怕她那个混蛋丈夫这么晚会荡到这幽谷中来；也没有别人会有事到那边去。我是单独一个人，而且我知道就这两码厚的松土是我们之间唯一的障碍，我对我自己说——‘我要把她再抱在我的怀里！如果她是冰冷的，我就认为是北风吹得我冷；如果她不动，那她是睡觉。’我从工具房拿到一把铲子，开始用我的全力去掘——挖到棺木了；我用我的手来搞；钉子四周的木头开始咯吱地响着；我马上就要得到我的目的物了，那时我仿佛听到上面有人叹气，就在坟边，而且俯身向下。‘如果我能掀开这个’我咕噜着，‘我愿他们用土把我们俩都埋起来！’我就更拚命地掀。在我耳边，又有一声叹息。我好像觉得那叹息的暖气代替了那夹着雨雪的风。我知道身边并没有血肉之躯的活物；但是，正如人们感到在黑暗中有什么活人走近来，可又并不能辨别是什么一样，我也那么确切地感到凯蒂在那儿：不是在我脚下，而是在地上。一种突然的轻松愉快的感觉从我心里涌出来，流过四肢。我放弃了我那悲痛的工作，马上获得了慰藉：说不出来的慰藉。她和我同在，在我又填平墓穴时，她逗留着，并且又领我回家。你要想笑，你尽管笑；可是我确信我在那儿看见了她。我确信她跟我在一起，我不能不跟她说话。到了山庄，我急切地冲到门前。门锁了；我记得，那个可诅咒的恩萧和我的妻子不让我进去。我记得我停下来，把他踢得喘不过气来，然后就赶忙上楼，到我的屋子和她的屋子里。我急躁地向四周望——我觉得她在我身边——我几乎看得见她，可是我看不见！我当时急得要冒出血来，出于苦苦的渴望——出于狂热的祈求只要看她一眼！我一眼也看不到。正如她生前一样像魔鬼似的捉弄我！而且，自此以后，或多或少，我就总是被那种不可容忍的折磨所捉弄！地狱呀！我的神经总是这么紧张；要是我的神经不像羊肠线的话，那早就松弛到林惇那样衰弱的地步了。当我同哈里顿坐在屋里的时候，仿佛我一走出去就会遇见她；当我在旷野散步的时候，仿佛我一回去就会遇见她。当我从家里出来时，我忙着回去；我肯定！她一定是在山庄的什么地方，而当我在她的屋子里睡觉时——我又非出来不可。我躺不住；因为我刚闭上眼，她要么就是在窗外，要么就溜进窗格，要么走进屋里来，要么甚至将她可爱的头靠在我的枕上，像她小时候那样。而我必须睁开眼睛看看。因此我在一夜间睁眼闭眼一百次——永远是失望！它折磨我！我常常大声呻吟，以至于那个老流氓约瑟夫一定以为是我的良心在我身体里面捣鬼。现在，既然我看见了她，我平静了——稍微平静了一点。那是一种奇怪的杀人方法：不是一寸寸的，而是像头发丝那样的一丝丝地割，十八年来就用幽灵样的希望来引诱我！”

希刺克厉夫停下来，擦擦他的额头；他的头发粘在上面，全被汗浸湿了。他的眼睛盯住壁炉的红红的余烬，眉毛并没皱起，却扬得高高地挨近鬓骨，减少了他脸上的阴沉神色，但有一种特别的烦恼样子，还有对待一件全神贯注的事情时那种内心紧张的痛苦表情。他只是一半对着我说话，我一直不开腔。我不喜欢听他说话！过了一刻，他又恢复了对那肖像的冥想，他把它取下来，把它靠在沙发上，以便更好地注视，正在这么专心看着的时候，凯瑟琳进来了，宣布她准备好了，就等她的小马装鞍了。

“明天送过来吧，”希刺克厉夫对我说；然后转身向她，他又说：“你可以不用你的小马：今晚天气不坏，而且你在呼啸山庄也用不着小马；不论你作什么样的旅行，你自己的脚可以侍候你。来吧。”

“再见，艾伦！”我亲爱的小女主人低声说。当她亲我时，她的嘴唇像冰似的。“来看我，艾伦，别忘了。”

“当心你不要作这种事，丁太太！”她的新父亲说，“我要跟你说话时，我一定会到这儿来。我可不要你偷偷到我家去！”

他作个手势叫她走在他前面；她回头望了一眼，使我心如刀割，她服从了。我在窗前望着他们顺着花园走去。希刺克厉夫把凯瑟琳的胳臂夹在他的胳臂里；虽然她起初显然是反对这样作；他跨开大步把她带到小路上，那边的树木把他们遮住不见了。