Chapter 11 Chapter VII

Kitty stayed at Thrushcross Grange for five weeks until Christmas.By then, her ankle had healed and her demeanor had improved considerably.During this period, the mistress often visited her and began her reform plan.Try boosting her self-esteem with nice clothes and flattery first, and she accepts without hesitation.So instead of a little savage without a hat jumping into the house and rushing up and hugging us all out of breath, she got off a pretty black pony a very demure person with brown curls From a feathered beaver hat hung down a long cloth riding jacket.She had to hold the dress with both hands to walk in gracefully and luxuriously.Hindley helped her from her horse, and exclaimed with delight: "Why, Katie, you are a beauty! I should hardly know you. You are a lady now. But Sabella Linton Not as good as her, is it, Francis?"

"Isabella has none of her natural beauty," answered his wife, "but she must remember not to go wild here. Ellen, help Miss Catherine take off her coat, and hold still, dear, you To mess up your curls.—Let me take off your hat." I took off her riding clothes, revealing a silk gown with a square check, white trousers, and shiny leather shoes.Her eyes gleamed with joy when the dogs jumped up to welcome her too, but she dared not touch them for fear they might jump on her pretty dress.She kisses me tenderly: I'm covered in flour, I'm making a Christmas cake, and hugging me is out of the question.Then she looked about for Heathcliff.Mr. and Mrs. Earnshaw watched their meeting anxiously, thinking that it might enable them to judge whether they had any reason to wish to separate the two friends.

At first Heathcliff could not be found.If he had been slovenly and neglected before Catherine was away, he was ten times worse afterwards.Nobody but me even bothered to call him a dirty boy, or tell him to have his bath once a week; children of his age seldom have a natural interest in soap and water.Therefore, not to mention his muddy and ashes-covered clothes that had been worn for three months, and his thick hair that was never combed, even his face and hands were covered with blackness.He saw such a pretty and elegant lady entering the room, instead of a disheveled figure as he had expected to be worthy of him, that he had to hide behind a high-backed chair.

"Isn't Heathcliff here?" she asked, taking off her gloves, and showing her fingers, which were so white from being inactive in the house. "Come here, Heathcliff," cried Mr. Hindley, delighted to see him in his dismay, and content to see that he would have to appear as a loathsome little rascal. "You can come and welcome Miss Catherine like those servants." As soon as Katie saw her friend hiding there, she ran to embrace him.She kissed him seven or eight times on the cheek in a second, then stopped, stepped back, laughed loudly, and cried: "Why, you look so unhappy! And it's so--so ridiculous and terrible! But that's because I'm used to seeing Edgar and Isabella Linton. Well, Heathcliff , did you forget me?"

She had reason to ask the question, for shame and pride cast a double shadow over his face and held him back. "Shake hands, Heathcliff," said Mr. Earnshaw with dignity. "Occasionally, it's permissible." "I don't," said the boy at last, "I can't stand being laughed at. I can't!" He started to move away from the crowd, but Miss Catty held him back. "I didn't mean to laugh at you," said she, "I couldn't help it just now. Shake hands at least, Heathcliff! Why are you unhappy? It's just that you look a little queer." .If you wash your face and brush your hair, you'll be fine, but you're so dirty!"

She stared at the black finger in her hand with concern, and then looked at her clothes, fearing that her clothes would not be beneficial if they touched his clothes. "You don't have to touch me!" he replied, and seeing her wink, he withdrew his hand. "I can be as dirty as I like. I like to be dirty, and I want to be dirty." When he had finished speaking, he rushed out of the house, to the amusement of his master and mistress, and to the great disquiet of Catherine; she could not understand how her words could provoke such an outburst of temper. After I served the newcomer as a maid, I put the cakes in the oven, and the fires went up both in the hall and in the kitchen, making it very Christmassy.When it was over, I was ready to sit down and cheer myself up by singing some Christmas carols, regardless of Joseph's assertions that the merry tunes I had chosen were not songs at all.He had retired to his bedroom to pray alone, while the Earnshaws were attracting her attention with the various pretty baubles which had been bought for her for the little Lintons, in return for their hospitality.They had invited the little Lintons to come to Wuthering Heights the next day, and the invitation was accepted, on one condition: Mrs Linton requested that her darlings be carefully separated from the "naughty, swearing boy".

So I'm left here alone.I smelled the rich aroma of overripe spices, admired the gleaming kitchen utensils, the polished clock trimmed with holly leaves, the silver basins lined up on plates ready to be poured at dinner. Fortified with ale.What I appreciate most is the thing that I take special care to scrub to an impeccable spot, and that is the washed and swept floor.I admired everything to myself, and I remembered how old Earnshaw used to come in, when everything was cleared up, and say I was a prudish girl, and slip a shilling into me. Hands as a gift for Christmas.From this I recalled his fondness for Heathcliff, and his fear of leaving him alone after his death, and I naturally went on to think of the poor boy's present position.I sang and sang and cried.But after a while, I suddenly thought that it would be more meaningful to make up for the grievances he suffered than to shed tears over these things.I got up and went to the yard to look for him.He is not far away.I found him smoothing the shiny coat of his new pony in the stable, and feeding the other animals as usual.

"Quick, Heathcliff!" said I. "It's nice in the kitchen. Joseph is upstairs. Quick, let me make you pretty before Miss Catty comes out, and you can sit Together, the whole fire is yours, and it can be as long as bedtime." He went on with his business and wouldn't turn his head on me for the hell of it. "Come on—won't you come!" I went on. "A small piece of cake is about enough for the two of you, and you'll have half an hour to get dressed." I waited five minutes, but got no answer, and walked away.Catherine dined with her brother and sister-in-law.Joseph and I had an unkind meal together, with reprimands from one side and unkindness from the other.His cake and cheese were on the table all night for the fairies.He worked until nine o'clock, and then went quietly and obstinately into his bedroom.Katie stayed late and had a lot of orders for the reception of her new friends.She came into the kitchen once, trying to talk to her old friend.But he was not there, so I only asked him what was going on, and then went back.He got up early the next morning, and it was a holiday, so he went out into the moor, unhappy, and did not return until the whole family had gone to church.Hunger and thinking seemed to brighten his spirits.He followed me for a while, then summoned up his courage, and suddenly exclaimed:

"Nellie, dress me up, I'm learning!" "Just in time, Heathcliff," said I, "you've made Catherine sad, and she regrets coming home, I daresay! It seems as if you were jealous of her, because she was more You are more cared about." The thought of being jealous of Catherine was beyond his comprehension, but the thought of hurting her he knew perfectly well. "She said she was sad?" He asked, very serious. "This morning when I told her you were gone again, she was crying." "Well, I cried last night too," he answered, "and I have more reason to cry than she did."

"Yes, you have a reason to go to bed with a proud heart and an empty stomach," I said, "proud people bring sorrow to themselves. But if you are ashamed of your temper, remember, When she comes in, you have to apologize. You have to go up and ask her to kiss her, and say—you know exactly what to say. Just do it with all your heart, and don't think that she's going to change because she's wearing a nice dress. as a stranger. Now, though I still have lunch ready, I can find time to dress you so that Edgar Linton will look like a doll beside you: he is like a doll. You Smaller than he is, but I'm sure you're taller, with shoulders twice as broad, and you could knock him down in the blink of an eye. Don't you think you can?"

Heathcliff brightened for a moment, then darkened again, and he sighed. "But, Nelly, if I knocked him down twenty times, it wouldn't make him any less handsome, or me any more. I wish I had fair hair and fair skin, and dressed and acted like him , and also have the opportunity to become as rich as him in the future!" "And cries for mamma every now and then," I added, "and trembles when a country boy raises his fist at you, and sits at home all day when there's a heavy rain. Ah, Heathcliff You are worthless! Come to the mirror, and I will show you what you should wish for. Do you see the two lines between your eyes, and the thick eyebrows, which are not arched in the middle, but Hanging in the middle. And the pair of black demons, buried so deep, never open their windows boldly, but lurking beneath, like spies of the devil, would and would learn Smooth out those stubborn lines, raise your eyelids frankly, turn demons into trustworthy, innocent angels, suspect nothing, be friends forever who aren't necessarily enemies. Don't show The vicious dog looks as if he knows he deserves to be kicked, but because he has suffered so much, he hates the whole world and the person who kicked him." "In other words, I must wish to have Edgar Linton's great blue eyes and flat forehead," he answered, "and I do wish—but that won't help me get those either." "A good heart will make you a pretty face, my boy," I went on, "even if you are a real Negro; Worse. Now we're done washing, combing, messing around. Tell me, don't you think you're pretty? I'll tell you, I think you're like a prince in disguise. Who knows What? Maybe your father was the emperor of China and your mother was an Indian queen, and one of them could buy both Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange with a week's income? And you were kidnapped by vicious sailors , brought to England. If I were in your position, I'd have high fantasies about my parentage. And the thought of who I was, would give me the courage and dignity to stand up The oppression of a small farmer!" I went on and on like this, and Heathcliff gradually overcame his displeasure, and began to appear quite happy.At this moment our conversation was suddenly interrupted by the sound of a car coming into the yard from the road.He ran to the window, and I into the yard, just in time to see the Lintons alight from the family carriage, wrapped in cloaks and furs, and the Earnshaws from their horses, which they used to ride to church in winter.Catherine took one of the children by the hand, and led them into the hall, where they were placed before the fire, and their pale faces soon turned red. I urged my companion to hurry up now and to be kind, and he complied willingly.But unfortunately, as soon as he opened the door leading from the kitchen, Hindley was opening the other door.They met, and the master, when he saw him clean and cheerful, took offense--or, perhaps, was determined to keep his promise to Mrs Linton--pushed him back abruptly, and called Joseph angrily, "No!" This fellow comes into this room—put him in the attic till after lunch. Had he been with them for a minute he would have stuck his fingers in jam cakes and stolen fruit. " "No, sir," I refrained, "he won't touch anything, he won't. And I reckon he's got his share of refreshments as well as us." "If I catch him downstairs before dark, let him taste my hand," growled Hindley. "Go away, you rascal! What? You're going to be a dandy, aren't you; wait till I get hold of those pretty curls—see if I'll stretch it out a little longer!" "That's long enough," said Master Linton, peeping through the door. "I wonder the hair doesn't give him a headache. It hangs over his eyes like a mane!" He said it without insulting his thoughts.But Heathcliff's violent temper was not prepared to bear the arrogance of the man whom he seemed to have even hated at the time as a rival in love.He grabbed a tub of hot applesauce, the first thing he got his hands on, and poured it all over the face and neck of the speaker.The man cried out immediately, and both Isabella and Catherine ran to the side.Mr. Earnshaw immediately seized the criminal, and sent him to his bedroom.No doubt he had used a rough treatment there to suppress the bout of anger, for he came back flushed and out of breath.I took the dishcloth and wiped Edgar's nose and mouth viciously, saying it was his meddling.His sister started crying to go home, and Katie stood there panicked, blushing with shame. "You oughtn't to talk to him!" she rebuked Master Linton. "He's got a bad temper, and now you've spoiled the visit. He'll be whipped, too, and I don't want him to be whipped! I can't eat Well. Why are you talking to him, Edgar?" "I didn't," sobbed the teenager, wrenching himself free from my grasp to finish off the rest of the cleaning with his white linen handkerchief. "I promised my mother that I wouldn't say a word to him, and I didn't." "Well, don't cry," answered Catherine contemptuously, "you were not killed. Be naughty. My brother is coming, be quiet! Hush, Isabella! Has anyone hurt you? " "Here, here, boys—take your places!" cried Hindley, hastily entering. "That little beast keeps me quite warm. Next time, Master Edgar, hit with your own fists—that'll whet your appetite!" At the sight of this fragrant feast, the little company settled down again.They were hungry after the ride, and it was easy to calm down because they hadn't really been hurt.Mr. Earnshaw was slicing large platters of meat, and they were cheered up by the chatter and laughter of the hostess.I waited behind her chair, and watched sadly as Catherine, with a look of indifference in her tearless eyes, began to cut the goose's wings in front of her. "Heartless child," I thought, "how easily she puts aside the troubles of her former playmate. I can't imagine her being so selfish." She brought a bite to her mouth, then put it down again.Her face was flushed and tears welled up.She slid the fork to the floor and scrambled under the tablecloth to hide her feelings.It was not long before I could no longer say she was heartless, for I saw that she was suffering all day long, trying to find some chance of being alone, or of going to see Heathcliff--who had Locked up by the master - it seems to me that she wants to send him food in private. We have a dance tonight.Kitty begged him to be released at this time, as Isabella Linton had no partner.Her plea was in vain, and I was ordered to fill the vacancy.This activity excites us, and it dispels all gloom and trouble.The arrival of Gimmerton's band added to our joy.The band numbered fifteen—and besides the singers, there was a trumpet, a trombone, clarinets, bass flutes, French horns, and a double bass.Every Christmas, they take turns playing in all the decent houses and collecting donations.We regarded it as a first-class pleasure to hear them play, and invited them to sing songs and re-sings after the usual hymns were sung.Mrs. Earnshaw was fond of music, and they played a good deal. Catherine also liked music, but she said it would sound the best upstairs, so she went upstairs in the dark, and I followed.They closed the door to the hall downstairs and paid no attention to us because the room was so crowded.She did not stop at the landing, but went up to the garret where Heathcliff was confined, and called to him.For a moment he stubbornly ignored it.She persisted, and finally persuaded him to talk to her through the board.I let the two poor things talk, undisturbed, till I surmised that the singing was going to stop, and the singers were going to have something to eat, and I climbed the ladder to remind her.I didn't find her outside, but I heard her voice inside.The little monkey climbed in through a skylight in one attic, walked along the roof, and entered another skylight in the attic.So I had a hard time calling her out.When she did come out, Heathcliff came with her.She insisted that I take him into the kitchen, because my partner Joseph, to escape what he called "the devil's hymn," had gone to a neighbor's house.I told them I had no intention of encouraging them to play the game, but since the prisoner hadn't eaten since yesterday's lunch, I acquiesced in his deceiving Hindley this once.He went down, and I put him on a stool by the fire, and gave him a lot of good food.But he was ill and could not eat, and I had to abandon my attempt to entertain him.With his elbows on his knees and his chin resting on his hand, he had been silently meditating.I asked him what he was thinking, and he answered solemnly—— "I'm planning how to get revenge on Hindley. I don't care how long I have to wait, as long as I can get revenge in the end. I hope he doesn't die before I get revenge." "Shame on you, Heathcliff!" said I. "It is God's business to punish the wicked, and we must learn to forgive." "No, God can't have my pleasure," he replied, "if only I knew the best way! Leave me alone, and I'll plan it out. Thinking about that I don't feel any pain anymore." But, Mr. Lockwood, I forget that these stories are not for your amusement.I never expected to go on and on like this, it's really annoying.Your porridge is cold, and you are dozing off!I could have said in a few words all the history of Heathcliff you are about to hear. The housekeeper thus interrupted herself, arose, and was about to leave her sewing, but I felt bound to leave the fire, and I was not at all sleepy. "Sit down, Mrs. Dean," I cried, "sit down, and sit down for half an hour! You tell me the story so slowly, and finish it in the same tone. Each of the characters is more or less interested." "The clock is striking eleven, sir." "Never mind—I'm not used to going to bed before twelve. One or two is early enough for a man who sleeps till ten." "You shouldn't sleep till ten. The best part of the morning is over before ten. A man who hasn't done half of his day's work by ten is likely to do the other half." Not finished." "Anyway, Mrs. Dean, sit down again, because to-morrow I intend to prolong the night until the afternoon. I have a presentiment that I shall at least have a bad cold." "I hope not, sir. Well, you must allow me to skip three years, during which time Mrs. Earnshaw—" "No, no, I won't allow that! Are you familiar with that feeling: If you're sitting alone and a cat licks its kittens on the rug in front of you, you're watching the action so intently that you have a It will make you very unhappy if the cat forgets to lick it?" "A terrible kind of laziness, I must say." "On the contrary, a disturbingly nervous state of mind. That's exactly what I am feeling at the moment. Therefore, you will go on at length. I can see that people in this part of the country are very fond of all kinds of people in the city. To the inhabitants of the country, it is like the spider in the cellar benefiting from seeing the spider in the hut. It is not entirely because I am a bystander that I get this growing impression. They are indeed more serious and more self-absorbed. I lived my own life, not caring too much for superficial changes and trivial external things. I can imagine that here, there is almost a kind of love for life; and I used to never believe that there is any love that can last a year. .One situation is like placing a hungry man in front of only one dish, he can munch on it with concentration and never neglect it. Another situation is to lead him to the French cook. At a table of banquets, he may also enjoy the same dishes from the whole table, but in his mind and memory, each dish is just a tiny molecule." "Ah! When you get acquainted with us, you will know that we are the same as people in other places." Mrs. Ding said, somewhat puzzled by my words. "Forgive me," I rejoined, "you, my good friend, for this is a striking proof against that assertion. What I have always thought to be inherent in your class has left no trace on you, You're just a little rustic. I daresay you think more than the average servant. You have to develop your ability to think, because you don't have to spend your life in stupid trifles. Mrs. Ding laughed. "I do consider myself to be a sober type of person," she said. "It's not necessarily because of living in the mountains all year round and seeing faces and stereotyped movements, but I've been trained hard, which has given me wisdom; and I've read more books than you can imagine. More, Mr. Lockwood. You won't find a book in this library that I haven't read, and I've benefited from all of them. Besides the Greek and Latin rows, there's There's the row in French, but I can tell the books too. That's all you can expect from a poor man's daughter. But if you want me to tell you the whole story, like small talk, then I'll Let's go on like this. And, without skipping three years, we can start from the summer of the following year—the summer of 1778, that is, almost twenty-three years ago."