Chapter 18 Chapter Fourteen

As soon as I read this letter, I went to my master, and told him that his sister was at the Heights, and had given me a letter expressing her concern for Mrs. Linton's condition, and her eagerness to see him; Probably sent me to convey his little sign of forgiveness sooner, the better. "Forgive!" said Linton. "I have nothing to forgive her, Ellen. You can go to Wuthering Heights this afternoon if you like, and say that I am not angry, but only sorry to have lost her; and especially that I never thought she would be happy. At any rate, It's impossible for me to see her: we're parted forever; if she's good for me, let the rascal she persuades her to marry to leave this place."

"Won't you write her a note, sir?" I begged. "No," he replied. "No need. Forget all my dealings with the Heathcliffs as he has with mine. Cut it off." Mr. Edgar's indifference made me very sad; and all the way out of the Grange I racked my brains how to repeat his words with a little emotion; how he refused to write even a line or two to comfort Isabella. To put it mildly.I dare say she has been watching me since morning: I saw her looking out of the pane as I came up the garden walk, and I nodded to her; Seems like.I went in without knocking.Never had the formerly cheerful house presented such a bleak and gloomy sight!I must confess that if I were in the young lady's place, I would at least sweep the fireplace and dust the table with a feather duster.But she had acquired some of the creeping indolence that surrounded her.Her pretty face was pale and listless; her hair was not curled;Presumably she hasn't groomed since last night.Hindley was not there.Heathcliff sat at the table, leafing through the pages of his pocket-book; but when I appeared he rose, greeted me kindly, and offered me a seat.He's the only decent-looking guy there; I don't think he's ever looked this good.Circumstances had changed their positions so much that a stranger would have at first glance assumed that he was a natural and well-bred gentleman; and his wife a perfect little slut!She came forward eagerly to meet me, and held out a hand for the letter she expected.I shake my head.She did not understand the hint, but followed me to a sideboard where I had put down my hat, and begged me in a low voice to give her at once what I had brought.Heathcliff guessed the meaning of her gesture, and said:

"If you have anything for Isabella (you must have, Nelly); give it to her. You needn't keep it so secret: there are no secrets between us." "Oh, I didn't bring anything," I replied, thinking I'd better tell the truth right away. "My master bade me tell his sister that she need not now expect letters or visits from him. He bade me greet you, ma'am, and he wished you happiness, and he pardoned all the misery you caused; but he thought never From now on, his family should cut off contact with this family, because there is no point in contacting them again."

Mrs. Heathcliff's lips quivered slightly, and she resumed her seat by the window.Her husband stood in front of the fire, approached me, and began to ask questions about Catherine.I tried to tell him as much as I thought I could say about her condition, but he asked me so many questions that I told him most of the facts which had to do with the cause.I blamed her (and she was to blame), for she had brought it upon herself; and in the end I hoped that he would follow Mr. Linton's example, and avoid future contact with his family, for better or for worse. "Lady Linton is recovering now," said I, "she will never be what she was, but her life is saved; if you really care for her, get out of her way, no, you will All out of this place; and I will tell you, that you will not regret it, that Catherine Linton is now as different from your old friend Catherine Earnshaw as that young lady was from me. Her appearance changed Very much, her character became more; and the man who had to be her companion out of necessity, could henceforth maintain his affections only by the remembrance of her past, and by worldly benevolence and duty!"

"It is quite probable," said Heathcliff, with an effort to appear calm, "that your master has nothing to rely on but worldly notions of benevolence and a sense of duty, it is quite probable." .But do you think I will commit Catherine to his duty and benevolence? Can you compare my respect for Catherine with his? Before you leave this house, I must make you promise that you will let I saw her once: whether I agree or refuse, I must see her! What do you think?" "I say, Mr. Heathcliff," I answered, "that you must never, you never try to see her through me. You'll kill her if you ever meet my master again." gone."

"It can be avoided with your help," he went on, "if there is such a great danger--if he is the cause of adding a trouble to her life--well, I think I am justly justified in going to extremes! I want you to tell me honestly, if Catherine would be sorry to lose him: it is the fear of her that keeps me from it. You will then see the difference between our feelings: if He's in my place, and I'm in his place, and of course I hate him so much, I'll never raise a hand to him. If you don't believe me, that's up to you! As long as she wants him for company , I shall never drive him away from her. As soon as she ceases to care for him, I shall rip out his heart and drink his blood! But till then—if you don't believe me, Then you don’t understand me—until then, I’d rather die by an inch than touch a single hair of his!”

"But," I interposed, "you have no scruple to destroy all hope of her complete recovery, to insert yourself into her memory when she is on the verge of forgetting you, and to She was dragged into a new storm of strife and distress. "Do you think she's going to forget me?" he said. "Oh, Nelly! You know she hasn't forgotten! You know as well as I do that for every time she thinks of Linton she thinks of me a thousand times! In one of the saddest times of my life I have had Thoughts: it haunted me last summer, when I was back in the vicinity of here; but only her own account could reconcile me to the dreadful thought. Linton would be nothing then, Hindley. It’s nothing, even all the dreams I’ve ever had. My future can be summed up in two words—death and hell: after losing her, life will be hell. However, I was once confused and thought that she Prefer Edgar Linton's affections more than mine. Eight years' love with all the force of his feeble mind and body would not equal my love for one day. Catherine has a heart as deep as mine. Heart: Her whole affection is monopolized by him, like sea water in a manger. Pooh! He is not necessarily closer to her than her dog or her horse. Unlike me, he has something in himself that can be She loves: how can she love what he doesn't have?"

"Catherine and Edgar love each other as much as any married couple," cried Isabella, with a sudden surge of spirit. "No one has the right to speak with that attitude, and I can't just sit back and listen to someone slandering my brother." "Your brother is very fond of you, too, isn't he?" said Heathcliff sarcastically. "He lets you adrift in the world with astonishing affection." "He doesn't know what I've suffered," she answered. "I didn't tell him." "Then you told him something: you wrote, didn't you?"

"I did, saying I was married—she saw that note." "Didn't you write in the future?" "No." "My lady looks much gaunter since her change of circumstances," I said. "Somebody, obviously, doesn't love her anymore; who, I can guess; but perhaps I shouldn't say." "I rather think she doesn't love herself," said Heathcliff. "She's degenerated into a slob! She didn't want to please me a long time ago. You can't believe it, but the morning after our wedding, she was crying to go home. Anyway, she's not very fastidious." , just right for the house, and I'll take care that she doesn't disgrace me by running around outside."

"Well, sir," I retorted, "I want you to think that Mrs. Heathcliff is used to being looked after and served; she was brought up like an only She. You've got to get her a maid to pack her things, and you've got to treat her well. Whatever you think of Mr. Edgar, you can't doubt that she has a strong crush, or she won't give up She had an elegant and comfortable life and friends at her previous home, but An Xin lived with you in such a desolate place." "She gave up that under an illusion," he replied, "to imagine me as a legendary hero, hoping to receive endless pampering from my heroic admiration. I could hardly think of her as a Reasonable being, she clings so stubbornly to an absurd notion of my character, and acts on the false impressions she has bred. But, at last, I think she begins to understand me: at first I ignored The smirks and grimaces that made me angry; and the stupid incompetence that she couldn't recognize me as being sincere when I told her about my crush on her and what I thought of herself. It took a lot I just found out that I didn't love her. There was a time, I believe, when she couldn't be taught that! But now I do; for this morning, as a startling piece of news, she announced, Saying I've made her hate me! I assure you, it took a lot of work! If she really figured it out, I have a reason to thank you. Can I take your word for it, Isha Bella? Do you really hate me? If I leave you alone for half a day, will you come back sighing and sweet talking to me again? I bet she would rather I be gentle in your face Excessive look: It would hurt her vanity to expose the truth. But I don't care if anyone knows that this enthusiasm is completely one-sided: I never told her a lie about this matter. She can't accuse me that I expressed A little hypocritical tenderness. When she came out of the farm, the first thing she saw me do was to hang up her puppy; Every one in the family was hanged, except one, an exception she probably took as her own. But no cruelty repelled her, and I suppose she would not be ashamed of that kind so long as the safety of her precious person was not compromised. Cruelty has an inner admiration! Yes, that poor, slavish, nasty bitch--pure idiot--isn't it absurd to dream that I could love her! Tell your master, Nelly, Said I never met a sordid thing in my life. She even tarnished Linton's reputation, and I tested her powers of endurance, and she always crawled back coyly flattering, because she couldn't think of anything new. I have sometimes moved my heart with compassion! But tell him, too, to ease his proud brotherhood. I have strictly observed the limits of the law. Up to the present period, I Always avoided giving her the slightest excuse to leave; nay, she would not be grateful to anyone who parted us. If she would go, she could go; her presence had aroused more disgust in me than I had tormented her. Satisfied with what I got."

"Mr. Heathcliff," said I, "that's what a madman said; your wife probably thought you were mad; that's why she's stayed with you till now, and now you say she can go , she will definitely take advantage of your permission. Ma'am, you can't be so fascinated and live with him voluntarily, right?" "Be careful, Ellen!" answered Isabella, her eyes blazing with anger; and from their expression there was no doubt that her mate had completely succeeded in trying to make her hate him. "Don't believe a word he says. He's a fiend who lies! A monster, not a man! He told me before that I could leave; I tried, but I dare not! But, Ellen, promise me not to confide a word of his shameless words to my brother or to Catherine. Whatever he pretends, he only wishes to make Edgar mad: he says he married me to take power from him; No—I shall die first! I only hope, I pray, that he will forget his hideous prudence, and kill me! The only joy I can imagine is to die, or to see him die! " "Well—that's enough now!" said Heathcliff. "Nelly, if you are brought to court, take her word for it! Take a good look at that face: she's on the verge of being worthy." My place. No, you are now unfit to be your own guardian, Isabella; and I, being your lawful guardian, must place you under my guardianship, whatever the duty may be. Upstairs, I have something to say privately to Ellen Ding. Not this way: I tell you upstairs! Yes, that's the way up, boy!" He grabbed her and pushed her out of the house; grunting as he walked back: "I have no mercy! I have no mercy! The more the bugs writhe, the more I try to squeeze out their guts! It's a mental teething; the more it hurts, the harder I grind." "Do you know what the word pity means?" I said, putting on my hat quickly. "Have you never felt a tinge of pity in your life?" "Hat down!" he interjected, seeing that I was going away. "You cannot go yet. Come now, Nelly, and I must persuade or compel you to help me realize my resolution to see Catherine without delay. I swear I do no harm: I do not wish to cause any trouble. Linton, nor wanting to offend or insult Mr. Linton; I only want to hear her tell me herself how she is, and why she is sick: ask her what I can do to help her. I was in the Grange garden last night Six hours, and to-night I'll go again; I'll be there every day and night, Till I can find a chance to get in. If Edgar Linton should meet me, I'll blow him down without a moment's hesitation, before I Make sure to give him plenty of time to rest while he's there. If his servants resist, I'll scare them away with these pistols. But wouldn't it be better if I didn't have to touch them or their master? You can do it easily. Let you know when I arrive, and then when she is alone, you can let me in without being seen, and watch until I leave, and your conscience will It will be very peaceful: you can prevent trouble." I protested against being the unfaithful man in my master's house: moreover, I tried to persuade him that it was cruel and selfish to break Lady Linton's peace for his own gratification. "The most ordinary things can shake her painfully," I said. "She is already nervous, and I dare say she cannot bear the accident. Do not insist, sir! Or I shall be obliged to inform my master of your plans; and he will take steps to keep his house and its occupants safe. to prevent any such unreasonable intrusions!" "If so, I'll take steps to protect you, woman!" cried Heathcliff. "You must not leave Wuthering Heights until tomorrow morning. It is nonsense to say that Catherine cannot bear the sight of me; I You don't mean to frighten her; you gotta get her ready first—ask her if I can come. You say she never mentioned my name, and no one mentioned me to her. Since I was a Forbidden subject, to whom can she mention me? She thinks you are all her husband's spies. Oh, I have no doubt that she is in hell among you! I know from her silence and any other You can guess how she feels. You say she is often restless, and looks restless: is this evidence of calm? You say her mind is disturbed, she is in that terrible loneliness, no. What could it be? And the spiritless, vile thing waited on her out of duty and kindness! Out of pity and kindness! Rather than imagine that he could revive her in his superficial cares, Rather, it is like planting an oak tree in a pot! Let us decide at once: will you live here, and let me go and see Catherine after the battle with Linton and his servants? Or will you To be my friend, as before, to do what I ask? Decide! If you persist in your stubborn nature, I have no reason to delay another minute!" Alas, Mr. Lockwood, I pleaded, complained, and plainly refused him fifty times; but at last he made my consent.I promise to bring a letter from him to my mistress; and if she will, the next time Linton is away, I will let him know then that he can come, that he can come in: I shall not be there, My colleagues also all walked away. Is that right?Or is it wrong?I'm afraid that's not right, though it has to be.I thought I had complied, and saved another trouble; I also thought it might have made a favorable turn in Catherine's heart: I remembered afterwards that Mr. Edgar had scolded me for telling tales; and I affirmed repeatedly That breach of trust, if it deserves such a rough name, would be the last, and I take this affirmation to dispel all uneasiness I may feel about it.Nevertheless, I was sadder on my journey home than I had come; and I had many apprehensions, before I could persuade myself to put the letter into Mrs Linton's hands. But here comes Kenneth; I'll go down and tell him you're better.My story, as we say, is enough, and will last another morning. Sufficient and miserable!I thought to myself as the nice woman came downstairs to meet the doctor: It's not really the kind of story I want to hear to amuse me.But it doesn't matter!I will draw beneficial medicine from Mrs. Ding's bitter herb.First, I have to be careful of the magic that lurks in Catherine Heathcliff's bright eyes.If I had fallen in love with that young man, I would have been in unimaginable trouble. That daughter was a reprint of her mother!