Wuthering Heights, Page 30

  CHAPTER XXX

  I have paid a visit to the Heights, but I have not seen her since sheleft: Joseph held the door in his hand when I called to ask after her,and wouldn't let me pass. He said Mrs. Linton was 'thrang,' and themaster was not in. Zillah has told me something of the way they go on,otherwise I should hardly know who was dead and who living. She thinksCatherine haughty, and does not like her, I can guess by her talk. Myyoung lady asked some aid of her when she first came; but Mr. Heathclifftold her to follow her own business, and let his daughter-in-law lookafter herself; and Zillah willingly acquiesced, being a narrow-minded,selfish woman. Catherine evinced a child's annoyance at this neglect;repaid it with contempt, and thus enlisted my informant among herenemies, as securely as if she had done her some great wrong. I had along talk with Zillah about six weeks ago, a little before you came, oneday when we foregathered on the moor; and this is what she told me.

  'The first thing Mrs. Linton did,' she said, 'on her arrival at theHeights, was to run up-stairs, without even wishing good-evening to meand Joseph; she shut herself into Linton's room, and remained tillmorning. Then, while the master and Earnshaw were at breakfast, sheentered the house, and asked all in a quiver if the doctor might be sentfor? her cousin was very ill.

  '"We know that!" answered Heathcliff; "but his life is not worth afarthing, and I won't spend a farthing on him."

  '"But I cannot tell how to do," she said; "and if nobody will help me,he'll die!"

  '"Walk out of the room," cried the master, "and let me never hear a wordmore about him! None here care what becomes of him; if you do, act thenurse; if you do not, lock him up and leave him."

  'Then she began to bother me, and I said I'd had enough plague with thetiresome thing; we each had our tasks, and hers was to wait on Linton:Mr. Heathcliff bid me leave that labour to her.

  'How they managed together, I can't tell. I fancy he fretted a greatdeal, and moaned hisseln night and day; and she had precious little rest:one could guess by her white face and heavy eyes. She sometimes cameinto the kitchen all wildered like, and looked as if she would fain begassistance; but I was not going to disobey the master: I never daredisobey him, Mrs. Dean; and, though I thought it wrong that Kennethshould not be sent for, it was no concern of mine either to advise orcomplain, and I always refused to meddle. Once or twice, after we hadgone to bed, I've happened to open my door again and seen her sittingcrying on the stairs'-top; and then I've shut myself in quick, for fearof being moved to interfere. I did pity her then, I'm sure: still Ididn't wish to lose my place, you know.

  'At last, one night she came boldly into my chamber, and frightened meout of my wits, by saying, "Tell Mr. Heathcliff that his son is dying--I'msure he is, this time. Get up, instantly, and tell him."

  'Having uttered this speech, she vanished again. I lay a quarter of anhour listening and trembling. Nothing stirred--the house was quiet.

  'She's mistaken, I said to myself. He's got over it. I needn't disturbthem; and I began to doze. But my sleep was marred a second time by asharp ringing of the bell--the only bell we have, put up on purpose forLinton; and the master called to me to see what was the matter, andinform them that he wouldn't have that noise repeated.

  'I delivered Catherine's message. He cursed to himself, and in a fewminutes came out with a lighted candle, and proceeded to their room. Ifollowed. Mrs. Heathcliff was seated by the bedside, with her handsfolded on her knees. Her father-in-law went up, held the light toLinton's face, looked at him, and touched him; afterwards he turned toher.

  '"Now--Catherine," he said, "how do you feel?"

  'She was dumb.

  '"How do you feel, Catherine?" he repeated.

  '"He's safe, and I'm free," she answered: "I should feel well--but," shecontinued, with a bitterness she couldn't conceal, "you have left me solong to struggle against death alone, that I feel and see only death! Ifeel like death!"

  'And she looked like it, too! I gave her a little wine. Hareton andJoseph, who had been wakened by the ringing and the sound of feet, andheard our talk from outside, now entered. Joseph was fain, I believe, ofthe lad's removal; Hareton seemed a thought bothered: though he was moretaken up with staring at Catherine than thinking of Linton. But themaster bid him get off to bed again: we didn't want his help. Heafterwards made Joseph remove the body to his chamber, and told me toreturn to mine, and Mrs. Heathcliff remained by herself.

  'In the morning, he sent me to tell her she must come down to breakfast:she had undressed, and appeared going to sleep, and said she was ill; atwhich I hardly wondered. I informed Mr. Heathcliff, and hereplied,--"Well, let her be till after the funeral; and go up now andthen to get her what is needful; and, as soon as she seems better, tellme."'

  Cathy stayed upstairs a fortnight, according to Zillah; who visited hertwice a day, and would have been rather more friendly, but her attemptsat increasing kindness were proudly and promptly repelled.

  Heathcliff went up once, to show her Linton's will. He had bequeathedthe whole of his, and what had been her, moveable property, to hisfather: the poor creature was threatened, or coaxed, into that act duringher week's absence, when his uncle died. The lands, being a minor, hecould not meddle with. However, Mr. Heathcliff has claimed and kept themin his wife's right and his also: I suppose legally; at any rate,Catherine, destitute of cash and friends, cannot disturb his possession.

  'Nobody,' said Zillah, 'ever approached her door, except that once, butI; and nobody asked anything about her. The first occasion of her comingdown into the house was on a Sunday afternoon. She had cried out, when Icarried up her dinner, that she couldn't bear any longer being in thecold; and I told her the master was going to Thrushcross Grange, andEarnshaw and I needn't hinder her from descending; so, as soon as sheheard Heathcliff's horse trot off, she made her appearance, donned inblack, and her yellow curls combed back behind her ears as plain as aQuaker: she couldn't comb them out.

  'Joseph and I generally go to chapel on Sundays:' the kirk, you know, hasno minister now, explained Mrs. Dean; and they call the Methodists' orBaptists' place (I can't say which it is) at Gimmerton, a chapel. 'Josephhad gone,' she continued, 'but I thought proper to bide at home. Youngfolks are always the better for an elder's over-looking; and Hareton,with all his bashfulness, isn't a model of nice behaviour. I let himknow that his cousin would very likely sit with us, and she had beenalways used to see the Sabbath respected; so he had as good leave hisguns and bits of indoor work alone, while she stayed. He coloured up atthe news, and cast his eyes over his hands and clothes. The train-oiland gunpowder were shoved out of sight in a minute. I saw he meant togive her his company; and I guessed, by his way, he wanted to bepresentable; so, laughing, as I durst not laugh when the master is by, Ioffered to help him, if he would, and joked at his confusion. He grewsullen, and began to swear.

  'Now, Mrs. Dean,' Zillah went on, seeing me not pleased by her manner,'you happen think your young lady too fine for Mr. Hareton; and happenyou're right: but I own I should love well to bring her pride a peglower. And what will all her learning and her daintiness do for her,now? She's as poor as you or I: poorer, I'll be bound: you're saying,and I'm doing my little all that road.'

  Hareton allowed Zillah to give him her aid; and she flattered him into agood humour; so, when Catherine came, half forgetting her former insults,he tried to make himself agreeable, by the housekeeper's account.

  'Missis walked in,' she said, 'as chill as an icicle, and as high as aprincess. I got up and offered her my seat in the arm-chair. No, sheturned up her nose at my civility. Earnshaw rose, too, and bid her cometo the settle, and sit close by the fire: he was sure she was starved.

  '"I've been starved a month and more," she answered, resting on the wordas scornful as she could.

  'And she got a chair for herself, and placed it at a distance from bothof us. Having sat till she was warm, she began to look round, anddiscovered a number of books on the dresser; she was instantly upon herfeet
again, stretching to reach them: but they were too high up. Hercousin, after watching her endeavours a while, at last summoned courageto help her; she held her frock, and he filled it with the first thatcame to hand.

  'That was a great advance for the lad. She didn't thank him; still, hefelt gratified that she had accepted his assistance, and ventured tostand behind as she examined them, and even to stoop and point out whatstruck his fancy in certain old pictures which they contained; nor was hedaunted by the saucy style in which she jerked the page from his finger:he contented himself with going a bit farther back and looking at herinstead of the book. She continued reading, or seeking for something toread. His attention became, by degrees, quite centred in the study ofher thick silky curls: her face he couldn't see, and she couldn't seehim. And, perhaps, not quite awake to what he did, but attracted like achild to a candle, at last he proceeded from staring to touching; he putout his hand and stroked one curl, as gently as if it were a bird. Hemight have stuck a knife into her neck, she started round in such ataking.

  '"Get away this moment! How dare you touch me? Why are you stoppingthere?" she cried, in a tone of disgust. "I can't endure you! I'll goupstairs again, if you come near me."

  'Mr. Hareton recoiled, looking as foolish as he could do: he sat down inthe settle very quiet, and she continued turning over her volumes anotherhalf hour; finally, Earnshaw crossed over, and whispered to me.

  '"Will you ask her to read to us, Zillah? I'm stalled of doing naught;and I do like--I could like to hear her! Dunnot say I wanted it, but askof yourseln."

  '"Mr. Hareton wishes you would read to us, ma'am," I said, immediately."He'd take it very kind--he'd be much obliged."

  'She frowned; and looking up, answered--

  '"Mr. Hareton, and the whole set of you, will be good enough tounderstand that I reject any pretence at kindness you have the hypocrisyto offer! I despise you, and will have nothing to say to any of you!When I would have given my life for one kind word, even to see one ofyour faces, you all kept off. But I won't complain to you! I'm drivendown here by the cold; not either to amuse you or enjoy your society."

  '"What could I ha' done?" began Earnshaw. "How was I to blame?"

  '"Oh! you are an exception," answered Mrs. Heathcliff. "I never missedsuch a concern as you."

  '"But I offered more than once, and asked," he said, kindling up at herpertness, "I asked Mr. Heathcliff to let me wake for you--"

  '"Be silent! I'll go out of doors, or anywhere, rather than have yourdisagreeable voice in my ear!" said my lady.

  'Hareton muttered she might go to hell, for him! and unslinging his gun,restrained himself from his Sunday occupations no longer. He talked now,freely enough; and she presently saw fit to retreat to her solitude: butthe frost had set in, and, in spite of her pride, she was forced tocondescend to our company, more and more. However, I took care thereshould be no further scorning at my good nature: ever since, I've been asstiff as herself; and she has no lover or liker among us: and she doesnot deserve one; for, let them say the least word to her, and she'll curlback without respect of any one. She'll snap at the master himself, andas good as dares him to thrash her; and the more hurt she gets, the morevenomous she grows.'

  At first, on hearing this account from Zillah, I determined to leave mysituation, take a cottage, and get Catherine to come and live with me:but Mr. Heathcliff would as soon permit that as he would set up Haretonin an independent house; and I can see no remedy, at present, unless shecould marry again; and that scheme it does not come within my province toarrange.

  * * * * *

  Thus ended Mrs. Dean's story. Notwithstanding the doctor's prophecy, Iam rapidly recovering strength; and though it be only the second week inJanuary, I propose getting out on horseback in a day or two, and ridingover to Wuthering Heights, to inform my landlord that I shall spend thenext six months in London; and, if he likes, he may look out for anothertenant to take the place after October. I would not pass another winterhere for much.