Wuthering Heights

Chapter 11

She was still entangled with me, when Joseph came in and interrupted our conversation.Catherine moved her chair into a corner, and watched Hareton, while I prepared supper.

When the meal was ready, my comrades and I quarreled over who should bring Mr. Hindley something to eat.The noise made the food almost cold, and we haven't solved the problem yet.In the end we reached an agreement that he would call it himself, if he wanted to eat.Because we were all terrified of going up to him after he had been alone for a while.

"And the scumbag hasn't come back from the field by this time? What's he doing?" asked the old man, wandering about again, looking round for Heathcliff.

"I'll fetch him," I replied. "He's in the barn, sure enough."

I went to call him, but there was no answer.When I got back, I whispered to Catherine that I must have listened to him most of what she had just said, and told her that I had watched him come out of the kitchen while she was complaining about her brother's mistreatment of him.She was really taken aback, jumped up, threw Hareton on the bench, and flew off to find her friend herself, without ever thinking why she was so flustered, or what her words would make him do. What a reaction.

She didn't come back for a while, and Joseph suggested we don't have to wait any longer.He surmised maliciously where they were hiding to avoid hearing his long prayers. "They're so bad that they're strangers to every kind of vice," he concluded.For their performance, he added a special passage that night after the usual quarter of an hour of prayers before meals, and after the Thanksgiving was over, he would have added another verse, but his little mistress rushed in, Hastily ordered him to go to the main road, no matter where Heathcliff wandered, call him back as soon as he is found!
"I have something to say to him, and I have to say it before I can go upstairs," she said. "The door is open, and he can't reach him wherever he shouts. Because I shouted at the top of the railing, and I can I didn't see him respond."

Joseph was at first reluctant to go, but Catherine was too serious for his objection.At last he put on his hat and went out grumbling.

Meanwhile Catherine was walking up and down the ground, calling out:
"I don't know where he is--I don't know where he could be! What did I say, Nelly? I forgot. Did my bad temper make him angry this afternoon? Darling! Tell me I said What makes him sad? I really hope he'll come back. I really hope he will!"

"Much ado about nothing!" I yelled, though I was quite disturbed myself. "A trifle scares you like that! It's no surprise that Heathcliff wants to go wandering over the moor by moonlight, and stop moping around in the grass and not answering us. I'll bet he's in hiding there. Let me go and search him out!"

I went out and searched again.The results of the search were disappointing, and Joseph searched for the same result.

"This kid is getting worse and worse!" He said as soon as he came back. "He left the gate wide open, and the lady's pony trampled two more rows of corn, and ran straight into the paddock! Just wait and see, the lord will be furious tomorrow, sure. He's so careless and helpless Patience is so good, so patient! But he won't always be like this, you just watch, watch all of them! You make him crazy, and you can't think of peace!"

"Have you found Heathcliff, you jackass?" interrupted Catherine. "Are you looking for him as I ordered?"

"I'd rather go find the horse," he replied, "that'd be more fun. But it's so dark, I can't find a man or a horse—it's as dark as a chimney! And Heath Even if Li Fu heard me yelling, he might not show up, maybe it would be better if he heard you yelling!"

It was a very dark night in summer.Clouds and thunder looming, I say let's sit down.The stormy sky will definitely drive him back, so don't worry about it anymore.

But Catherine would not be persuaded, she could not keep her composure, and walked up and down from the door to the door of the house, restless and restless.Finally, she finally stood by the wall near the main road, as if rooted.No matter what I tried to persuade her, no matter how the thunder rolled and the big raindrops began to splash around her, she just stayed there, screaming now and then, listening carefully, and then crying loudly.She wept more heartbrokenly than Hareton or any of the children.

About midnight, we were still sitting, and the storm was coming, blowing its way over Wuthering Heights.There was a strong wind and thunder, and a tree fell down in a corner of the house. I don't know whether it was the wind or the lightning.A branch of the oldest tree fell across the roof and knocked a chunk of the east chimney down, sending a mass of rubble and soot into the kitchen stove.

We felt that a great thunder had struck among us, and Joseph staggered to his knees, begging my Lord not to forget Noah and Lot: Sodom was destroyed by fire At that time, he survived due to the rescue of angels.The ancestors, just like in the past, let the good people go, and punish those who disrespect the gods.I kind of feel like this must be a trial for us as well.In my heart, Jonah, Jonah, the character in the Book of Jonah quoted in Japan, was Mr. Earnshaw after being swallowed by a big fish for three days and three nights because of disobedience to God's order.I went to shake the latch of his lair to see if he was still alive.His answer was still audible, but it made my partner especially louder and louder, deciding that a clear line should be drawn between a saint like him and a sinner like his young master.But after 10 minutes, the storm passed, and we were all safe and sound, except Catherine, as if she had come out of the water, because she refused to take shelter from the rain, stood there without a hat, without a shawl, and let her hair and clothes let her go. Enough rain.

She came in and lay down on the high-backed bench, soaked through, and turned her face to the back of the chair, covering her face with her hands.

"Okay ma'am!" I yelled, touching her shoulder. "You don't mean to die, do you? Do you know what time it is? It's 12:30. Come on, go to bed! Don't wait for that silly boy He's gone to Gimmerton, and he's still there. He guesses it's so late we won't be awake for him, he guesses only Mr. Hindley will be up, and he'd rather get through it than call the master He opened the door."

"No, no, he's not at Gimmerton!" said Joseph. "I'm not surprised at all. He sank in the mud. The celestial phenomenon just now is not accidental. I want to advise you to pay attention, miss, it will be your turn next time. Thank God! Good people picked out of the trash! You know what the Bible says—”

He started quoting a few passages, telling us what chapter and what verse they were so we could look them up.

In vain I begged the capricious girl to get up and change into her wet clothes, and left him to mutter, while she shivered, took little Hareton by herself, and went to bed.Little Hareton slept so soundly that it seemed to everyone around him to sleep.

I heard Joseph mumbling for a while longer, heard him shuffling up the stairs, and then I fell asleep.

I came down later than usual, and by the sunlight filtering in through the shutters I saw Miss Catherine still seated by the fire. The door of the "house" was ajar, and light came in through the open windows.Hindley had come out, standing by the kitchen stove, haggard and befuddled.

"What's wrong with you, Cathy?" he was saying when I came in. "Look at you sullen, like a drowned puppy. Why are you so wet and pale, boy?"

"I'm wet," she replied reluctantly, "I'm cold, that's all."

"Oh, she's being naughty!" I exclaimed, seeing that the master was still awake at this moment. "She soaked enough in the heavy rain last night, and then sat all night, I couldn't persuade her to move."

Mr Earnshaw stared at us with great surprise. "All night," he repeated to us, "why doesn't she sleep? Not afraid of thunder, naturally? It's been hours since thunder."

Neither of us wanted to mention Heathcliff's disappearance so long as it could be concealed.So I replied, I don't know why she has to sit all night, and she didn't say anything.

The morning air is fresh and crisp, I opened the lattice window, and the fragrance from the garden immediately permeated the room.But Catherine stopped me angrily:
"Ellen, close the window. I'm starving!" Her teeth chattered, and she curled up a little more toward the almost-extinguished stove.

"She's sick," said Hindley, taking her wrist. "I think that's why she didn't go to bed. Damn it! I don't want anyone here to bother me with sickness. What the hell is that?" Is it raining?"

"Chasing boys, it's the same as ever!" Joseph croaked, sticking his wicked tongue in while we hesitated.

"If I were you, sir, I'd give 'em a box, be they high or low! Not a day goes by without that cat Linton sneaking up on you as soon as you go out. Miss Nelly is a good girl! She sits in the kitchen watching the wind, you come in one door, he goes out that door. And then our good lady goes outside to flirt! Hide in the fields past midnight with that wretch Well, Heathcliff, the gypsy wild ghost, is very well behaved! They think I'm blind, but I'm not blind, not at all! I saw little Linton, I saw him come and he went, I saw you—" he turned the conversation to me, "you're a shit, you wretch! As soon as you heard the master's hooves on the road, you jumped up and ran into the 'house'!"

"Shut up, you eavesdropper!" cried Catherine, "don't play in my presence! Edgar Linton came yesterday, just by chance, Hindley. I told him to go, because I I know you've always hated seeing him."

"You lied, Cathy. Yes," replied her brother, "you're a real fool! But don't talk about Linton just now. Tell me, weren't you with Heathcliff last night? Tell me the truth." , now. You don't have to be afraid of hurting him, although I hate him for being the same as before. But he did a good thing for me a while ago, and I couldn't bear to cut his neck. To avoid such things, I this morning Send him to fend for himself. And when he's gone, I advise you all to be careful, for I'm a good-natured man, you see."

"I didn't see Heathcliff at all last night," answered Catherine, beginning to sob bitterly. "If you do turn him out of the house, I'll go with him. But, perhaps, you'll never have the chance." , maybe he has already left." At this point, she couldn't restrain her sadness any longer, and the rest of her words fell silent.

Hindley cursed and sneered and sneered at her like a torrent.He told her to go back to her room quickly, otherwise she wouldn't cry for nothing!I advised her to be obedient.I'll never forget the scene when we went into her bedroom and she had a fit.I thought she was crazy and begged Joseph to call a doctor.

Sure enough, it was a sign of insanity.On seeing her, Mr. Kenneth declared that she was very dangerously ill.She has a fever.

He bled her and told me to feed her only whey and gruel, and to be careful not to let her jump down the stairs or out the window.Then he left.As he was busy enough in the parish, two or three miles separated one house from another, a common distance.

Although I dare not say that I am a considerate caregiver, Joseph and the young master are by no means better than me.Although our patient was as stubborn as any patient, she survived.

Old Mrs. Linton came to visit several times, and, of course, arranged things, scolded and dominated us all, and when Catherine was recovering she insisted on sending her to Thrushcross Grange. Let us be grateful.But the poor old lady had reason to regret her kindness: both she and her husband fell ill with fever, and died within a few days of each other.

Our young lady returned to us, more obstinate, fiercer, and more haughty than before.Heathcliff has never heard from him since that thunderstorm night.She got on my nerves one day, and to my bad luck, I blamed her for his disappearance.It was indeed her fault, as she knew in her heart.From then on, for several months, she never spoke to me except as a mere servant.Joseph was also beaten into limbo.He wanted to speak out what he thought, and taught her endlessly as if she was a little girl.But she considers herself a grown-up, our hostess, and feels that she has been seriously ill recently, and others should be more sympathetic to her.And the doctor also said that she can't stand too many collisions, she should have her own way of life.If someone stood up and contradicted her, in her eyes, it would be tantamount to a murderer.

Mr. Earnshaw and his company of friends she kept at a distance.His elder brother was taught by Kenneth and saw that she would cramp if she got angry, so he was also obedient to her and usually didn't provoke her.He is too much indulging in her capriciousness, not out of love, but out of pride: he would really like to see her marrying the Lintons, to grace his family, so long as she doesn't bother him. , She treats us like slaves, but he doesn't care!
Edgar Linton, like all men before and after him, was enchanted.In the third year after his father died, he led her into Gimmerton Church, and on that day he believed himself the happiest man in the world.

Against my own will, I was persuaded to say goodbye to Wuthering Heights and to accompany her here.Little Hareton was almost five years old, and I had just begun to teach him to read.We were so sad to part.But Catherine's tears were stronger than ours.When I refused to go with her, and when she realized that her pleading with me was useless, she cried to her husband and brother.Her husband promised me a generous salary, and her brother ordered me to pack up quickly.There was no need for a woman in his house, he said, because there was no mistress anymore.As for Hareton, gradually the curate would come to look after him.So I have only one choice: obey orders.I told the young master that he sent all the good people away, just because he could spend more quickly.I kiss Hareton good-bye.Since then, he and I have been like strangers.It is strange to think, but I have no doubt that he has long since forgotten all about Alan Dean, that he was everything to her in the world, and she was everything to him!
At this point in his story, the butler occasionally glanced at the clock above the fireplace and was dumbfounded to see that the minute hand had reached 01:30.She didn't want to hear another second told her to stay.To tell the truth, I myself would rather let her put aside the sequel of the story.After she went off to rest, I mulled it over for an hour or two, and though my head and limbs ached too much to move, I should take courage and go to bed.

A beautiful introduction to life in the Hermitage!Four weeks of tossing and turning, tortured by illness!Oh, the desolate wind, the gloomy northern sky, the rough road, and the slow country doctor!Alas, it's so rare to see a few faces!And, worst of all, that terrible hint from Kenneth, I can't expect to go out until spring!

Mr. Heathcliff has just visited.About seven days ago he sent me a pair of grouse--the last two of the season.rogue!He is not completely unrelated to my illness.I am also very interested in talking to him.But, my God!How could I offend a well-intentioned man who sits next to me for an hour and talks about anything but pills, potions, ointments, and leeches?
It was a rather comfortable time.I'm too weak to read, but I think I might as well come and have some fun.Why not let Mrs. Dean finish her story?I still remember its main plot, where she talked about, I remember where.Yes, I remember that her protagonist ran away, and there was no news for three consecutive years.The heroine is married.I'll ring the bell, and she'll be glad to see me chatting cheerfully.

Mrs. Dean is here.

"Sir, it's 10 minutes before you take your medicine," she said.

"Take it, take it!" I replied, "I want—"

"The doctor said you must take these powders."

"Take it if you want! Don't interrupt me. Come here, sit here. Take your fingers off the row of bitter medicine bottles. Get the wool out of your pocket, and that's it, now go on to Heathcliff. Let me tell you the story of Mr. Husband, from where you left off last time, to the present. Did he go to the mainland to study and come back to become a gentleman? Or did he get a stipend in the college, or escape to America? , He made a name for himself by sucking blood in his second hometown? Didn’t he make a quicker windfall on the road in England?”

"He may have done a little bit of all this, Mr. Lockwood, but I can't vouch for it. As I said, I don't know how he got his money. My soul has been plucked from the savage ignorance that has sunk so long. But, with your permission, I will go on in my own way, if you find it interesting enough not to tire you. Be good this morning Yet?"

"much better."

"That's good news."

I took Miss Catherine and myself to Thrushcross Grange.To my delight and disappointment, she did far better than I could have ventured to hope.She seemed almost too fond of Mr. Linton.Even his sister, she also showed great affection.Of course, the two brothers and sisters are considerate of her in every possible way.It is not like the thorns yielding to the honeysuckle, but rather like the honeysuckle embracing the thorns.There is no mutual compromise in this, one stands upright and the other obeys.If people don't encounter bad things and don't get looked down upon by others, who would be so bad-tempered and lose their temper?

(End of this chapter)