Wuthering Heights

Chapter 13

Heathcliff, I must say Mr. Heathcliff hereafter, used the liberty of visiting Thrushcross Grange very sparingly, at first.He seemed to be estimating how much its owner could tolerate his intrusion.Catherine, too, felt that the joy of receiving him had been subdued a little.It is more appropriate.Gradually he established his right to be a guest.

His usual reticence, which had been prominent in his childhood, helped him to repress any emotional manifestations of fuss.My master's uneasiness calmed down for a while, but the further development of the situation led it to another direction.

The new source of his troubles was the sudden misfortune of Isabella, who fell suddenly and irresistibly in love with the tolerated guest.She was now a charming young lady, innocent in her demeanor, though possessed of a keen wit, a keen sensibility, and, if offended, a sharp temper.Her brother, who loved her very tenderly, was terrified by her whims.Not to mention that it is disgraceful to be married to a man without a name, nor to say that if he has no male heir, his family property may fall into the hands of such a man, he is also very aware of Heathcliff's temper, knows Although his appearance has changed, his heart has not changed, and it has not changed.He is afraid of that heart, and he is exclusively against him.He didn't dare to think about leaving Isabella to him for safekeeping, as if he had a premonition.

He would tremble even more if he knew that her affection had spontaneously flared up without provoking it, that it had not aroused the other's passion in return.Once he had discovered it, he blamed Heathcliff for setting the trap on purpose.

For a while we all saw that Miss Linton was in a state of mind and insanity.She became irritable and gave people a headache.She clings to Catherine, swearing and sneering, regardless of her limited patience, which is ready to explode at any moment.We all let her down a bit, thinking she was not in good health.For she shrank and withered before us.But one day she was very troubled, and refused to eat breakfast, and complained that the servants did not obey her orders, that her wife made her do nothing at home, and that Edgar had neglected her.She said she got a cold with the door open, that we turned off the fire in the living room to annoy her, and a hundred more petty complaints.Mrs. Linton sent her emphatically to bed.After berating her, he threatened to call for a doctor.

At the mention of Kenneth, she yelled at once, and said she was in very good health, and that it was Catherine's cruelty that displeased her.

"How can you call me cruel and disrespectful, you naughty darling?" cried the madame, bewildered at the baseless accusation. "You must be out of your mind. When did I become so rude? Tell me."

"Yesterday," Isabella twitched, "and now!"

"Yesterday!" said her sister-in-law. "when?"

"When we were walking on the moor, you told me to go wherever I liked, and you were having a good time with Mr. Heathcliff!"

"Is that what you mean by brutality?" Catherine laughed. "It's not that your company is superfluous. We don't care whether you follow us or not. I just think that Heathcliff's conversation is boring to you."

"Oh no," cried the lady, "you want me to go away because you know I like being there!"

"Is she mad?" asked Mrs. Linton to me. "I could recount our conversation, word for word, Isabella, but you point out what you find interesting in it."

"I don't mind the conversation," she replied, "I want to—"

"Same as what!" said Catherine, seeing her hesitation and hesitation.

"With him. I don't want to be sent away all the time." she went on, getting excited. , it is best not to be loved by anyone! ''

"You nonsense little monkey!" exclaimed Mrs. Linton, startled. "But I don't believe in the stupidity of the idea. How can you think Heathcliff's admiration and you'll think him a lovely man! I hope I've misunderstood you, Isabella?"

"No, no misunderstanding," said the enchanted girl, "I love him more than all your love for Edgar. He will love me too, if you will not stop!"

"Then, give me a kingdom, and I won't be you!" Catherine declared decisively.Her words seemed sincere. "Help me, Nelly, to make her understand that she is mad. Tell her what Heathcliff is: a savage, uncultivated, uncultured. A barren wilderness, overgrown with thorns and bare rocks. I'll Put that little canary in the winter garden, and set you an example of giving your heart to him! You know nothing of his character, boy, that dream is called for nothing else Get into your head. Please, don't think there's kindness and affection beneath his grim exterior. He's not a raw diamond, an oyster among rough men. He's a ruthless, wolf-like man. ...I never said to him, 'Leave your enemies alone, because it's petty and cruel to hurt them'. Instead, I said, 'Let them go, because I won't allow them to be hurt'. He would crush you like Crush a sparrow's egg, Isabella, if he finds you a nuisance. I know he won't love the Lintons, but he's perfectly capable of marrying your fortune and your fortune. Greed is on him. It has grown, and has become an inescapable evil. This is the portrait I gave him. I am his friend, and because of this, if he is serious about trying to capture you, maybe I should keep my mouth shut and let you fall into his trap. .”

Miss Linton looked at her sister-in-law furiously.

"Shame! Shame!" she repeated angrily. "You are worse than twenty enemies, you viper-hearted friend!"

"Ah! You don't want to believe me, so?" said Catherine. "Do you think I say all this out of vicious selfishness?"

"I'm sure you are," Isabella countered. "You make me tremble!"

"Wow!" shouted another. "Go and try it yourself, if you're interested. I've finished talking, I don't want to argue with you, you can go to be arrogant and mess around by yourself."

"But I must suffer for her selfishness!" cried Mrs. Linton, as she left the room. "All, all are against me. She has ruined my only consolation. But she lies, does she not? Mr. Heathcliff is no devil, he has a respectable soul, a sincere soul, or How could he remember her?"

"Get him off your mind, miss," I said. "He's an unlucky bird, unworthy of you," said Mrs. Linton too sharply, but I could not contradict her.She knew his heart better than I, or even anyone else.And no matter how bad she said he was, he was not as bad as he himself.Honest people never hide what they do.But how did those years pass?How did you get rich?Why did he live at Wuthering Heights, the residence of a man he hated so much?They said Mr Earnshaw had been getting worse since he came.They sat together all night, Hindley borrowed money and mortgaged the land, and did nothing but play money and drink.That's what I heard a week ago, Joseph told me, I met him at Gimmerton.

"'Nellie,' said he, 'we're all going to have to get the coroner in. One of them nearly had his finger cut off to keep the other from stabbing himself in like a cow. Death. That's the young master, you know, he's flying all the way up to the Great Judgment. He's not afraid of any of the judges, not Paul, not Peter, not John, not Matthew, any of them, he Not afraid! He likes to show his thick skin before them! And your good boy Heathcliff, listen, he's a marvel! He'd grin even if a real devil came to play tricks Lol, no one can beat him. When he came to the Grange, didn't he ever talk about the good life he has now among us? That's it: get up at sunset, roll the dice, brandy, close the shutters, light the candles , a little to noon the next day. Then, that idiot cursed heaven and earth, groped into his bedroom full of nonsense, made the good man ashamed, and could only plug his ears with his fingers, the bad guy, wow, He'd count his pennies, eat and sleep enough, go to the neighbor's house and gossip with the wife. Of course, he told Miss Catherine that he let her old man's gold roll into his pocket. Her father's son is running wild down the highway to hell, and he's running ahead, opening the fences for him?" Look, Miss Linton, Joseph's an old bastard, but he's no liar. If he It's true of Heathcliff's conduct that you'd never think of having such a husband, would you?"

"You're in collusion with them, Ellen!" she replied. "I will not listen to your slander. You are so cruel that you want me to believe that there is no happiness in this world!"

I don't know if she will come to her senses if she goes by herself, or if she will just get over it.She really didn't have much time to think about it.The next day, our neighbors had a joint trial in the city, and my master had to be present.Knowing his absence, Heathcliff came to the door earlier than usual.

Catherine and Isabella sat in the study, panting, but silent.Isabella was alarmed at her recent recklessness, and regretted that in a fit of emotion she had revealed her secret feelings.Catherine, on the other hand, came to think it over, got seriously angry with her companion, and decided that if she laughed at her absurdity next time, she would have to make her understand that it wasn't funny.

She actually smiled when Heathcliff passed the window.I was sweeping the stove at this time, and saw a malicious smile on the corner of her mouth.Isabella was absorbed in her thoughts, or in her reading, and remained motionless until the door opened.She would have escaped if she could, but it was too late.

"Come in, well come!" cried the madame cheerfully, drawing a chair to the fire. "Two people here are waiting for a third person to come in and melt the ice and snow between them. You are the one we both have to choose. Heathcliff, I am honored to finally show you a Someone who likes you better than myself. I think you'd be flattered. No, not Nelly, don't look at her! My poor little sister would be heartbroken just to think of how beautiful you are physically and morally. Broken. Whether you want to be Edgar's brother-in-law or not is entirely up to you! Don't, don't, Isabella, don't run away," she pretended to be joking, and grabbed the bewildered Girl, she stood up angrily. "We were quarreling like cats over you, Heathcliff, and I lost miserably for loyalty and reverence. Besides, I've heard that if I had the wit to stand aside, my rival would , just like she pretends to be my rival in love, she will shoot an arrow into your soul, and follow you closely from then on, driving my shadow to the ends of the earth!"

"Catherine!" said Isabella, summoning up her dignity, scorning to struggle in vain under her firm grasp. "I want to thank you for speaking straight, and don't hurt me, no joke! Mr. Heathcliff, did a good deed to get your friend to let me go. She forgot that you and I didn't know each other very well, and made her happy. What happened to me is indescribably painful."

The guest sat down without saying a word, and he was indifferent to what emotion she felt for him.She turned around, lowered her voice, and earnestly begged her tormentor to let go.

"No way!" replied Mrs. Linton. "I don't want to be called a dog in a manger any more. You should stay here, keep Heathcliff, and why don't you be proud of my good news? Isabella swore that Edgar was right My love is nothing compared to her love for you. I'm sure she said something like that. Didn't she say that, Ellen? Since the walk the day before yesterday, she was sad and angry and had nothing to eat because I put She sent her away from you, thinking you would not welcome her."

"I believe you have wronged her," said Heathcliff, turning his chair to face them. "At least she wants to leave my side now!"

He fixed his eyes on the subject in question, as one fixes one's attention on some repulsive and rare animal, for example, an Indian centipede, which, though repulsive, could not hold back the curiosity to examine it closely. .

The poor thing can't stand it.Her face was white and red, changing color rapidly, and tears hung on her eyelashes one by one. With all her strength, she used her little fingers to pull Catherine to hold her palm tightly.Seeing that she just pulled one finger off her arm, the other grabbed it tightly, and couldn't get free completely, so she began to use her nails. The sharp nails were holding onto her finger at that time, imprinting There are a few red crescent moon patterns on it.

"Tigress!" cried Mrs. Linton, letting go of her, waving her hands in pain. "Go away and hide your shrew face for God's sake! What a fool you are to show those paws at him. Can't you imagine how he'd feel? Look, Heathcliff Husband! That is a tool of law enforcement, you have to watch your eyes."

"I'll tear them off her fingers, if you offend me," he replied savagely.At this time, she had left and the door was closed behind her. "But what do you mean by teasing the little thing like that, Cathy? You're not telling the truth, are you?"

"I promise it's true," she replied. "She has been in love with you for weeks. She had a big quarrel with you last morning, and she cussed you endlessly, just because I confessed your shortcomings truthfully, so as to cool off her infatuation. But Don't pay any attention to her. I just want to punish her for being tricky, that's all. I like her too much to let you grab her and eat her alive."

"I don't like her so much for that," he said, "unless it's done to make your hair stand on end. If I were left alone with that creepy waxed face, you'd Heard some strange things. The most common is to paint its white board with the colors of the rainbow, and not to make those blue eyes turn purple every other day or two. Those eyes are similar to Linton's Eyes are just as annoying."

"Pleasant!" said Catherine, "and those are dove's eyes—angel's eyes!"

"She's her brother's heir, isn't she?" he asked after a moment's silence.

"I'm sorry I think so," his partner replied. "Half-a-dozen nephews trying to get rid of her rights, thank God. Don't keep looking at it, you're taking your neighbor's property too far. Remember, this neighbor's property is mine."

"It wouldn't be the same if they were mine," said Heathcliff. "But though Isabella Linton is a little silly, she's not mad at all. She, in a word, we don't talk about it, at your own discretion."

Verbally, they really didn't talk about it.In Catherine, perhaps, she did not think of it any more.But the other, I'm sure, kept thinking of it that night.I saw him laugh to himself, grinning, I should say, whenever Mrs. Verrington occasionally left the room, and then sink into brooding contemplation.

I made up my mind to keep an eye on his movements.My heart was invariably on my master's side, rather than on Catherine's.I think I have a reason, because he is kind, trustworthy and honest.As for her, although it cannot be said to be the exact opposite, she is too free-spirited, so I have little confidence in her principles of life, and I am too lazy to sympathize with her feelings.I hope something will happen that will quietly deliver Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange from Heathcliff.Let's go back to the time before he broke in.His visits were like a continual nightmare to me, and, I suppose, to my master as well.He lived in Wuthering Heights, which became an indescribable oppression.I felt that God had abandoned the lost lamb to wander, while a vile beast stalked between it and the fold, waiting for the moment to spring up and swallow it.

Sometimes, when I was alone thinking about these things, I would feel a sudden terror, jump up, put on my hat and go out to see what had become of Chuang Tzu.I speak to my conscience, believing it is my duty to warn him of what others have said about his behaviour.Then I remembered his deep-rooted bad habits again, and it was useless to persuade him, so I hesitated to do it, unwilling to step into that dilapidated mansion again, doubting whether my words could be taken seriously.

Once I went to Gimmerton, and passed the old gate in a circle.That's about the time my story gets there, a clear frosty afternoon when the ground is bare inside and the road is hard and dry.

I came to the edge of a boundary stone, the road forked here, and a road on the left branched out, leading to the wilderness.The boundary stone is a rough sand pillar with W. H．The lettering is engraved with G· on the east side and T·G· on the southwest facing side. W.H. is Wathering Heights, G. is Gimmerton, and T.G. is Thrushcross Grange.It is the signpost leading to Thrushcross Grange, Wuthering Heights and the village.

The sun shone yellow and orange on its gray top, reminding me of summer.I can't say why, but the emotions from childhood rushed into my heart like a torrent. Twenty years ago, Hindley and I thought this was the best place to be.

(End of this chapter)