entreaties, and Catherine and I set out on our first ride to join her cousin. It was a close, sultry day: devoid of sunshine, but with a sky too dappled and hazy to threaten rain; and our place of meeting had been fixed at the guide-stone, by the crossroads. On arriving there, however, a little herd-boy, dispatched as a messenger, told us that:
`Maister Linton wer just ut this side th' Heights: and he'd be mitch obleeged to us to gang on a bit farther.'
`Then Master Linton has forgot the first injunction of his uncle,' I observed: `he bid us keep on the Grange land, and here we are off at once.'
to graze. He lay on the heath, awaiting our approach, and did not rise till we came within a few yards. Then he walked so feebly, and looked so pale, that I immediately exclaimed:
`Why, Master Heathcliff, you are not fit for enjoying a ramble, this morning. How ill you do look!'
Catherine surveyed him with grief and astonishment; and changed the ejaculation of joy on her lips, to one of alarm; and the congratulation on their long-postponed meeting, to an anxious inquiry, whether he were worse than usual?
Monday, October 22, 2007
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`I'm tired,' he interrupted hurriedly. `It is too hot for walking, let us rest here. And, in the morning, I often feel sick--papa says I grow so fast.'
Badly satisfied, Cathy sat down, and he reclined beside her.
`This is something like your paradise,' said she, making an effort at cheerfulness. `You recollect the two days we agreed to spend in the place and way each thought pleasantest? This is surely yours, only there are clouds: but then they are so soft and mellow: it is nicer than sunshine. Next week, if you can, we'll ride down to the Grange Park, and try mine.'
Linton did not appear to remember what she talked of; and he had evidently great difficulty in sustaining any kind of conversation. His lack of interest in the subjects she started, and his equal incapacity to contribute to her entertainment, were so obvious that she could not conceal her disappointment. An indefinite alteration had come over his whole person and manner. The pettishness that might be as I did, that he held it rather a punishment, than a gratification, to endure our company; and she made no scruple of proposing, presently, to depart. That proposal, unexpectedly, roused Linton from his lethargy, and threw him into a strange state of agitation. He glanced fearfully towards the Heights, begging she would remain another half-hour at least.
`But I think', said Cathy, `you'd be more comfortable at home than sitting here; and I cannot amuse you today, I see, by my tales, and songs, and chatter: you have grown wiser than I, in these six months; you have little taste for my diversions now: or else, if I could amuse you, I'd willingly stay.'
`Stay to rest yourself,' he replied. `And Catherine, don't think, or say that I'm very unwell: it is the heavy weather and heat that make me dull; and I walked about, before you came, a great deal for me. Tell uncle I'm in tolerable health, will you?'
`I'll tell him that you say so, Linton. I couldn't affirm that you are,' observed my young lady, wondering at his pertinacious assertion of what was evidently an
Badly satisfied, Cathy sat down, and he reclined beside her.
`This is something like your paradise,' said she, making an effort at cheerfulness. `You recollect the two days we agreed to spend in the place and way each thought pleasantest? This is surely yours, only there are clouds: but then they are so soft and mellow: it is nicer than sunshine. Next week, if you can, we'll ride down to the Grange Park, and try mine.'
Linton did not appear to remember what she talked of; and he had evidently great difficulty in sustaining any kind of conversation. His lack of interest in the subjects she started, and his equal incapacity to contribute to her entertainment, were so obvious that she could not conceal her disappointment. An indefinite alteration had come over his whole person and manner. The pettishness that might be as I did, that he held it rather a punishment, than a gratification, to endure our company; and she made no scruple of proposing, presently, to depart. That proposal, unexpectedly, roused Linton from his lethargy, and threw him into a strange state of agitation. He glanced fearfully towards the Heights, begging she would remain another half-hour at least.
`But I think', said Cathy, `you'd be more comfortable at home than sitting here; and I cannot amuse you today, I see, by my tales, and songs, and chatter: you have grown wiser than I, in these six months; you have little taste for my diversions now: or else, if I could amuse you, I'd willingly stay.'
`Stay to rest yourself,' he replied. `And Catherine, don't think, or say that I'm very unwell: it is the heavy weather and heat that make me dull; and I walked about, before you came, a great deal for me. Tell uncle I'm in tolerable health, will you?'
`I'll tell him that you say so, Linton. I couldn't affirm that you are,' observed my young lady, wondering at his pertinacious assertion of what was evidently an
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`I care nothing for his anger,' exclaimed Cathy, imagining she would be its object.
`But I do,' said her cousin, shuddering. `Don't provoke him against me, Catherine, for he is very hard.'
`Is he severe to you, Master Heathcliff?' I inquired. `Has he grown weary of indulgence, and passed from passive to active hatred?'
Linton looked at me, but did not answer; and, after keeping her seat by his side another ten minutes, during which his head fell drowsily on his breast, and he uttered nothing except suppressed moans of exhaustion or pain, Cathy began to seek
did not offer them to him, for she saw further notice would only weary and annoy.
`Is it half an hour now, Ellen?' she whispered in my ear, at last. `I can't tell why we should stay. He's asleep, and papa will be wanting us back.'
`Well, we must not leave him asleep,' I answered; `wait till he wakes, and be patient. You were mighty eager to set off, but your longing to see poor Linton has soon evaporated!'
`Why did he wish to see me?' returned Catherine. `In his crossest humours, formerly, I liked him better than I do in his present curious mood. It's just as if it were a task he was compelled to perform--this interview--for fear his father should scold him. But I'm hardly going to come to give Mr Heathcliff pleasure; whatever reason he may have for ordering Linton to undergo this penance. And, though I'm glad he's better in health, I'm sorry he's so much less pleasant, and so much less affectionate to me.'
`You think he is better in health then?' I said.
`Yes,' she answered; `because he always made such a great deal of his sufferings, you know. He is not tolerably well, as he told me to tell papa; but he's better, very likely.'
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`But I do,' said her cousin, shuddering. `Don't provoke him against me, Catherine, for he is very hard.'
`Is he severe to you, Master Heathcliff?' I inquired. `Has he grown weary of indulgence, and passed from passive to active hatred?'
Linton looked at me, but did not answer; and, after keeping her seat by his side another ten minutes, during which his head fell drowsily on his breast, and he uttered nothing except suppressed moans of exhaustion or pain, Cathy began to seek
did not offer them to him, for she saw further notice would only weary and annoy.
`Is it half an hour now, Ellen?' she whispered in my ear, at last. `I can't tell why we should stay. He's asleep, and papa will be wanting us back.'
`Well, we must not leave him asleep,' I answered; `wait till he wakes, and be patient. You were mighty eager to set off, but your longing to see poor Linton has soon evaporated!'
`Why did he wish to see me?' returned Catherine. `In his crossest humours, formerly, I liked him better than I do in his present curious mood. It's just as if it were a task he was compelled to perform--this interview--for fear his father should scold him. But I'm hardly going to come to give Mr Heathcliff pleasure; whatever reason he may have for ordering Linton to undergo this penance. And, though I'm glad he's better in health, I'm sorry he's so much less pleasant, and so much less affectionate to me.'
`You think he is better in health then?' I said.
`Yes,' she answered; `because he always made such a great deal of his sufferings, you know. He is not tolerably well, as he told me to tell papa; but he's better, very likely.'
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asked if anyone had called his name.
`No,' said Catherine; `unless in dreams. I cannot conceive how you manage to doze out of doors, in the morning.'
`I thought I heard my father,' he gasped, glancing up to the frowning nab above us. `You are sure nobody spoke?'
`Quite sure,' replied his cousin. `Only Ellen and I were disputing concerning your health. Are you truly stronger, Linton, than when we separated in winter? If you be I'm certain one thing is not stronger--your regard for me: speak,--are you?'
The tears gushed from Linton's eyes as he answered, `Yes, yes, I am!' And, still under the spell of the imaginary voice, his gaze wandered up and down to detect its owner. Cathy rose. `For today we must part,' she said. `And I won't conceal that I have been sadly disappointed with our meeting; though I'll mention it to nobody but
`Hush,' murmured Linton: `for God's sake, hush! He's coming.' And he clung to Catherine's arm, striving to detain her; but at that announcement she hastily disengaged herself, and whistled to Minny, who obeyed her like a dog.
`I'll be here next Thursday,' she cried, springing to the saddle. `Goodbye. Quick,
`No,' said Catherine; `unless in dreams. I cannot conceive how you manage to doze out of doors, in the morning.'
`I thought I heard my father,' he gasped, glancing up to the frowning nab above us. `You are sure nobody spoke?'
`Quite sure,' replied his cousin. `Only Ellen and I were disputing concerning your health. Are you truly stronger, Linton, than when we separated in winter? If you be I'm certain one thing is not stronger--your regard for me: speak,--are you?'
The tears gushed from Linton's eyes as he answered, `Yes, yes, I am!' And, still under the spell of the imaginary voice, his gaze wandered up and down to detect its owner. Cathy rose. `For today we must part,' she said. `And I won't conceal that I have been sadly disappointed with our meeting; though I'll mention it to nobody but
`Hush,' murmured Linton: `for God's sake, hush! He's coming.' And he clung to Catherine's arm, striving to detain her; but at that announcement she hastily disengaged herself, and whistled to Minny, who obeyed her like a dog.
`I'll be here next Thursday,' she cried, springing to the saddle. `Goodbye. Quick,
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alteration of Edgar Linton's state. The havoc that months had previously wrought was now emulated by the inroads of hours. Catherine, we would fain have deluded yet: but her own quick spirit refused to delude her: it divined in secret, and brooded on the dreadful probability, gradually ripening into certainty. She had not the heart to mention her ride, when Thursday came round; I mentioned it for her, and obtained permission to order her out of doors: for the library, where her father stopped a short time daily--the brief period he could bear to sit up--and his chamber, had become her whole world. She grudged each moment that did not find her bending over his pillow, or seated by his side: Her countenance grew wan with watching and sorrow, and my master gladly dismissed her to what he flattered himself would be a
He had a fixed idea, I guessed by several observations he let fall, that, as his nephew resembled him in person, he would resemble him in mind; for Linton's letters bore few or no indications of his defective character. And I, through pardonable weakness, refrained from correcting the error; asking myself what good there would be in disturbing his last moments with information that he had neither power nor opportunity to turn to account.
We deferred our excursion till the afternoon; a golden afternoon of August: every breath from the hills so full of life, that it seemed whoever respired it, though dying, might revive. Catherine's face was just like the landscape--shadows and sunshine flitting over it in rapid succession; but the shadows rested longer, and the sunshine was more transient; and her poor little heart reproached itself for
He had a fixed idea, I guessed by several observations he let fall, that, as his nephew resembled him in person, he would resemble him in mind; for Linton's letters bore few or no indications of his defective character. And I, through pardonable weakness, refrained from correcting the error; asking myself what good there would be in disturbing his last moments with information that he had neither power nor opportunity to turn to account.
We deferred our excursion till the afternoon; a golden afternoon of August: every breath from the hills so full of life, that it seemed whoever respired it, though dying, might revive. Catherine's face was just like the landscape--shadows and sunshine flitting over it in rapid succession; but the shadows rested longer, and the sunshine was more transient; and her poor little heart reproached itself for
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