Chapter 32
1802.--
This September I was invited to devastate the moors of a friend in the north, and on my journey to his abode, I unexpectedly came within fifteen miles of Gimmerton. The ostler at a roadside public house was holding a pail of water to refresh my horses, when a cart of very green oats, newly reaped, passed by, and he remarked:
`Yon's frough Gimmerton, nah! They're allas three wick after other folk wi' ther harvest.'
`Gimmerton ?` I repeated--my residence in that locality had already grown dim and dreamy. `Ah! I know. How far is it from this?'
`Happen fourteen mile o'er th' hills; and a rough road,' he answered.
A sudden impulse seized me to visit Thrushcross Grange. It was scarcely noon, and I conceived that I might as well pass the night under my own roof as in an inn. Besides, I could spare a day easily to arrange matters with my landlord, and thus save myself the trouble of invading the neighbourhood again. Having rested a while, I directed my servant to inquire the way to the village; and, with great fatigue to our beasts, we managed the distance in some three hours.
I left him there, and proceeded down the valley alone. The grey church looked greyer, and the lonely churchyard lonelier. I distinguished a moor sheep cropping the short turf on the graves. It was sweet, warm weather--too warm for travelling; but the heat did not hinder me from enjoying the delightful scenery above and below: had I seen it nearer August, I'm sure it would have tempted me to waste a month among its solitudes. In winter nothing more dreary, in summer nothing more divine, than those glens shut in by hills, and those bluff, bold swells of heath.
I reached the Grange before sunset, and knocked for admittance; but the family had retreated' into the back premises, I judged, by one thin, blue wreath curling from the kitchen chimney, and they did not hear. I rode into the court. Under the porch, a girl of nine or ten sat knitting, and an old woman reclined on the house steps, smoking a meditative pipe.
`Is Mrs Dean within?' I demanded of the dame.
`Mistress Dean? Nay!' she answered, `shoo doesn't bide here: shoo's up at th' Heights.'
`Are you the housekeeper, then?' I continued.
`Ea, Aw keep th' house,' she replied.
`Well, I'm Mr Lockwood, the master. Are there any rooms to lodge me in, I wonder? I wish to stay here all night.'
`T' maister!' she cried in astonishment. `Whet, whoiver knew yah wur coming? Yah sud ha' send word. They's nowt norther dry nor mensful abaht t' place: nowt there isn't!'
She threw down her pipe and bustled in, the girl followed, and I entered too; soon perceiving that her report was true, and, moreover, that I had almost upset her wits by my unwelcome apparition, I bid her be composed. I would go out for a walk; and, meantime, she must try to prepare a corner of a sitting-room for me to sup in, and a bedroom to sleep in. No sweeping and dusting, only good fire and dry sheets were necessary. She seemed willing to do her best; though she thrust the hearth-brush into the grates in mistake for the poker, and malappropriated several other articles of her craft: but I retired, confiding in her energy for a resting-place against my return. Wuthering Heights was the goal of my proposed excursion. An afterthought brought me back, when I had quitted the court.
`All well at the Heights?' I inquired of the woman.
`Eea, f'r owt Ee knaw,' she answered, skurrying away with a pan of hot cinders.
I would have asked why Mrs Dean had deserted the Grange, but it was impossible to delay her at such a crisis, so I turned away and made my exit, rambling leisurely along with the glow of a sinking sun behind, and the mild glory of a rising moon in front--one fading, and the other brightening--as I quitted the park, and climbed the stony by-road branching off to Mr Heathcliff's dwelling. Before I arrived in sight of it, all that remained of day was a beamless amber light along the west: but I could see every pebble on the path, and every blade of grass, by that splendid moon. I had neither to climb the gate nor to knock--it yielded to my hand. That is an improvement, I thought. And I noticed another, by the aid of my nostrils; a fragrance of stocks and wallflowers wafted on the air from amongst the homely fruit trees.
Both doors and lattices were open; and yet, as is usually the case in a coal district, a fine, red fire illumined the chimney: the comfort which the eye derives from it renders the extra heat endurable. But the house of Wuthering Heights is so large, that the inmates have plenty of space for withdrawing out of its influence; and accordingly, what inmates there were had stationed themselves not far from one of the windows. I could both see them and hear them talk before I entered, and looked and listened in consequence; being moved thereto by a mingled sense of curiosity and envy, that grew as I lingered.
`Con-trary!' said a voice as sweet as a silver bell--`That for the third time, you dunce! I'm not going to tell you again. Recollect, or I'll pull your hair!'
`Contrary, then,' answered another, in deep but softened tones. `And now, kiss me, for minding so well.'
`No, read it over first correctly, without a single mistake.'
The male speaker began to read: he was a young man, respectably dressed and seated at a table, having a book before him. His handsome features glowed with pleasure, and his eyes kept impatiently wandering from the page to a small white hand over his shoulder, which recalled him by a smart slap on the cheek, whenever its owner detected such signs of inattention. Its owner stood behind; her light, shining ringlets blending, at intervals, with his brown locks, as she bent to superintend his studies; and her face--it was lucky he could not see her face, or he would never have been so steady. I could: and I bit my lip in spite, at having thrown away the chance I might have had of doing something besides staring at its smiling beauty.
The task was done, not free from further blunders; but the pupil claimed a reward, and received at least five kisses: which, however, he generously returned. Then they came to the door, and from their conversation I judged they were about to issue out and have a walk on the moors. I supposed I should be condemned in Hareton Earnshaw's heart, if not by his mouth, to the lowest pit in the infernal regions, if I showed my `unfortunate person in his neighbourhood then; and feeling very mean and malignant, I skulked round to seek refuge in the kitchen. There was unobstructed admittance on that side also, and at the door sat my old friend Nelly Dean, sewing and singing a song; which was often interrupted from within by harsh words of scorn and intolerance, uttered in far from musical accents.
`Aw'd rayther, by th' haulf, hev `em swearing i' my lugs frough morn to neeght, nur hearken yah, hahsiver!' said the tenant of the kitchen, in answer to an unheard speech of Nelly's. `It's a blazing shaime, ut Aw cannut oppen t' blessed Book, bud yah set up them glories tuh Sattan, un' all t' flaysome wickednesses ut iver wer born intuh t' warld! Oh! yah'er a raight nowt; un' shoo's another; un' that poor lad'll be lost atween ye. Poor lad!' he added, with a groan; `he's witched: Aw'm sartin on't! O Lord, judge `em, fur they's norther law nur justice amang wer rullers!'
`No! or we should be sitting in flaming fagots, I suppose,' retorted the singer. `But wisht, old man, and read your Bible like a Christian, and never mind me. This is "Fairy Annie's `Wedding"--a bonny tune--it goes to a dance.'
Mrs Dean was about to recommence, when I advanced; and recognizing me directly, she jumped to her feet, crying:
`Why, bless you, Mr Lockwood! How could you think of returning in this way? All's shut up at Thrushcross Grange. You should have given us notice!'
`I've arranged to be accommodated there, for as long as I shall stay,' I answered. `I depart again tomorrow. And how are you transplanted here, Mrs Dean? tell me that.'
`Zillah left, and Mr Heathcliff wished me to come, soon after you went to London, and stay till you returned. But, step in, pray! Have you walked from Gimmerton this evening?'
`From the Grange,' I replied; `and while they make me lodging room there, I want to finish my business with your master; because I don't think of having another opportunity in a hurry.'
`What business, sir?' said Nelly, conducting me into the house. `He's gone out at present, and won't return soon.'
`About the rent,' I answered.
`Oh! then it is with Mrs Heathcliff you must settle,' she observed; `or rather with me. She has not learnt to manage her affairs yet, and I act for her: there's nobody else.'
I looked surprised.
`Ah! you have not heard of Heathcliff's death, I see,' she continued.
`Heathcliff dead!' I exclaimed, astonished. `How long ago?'
`Three months since: but sit down and let me take your hat, and I'll tell you all about it. Stop, you have had nothing to eat, have you?'
`I want nothing: I have ordered supper at home. You sit down too. I never dreamt of his dying! Let me hear how it came to pass. You say you don't expect them back for some time--the young people?'
`No--I have to scold them every evening for their late rambles: but they don't care for me. At least have a drink of our old ale; it will do you good: you seem weary.'
She hastened to fetch it before I could refuse, and I heard Joseph asking whether `it warn't a crying scandal that she should have fellies at her time of life? And then, to get them jocks out uh' t' maister's cellar! He fair shaamed to `bide still and see it.'
She did not stay to retaliate, but re-entered in a minute, bearing a reaming silver pint, whose contents I lauded with becoming earnestness. And afterwards she furnished me with the sequel of HeathclifFs history. He had a `queer' end, as she expressed it.
I was summoned to Wuthering Heights, within a fortnight of your leaving us, she said; and I obeyed joyfully, for Catherine's sake. My first interview with her grieved and shocked me: she had altered so much since our separation. Mr Heathcliff did not explain his reasons for taking a new mind about my coming here; he only told me he wanted me, and he was tired of seeing Catherine: I must make the little parlour my sitting-room, and keep her with me. It was enough if he were obliged to see her once or twice a day. She seemed pleased at this arrangement; and, by degrees, I smuggled over a great number of books, and other articles, that had formed her amusement at the Grange; and flattered myself we should get on in tolerable comfort. The delusion did not last long. Catherine, contented at first, in a brief space grew irritable and restless. For one thing, she was forbidden to move out of the garden, and it fretted her sadly to be confined to its narrow bounds as spring drew on; for another, in following the house, I was forced to quit her frequently, and she complained of loneliness: she preferred quarrelling with Joseph in the kitchen to sitting at peace in her solitude. I did not mind their skirmishes: but Hareton was often obliged to seek the kitchen also, when the master wanted to have the house to himself; and though in the beginning she either left it at his approach, or quietly joined in my occupations, and shunned remarking or addressing him--and though he was always as sullen and silent as possible--after a while she changed her behaviour, and became incapable of letting him alone: talking at him; commenting on his stupidity and idleness; expressing her wonder how he could endure the life he lived--how he could sit a whole evening staring into the fire and dozing.
`He's just like a dog, is he not, Ellen?' she once observed, `or a carthorse? He does his work, eats his food, and sleeps eternally! What a blank, dreary mind he must have! Do you ever dream, Hareton? And, if you do, what is it about? But you can't speak to me!'
Then she looked at him; but he would neither open his mouth nor look again.
`He's, perhaps, dreaming now,' she continued. `He twitched his shoulder as Juno twitches hers. Ask him, Ellen.'
`Mr Hareton will ask the master to send you upstairs, if you don't behave!' I said. He had not only twitched his shoulder but clenched his fist, as if tempted to use it.
`I know why Hareton never speaks, when I am in the kitchen,' she exclaimed, on another occasion. `He is afraid I shall laugh at him. Ellen, what do you think? He began to teach himself to read once; and because I laughed, he burned his books, and dropped it: was he not a fool?'
`Were not you naughty?' I said; `answer me that.'
`Perhaps I was,' she went on; `but I did not expect him to be so silly. Hareton, if I gave you a book, would you take it now? I'll try!'
She placed one she had been perusing on his hand; he flung it off, and muttered, if she did not give over, he would break her neck.
"Well, I shall put it here,' she said, `in the table drawer; and I'm going to bed.'
Then she whispered me to watch whether he touched it, and departed. But he would not come near it; and so I informed her in the morning, to her great disappointment. I saw she was sorry for his persevering sulkiness and indolence: her conscience reproved her for frightening him off improving himself: she had done it effectually. But her ingenuity was at work to remedy the injury: while I ironed, or pursued other stationary employments I could not well do in the parlour, she would bring some pleasant volume and read it aloud to me. `When Hareton was there, she generally paused in an interesting part, and left the book lying about: that she did repeatedly; but he was as obstinate as a mule, and, instead of snatching at her bait, in wet weather he took to smoking with Joseph; and they sat like automatons, one on each side of the fire, the elder happily too deaf to understand her wicked nonsense, as he would have called it, the younger doing his best to seem to disregard it. On fine evenings the latter followed his shooting expeditions, and Catherine yawned and sighed, and teased me to talk to her, and ran off into the court or garden, the moment I began; and, as a last resource, cried, and said she was tired of living: her life was useless.
Mr Heathcliff, who grew more and more disinclined to society, had almost banished Earnshaw out of his apartment. Owing to an accident at the commencement of March, he became for some days a fixture in the kitchen. His gun burst while out on the hills by himself; a splinter cut his arm, and he lost a good deal of blood before he could reach home. The consequence was that, perforce, he was condemned to the fireside and tranquillity, till he made it up again. It suited Catherine to have him there: at any rate, it made her hate her room upstairs more than ever: and she would compel me to find out business below, that she might accompany me.
On Easter Monday, Joseph went to Gimmerton fair with some cattle; and, in the afternoon, I was busy getting up linen in the kitchen. Earnshaw sat, morose as usual, at the chimney-corner, and my little mistress was beguiling an idle hour with drawing pictures on the window panes; varying her amusement by smothered bursts of songs, and whispered ejaculations, and quick glances of annoyance and impatience in the direction of her cousin, who steadfastly smoked, and looked into the grate. At a notice that I could do with her no longer intercepting my light, she removed to the hearthstone. I bestowed little attention on her proceedings, but, presently, I heard her begin:
`I've found out, Hareton, that I want--that I'm glad--that I should like you to be my cousin now, if you had not grown so cross to me, and so rough.'
Hareton returned no answer.
`Hareton, Hareton, Hareton! do you hear?' she continued. `Get off wi' ye!' he growled, with uncompromising gruffness.
`Let me take that pipe,' she said, cautiously advancing her hand and abstracting it from his mouth.
Before he could attempt to recover it, it was broken, and behind the fire. He swore at her and seized another.
`Stop,' she cried, `you must listen to me first; and I can't speak while those clouds are floating in my face.'
`Will you go to the devil!' he exclaimed ferociously, `and let me be!'
`No,' she persisted, `I won't: I can't tell what to do to make you talk to me; and you are determined not to understand. When I call you stupid, I don't mean anything: I don't mean that I despise you. Come, you shall take notice of me, Hareton! you are my cousin, and you shall own me.
`I shall have naught to do wi' you and your mucky pride, and your damned mocking tricks!' he answered. `I'll go to hell, body and soul, before I look sideways after you again. Side out O' t' gait, now; this minute!'
Catherine frowned, and retreated to the window-seat chewing her lip, and endeavouring, by humming an eccentric tune, to conceal a growing tendency to sob.
`You should be friends with your cousin, Mr Hareton,' I interrupted, `since she repents of her sauciness. It would do you a great deal of good: it would make you another man to have her for a companion.'
`A companion?' he cried; `when she hates me, and does not think me fit to wipe her shoon! Nay! if it made me a king, I'd not be scorned for seeking her goodwill any more.'
`It is not I who hate you, it is you who hate me!' wept Cathy, no longer disguising her trouble. `You hate me as much as Mr Heathcliff does, and more.'
`You're a damned liar,' began Earnshaw: `why have I made him angry, by taking your part, then, a hundred times? and that when you sneered at and despised me, and--Go on plaguing me, and I'll step in yonder, and say you worried me out of the kitchen!'
`I didn't know you took my part,' she answered, drying her eyes; `and I was miserable and bitter at everybody; but now I thank you, and beg you to forgive me: what can I do besides?'
She returned to the hearth, and frankly extended her hand. He blackened and scowled like a thunder cloud, and kept his fists resolutely clenched, and his gaze fixed on the ground. Catherine, by instinct, must have divined it was obdurate perversity, and not dislike, that prompted this dogged conduct; for, after remaining an instant undecided, she stooped and impressed on his cheek a gentle kiss. The little rogue thought I had not seen her, and, drawing back, she took her former station by the window, quite demurely. I shook my head reprovingly, and then she blushed and whispered:
`Well! what should I have done, Ellen? He wouldn't shake hands, and he wouldn't look: I must show him some way that I like him--that I want to be friends.'
Whether the kiss convinced Hareton, I cannot tell: he was very careful, for some minutes, that his face should not be seen, and when he did raise it, he was sadly puzzled where to turn his eyes.
Catherine employed herself in wrapping a handsome book neatly in white paper, and having tied it with a bit of ribband, and addressed it to `Mr Hareton Earnshaw', she desired me to be her ambassadress, and convey the present to its destined recipient.
`And tell him, if he'll take it I'll come and teach him to read it right,' she said; `and, if he refuse it, I'll go upstairs, and never tease him again.'
I carried it, and repeated the message; anxiously watched by my employer. Hareton would not open his fingers, so I laid it on his knee. He did not strike off, either. I returned to my work. Catherine leaned her head and arms on the table, till she heard the slightest rustle of the covering being removed; then she stole away, and quietly seated herself beside her cousin. He trembled, and his face glowed: all his rudeness and all his surly harshness had deserted him: he could not summon courage, at first, to utter a syllable in reply to her questioning look, and her murmured petition.
`Say you forgive me, Hareton, do? You can make me so happy by speaking that little word.'
He muttered something inaudible.
`And you'll be my friend?' added Catherine interrogatively.
`Nay, you'll be ashamed of me every day of your life,' he answered; `and the more, the more you know me; and I cannot bide it.'
`So you won't be my friend?' she said, smiling as sweet as honey, and creeping close up.
I overheard no further distinguishable talk, but, on looking round again, I perceived two such radiant countenances bent over the page of the accepted book, that I did not doubt the treaty had been ratified on both sides; and the enemies were, thenceforth, sworn allies.
The work they studied was full of costly pictures; and those and their position had charm enough to keep them unmoved till Joseph came home. He, poor man, was perfectly aghast at the spectacle of Catherine seated on the same bench with Hareton Earnshaw, leaning her hand on his shoulder; and confounded at his favourite's endurance of her proximity: it affected him too deeply to allow an observation on the subject that night. His emotion was only revealed by the immense sighs he drew, as he solemnly spread his large Bible on the table, and overlaid it with dirty bank-notes from his pocket-book, the produce of the day's transactions. At length, he summoned Hareton from his seat.
`Tak' these in tuh t' maister, lad,' he said, `un' bide thar. Aw's gang up tuh my awn rahm. This hoile's norther mensful nor seemly fur us: we mun side aht and seearch another.'
`Come, Catherine,' I said, `we must "side out" too; I've done my ironing, are you ready to go?'
`It is not eight o'clock!' she answered, rising unwillingly. `Hareton, I'll leave this book upon the chimney-piece, and I'll bring some more tomorrow.'
`Ony books ut yah leave, Aw suall tak' intuh th' hahse,' said Joseph, `un it'll be mitch if yah find em agean; soa, yah muh plase yourseln!'
Cathy threatened that his library should pay for hers; and, smiling as she passed Hareton, went singing upstairs: lighter of heart, I venture to say, than ever she had been under that roof before; except, perhaps, during her earliest visits to Linton.
The intimacy thus commenced, grew rapidly; though it encountered temporary interruptions. Earnshaw was not to be civilized with a wish, and my young lady was no philosopher, and no paragon of patience; but both their minds tending to the same point--one loving and desiring to esteem, and the other loving and desiring to be esteemed--they contrived in the end to reach it.
You see, Mr Lockwood, it was easy enough to win Mrs Heathcliff's heart. But now, I'm glad you did not try. The crown of all my wishes will be the union of those two. I shall envy no one on their wedding day: there won't be a happier woman than myself in England!
一八○二年。——这年九月我被北方一个朋友邀请去遨游他的原野，在我去他住处的旅途中，不料想来到了离吉默吞不到十五英里的地方。路旁一家客栈的马夫正提着一桶水来饮我的马，这时有一车才收割的极绿的燕麦经过，他就说：
“你们从吉默吞来的吧，哪！他们总是在别人收获了三个星期以后才收割。”“吉默吞？”我再三念着——我在那地方的居留已经变得模糊，像梦一样了。“啊！我知道了。那里离这儿有多远？”
“过了山大概有十四英里吧，路不好走。”他回答。
一种突如其来的冲动使我忽然想去画眉田庄，那时还不到中午，我想我不妨在自己的屋子里过夜，反正和在旅店里过夜是一样的。此外，我可以很方便地腾出一天工夫同我的房东处理事务，这样就省得我自己再来一趟了。休息了一会，我叫我的仆人去打听到林里的路，于是，旅途的跋涉使我们的牲口劳累不堪，我们在三个钟头左右就到了。
我把仆人留在那儿，独自沿着山谷走去。那灰色的教堂显得更灰色，那孤寂的墓园也更孤寂。我看出来有一只泽地羊在啮着坟上的矮草。那是甜蜜的，温暖的天气——对于旅行是太暖些；但是这种热并不阻碍我享受这上上下下的悦人美景：如果我在快到八月时看见这样的美景，我担保它会引诱我在这寂静环境中消磨一个月。那些被众山环绕的溪谷，以及草原上那些峻峭光秃的坡坡坎坎——冬天没有什么比它们更为荒凉，夏天却没有什么比它们更为神奇美妙。
我在日落之前到达了田庄，就敲门等候准许进去；但是我可以从厨房烟囱里弯弯曲曲冒出的一圈细细的蓝色烟，判断出来家里人已经搬到后屋了，而且他们没听见我。我骑马到院子里。在走廊下面，一个九岁或十岁的女孩子坐着编织东西，一个老妇人靠在台阶上，悠悠地抽着烟斗。
“丁太太在里面吗？”我问那妇人。
“丁太太？没有！”她回答，“她不住在这儿；她上山庄去啦。”
“那么，你是管家吧？”我又说。
“是啊，我管这个家，”她回答。
“好，我是主人洛克乌德先生。我不知道有没有房间让我住进去？我想住一夜。”
“主人！”她惊叫。“喂，谁知道你要来呀？你应该捎个话来。这儿没有块地方干干净净，现在可没有！”
她丢下烟斗匆忙忙地进去了；女孩子跟着，我也进去了。立刻就看出她的报告是真实的，此外，我这不受欢迎的来临几乎把她搞昏了，我吩咐她镇静些。我愿出去溜达一下；同时她得把起坐间清理出一个角落让我吃饭。清理出一个卧房可以睡觉。不用扫地掸灰，只需要一炉好火和干被单。她仿佛很愿意尽力，尽管她把炉帚当作火钳给戳进炉栅里去了，而且错用了她的好几个其他用具，但是我走开了，相信她会尽力预备好一个憩息地方等我回来。呼啸山庄是我计划出游的目的地。我刚离开了院子，但又一个想法又使我回头了。
“山庄上的人都好吧？”我问那妇人。
“凡我知道的都好！”她回答，端着一盆热炭渣离去。
我原想问问丁太太为什么丢弃了田庄，但是在这样一个紧要关头来耽搁她是不可能的，所以我就转身走了，悠闲地散步去了，后面是落日残黑，前面是正在升起的月亮的淡淡的光辉——一个渐渐消退，另一个渐渐亮起来——这时我离开了园林，攀登上通往希刺克厉夫住所的石砌的支路。在我望得见那里之前，西边只剩下白天的一点失去光彩的琥珀色的光辉了；但是我还可以借着那明媚的月亮看到小路上每一颗石子与每一片草叶。我没有从大门外爬上去，也没有敲门，门顺手而开。我认为这是一种改善。我的鼻孔又帮助我发现了另一件事，从那些亲切的果树林中飘散在空气里有一种紫罗兰和香罗兰的香味。
门窗都敞开着；但是，正如在产煤地区的通常情况，一炉烧得红红的好火把壁炉照得亮亮的：由这一眼望去所得的舒适之感也使那过多的热气成为能够忍受的了。但是呼啸山庄的房子是这么大，以致屋里的人有的是空地方来躲开那热力；因此屋子里的人都在一个窗口不远的地方。在我进来之前，我可以看见他们，也可以听见他们说话，我便望着听着。这是被一种好奇心与嫉妒的混合感觉所驱使，当我在那儿留连的时候，那种混合感觉还滋长着。
“相——反的！”一个如银铃般的甜甜的声音说。“这是第三次了，你这傻瓜！我不再告诉你了。记住，不然我就要扯你的头发！”
“好，相反的，”另一个回答，是深沉而柔和的声调。“现在，亲亲我，因为我记得这么好。”
“不，先把它正确地念过一遍，不要有一个错。”
那说话的勇人开始读了。他是一个年轻人，穿得很体面，坐在一张桌子旁，在他面前有一本书。他的漂亮的面貌因愉快而焕发光彩，他的眼睛总是不安定地从书页上溜到他肩头上的一只白白的小手上，但是一旦被那人发现他这种不专心的样子，就让这只手在他脸上很灵敏地拍一下。有这小手的人站在后面；在她俯身指导他读书时，她的轻柔发光的卷发有时和他的棕色头发混在一起了；而她的脸——幸亏他看不见她的脸，不然他决不会这么安稳。我看得见；我怨恨地咬着我的嘴唇，因为我已经丢掉了大有可为的机会，现在却只好傻瞪着那迷人的美人了。
课上完了——学生可没再犯大错，可是学生要求奖励，得了至少五个吻，他又慷慨地回敬一番。然后他们走到门口，从他们的谈话里我断定他们大概要出去，在旷野上散步。我猜想如果我这不幸的人在他的附近出现，哈里顿·恩萧就是口里不说，心里也诅咒我到第十八层地狱里去。我觉得我自己非常自卑而且不祥，便偷偷地想转到厨房去躲着。那边也是进出无阻，我的老朋友丁耐莉坐在门口，一边做针线，一边唱歌。她的歌声常常被里面的讥笑和放肆的粗野的话所干扰，那声音是很不合音乐节拍的。
“老天在上，我宁可我耳朵里从早到晚听咒骂，也不要听你瞎叫唤！”厨房里的人说，这是回答耐莉的一句我听不清的话。“真是尽人皆知的丢脸呀，弄得我不能打开圣书，可你把荣耀归于撒旦，和这世上所产生的一切罪恶！啊，现在你是个没出息的，她又是一个，可怜的孩子要给你们俩闹迷糊啦。可怜的孩子！”他又说，加上一声呻吟，“他中魔啦，我拿得准他是。啊，主啊，审判他们，因为我们这些统治者既没有王法，也没有公道！”
“不！我想，不然我们还得坐着受火刑，”唱歌的人反唇相讥，“可别吵了，老头，像个基督徒似的念你的圣经吧，决不要管我。这是，安妮仙子的婚礼，——一个快乐的调子——
跳舞时可用。”
丁太太刚要再开口唱，我走了上前；她立刻就认出我来，她跳起来，叫着——“好啊，天保佑你，洛克乌德先生！你怎么会想起这样就回来了？画眉田庄的所有东西都收拾起来了。你应该先给我们通知的！”
“我在那边安排好了，为了我暂时住一下，”我回答。“明天我又要走了。你怎么搬到这儿来了，丁太太？告诉我吧。”
“在你去伦敦不久，齐拉辞去了，希刺克厉夫先生要我来这儿住下，一直等到你回来。可是，请进来啊！今天晚上你从吉默吞走来的吗？”
“从田庄来，”我回答，“乘这时候她们给我收拾住处，我要跟你的主人把我的事结束，因为我认为不会再有另一个忙中偷闲的机会了。”
“什么事，先生？”耐莉说，把我领进大厅。“他这时出去了。一时不会回来。”
“关于房租的事。”我回答。
“啊，那么你一定得跟希刺克厉夫夫人接洽了，”她说，“或者还不如跟我说。她还没有学会管理她的事情呢，我替她办，没有别人啦。”
我现出惊讶的神色。
“啊，我看你还没有听说希刺克厉夫去世吧。”她接着说。
“希刺克厉夫死啦！”我叫道，大吃一惊。“多久了？”
“三个月了，可是坐下吧，帽子给我，我要告诉你这一切。
等一下，你还没有吃过什么吧，吃过了吗？”
“我什么都不要；我已吩咐家里预备晚饭了。你也坐下来吧。我绝没想到他的去世！让我听听怎么回事。你说他们一时还不会回来——是指那两个年轻人吗？”
“不会回来的——我每天晚上不得不责备他们深更半夜还散步。可是他们不在乎。至少你得喝杯我们的陈年老酒吧；
这会对你好的；你看来是疲倦了。”
我还没来得及拒绝，她赶忙去取了。我听见约瑟夫在问：
“在她这样年纪的人，还有人追求不是件了不得的丑事吗？而且，还从主人的地窖里拿酒出来！他还瞅着，呆着不动，可真该害臊。”
她没有停下来回嘴，一下子又进来了，带着一个大银杯，我以相当的热忱称赞了那酒。这以后她就提供给我关于希刺克厉夫的历史的续篇。如她所解释的，他有一个“古怪”的结局。
你离开我们还不到两个星期，我就被召到呼啸山庄来了，她说，为了凯瑟琳的缘故，我欢欢喜喜地服从了。第一眼见到她使我难过又震惊。自从我们分别以后，她变得这么厉害。
希刺克厉夫先生并没有解释他为什么又改变主意要我来这儿；他只告诉我说他要我来，他不愿再看见凯瑟琳了：我必须把小客厅作为我的起坐间，而且让她跟我在一起。如果他每天不得不看见她一两次，那就已经够了。她仿佛对这样安排很高兴；我一步步地偷偷搬运来一大堆书，以及她在田庄喜欢玩的其他东西；我自己也妄自以为我们可以相当舒服地过下去了。这种妄想并没有维持很久。凯瑟琳，起初满足了，不久就变得暴躁不安。一件事是她是被禁止走出花园之外的，春天来了，却把她关闭在狭小的范围内，这是使她十分冒火的；另外就是我由于管理家务，也不得不常常离开她，而她就抱怨寂寞，她宁可跟约瑟夫在厨房里拌嘴，也不愿意独自一人安安静静地坐着。我并不在乎他们的争吵：可是，当主人要一个人在大厅的时候，哈里顿也往往不得不到厨房去！虽然开始时要么就是他一来她就离开，要么就是她安静地帮我作事，决不跟他说话或打招呼——虽然他也总是尽可能沉默寡言——可是没多久，她就改变她的作风了，变得不能让他清静了；议论他；批评他的笨相和懒散：对他怎么能忍受他所过的生活表示她的惊奇——他怎么能整整一晚上坐着死盯着炉火，打着瞌睡。
“他就像条狗，不是吗？艾伦？”她有一次说，“或者是一匹套车的马吧！他干他的活，吃他的饭，还有睡觉，永远如此！他的思想一定是多么空虚乏味！你从来没有作过梦么，哈里顿？你要是作过，是梦见什么呢？可是你不会跟我说话。”
然后她望望他，但他既不开口，也不再望她。
“也许现在他在作梦，”她继续说。“他扭动他的肩膀，像约诺女神①在扭动她的肩膀似的。问问他，艾伦。”
①约诺——Juno，罗马神话中之天后，主妇女婚姻及生产的女神。
“要是你不规矩点，哈里顿先生要请主人叫你上楼了！”我说。他不止是扭动他的肩膀，还握紧他的拳头，大有动武之势。
“我知道当我在厨房的时候，哈里顿干吗永远不说话。”又一次，她叫着。“他怕我会笑他。艾伦，你认为是不是？有一回他开始自学读书，我笑了，他就烧了书，走开了。他不是个傻子吗？”
“那你是不是淘气呢？”我说，“你回答我这话。”
“也许我是吧，”她接着说，“可是我没料想到他这么呆气。哈里顿，如果我给你一本书，你现在肯要吗？我来试试！”
她把她正在阅读的一本书放在他的手上。他甩开了，咕噜着，要是她纠缠不休，他就要扭断她的脖子。
“好吧，我就放在这儿，”她说，“放在抽屉里，我要上床睡觉去了。”
然后她小声叫我看着他动不动它，就走开了。可是他不肯走近来；所以我在第二天告诉了她，这使她大失所望。我看出她对他那执拗的抑郁和怠情感到难受；她的良心责备她不该把他吓得放弃改变自己：这件事她做得生效了。
但是她的机灵已在设法治疗这个伤痕，在我慰衣服，或干其它的不便在小客厅里作的那类固定的工作时，她就带来一些挺有意思的书，大声念给我听。当哈里顿在那儿时，她经常念到一个有趣的部分就停住，却敞开书走了：她反复这样作；可是他固执得像头骡子；而且，他并不上她的钩，而在阴雨时他就和约瑟夫一道抽烟；他们像自动玩具一样的坐着，在火炉旁一人坐一边，幸好年纪大的耳聋，听不懂她那套他所谓的胡说八道，年轻的则表示他不听。天气好的晚上，后者就出去打猎，凯瑟琳又打呵欠又叹气，逗我跟她说话，我一开始说，她又跑到庭院或花园里去了；而且，作为一个最后的消遣手法，就哭开了，说她活腻了——她的生命是白费了的。
希刺克厉夫先生，变得越来越不喜欢跟人来往，已经差不多把恩萧从他的房间里赶出来了。由于三月初出了个事故，恩萧有几天不得不待在厨房里。当他独自在山上的时候，他的枪走火了；碎片伤了他的胳膊，在他能够到家之前已经流了好多血。结果是，他被迫在炉火边静养，一直到恢复为止。有他在，凯瑟琳倒觉得挺合适：无论如何，那使她更恨她楼上的房间了，她逼着我在楼下找事作，好和我作伴。
在复活节之后的星期一，约瑟夫赶着几头牛羊到吉默吞市场去了。下午我在厨房忙着整理被单。恩萧坐在炉边角落里，和往常一样的阴沉，我的小女主人在玻璃窗上画图来消遣时光，有时哼两句歌，有时低声喊叫，或者向她那个一个劲地抽烟，呆望着炉栅的表哥投送烦恼和不耐烦的眼光。当我对她说不要再档我的亮时，她就挪到炉边上去了。我也没大注意她在干什么，可是，不一会，我就听她开始说话了：
“我发现，要是你对我不这么烦躁，不这么粗野的话，哈里顿，我要——我很喜欢——我现在愿意你作我的表哥。”
哈里顿没理她。
“哈里顿，哈里顿，哈里顿！你听见了吗？”她继续说。
“去你的！”他带着不妥协的粗暴吼着。
“让我拿开那烟斗，”她说，小心地伸出她的手，把它从他的口中抽出来。
在他想夺回来以前，烟斗已经折断，扔在火里了。他对她咒骂着，又抓起另一只。
“停停，”她叫，“你非先听我说不可；在那些烟冲我脸上飘的时候，我没法说话。”
“见你的鬼！”他凶狠地大叫，“别跟我捣乱！”
“不，”她坚持着，“我偏不：我不知道怎么样才能使你跟我说话，而你又下决心不肯理解我的意思。我说你笨的时候，我并没有什么用意，并没有瞧不起你的意思。来吧，你要理我呀，哈里顿，你是我的表哥，你要承认我呀。”
“我对你和你那臭架子，还有你那套戏弄人的鬼把戏都没什么关系！”他回答。“我宁可连身体带灵魂都下地狱，也不再看你一眼。滚出门去，现在，马上就滚！”
凯瑟琳皱眉了，退到窗前的座位上，咬着她的嘴唇，试着哼起怪调儿来掩盖越来越想哭的趋势。
“你该跟你表妹和好，哈里顿先生，”我插嘴说，“既然她已后悔她的无礼了。那会对你有很多好处的，有她作伴，会使你变成另一个人的。”
“作伴？”他叫着，“在她恨我，认为我还不配给她擦皮鞋的时候和她作伴！不，就是让我当皇帝我也不要再为求她的好意而受嘲笑了。”
“不是我恨你，是你恨我呀！”凯蒂哭着，不能再掩盖她的烦恼了。“你就像希刺克厉夫先生那样恨我，而且恨得还厉害些。”
“你是一个该死的撒谎的人，”恩萧开始说，“那么，为什么有一百次都是因为我向着你，才惹他生气呢？而且，在你嘲笑我，看不起我的时候，——继续欺侮我吧，我就要到那边去，说你把我从厨房里赶出来的”
“我不知道你向着我呀，”她回答，擦干她的眼睛，“那时候我难过，对每一个人都有气；可现在我谢谢你，求你饶恕我：此外我还能怎么样呢？”
她又回到炉边，坦率地伸出她的手。他的脸阴沉发怒像雷电交加的乌云，坚决地握紧拳头，眼盯着地面。
凯瑟琳本能地，一定是料想到那是顽固的倔强，而不是由于讨厌才促成这种执拗的举止；犹豫了一阵之后，她俯身在他脸上轻轻地亲了一下。这个小淘气以为我没看见她，又退回去，坐在窗前老位子上，假装极端庄的。我不以为然地摇摇头，于是她脸红了，小声说——
“那么！我该怎么办呢，艾伦？他不肯握手，他也不肯瞧我：我必须用个法子向他表示我喜欢他——我愿意和他作朋友呀。”
我不知道是不是这一吻打动了哈里顿，有几分钟，他很当心不让他的脸被人看见，等到他抬起脸时，他却迷瞪地不知朝哪边望才好。
凯瑟琳忙着用白纸把一本漂亮的书整整齐齐地包起来，用一条缎带扎起来，写着送交“哈里顿·恩萧先生”，她要我作她的特使，把这礼物交给指定的接受者。
“告诉他，要是他接受，我就来教他念得正确，”她说，“要是他拒绝它，我就上楼去，而且绝不会再惹他了。”
我拿去了，我的主人热切地监视着我。我把话又说了一遍，哈里顿不肯把手指松开，因此我就把书放在他的膝盖上。他也不把它打掉。我又回去干我的事。凯瑟琳用胳膊抱着她的头伏在桌上，直等到她听到撕包书纸的沙沙声音；然后她偷偷地走过去，静静地坐在她表哥身边。他直抖，脸发红；他所有的莽撞无礼和他所有的执拗的粗暴全离弃了他。起初他都不能鼓起勇气来吐出一个字回答她那询问的表情，和她那喃喃的恳求。
“说你饶恕我，哈里顿，说吧。你只要说出那一个字来就会使我快乐的。”
他喃喃地，听不清他说什么。
“那你愿意作我的朋友了吗？”凯瑟琳又问。
“不，你以后天天都会因我而觉得羞耻的，”他回答，“你越了解我，你就越觉得可羞；我可受不了。”
“那么，你不肯作我的朋友吗？”她说，微笑得像蜜那么甜，又凑近些。
再往下谈了些什么，我就听不到了，但是，再抬头望时，我却看见两张如此容光焕发的脸俯在那已被接受的书本上，我深信和约已经双方同意；敌人从今以后成了盟友了。
他们研究的那本书尽是珍贵的插图，那些图画和他们所在的位置魔力都不小，使他们直到约瑟夫回家时还坐着不动。他，这可怜的人，一看见凯瑟琳和哈里顿坐在一条凳上，把她的手搭在他的肩上，完全给吓呆了。对于他所宠爱的哈里顿能容忍她来接近，他简直不明白是怎么回事：这对他刺激太深了，使他那天夜晚对这事都说不出一句话来。直到他严肃地把圣经在桌上打开，从他口袋里掏出了一天的交易所得的脏钞票摊在圣经上，他深深地叹几口气，这才泄露了他的情感。最后他把哈里顿从他的椅子上叫过来。
“把这给主人送去，孩子，”他说，“就呆在那儿。我要到我自己屋里去。这屋子对我们不大合适；我们可以溜出去另找个地方。”
“来，凯瑟琳，”我说，“我们也得‘溜出去’了。我熨完衣服了，你准备走吗？”
“还不到八点钟呢！”她回答，不情愿地站起来。“哈里顿，我把这本书放在炉架上，我明天再拿点来。”
“不管你留下什么书，我都要拿到大厅去，”约瑟夫说，“你要是再找到，那才是怪事哩；所以，随你的便！”
凯蒂威吓他说要拿他的藏书来赔她的书；她在走过哈里顿身边时，微笑着，唱着，上了楼。我敢说，自从她来到这所房子以后，从来没有这样轻松过；或者除她最初来拜访林惇的那几趟。
亲密的关系就是这样开始很快地发展着；虽然也遇到过暂时中断。恩萧不是靠一个愿望就能文质彬彬起来的，我的小姐也不是一个哲人，不是一个忍耐的模范；可他们的心都向着同一个目的——一个是爱着，而且想着尊重对方，另一个是爱着而且想着被尊重，——他们都极力要最后达到这一点。
你瞧，洛克乌德先生，要赢得希刺克厉夫夫人的心是挺容易的。可是现在，我高兴你没有作过尝试。我所有的愿望中最高的就是这两个人的结合。在他们结婚那天，我将不羡慕任何人了；在英国将没有一个比我更快乐的女人了。