第118章

`If Hareton does not turn you out of the room, I'll strike him to hell,' thundered Heathcliff.`Damnable witch! dare you pretend to rouse him against me? Off with her! Do you hear? Fling her into the kitchen!

I'll kill her, Ellen Dean, if you let her come into my sight again!'

Hareton tried, under his breath, to persuade her to go.

`Drag her away!' he cried savagely.`Are you staying to talk?'

And he approached to execute his own command.

`He'll not obey you, wicked man, any more,' said Catherine; `and he'll soon detest you as much as I do.'

"Wisht! wisht!' muttered the young man reproachfully.`I will not hear you speak so to him.Have done.'

`But you won't let him strike me?' she cried.`Come, then,' he whispered earnestly.It was too late: Heathcliff had caught hold of her.

`Now you go!' he said to Earnshaw.`Accursed witch! this time she has provoked me when I could not bear it; and I'll make her repent it for ever!'

He had his hand in her hair; Hareton attempted to release the locks, entreating him not to hurt her that once.Heathcliff's black eyes flashed; he seemed ready to tear Catherine in pieces, and I was just worked up to risk coming to the rescue, when of a sudden his fingers relaxed;he shifted his grasp from her head to her arm, and gazed intently in her face.Then he drew his hand over his eyes, stood a moment to collect himself apparently, and turning anew to Catherine, said with assumed calmness:

`You must learn to avoid putting me in a passion, or I shall really murder you some time! Go with Mrs Dean, and keep with her; and confine your insolence to her ears.As to Hareton Earnshaw, if I see him listen to you, I'll send him seeking his bread where he can get it! Your love will make him an outcast and a beggar.Nelly, take her; and leave me all of you! Leave me!'

I led my young lady out: she was too glad of her escape to resist;the other followed, and Mr Heathcliff had the room to himself till dinner.

I had counselled Catherine to get hers upstairs; but, as soon as he perceived her vacant seat, he sent me to call her.He spoke to none of us, ate very little, and went out directly afterwards, intimating that he should not return before evening.

The two new friends established themselves in the house during his absence; when I heard Hareton sternly check his cousin, on her offering a revelation of her father-in-law's conduct to his father.He said he wouldn't suffer a word to be uttered to him, in his disparagement: if he were the devil, it didn't signify: he would stand by him; and he'd rather she would abuse himself, as she used to, than begin on Mr Heathcliff.Catherine was waxing cross at this; but he found means to make her hold her tongue, by asking how she would like him to speak ill of her father? and then she comprehended that Earnshaw took the master's reputation home to himself;and was attached by ties stronger than reason could break--chains, forged by habit, which it would be cruel to attempt to loosen.She showed a good heart, thenceforth, in avoiding both complaints and expressions of antipathy concerning Heathcliff; and confessed to me her sorrow that she had endeavoured to raise a bad spirit between him and Hareton: indeed, I don't believe she has ever breathed a syllable, in the latter's hearing, against her oppressor since.

`When this slight disagreement was over, they were thick again, and as busy as possible in their several occupations of pupil and teacher.

I came in to sit with them, after I had done my work; and I felt so soothed and comforted to watch them, that I did not notice how time got on.You know, they both appeared in a measure my children: I had long been proud of one; and now, I was sure, the other would be a source of equal satisfaction.

His honest, warm, and intelligent nature shook off rapidly the clouds of ignorance and degradation in which it had been bred; and Catherine's sincere commendations acted as a spur to his industry.His brightening mind brightened his features, and added spirit and nobility to their aspect: I could hardly fancy it the same individual I had beheld on the day I discovered my little lady at `Wuthering Heights, after her expedition to the Crags.`While Iadmired and they laboured, dusk grew on, and with it returned the master.

He came upon us quite unexpectedly, entering by the front way, and had a full view of the whole three, ere we could raise our heads to glance at him.Well, I reflected, there was never a pleasanter, or more harmless sight; and it will be a burning shame to scold them.The red firelight glowed on their two bonny heads, and revealed their faces animated with the eager interest of children; for,--though he was twenty-three and she eighteen, each had so much of novelty to feel and learn, that neither experienced nor evinced the sentiments of sober disenchanted maturity.