第32章

`Well, miss!' I exclaimed, touching her shoulder; `you are not bent on getting your death, are you? Do you know what o'clock it is? Half past twelve.Come, come to bed! there's no use waiting longer on that foolish boy: he'll be gone to Gimmetton, and he'll stay there now.He guesses we shouldn't wait for him till this late hour: at least, he guesses that only Mr Hindley would be up; and he'd rather avoid having the door opened by the master.

`Nay, nay, he's noan at Gimmerton,' said Joseph.`Aw's niver wonder, bud he's at t' bothom uf a bog-hoile.This visitation worn't for nowt, and I wod hev ye to look out, miss--yah muh be t' next.Thank Hiven for all! All warks togither for gooid to them as is chozzen, and piked out fro' th' rubbidge! Yah knaw whet t' Scripture ses.' And he began quoting several texts, referring us to the chapters and verses where we might find them.

I, having vainly begged the wilful girl to rise and remove her wet things, left him preaching and her shivering, and betook myself to bed with little Hareton, who slept as fast as if everyone had been sleeping round him.I heard Joseph read on a while afterwards; then I distinguished his slow step on the ladder, and then I dropped asleep.

Coming down somewhat later than usual, I saw, by the sunbeams piercing the chinks of the shutters, Miss Catherine still seated near the fireplace.The house door was ajar, too; light entered from its unclosed windows; Hindley had come out, and stood on the kitchen hearth, haggard and drowsy.

`What ails you, Cathy?' he was saying when I entered: `you look as dismal as a drowned whelp.Why are you so damp and pale, child?'

`I've been wet,' she answered reluctantly' `and I'm cold, that's all.'

`Oh, she is naughty!' I cried, perceiving the master to be tolerably sober.`She got steeped in the shower of yesterday evening, and there she has sat the night through, and I couldn't prevail on her to stir.'

Mr Earnshaw stared at us in surprise.`The night through,' he repeated.`What kept her up? not fear of the thunder, surely? That was over hours since.'

Neither of us wished to mention Heathcliff's absence, as long as we could conceal it; so I replied, I didn't know how she took it into her head to sit up; and she said nothing.The morning was fresh and cool;I threw back the lattice, and presently the room filled with sweet scents from the garden; but Catherine called peevishly to me, `Ellen, shut the window.I'm starving!' And her teeth chattered as she shrunk closer to the almost extinguished embers.

`She's ill,' said Hindley, taking her wrist; `I suppose that's the reason she would not go to bed.Damn it! I don't want to be troubled with more sickness here.What took you into the rain!'

`Running after t' lads, as usuald!' croaked Joseph, catching an opportunity, from our hesitation, to thrust in his evil tongue.`If I war yah, maister, I'd just slam t' boards i' their faces all on 'em, gentle and simple! Never a day ut yah're off, but yon cat o' Linton comes sneaking hither; and Miss Nelly, shoo's a fine lass! shoo sits watching for ye i'

t' kitchen; and as yah're in at one door, he's out at t'other; and, then, wer grand lady goes a coorting of her side! It's bonny behaviour, lurking amang t' fields, after twelve o' t' night, wi' that fahl, flaysome divil of a gipsy, Heathcliff! They think I'm blind; but I'm noan: nowt ut t' soart!--I seed young Linton boath coming and going, and I seed yah '

(directing his discourse to me), `yah gooid fur nowt, slattenly witch!

nip up and bolt into th' house, t' minute yah heard t' maister's horse fit clatter up t' road.'

`Silence, eavesdropper!' cried Catherine; `none of your insolence before me! Edgar Linton came yesterday by chance, Hindley; and it was I who told him to be off: because I knew you would not like to have met him as you were.

`You lie, Cathy, no doubt,' answered her brother, `and you are a confounded simpleton! But never mind Linton at present: tell me, were you not with Heathcliff last night? Speak the truth, now.You need not be afraid of harming him: though I hate him as much as ever, he did me a good turn a short time since, that will make my conscience tender of breaking his neck.To prevent it, I shall send him about his business, this very morning; and after he's gone, I'd advise you all to look sharp:

I shall only have the more humour for you.