itter northern skies, and impassable roads, and dilatory country surgeons! And oh, this dearth of the human physiog

as charitable enough to sit at my bedside a good hour, and talk on some other subject than pills and draughts, blisters and leeches? This is quite an easy interval. I am too weak to read; yet I feel as if I could enjoy something interesting. Why not have up Mrs. Dean to f

s, sir, to taking the m

it!' I replied; '

ys you must dr

o-now continue the history of Mr. Heathcliff, from where you left off, to the present day. Did he finish his education on the Continent, and come back a gentleman? or did h

w how he gained his money; neither am I aware of the means he took to raise his mind from the savage ignorance into which it was sunk:

uc

s good

*

sition nor indifference? I observed that Mr. Edgar had a deep-rooted fear of ruffling her humour. He concealed it from her; but if ever he heard me answer sharply, or saw any other servant grow cloudy at some imperious order of hers, he would show his trouble by a frown of displeasure that never darkened on his own account. He many a time spoke sternly to me about my pertness; and averred that the stab of a knife could not inflict a worse pang than he suffered at seeing his lady vexed. Not to grieve a kind master, I learned to be less tou

a mellow evening in September, I was coming from the garden with a heavy basket of apples which I had been gathering. It had got dusk, and the moon looked over the high wall of the court, causing undefined shadows to lurk in the corners of the numerous projecting por

doors were shut, and I had seen nobody on approaching the steps. Something stirred in the porch; and, moving nearer, I distinguished a tall man dressed in dark clothes, with dark face and ha

g; 'and the whole of that time all round has been as still as deat

d half covered with black whiskers; the brows lowering

a worldly visitor, and I raised my hands in amazem

ed no lights from within. 'Are they at home? where is she? Nelly, you are not glad! you needn't be so disturbed. Is she

wilders me-it will put her out of her head! And you are Heathcliff! But

he interrupted, impatiently

s. Linton were, I could not persuade myself to proceed. At length I resolved on ma

, the sough that runs from the marshes joins a beck which follows the bend of the glen). Wuthering Heights rose above this silvery vapour; but our old house was invisible; it rather dips down on the other side. Both the room and its occupants, and the scene they gazed on, look

want?' asked

uestion him,

y,' she said; 'and bring up tea

nt; Mr. Edgar inquired,

plied. 'That Heathcliff-you recollect him

boy?' he cried. 'Why did yo

She'd be sadly grieved to hear you. She was nearly heartbroken

for he exclaimed quickly: 'Don't stand there, love! Bring the person in, if it be anyone particular.' Ere long, I heard the click of the latch, and

nd his neck. 'Oh, Edgar darling! Heathcliff's come ba

rangle me for that! He never struck me as such a ma

a little the intensity of her delight. 'Yet, for my sak

aid, 'into t

lse?' sh

table place for him. Mrs. Linton eyed him with a droll e

a, being gentry; the other for Heathcliff and myself, being of the lower orders. Will that please you, dear? Or must I have a

art off again; but

y to be glad, without being absurd. The whole household need not w

ngers and crushed them into his. Now, fully revealed by the fire and candlelight, I was amazed, more than ever, to behold the transformation of Heathcliff. He had grown a tall, athletic, well-formed man; beside whom my master seemed quite slender and youth-like. His upright carriage suggested the idea of his having been in the army. His countenance was much older in expression and decision of feature than Mr. Linton's; it looked intelligent, and retaine

old times, would have me give you a cordial reception; and, o

ally if it be anything in which I have a p

ficed; but it flashed back, each time more confidently, the undisguised delight he drank from hers. They were too much absorbed in their mutual joy to suffer embarrassment. Not so Mr. Edga

ave seen, and touched, and spoken to you once more. And yet, cruel Heathcliff! you don't

perhaps, and pretended pleasure; afterwards settle my score with Hindley; and then prevent the law by doing execution on myself. Your welcome has put these ideas out of my mind; but beware of meeting me with another aspect nex

Linton, striving to preserve his ordinary tone, and a due measure of politeness. 'Mr

al hardly endured ten minutes. Catherine's cup was never filled: she could neither eat nor drink. Edgar had made a slop in his saucer, and scarce

answered: 'Mr. Earnshaw invited

was gone. Is he turning out a bit of a hypocrite, and coming into the country to work mischief under a

t nap by Mrs. Linton gliding into my chamber, taking a se

erest him: he refuses to open his mouth, except to utter pettish, silly speeches; and he affirmed I was cruel and selfish for wishing to talk when he was so sick and sleepy. He always

o each other, and Heathcliff would hate just as much to hear him praised: it's human nat

ibit for her. Even you, Nelly, if we have a dispute sometimes, you back Isabella at once; and I yield like a foolish mother: I call her a darling, and flatter her into a good temper. It pleases her brother to see us cordia

to indulge their passing whims as long as their business is to anticipate all your desires. You may, however, fall out, at last,

ned, laughing. 'No! I tell you, I have such faith in Linton's love,

alue him the more

worthy of anyone's regard, and it would honour the first gentleman in the country to be his friend, he ought to have said it for me, and been delighted from s

. 'He is reformed in every respect, apparently: quite a Christian

lentifully supplied, he requested that he would come again in the evening: to which he consented. Hindley is too reckless to select his acquaintance prudently: he doesn't trouble himself to reflect on the causes he might have for mistrusting one whom he has basely injured. But Heathcliff affirms his principal reason for resuming a connection with his ancient persecutor is a wish to install himself in quarters at walking distance f

x his dwelling in!' said I. 'Have you no

've endured very, very bitter misery, Nelly! If that creature knew how bitter, he'd be ashamed to cloud its removal with idle petulance. It was kindness for him which induced me to bear it alone: had I expressed the agony I frequently felt, he would have been taught to long for its alleviation as ardently as

s spirits seemed still subdued by Catherine's exuberance of vivacity), but he ventured no objection to her taking Isabella with her to Wuthering Heights in the afternoon; and she

lso, deemed it judicious to moderate her expressions of pleasure in receiving him; and he gradually established his right to be expected. He retained a great deal of the reserve for which his boyhood

as appalled at this fantastic preference. Leaving aside the degradation of an alliance with a nameless man, and the possible fact that his property, in default of heirs male, might pass into such a one's power, he had sense to comprehend Heathcliff's disposition: to know that, though his exterior was altered, his mind was unchangeable and unchanged. And he dre

. But one day, when she had been peculiarly wayward, rejecting her breakfast, complaining that the servants did not do what she told them; that the mistress would allow her to be nothing in the house, and Edgar neglected her; that she had caught a cold with the doors being left open, and we let the parlour fire go out on purpose t

he mistress, amazed at the unreasonable assertion. 'You are

sobbed Isabel

her sister-in-law.

me to ramble where I pleased, while

hat your company was superfluous? We didn't care whether you kept with us or not;

'you wished me away, because

ll repeat our conversation, word for word, Isabella; a

rsation,' she answered:

perceiving her hesitate

tinued, kindling up. 'You are a dog in the manger,

ot believe this idiotcy! It is impossible that you can covet the admiration of Heathcli

. 'I love him more than ever you loved Edgar

ce of his character, child, and nothing else, which makes that dream enter your head. Pray, don't imagine that he conceals depths of benevolence and affection beneath a stern exterior! He's not a rough diamond-a pearl-containing oyster of a rustic: he's a fierce, pitiless, wolfish man. I never say to him, "Let this or that enemy alone, because it would be ungenerous or cruel to harm them;" I say, "Let them alone, because I should

ed her sister-in-l

ed, angrily. 'You are worse than t

?' said Catherine. 'You think I

retorted Isabella; '

if that be your spirit: I have done, and y

nst me: she has blighted my single consolation. But she uttered falsehoods, didn't she? Mr. Heat

me-I met him at Gimmerton: "Nelly," he said, "we's hae a crowner's 'quest enow, at ahr folks'. One on 'em 's a'most getten his finger cut off wi' hauding t' other fro' stickin' hisseln loike a cawlf. That's maister, yeah knaw, 'at 's soa up o' going tuh t' grand 'sizes. He's noan feared o' t' bench o' judges, norther Paul, nur Peter, nur John, nur Matthew, nor noan on 'em, not he! He fair likes-he langs to set his brazened face agean 'em! And yon bonny lad Heathcliff, yah mind, he's a rare 'un. He can girn a laugh as well 's onybody at a raight divil's jest. Does he niver say nowt of his fine living amang us, when he goes to t' Grange? This is t' way on 't:

t listen to your slanders. What malevolence you must have to

sabella were sitting in the library, on hostile terms, but silent: the latter alarmed at her recent indiscretion, and the disclosure she had made of her secret feelings in a transient fit of passion; the former, on mature consideration, really offended with her companion; and, if she laughed again at her pertness, inclined to make it

t's not Nelly; don't look at her! My poor little sister-in-law is breaking her heart by mere contemplation of your physical and moral beauty. It lies in your own power to be Edgar's brother! No, no, Isabella, you sha'n't run off,' she continued, arresting, with feigned playfulness, the confounded girl, who had risen indignantly. 'We were qu

k you to adhere to the truth and not slander me, even in joke! Mr. Heathcliff, be kind enough to bid this friend of yours re

ghly indifferent what sentiments she cherished concerning him, she

pleasant news? Isabella swears that the love Edgar has for me is nothing to that she entertains for you. I'm sure she made some speech of the kind; did she not, Ellen?

wisting his chair to face them. 'She wishes

or thing couldn't bear that; she grew white and red in rapid succession, and, while tears beaded her lashes, bent the strength of her small fingers to loosen the firm clutch of Catherine; and perceiving that as fast

od's sake, and hide your vixen face! How foolish to reveal those talons to him. Can't you fancy the conclusi

ally, when the door had closed after her. 'But what did you mean by teasing t

deluge of abuse, because I represented your failings in a plain light, for the purpose of mitigating her adoration. But don't notice it fu

gs if I lived alone with that mawkish, waxen face: the most ordinary would be painting on its white the col

d Catherine. 'They ar

r, is she not?' he asked

rase her title, please heaven! Abstract your mind from the subject at present: you are

thcliff; 'but though Isabella Linton may be silly, she is scarc

elt certain, recalled it often in the course of the evening. I saw him smile to himself-grin rathe

I had little faith in her principles, and still less sympathy for her feelings. I wanted something to happen which might have the effect of freeing both Wuthering Heights and the Grange of Mr. Heathcliff quietly; leaving us as we had been prior to his advent. His visits were a continu