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chapter xiii for two months the fugitives remainedabsent; in those two months, mrs. linton encountered and conquered the worst shockof what was denominated a brain fever. no mother could have nursed an only childmore devotedly than edgar tended her. day and night he was watching, andpatiently enduring all the annoyances that irritable nerves and a shaken reason couldinflict; and, though kenneth remarked that what he saved from the grave would only recompense his care by forming the sourceof constant future anxiety--in fact, that his health and strength were beingsacrificed to preserve a mere ruin of

humanity--he knew no limits in gratitude and joy when catherine's life was declaredout of danger; and hour after hour he would sit beside her, tracing the gradual returnto bodily health, and flattering his too sanguine hopes with the illusion that her mind would settle back to its right balancealso, and she would soon be entirely her former self.the first time she left her chamber was at the commencement of the following march. mr. linton had put on her pillow, in themorning, a handful of golden crocuses; her eye, long stranger to any gleam ofpleasure, caught them in waking, and shone

delighted as she gathered them eagerlytogether. 'these are the earliest flowers at theheights,' she exclaimed. 'they remind me of soft thaw winds, andwarm sunshine, and nearly melted snow. edgar, is there not a south wind, and isnot the snow almost gone?' 'the snow is quite gone down here,darling,' replied her husband; 'and i only see two white spots on the whole range ofmoors: the sky is blue, and the larks are singing, and the becks and brooks are allbrim full. catherine, last spring at this time, i waslonging to have you under this roof; now, i wish you were a mile or two up those hills:the air blows so sweetly, i feel that it

would cure you.' 'i shall never be there but once more,'said the invalid; 'and then you'll leave me, and i shall remain for ever. next spring you'll long again to have meunder this roof, and you'll look back and think you were happy to-day.' linton lavished on her the kindestcaresses, and tried to cheer her by the fondest words; but, vaguely regarding theflowers, she let the tears collect on her lashes and stream down her cheeksunheeding. we knew she was really better, and,therefore, decided that long confinement to

a single place produced much of thisdespondency, and it might be partially removed by a change of scene. the master told me to light a fire in themany-weeks' deserted parlour, and to set an easy-chair in the sunshine by the window;and then he brought her down, and she sat a long while enjoying the genial heat, and, as we expected, revived by the objectsround her: which, though familiar, were free from the dreary associations investingher hated sick chamber. by evening she seemed greatly exhausted;yet no arguments could persuade her to return to that apartment, and i had toarrange the parlour sofa for her bed, till

another room could be prepared. to obviate the fatigue of mounting anddescending the stairs, we fitted up this, where you lie at present--on the same floorwith the parlour; and she was soon strong enough to move from one to the other,leaning on edgar's arm. ah, i thought myself, she might recover, sowaited on as she was. and there was double cause to desire it,for on her existence depended that of another: we cherished the hope that in alittle while mr. linton's heart would be gladdened, and his lands secured from astranger's gripe, by the birth of an heir. i should mention that isabella sent to herbrother, some six weeks from her departure,

a short note, announcing her marriage withheathcliff. it appeared dry and cold; but at the bottomwas dotted in with pencil an obscure apology, and an entreaty for kindremembrance and reconciliation, if her proceeding had offended him: asserting that she could not help it then, and being done,she had now no power to repeal it. linton did not reply to this, i believe;and, in a fortnight more, i got a long letter, which i considered odd, coming fromthe pen of a bride just out of the honeymoon. i'll read it: for i keep it yet.any relic of the dead is precious, if they

were valued living. dear ellen, it begins,--i came last nightto wuthering heights, and heard, for the first time, that catherine has been, and isyet, very ill. i must not write to her, i suppose, and mybrother is either too angry or too distressed to answer what i sent him.still, i must write to somebody, and the only choice left me is you. inform edgar that i'd give the world to seehis face again--that my heart returned to thrushcross grange in twenty-four hoursafter i left it, and is there at this moment, full of warm feelings for him, andcatherine!

i can't follow it though--(these wordsare underlined)--they need not expect me, and they may draw what conclusions theyplease; taking care, however, to lay nothing at the door of my weak will ordeficient affection. the remainder of the letter is for yourselfalone. i want to ask you two questions: the firstis,--how did you contrive to preserve the common sympathies of human nature when youresided here? i cannot recognise any sentiment whichthose around share with me. the second question i have great interestin; it is this--is mr. heathcliff a man? if so, is he mad?

and if not, is he a devil? i sha'n't tell my reasons for making thisinquiry; but i beseech you to explain, if you can, what i have married: that is, whenyou call to see me; and you must call, ellen, very soon. don't write, but come, and bring mesomething from edgar. now, you shall hear how i have beenreceived in my new home, as i am led to imagine the heights will be. it is to amuse myself that i dwell on suchsubjects as the lack of external comforts: they never occupy my thoughts, except atthe moment when i miss them.

i should laugh and dance for joy, if ifound their absence was the total of my miseries, and the rest was an unnaturaldream! the sun set behind the grange as we turnedon to the moors; by that, i judged it to be six o'clock; and my companion halted halfan hour, to inspect the park, and the gardens, and, probably, the place itself, as well as he could; so it was dark when wedismounted in the paved yard of the farm- house, and your old fellow-servant, joseph,issued out to receive us by the light of a dip candle. he did it with a courtesy that redounded tohis credit.

his first act was to elevate his torch to alevel with my face, squint malignantly, project his under-lip, and turn away. then he took the two horses, and led theminto the stables; reappearing for the purpose of locking the outer gate, as if welived in an ancient castle. heathcliff stayed to speak to him, and ientered the kitchen--a dingy, untidy hole; i daresay you would not know it, it is sochanged since it was in your charge. by the fire stood a ruffianly child, strongin limb and dirty in garb, with a look of catherine in his eyes and about his mouth. 'this is edgar's legal nephew,' ireflected--'mine in a manner; i must shake

hands, and--yes--i must kiss him.it is right to establish a good understanding at the beginning.' i approached, and, attempting to take hischubby fist, said--'how do you do, my dear?'he replied in a jargon i did not comprehend. 'shall you and i be friends, hareton?' wasmy next essay at conversation. an oath, and a threat to set throttler onme if i did not 'frame off' rewarded my perseverance. 'hey, throttler, lad!' whispered the littlewretch, rousing a half-bred bull-dog from

its lair in a corner.'now, wilt thou be ganging?' he asked authoritatively. love for my life urged a compliance; istepped over the threshold to wait till the others should enter. mr. heathcliff was nowhere visible; andjoseph, whom i followed to the stables, and requested to accompany me in, after staringand muttering to himself, screwed up his nose and replied--'mim! mim! mim! did iver christian body hear aught like it?mincing un' munching! how can i tell whet ye say?''i say, i wish you to come with me into the

house!' i cried, thinking him deaf, yet highlydisgusted at his rudeness. 'none o' me! i getten summut else to do,' he answered,and continued his work; moving his lantern jaws meanwhile, and surveying my dress andcountenance (the former a great deal too fine, but the latter, i'm sure, as sad ashe could desire) with sovereign contempt. i walked round the yard, and through awicket, to another door, at which i took the liberty of knocking, in hopes some morecivil servant might show himself. after a short suspense, it was opened by atall, gaunt man, without neckerchief, and

otherwise extremely slovenly; his featureswere lost in masses of shaggy hair that hung on his shoulders; and his eyes, too, were like a ghostly catherine's with alltheir beauty annihilated. 'what's your business here?' he demanded,grimly. 'who are you?' 'my name was isabella linton,' i replied.'you've seen me before, sir. i'm lately married to mr. heathcliff, andhe has brought me here--i suppose, by your permission.' 'is he come back, then?' asked the hermit,glaring like a hungry wolf.

'yes--we came just now,' i said; 'but heleft me by the kitchen door; and when i would have gone in, your little boy playedsentinel over the place, and frightened me off by the help of a bull-dog.' 'it's well the hellish villain has kept hisword!' growled my future host, searching the darkness beyond me in expectation ofdiscovering heathcliff; and then he indulged in a soliloquy of execrations, and threats of what he would have done had the'fiend' deceived him. i repented having tried this secondentrance, and was almost inclined to slip away before he finished cursing, but ere icould execute that intention, he ordered me

in, and shut and re-fastened the door. there was a great fire, and that was allthe light in the huge apartment, whose floor had grown a uniform grey; and theonce brilliant pewter-dishes, which used to attract my gaze when i was a girl, partook of a similar obscurity, created by tarnishand dust. i inquired whether i might call the maid,and be conducted to a bedroom! mr. earnshaw vouchsafed no answer. he walked up and down, with his hands inhis pockets, apparently quite forgetting my presence; and his abstraction was evidentlyso deep, and his whole aspect so

misanthropical, that i shrank fromdisturbing him again. you'll not be surprised, ellen, at myfeeling particularly cheerless, seated in worse than solitude on that inhospitablehearth, and remembering that four miles distant lay my delightful home, containing the only people i loved on earth; and theremight as well be the atlantic to part us, instead of those four miles: i could notoverpass them! i questioned with myself--where must i turnfor comfort? and--mind you don't tell edgar, or catherine--above every sorrowbeside, this rose pre-eminent: despair at finding nobody who could or would be myally against heathcliff!

i had sought shelter at wuthering heights,almost gladly, because i was secured by that arrangement from living alone withhim; but he knew the people we were coming amongst, and he did not fear theirintermeddling. i sat and thought a doleful time: the clockstruck eight, and nine, and still my companion paced to and fro, his head benton his breast, and perfectly silent, unless a groan or a bitter ejaculation forceditself out at intervals. i listened to detect a woman's voice in thehouse, and filled the interim with wild regrets and dismal anticipations, which, atlast, spoke audibly in irrepressible sighing and weeping.

i was not aware how openly i grieved, tillearnshaw halted opposite, in his measured walk, and gave me a stare of newly-awakenedsurprise. taking advantage of his recoveredattention, i exclaimed--'i'm tired with my journey, and i want to go to bed!where is the maid-servant? direct me to her, as she won't come to me!' 'we have none,' he answered; 'you must waiton yourself!' 'where must i sleep, then?' i sobbed; i was beyond regarding self-respect, weighed down by fatigue and wretchedness.

'joseph will show you heathcliff'schamber,' said he; 'open that door--he's in there.' i was going to obey, but he suddenlyarrested me, and added in the strangest tone--'be so good as to turn your lock, anddraw your bolt--don't omit it!' 'well!' i said.'but why, mr. earnshaw?' i did not relish the notion of deliberatelyfastening myself in with heathcliff. 'look here!' he replied, pulling from hiswaistcoat a curiously-constructed pistol, having a double-edged spring knife attachedto the barrel.

'that's a great tempter to a desperate man,is it not? i cannot resist going up with this everynight, and trying his door. if once i find it open he's done for; i doit invariably, even though the minute before i have been recalling a hundredreasons that should make me refrain: it is some devil that urges me to thwart my ownschemes by killing him. you fight against that devil for love aslong as you may; when the time comes, not all the angels in heaven shall save him!' i surveyed the weapon inquisitively.a hideous notion struck me: how powerful i should be possessing such an instrument!i took it from his hand, and touched the

blade. he looked astonished at the expression myface assumed during a brief second: it was not horror, it was covetousness. he snatched the pistol back, jealously;shut the knife, and returned it to its concealment.'i don't care if you tell him,' said he. 'put him on his guard, and watch for him. you know the terms we are on, i see: hisdanger does not shock you.' 'what has heathcliff done to you?'i asked. 'in what has he wronged you, to warrantthis appalling hatred?

wouldn't it be wiser to bid him quit thehouse?' 'no!' thundered earnshaw; 'should he offerto leave me, he's a dead man: persuade him to attempt it, and you are a murderess!am i to lose all, without a chance of retrieval? is hareton to be a beggar?oh, damnation! i will have it back; and i'll have hisgold too; and then his blood; and hell shall have his soul! it will be ten times blacker with thatguest than ever it was before!' you've acquainted me, ellen, with your oldmaster's habits.

he is clearly on the verge of madness: hewas so last night at least. i shuddered to be near him, and thought onthe servant's ill-bred moroseness as comparatively agreeable. he now recommenced his moody walk, and iraised the latch, and escaped into the kitchen. joseph was bending over the fire, peeringinto a large pan that swung above it; and a wooden bowl of oatmeal stood on the settleclose by. the contents of the pan began to boil, andhe turned to plunge his hand into the bowl; i conjectured that this preparation wasprobably for our supper, and, being hungry,

i resolved it should be eatable; so, crying out sharply, 'i'll make the porridge!'i removed the vessel out of his reach, and proceeded to take off my hat and riding-habit. 'mr. earnshaw,' i continued, 'directs me towait on myself: i will. i'm not going to act the lady among you,for fear i should starve.' 'gooid lord!' he muttered, sitting down,and stroking his ribbed stockings from the knee to the ankle. 'if there's to be fresh ortherings--justwhen i getten used to two maisters, if i mun hev' a mistress set o'er my heead,it's like time to be flitting.

i niver did think to see t' day that imud lave th' owld place--but i doubt it's nigh at hand!' this lamentation drew no notice from me: iwent briskly to work, sighing to remember a period when it would have been all merryfun; but compelled speedily to drive off the remembrance. it racked me to recall past happiness andthe greater peril there was of conjuring up its apparition, the quicker the thible ranround, and the faster the handfuls of meal fell into the water. joseph beheld my style of cookery withgrowing indignation.

'thear!' he ejaculated. 'hareton, thou willn't sup thy porridge to-neeght; they'll be naught but lumps as big as my neive.thear, agean! i'd fling in bowl un' all, if i wer ye! there, pale t' guilp off, un' then ye'llhae done wi' 't. bang, bang.it's a mercy t' bothom isn't deaved out!' it was rather a rough mess, i own, whenpoured into the basins; four had been provided, and a gallon pitcher of new milkwas brought from the dairy, which hareton seized and commenced drinking and spillingfrom the expansive lip.

i expostulated, and desired that he shouldhave his in a mug; affirming that i could not taste the liquid treated so dirtily. the old cynic chose to be vastly offendedat this nicety; assuring me, repeatedly, that 'the barn was every bit as good' as i,'and every bit as wollsome,' and wondering how i could fashion to be so conceited. meanwhile, the infant ruffian continuedsucking; and glowered up at me defyingly, as he slavered into the jug.'i shall have my supper in another room,' i said. 'have you no place you call a parlour?''parlour!' he echoed, sneeringly,

'parlour!nay, we've noa parlours. if yah dunnut loike wer company, there'smaister's; un' if yah dunnut loike maister, there's us.''then i shall go up-stairs,' i answered; 'show me a chamber.' i put my basin on a tray, and went myselfto fetch some more milk. with great grumblings, the fellow rose, andpreceded me in my ascent: we mounted to the garrets; he opened a door, now and then, tolook into the apartments we passed. 'here's a rahm,' he said, at last, flingingback a cranky board on hinges. 'it's weel eneugh to ate a few porridge in.

there's a pack o' corn i' t' corner, thear,meeterly clane; if ye're feared o' muckying yer grand silk cloes, spread yer hankerchiro' t' top on't.' the 'rahm' was a kind of lumber-holesmelling strong of malt and grain; various sacks of which articles were piled around,leaving a wide, bare space in the middle. 'why, man,' i exclaimed, facing himangrily, 'this is not a place to sleep in. i wish to see my bed-room.''bed-rume!' he repeated, in a tone of mockery. 'yah's see all t' bed-rumes thear is--yon's mine.' he pointed into the second garret, onlydiffering from the first in being more

naked about the walls, and having a large,low, curtainless bed, with an indigo- coloured quilt, at one end. 'what do i want with yours?'i retorted. 'i suppose mr. heathcliff does not lodge atthe top of the house, does he?' 'oh! it's maister hathecliff's ye'rewanting?' cried he, as if making a new discovery. 'couldn't ye ha' said soa, at onst? un'then, i mud ha' telled ye, baht all this wark, that that's just one ye cannut see--he allas keeps it locked, un' nob'dy iver mells on't but hisseln.'

'you've a nice house, joseph,' i could notrefrain from observing, 'and pleasant inmates; and i think the concentratedessence of all the madness in the world took up its abode in my brain the day ilinked my fate with theirs! however, that is not to the presentpurpose--there are other rooms. for heaven's sake be quick, and let mesettle somewhere!' he made no reply to this adjuration; onlyplodding doggedly down the wooden steps, and halting, before an apartment which,from that halt and the superior quality of its furniture, i conjectured to be the bestone. there was a carpet--a good one, but thepattern was obliterated by dust; a

fireplace hung with cut-paper, dropping topieces; a handsome oak-bedstead with ample crimson curtains of rather expensive material and modern make; but they hadevidently experienced rough usage: the vallances hung in festoons, wrenched fromtheir rings, and the iron rod supporting them was bent in an arc on one side, causing the drapery to trail upon thefloor. the chairs were also damaged, many of themseverely; and deep indentations deformed the panels of the walls. i was endeavouring to gather resolution forentering and taking possession, when my

fool of a guide announced,--'this here ist' maister's.' my supper by this time was cold, myappetite gone, and my patience exhausted. i insisted on being provided instantly witha place of refuge, and means of repose. 'whear the divil?' began the religiouselder. 'the lord bless us!the lord forgie us! whear the hell wold ye gang? ye marred,wearisome nowt! ye've seen all but hareton's bit of acham'er. there's not another hoile to lig down in i'th' hahse!' i was so vexed, i flung my tray and itscontents on the ground; and then seated

myself at the stairs'-head, hid my face inmy hands, and cried. 'ech! ech!' exclaimed joseph. 'weel done, miss cathy! weel done, misscathy! howsiver, t' maister sall just tum'le o'erthem brooken pots; un' then we's hear summut; we's hear how it's to be. gooid-for-naught madling! ye desarve piningfro' this to churstmas, flinging t' precious gifts o'god under fooit i' yerflaysome rages! but i'm mista'en if ye shew yer sperritlang. will hathecliff bide sich bonny ways, thinkye?

i nobbut wish he may catch ye i' thatplisky. i nobbut wish he may.' and so he went on scolding to his denbeneath, taking the candle with him; and i remained in the dark. the period of reflection succeeding thissilly action compelled me to admit the necessity of smothering my pride andchoking my wrath, and bestirring myself to remove its effects. an unexpected aid presently appeared in theshape of throttler, whom i now recognised as a son of our old skulker: it had spentits whelphood at the grange, and was given

by my father to mr. hindley. i fancy it knew me: it pushed its noseagainst mine by way of salute, and then hastened to devour the porridge; while igroped from step to step, collecting the shattered earthenware, and drying the spatters of milk from the banister with mypocket-handkerchief. our labours were scarcely over when i heardearnshaw's tread in the passage; my assistant tucked in his tail, and pressedto the wall; i stole into the nearest doorway. the dog's endeavour to avoid him wasunsuccessful; as i guessed by a scutter

down-stairs, and a prolonged, piteousyelping. i had better luck: he passed on, enteredhis chamber, and shut the door. directly after joseph came up with hareton,to put him to bed. i had found shelter in hareton's room, andthe old man, on seeing me, said,--'they's rahm for boath ye un' yer pride, now, i sudthink i' the hahse. it's empty; ye may hev' it all to yerseln,un' him as allus maks a third, i' sich ill company!' gladly did i take advantage of thisintimation; and the minute i flung myself into a chair, by the fire, i nodded, andslept.

my slumber was deep and sweet, though overfar too soon. mr. heathcliff awoke me; he had just comein, and demanded, in his loving manner, what i was doing there? i told him the cause of my staying up solate--that he had the key of our room in his pocket.the adjective our gave mortal offence. he swore it was not, nor ever should be,mine; and he'd--but i'll not repeat his language, nor describe his habitualconduct: he is ingenious and unresting in seeking to gain my abhorrence! i sometimes wonder at him with an intensitythat deadens my fear: yet, i assure you, a

tiger or a venomous serpent could not rouseterror in me equal to that which he wakens. he told me of catherine's illness, andaccused my brother of causing it promising that i should be edgar's proxy insuffering, till he could get hold of him. i do hate him--i am wretched--i have been afool! beware of uttering one breath of this toany one at the grange. i shall expect you every day--don'tdisappoint me!--isabella.

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