Грозовой перевал / Wuthering Heights

Cathy took the teapot, and Miss Isabella arrived to join in the meal. But it hardly lasted ten minutes. Cathy’s cup was never filled – she couldn’t eat or drink, and Edgar managed to spill his tea and hardly swallowed a mouthful.

Heathcliff didn’t stay much longer, and I was soon called to show him out. As he was on his way out, I asked if he was walking back to Gimmerton.

«No, to Wuthering Heights,» he answered. «Hindley invited me there when I called on him this morning.»

I was too amazed to reply. Hindley had invited Heathcliff… his old enemy? And Heathcliff had chosen to call on Hindley? What could he be plotting now? I thought about it long and hard after Heathcliff had gone, and the more I thought, the more worried I became. I had a heavy feeling in the bottom of my heart, and I wished for all our sakes that Heathcliff had stayed away.

Heathcliff moved into Wuthering Heights, and the news soon spread that he was staying up until all hours, playing cards and drinking with Mr. Hindley. I wondered what his plans could be, but I kept my fears to myself.

Meanwhile, Heathcliff began to pay visits to the Grange. But I noticed he was careful not to come too often or to stay too long, as if he were testing Edgar’s patience. During these visits, Heathcliff said very little and Cathy managed to control her excitement, so Edgar began to feel that he could relax.

But Edgar soon had something new to worry about. After a few weeks of visits from Heathcliff, Isabella began to fall in love with him. She was now a charming young lady of eighteen, but with childish manners and a quick temper. Her brother loved her dearly and was horrified by her choice. He had the sense to realize that, although Heathcliff’s appearance might have changed, he could never be trusted. Edgar felt and dreaded Heathcliff’s savage power, and shrank from the thought of allowing his sister into its grasp.

We all noticed Miss Isabella’s moods, and put up with her sighs and grumbles as well as we could. But one morning, Cathy couldn’t bear it any longer. She insisted that Isabella should go to bed, while I went to fetch the doctor to see what was wrong.

«There’s nothing wrong with me,» sobbed Isabella. «It’s just your cruelty that’s making me unhappy!»

«When have I been cruel to you?» asked Cathy in amazement.

«Yesterday!» cried Isabella. «On our walk on the moor, you told me to go away while you talked to Heathcliff!»

«And that’s your idea of cruelty? I simply thought that Heathcliff’s talk was not very interesting to you.»

«That’s not the reason you sent me away,» said Isabella. «You knew I wanted to be with him. But you had to keep him all to yourself!»

«You’re an impertinent little monkey!» exclaimed Cathy in surprise. «But I don’t believe this foolishness. Do you really want to be loved by Heathcliff? I hope I’ve misunderstood you, Isabella.»

«No you haven’t,» Isabella insisted. «I love him more than you ever loved Edgar. And he might love me too, if only you’d let him.»

«Well I wouldn’t be you for a kingdom then! Nelly, tell Isabella what Heathcliff really is – a creature of stone and wildness, a fierce, pitiless, wolfish man. I’d rather let my tame canary out onto the stormy moors than allow you to fall in love with him. I know he couldn’t love a Linton, but he’d marry you for your fortune and then crush you like a sparrow’s egg. Listen to my advice, Isabella. I know Heathcliff and I’m speaking as his friend. Don’t, whatever you do, fall into his trap.»

Isabella looked at Cathy with horror. «You’re a poisonous friend… you’re worse than twenty enemies.»

«Ah! You won’t believe me then? You think I’m speaking from wicked selfishness?»

«I’m certain you are,» flashed back Isabella, «and I shudder at you!»

«Good!» cried Cathy, leaving the room. «Try for yourself, if that’s what you want. I won’t argue with you any more.»

I was left to comfort Isabella, but I was determined that she should be warned.

«Don’t think about him any more, Miss Isabella,» I said. «Your sister-in-law knows Heathcliff better than anyone else, and she would never pretend that he’s worse than he is. Think about it carefully, Miss. Honest people don’t keep their actions hidden, but what do we know about where he’s been for these past three years? And what do you think he’s doing up at the Heights? Why is he staying in the house of a man he despises? They say that Mr. Hindley is worse and worse since he came…»

«No, Nelly!» she interrupted. «You’re as bad as Cathy and I won’t listen to you. Why do you want to convince me there’s no happiness in the world?»

Perhaps Isabella might have forgotten about Heathcliff if she’d been left to herself. But the next day, Edgar was out at a meeting all day, and Heathcliff arrived at the Grange very early. Cathy and Isabella were sitting in the library, and I noticed a smile cross Cathy’s face when she saw Heathcliff arrive.