Грозовой перевал / Wuthering Heights

«Look, Nelly,» she said eagerly, «there’s my room with the candle in it and the trees swaying in front of the window. And there’s Joseph’s lamp. He’s waiting up late for me to come home so he can lock the gate. Well, he’ll have to wait for a little while yet… it’s a long journey over the moors and I must go past the graveyard to get there.

«Heathcliff and I used to play games in that graveyard. But, Heathcliff, I dare you, will you come there now? I won’t lie there all by myself. They can bury me twelve feet deep, but I won’t rest until you’re with me… I never will!»

At this moment, I heard the rattle of the doorlatch, and Mr. Edgar was in the room.

«Oh sir!» I cried, «my poor mistress is ill and I can’t manage her at all. Please help me persuade her to go back to bed.»

«Catherine ill?» he said, hurrying toward us. «Shut the window at once, Nelly! Catherine, my love, what has happened to you?»

«She’s been sulking up here all on her own,» I tried to explain. «And she’s hardly eaten anything all that time. She wouldn’t admit to any of this until this evening, so I couldn’t tell you how she was. But please don’t worry, sir. I’m sure it will pass.

«So this is nothing, is it, Nelly Dean?» my master said sternly. «You will need to explain yourself better than that!» Then he took his wife in his arms and stared at her in despair.

At first, Cathy didn’t seem to recognize Edgar at all, but gradually she realized who he was. «Ah, so you’ve come at last, Edgar Linton,» she said sadly. «I suppose there will be plenty of sorrowing now. But you can’t keep me away from my narrow home on the moors… my resting place[58] where I’ll be before spring is over! That’s where I’ll be, not with the Lintons, under a church roof, but in the open air out in the churchyard, and you can please yourself, Edgar, whether you go to them or come to me!»

«Catherine, what’s happened to you?» said Edgar, horrified. «Don’t you care about me anymore? Do you love that wretch, Heath…»

«Stop!» cried Cathy. «Stop this minute. Don’t mention that name, or I’ll jump out of the window now. I don’t want you any more, Edgar. I’m past wanting you…[59] Go back to your books. I’m pleased you’ll have them for company after I’ve gone.»

«Her mind is wandering, sir,» I interrupted. «She’s been talking nonsense all evening. If you leave her quietly, I’m sure she’ll get better. We’ll just have to be careful not to upset her…»

«Thank you, Nelly,» Mr. Edgar said coldly, «but I won’t be needing any more advice from you. You never gave me a hint of how she’s been these last few days! Months of sickness couldn’t have caused such a change!»

I was covered with shame and confusion, and set off as fast as I could to find the doctor.

Isabella’s story

As I was hurrying in the direction of the village, I thought I heard the sound of horses galloping down the lane. But I was too distracted to think about it then. It was only much later that I realized just what it meant.

Dr. Kenneth came straight back to the Grange with me. When he saw Cathy he was very worried. He was afraid she might not survive a second attack, and he told me secretly that, even if she lived, she could easily lose her mind.

I didn’t close my eyes all night, and neither did Mr. Edgar. The next morning, the servants were up much earlier than usual and everyone in the house was busy except Miss Isabella. We were all surprised at how soundly she slept[60]. But the mystery was solved when a maid came rushing into the room.

«Oh dear, oh dear, sir, whatever will happen next? It’s Miss Isabella…»

«Speak quietly, Mary,» said Edgar calmly. «Now tell me, what’s your news? What is the matter with Miss Isabella?»

«She’s gone, sir, she’s gone! Mr. Heathcliff has run off with her!»

The maid had just come back from Gimmerton, where she’d heard a shocking story. At around midnight the night before, a gentleman and a lady had stopped to have a horse’s shoe fixed a couple of miles outside the village. The blacksmith’s daughter had recognized them both, but she’d waited until the morning to spread her news around the village.

«Should we try to bring them back, sir?» I asked my master.

«No, Nelly,» he answered wearily. «Isabella has the right to go, if that’s what she wanted. Don’t trouble me about her any more. From now on, she is no longer my sister.»

And that was all Edgar said on the subject. He didn’t make any more inquiries, or even mention his sister’s name, but concentrated all his love on Cathy.

Heathcliff and Isabella stayed away for two months and, during that time, Cathy survived the worst of her illness. No mother could have been more devoted to her child than Edgar was to his wife. He watched over her day and night, patiently suffering all her black moods and wild ravings. When, at last, she began to recover, she was very different from the girl we used to know. But Edgar was beside himself with joy that his beloved wife was out of danger.