Грозовой перевал / Wuthering Heights

I helped the trembling boy down from his horse, and he clung to me and sobbed, but Heathcliff dragged him roughly away.

«I hope you’ll be kind to him,» I told Heathcliff fiercely, «or he won’t live long. And he’s the only family you have in the world.»

«Oh, I’ll look after him, don’t you worry,» he replied, laughing. «I want him to inherit Thrushcross Grange one day. And I’ll make sure he’s brought up like a gentleman. But I can’t say I’ll be proud of such a pale-faced, whining wretch!»

So I left poor Linton up at the Heights, and returned home sadly, not knowing when I’d see him again. Miss Catherine was bitterly disappointed to find that her young cousin had gone to stay with his father, and for a few weeks she asked about him every day. But eventually she forgot all about him, and life at the Grange returned to normal.

Whenever I saw Zillah in Gimmerton, I asked her about Linton. She told me he was often ill and always complaining. Heathcliff despised his son for being such a weakling, and hated the way he looked like Edgar. But he obviously had a plan for the boy. Zillah was given instructions to feed him only the finest food and to give him all the books he wanted.

Meanwhile, down at the Grange, life continued peacefully until Miss Catherine was sixteen years old. We never celebrated her birthday, because it was also the day that her mother had died. Mr. Edgar always spent the day alone, and Catherine was left to please herself. So, on the morning of her sixteenth birthday, she came downstairs ready for a walk on the moors with me.

It was a beautiful spring day, and I was happy to enjoy the sunshine while Catherine bounded ahead of me, searching for a moorhen’s nest in the heather.

Before I realized it, we were nearly up at the Heights. I called to her to turn back, but she was too far away to hear me, and when I caught up with her at last, I saw she was talking to two men. I recognized them immediately as Heathcliff and Hareton.

«Miss Catherine,» I panted, «we must go home immediately.»

But Catherine refused. «This gentleman has asked me to go back to his house and meet his son. He says I’ve met him before, but I don’t think that can be right, do you?»

And before I could stop her, Catherine was off, scampering towards the house with Hareton running after her.

«Heathcliff, this is very wrong,» I said to him angrily. «You know Mr. Edgar will be furious if Catherine sees Linton again.»

«But I want her to see Linton,» Heathcliff replied. «It’s part of my plan. I want the two cousins to fall in love and marry. Then Catherine will inherit the Grange with Linton – now isn’t that a generous plan?»

«And if they marry, but Linton dies,» I asked, «would Catherine then inherit the Grange?»

«No, she would not. My son’s property would go to me, but it still suits me to see them married.»

I was very angry with Heathcliff, and afraid for Catherine, but by now we had reached the Heights and it was too late.

Linton was standing in front of the fire.

«Now, who’s that?» asked Mr. Heathcliff, turning to Catherine. «Can you tell?»

«Your son?» she asked doubtfully.

«Yes, yes,» he answered, «but don’t you remember seeing him before? Linton, I’m sure you remember your cousin – you were always asking to see her!»

«What, Linton?» cried Catherine joyfully. «Is that little Linton? He’s taller than I am now! Are you really Linton?»

The boy stepped forward and they both gazed at each other in wonder. Catherine had become a real beauty, sparkling with health and fun, and Linton was tall and graceful-looking, but very pale and thin.

Catherine turned to Heathcliff. «So you must be my uncle! Why don’t you ever visit us at the Grange?»

«I visited it once too often before you were born,» he answered. «Your father and I had a terrible argument, and now he hates me. If you say you’ve been here, he’ll never let you come again.»

«Well, if I’m not allowed here, then Linton can come to the Grange,» said Catherine happily.

«It’ll be too far for me,» whined her cousin. «It would kill me to walk four miles.»

Heathcliff looked scornfully at his son.

«I’m afraid my plan will never work,» he muttered to me. «How could Catherine fall in love with a weakling like him?»

Linton certainly seemed a selfish, feeble boy. He refused to show his cousin around the farm, so Hareton gladly took the job instead.

While Catherine and Hareton were out, and Linton was huddled over the fire, Heathcliff revealed some more of his feelings to me.

«All my life I’ve wanted to have my revenge on Hindley for treating me so badly when I was young. And now I’ve done it. His son Hareton is as rough and sullen as I used to be. Or even worse… because he can’t even read his own name!

«But I can’t help seeing that Hareton is a son to be proud of, while my son is just a weak, moaning baby. But at least Linton is a gentleman. He will be rich and marry Catherine, and then I will enjoy watching him make her wretched. I want to make Edgar’s daughter suffer, and my selfish son will certainly do that job for me.»