Грозовой перевал / Wuthering Heights

While we were talking, Linton had gone to join Catherine and Hareton outside, and I could hear the two younger ones laughing at Hareton for his rough way of talking. As I listened to Linton mocking Hareton, I began to feel less sorry for him and even started to dislike the boy.

The next day, Catherine told her father all about our visit. He was very distressed by the news and warned her tokeep well away from[78] the Heights. Edgar was afraid that Catherine might be in danger from one of Heathcliff’s plots. But he hated to talk about Heathcliff, so he didn’t explain any of his fears to her. When Catherine begged her father to let her visit Linton, he refused to allow it, and this made her puzzled and upset.

Over the next few weeks, I noticed that Catherine had become very fond of sneaking off into corners to read by herself. She started getting up early and hanging around the kitchen when the milk was being delivered, and she had a drawer full of papers, which she kept locked up all the time.

In the end, I decided I had better find out what was happening. So one day, while Catherine was out, I found a key to open her drawer, and pulled out a pile of letters. I was horrified to see that they were love letters from Linton – shy and embarrassed at first, but then becoming more passionate, and some of them clearly written by Heathcliff. The two cousins had been writing to each other for weeks, and Catherine had been using the milk delivery boy as their messenger.

As soon as I could, I asked Miss Catherine about the letters. She sobbed and sulked, and said that she really loved Linton, but I was not impressed.

«Do you call that love?» I cried scornfully. «I’ve never heard anything so stupid! I might just as well talk of loving the miller who comes once a year to buy our corn. You’ve hardly seen Linton for more than four hours in your life!»

After a lot of argument, Catherine finally agreed not to write any more, and we burned the letters together. The next morning I sent a very different message to young Linton.

I sincerely hoped that this would be the last we heard of Linton.

Heathcliff’s Revenge

That summer, Mr. Edgar caught a bad cold, which developed into pneumonia, and he was forced to stay indoors for most of the winter. Poor Catherine missed her walks with her father, and I could see that she was feeling sad and restless.

One day, we were walking in Thrushcross Park when I noticed she was crying.

«What’s the matter, Miss Catherine?» I asked.

«Oh Nelly, I’m thinking how sad and lonely I’d be if papa dies.»

«Now, miss, you mustn’t think like that,» I said firmly. «I’m sure your father has many happy years ahead of him. Just you make certain you don’t do anything to upset him, and he is sure to recover soon.»

We walked on for about an hour, but just as we were arriving back at our gate, a man on a horse came riding by. I recognized him immediately. It was Heathcliff.

«Miss Linton!» he called out. «I’m very glad to meet you. Please don’t rush away.»

«I won’t speak to you, Mr. Heathcliff,» answered Catherine. «Papa says I must have nothing to do with you[79].»

«It’s my son I’ve come about[80], not me. You’ve played a cruel trick on him – first sending him love letters and then plunging him into despair[81]. In fact, he’s so miserable now that I think he’s going to die. He’ll be dead before the summer unless you can help him!»

«How can you lie to her like that?» I called out crossly. «Miss Catherine, don’t listen to his nonsense. No one can die of love for a stranger.»

«I swear Linton is dying,» repeated Heathcliff solemnly. «Come and visit him next week and bring Nelly with you. I shall be away, so your father won’t be angry with you.»

Of course, Miss Catherine was desperate with worry.

«I shan’t feel happy until I’ve seen him, Nelly. I must tell Linton that it’s not my fault I haven’t written, and I must convince him there’s no hope for the two of us.»

I tried my best to change her mind, but she was determined to go, and the very next morning we set out for Wuthering Heights. I hoped young Linton would be so uninterested in her that Catherine would see immediately that Heathcliff was lying.

We found Linton on his own, sitting in a chair by the fire and looking very weak and ill. Catherine raced towards him.

«Is that you, Catherine?» he said, slowly raising his head. «No – don’t kiss me, it takes my breath away. Father said you would call. Would you shut the door? I hate being cold.»

«Well, Linton,» Catherine began, when she had closed the door and he had stopped frowning. «Aren’t you pleased to see me?»

«Why didn’t you come before?» he answered peevishly. «You should have come then, instead of writing. It wore me out[82] writing those long letters. And now I’m too tired to do anything at all.»