Грозовой перевал / Wuthering Heights

A few weeks after you left us, I was summoned to the Heights. It seemed that Heathcliff hated the sight of Catherine – I think she reminded him too much of her mother – so he wanted me to keep her away from him. We were given a small room at the back of the house and I brought a great number of books with me to keep her amused. At first, Catherine was happy just to be with me, but then she grew restless in her prison. Heathcliff wouldn’t even allow her to walk in the garden and she hated being indoors all day. Apart from me, her only companion was Hareton, who often came to sit with us. But I don’t know how he stood it, because Catherine teased him terribly for being so dull and stupid.

Then, one day, Catherine decided to be friendly to Hareton. She apologized to her cousin for treating him so badly, and worked out a clever way of helping him to read. Each day, she read to him from one of her books but, just as the story was becoming really exciting, she deliberately broke off[92] and left him longing to read the rest. Then she helped him to stumble over the sentences[93] until he had finished the story for himself.

I can’t say that Catherine is a patient teacher and Hareton has a great deal to learn, but each day he improves and the two of them grow closer and closer. Now, when I see them together it’s like a dream come true, and I’ll be the happiest woman in England on the day that they get married!

But I must get back to my story…

At first, Heathcliff didn’t realize what was happening to the cousins, but then one lunchtime old Joseph rushed into the kitchen.

«Now look what that little fiend has made the boy do!» he roared. «He’s pulled up my fruit bushes to plant her stupid flowers!»

«Hareton, can you explain yourself?» asked Heathcliff.

But Catherine interrupted. «It was my fault,» she admitted bravely. «I asked him to do it. I thought it would be nice to have some flowers there.»

«And who gave you permission for that?» growled Heathcliff.

«I think you should let us have a piece of garden for ourselves. After all, you’ve stolen all my land and Hareton’s too! He and I are friends now, and you can’t treat us badly any longer.»

Heathcliff turned very pale and stood up suddenly, staring at her.

«If you hit me, Hareton will hit you back,» she said, «and he’s just as strong as you. He won’t obey you any more. Soon he’ll hate you as much as I do.»

«Please stop, Catherine,» muttered Hareton. «I don’t want to quarrel with Heathcliff.»

But it was too late. Heathcliff had grabbed Catherine by the arm, his eyes flashing like a wild beast’s, ready to tear her to pieces. Catherine stared back at him defiantly, and I was just about to try rescuing her when Heathcliff’s fingers suddenly relaxed, and he gazed intently into her face as if he had seen a ghost. Then he drew his hand over his eyes and stood still as a stone.

«You must learn not to make me angry,» he said in a quiet, shaken voice, «or I’ll end up murdering you. Now, go away all of you, and leave me alone!»

Then he went out and didn’t come back until very late.

When Heathcliff returned, the cousins were sitting side by side, looking at a book. As he came into the kitchen, they looked up at him together with the same dark eyes – eyes which were just like Cathy Earnshaw’s – and I saw Heathcliff give a deep sigh. Then they escaped into the garden and I was left alone with him.

«This is a ridiculous end, don’t you think, Nelly?» he observed. «I’ve worked all my life to destroy the Earnshaws and the Lintons. I’ve won all their money and their land, but now that I have them completely in my power, I no longer care about my revenge[94]. What’s the use of destroying them now?»

Heathcliff paced around the room. «Something is happening to me, Nelly. I can feel a strange change coming in my life, and its shadow is hanging over me. I’m not interested in living any more – I can hardly even remember to eat or drink. I hate to see Catherine and Hareton because they remind me so much of Cathy. But then – everything I see reminds me of her! I see her in every cloud and tree. Wherever I go, I’m surrounded by her.»

«What do you mean by a change?» I said. «You’re not ill, are you, sir?»

«No, I’m not ill, Nelly. In fact, I’m ridiculously strong. But I no longer want to live. I can’t carry on like this. I have to remind myself to breathe – almost remind my heart to beat! I have just one wish that I’ve wanted for so long. It’s a long fight, and I wish that it could be over!»

Then he began to pace around the room again, muttering terrible things to himself.