`Oh, heavens! In old days, this would win you knighthood!' exclaimed Mrs Linton. `We are vanquished! we are vanquished! Heathcliff would as soon lift a finger at you as a king would march his army against a colony of mice. Cheer up! you shan't be hurt! Your type is not a lamb, it's a sucking leveret.'
`I wish you joy of the milk-blooded coward, Cathy!' said her friend. `I
compliment you on your taste. And that is the slavering, shivering thing you preferred to me! I would not strike him with my fist, but I'd kick him with my foot, and experience considerable satisfaction. Is he
weeping, or is he going to faint for fear?'
The fellow approached and gave the chair on which Linton rested a push. He'd better have kept his distance; my master quickly sprang erect, and struck him full on the throat a blow that would have levelled a slighter man. It took his breath for a minute; and while he choked, Mr Linton walked out by the back door into the yard, and from thence to the front entrance.
`There! you've done with coming here,' cried Catherine. `Get away, now; he'll return with a brace of pistols, and half a dozen assistants. If he did
overhear us, of course he'd never forgive you. You've played him an ill turn, Heathcliff! But go--make haste! I'd rather see Edgar at bay than you.'
`Do you suppose I'm going with that blow burning in my gullet?' he thundered. `By hell, no! I'll crush his ribs in like a
rotten hazel nut before I cross the threshold! If I don't floor him now, I shall murder him some time; so, as you value his existence, let me get at him!'
`He's not coming,' I interposed, framing a bit of a lie. `There's the
coachman and the two gardeners; you'll surely not wait to be thrust into the road by them! Each has a bludgeon; and master will, very likely, be watching from the parlour windows, to see that they fulfil his orders.'
The gardeners and
coachman were there; but Linton was with them. They had already entered the court. Heathcliff, on second thoughts,
resolved to avoid a struggle against the three underlings; he seized the poker, smashed the lock from the inner door, and made his escape as they tramped in.
Mrs Linton, who was very much excited, bade me accompany her
upstairs. She did not know my share in contributing to the
disturbance, and I was anxious to keep her in ignorance.
`I'm nearly distracted, Nelly!' she exclaimed, throwing herself on the sofa. `A thousand smiths' hammers are
beating in my head! Tell Isabella to shun me; this
uproar is owing to her; and should she or anyone else
aggravate my anger at present, I shall get wild. And, Nelly, say to Edgar, if you see him again tonight, that I'm in danger of being seriously ill. I wish it may prove true. He has startled and distressed me
shockingly! I want to frighten him. Besides, he might come and begin a string of abuse or complainings; I'm certain I should recriminate, and God knows where we should end! Will you do so, my good Nelly? You are aware that I am in no way blamable in this matter. What possessed him to turn
listener? Heathcliff's talk was
outrageous, after you left us; but I could soon have diverted him from Isabella, and the rest meant nothing. Now all is dashed wrong by the fool's
craving to hear evil of self, that haunts some people like a demon! Had Edgar never gathered our conversation, he would never have been the worse for it. Really, when he opened on me in that
unreasonable tone of
displeasure after I had scolded Heathcliff till I was
hoarse for him, I did not care, hardly, what they did to each other; especially as I felt that, however the scene closed, we should all be driven
asunder for nobody knows how long! Well, if I cannot keep Heathcliff for my friend--if Edgar will be mean and jealous, I'll try to break their hearts by breaking my own. That will be a
prompt way of finishing all, when I am pushed to extremity! But it's a deed to be reserved for a
forlorn hope; I'd not take Linton by surprise with it. To this point he has been
discreet in dreading to
provoke me; you must represent the peril of quitting that
policy, and remind him of my
passionate temper, verging, when kindled, on
frenzy. I wish you could dismiss that
apathy out of your countenance, and look rather more anxious about me.'
The stolidity with which I received these instructions was, no doubt, rather exasperating: for they were delivered in perfect
sincerity; but I believed a person who could plan the turning of her fits of passion to account,
beforehand, might, by exerting her will, manage to control herself tolerably, even while under their influence; and I did not wish to `frighten' her husband, as she said, and multiply his annoyances for the purpose of serving her
selfishness. Therefore I said nothing when I met the master coming towards the parlour; but I took the liberty of turning back to listen whether they would resume their quarrel together. He began to speak first.
`Remain where you are, Catherine,' he said; without any anger in his voice, but with much
sorrowful despondency. `I shall not stay. I am neither come to
wrangle nor be reconciled; but I wish just to learn whether, after this evening's events, you intend to continue your
intimacy with--
`Oh, for mercy's sake,' interrupted the mistress, stamping her foot, `for mercy's sake, let us hear no more of it now! Your cold blood cannot be worked into a fever: your veins are full of ice-water; but mine are boiling, and the sight of such chillness makes them dance.'
`To get rid of me, answer my question,' persevered Mr Linton. `You must answer it; and that violence does not alarm me. I have found that you can be as stoical as anyone, when you please. Will you give up Heathcliff
hereafter, or will you give up me? It is impossible for you to be my friend and his at the same time; and I absolutely require to know which you choose.'
`I require to be let alone!' exclaimed Catherine
furiously. `I demand it! Don't you see I can scarcely stand? Edgar, you--you leave me!'
She rang the bell till it broke with a twang; I entered
leisurely. It was enough to try the temper of a saint, such
senseless, wicked rages! There she lay
dashing her head against the arm of the sofa, and grinding her teeth, so that you might fancy she would crash them to splinters! Mr Linton stood looking at her in sudden compunction and fear. He told me to fetch some water. She had no breath for
speaking. I brought a glass full; and as she would not drink, I sprinkled it on her face. In a few seconds she stretched herself out stiff, and turned up her eyes, while her cheeks, at once blanched and livid, assumed the aspect of death. Linton looked terrified.
`There is nothing in the world the matter,' I whispered. I did not want him to yield, though I could not help being afraid in my heart.
`She has blood on her lips!' he said, shuddering.
`Never mind!' I answered tartly. And I told him how she had
resolved, previous to his coming, on exhibiting a fit of
frenzy. I incautiously gave the account aloud, and she heard me; for she started up--her hair flying over her shoulders, her eyes flashing, the muscles of her neck and arms standing out preternaturally. I made up my mind for broken bones, at least; but she only glared about her for an instant, and then rushed from the room. The master directed me to follow; I did, to her
chamber door: she hindered me from going farther by securing it against me.
As she never offered to descend to breakfast next morning, I went to ask whether she would have some carried up. `No!' she replied peremptorily. The same question was
repeated at dinner and tea; and again on the
morrow after, and received the same answer. Mr Linton, on his part, spent his time in the library, and did not inquire
concerning his wife's occupations. Isabella and he had had an hour's interview, during which he tried to elicit from her some sentiment of proper horror for Heathcliff's advances: but he could make nothing of her evasive replies, and was obliged to close the examination unsatisfactorily; adding, however, a solemn
warning, that if she were so
insane as to encourage that
worthlesssuitor, it would dissolve all bonds of
relationship between herself and him.
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