‘Well,’ said I, ‘where are your moor-game, Miss Cathy? We should be at them—the Grange park-fence is a great way off now.’
‘Oh, a little further—only a little further, Ellen,’ was her answer, continually. ‘Climb to that hillock, pass that bank, and by the time you reach the other side, I shall have raised the birds.’
But there were so many hillocks and banks to climb and pass, that, at length, I began to be weary, and told her we must halt, and retrace our steps.
I shouted to her, as she had outstripped me, a long way; she either did not hear, or did not regard, for she still sprang on, and I wascompelled to follow. Finally, she dived into a hollow; and before I came in sight of her again, she was two miles nearer Wuthering Heights than her own home; and I beheld a couple of persons arrest her, one of whom I felt convinced was Mr Heathcliff himself.
Cathy had been caught in the fact of plundering, or, at least, hunting out the nests of the grouse.
The Heights were Heathcliff’s land, and he was reproving the poacher.
‘I’ve neither taken any nor found any,’ she said, as I toiled to them, expanding her hands in corroboration of the statement. ‘I didn’t mean to take them; but papa told me there were quantities up here, and I wished to see the eggs.’
Heathcliff glanced at me with an ill-meaning smile, expressing his acquaintance with the party, and, consequently, his malevolence towards it, and demanded who ‘papa’ was?
‘Mr Linton of Thrushcross Grange,’ she replied. ‘I thought you did not know me, or you wouldn’t have spoken in that way.’
‘You suppose papa is highly esteemed and respected then?’ he said, sarcastically.
‘And what are you?’ inquired Catherine, gazing curiously on the speaker. ‘That man I’ve seen before. Is he your son?’
She pointed to Hareton, the other individual, who had gained nothing but increased bulk and strength by the addition of two years to his age: he seemed as awkward and rough as ever.
‘Miss Cathy,’ I interrupted, ‘it will be three hours instead of one that we are out, presently. We really must go back.’
‘No, that man is not my son,’ answered Heathcliff, pushing me aside. ‘But I have one, and you have seen him before too; and, though your nurse is in a hurry, I think both you and she would be the better for a little rest. Will you just turn this nab of heath, and walk into my house? You’ll get home earlier for the ease; and you shall receive a kind welcome.’
I whispered Catherine that she mustn’t, on any account, accede to the proposal; it was entirely out of the question.
‘Why?’ she asked, aloud. ‘I’m tired of running, and the ground is dewy—I can’t sit here. Let us go, Ellen! Besides, he says I have seen his son. He’s mistaken, I think; but I guess where he lives, at the farm-house I visited in coming from Penistone Craggs. Don’t you?’
‘I do. Come, Nelly, hold your tongue—it will be a treat for her to look in on us. Hareton, get forwards with the lass. You shall walk with me, Nelly.’
‘No, she’s not going to any such place,’ I cried, struggling to release my arm, which he had seized; but she was almost at the door-stones already, scampering round the brow at full speed. Her appointed companion did not pretend to escort her; he shyed off by the road side, and vanished.
‘Mr Heathcliff, it’s very wrong,’ I continued, ‘you know you mean no good; and there she’ll see Linton, and all will be told, as soon as ever we return; and I shall have the blame.’
‘I want her to see Linton,’ he answered: ‘he’s looking better these few days; it’s not often he’s fit to be seen. And we’ll soon persuade her to keep the visit secret—where is the harm of it?’
‘The harm of it is, that her father would hate me, if he found I suffered her to enter your house; and I am convinced you have a bad design in encouraging her to do so,’ I replied.
‘My design is as honest as possible. I’ll inform you of its whole scope,’ he said. ‘That the two cousins may fall in love, and get married. I’m acting generously to your master; his young chit has no expectations, and should she second my wishes, she’ll be provided for, at once, as joint successor with Linton.’
‘If Linton died,’ I answered, ‘and his life is quite uncertain, Catherine would be the heir.’
‘No, she would not,’ he said. ‘There is no clause in the will to secure it so; his property would go to me; but, to prevent disputes, I desire their union, and am resolved to bring it about.’
‘And I’m resolved she shall never approach your house with me again,’ I returned, as we reached the gate, where Miss Cathy waited our coming.
Heathcliff bid me be quiet; and preceding us up the path, hastened to open the door. My young lady gave him several looks, as if she could not exactly make up her mind what to think of him; but now he smiled when he met her eye, and softened his voice in addressing her, and I was foolish enough to imagine the memory of her mother might disarm him from desiring her injury.
Linton stood on the hearth. He had been out, walking in the fields; for his cap was on, and he was calling to Joseph to bring him dry shoes.
He had grown tall of his age, still wanting some months of sixteen. His features were pretty yet, and his eye and complexion brighter than I remembered them, though with merely temporary lustre borrowed from the salubrious air and genial sun.
‘Now, who is that?’ asked Mr Heathcliff, turning to Cathy. ‘Can you tell?’
‘Your son?’ she said, having doubtfully surveyed, first one, and then the other.
