فصل 05

Chapter 5

Catherine and Edgar

in the summer of this year Hindley’s wife Frances had her first, and last, baby. They called the boy Hareton. But the poor woman had been ill for a long time, although we had not realized it, and died soon after Hareton was born.

Hindley only had room in his heart for two people, himself

and his wife, so when she died, he was in despair. He neither cried nor prayed. Instead he swore at God and man, and drank himself to sleep every night. The servants all left him, except for Joseph and me. Joseph enjoyed being able to scold his wicked employer, with warnings from the Bible, and I could not leave Miss Catherine. After all, I had grown up with her and Hindley.

But the master’s behaviour was a bad example for Catherine and Heathcliff. At fifteen, Catherine was the most beautiful girl for miles around, but she was proud and quick-tempered. She led what was almost a double life. At Wuthering Heights, under Heathcliff’s influence, she annoyed Hindley, laughed at Joseph, and was rude to me. But at Thrushcross Grange, which she often visited, she showed a different, calmer side of her character, and was polite, intelligent and amusing. The Lintons all liked her, and poor Edgar had fallen in love with her.

Heathcliff was sixteen at this time. He did not have time to study any more, and the long hours of work on the farm made him tired and dull. There was always an angry expression on his face, and he did not even try to keep himself clean and tidy. He seemed to want people to dislike him. Catherine and he still spent time together, when he was not working in the fields, but he no longer expressed his fondness for her in words, and he looked angry if she touched or kissed him.

One afternoon, when Hindley had gone into town, Heathcliff came into the main room after lunch. I was helping Catherine to arrange her hair, as she had invited Edgar Linton to visit her while Hindley was absent.

‘Catherine, are you going anywhere this afternoon?’ asked Heathcliff. ‘Why have you got that silk dress on? Nobody’s visiting you, I hope.’

‘No-o, I don’t think so,’ replied Catherine, looking quickly at

me. ‘But you should be at work by now, Heathcliff.’

‘That devil Hindley isn’t away very often. I’m taking a holiday. I won’t work any more today. I’m staying with you this afternoon. He’ll never know.’ Catherine thought for a moment. Somehow she had to prepare him for Edgar’s visit. ‘Isabella and Edgar said they might call here this afternoon. If they come, you’ll be scolded for not working.’ ‘Tell Ellen to say you’re busy and can’t see them,’ he said. ‘Those friends of yours take up all your time. You spend most of your evenings with them, not with me.’ ‘Well, why should I always spend my time with you?’ she asked crossly. ‘What can you talk about? How can you amuse me?’

‘You never told me before that you didn’t like my company, Catherine!’ cried Heathcliff.

Just then we heard a horse outside, and there was a light knock on the door. Edgar Linton entered, his handsome face full of delight at receiving Catherine’s unexpected invitation. I wondered if Catherine was comparing her two friends, as Edgar came in and Heathcliff ran out.

‘I haven’t come too soon, have I?’ asked Edgar politely.

‘No,’ answered Catherine. ‘Leave us alone, Ellen.’

‘I’m just doing my work, miss,’ I replied, pretending to dust the furniture. Hindley had told me to be present if Edgar Linton came to visit Catherine.

She came up to me, and whispered crossly, ‘Go away, Ellen!’ Keeping her back to Edgar, she cruelly scratched my arm.

‘Oh!’ I screamed, to show Edgar what had happened. ‘What a wicked thing to do, miss! You have no right to hurt me!’

‘I didn’t touch you, you lying creature!’ she cried angrily, and,

unable to control herself, hit me hard on the face.

‘Catherine, love! Catherine!’ cried Edgar, shocked.

The baby, Hareton, who followed me everywhere, immediately started sobbing and saying, ‘Wicked aunt Catherine!’

She picked him up and shook the poor child until he screamed. Edgar rushed up to her and tried to stop her. At once she turned and hit him over the ear as hard as she could.

The young man looked very pale and went straight to the door.

‘Where are you going, Edgar Linton?’ she asked. ‘Don’t leave me! I shall be miserable all night!’

‘Can I stay after you have hit me?’ he replied. ‘You’ve made me afraid and ashamed of you. I won’t come here again!’

‘Well, go then, if you want to!’ she cried. ‘I’m going to cry until I’m ill!’ and she dropped on to the floor, her shoulders shaking and the tears rolling down her face.

Edgar managed to get as far as the door. But here he hesitated, and I called out to him to encourage him to leave.

‘Miss is just a selfish child, sir! You’d better ride home and forget her!’

But as he could not stop looking at her, I knew there was no hope for him. Nothing would keep him away from her now. And sure enough, he came back into the room and shut the door. This time I left them alone, and stayed in the kitchen with little Hareton, but when I came to warn them that Hindley had returned, I realized that their quarrel had only brought them closer together.