Chapter 14

As soon as I had perused this epistle, I went to the master, and informed him that his sister had arrived at the Heights, and sent me a letter expressing her sorrow for Mrs Linton's situation, and her ardent desire to see him; with a wish that he would transmit to her, as early as possible, some token of forgiveness by me.

`Forgiveness!' said Linton. `I have nothing to forgive her, Ellen. You may call at Wuthering Heights this afternoon, if you like, and say that I am not angry, but I'm sorry to have lost her; especially as I can never think she'll be happy. It is out of the question my going to see her, however: we are eternally divided; and should she really wish to oblige me, let her persuade the villain she has married to leave the country.'

`And you won't write her a little note, sir?' I asked imploringly.

`No,' he answered. `It is needless. My communication with Heathcliff's family shall be as sparing as his with mine. It shall not exist!'

Mr Edgar's coldness depressed me exceedingly; and all the way from the Grange I puzzled my brains how to put more heart into what he said, when I repeated it; and how to soften his refusal of even a few lines to console Isabella. I dare say she had been on the watch for me since morning: I saw her looking through the lattice, as I came up the garden causeway, and I nodded to her; but she drew back, as if afraid of being observed. I entered without knocking. There never was such a dreary, dismal scene as the formerly cheerful house presented! I must confess, that if I had been in the young lady's place, I would, at least, have swept the hearth, and wiped the tables with a duster. But she already partook of the pervading spirit of neglect which encompassed her. Her pretty face was wan and listless; her hair uncurled: some locks hanging lankly down, and some carelessly twisted round her head. Probably she had not touched her dress since yester evening. Hindley was not there. Mr Heathcliff sat at a table, turning over some papers in his pocket-book; but he rose when I appeared, asked me how I did, quite friendly, and offered me a chair. He was the only thing there that seemed decent: and I thought he never looked better. So much had circumstances altered their positions, that he would certainly have struck a stranger as a born and bred gentleman; and his wife as a thorough little slattern! She came forward eagerly to greet me; and held out one hand to take the expected letter. I shook my head. She wouldn't understand the hint, but followed me to a sideboard, where I went to lay my bonnet, and importuned me in a whisper to give her directly what I had brought. Heathcliff guessed the meaning of her manoeuvres, and said:

`If you have got anything for Isabella (as no doubt you have, Nelly), give it to her. You needn't make a secret of it! we have no secrets between us.'

`Oh, I have nothing,' I replied, thinking it best to speak the truth at once. `My master bid me tell his sister that she must not expect either a letter or a visit from him at present. He sends his love, ma'am, and his wishes for your happiness, and his pardon for the grief you have occasioned; but he thinks that after this time, his household and the household here should drop intercommunication, as nothing good could come of keeping it up.'

Mrs Heathcliff's lip quivered slightly, and she returned to her seat in the window. Her husband took his stand on the hearthstone, near me, and began to put questions concerning Catherine. I told him as much as I thought proper of her illness, and he extorted from me, by cross-examination, most of the facts connected with its origin. I blamed her, as she deserved, for bringing it all on herself; and ended by hoping that he would follow Mr Linton's example and avoid future interference with his family, for good or evil.

`Mrs Linton is now just recovering,' I said; `she'll never be like she was, but her life is spared; and if you really have a regard for her, you'll shun crossing her way again: nay, you'll move out of this country entirely; and that you may not regret it, I'll inform you Catherine Linton is as different now from your old friend Catherine Earnshaw, as that young lady is different from me. Her appearance is changed greatly, her character much more so; and the person who is compelled, of necessity, to be her companion, will only sustain his affection hereafter by the remembrance of what she once was, by common humanity, and a sense of duty!'

`That is quite possible,' remarked Heathcliff, forcing himself to seem calm: `quite possible that your master should have nothing but common humanity and a sense of duty to fall back upon. But do you imagine that I shall leave Catherine to his duty and humanity? and can you compare my feelings respecting Catherine to his? Before you leave this house, I must exact a promise from you, that you'll get me an interview with her: consent or refuse, I will see her! What do you say?'

`I say, Mr Heathcliff,' I replied, `you must not: you never shall, through my means. Another encounter between you and the master would kill her altogether.'

`With your aid, that may be avoided,' he continued; `and should there be danger of such an event--should he be the cause of adding a single trouble more to her existence--why, I think I shall be justified in going to extremes! I wish you had sincerity enough to tell me whether Catherine would suffer greatly from his loss: the fear that she would restrains me. And there you see the distinctions between our feelings: had he been in my place, and I in his, though I hated him with a hatred that turned my life to gall, I never would have raised a hand against him. You may look incredulous, if you please! I never would have banished him from her society as long as she desired his. The moment her regard ceased, I would have torn his heart out, and drunk his blood! But, till then--if you don't believe me, you don't know me--till then, I would have died by inches before I touched a single hair of his head!'

`And yet,' I interrupted, `you have no scruples in completely ruining all hopes of her perfect restoration, by thrusting yourself into her remembrance now, when she has nearly forgotten you, and involving her in a new tumult of discord and distress.'

`You suppose she has nearly forgotten me?' he said. `Oh, Nelly! you know she has not! You know as well as I do, that for every thought she spends on Linton, she spends a thousand on me! At a most miserable period of my life, I had a notion of the kind: it haunted me on my return to the neighbourhood last summer; but only her own assurance could make me admit the horrible idea again. And then, Linton would be nothing, nor Hindley, nor all the dreams that ever I dreamt. Two words would comprehend my future--death and hell: existence, after losing her, would be hell. Yet I was a fool to fancy for a moment that she valued Edgar Linton's attachment more than mine. If he loved with all the powers of his puny being, he couldn't love as much in eighty years as I could in a day. And Catherine has a heart as deep as I have: the sea could be as readily contained in that horse-trough, as her whole affection be monopolized by him! Tush! He is scarcely a degree dearer to her than her dog, or her horse. It is not in him to be loved like me: how can she love in him what he has not?'

`Catherine and Edgar are as fond of each other as any two people can be,' cried Isabella, with sudden vivacity. `No one has a right to talk in that manner, and I won't hear my brother depreciated in silence!'

`Your brother is wondrous fond of you too, isn't he?' observed Heathcliff scornfully. `He turns you adrift on the world with surprising alacrity.'

`He is not aware of what I suffer,' she replied. `I didn't tell him that.

`You have been telling him something, then: you have written, have you?'

`To say that I was married, I did write--you saw the note. `And nothing since?'

`No.'

`My young lady is looking sadly the worse for her change of condition,' I remarked. `Somebody's love comes short in her case, obviously: whose, I may guess; but, perhaps, I shouldn't say.'

`I should guess it was her own,' said Heathcliff. `She degenerates into a mere slut! She is tired of trying to please me uncommonly early. You'd hardly credit it, but the very morrow of our wedding, she was weeping to go home. However, she'll suit this house so much the better for not being over nice, and I'll take care she does not disgrace me by rambling abroad.'

`Well, sir,' returned I, `I hope you'll consider that Mrs Heathcliff is accustomed to be looked after and waited on; and that she has been brought up like an only daughter, whom everyone was ready to serve. You must let her have a maid to keep things tidy about her, and you must treat her kindly. Whatever be your notion of Mr Edgar, you cannot doubt that she has a capacity for strong attachments, or she wouldn't have abandoned the elegances, and comforts, and friends of her former home, to fix contentedly, in such a wilderness as this, with you.'

`She abandoned them under a delusion,' he answered; `picturing in me a hero of romance, and expecting unlimited indulgences from my chivalrous devotion. I can hardly regard her in the light of a rational creature, so obstinately has she persisted in forming a fabulous notion of my character and acting on the false impressions she cherished. But, at last, I think she begins to know me: I don't perceive the silly smiles and grimaces that provoked me at first; and the senseless incapability of discerning that I was in earnest when I gave her my opinion of her infatuation and herself. It was a marvellous effort of perspicacity to discover that I did not love her. I believed, at one time, no lessons could teach her that! And yet it is poorly learnt; for this morning she announced, as a piece of appalling intelligence, that I had actually succeeded in making her hate me! A positive labour of Hercules, I assure you! If it be achieved, I have cause to return thanks. Can I trust your assertion, Isabella? Are you sure you hate me? If I let you alone for half a day, won't you come sighing and wheedling to me again? I dare say she would rather I had seemed all tenderness before you: it wounds her vanity to have the truth exposed. But I don't care who knows that the passion was wholly on one side; and I never told her a lie about it. She cannot accuse me of showing a bit of deceitful softness. The first thing she saw me do, on coming out of the Grange, was to hang up her little dog; and when she pleaded for it, the first words I uttered were a wish that I had the hanging of every being belonging to her, except one: possibly she took that exception for herself. But no brutality disgusted her: I suppose she has an innate admiration of it, if only her precious person were secure from injury! Now, was it not the depth of absurdity--of genuine idiocy, for that pitiful, slavish, mean-minded brach to dream that I could love her? Tell your master, Nelly, that I never, in all my life, met with such an abject thing as she is. She even disgraces the name of Linton; and I've sometimes relented, from pure lack of invention, in my experiments on what she could endure, and still creep shamefully cringing back! But tell him, also, to set his fraternal and magisterial heart at ease: that I keep strictly within the limits of the law. I have avoided, up to this period, giving her the slightest right to claim a separation; and, what's more, she'd thank nobody for dividing us. If she desired to go, she might: the nuisance of her presence outweighs the gratification to be derived from tormenting her!'

`Mr Heathcliff,' said I, `this is the talk of a madman, and your wife, most likely, is convinced you are mad; and, for that reason, she has borne with you hitherto: but now that you say she may go, she'll doubtless avail herself of the permission. You are not so bewitched, ma'am, are you, as to remain with him of your own accord?'

`Take care, Ellen!' answered Isabella, her eyes sparkling irefully; there was no misdoubting by their expression the full success of her partner's endeavours to make himself detested. `Don't put faith in a single word he speaks. He's a lying fiend! a monster, and not a human being! I've been told I might leave him before; and I've made the attempt, but I dare not repeat it! Only, Ellen, promise you'll not mention a syllable of his infamous conversation to my brother or Catherine. Whatever he may pretend, he wishes to provoke Edgar to desperation: he says he has married me on purpose to obtain power over him; and he shan't obtain it--I'll die first! I just hope, I pray, that he may forget his diabolical prudence and kill me! The single pleasure I can imagine is to die or see him dead!'

`There--that will do for the present!' said Heathcliff. `If you are called upon in a court of law, you'll remember her language, Nelly! And take a good look at that countenance: she's near the point which would suit me. No; you're not fit to be your own guardian, Isabella, now; and I, being your legal protector, must detain you in my custody, however distasteful the obligation may be. Go upstairs; I have something to say to Ellen Dean in private. That's not the way: upstairs, I tell you! Why, this is the road upstairs, child!'

He seized, and thrust her from the room: and returned muttering:

`I have no pity! I have no pity! The more the worms writhe, the more I yearn to crush out their entrails! It is a moral teething; and I grind with greater energy, in proportion to the increase of pain.'

`Do you understand what the word pity means?' I said, hastening to resume my bonnet. `Did you ever feel a touch of it in your life?'

`Put that down!' he interrupted, perceiving my intention to depart. `You are not going yet. Come here now, Nelly: I must either persuade or compel you to aid me in fulfilling my determination to see Catherine, and that without delay. I swear that I meditate no harm: I don't desire to cause any disturbance, or to exasperate or insult Mr Linton; I only wish to hear from herself how she is, and why she has been ill; and to ask if anything that I could do would be of use to her. Last night, I was in the Grange garden six hours, and I'll return there tonight; and every night I'll haunt the place, and every day, till I find an opportunity of entering. If Edgar Linton meets me, I shall not hesitate to knock him down, and give him enough to insure his quiescence while I stay. If his servants oppose me, I shall threaten them off with these pistols. But wouldn't it be better to prevent my coming in contact with them, or their master? And you could do it so easily. I'd warn you when I came, and then you might let me in unobserved, as soon as she was alone, and watch till I departed, your conscience quite calm: you would be hindering mischief.'

I protested against playing that treacherous part in my employer's house: and, besides, I urged the cruelty and selfishness of his destroying Mrs Linton's tranquillity for his satisfaction. `The commonest occurrence startles her painfully,' I said. `She's all nerves, and she couldn't bear the surprise, I'm positive. Don't persist, sir! or else, I shall be obliged to inform my master of your designs; and he'll take measures to secure his house and its inmates from any such unwarrantable intrusions!'

`In that case, I'll take measures to secure you, woman!' exclaimed Heathcliff; `you shall not leave Wuthering Heights till tomorrow morning. It is a foolish story to assert that Catherine could not bear to see me; and as to surprising her, I don't desire it: you must prepare her ask her if I may come. You say she never mentions my name, and that I am never mentioned to her. To whom should she mention me if I am a forbidden topic in the house? She thinks you are all spies for her husband. Oh, I've no doubt she's in hell among you! I guess by her silence, as much as anything, what she feels. You say she is often restless, and anxious-looking; is that a proof of tranquillity? You talk of her mind being unsettled. How the devil could it be otherwise in her frightful isolation? And that insipid, paltry creature attending her from duty and humanity! From pity and charity! He might as well plant an oak in a flowerpot, and expect it to thrive, as imagine he can restore her to vigour in the soil of his shallow cares! Let us settle it at once: will you stay here, and am I to fight my way to Catherine over Linton and his footmen? Or will you be my friend as you have been hitherto, and do what I request? Decide! cause there is no reason for my lingering another minute, if you persist in your stubborn ill-nature!'

Well, Mr Lockwood, I argued and complained, and flatly refused him fifty times; but in the long run he forced me to an agreement. I engaged to carry a letter from him to my mistress; and should she consent, I promised to let him have intelligence of Linton's next absence from home, when he might come, and get in as he was able: I wouldn't be there, and my fellow-servants should be equally out of the way. Was it right or wrong? I fear it was wrong, though expedient. I thought I prevented another explosion by my compliance; and I thought, too, it might create a favourable crisis in Catherine's mental illness: and then I remembered Mr Edgar's stern rebuke of my carrying tales; and I tried to smooth away all disquietude on the subject, by affirming, with frequent iteration, that that betrayal of trust, if it merited so harsh an appellation, should be the last. Notwithstanding, my journey homeward was sadder than my journey thither; and many misgivings I had, ere I could prevail on myself to put the missive into Mrs Linton's hand.

But here is Kenneth; I'll go down, and tell him how much better you are. My history is dree, as we say, and will serve to while away another morning.

Dree, and dreary! I reflected as the good woman descended to receive the doctor; and not exactly of the kind which I should have chosen to amuse me. But never mind! I'll extract wholesome medicines from Mrs Dean's bitter herbs; and firstly, let me beware the fascination that lurks in Catherine Heathcliff's brilliant eyes. I should be in a curious taking if I surrendered my heart to that young person, and the daughter turned out a second edition of the mother!

我看完这封信，立即就去见主人，告诉他说他妹妹已经到了山庄，而且给了我一封信表示她对于林惇夫人的病况很挂念，她热烈地想见见他；希望他尽可能早点派我去转达他一点点宽恕的表示，越早越好。

“宽恕！”林惇说。“我没有什么可宽恕她的，艾伦。你如果愿意，你今天下午可以去呼啸山庄，说我并不生气，我只是惋惜失去了她；特别是我绝不认为她会幸福。无论如何，要我去看她是办不到的：我们是永远分开了；若是她真为我好，就让她劝劝她嫁的那个流氓离开此地吧。”

“你就不给她写个便条吗，先生？”我乞求地问着。

“不，”他回答。“用不着。我和希刺克厉夫家属的来往就像他和我家的来往一样全省掉吧。一刀两断。“

埃德加先生的冷淡使我非常难过；出田庄后一路上我绞尽脑汁想着怎样在重述他的话时加一点感情；怎样把他甚至拒绝写一两行去安慰伊莎贝拉的口气说得委婉些。我敢说她从早上起就守望着我了：在我走上花园砌道时，我看见她从窗格里向外望，我就对她点点头；可是她缩回去了，好像怕给人看见似的。我没有敲门就进去了。这栋以前是很欢乐的房子从来没有呈现过这样荒凉阴郁的景象！我必须承认，如果我处在这位年轻的夫人的地位上，至少，我要扫扫壁炉，用个鸡毛帚掸掸桌子。可是她已经沾染了几分包围着她的那种到处蔓延的懒散精神。她那姣好的脸苍白而无精打采；她的头发没有卷；有的发卷直直地挂下来，有的就乱七八糟地盘在她头上。大概她从昨天晚上起还没有梳洗过。辛德雷不在那儿。希刺克厉夫坐在桌旁，翻阅他的袖珍记事册中的纸张；可是当我出现时，他站起来了，很友好地问候我，还请我坐下。他是那里唯一的看上去很体面的人；我认为他从来没有这样好看过。环境把他们的地位更换得这么厉害，陌生人乍一看，会认定他是个天生有教养的绅士；而他的妻子则是一个道地的小懒婆！她热切地走上前来迎接我，并且伸出一只手来取她所期望的信。我摇摇头。她不懂这个暗示，却跟着我到一个餐具柜那儿，我是到那儿放下我的帽子的，她低声央求我把我所带来的东西马上给她。希刺克厉夫猜出她那举动的意思，就说：

“如果你有什么东西给伊莎贝拉（你是一定有的，耐莉）；就交给她吧。你用不着做得那样秘密：我们之间没有秘密。”

“啊，我没有带什么，”我回答，想想最好还是马上说实话。“我的主人叫我告诉他妹妹，她现在不必期望他来信或是访问。他叫我向你致意，夫人，并且他祝你幸福，他对于你所引起的悲苦都肯原谅；但是他以为从现在起，他的家和这个家庭应该断绝来往，因为再联系也没什么意思。”

希刺克厉夫夫人的嘴唇微微颤着，她又回到她在窗前的座位上。她的丈夫站在壁炉前，靠近我，开始问些有关凯瑟琳的话。我尽量告诉他一些我认为可以说的关于她的病情的话，他却问来问去，遇得我说出了与病因有关的大部分事实。我责怪了她（她是该受责怪的），因为都是她自找苦吃；最后我希望他也学林惇先生的样，不论好坏都该避免将来与他家接触。

“林惇夫人现在正在复原，”我说，“她永远不会像她以前那样了，可是她的命保住了；如果你真关心她，就不要再拦她的路了，不，你要完完全全搬出这个地方；而且我要告诉你，让你不会后悔，凯瑟琳·林惇如今跟你的老朋友凯瑟琳·恩萧大不同了，正如那位年轻太太和我也不同。她的外表变得很厉害，她的性格变得更多；那个由于必要不得不作她伴侣的人，今后只能凭借着对她昔日的追忆，以及出于世俗的仁爱和责任感，来维持他的感情了！”

“那倒是挺可能的，”希刺克厉夫说，勉强使自己显得平静，“你主人除了出于世俗的仁爱观念和一种责任感之外就没有什么可依仗的了，这是很可能的。可是你以为我就会把凯瑟琳交给他的责任和仁爱吗？你能把我尊敬凯瑟琳的情感跟他的相比吗？在你离开这所房子之前，我一定要你答应，你要让我见她一面：答应也好，拒绝也好，我一定要见她！你说怎么样？”

“我说，希刺克厉夫先生，”我回答，“你万万不能，你永远别想通过我设法而见到她。你跟我主人再碰一次面，就会把她的命送掉了。”

“有你的帮助就可以避免，”他接着说，“如果会有这么大的危险——如果他就是使她的生活增加一种烦恼的原因——那么，我以为我正好有理由走极端！我希望你诚诚恳恳告诉我，若是失去了他，凯瑟琳会不会很难过：就是怕她会难过，这才使我忍住。你这就看得出我们两人情感中间的区别了：如果他处在我的地位，而我处在他的地位，当然我恨他恨得要命，我绝不会向他抬一只手。你要是不信，那也由你！只要她还要他作伴，我就绝不会把他从她身边赶走。她对他的关心一旦停止，我就要挖出他的心，喝他的血！可是，不到那时候——你要是不相信我，那你是不了解我——不到那时候，我宁可寸磔而死，也不会碰他一根头发！”

“可是，”我插口说，“你毫无顾忌地要彻底毁掉她那完全恢复健康的一切希望，在她快要忘了你的时候却硬要把你自己插到她的记忆里，而且把她拖进一场新的纠纷和苦恼的风波中去。

“你以为她快要忘了我吗？”他说。“啊，耐莉！你知道她没有忘记！你跟我一样地知道她每想林惇一次，她就要想我一千次！在我一生中最悲惨的一个时期，我曾经有过那类的想法：去年夏天在我回到这儿附近的地方时，这想法还缠着我；可是只有她自己的亲自说明才能使我再接受这可怕的想法。到那时候，林惇才可以算不得什么，辛德雷也算不得什么，就是我做过的一切梦也都不算什么。两个词可以概括我的未来——死亡与地狱：失去她之后，生存将是地狱。但是，我曾经一时糊涂，以为她把埃德加·林惇的情爱看得比我的还重。如果他以他那软弱的身心的整个力量爱她八年，也抵不上我一天的爱。凯瑟琳有一颗和我一样深沉的心：她的整个情感被他所独占，就像把海水装在马槽里。呸！他对于她不见得比她的狗或者她的马更亲密些。他不像我，他本身有什么可以被她爱：她怎么能爱他本来没有的东西呢？”

“凯瑟琳和埃德加像任何一对夫妇那样互相热爱，”伊莎贝拉带着突然振作起来的精神大叫。“没有人有权利用那样的态度讲话，我不能听人毁谤我哥哥还不吭声。”

“你哥哥也特别喜欢你吧，是不是？”希刺克厉夫讥讽地说。“他以令人惊奇的喜爱任你在世上漂泊。”

“他不晓得我受的什么罪，”她回答。“我没有告诉他。”

“那么你是告诉了他什么啦：你写信了，是不是？”

“我是写了，说我结婚了——她看见那封短信的。”

“以后没写过么？”

“没有。”

“我的小姐自从改变环境后显得憔悴多了，”我说。“显然，有人不再爱她了；是谁，我可以猜得出；但也许我不该说。”

“我倒认为是她自己不爱自己，”希刺克厉夫说。“她退化成为一个懒婆娘了！她老早就不想讨我喜欢了。你简直难以相信，可是就在我们婚后第二天早上，她就哭着要回家。无论如何，她不太考究，正好适于这房子，而且我要注意不让她在外面乱跑来丢我的脸。”

“好呀，先生，”我回嘴，“我希望你要想到希刺克厉夫夫人是习惯于被人照护和侍候的；她是像个独生女一样地给带大的，人人都随时要服侍她。你一定得让她有个女仆给她收拾东西，而且你一定得好好对待她。不论你对埃德加先生的看法如何，你不能怀疑她有强烈的迷恋之情，不然她不会放弃她以前家里的优雅舒适的生活和朋友们，而安心和你住在这么一个荒凉的地方。”

“她是在一种错觉下放弃那些的，”他回答，“把我想象成一个传奇式的英雄，希望从我的豪侠气概的倾心中得到无尽的娇宠。我简直不能把她当作是一个有理性的人，她对于我的性格是如此执拗地坚持着一种荒谬的看法，而且凭她所孕育的错误印象来行动。但是，到底，我想她开始了解我了：起初我还没理会那使我生气的痴笑和怪相；也没理会那种糊涂的无能，当我告诉她我对她的迷恋和对她本身的看法时，她竟不能识别我是诚恳的。真是费了不少的劲才发现我本来就不爱她。我相信，曾经有一个时候，是没法教训她明白那点的！可是现在居然勉强地懂得了；因为今天早上，作为一件惊人消息，她宣布，说我实在已经使得她恨我了！我向你保证，这可是真正费了九牛二虎之力哩！如果她真是想明白了，我有理由回敬感谢。我能相信你的话吗，伊莎贝拉？你确实恨我吗？如果我让你自己一个人待半天，你会不会又叹着气走过来，又跟我甜言蜜语呢？我敢说她宁可我当着你的面显出温柔万分的样子：暴露真相是伤她的虚荣心的。可是我才不在乎有人知道这份热情完全是片面的：我也从来没在这事上对她讲过一句谎话。她不能控诉我说我表示过一点虚伪的温柔。从田庄出来时，她看见我作的第一件事，就是把她的小狗吊起来；当她求我放它时，我开头的几句话就是我愿把属于她家的个个都吊死，除了一个，可能她把那个例外当作她自己了。但是任何残忍都引不起她厌恶，我猜想只要她这宝贝的本人的安全不受损害，她对于那种残忍还有一种内心的赞赏哩！是啊，那种可怜的，奴性的，下流的母狗——纯粹的白痴——竟还梦想我能爱她岂不是荒谬透顶！告诉你的主人，耐莉，说我一辈子也没遇见过像她这样的一个下贱东西。她甚至都玷辱了林惇的名声，我试验她能忍受的能力，而她总还是含羞地谄媚地爬回来，由于实在想不出新的办法，我有时候都动了慈悲心肠哩！但是，也告诉他，请他放宽他那一副傲然的手足之情的心肠吧。我是严格遵守法律限制的。直到眼前这段时期，我一直避免给她最轻微的借口要求离开；不仅如此，谁要是分开我们，她也不会感谢的。如果她愿走，她可以走；她在我跟前所引起的我的厌恶已经超过我折磨她时所得到的满足了。”

“希刺克厉夫先生，”我说，“这是一个疯子说的话；你的妻子很可能是以为你疯了；为了这个缘故，她才跟你待到如今，可现在你说她可以走，她一定会利用你这个允许的。太太，你总不至于这么给迷住了，还自愿跟他住下去吧？”

“小心，艾伦！”伊莎贝拉回答，她的眼睛闪着怒火；从这对眼睛的表情看来，无疑的，她的配偶企图使她恨他，已经完全成功了。“他所说的话，你一个字也不要信。他是一个撒谎的恶魔！一个怪物，不是人！以前他也跟我说过我可以离开；我也试过，我可不敢试了！可就是，艾伦，答应我不要把他那无耻的话向我哥哥或凯瑟琳吐露一个字。不论他怎么装假，他只是希望把埃德加惹得拚命：他说他娶我是有意地跟他夺权；他得不到——我会先死的！我只希望，我祈求，他会忘记他那狰狞的谨慎，而把我杀掉！我所能想象到的唯一欢乐就是死去，要不就看他死！”

“好啦——现在够了！”希刺克厉夫说，“耐莉，你要是被传上法庭，可要记住她的话！好好瞧瞧那张脸吧：她已经快要达到配得上我的地步了。不，现在你是不合宜作你自己的保护人了，伊莎贝拉；我，既是你的合法保护人，一定要把你放在我的监护下，不论这义务是怎样的倒胃口。上楼去，我有话要跟丁艾伦私下说。不是这条路：我对你说上楼！对啦，这才是上楼的路啦，孩子！”

他抓住她，把她推到屋外；边走回头边咕噜着：

“我没有怜悯！我没有怜悯！虫子越扭动，我越想挤出它们的内脏！这是一种精神上的出牙；它越是痛，我就越要使劲磨。”

“你懂得怜悯这个字是什么意思吗？”我说，赶快戴上帽子。“你生平就没有感到过一丝怜悯吗？”

“放下帽子！”他插嘴，看出来我要走开。“你还不能走。现在走过来，耐莉，我一定要说服你或者强迫你帮我实现我这要见凯瑟琳的决心，而且不要耽搁了。我发誓我不想害人：我并不想引起任何乱子，也不想激怒或侮辱林惇先生；我只想听听她亲自告诉我她怎么样，她为什么生病：问问她我能作些什么对她有用的事。昨天夜里我在田庄花园里待了六个钟头，今夜我还要去；每天每夜我都要到那儿去，直到我能找到机会进去。如果埃德加·林惇遇见我，我将毫不犹豫地一拳打倒他，在我待在那儿的时候保证给他足够的时间休息。如果他的仆人们顽抗，我就要用这些手枪把他们吓走。可是，如果可以不必碰到他们或他们的主人，不是更好些吗？而你可以很容易地做到的。我到时，先让你知道，然后等她一个人的时候，你就可以让我进去不被人看见，而且守着，一直等我离开，你的良心也会十分平静：你可以防止闯出祸来。”

我抗议不肯在我东家的家里作那不忠的人：而且，我竭力劝说他为了自己的满足而破坏林惇夫人的平静是残酷而自私的。“最平常的事情都能使她痛苦地震动，”我说。“她已经神经过敏，我敢说她禁不住这意外。不要坚持吧，先生！不然我就不得不把你的计划告诉我的主人；他就要采取手段保护他的房屋和里面住的人的安全，以防止任何这类无理的闯入！”

“若是如此，我就要采取手段来保护你，女人！”希刺克厉夫叫起来，“你在明天早晨以前不能离开呼啸山庄。说凯瑟琳看见了我就受不住，那是胡扯；我也并不想吓她；你先要让她有个准备——问她我可不可以来。你说她从来没提过我的名字，也没有人向她提到我。既是在那个家里我是一个禁止谈论的题目，她能跟谁提到我呢？她以为你们全是她丈夫的密探。啊，我一点也不怀疑，她在你们中间就等于在地狱里！我从她的沉默以及任何其他事中，都可以猜到她感到什么。你说她经常不安宁，露出焦躁的神气：这难道是平静的证据吗？你说她的心绪紊乱，她处在那种可怕的孤独中，不这样又能怎么样呢？而那个没有精神的，卑鄙的东西还出于责任和仁爱来侍候她！出于怜悯和善心罢了！他与其想象他能在他那浮浅的照料中使她恢复精力，还不如说正像把一棵橡树种在一个花盆里！我们马上决定吧：你是要住在这儿，让我去同林惇和他的仆人们打一仗后去看凯瑟琳呢？还是你要作我的朋友，像从前一样，按照我请求的去作？决定吧！如果你还坚持你那顽固不化的本性，我是没有理由再耽搁一分钟了！”

唉，洛克乌德先生，我申辩，抱怨，明白地拒绝他五十次；可是到末了他还是逼得我同意了。我答应把他的一封信带给我的女主人；如果她肯，下一次林惇不在家的时候，我一定让他知道那时他可以来，让他能够进来：我不会在那儿，我的同事们也统统走开。

这是对呢？还是不对呢？恐怕这是不对的，虽然只好这样。我觉得我依从了，可以免去另一场乱子；我也认为，这也许可以在凯瑟琳的心病上创造一个有利的转机：后来我又记起埃德加先生严厉责骂我搬弄是非；我反复肯定说那次背信告密的事，如果该受这样粗暴的名称的话，也该是最后一次了，我借这个肯定来消除我对于这事所感到的一切不安。虽然如此，我在回家的旅途上比我来时更悲哀些；在我能说服自己把信交到林惇夫人的手中之前，我是有着许多忧惧的。

可是肯尼兹来啦；我要下去，告诉他你好多了。我的故事，照我们的说法，是够受的而且还可以再消磨一个早晨哩。

够受，而且凄惨！这个好女人下楼接医生时，我这样想着：其实并不是我想听来解闷的那类故事。可是没关系！我要从丁太太的苦药草里吸取有益的药品。第一，我要小心那潜藏在凯瑟琳·希刺克厉夫的亮眼睛里的魔力。如果我对那个年轻人倾心，我一定会陷入不可思议的烦恼，那个女儿正是她母亲的再版啊！