Gladly did I take advantage of this intimation; and the minute I flung myself into a chair, by the fire, I nodded, and slept. Mr. Heathcliff awoke me; he had just come in, and demanded, in his loving manner, what I was doing there? I told him the cause of my staying up so late-that he had the key of our room in his pocket. The adjective our gave mortal offence. He swore it was not, nor ever should be, mine; and hed-but Ill not repeat his language, nor describe his habitual conduct: he is ingenious and unresting in seeking to gain my abhorrence! I sometimes wonder at him with an intensity that deadens my fear: yet, I assure you, a tiger or a venomous serpent could not rouse terror in me equal to that which he wakens. He told me of Catherines illness, and accused my brother of causing it; promising that I should be Edgars proxy in suffering, till he could get hold of him.
Heathcliff sat at a table, turning over some papers in his pocket-book; but he rose when https://tennesseepaydayloans.org/cities/oliver-springs/ I appeared, asked me how I did, quite friendly, and offered me a chair
I do hate him-I am wretched-I have been a fool! Beware of uttering one breath of this to any one at the Grange. I shall expect you every day-dont disappoint me!-ISABELLA.
CHAPTER XIV
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. Lintons 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 Im sorry to have lost her; especially as I can never think shell 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.”
“No,” he answered. “It is needless. My communication with Heathcliffs family shall be as sparing as his with mine. It shall not exist!”
Mr. Edgars 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 daresay 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 ladys 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. 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 wouldnt 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 man?uvres, and said-“If you have got anything for Isabella (as no doubt you have, Nelly), give it to her. You neednt make a secret of it: we have no secrets between us.”
