第116章

`It is not I who hate you, it is you who hate me!' wept Cathy, no longer disguising her trouble.`You hate me as much as Mr Heathcliff does, and more.'

`You're a damned liar,' began Earnshaw: `why have I made him angry, by taking your part, then, a hundred times? and that when you sneered at and despised me, and--Go on plaguing me, and I'll step in yonder, and say you worried me out of the kitchen!'

`I didn't know you took my part,' she answered, drying her eyes;`and I was miserable and bitter at everybody; but now I thank you, and beg you to forgive me: what can I do besides?'

She returned to the hearth, and frankly extended her hand.He blackened and scowled like a thunder cloud, and kept his fists resolutely clenched, and his gaze fixed on the ground.Catherine, by instinct, must have divined it was obdurate perversity, and not dislike, that prompted this dogged conduct; for, after remaining an instant undecided, she stooped and impressed on his cheek a gentle kiss.The little rogue thought I had not seen her, and, drawing back, she took her former station by the window, quite demurely.I shook my head reprovingly, and then she blushed and whispered:

`Well! what should I have done, Ellen? He wouldn't shake hands, and he wouldn't look: I must show him some way that I like him--that Iwant to be friends.'

Whether the kiss convinced Hareton, I cannot tell: he was very careful, for some minutes, that his face should not be seen, and when he did raise it, he was sadly puzzled where to turn his eyes.

Catherine employed herself in wrapping a handsome book neatly in white paper, and having tied it with a bit of ribband, and addressed it to `Mr Hareton Earnshaw', she desired me to be her ambassadress, and convey the present to its destined recipient.

`And tell him, if he'll take it I'll come and teach him to read it right,' she said; `and, if he refuse it, I'll go upstairs, and never tease him again.'

I carried it, and repeated the message; anxiously watched by my employer.Hareton would not open his fingers, so I laid it on his knee.

He did not strike off, either.I returned to my work.Catherine leaned her head and arms on the table, till she heard the slightest rustle of the covering being removed; then she stole away, and quietly seated herself beside her cousin.He trembled, and his face glowed: all his rudeness and all his surly harshness had deserted him: he could not summon courage, at first, to utter a syllable in reply to her questioning look, and her murmured petition.

`Say you forgive me, Hareton, do? You can make me so happy by speaking that little word.'

He muttered something inaudible.

`And you'll be my friend?' added Catherine interrogatively.

`Nay, you'll be ashamed of me every day of your life,' he answered;`and the more, the more you know me; and I cannot bide it.'

`So you won't be my friend?' she said, smiling as sweet as honey, and creeping close up.

I overheard no further distinguishable talk, but, on looking round again, I perceived two such radiant countenances bent over the page of the accepted book, that I did not doubt the treaty had been ratified on both sides; and the enemies were, thenceforth, sworn allies.

The work they studied was full of costly pictures; and those and their position had charm enough to keep them unmoved till Joseph came home.

He, poor man, was perfectly aghast at the spectacle of Catherine seated on the same bench with Hareton Earnshaw, leaning her hand on his shoulder;and confounded at his favourite's endurance of her proximity: it affected him too deeply to allow an observation on the subject that night.His emotion was only revealed by the immense sighs he drew, as he solemnly spread his large Bible on the table, and overlaid it with dirty bank-notes from his pocket-book, the produce of the day's transactions.At length, he summoned Hareton from his seat.

`Tak' these in tuh t' maister, lad,' he said, `un' bide thar.

Aw's gang up tuh my awn rahm.This hoile's norther mensful nor seemly fur us: we mun side aht and seearch another.'

`Come, Catherine,' I said, `we must "side out" too; I've done my ironing, are you ready to go?'

`It is not eight o'clock!' she answered, rising unwillingly.`Hareton, I'll leave this book upon the chimney-piece, and I'll bring some more tomorrow.'

`Ony books ut yah leave, Aw suall tak' intuh th' hahse,' said Joseph, `un it'll be mitch if yah find em agean; soa, yah muh plase yourseln!'

Cathy threatened that his library should pay for hers; and, smiling as she passed Hareton, went singing upstairs: lighter of heart, I venture to say, than ever she had been under that roof before; except, perhaps, during her earliest visits to Linton.

The intimacy thus commenced, grew rapidly; though it encountered temporary interruptions.Earnshaw was not to be civilized with a wish, and my young lady was no philosopher, and no paragon of patience; but both their minds tending to the same point--one loving and desiring to esteem, and the other loving and desiring to be esteemed--they contrived in the end to reach it.

You see, Mr Lockwood, it was easy enough to win Mrs Heathcliff's heart.But now, I'm glad you did not try.The crown of all my wishes will be the union of those two.I shall envy no one on their wedding day: there won't be a happier woman than myself in England!