Chapter 20

The quarrel

01 The next time Heathcliff came, my young lady chanced to be feeding some pigeons in the courtyard. He was not in the habit of showing her any special attention, but this time, as soon as he saw her, he looked carefully up at the front of the house. I remained hidden behind the kitchen window.

02 He stepped across to Isabella, and said something. She seemed anxious to get away, but to prevent it, he laid his hand on her aim. She turned her face away. With another quick look up at the house, and supposing himself to be unseen, he put his arms around her.

03 'For shame!'I cried.

04 'Who is it, Nelly?' said Catherine's voice behind me.

05 'Your worthless friend!' I replied. 'I wonder what excuse he will find for making love to Miss, when he told you he hated her.'

06 Mrs Linton saw Isabella struggle to free herself, and run into the garden. A minute later, Heathcliff opened the door.

07 'Heathcliff, what are you doing? I said you must let her alone! I beg that you will, unless you are tired of being received here!'

08 'What is it to you?' he answered roughly. 'I have a right to kiss her, if she chooses. I'm not your husband: you needn't be jealous of me. And, Catherine, I have a few plain words to say to you, now. I want you to understand that you have treated me shamefully! Do you hear? And if you think I'll suffer unrevenged, you are mistaken. Meanwhile, thank you for telling me your sister-in-law's secret. I'll make good use of it.'

09 'What new side to his character is this?' exclaimed Mrs Linton, in astonishment.

10 'I have no wish to take revenge on you,' continued Heathcliff, less violently. 'You are welcome to torment me to death for your amusement, only allow me to amuse myself a little in the same way. Having ruined my life, don't expect me to be a saint!'

11 'Oh, you want to make people miserable, do you!' cried Catherine. 'You prove it! Edgar has just got back his good temper, and I begin to feel safe and at ease, so you are determined to excite a quarrel. Quarrel with Edgar, if you please, and deceive his sister; you'll have chosen just the best way to revenge yourself on me.'

12 The conversation ended. Catherine sat by the fire, disturbed and unhappy. Her temper was getting beyond her control. Heathcliff stood with folded arms, thinking dark thoughts. In this position I left them to look for the master.

13 'The mistress is in the kitchen, sir,' I said. 'She's very upset by Mr Heathcliff's behaviour.' And I told him as much as I dared of what had happened.

14 'I won't bear this!' he declared 'Call me two men from the servants' hall, Ellen.'

15 He went downstairs and, followed by me, entered the kitchen. Catherine and Heathcliff had returned to their quarrel. On seeing him, they became silent.

16 'I have been patient with you till now, sir,' said Linton to Heathcliff. 'I have foolishly allowed you here, because Catherine wished to keep up the connection. Your presence is a moral poison that would harm the purest. For that reason, and to prevent further evil, I demand that you leave this house immediately, and for the last time.'

17 Heathcliff looked scornfully at him.

18 'Cathy, this lamb of yours threatens like a lion!' he said.

19 My master signed to me to fetch the men. Mrs Linton, suspecting something, pulled me back and locked the inner door.

20 'Fair means!' she said to her husband. 'If you haven't the courage to attack him yourself, make an apology, or allow yourself to be beaten.'

21 Mr Linton tried to seize the key from her, but for safety's sake she threw it into the hottest part of the fire. He was attacked by a nervous trembling and became pale as death.

22 'I wish you joy of the milk-blooded coward, Cathy!' said her friend. 'And that is the weak-kneed thing that you preferred to me! Is he weeping, or is he going to faint with fear?'

23 He gave the chair on which Linton was leaning a push. My master sprang up and struck him full on the throat. It took away his breath for a minute. Linton walked out of the back door into the yard, and from there to the front entrance.

24 There, you've done with coming here,' cried Catherine. 'Get away, now. He'll return with guns and half a dozen assistants. You've played me an evil trick, Heathcliff!'

25 'Do you suppose I'm going, with that blow to answer?'

26 The gardeners and a stable boy, with Linton, had already entered the yard. Heathcliff, on further thought, decided to avoid a struggle against three servants. He broke the lock of the inner door and made his escape.

27 Mrs Linton, who was by now very much excited, told me to go upstairs with her.

28 'I'm nearly mad, Nelly,' she exclaimed. 'My head is bursting. Tell Isabella to avoid me. She is the cause of all this, and if anyone makes me angrier at present, I shall become wild. And, Nelly, if you see Edgar again tonight, tell him I'm in danger of being seriously ill. I hope I shall be, because I want to frighten him. Besides, he might come and begin a string of complaints. I'm certain I should answer back, and God knows where we should end! You know that I am in no way to blame in this matter. Well, if I can't keep Heathcliff as my friend—if Edgar will be jealous and selfish, I'll try to break their hearts by breaking my own. Nelly, I wish you would look rather more anxious about me.'

29 I thought privately that she could have managed to control herself, and I did not wish to frighten her husband. I therefore said nothing when I saw him coming upstairs.

30 'I shall not stay, Catherine,' he said, without any anger in his voice. 'I have only one question to ask: will you give up Heathcliff, or will you give up me?'

31 'Oh, heavens!' interrupted the mistress. 'Let us hear no more of it now! Your cold blood can't be worked into a fever, but mine can!'

32 'To get rid of me, answer my question,' went on Mr Linton. 'You must answer it, and your violence does not alarm me. You can be as calm as anyone when you please.'

33 'I demand to be left alone,' exclaimed Catherine furiously. 'Don't you see that I can scarcely stand? Leave me!'

34 She rang the bell till it broke. I had been waiting outside, but I did not hurry to enter. Her fury was enough to make a saint lose his temper. There she lay, striking her head against the arm of the sofa, and grinding her teeth. Mr Linton stood looking at her in sudden anxiety, and told me to fetch some water.

35 She would not drink, so I shook some drops on her face. In a few seconds she stretched herself out stiff, and turned up her eyes, while her cheeks became pale as death. Linton looked alarmed.

36 'There is nothing in the world the matter,' I whispered. I didn't want him to yield, though in my heart, I, too, was afraid. I told him how she had wished to frighten him by one of her fits. She was well enough to hear and understand me, because she sprang up, her eyes flashing, and rushed from the room. The master directed me to follow, but she locked herself in her bedroom, where she remained for the next three days, refusing all offers of food.

37 As for Mr Linton, he spent his time in the library. He had an hour's private talk with Miss Isabella, in which he warned her that if she were so mad as to encourage Heathcliff, it would end all ties between them, as brother and sister.