Chapter 33

Heathcliff claims his own

01 A letter edged in black announced the day of my master's return. Isabella was dead, and he wrote to tell me to arrange a room for his young nephew. Cathy was wild with joy at the idea of welcoming her father back, and meeting her 'real' cousin.

02 The day came, and my little mistress was so impatient that she made me walk all through the park to meet them.

03 The travelling carriage rolled into view at last. Miss Cathy screamed and held cut her arms as soon as she caught sight of her father's face looking from the window. He got down, nearly as eager as herself. While they exchanged loving greetings, I took a look at Linton. He was asleep in a corner, wrapped up in furs, as if it had been winter. He was a pale, delicate, girlish-looking boy, who might have been mistaken for my master's younger brother, they were so alike; but he had a sickly disagreeable look that Edgar Linton never had.

04 The sleeper, being wakened at the house, was lifted to the ground by his uncle.

05 'This is your cousin Cathy, Linton,' he said, putting their little hands together. 'She's fond of you already. Try to be cheerful, now. The travelling is at an end.'

06 The boy drew back from Cathy's welcome, and put his fingers to his eyes. All three entered the house, and went upstairs to the library, where tea was laid ready. I took off Linton's outdoor clothes and placed him at the table, but he began to cry.

07 'I can't sit on a chair,' he complained.

08 'Go to the sofa, then, and Ellen shall bring you your tea there,' said his uncle patiently.

09 Cathy carried a little seat and her cup to his side. At first she was silent, but that could not go on for long. She was determined to make a pet of her cousin, and she began touching his curls fondly, and kissing his cheek, and offering him tea in her saucer, like a baby. This pleased him. He dried his eyes and smiled faintly,

10 'He'll do very well, if we can keep him, Ellen,' said the master to me, after watching them for a minute. 'The company of a child of his own age will put new life into him.'

11 'Yes, if only we can keep him,' I thought to myself, but I felt there was slight hope of that. I wondered how the weak child would live at Wuthering Heights, between his father and Hareton.

12 Our doubts were soon decided.

13 I had just taken the children upstairs, and seen Linton asleep, when a maid stepped out of the kitchen and informed me that Mr Heathcliff's servant Joseph was at the door and wished to speak to the master.

14 Very unwillingly I went up to the library and announced the unwanted visitor. Joseph followed close on my heels and without invitation pushed past me, saying:

15 'Heathcliff sent me for his boy, and I mustn't go back without him.'

16 Edgar Linton was silent for a minute. An expression of great sorrow spread over his face. He felt bitter grief at the idea of giving up the boy.

17 'Tell Mr Heathcliff,' he answered calmly, 'that his son shall come tomorrow to Wuthering Heights. He is in bed, and too tired to go the distance now.'

18 With some difficulty Joseph was persuaded to go away empty handed, but with the parting threat that Heathcliff himself would come over the next day.