Chapter 46

Proud as a princess

01 It was only last summer that Miss Cathy was married, I have paid a visit to the Heights, but I have not seen her since she went. Joseph would not let me pass the door, saying that she was not well, and the master was not in. Zillah has told me something of the way in which they go on. She thinks Cathy proud, and doesn't like her.

02 'The first thing she did,' Zillah said, 'on her arrival, was to run upstairs without even wishing Joseph and myself good evening. She shut herself up in Linton's room, and remained till morning. Then, while the master and Hareton were at breakfast, she entered, and asked if the doctor could be sent for, as her cousin was very ill.

03 '"We know that," answered Heathcliff, "but his life isn't worth a penny, and I won't spend anything on him."

04 '"But I can't tell what to do," she said, "and if no one will help me, he'll die!"

05 '"Walk out of the room," cried the master. "No one here cares what happens to him. If you do, act the nurse; if you don't, lock him up and leave him."

06 'Then she began to worry me, and I said I'd had enough trouble with the boy. We each had our work to do, and hers was to wait on Linton.

07 'How they managed, I don't know. He seemed to be groaning day end night, and she had very little rest, by her white face and heavy eyes. She sometimes came into the kitchen as if she would beg assistance, but I never dare disobey the master, Mrs Dean, and it was no business of mine. I did pity her, I'm sure, but I didn't want to lose my post, you know.

08 'At last, one night, she came boldly into my room, saying, "Tell Mr Heathcliff that his son is dying. Get up at once and tell him!"

09 'She disappeared. I lay for a quarter of an hour, but heard nothing.

10 '"She's mistaken," I said to myself.

11 'My sleep was disturbed a second time by a sharp ringing of Linton's bell. The master called me to see what was the matter. I gave him Cathy's message.

12 'In a few minutes he came out with a lighted candle and went to their room. Mrs Heathcliff was seated by the bedside. Her father-in-law went up, held the light to Linton's dead face, and touched him. Afterwards, he turned to Cathy.

13 '"Now," he said, "how do you feel?"

14 '"He's safe, and I'm free; but you have left me to struggle so long against death, alone, that I feel and see only death."

15 'I gave her a little wine. Hareton and Joseph, awakened by the noise, entered. Joseph was glad of the boy's removal, I think. Hareton seemed a bit upset, though he was more occupied with staring at Cathy.

16 'In the morning she said she was ill. She stayed upstairs for two weeks.'

17 Zillah visited her twice a day, and would have been rather more friendly, but her attempts at increasing kindness were proudly refused.

18 Heathcliff went up once, to show her Linton's will. He had left the whole of his, and what had been her money, to his father. The miserable boy was persuaded, or threatened, into that act during her week's absence, when his uncle died. He could not interfere with the lands, being under age, but Mr Heathcliff has claimed and kept them in his wife's right, and his also. I suppose according to the law, at any rate, Cathy, having no friends or money, cannot disturb his possession.

19 'Nobody,' Zillah went on, 'ever approached her door, except on that one occasion, except myself. The first time she came down was a Sunday afternoon. She said she could not bear the cold upstairs any longer. Heathcliff had gone off to Thrushcross Grange, and Joseph was at church. I told Hareton his cousin would very likely sit with us. He became red in the face, and passed his eyes over his hands and clothes. I saw he wanted to look respectable, so, laughing, I offered to help him. He was unwilling at first, but I talked him into accepting my assistance.

20 'The mistress walked in, as cold as ice, and as proud as a princess. I got up and offered her my seat in the armchair. No, she turned up her nose at my politeness. Hareton rose too, asking her to come and sit close to the fire. She got a chair for herself, and placed it at a distance from both of us.

21 'Having sat till she was warm, she began to look around, and discovered a number of books on a shelf. They were too high up for her to reach, and her cousin, after watching for a while, at last gathered up courage to help her.

22 'She didn't thank him, but she had accepted his assistance, and he was bold enough to stand behind as she examined the books, and even to point out what pleased him best in certain old pictures. Nor was he discouraged by the sharp manner in which she drew the page away from his finger. He contented himself with looking at her instead of the book. His attention, by degrees, became quite centred on the study of her thick, silky hair. He couldn't see her face, and she couldn't see him. And, like a child, he went on from staring to touching. He put out his hand and passed it over one curl as gently as if it were a bird. He might have stuck a knife into her neck, she turned on him in such a fury.

23 '"Get away this moment! How dare you touch me! I can't bear you!"

24 'Hareton moved away, looking foolish. He sat down very quietly, and she continued turning over the books. At last he came over to me and whispered, "Will you ask her to read to us, Zillah? I should like to hear her."

25 '"Mr Hareton wishes you to read to us," I said at once. "He'd be very grateful."

26 'She looked angry and answered, "The whole set of you will be good enough to understand that I will accept no pretence of kindness from you! When I would have given my life for one kind word, you avoided me. I'm driven down here by the cold, not to amuse you, or enjoy your society."

27 '"But I offered more than once, and asked," said Hareton. "I asked Mr Heathcliff to let me nurse for you when Linton was sick ... "

28 '"Be silent! I'll go out of doors, rather than have your disagreeable voice in my ears!" said my lady.

29 'The icy weather continued, and she was forced to keep us company, more and more. But since then, I've been as unfriendly as herself, and she has no one amongst us who likes her, and she doesn't deserve one.'

30 On hearing this account from Zillah, I determined to leave my employment, and take a cottage, and get Cathy to come and live with me. But Mr Heathcliff would never permit it, and I can see no remedy, unless she could marry again.

31 And that, Mr Lockwood, is the present state of affairs at Wuthering Heights.