a letter, edged with black, announced the day of my master's return. isabella was dead; and he wrote to bid me get mourning for his daughter, and arrange a room, and other accommodations, for his youthful nephew. catherine ran wild with joy at the idea of welcoming her father back; and indulged most sanguine anticipations of the innumerable excellences of her `real' cousin. the evening of their expected arrival came. since early morning, she had been busy ordering her own small affairs; and now, attired in her new black frock--poor thing! her aunt's death impressed her with no definite sorrow--she obliged me, by constant worrying, to walk with her down through the grounds to meet them.
`linton is just six months younger than i am,' she chattered, as we strolled leisurely over the swells and hollows of mossy turf, under shadow of the trees. `how delightful it will be to have him for a playfellow! aunt isabella sent papa a beautiful lock of his hair; it was lighter than mine--more flaxen, and quite as fine. i have it carefully preserved in a little glass box: and i've often thought what pleasure it would be to see its owner. oh! i am happy--and papa, dear, dear papa! come, ellen, let us run! come, run.'
she ran, and returned and ran again, many times before my sober footsteps reached the gate, and then she seated herself on the grassy bank beside the path, and tried to wait patiently; but that was impossible: she couldn't be still a minute.
`how long they are!' she exclaimed. `ah, i see some dust on the road they are coming? no! when will they be here? may we not go a little way--half a mile, ellen: only just half a mile? do say yes: to that clump of birches at the turn!'
i refused staunchly. at length her suspense was ended: the travelling carriage rolled in sight. miss cathy shrieked and stretched out her arms, as soon as she caught her father's face looking from the window. he descended, nearly as eager as herself: and a considerable interval elapsed ere they had a thought to spare for any but themselves. while they exchanged caresses, i took a peep in to see after linton. he was asleep in a corner, wrapped in a warm, fur-lined cloak, as if it had been winter. a pale, delicate, effeminate boy, who might have been taken for my master's younger brother, so strong was the resemblance: but there was a sickly peevishness in his aspect, that edgar linton never had. the latter saw me looking; and having shaken hands, advised me to close the door, and leave him undisturbed; for the journey had fatigued him. cathy would fain have taken one glance, but her father told her to come on, and they walked together up the park, while i hastened before to prepare the servants.
`now, darling,' said mr linton, addressing his daughter, as they halted at the bottom of the front steps; `your cousin is not so strong or so merry as you are, and he has lost his mother, remember, a very short time since; therefore, don't expect him to play and run about with you directly. and don't harass him much by talking: let him be quiet this evening, at least, will you?'
yes, yes, papa,' answered catherine: `but i do want to see him; and he hasn't once looked out.'
the carriage stopped; and the sleeper being roused, was lifted to the ground by his uncle.
`this is your cousin cathy, linton,' he said, putting their little hands together. `she's fond of you already; and mind you don't grieve her by crying tonight. try to be cheerful now; the travelling is at an end, and you have nothing to do but rest and amuse yourself as you please.'
`let me go to bed, then,' answered the boy, shrinking from catherine's salute; and he put his fingers to his eyes to remove incipient tears.
`come, come, there's a good child,' i whispered, leading him in.
`you'll make her weep too--see how sorry she is for you!'
i do not know whether it were sorrow for him, but his cousin put on as sad a countenance as himself, and returned to her father. all three entered, and mounted to the library, where tea was laid ready. i proceeded to remove linton's cap and mantle, and placed him on a chair by the table; but he was no sooner seated than he began to cry afresh. my master inquired what was the matter.
`i can't sit on a chair,' sobbed the boy.
`go to the sofa, then, and ellen shall bring you some tea, answered his uncle patiently.
he had been greatly tried during the journey, i felt convinced, by his fretful ailing charge. linton slowly trailed himself off, and lay down. cathy carried a footstool and her cup to his side. at first she sat silent; but that could not last: she had resolved to make a pet of her little cousin, as she would have him to be; and she commenced stroking his curls, and kissing his cheek, and offering him tea in her saucer, like a baby. this pleased him, for he was not much better: he dried his eyes, and lightened into a faint smile.
`oh, he'll do very well,' said the master to me, after watching them a minute. `very well, if we can keep him, ellen. the company of a child of his own age will instil new spirit into him soon, and by wishing for strength he'll gain it.'
`ay, if we can keep him!' i mused to myself; and sore misgivings came over me that there was slight hope of that. and then, i thought, however will that weakling live at wuthering heights, between his father and hareton, what playmates and instructors they'll be. our doubts were presently decided even earlier than i expected. i had just taken the children upstairs, after tea was finished, and seen linton asleep--he would not suffer me to leave him till that was the case--i had come down, and was standing by the table in the hall, lighting a bedroom candle for mr edgar, 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 with the master.
`i shall ask him what he wants first,' i said, in considerable trepidation. `a very unlikely hour to be troubling people, and the instant they have returned from a long journey. i don't think the master can see him.'
joseph had advanced through the kitchen as i uttered these words, and now presented himself in the hall. he was donned in his sunday garments, with his most sanctimonious and sourest face, and, holding his hat in one hand and his stick in the other, he proceeded to clean his shoes on the mat.
`good evening, joseph,' i said coldly. `what business brings you here tonight?'
`it's maister linton aw mun spake tull,' he answered, waving me disdainfully aside.
`mr linton is going to bed; unless you have something particular to say, i'm sure he won't hear it now,' i continued. `you had better sit down in there, and entrust your message to me.
`which is his rahm?' pursued the fellow, surveying the range of closed doors.
i perceived he was bent on refusing my mediation, so very reluctantly i went up to the library, and announced the unseasonable visitor, advising that he should be dismissed till next day. mr linton had no time to empower me to do so, for joseph mounted close at my heels, and, pushing into the apartment, planted himself at the far side of the table, with his two fists clapped on the head of his stick, and began in an elevated tone, as if anticipating opposition:
`heathcliff has send me for his lad, and aw munn't goa back 'bout him.'
edgar linton was silent a minute; an expression of exceeding sorrow overcast his features: he would have pitied the child on his own account; but, recalling isabella's hopes and fears, and anxious wishes for her son, and her commendations of him to his care, he grieved bitterly at the prospect of yielding him up, and searched in his heart how it might be avoided. no plan offered itself: the very exhibition of any desire to keep him would have rendered the claimant more peremptory: there was nothing left but to resign him. however, he was not going to rouse him from his sleep.
`tell mr heathcliff,' he answered calmly, `that his son shall come to wuthering heights tomorrow. he is in bed, and too tired to go the distance now. you may also tell him that the mother of linton desired him to remain under my guardianship; and, at present, his health is very precarious.'
`noa!' said joseph, giving a thud with his prop on the floor, and assuming an authoritative air; `noa! that manes nowt. hathecliff maks noa 'cahnt uh t' mother, nur yah norther; bud he'll hev his lad; und aw mun tak him--soa nah yah knaw!'
`you shall not tonight!' answered linton decisively. `walk downstairs at once, and, repeat to your master what i have said. ellen, show him down. go--'
and, aiding the indignant elder with a lift by the arm, he rid the room of him, and closed the door.
`varrah weell!' shouted joseph, as he slowly drew off. `tuhmorn, he's come hisseln, un thrust him aht, if yah darr!'
一封带黑边的信宣布了我的主人的归期。伊莎贝拉死了，他写信来叫我给他的女儿穿上丧服，并且为他年轻的外甥腾出一个房间以及做好其他准备。凯瑟琳一想到要欢迎她父亲回来，就欣喜若狂；而且胡思乱想、极为乐观地猜想她那“真正的”表弟的无数优点。预期他们到达的那个晚上来临了。从一清早起，她就忙着吩咐她自己的琐细事情；现在又穿上她新的黑衣服——可怜的东西！她姑姑的死并没有使她感到明确的悲哀——她时不时地缠住我，硬要我陪她穿过庄园去接他们。
“林惇比我才小六个月，”她喋喋不休地说着，这时候我们在树荫下悠闲地踱过那凹凸不平的草地。“有他作伴一起玩可叫人多高兴啊！伊莎贝拉姑姑给过爸爸一绺他的美丽的头发；比我的头发颜色还浅——更淡黄些，而且也相当细。我已经把它小心地藏在一个小玻璃盒子里了；我常想：要是看见有那种头发的人会是一件多么快乐的事啊。啊，我真高兴——爸爸，亲爱的，亲爱的爸爸！来呀，艾伦，我们跑吧！来呀，快跑！”
她跑着，又转回来，又跑起来，在我的稳重的脚步到达大门以前，她已经跑过好多次，然后她就坐在小径旁边的草地上，试着耐心地等着；但那是不可能的：她连一分钟也不能安定下来。
“他们要多久才来呀！”她叫着。“啊，我看见大路上有点尘土啦——他们来啦！不！他们什么时候到这儿呀？我们不能走一点路吗——半英里，艾伦，就走半英里！说可以吧！就走到转弯地方那丛桦树那儿！”
我坚决拒绝。最后她的悬念结束了；已经看得见长途马车辘辘而来。凯瑟琳一看见她父亲的脸从车窗中向外望，便尖叫一声，伸出她的双臂。他下了车，几乎和她一样的热切；一段相当长的时候，他们除了他们自己以外根本没想到别人。在他们互相拥抱的时候，我偷看了林惇一下。他在车中一个角落睡着，用一件暖和的、镶皮边的外套裹着，好像是过冬似的。一个苍白的、娇滴滴的、柔弱的男孩子，简直可以当我主人的小弟弟：两个人是这么相像：可是在他的相貌上有一种病态的乖僻，那是埃德加·林惇从来没有的。林惇先生瞧见我在望着；他握过手之后，就叫我把车门关上，不要惊扰他，因为这趟旅行已经使他很疲惫了。凯蒂想多看一眼，但是他父亲喊她过来，我在前面忙着招呼仆人，他们就一块走到花园里去了。
“现在，乖，”林惇先生对他的女儿说，他们正停在门前台阶前面，“你的表弟不像你这么健壮，也不像你这么开心，而且，记住，他才失去他的母亲没有多久；因此，别希望他马上就会跟你又玩又跑的。而且也别老是说话惹他烦：至少今天晚上让他安静一下，可以吗？”
“可以，可以，爸爸，”凯瑟琳回答，“可是我真想看看他；
他还没有向外望一下子呢！”
马车停了下来，睡着的人被唤醒了，被他舅舅抱出车外。
“这是你的表姐凯蒂·林惇，”他说，把他们的小手放在一起。“她已经很喜欢你了；你今天晚上可别哭得让她难过。现在要极力高兴起来；旅行已经结束了，你没有什么事要做就歇着，爱怎么就怎么吧。”
“那就让我上床睡觉，”那个男孩子回答，避开凯瑟琳的招呼，退缩着；又用他的手指抹掉开始流出的眼泪。
“得了，得了，是个好孩子嘛，”我低声说着，把他带进去了。“你把她也要惹哭啦——瞧瞧她为了你多么难过呀！”
我不知道是不是为他难过，可是他的表姐跟他一样地哭丧着脸，回到她父亲身边。三个人都进去，上楼到书房里，茶已经摆好在那里了。我就把林惇的帽子和斗篷都脱去，把他安置在桌旁一把椅子上，可是他刚坐定就又哭起来。我的主人问他怎么回事。
“我不能坐在椅子上。”那孩子抽泣着。
“那么，到沙发上去吧，艾伦会给你端茶去的，”他的舅舅耐心地回答。我相信，一路上，他已被他所照顾的、这个易怒的、麻烦人的孩子搞得够受的了。林惇慢慢地拖着脚步走过去，躺下来。凯蒂搬来一个脚凳，拿着自己的茶杯，走到他身边去。起初她沉默地坐在那里；可是没有过很久，她已经决定把她的小表弟当作一个宠儿，她也满心希望他是这样一个宠儿；她就开始抚摸他的卷发，亲他的脸，用她的小茶碟给他端茶，像对待一个婴孩似的。这很讨他喜欢，因为他本来不比婴孩高明多少；他擦干了他的眼睛，现出淡淡的一笑。
“啊，他会过得很好的，”主人注视他们一会之后对我说。
“会过得很好的，只要我们能留住他，艾伦。有个跟他同年龄的孩子作伴，不久就会给他灌输新的精神，而且他要是愿意有力气，也就会得到它的。”
“唉，要是我们能留住他！”我暗自沉思着，一阵痛苦的疑惧涌进我心头，那是很少有希望的。后来，我又想，那个虚弱的东西生活在呼啸山庄，在他的父亲和哈里顿中间，怎么过法呢？他们将是什么样的游伴和教师呢！我们的疑虑马上就成为事实——甚至比我所意料的还来得早些。喝完了茶后，我刚把孩子们带上楼去，看着林惇睡着了——他不准我离开他，一直要等到他睡着——我下了楼，正站在大厅里的桌子旁边，给埃德加先生点上一支到寝室去的蜡烛，这时一个女仆从厨房里走出来，告诉我希刺克厉夫的仆人约瑟夫在门口，要跟主人说话。
“我先问问他要干吗，”我惊慌失措地说。“这时来打扰人很不是时候，他们才经过长途旅行回到家来。我想主人不能见他。”
我说这些话的当儿，约瑟夫已经走过厨房，在大厅里出现了。他穿着他过礼拜日的衣服，绷着他那张伪善透顶的、阴沉的脸，一只手拿着帽子，一只手拿着手杖，他开始在垫子上擦他的皮鞋。
“晚上好，约瑟夫，”我冷冷地说，“你今天晚上来有什么事？”
“我一定要跟林惇少爷说话。”他回答，轻蔑地挥一下手，叫我别管。
“林惇先生要睡了，除非你有特别的事要说，不然我担保他现在不会听的，”我接着说。“你最好先坐在那边，把你的使命告诉我。”
“哪一间是他的屋子？”那个家伙追问着，打量着那一排关着的房门。
我明白他是根本不理睬我的想法，因此我很勉强地走到书房，给这个不合时宜的来访者通报，劝主人让他走，明天再说。林惇先生没有来得及授与我这样作的权利，因为约瑟夫紧跟着我来了，而且，冲进了这屋子，稳稳地站在桌子那边，用两只拳头握住他的手杖顶，开始提高了嗓门讲话，好像是预测到要遭驳斥似的。
“希刺克厉夫叫我来要他的孩子，不带他走，我就不回去。”
埃德加·林惇沉默了一下；一种极度悲哀的表情笼罩了他的脸：为这孩子打算，他只会可怜他；可是，回想起伊莎贝拉的那些希望和恐惧，对于她儿子的热望，以及托孤时的嘱咐，再一想到竟要把他交出去，他难过极了，心中苦苦思索着怎么避免。无计可施：如果显出留住他的愿望，那反而会使索取人要得更坚决。没有别的办法，只能放弃他。然而，他不打算把他从睡梦中唤醒。
“告诉希刺克厉夫先生，”他平静地回答，“他的儿子明天就去呼啸山庄。现在他已经上床了，并且已累得不能再走这么远的路。你也可以告诉他，林惇的母亲希望他由我来照管；
在目前，他的健康情况是很使人担心的。”
“不成！”约瑟夫说，用他的棍子在地板上砰地一戳，装出一种威风凛凛的神气。“不成！没用。希刺克厉夫根本不管那个母亲，也不管你；可是他要他的孩子；我一定得带他走——现在你明白了吧！”
“你今晚不能带走！”林惇坚决地回答。“马上下楼去，把我说的话讲给你主人听，艾伦，把他带下楼去。去——”
他把这愤怒的老头子的膀子一提，就把他拉出门外去，随手关上了门。
“很好！”约瑟夫大叫，这时他慢慢地走出去。“明天他自己来，看你敢不敢把他推出去！”
