Chapter 18

The twelve years, continued Mrs Dean, following that dismal period, were the happiest of my life: my greatest troubles in their passage rose from our little lady's trifling illnesses, which she had to experience in common with all children, rich and poor. For the rest, after the first six months, she grew like a larch, and could walk and talk too, in her own way, before the heath blossomed a second time over Mrs Linton's dust. She was the most winning thing that ever brought sunshine into a desolate house: a real beauty in face, with the Earnshaws' handsome dark eyes, but the Lintons' fair skin and small features, and yellow curling hair. Her spirit was high, though not rough, and qualified by a heart sensitive and lively to excess in its affections. That capacity for intense attachments reminded me of her mother: still she did not resemble her; for she could be soft and mild as a dove, and she had a gentle voice and pensive expression: her anger was never furious; her love never fierce: it was deep and tender. However, it must be acknowledged, she had faults to foil her gifts. A propensity to be saucy was one; and a perverse will, that indulged children invariably acquire, whether they be good-tempered or cross. If a servant chanced to vex her, it was always--`I shall tell papa!' And if he reproved her, even by a look, you would have thought it a heart-breaking business: I don't believe he ever did speak a harsh word to her. He took her education entirely on himself, and made it an amusement. Fortunately, curiosity and a quick intellect urged her into an apt scholar: she learned rapidly and eagerly, and did honour to his teaching.

Till she reached the age of thirteen, she had not once been beyond the range of the park by herself. Mr Linton would take her with him a mile or so outside, on rare occasions; but he trusted her to no one else. Gimmerton was an unsubstantial name in her ears; the chapel, the only building she had approached or entered, except her own home. Wuthering Heights and Mr Heathcliff did not exist for her: she was a perfect recluse; and, apparently, perfectly contented. Sometimes, indeed, while surveying the country from her nursery window, she would observe:

`Ellen, how long will it be before I can walk to the top of those hills? I wonder what lies on the other side--is it the sea?'

`No, Miss Cathy,' I would answer; `it is hills again, just like these.'

`And what are those golden rocks like when you stand under them?' she once asked.

The abrupt descent of Penistone Crags particularly attracted her notice; especially when the setting sun shone on it and the topmost heights, and the whole extent of landscape besides lay in shadow. I explained that they were bare masses of stone, with hardly enough earth in their clefts to nourish a stunted tree.

`And why are they bright so long after it is evening here?' she pursued.

`Because they are a great deal higher up than we are,' replied I; `you could not climb them, they are too high and steep. In winter the frost is always there before it comes to us; and deep into summer I have found snow under that black hollow on the north-east side!'

`Oh, you have been on them!' she cried gleefully. `Then I can go, too, when I am a woman. Has papa been, Ellen?'

`Papa would tell you, miss,' I answered hastily, `that they are not worth the trouble of visiting. The moors, where you ramble with him, are much nicer; and Thrushcross Park is the finest place in the world.'

`But I know the park, and I don't know those,' she murmured to herself. `And I should delight to look round me from the brow of that tallest point: my little pony Minny shall take me some time.'

One of the maids mentioning the Fairy Cave, quite turned her head with a desire to fulfil this project: she teased Mr Linton about it; and he promised she should have the journey when she got older. But Miss Catherine measured her age by months, and, `Now, am I old enough to go to Penistone Crags?' was the constant question in her mouth. The road thither wound close by Wuthering Heights. Edgar had not the heart to pass it; so she received as constantly the answer, `Not yet, love: not yet.

I said Mrs Heathcliff lived above a dozen years after quitting her husband. Her family were of a delicate constitution: she and Edgar both lacked the ruddy health that you will generally meet in these parts. What her last illness was, I am not certain: I conjecture, they died of the same thing, a kind of fever, slow at its commencement, but incurable, and rapidly consuming life to wards the close. She wrote to inform her brother of the probable conclusion of a four months' indisposition under which she had suffered, and entreated him to come to her, if possible; for she had much to settle, and she wished to bid him adieu, and deliver Linton safely into his hands. Her hope was, that Linton might be left with him, as he had been with her: his father, she would fain convince herself, had no desire to assume the burden of his maintenance or education. My master hesitated not a moment in complying with her request: reluctant as he was to leave home at ordinary calls, he flew to answer this; commending Catherine to my peculiar vigilance, in his absence, with reiterated orders that she must not wander out of the park, even under my escort: he did not calculate on her going unaccompanied.

He was away three weeks. The first day or two, my charge sat in a corner of the library, too sad for either reading or playing: in that quiet state she caused me little trouble; but it was succeeded by an interval of impatient fretful weariness; and being too busy, and too old then, to run up and down amusing her, I hit on a method by which she might entertain herself. I used to send her on her travels round the grounds--now on foot, and now on a pony; indulging her with a patient audience of all her real and imaginary adventures, when she returned.

The summer shone in full prime; and she took such a taste for this solitary rambling that she often contrived to remain out from breakfast till tea; and then the evenings were spent in recounting her fanciful tales. I did not fear her breaking bounds; because the gates were generally locked, and I thought she would scarcely venture forth alone, if they had stood wide open. Unluckily, my confidence proved misplaced. Catherine came to me, one morning, at eight o'clock, and said she was that day an Arabian merchant, going to cross the desert with his caravan; and I must give her plenty of provision for herself and beasts: a horse, and three camels, personated by a large hound and a couple of pointers. I got together good store of dainties, and slung them in a basket on one side of the saddle; and she sprang up as gay as a fairy, sheltered by her wide-brimmed hat and gauze veil from the July sun, and trotted off with a merry laugh, mocking my cautious counsel to avoid galloping, and come back early. The naughty thing never made her appearance at tea. One traveller, the hound, being an old dog and fond of its ease, returned; but neither Cathy, nor the pony, nor the two pointers were visible in any direction: I dispatched emissaries down this path, and that path, and at last went wandering in search of her myself. There was a labourer working at a fence round a plantation, on the borders of the grounds. I inquired of him if he had seen our young lady.

`I saw her at morn,' he replied; `she would have me to cut her a hazel switch, and then she leapt her Galloway over the hedge yonder, where it is lowest, and galloped out of sight.'

You may guess how I felt at hearing this news. It struck me directly she must have started for Penistone Crags. `What will become of her?' I ejaculated, pushing through a gap which the man was repairing, and making straight to the high road. I walked as if for a wager, mile after mile, till a turn brought me in view of the Heights; but no Catherine could I detect far or near. The Crags lie about a mile and a half beyond Mr Heathcliff's place, and that is four from the Grange, so I began to fear night would fall ere I could reach them. `And what if she should have slipped in clambering among them?' I reflected, `and been killed, or broken some of her bones?' My suspense was truly painful; and, at first, it gave me delightful relief to observe, in hurrying by the farmhouse, Charlie, the fiercest of the pointers, lying under a window, with swelled head and bleeding ear. I opened the wicket and ran to the door, knocking vehemently for admittance. A woman whom I knew, and who formerly lived at Gimmerton, answered: she had been servant there since the death of Mr Earnshaw.

`Ah,' said she, `you are come a seeking your little mistress! don't be frightened. She's here safe: but I'm glad it isn't the master.'

`He is not at home then, is he?' I panted, quite breathless with quick walking and alarm.

`No, no,' she replied: `both he and Joseph are off, and I think they won't return this hour or more. Step in and rest you a bit.'

I entered, and beheld my stray lamb seated on the hearth, rocking herself in a little chair that had been her mother's when a child. Her hat was hung against the wall, and she seemed perfectly at home, laughing and chattering, in the best spirits imaginable, to Hareton--now a great, strong lad of eighteen--who stared at her with considerable curiosity and astonishment: comprehending precious little of the fluent succession of remarks and questions which her tongue never ceased pouring forth.

`Very well, miss!' I exclaimed, concealing my joy under an angry countenance. `This is your last ride, till papa comes back. I'll not trust you over the threshold again, you naughty, naughty girl!'

`Aha, Ellen!' she cried gaily, jumping up and running to my side. `I shall have a pretty story to tell tonight: and so you've found me out. Have you ever been here in your life before?'

`Put that hat on, and home at once,' said I. `I'm dreadfully grieved at you, Miss Cathy: you've done extremely wrong. It's no use pouting and crying: that won't repay the trouble I've had, scouring the country after you. To think how Mr Linton charged me to keep you in; and you stealing off so! it shows you are a, cunning little fox, and nobody will put faith in you any more.

`What have I done?' sobbed she, instantly checked. `Papa charged me nothing: he'll not scold me, Ellen--he's never cross, like you!'

`Come, come!' I repeated. `I'll tie the riband. Now, let us have no petulance. Oh, for shame! You thirteen years old, and such a baby!'

This exclamation was caused by her pushing the hat from her head, and retreating to the chimney out of my reach.

`Nay,' said the servant, `don't be hard on the bonny lass, Mrs Dean. We made her stop: she'd fain have ridden forwards, afeard you should be uneasy. But Hareton offered to go with her, and I thought he should: it's a wild road over the hills.'

Hareton, during the discussion, stood with his hands in his pockets, too awkward to speak; though he looked as if he did not relish my intrusion.

`How long am I to wait?' I continued, disregarding the woman's interference. `It will be dark in ten minutes. Where is the pony, Miss Cathy? And where is Phoenix? I shall leave you, unless you be quick; so please yourself.'

`The pony is in the yard,' she replied, `and Phoenix is shut in there. He's bitten--and so is Charlie. I was going to tell you all about it; but you are in a bad temper, and don't deserve to hear.'

I picked up her hat, and approached to reinstate it; but perceiving that the people of the house took her part, she commenced capering round the room; and on my giving chase, ran like a mouse over and under and behind the furniture, rendering it ridiculous for me to pursue. Hareton and the woman laughed, and she joined them, and waxed more impertinent still; till I cried, in great irritation:

`Well, Miss Cathy, if you were aware whose house this is, you'd be glad enough to get out.

`It's your father's, isn't it?' said she, turning to Hareton. `Nay,' he replied, looking down, and blushing bashfully.

He could not stand a steady gaze from her eyes, though they were just his own.

`Whose then--your master's?' she asked.

He coloured deeper, with a different feeling, muttered an oath, and turned away.

`Who is his master?' continued the tiresome girl, appealing to me. `He talked about ``our house'', and ``our folk''. I thought he had been the owner's son. And he never said, Miss; he should have done, shouldn't he, if he's a servant?'

Hareton grew black as a thunder cloud, at this childish speech. I silently shook my questioner, and at last succeeded in equipping her for departure.

`Now, get my horse,' she said, addressing her unknown kinsman as she would one of the stable-boys at the Grange. `And you may come with me. I want to see where the goblin-hunter rises in the marsh, and to hear about the fairishes, as you call them: but make haste! What's the matter? Get my horse, I say.

`I'll see thee damned before I be thy servant!' growled the lad. `You'll see me what?' asked Catherine in surprise. `Damned--thou saucy witch!' he replied.

`There, Miss Cathy! you see you have got into pretty company, I interposed. `Nice words to be used to a young lady! Pray don't begin to dispute with him. Come, let us seek for Minny ourselves, and begone.'

`But, Ellen,' cried she, staring, fixed in astonishment, `how dare he speak so to me? Mustn't he be made to do as I ask him? You wicked creature, I shall tell papa what you said.--Now, then!'

Hareton did not appear to feel this threat; so the tears sprang into her eyes with indignation. `You bring the pony,' she exclaimed, turning to the woman, `and let my dog free this moment!'

`Softly, miss,' answered the addressed: `you'll lose nothing by being civil. Though Mr Hareton, there, be not the master's son, he's your cousin; and I was never hired to serve you.'

`He my cousin!' cried Cathy, with a scornful laugh. `Yes, indeed,' responded her reprover.

`Oh, Ellen! don't let them say such things,' she pursued, in great trouble. `Papa is gone to fetch my cousin from London: my cousin is a gentleman's son. That my'--she stopped, and wept outright; upset at the bare notion of relationship with such a clown.

`Hush, hush!' I whispered, `people can have many cousins, and of all sorts, Miss Cathy, without being any the worse for it; only they needn't keep their company, if they be disagreeable and bad.'

`He's not--he's not my cousin, Ellen!' she went on, gathering fresh grief from reflection, and flinging herself into my arms for refuge from the idea.

I was much vexed at her and the servant for their mutual revelations; having no doubt of Linton's approaching arrival, communicated by the former, being reported to Mr Heathcliff; and feeling as confident that Catherine's first thought on her father's return, would be to seek an explanation of the latter's assertion concerning her rude-bred kindred. Hareton, recovering from his disgust at being taken for a servant, seemed moved by her distress; and, having fetched the pony round to the door, he took, to propitiate her, a fine crooked-legged terrier whelp from the kennel, and putting it into her hand bid her wisht! for he meant nought. Pausing in her lamentations, she surveyed him with a glance of awe and horror, then burst forth anew.

I could scarcely refrain from smiling at this antipathy to the poor fellow; who was a well-made, athletic youth, good-looking in features, and stout and healthy, but attired in garments befitting his daily occupations of working on the farm, and lounging among the moors after rabbits and game. Still, I thought I could detect in his physiognomy a mind owning better qualities than his father ever possessed. Good things lost amid a wilderness of weeds, to be sure, whose rankness far overtopped their neglected growth; yet, notwithstanding, evidence of a wealthy soil, that might yield luxuriant crops under other and favourable circumstances. Mr Heathcliff, I believe, had not treated him physically ill, thanks to his fearless nature, which offered no temptation to that course of oppression: it had none of the timid susceptibility that would have given zest to ill-treatment, in Heathcliff's judgment. He appeared to have bent his malevolence on making him a brute: he was never taught to read or write; never rebuked for any bad habit which did not annoy his keeper; never led a single step towards virtue, or guarded by a single precept against vice. And from what I heard, Joseph contributed much to his deterioration, by a narrow-minded partiality which prompted him to flatter and pet him, as a boy, because he was the head of the old family. And as he had been in the habit of accusing Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, when children, of putting the master past his patience, and compelling him to seek solace in drink by what he termed their `offalld ways', so at present he laid the whole burden of Hareton's faults on the shoulders of the usurper of his property. If the lad swore, he wouldn't correct him: nor however culpably he behaved. It gave Joseph satisfaction, apparently, to watch him go the worst lengths: he allowed that he was ruined: that his soul was abandoned to perdition; but then, he reflected that Heathcliff must answer for it. Hareton's blood would be required at his hands; and there lay immense consolation in that thought. Joseph had instilled into him a pride of name, and of his lineage; he would, had he dared, have fostered hate between him and the present owner of the Heights: but his dread of that owner amounted to superstition; and he confined his feelings regarding him to muttered innuendoes and private comminations. I don't pretend to be intimately acquainted with the mode of living customary in those days at Wuthering Heights: I only speak from hearsay; for I saw little. The villagers affirmed Mr Heathcliff was near, and a cruel hard landlord to his tenants; but the house, inside, had regained its ancient aspect of comfort under female management, and the scenes of riot common in Hindley's time were not now enacted within its walls. The master was too gloomy to seek companionship with any people, good or bad; and he is yet.

This, however, is not making progress with my story. Miss Cathy rejected the peace offering of the terrier, and demanded her own dogs, Charlie and Phoenix. They came limping, and hanging their heads; and we set out for home, sadly out of sorts, every one of us. I could not wring from my little lady how she had spent the day; except that, as I supposed, the goal of her pilgrimage was Penistone Crags; and she arrived without adventure to the gate of the farmhouse, when Hareton happened to issue forth, attended by some canine followers, who attacked her train. They had a smart battle, before their owners could separate them: that ormed an introduction. Catherine told Hareton who she was, nd where she was going; and asked him to show her the way: finally, beguiling him to accompany her. He opened the mysteries of the Fairy Cave, and twenty other queer places. But, being in disgrace, I was not favoured with a description of the interesting objects she saw. I could gather, however, that her guide had been a favourite till she hurt his feelings by addressing him as a servant; and Heathcliffs housekeeper hurt hers by calling him her cousin. Then the language he had held to her rankled in her heart; she who was always `love', and `darling', and `queen', and `angel', with everybody at the Grange, to be insulted so shockingly by a stranger! She did not comprehend it; and hard work I had to obtain a promise that she would not lay the grievance before her father. I explained how he objected to the whole household at the Heights, and how sorry he would be to find she had been there; but I insisted most on the fact, that if she revealed my negligence of his orders, he would perhaps be so angry, that I should have to leave; and Cathy couldn't bear that prospect: she pledged her word, and kept it, for my sake. After all, she was a sweet little girl.

那悲惨时期以后的十二年是我一生中最快乐的时期，丁太太接着说下去。在那些年里我最大的烦恼也只是我们小姐生些无所谓的小毛病，这是她和所有的孩子，无论贫富，都得经历的。其余的时候呢，她在落地六个月之后，就像一棵落叶松似的长大起来，而且在林惇夫人墓上的野草第二次开花以前，她就以她自己的方式走路和说话了。她是把阳光带到一所凄凉的房子里的最讨人喜欢的小东西——脸是真正的美，有着恩萧家的漂亮的黑眼睛，却又有林惇家的细白皮肤、秀气的相貌和黄色的鬈发。她的兴致总是很高，可并不粗鲁，配上一颗在感情上过度敏感和活跃的心。那种对人极亲热的态度使我想起了她的母亲；可是她并不像她；因为她能像鸽子一样的温顺驯良，而且她有柔和的声音和深思的表情。她的愤怒从来不是狂暴的；她的爱也从来不是炽烈的，而是深沉、温柔的。可是必须承认她也有缺点来衬托她的优点。莽撞的性子是一个；还有倔强的意志，这是被娇惯的孩子们一定有的，不论他们脾气好坏。要是一个仆人碰巧惹她生气了，她总是说，“我要告诉爸爸！”要是他责备了她，就是瞅她一下吧，你会以为那是件令人的心碎的事哩：我不相信谁会对她粗声粗气。他完全由自己来教育她，以此作为一种乐事。幸亏好奇心和聪慧使她成为一个好学生，她学得又快又热心，这也给他的教学添了光彩。

她长到十三岁，也没有独自出过庄园一次。林惇先生偶尔也会带她到外面走一哩来路；可是他不把她交给别人。在她耳中吉默吞是一个虚幻的名字；除了她自己的家之外，礼拜堂是她走近或进去过的唯一建筑物。呼啸山庄和希刺克厉夫先生对她来说，是不存在的；她是一个道地的隐居者；而且，她显然也已很知足了。有时候从她的育儿室的窗子向外眺望乡间时，的确，她也会注意的：

“艾伦，我还要多久才能走到那些山顶上去呢？不知道山那边是什么——是海吗？”

“不，凯蒂小姐，”我就回答说，“那还是山，就跟这些一样。”

“当你站在那些金色的石头底下的时候，它们是什么样的呢，”有一次她问。

盘尼斯吞岩的陡坡特别引起了她的注意；尤其是当落日照在岩石上和最高峰，而其余的整个风景都藏在阴影中的时候。我就解释说那些只是一大堆石头，石头缝里的土都不够养活一棵矮树的。

“为什么在这儿黄昏过后很久，那些石头还挺亮呢？”她追问着。

“因为它们那里比我们这儿高多了，”我回答，“你不能往那儿爬上去，那儿太高太陡了。在冬天那儿总是比我们这里先下霜；盛夏时，在东北面那个黑洞里我还发现过雪哩！”

“啊，你已经去过啦！”她高兴得叫起来。“那么等我成了大人的时候我也可以去啦。艾伦，爸爸去过没有？”

“爸爸会告诉你，小姐，”我急忙回答，“说那地方是不值得跑去玩的。你和他溜达的那片旷野要比那儿好得多，而且画眉园林是世界上最好的地方。”

“画眉园林我知道，可那些地方我还不知道哩，”她自言自语地说，“我要是从那个最高峰的边上向四周望望，我一定会很高兴的——我的小马敏妮总会有一天带我去的。”

有个女仆提起了仙人洞，这大大地打动了她的心，就想实现这个打算，她硬要林惇先生答应这件事，他答应她稍微长大点时可以去一趟。而凯瑟琳小姐是用月份来计算她的年龄的，“现在，我去盘尼斯吞岩够不够大啦？”这是常挂在她嘴边的问话。到那边的路曲折蜿蜒，紧靠呼啸山庄。埃德加不想经过那里，所以她常常得到的这个回答是，“还不行，宝贝儿，还不行。”

我说过希刺克厉夫夫人在离开她的丈夫以后还活了十二年左右。她一家都是体质脆弱的人：她和埃德加都缺乏你在这一带地方常可以见到的健康的血色。她最后得的是什么病，我不大清楚，我猜想他们是因同样的病而死去的，即一种热病，病起时发展缓慢，可是无法医治，而在最后很快地耗尽了生命。她写信告诉她哥哥说她病了四个月，会可能有什么样的结果，并且恳求他如果可能的话，到她那儿去；因为她有许多事需要处理，而且她希望和他诀别，并把林惇安全地交到他手里。她的希望是把林惇交给他，就像他从前和她在一起一样；她自己也情愿相信，这孩子的父亲根本不想担起抚养和教育他的义务。我的主人毫不犹豫地答应了她的请求。为了一般的事他是不情愿离家的，这次他却飞快地去了；他把凯瑟琳交给我，要我特别照应，反复嘱咐着，说他不在家，就是有我陪着，也不能让她游荡到园林外面去：至于她没有人陪着就出门，那他连想都没想过。

他走了有三个星期。头一两天我所负责照顾的小家伙坐在书房的一个角落里，难过得既不读书也不玩，在那样安静的情况中她并没给我添什么麻烦。可是跟着就是一阵烦躁的厌倦；而且我忙了，也太老了，不能跑上跑下的逗着她玩，我就想出一个办法让她自己娱乐。我总是叫她出去走走——有时走路，有时骑匹小马。等她回来的时候，我就作一个耐心的听众，随着她的性子叙述那一切真实的和想象的冒险。

正是盛夏季节；她是那样地喜欢自己游荡，经常是在吃罢早饭到吃茶这段时间想法在外面留连；到晚上就讲她的荒诞离奇的故事。我并不怕她越出界外，因为大门总是锁住的，而且我以为就是门大开着的话，她也不敢一个人贸然而去。不幸，我把信任放错了地方。有一天早晨八点钟的时候，凯瑟琳找我来了，说这天她作为一个阿拉伯商人，要带着她的旅队过沙漠；我得给她充分的食粮，为她自己和牲口用：就是一匹马和三只骆驼，那三只骆驼是以一只大猎狗和一对小猎狗来代表。我搞了一大堆好吃的，都扔到马鞍边上挂着的一只篮子里；她像个仙女似的快活得跳起来，她的宽边帽子和面纱遮着七月的太阳，她嘲笑着我要她谨慎小心：不要骑得太快和还要早些回来的劝告，就欢快地大笑着骑了马飞奔而去了。这顽皮的东西到吃茶时还没露面。不过其中有一个旅行者，就是那只大猎狗，那只喜欢舒服的老狗，倒回来了；可是不论是凯瑟琳、小马，或是那两只小猎狗都没有一点影子，我赶紧派人顺着这条路寻，那条路找，最后我自己去找她。在庄园边上有个工人在一块林地四周筑篱笆。我问他瞧见我们小姐没有？

“我是在早上看见她的，”他回答着，“她要我给她砍一根榛木枝，后来她就骑着她的小马跳过那边矮篱，跑得没影了。”

你可以猜想到我听了这个消息时的感觉如何。我马上想到她一定动身到盘尼斯吞岩去了。“她会遇上什么啊？”我突然喊叫起来，冲过那个人正在修补的一个裂口，直往大路跑去。我好像是去下赌注似的走着，走了一哩又一哩，后来转一个弯，我望见了那山庄；可是不论远近我都瞧不见凯瑟琳。山岩距离希刺克厉夫的住处一哩半，离田庄倒有四哩，所以我开始担心我到那儿之前，夜晚就要降临了。

“要是她在那边攀登岩石时滑了下来呢，”我想着，“要是跌死了，或者跌断了骨头呢？”我的悬念真是很痛苦的；当我慌慌忙忙地经过农舍时，看到那最凶猛的猎狗查理正在窗子下面卧着，它的头肿了，耳朵流着血，我这才开始放心。我跑到房子门前，拚命敲门要进去。我所认识的从前住在吉默吞的一个女人来开门了：自从恩萧死后她就是那儿的女仆。

“啊，”她说，“你是来找你的小姐吧！别害怕。她在这儿很平安；我很高兴原来不是主人回来。”

“那么他不在家了，是不是？”我喘息着说，因为走得快，又太惊慌，使我上气不接下气。

“不在家，不在家。”她回答，“他和约瑟夫都出去了。我想这一个多钟头还不会回来的。进来歇一会儿吧。”

我进去了，看见我的迷途的羔羊坐在火炉边，坐在她母亲小时候的一把椅子上摇来摇去。她的帽子挂在墙上，她显得十分自在，对哈里顿边笑边谈，兴致要多好有多好。哈里顿——现在已经是一个十八岁的强壮的大孩子——他带着极大的好奇和惊愕的神情瞪着她看；她口若悬河，滔滔不绝地又说又问，他所能领会的却是微乎其微。

“好呀，小姐！”我叫着，装出一副愤怒的面容来掩饰自己的兴奋。“在爸爸回来之前，这可是你最后一次骑马了。我再也不能相信你，放你跨出门口了，你这淘气的、淘气的姑娘！”

“啊哈，艾伦！”她欢欢喜喜地叫着，跳起来跑到我身边。

“今天晚上我可有个好听的故事给你讲哩——你到底找到我啦。你这辈子来过这里吗？”

“戴上帽子，马上回家，”我说。“我为你非常非常难过，凯蒂小姐：你犯了极大的错误。撅嘴和哭都没有用，那也补不上我吃的苦，就为找你，我跑遍了这乡间。想想林惇先生怎么嘱咐我把你关在家里来着，可你就这么溜啦！这表明你是一个狡猾的小狐狸，没有人会再信任你啦！”

“我作了什么啦？”她啜泣起来，又马上忍住了。“爸爸并没嘱咐我什么——他不会骂我的，艾伦——他从来不像你这样发脾气！”

“得了，得了！”我又说。“我来系好帽带。现在，我们都别闹别扭啦。啊，多羞呀，你都十三岁啦，还这样像个小毛孩似的！”

这句话是因为她把帽子推开，退到烟囱那边，使我抓不到她，这才叫出来的。

“别，”那女仆说，“丁太太，对这个漂亮的小姑娘别这么凶吧。是我们叫她停下来的。她想骑马向前去，又怕你不放心。可是哈里顿提议陪她去，我想他应该的。山上的路是很荒凉的。”

在这段谈话中间，哈里顿就这么双手插在口袋里站着，窘得说不出话来；不过看样子好像他并不愿意我闯进来似的。

“我还得等多久呢？”我接着说，不顾那个女人的干涉。

“十分钟内就要天黑了。小马呢，凯蒂小姐，‘凤凰’呢？你再不快点，我都要丢下你啦。随你的便吧。”

“小马在院子里，”她回答，“‘凤凰’关在那边。它被咬了——查理也是。我本来要告诉你这是怎么回事的；可是你发脾气，不配听。”

我拿起她的帽子，走上前想再给她戴上；可是她看出来那房子里的人都站在她那边，她开始在屋子里乱跑起来；我一追她，她就像个耗子似的在家具上面跳过，上上下下地跑着，弄得我这样追逐她都显得滑稽了。哈里顿和那个女人都大笑起来，她也跟他们笑，变得更无礼了；直到我极为恼怒地大叫：

“好吧，凯蒂小姐，要是你知道这是谁的房子，你就会巴望着出去啦。”

“那是你父亲的，不是吗？”她转身向哈里顿说。

“不是，”他回答，眼睛瞅着地，脸臊得通红。

他受不了她紧盯着他的目光，虽然那双眼睛活像他的。

“那么，谁的——你主人的吗？”她问。

他的脸更红了，情绪全然不同了，低声咒骂一句，便转过身去。

“他的主人是谁？”这烦人的姑娘又问我，“他说，‘我们的房子’和‘我们家人’，我还以为他是房主的儿子哩。而他又一直没叫我小姐；他应该这样作的，如果他是个仆人，他是不是应该？”

哈里顿听了这一套孩子气的话，脸像阴云一般黑。我悄悄地摇摇我的质问者，总算使她准备走了。

“现在，把我的马牵来吧，”她对她的不认识的亲戚说，像是她在田庄时对一个马夫说话似的。“你可以跟我一道去。我想看看沼泽地里‘猎妖者’在那里出现，还要听听你说的‘小仙’。可要快点，怎么啦？我说，把我的马牵来。”

“在我还没作你的仆人之前，我可要先看你下地狱！”那个男孩子吼起来。

“你要看我什么？”凯瑟琳莫名其妙地问道。

“下地狱——你这无礼的妖精！”他回答。

“好啦，凯瑟琳小姐！你瞧你已经找到个好伴啦，”我插嘴说。“对一个小姐用这样的好话！求你别跟他争辩吧。来，让我们自己找敏妮去，走吧。”

“可是，艾伦，”她喊着，瞪着眼，惊愕不已，“他怎么敢这样跟我说话呢！我叫他作事他不就得作吗？你这坏东西，我要把你说的话都告诉爸爸——好啦！”

看来哈里顿对于这威吓并不感觉什么；于是她气得眼泪都涌到眼睛里来了。“你把马牵来。”她又转身对那女仆大叫，“马上把我的狗也放出来！”

“和气些，小姐，”那女仆回答，“你有礼貌些也没有什么损失。虽然那位哈里顿先生不是主人的儿子，他可是你的表哥哩：而且我也不是雇来伺候你的。”

“他，我的表哥！”凯瑟琳叫着，讥嘲地大笑一声。

“是的，的确是。”斥责她的人回答。

“啊，艾伦！别让他们说这些话，”她接着说，极为苦恼。

“爸爸到伦敦接我表弟去了，我的表弟是一个上等人的儿子。那个我的——”她停住了，大声哭起来；想到和这样的一个粗人有亲戚关系，大为沮丧。

“别吭气啦，别吭气啦！”我低声说，“人可以有好多表亲，各种各样的表亲，凯瑟琳小姐，也不见得就怎么糟糕；要是他们不合适或者坏的话就不和他们在一起好了。”

“他不是——他不是我的表哥，艾伦！”她接着说，想了想，又添了新的悲哀，便投到我的怀里想逃避那个念头。

我听见她和那女仆互相泄露了消息，十分心烦；我毫不怀疑前者传出的林惇即将到来的消息一定要报告到希刺克厉夫先生那里去的；我同样相信凯瑟琳等她父亲回来后第一个念头，就是要他解释那女仆所说的关于她和那个粗野的亲戚的关系。哈里顿已经从他那被误认为仆人的憎恶感觉中恢复过来，似乎已经被她的悲哀所动；他把小马牵到门前后，为了向她表示和解，又把一只很好的弯腿小猎狗从窠里拿出来，放在她的手里，让她安静些，因为他并无恶意。她不再哀哭，用一种惧怕的眼光打量他，跟着又重新哭起来。

看见她对这可怜的孩子那么不能相容，我简直忍不住要笑；这孩子是一个身材匀称的健壮青年，面貌也挺好看，魁伟而健康，只是穿的衣服是宜于在田里干活和在旷野里追逐兔子和打猎之类的普通衣服。然而我想仍然能够在他的相貌中看出他有一颗比他父亲所具有的品质好得多的心。好东西埋没在一片荒草中，当然野草蔓生以后，就盖过了它们的不被重视的成长；但是，尽管如此，既已证明是一块肥沃的土地，在其他有利的情况下，它就会有丰富的收成。我相信希刺克厉夫先生在肉体上不曾虐待过他；多亏他有无所畏惧的天性，而那样的天性是不会诱使人家对他施以压迫的；根据希刺克厉夫判断，他没有那种引起虐待狂的怯懦的敏感。希刺克厉夫把他的恶意用到要把他培养成一个粗野的人，从来没人教他念书或写字；凡是不骚扰他主人的任何坏习惯就从来没有被斥责过；从来没有人领他向美德走一步，或者从来没有一句斥责恶行的教诲。据我所听到的，他之所以变坏，约瑟夫出力不少，出于一种狭隘的偏爱，约瑟夫在他还是小孩的时候就捧他，娇惯他，因为他是这古老家庭的主人。以前他就一向习惯于责骂小时候的凯瑟琳、恩萧与希刺克厉夫，吵得老主人失去耐心，数说他所谓的他们的“可怕的行为”，逼得老主人借酒浇愁，现在他又把哈里顿的错误的责任完全放在夺取他的家产的人的肩上。若是这孩子骂粗话，他也不纠正他：无论他作出什么应该加以责备的事，他也不管。显然，看着他坏到顶点，约瑟夫就感到挺满足：他承认这孩子是毁了；他的灵魂必遭沉沦；但是他又想到这得由希刺克厉夫负责。哈里顿的冤仇必报；这么一想不禁感到极大的安慰。约瑟夫给他注入了一种对于姓氏门第的骄傲；如果他有胆量的话，他就要培养他和现在山庄的新主人之间的仇恨了；但是他对于新主人的害怕已近于迷信；他只好把对于新主人的感觉仅在低声讽刺和偷偷诅咒中表现出来。我不能假装很熟悉那些日子里呼啸山庄中的日常生活方式：我只是听说：因为我见到的很少。村里人都断言希刺克厉夫很“吝啬”，而且对于他的佃户，是一个残酷无情的地主；但是房子里边却因女性的安排而恢复了从前的舒适。辛德雷时代常有的骚乱情形如今在屋内是不再扮演的了。主人过去是阴郁得无法和任何人来往的；不论是好人或坏人；他现在仍然如此。

看我扯到哪儿去了。凯蒂小姐不要那猎狗，那作为求和的礼物，她要她自己的狗，“查理”和“凤凰”。他们一跛一跛地垂着头来了；我们就出发回家，一个个垂头丧气。我不能从我小姐口中盘问出她是怎么消磨这一天的；我猜想，她这一番历程的目标是盘尼斯吞岩；她一路平安地到达农舍的门前，哈里顿恰巧出来，后面跟着几只狗，它们就袭击了她的行列，在它们的主人能把它们分开之前，一定是打了一场出色的仗，就这样他们互相介绍，结识了。凯瑟琳告诉哈里顿她是谁，她要到哪儿去；并且请他指给她走哪条路：最后诱惑他陪她去。他把仙人洞的秘密以及二十个其他的怪诞地方全揭开了。但是，我已经失宠，没法听她把她所看见的有趣的东西描述一番。无论如何，我可以猜测出来她的向导曾得过她的欢心，这一直维持到她把他叫做仆人，伤了他的感情；而希刺克厉夫的管家又说他是她的表兄，也伤了她的感情。然后他对她所使用的语言又刺痛了她的心；在田庄，每一个人总是叫她“爱”，“宝贝儿”，“皇后”，“天使”，现在她却被一个陌生人如此骇人地侮辱了！她不能理解这个；我费了好大劲才使她答应她不告到她父亲那儿去。我解释他是多么讨厌山庄那边的全家！他要知道了她去过那里，他又将多么难过；可是我再三申说的一件事，就是如果她说出我忽视了他的命令，他也许会愤怒得非让我走不可；凯蒂受不了那种设想：她誓守诺言，为了我的缘故而保守秘密。毕竟，她是一个可爱的小姑娘。