Well, Mr. Lockwood, I argued and complained, and flatly refused him fifty times; but in the long run he forced me to an agreement. I engaged to carry a letter from him to my mistress; and should she consent, I promised to let him have intelligence of Lintons next absence from home, when he might come, and get in as he was able: I wouldnt be there, and my fellow-servants should be equally out of the way. Was it right or wrong? I thought I prevented another explosion by my compliance; and I thought, too, it might create a favourable crisis in Catherines mental illness: and then I remembered Mr. Edgars stern rebuke of my carrying tales; and I tried to smooth away all disquietude on the subject, by affirming, with frequent iteration, that that betrayal of trust, if it merited so harsh an appellation, should be the last. Notwithstanding, my journey homeward was sadder than my journey thither; and many misgivings I had, ere I could prevail on myself to put the missive into Mrs. Lintons hand.
But here is Kenneth; Ill go down, and tell him how much better you are. My history is dree, as we say, and will serve to while away another morning.
Dree, and dreary! I reflected as the good woman descended to receive the doctor: and not exactly of the kind which I should have chosen to amuse me. But never mind! Ill extract wholesome medicines from Mrs. Deans bitter herbs; and firstly, let me beware of the fascination that lurks in Catherine Heathcliffs brilliant eyes. I should be in a curious taking if I surrendered my heart to that young person, and the daughter turned out a second edition of the mother.
CHAPTER XV
Another week over-and I am so many days nearer health, and spring! I have now heard all my neighbours history, at different sittings, as the housekeeper could spare time from more important occupations. Ill continue it in her own words, only a little condensed. She is, on the whole, a very fair narrator, and I dont think I could improve her style.
In the evening, she said, the evening of my visit to the Heights, I knew, as well as if I saw him, that Mr. Heathcliff was about the place; and I shunned going out, because I still carried his letter in my pocket, and didnt want to be threatened or teased any more. I had made up my mind not to give it till my master went somewhere, as I could not guess how its receipt would affect Catherine click here for info. The consequence was, that it did not reach her before the lapse of three days. The fourth was Sunday, and I brought it into her room after the family were gone to church. There was a man servant left to keep the house with me, and we generally made a practice of locking the doors during the hours of service; but on that occasion the weather was so warm and pleasant that I set them wide open, and, to fulfil my engagement, as I knew who would be coming, I told my companion that the mistress wished very much for some oranges, and he must run over to the village and get a few, to be paid for on the morrow. He departed, and I went upstairs.
Her appearance was altered, as I had told Heathcliff; but when she was calm, there seemed unearthly beauty in the change
Mrs. Linton sat in a loose white dress, with a light shawl over her shoulders, in the recess of the open window, as usual. Her thick, long hair had been partly removed at the beginning of her illness, and now she wore it simply combed in its natural tresses over her temples and neck. The flash of her eyes had been succeeded by a dreamy and melancholy softness; they no longer gave the impression of looking at the objects around her: they appeared always to gaze beyond, and far beyond-you would have said out of this world. Then, the paleness of her face-its haggard aspect having vanished as she recovered flesh-and the peculiar expression arising from her mental state, though painfully suggestive of their causes, added to the touching interest which she awakened; and-invariably to me, I know, and to any person who saw her, I should think-refuted more tangible proofs of convalescence, and stamped her as one doomed to decay.
