06 Heathcliff disappears

6 Heathcliff disappears
　　1778—9 Hindley came into the kitchen，swearing terribly，just as I was about to hide little Hareton，in a cupboard．I was always afraid that Hindley would hurt his small son，either by accident or on purpose，when he was drunk，so I tried to keep Hareton out of the way．But this time Hindley discovered my plan．
　　‘Ah，you keep my son in a cupboard，do you！’he cried angrily，picking up a sharp kitchen knife．‘With the devil's help I'll make you swallow this，Ellen！’And he pushed the knife between my teeth．
　　I was never afraid he would hurt me，and calmly took the knife out of my mouth．
　　‘But that can't be my son，can it？’he continued aggressively，staring at the frightened littlebboy．‘If it is，he should be punished for not running to greet his father．Perhaps I'll cut his ears off！’And then suddenly his manner changed．‘No，Hareton，darling，don't cry！Kiss me，kiss your father！What？You won't？Then I'll break your neck！’
　　Poor Hareton，screaming wildly，was carried upstairs by his father．Suddenly Hindley stopped on the stairs to listen，almost forgetting what he was holding．Heathcliff had come into the house and stood at the bottom of the stairs，looking up．Just then the child jumped out of Hindley's arms and fell．I onlyhhad time to gasp inkhorror，before I saw that Heathcliff had caught him．
　　Heathcliff stared down at the child he was holding．He must have felt sorry he had saved the life of his enemy's son．I rushed to take the poor little boy in my arms，and Hindley came slowly downstairs．
　　‘Look what you've done，Mr Hindley！’I cried．‘You nearly killed your own son！What would his mother say if she were alive？’
　　‘Take him away，Ellen And you，Heathcliff，go away too．I won't murder you tonight，unless perhaps I set the house on fire．But that depends how I feel．’And he poured himself a drink．
　　‘Don't drink any more，Mr Hindley！’I begged．
　　‘What difference does it make？’he growled．‘Get out，both of you！To the devil with you！’
　　We left him swearing at us，and went back into the kitchen．
　　‘It's a pity he can't kill himself with drink，'muttered Heathcliff．‘Dr Kenneth says he'll live longer than any of us，he's so strong．’
　　He walked out of the door and，I thought，into the fields In fact I discovered later that he was sitting just under the window，and could hear everything that was said in the kitchen．
　　I was singing little Hareton to sleep when Catherine came in．
　　‘Are you alone，Ellen？'she whispered．‘Where's Heath cliff？’
　　‘He's out on the farm，’I answered．
　　She looked sad and worried，and I even saw a tear or two on her face．But I had not forgotten how she had lied，and behaved so badly to me as well as to Edgar Linton，so I did not feel sorry for her，or encourage her to talk．
　　‘Ellen，will you keep a secret for me？'she asked in the end，giving me her sweetest smile．‘I must tell you！I need your advice．Today Edgar Linton has asked me to marry him，and I gave him an answer．Now，before I tell you if it was yes or no，you tell me which I should have said．’
　　‘Really，Miss Catherine，how can I know？Perhaps you should have refused him．He must be a fool to ask you，after you were so rude and violent this afternoon．’
　　‘Well，I accepted him，Ellen！'she said crossly．‘But should I have done so？Should I？What do you think？’
　　‘First，do you love him？’I asked．
　　‘Of course I do，'she replied．
　　‘Why do you love him，Miss Catherine？’
　　‘Well，I do，that's enough．Well，because he's handsome，and a pleasant companion．’
　　‘Oh，that's bad，’I said，shaking my head．
　　‘And because he loves me．’
　　‘That's worse．’
　　‘Andhbecause he'll be rich，and I shall be the most important woman for miles around．’
　　‘Worst of all．But there are several other handsome，rich young men in the world．Why don't you marry one of them？’
　　‘I don't know any of them．I only know Edgar．’
　　‘Well，I don't know why you're unhappy，Miss Catherine．Your brother will be pleased，and Mr Edgar's parents will，too．You love Edgar，and Edgar loves you．What's the problem？’
　　‘here！And here！'replied Catherine，beating her head and her chest．‘In my heart and soul I know I'm wrong！Ellen，I can't live apart from Heathcliff！He is more myself than I am．Our souls are the same！I have nothing in common with Edgar．But I can't marry Heathcliff now！Hindley has made him become a poor，dull farm worker．He'll never know how I love him．’
　　I suddenly heard a movement outside the window，and saw Heathcliff stand up and walk away．I realized he had been listening until he heard Catherine say she could not marry him．Then he stayed to hear no more．
　　‘Quiet，Miss Q Catherine！’I said．‘Just imagine how hard it will be for Heathcliff when you marry Mr Edgar！He'll have no friends at all when you leave him．’
　　‘Leave him？Why should we be separated？'she asked angrily．‘Who will separate us？Nobody will dare！Edgar must learn to accept him as my friend．Didn't you ever think，Ellen，that if Heathcliff and I married，we would be very poor？But if I marry Edgar，I can help Heathcliff with my husband's money．’
　　‘That's the worst reason you've given so far for marrying Mr Edgar，’I replied，shocked.
　　‘It isn't！Heathcliff is more important to me than myself．My love for Edgar is like the leaves on the trees—I'm sure time will change it．But my love for Heathcliff is like the rocks in the ground—not beautiful，but necessary and unchanging．He's always，always in my heart—’
　　Just then Joseph entered the kitchen．I whispered to Catherine that I was sure Heathcliff had heard some of what she said．She jumped up，frightened，and rushed outside．But although we all looked everywhere for Heathcliff，there was no sign of him that night，or for many nights in the future．
　　At about midnight，while we were still waiting for him to come home，we noticed the wind was getting stronger．We could hear it whistling down the chimney，and howling all around the house．Suddenly there was a terrible crash of thunder，and the branch of a tree fell on to the roof．We were not hurt，but Joseph immediately dropped on to his knees to pray．The rain was beating down on the windows，but Catherine stayed outside，although by now her hair and clothes were completely wet．
　　In the end we all went to bed．I managed to persuade Catherine to come in，but she insisted on sleeping in the kitchen，in case Heathcliff returned during the night．In the morning we discovered that she had caught a fever，as a result of getting wet．She became seriously ill，and it was several weekshbefore Dr Kenneth would allow her out of bed．
　　When she recovered，she was invited to stay for a while at Thrushcross Grange．Unfortunately old Mr and Mrs Linton caught the fever too，and died within a few days of each other Catherine returned to us，prouder and quicker-tempered than ever，but not as strong as before．
　　‘If she gets ill again，it could be fatal，’Dr Kenneth warned us．‘My advice to you is to do whatever she wants，and don't make her angry！’So we had to obey all her orders，and Joseph and I were not allowed to scold her any more．
　　Edgar Linton was still in love with her，and thought himself the happiest man on earth when he married her three years after his parents’death She insisted on having me with her，so we moved together to Thrushcross Grange，although I was very sad to leave little Hareton with his father．
　　It's very late，Mr Lockwood．I think you should go to bed，or you'll be ill tomorrow．I can tell you the rest of the story another time．
　　Four weeks later In fact I was ill the next day，and have been ill since then．The terrible night I spent at Wuthering Height was the cause of my illness，and I blame Mr Heathcliff for it．Dr Kenneth has warned me I won't be able to go out until the spring．All I can do is lie in bed，listening to the howling wind and staring at the grey northern sky．
　　So I've decided to ask Mrs Dean to come upstairs and finish telling me her story．She tells me she's happy to continue．




■ 6 希斯克利夫失踪了
　　1778—1779年
　　我正想把小哈里顿藏进饭橱里，亨德雷就骂骂咧咧地进到厨房。我一直怕亨德雷会在喝醉了酒后有意无意地伤害他的小儿子，所以我想法儿让哈里顿别碍事。但这次亨德雷看出了我的心思。
　　“啊，你把我儿子放在饭橱里，是吗！”他火气冲冲地嚷道，拿起一把锋利的菜刀。“看在魔鬼的份儿上，我要让你把它吞下去，艾伦！”说着把刀塞进我的牙缝。
　　我从没怕过他会伤害我，很镇静地把刀从我口里拿出来。
　　“但这不可能是我儿子，对吗？”他又挑衅似地接着说道，瞪着被吓坏了的小男孩。“如果这是，他应该受到惩罚，因为他没跑出来问他父亲好。或许我会割掉他的耳朵！”然后他的态度突然变了，“不，哈里顿，亲爱的，别哭！亲亲我，亲亲你父亲！怎么？你不？那我就拧断你的脖子！”
　　可怜的哈里顿狂呼乱叫着被他父亲抱向楼上。亨德雷突然在楼梯上停下听着什么，几乎忘了他抱的是什么。希斯克利夫来到屋里，站在楼梯下面往上看。就在这时那孩子跳出亨德雷的手臂，掉落下来。就在我吓得倒吸冷气的时候，只见希斯克利夫一把接住了他。
　　希斯克利夫紧盯着他手中抱着的孩子。他一定后悔救了他仇人儿子的命。我赶上去把那可怜的小男孩接到我怀里，亨德雷慢条斯理地朝楼下走来。
　　“看您做了些什么，亨德雷先生！”我叫道。“您差点弄死自己的儿子！如果他妈还活着会怎么说？”
　　“把他带走，艾伦。还有你，希斯克利夫，也走开。我今晚不会杀你，除非可能我把这房子烧了。但那得看我心情如何。”他给自己倒了杯酒。
　　“别再喝啦，亨德雷先生！”我乞求道。
　　“那又怎么样？”他咆哮道。“滚，你们两个都滚！你们见鬼去吧！”
　　我们没理会他对我们的咒骂，回到厨房。
　　“可惜没喝死他，”希斯克利夫低声说。“肯尼士大夫说他会比我们命长，他那么壮。”
　　他走出门，我想是到田里去了。其实到后来我得知他当时坐在窗户下面，厨房里说什么他都能听见。
　　我哼着曲儿催小哈里顿入睡时凯瑟琳进来了。
　　“你一个人吗，艾伦？”她小声说。“希斯克利夫哪儿去啦？”
　　“他去农庄了，”我回答。
　　她模样忧郁，心事重重，我甚至看到她脸上有一两滴泪珠。但我没忘她是如何说瞎话的，还有对我和艾加·林顿那样粗暴，所以我不同情她，也不想听她说什么。
　　“艾伦，你肯为我保密吗？”她最后问道，露出了她最甜美的微笑。“我必须告诉你！我需要你的意见。今天艾加·林顿向我求婚了，我给了他个答覆。现在我先不说是‘是’还是‘不是’，你告诉我应该怎么说。”
　　“说真的，凯瑟琳，我怎么知道？也许你应该回绝他。今天下午你对他那么粗暴无礼他还向你求婚，一定是个傻瓜。”
　　“哼，我接受了他，艾伦！”她愠怒地说道。“可我该这么做么？我应该么？你怎么想？”
　　“首先是，你爱他吗？”我问。
　　“我当然爱他，”她回答。
　　“你爱他什么，凯瑟琳小姐？”
　　“这，我爱他，这就够了。嗯，因为他英俊，跟他在一起很快活。”
　　“哦，不妙，”我摇摇头说。
　　“还因为他爱我。”
　　“更糟糕。”
　　“还因为他会很富有，我会成为方圆数英里最尊贵的女人。”
　　“糟得不能再糟了。那这世上还有其他一些英俊富有的年轻人。你怎么不挑一个嫁？”
　　“我不认识他们，我只认识艾加。”
　　“那，我就不知道你为何闷闷不乐了，凯瑟琳小姐。你哥哥会高兴的，艾加先生的父母也会高兴的。你爱艾加，艾加也爱你。有什么问题？”
　　“这儿！还有这儿！”凯瑟琳答道，边说边敲着自己的头和心口。“在我心灵深处我知道我错了！艾伦，我生命里不能没有希斯克利夫！他比我还是我自己！我们心心相印！而我与艾加毫无共同之处。但我现在不能嫁给希斯克利夫！亨德雷把他变成了一个穷困、枯燥乏味的干农活的。他永远不会知道我有多爱他。”
　　我突然听见窗外有动静，然后看见希斯克利夫站起来走开了。我意识到他一直在听，直到凯瑟琳说她不会嫁给他。之后他就没留下来听了。
　　“静一静，凯瑟琳小姐！”我说。“只要想一想你嫁给艾加时对希斯克利夫有多残酷啊！你离开他，他就一个朋友也没有了。”
　　“离开他？我们为什么要分开？”她怒问道。“谁会拆散我们？没人敢！艾加要学着把他作为我的朋友来接受他。你难道没想过，艾伦，如果希斯克利夫和我结婚，我们就会一贫如洗吗？可如果我嫁了艾加，我可以用我丈夫的钱帮助希斯克利夫。”
　　“到目前为止，这是你说的要嫁给艾加先生的最糟糕的一个理由，”我答道，感到很吃惊。
　　“不是！对我来说，希斯克利夫比我还重要。我对艾加的爱就像树叶——肯定会随着时间而变化。但我对希斯克利夫的爱如地上的磐石——虽不华丽，却必不可少，一成不变。他永远、永远在我心里——”
　　就在这时约瑟夫进了厨房。我轻声告诉凯瑟琳我肯定希斯克利夫听到了她说的一些话。她神色惊恐地跳将起来，冲了出去。那天晚上，虽然我们哪儿都找遍了，也没见到希斯克利夫的影子，此后很多天他都没露面。
　　那天午夜，我们还坐着等他回家，注意到风越刮越大。我们能听见风呼啸着从烟囱里灌下来，房子周围一片怒号声。突然一声骇人的霹雷，一根树枝落到房顶上。我们没伤着，可约瑟夫当时就扑通跪在地上开始祈祷。雨敲打着窗户，但凯瑟琳呆在外面，尽管她的头发和衣裳此时都已经湿透了。
　　最后我们都上床睡觉去了。我把凯瑟琳劝进屋来，可她坚持要睡在厨房，怕希斯克利夫夜里回来。第二天早晨我们发现她发烧了，因为淋湿的缘故。她病得很厉害，过了好几个礼拜肯尼士大夫才允许她下床。
　　她病好后，被请去画眉山庄去住一段。不幸的是年迈的林顿夫妇也患了热病，几天之内相继去世。凯瑟琳回到我们这儿，比以前更骄横，脾气也更暴躁了，但身体不如以前健壮了。
　　“要是她再得病，可能会致命，”肯尼士大夫告诫我们，“我劝你们顺着她，别让她生气！”因此我们得对她言听计从，不许约瑟夫和我再责备她。
　　艾加·林顿依然爱着凯瑟琳，他在父母过世三年后娶了她，自以为是世上最幸福的人。她执意要我陪她，所以我们一起搬到画眉山庄，尽管把小哈里顿留给他父亲让我很难过。
　　天很晚了，洛克伍德先生。我觉得您该睡觉了，否则明天会生病的。我再找时间给您讲剩下的事。
　　四周后事实上第二天我是病了，一直卧床不起。病因就是我在呼啸山庄度过的那可怕的一夜，这我归咎于希斯克利夫先生。肯尼士大夫告诫我春天之前不能出门。我只好躺在床上，听着风的怒号，盯着北方灰暗的天际。
　　于是我决定请迪恩夫人上楼来给我讲完她的故事。她说她乐意讲下去。