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61 Wuthering Heights By Emily Bronte‘Oh, she is naughty!’ I cried, perceiving the master to be tolerably sober. ‘She gotsteeped in the shower of yesterday evening, and there she has sat the night through, andI couldn’t prevail on her to stir.’Mr. Earnshaw stared at us in surprise. ‘The night through,’ he repeated. ‘What kept herup? not fear of the thunder, surely? That was over hours since.’Neither of us wished to mention Heathcliff’s absence, as long as we could conceal it; so Ireplied, I didn’t know how she took it into her head to sit up; and she said nothing. Themorning was fresh and cool; I threw back the lattice, and presently the room filled withsweet scents from the garden; but Catherine called peevishly to me, ‘Ellen, shut thewindow. I’m starving!’ And her teeth chattered as she shrank closer to the almostextinguished embers.‘She’s ill,’ said Hindley, taking her wrist; ‘I suppose that’s the reason she would not go tobed. Damn it! I don’t want to be troubled with more sickness here. What took you intothe rain?’‘Running after t’ lads, as usuald!’ croaked Joseph, catching an opportunity from ourhesitation to thrust in his evil tongue. ‘If I war yah, maister, I’d just slam t’ boards i’their faces all on ’em, gentle and simple! Never a day ut yah’re off, but yon cat o’ Lintoncomes sneaking hither; and Miss Nelly, shoo’s a fine lass! shoo sits watching for ye i’ t’kitchen; and as yah’re in at one door, he’s out at t’other; and, then, wer grand lady goesa-courting of her side! It’s bonny behaviour, lurking amang t’ fields, after twelve o’ t’night, wi’ that fahl, flaysome divil of a gipsy, Heathcliff! They think I’m blind; but I’mnoan: nowt ut t’ soart!—I seed young Linton boath coming and going, and I seed yah’(directing his discourse to me), ‘yah gooid fur nowt, slattenly witch! nip up and bolt intoth’ house, t’ minute yah heard t’ maister’s horse-fit clatter up t’ road.’‘Silence, eavesdropper!’ cried Catherine; ‘none of your insolence before me! EdgarLinton came yesterday by chance, Hindley; and it was I who told him to be off: because Iknew you would not like to have met him as you were.’‘You lie, Cathy, no doubt,’ answered her brother, ‘and you are a confounded simpleton!But never mind Linton at present: tell me, were you not with Heathcliff last night?Speak the truth, now. You need not be afraid of harming him: though I hate him asmuch as ever, he did me a good turn a short time since that will make my consciencetender of breaking his neck. To prevent it, I shall send him about his business this verymorning; and after he’s gone, I’d advise you all to look sharp: I shall only have the morehumour for you.’‘I never saw Heathcliff last night,’ answered Catherine, beginning to sob bitterly: ‘and ifyou do turn him out of doors, I’ll go with him. But, perhaps, you’ll never have anopportunity: perhaps, he’s gone.’ Here she burst into uncontrollable grief, and theremainder of her words were inarticulate.www.globalgrey.co.uk