Wuthering Heights

told me she had been walking the earth these twenty years: a just punishment for her mortal transgressions, I've no doubt!«
    Scarcely were these words uttered, when I recollected the association of Heathcliff's with Catherine's name in the book, which had completely slipped from my memory till thus awakened. I blushed at my inconsideration; but without showing further consciousness of the offence, I hastened to add,
    »The truth is, sir, I passed the first part of the night in –« Here, I stopped afresh – I was about to say »perusing those old volumes,« then it would have revealed my knowledge of their written, as well as their printed contents; so correcting myself, I went on,
    »In spelling over the name scratched on that window-ledge. A monotonous occupation, calculated to set me asleep, like counting, or –«
    »What
can
you mean, by talking in this way to
me!
« thundered Heathcliff with savage vehemence. »How – how
dare
you, under my roof – God! he's mad to speak so!« And he struck his forehead with rage.
    I did not know whether to resent this language, or pursue my explanation; but he seemed so powerfully affected that I took pity and proceeded with my dreams; affirming I had never heard the appellation of »Catherine Linton,« before, but, reading it often over produced an impression which personified itself when I had no longer my imagination under control.
    Heathcliff gradually fell back into the shelter of the bed, as I spoke, finally, sitting down almost concealed behind it. I guessed, however, by his irregular and intercepted breathing, that he struggled to vanquish an access of violent emotion.
    Not liking to show him that I heard the conflict, I continued my toilette rather noisily, looked at my watch, and soliloquised on the length of the night:
    »Not three o'clock, yet! I could have taken oath it had been six – time stagnates here – we must surely have retired to rest at eight!«
    »Always at nine in winter, and always rise at four,« said my host, suppressing a groan; and, as I fancied, by the motion of his shadow's arm, dashing a tear from his eyes.
    »Mr. Lockwood,« he added, »you may go into my room; you'll only be in the way, coming down stairs so early: and your childish outcry has sent sleep to the devil for me.«
    »And for me too,« I replied. »I'll walk in the yard till daylight, and then I'll be off; and you need not dread a repetition of my intrusion. I am now quite cured of seeking pleasure in society, be it country or town. A sensible man ought to find sufficient company in himself.«
    »Delightful company!« muttered Heathcliff. »Take the candle, and go where you please. I shall join you directly. Keep out of the yard, though, the dogs are unchained; and the house – Juno mounts sentinel there – and – nay, you can only ramble about the steps and passages – but, away with you! I'll come in two minutes.«
    I obeyed, so far as to quit the chamber; when, ignorant where the narrow lobbies led, I stood still, and was witness, involuntarily, to a piece of superstition on the part of my landlord, which belied, oddly, his apparent sense.
    He got on to the bed, and wrenched open the lattice, bursting, as he pulled at it, into an uncontrollable passion of tears.
    »Come in! come in!« he sobbed. »Cathy, do come. Oh do –
once
more! Oh! my heart's darling, hear me
this
time – Catherine, at last!«
    The spectre showed a spectre's ordinary caprice; it gave no sign of being; but the snow and wind whirled wildly through, even reaching my station, and blowing out the light.
    There was such anguish in the gush of grief that accompanied this raving, that my compassion made me overlook its folly, and I drew off, half angry to have listened at all, and vexed at having related my ridiculous nightmare, since it produced that agony; though
why,
was beyond my comprehension.
    I descended cautiously to the lower regions and landed in the back-kitchen, where a gleam of fire, raked compactly together, enabled me to rekindle my candle.
    Nothing was stirring except a brindled, grey cat, which crept from the ashes, and saluted me with a querulous mew.
    Two benches, shaped in sections of a circle, nearly enclosed the hearth; on one of these I stretched myself, and Grimalkin mounted the other. We were both of us nodding, ere any one invaded our retreat; and then it was Joseph shuffling down a wooden ladder that vanished in the roof, through a trap, the ascent to his garret, I