Wuthering Heights

my mind to crying. It struck me soon, however, there would be more sense in endeavouring to repair some of his wrongs than shedding tears over them – I got up and walked into the court to seek him.
    He was not far, I found him smoothing the glossy coat of the new pony in the stable, and feeding the other beasts, according to custom.
    »Make haste, Heathcliff!« I said »the kitchen is so comfortable – and Joseph is up-stairs; make haste, and let me dress you smart before Miss Cathy comes out – and then you can sit together, with the whole hearth to yourselves, and have a long chatter till bed-time.«
    He proceeded with his task and never turned his head towards me.
    »Come – are you coming?« I continued, »There's a little cake for each of you, nearly enough; and you'll need half an hour's donning.«
    I waited five minutes, but getting no answer left him ... Catherine supped with her brother and sister-in-law: Joseph and I joined at an unsociable meal seasoned with reproofs on one side, and sauciness on the other. His cake and cheese remained on the table all night, for the fairies. He managed to continue work till nine o'clock, and, then, marched dumb and dour, to his chamber.
    Cathy sat up late; having a world of things to order for the reception of her new friends: she came into the kitchen, once, to speak to her old one, but he was gone, and she only staid to ask what was the matter with him, and then went back.
    In the morning, he rose early; and, as it was a holiday, carried his ill-humour onto the moors; not re-appearing till the family were departed for church. Fasting, and reflection seemed to have brought him to a better spirit. He hung about me, for a while, and having screwed up his courage, exclaimed abruptly,
    »Nelly, make me decent, I'm going to be good.«
    »High time, Heathcliff,« I said, »you
have
grieved Catherine; she's sorry she ever came home, I dare say! It looks as if you envied her, because she is more thought of than you.«
    The notion of
envying
Catherine was incomprehensible to him, but the notion of grieving her, he understood clearly enough.
    »Did she say she was grieved?« he inquired looking very serious.
    »She cried when I told her you were off again this morning.«
    »Well,
I
cried last night« he returned, »and I had more reason to cry than she.«
    »Yes, you had the reason of going to bed, with a proud heart, and an empty stomach,« said I, »Proud people breed sad sorrows for themselves – But, if you be ashamed of your touchiness, you must ask pardon, mind, when she comes in. You must go up, and offer to kiss her, and say – you know best what to say, only, do it heartily, and not as if you thought her converted into a stranger by her grand dress. And now, though I have dinner to get ready, I'll steal time to arrange you so that Edgar Linton shall look quite a doll beside you: and that he does – You are younger, and yet, I'll be bound, you are taller and twice as broad across the shoulders – you could knock him down in a twinkling; don't you feel that you could?«
    Heathcliff's face brightened a moment; then, it was overcast afresh, and he sighed.
    »But, Nelly, if I knocked him down twenty times, that wouldn't make him less handsome, or me more so. I wish I had light hair and a fair skin, and was dressed, and behaved as well, and had a chance of being as rich as he will be!«
    »And cried for mamma, at every turn –« I added, »and trembled if a country lad heaved his fist against you, and sat at home all day for a shower of rain. – O, Heathcliff, you are showing a poor spirit! Come to the glass, and I'll let you see what you should wish. Do you mark those two lines between your eyes, and those thick brows, that instead of rising arched, sink in the middle, and that couple of black fiends, so deeply buried, who never open their windows boldly, but lurk glinting under them, like devil's spies? Wish and learn to smooth away the surly wrinkles, to raise your lids frankly, and change the fiends to confident, innocent angels, suspecting and doubting nothing, and always seeing friends where they are not sure of foes – Don't get the expression of a vicious cur that appears to know the kicks it gets are its desert, and yet, hates all the world, as well as the kicker, for what it suffers.«
    »In other words, I must wish for Edgar Linton's great blue eyes, and even forehead,« he replied. »I do – and that won't help me to them.«
    »A good heart will help