Wuthering Heights

gaunt thorn

at least I distinguished a chatter of tongues， and a clatter of culinary utensils， deep within； and I observed no signs of roasting， boiling， or baking， about the huge fireplace； nor any glitter of copper saucepans and tin cullenders on the walls. One end， indeed， reflected splendidly both light and heat from ranks of immense pewter dishes， interspersed with silver jugs and tankards， towering row after row， on a vast oak dresser， to the very roof. The latter had never been under-drawn： its entire anatomy lay bare to an inquiring eye， except where a frame of wood laden with oatcakes and clusters of legs of beef， mutton， and ham， concealed it. Above the chimney were sundry villainous old guns， and a couple of horse-pistols： and， by way of ornament， three gaudily-painted canisters disposed along its ledge. The floor was of smooth， white stone； the chairs， high-backed， primitive structures， painted green： one or two heavy black ones lurking in the shade. In an arch under the dresser reposed a huge， liver-coloured bitch pointer， surrounded by a swarm of squealing puppies； and other dogs haunted other recesses. at least I distinguished a chatter of tongues， and a clatter of culinary utensils， deep within； and I observed no signs of roasting， boiling， or baking， about the huge fireplace； nor any glitter of copper saucepans and tin cullenders on the walls. One end， indeed， reflected splendidly both light and heat from ranks of immense pewter dishes， interspersed with silver jugs and tankards， towering row after row， on a vast oak dresser， to the very roof. The latter had never been under-drawn： its entire anatomy lay bare to an inquiring eye， except where a frame of wood laden with oatcakes and clusters of legs of beef， mutton， and ham， concealed it. Above the chimney were sundry villainous old guns， and a couple of horse-pistols： and， by way of ornament， three gaudily-painted canisters disposed along its ledge. The floor was of smooth， white stone； the chairs， high-backed， primitive structures， painted green： one or two heavy black ones lurking in the shade. In an arch under the dresser reposed a huge， liver-coloured bitch pointer， surrounded by a swarm of squealing puppies； and other dogs haunted other recesses.

I confess it with shame- shrunk icily into myself, like a snail; at every glance retired colder and farther

　Not anxious to come in contact with their fangs， I sat still； but， imagining they would scarcely understand tacit insults， I unfortunately indulged in winking and making faces at the trio， and some turn of my physiognomy so irritated madam， that she suddenly broke into a fury and leapt on my knees. I flung her back， and hastened to interpose the table between us. This proceeding aroused the whole hive： half-a-dozen four-footed fiends， of various sizes and ages， issued from hidden dens to the common centre. I felt my heels and coat-laps peculiar subjects of assault； and parrying off the larger combatants as effectually as I could with the poker， I was constrained to demand， aloud， assistance from some of the household in re-establishing peace.

With this insult my patience was at an end. I uttered an expression of disgust, and pushed past him into the yard, running against Earnshaw in my haste. It was so dark that I could not see the means of exit; and, as I wandered round, I heard another specimen of their civil behaviour amongst each other. At first the young man appeared about to befriend me. 'I'll go with him as far as the park,' he said. 'You'll go with him to hell!' exclaimed his master, or whatever relation he bore. 'And who is to look after the horses, eh?'

He sat within earshot, milking the cows by the light of a lantern, which I seized unceremoniously, and, calling out that I would send it back on the morrow, rushed to the nearest postern. 　　'Maister, maister, he's staling t' lanthern!' shouted the ancient, pursuing my retreat. 'Hey, Gnasher! Hey, dog! Hey Wolf, holld him, holld him!' 　　On opening the little door, two hairy monsters flew at my throat, bearing me down, and extinguishing the light; while a mingled guffaw from Heathcliff and Hareton put the copestone on my rage and humiliation. Fortunately, the beasts seemed more bent on stretching their paws, and yawning, and flourishing their tails, than devouring me alive; but they would suffer no resurrection, and I was forced to lie till their malignant masters pleased to deliver me: then, hatless and trembling with wrath, I ordered the miscreants to let me out - on their peril to keep me one minute longer - with several incoherent threats of retaliation that, in their indefinite depth of virulency, smacked of King Lear. 　　“ 　　The vehemence of my agitation brought on a copious bleeding at the nose, and still Heathcliff laughed, and still I scolded. I don't know what would have concluded the scene, had there not been one person at hand rather more rational than myself, and more benevolent than my entertainer.

He shall never know how I love him: and that, not because he's handsome, Nelly, but because he's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same; and Linton's is as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire.