Wuthering Heights

1、Her spirits were always at high-water mark, her tongue always going—singing, laughing, and plaguing everybody who would not do the same. A wild, wicked slip she was—but she had the bonniest eye, the sweetest smile, and lightest foot in theparish:

2、But it was one of their chief amusements to run away to the moors in the morning and remain there all day, and the after punishment grew a mere thing to laugh at.

3、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.’

4、If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger: I should not seem a part of it.—My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods: time will change it, I’m well aware, as winter changes the trees. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary. Nelly, I am Heathcliff! He’s always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself, but as my own being. So don’t talk of our separation again: it is impracticable;

5、‘Why, she’s a liar to the end! Where is she? Not there—not in heaven—not perished—where? Oh! you said you cared nothing for my sufferings! And I pray one prayer—I repeat it till my tongue stiffens—Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living; you said I killed you—haunt me, then! The murdered do haunt their murderers, I believe. I know that ghosts have wandered on earth. Be with me always—take any form—drive me mad! only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! it is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!’

1 They could not every day sit so grim and taciturn; and it was impossible, however ill-tempered they might be, that the universal scowl they wore was their everyday countenance.

2 A miser who has parted with a lucky lottery ticket for five shillings, and finds next day he has lost in the bargain five thousand pounds, could not show a blanker countenance than he did on beholding the figure of Mr.Earnshaw above. It expressed, plainer than words could do, the intensest anguish at having made himself the instrument of thwarting his own revenge. Had it been dark, I daresay he would have tried to remedy the mistake by smashing Hareton’s skull on the steps;

3 “Have mercy on your own soul!” I said, endeavouring to snatch the glass from his hand. “Not I! On the contrary, I shall have great pleasure in sending it to perdition to punish its Maker,” exclaimed the blasphemer. “Here’s to its hearty damnation!”

4 Oh, dear!” she cried at last. “I’m very unhappy!” “A pity,” observed I. “You’re hard to please; so many friends and so few cares, and can’t make yourself content!”

5 “To be sure, considering the exhibition you performed in his presence this afternoon, I might say it would be wise to refuse him: since he asked you after that, he must either be hopelessly stupid or a venturesome fool.”

6 “There are many things to be considered before that question can be answered properly,” I said, sententiously. “First and foremost, do you love Mr.Edgar?” “Who can help it? Of course I do,” she answered. Then I put her through the following catechism: for a girl of twenty-two it was not injudicious. “Why do you love him, Miss Cathy?” “Nonsense, I do—that’s sufficient.” “By no means; you must say why?” “Well, because he is handsome, and pleasant to be with.” “Bad!” was my commentary. “And because he is young and cheerful.” “Bad, still.” “And because he loves me.” “Indifferent, coming there.” “And he will be rich, and I shall like to be the greatest woman of the neighbourhood, and I shall be proud of having such a husband.” “Worst of all. And now, say how you love him?” “As everybody loves—You’re silly, Nelly.” “Not at all—Answer.” “I love the ground under his feet, and the air over his head, and everything he touches, and every word he says. I love all his looks, and all his actions, and him entirely and altogether. There now!” “And why?” “Nay; you are making a jest of it: it is exceedingly ill-natured! It’s no jest to me!” said the young lady, scowling, and turning her face to the fire. “I’m very far from jesting, Miss Catherine,” I replied. “You love Mr.Edgar because he is handsome, and young, and cheerful, and rich, and loves you. The last, however, goes for nothing: you would love him without that, probably; and with it you wouldn’t, unless he possessed the four former attractions.” “No, to be sure not: I should only pity him—hate him, perhaps, if he were ugly, and a clown.” “But there are several other handsome, rich young men in the world: handsomer, possibly, and richer than he is. What should hinder you from loving them?” “If there be any, they are out of my way: I’ve seen none like Edgar.” “You may see some; and he won’t always be handsome, and young, and may not always be rich.” “He is now; and I have only to do with the present. I wish you would speak rationally.” “Well, that settles it: if you have only to do with the present, marry Mr.Linton.” “I don’t want your permission for that—I shall marry him: and yet you have not told me whether I’m right.” “Perfectly right; if people be right to marry only for the present. And now, let us hear what you are unhappy about. Your brother will be pleased; the old lady and gentleman will not object, I think; you will escape from a disorderly, comfortless home into a wealthy, respectable one; and you love Edgar, and Edgar loves you. All seems smooth and easy: where is the obstacle?” “Here! and here!” replied Catherine, striking one hand on her forehead, and the other on her breast: “in whichever place the soul lives. In my soul and in my heart, I’m convinced I’m wrong!

7 It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now; so 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.

8 My great miseries in this world have been Heathcliff’s miseries, and I watched and felt each from the beginning: my great thought in living is himself. If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger: I should not seem a part of it.—My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods: time will change it, I’m well aware, as winter changes the trees. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary. Nelly, I am Heathcliff! He’s always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself, but as my own being.

9 I pray one prayer—I repeat it till my tongue stiffens—Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living; you said I killed you—haunt me, then! The murdered do haunt their murderers, I believe. I know that ghosts have wandered on earth. Be with me always—take any form—drive me mad! only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! it is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!”

10 ‘You are so much happier than I am, you ought to be better. Papa talks enough of my defects, and shows enough scorn of me, to make it natural I should doubt myself. I doubt whether I am not altogether as worthless as he calls me, frequently; and then I feel so cross and bitter, I hate everybody! I am worthless, and bad in temper, and bad in spirit, almost always; and, if you choose, you may say good-bye: you’ll get rid of an annoyance. Only, Catherine, do me this justice: believe that if I might be as sweet, and as kind, and as good as you are, I would be; as willingly, and more so, than as happy and as healthy. And believe that your kindness has made me love you deeper than if I deserved your love: and though I couldn’t, and cannot help showing my nature to you, I regret it and repent it; and shall regret and repent it till I die!’

11 but while I remain cut off from all hope, and doomed to solitude, or the society of those who never did and never will like me, how can I be cheerful and well?

12 It was a strange way of killing: not by inches, but by fractions of hairbreadths, to beguile me with the spectre of a hope through eighteen years!”

13 I cannot look down to this floor, but her features are shaped in the flags! In every cloud, in every tree—filling the air at night, and caught by glimpses in every object by day—I am surrounded with her image! The most ordinary faces of men and women—my own features—mock me with a resemblance. The entire world is a dreadful collection of memoranda that she did exist, and that I have lost her! Well, Hareton’s aspect was the ghost of my immortal love; of my wild endeavours to hold my right; my degradation, my pride, my happiness, and my anguish

14 And yet I cannot continue in this condition! I have to remind myself to breathe—almost to remind my heart to beat! And it is like bending back a stiff spring: it is by compulsion that I do the slightest act not prompted by one thought; and by compulsion that I notice anything alive or dead, which is not associated with one universal idea. I have a single wish, and my whole being and faculties are yearning to attain it. They have yearned towards it so long, and so unwaveringly, that I’m convinced it will be reached—and soon—because it has devoured my existence: I am swallowed up in the anticipation of its fulfilment. My confessions have not relieved me; but they may account for some otherwise unaccountable phases of humour which I show. O God! It is a long fight; I wish it were over!”

15 as he said Joseph did, that conscience had turned his heart to an earthly hell.

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.