Page 294 - WUTHERING HEIGHTS

Wuthering Heights

christened Linton, and, from the first, she reported him to
be an ailing, peevish creature.
Mr. Heathcliff, meeting me one day in the village,
inquired where she lived. I refused to tell. He remarked

that it was not of any moment, only she must beware of
coming to her brother: she should not be with him, if he
had to keep her himself. Though I would give no
information, he discovered, through some of the other
servants, both her place of residence and the existence of
the child. Still, he didn’t molest her: for which forbearance
she might thank his aversion, I suppose. He often asked
about the infant, when he saw me; and on hearing its
name, smiled grimly, and observed: ‘They wish me to hate
it too, do they?’
’I don’t think they wish you to know anything about
it,’ I answered.
’But I’ll have it,’ he said, ‘when I want it. They may
reckon on that!’
Fortunately its mother died before the time arrived;
some thirteen years after the decease of Catherine, when
Linton was twelve, or a little more.
On the day succeeding Isabella’s unexpected visit I had
no opportunity of speaking to my master: he shunned
conversation, and was fit for discussing nothing. When I

293 of 540