Page 300 - WUTHERING HEIGHTS

Wuthering Heights

to death deliberately! We broke in this morning, for we
heard him sporting like a horse; and there he was, laid
over the settle: flaying and scalping would not have
wakened him. I sent for Kenneth, and he came; but not

till the beast had changed into carrion: he was both dead
and cold, and stark; and so you’ll allow it was useless
making more stir about him!’
The old servant confirmed this statement, but
muttered:
’I’d rayther he’d goan hisseln for t’ doctor! I sud ha,’
taen tent o’ t’ maister better nor him - and he warn’t
deead when I left, naught o’ t’ soart!’
I insisted on the funeral being respectable. Mr.
Heathcliff said I might have my own way there too: only,
he desired me to remember that the money for the whole
affair came out of his pocket. He maintained a hard,
careless deportment, indicative of neither joy nor sorrow:
if anything, it expressed a flinty gratification at a piece of
difficult work successfully executed. I observed once,
indeed, something like exultation in his aspect: it was just
when the people were bearing the coffin from the house.
He had the hypocrisy to represent a mourner: and
previous to following with Hareton, he lifted the
unfortunate child on to the table and muttered, with

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