CHAPTER 18
Heathcliff's end
I WAS DELIGHTED to come back to the Heights, and hoped I could make Cathy's life more comfortable. But she was restless, and complained of loneliness. At first she continued to annoy Hareton, by laughing at him, but after a while she decided she really wanted him as a friend. She apologized for being rude to him, and offered to teach him everything she knew. From that moment on, the two cousins have always been together, studying. Hareton has a lot to learn, and Cathy is not the most patient of teachers. But what they have in common is their love for each other. You see, Mr Lockwood, it was easy enough to win Cathy's heart. But now I'm glad you didn't try. I'll be the happiest woman in England when those two marry!
Heathcliff noticed little of what was happening around him, and would never have been aware of the cousins' feelings, if it hadn't been for Joseph. In the middle of our lunch one day, the old man rushed into the room, shaking with anger.
'I'll have to leave! I wanted to die here, where I've been a servant for sixty years! But now she's taken my garden from me! She's stolen the boy's soul, master! I can't bear it!'
'Is the fool drunk?' asked Heathcliff. 'Can you explain this, Hareton?'
'I've pulled up two or three of his ffruits trees,' confessed Hareton, 'but I'll put them back again.'
'It was my fault,' added Cathy bravely. 'I aasked him to do it. We wanted to plant some flowers there.'
'Who the devil gave you permission?' growled Heathcliff.
'You should let me have a bit of garden, as you've taken all my land!' replied Cathy sharply. 'And you've taken Hareton's land too! He and I are friends now! I'll tell him about you!'
The master stood up, staring at her ffiercely.
'Out of the room, wicked girl!' he shouted. I'll kill you if I get near you!'
'If you hit me, Hareton will his you. He won't obey you any more, and soon he'll hate you as much as I do!'
'You'd better leave, Cathy,' whispered Hareton urgently. 'I won't quarrel with Mr Heathcliff.'
But it was too late. I was sure Heathcliff was going to hit her. He took hold of her, one strong hand in her hair and the other raised over her head. But when he looked into her face, his anger suddenly disappeared, and he let his arm fall to his side. He sat heavily down in his chair and put his hand over his eyes for a moment. We all stared at him.
'You must learn not to make me angry,' he said, trying to be calm. Go away, all of you! Leave me alone!' A little later he went out, saying he would return in the evening.
As darkness fell, Cathy and Hareton were busy at their studies in the kitchen. I was sitting with them, happy to see them helping each other so well. I feel they're almost my children, Mr Lockwood, and I'm very proud of them. As the master entered the house, he had a full view of us three. They lifted their eyes to meet his. Perhaps you haven't noticed it, but their eyes are very similar, and they are exactly like those of Catherine Earnshaw. Mr Heathcliff stopped and stared, then looked away. At a sign from me, Cathy and Hareton went quietly out into the garden, leaving me alone with Mr Heathcliff.
'If's silly, isn't it, Ellen,' he muttered, 'that I have worked all my life to destroy these two families, the Earnshaw's and the Lintons. I've got their money and their land. Now I can take my final revenge on the last Earnshaw and the last Linton, I no longer want to! There's a strange change coming in my life. I'm in its shadow. I'm so little interested in daily events that I even forget to eat and drink. I don't want to see those two, that's why I don't care if they spend time together. She only makes me angry. And he looks so like Catherine! But everything reminds me of Catherine! In every cloud, in every tree I see her face! The whole world reminds me that she was here once, and I have lost her!'
'You don't feel ill, sir, do you? Are you afraid of death?'
'I'm not ill, Ellen, and I'm not afraid to die. But I can't continue like this! I have to remind myself to breathe - almost to remind my heart to beat! I have a single wish, for something my whole body and heart and brain have wanted for long! Oh God! It's a long fight! I wish it were finished!'
For some days after that, Mr Heathcliff avoided meeting us at meals. He ate less and lees. Late one night I heard him leave the house. He did not return until the morning. When he came in, I noticed a change in his expression. There was a strange, wild happiness in his face, although he was pale and trembling.
'Will you have some breakfast, sir?' I asked.
'No, I'm not hungry,' he answered.
'I don't think you should stay outside at night, sir. You'll catch a bad cold or a fever!'
'Leave me alone, Ellen,' he replied.
I began to worry about him. He was strong and healthy, but a man must eat in order to live. For the next three days he ate nothing