14 Secret visits 
　  
　　1800 The months passed，and soon it was autumn．Mr Edgar caught a bad cold，which seemed to get worse and worse．He stayed indoors the whole winter，so Cathy only had me as a companion on her walks．She had become very quiet and sad since her relationship with Linton had ended，and was very worried about her father's illness．One day when we were walking in the Grange garden，I noticed her crying． ‘Cathy，what's the matter，love？’I ashed． “Oh，Ellen，'she sobbed，‘what shall I do if Father dies？ And if you die？I'll be left alone！’ ‘I hope he and I have years more of life ahead of us．All you need do is look after your father，and let him see you're cheerful．But I think he would be really ill if he thought you loved Linton，whose father would like to see Mr Edgar dead．’ 
　　I'll never，never do anything to worry or annoy Father，'she promised．‘I only want him to recover．I love him more than anyone else in the world，more than myself！’ 
　　Just then we reached the gate，and I saw a gentleman on a horse looking over it．It was Heathcliff． ‘Miss Linton！’he called．There's something I must tell you！’ 
　　‘I won't listen，answered Cathy．‘Father and Ellen both say you're a wicked man．’  
　　‘But this is about my son Linton，not me．What a trick you played on him！You wrote him all those love letters，and then I suppose you got tired of it，and stopped！well，you've broken poor Linton's heart．I swear，he's dying of love for you，and he'll be in the grave by next summer unless you help him！Be generous，come and visit him．I'll be away all next week，so your father won't be angry if you come．’ 
　　He rode away．Although I tried to persuade Cathy that Heathcliff could not be telling the truth，my young mistress was very upset，and determined to discover how Linton was． 
　　The next morning we rode to Wuthering Heights．We found Linton alone，lying on a sofa．He looked feverish and ill，and had a bad cough． ‘Will you shut the door？’he said crossly，as we entered． ‘It's so cold！No，Cathy，I can't breathe if you kiss me！I want a drink．’ 
　　Cathy poured him a glass of water． 
　　And are you glad to see me，Linton？'she asked hopefully． ‘Yes，I am，’he replied．‘But you should have come before！My father swore at me，and said it was my fault you didn't come．Will you come and visit me again？’ ‘Yes，Linton，’Cathy said gently，holding his hand．‘If Father agreed，I’d spend half my time with you．I wish you were my brother，then we could spend all our time together！’ ‘But my father says you would love me best if you were my wife，so that would be better．’  
　　‘I’d never love anybody more than Father，'she replied seriously．‘Sometimes men hate their wives，like your father． He hated your mother，my aunt Isabella．That's why she left him．’ ‘That's not true！’cried the boy．‘Anyway，your mother hated your father！And she loved mine！’ ‘You're lying！I hate you！'she shouted angrily，and gave the sofa a violent push．He fell back，and started coughing so badly that even I was frightened．At last he recovered．Cathy was crying in a comer，afraid that she had really hurt him． 
　　‘How do you feel now，Linton？'she asked after a while． ‘I'm sorry，I didn't mean to hurt you．’ ‘I wish you felt as ill as I do，you cruel thing！And I was better today，before you came！’His voice was full of pity for himself． 
　　‘We must go，’I said．‘You can soe，Miss Cathy，that he isn't dying of love for you！It's not your fault that he's ill． Come along！’But I could not stop Cathy whispering some- thing in Linton's ear，before we left the room． 
　　On the way home I told her I would not allow her to visit him again． ‘He's a selfish child，Miss Cathy，and I don't think he'll live till he's twenty．I'm glad you're not going to marry him．’ 
　　Cathy looked sad．‘I'm sure he’d recover if I looked after him．And I don't think we’d quarrel if we knew each other better．’ 148 ‘Well，miss，if you try to go there again，with or without me，I'll tell your father．’ 
　　But the next day I fell ill，and had to stay in bed for three weeks，which was very unusual for me．My little mistress went from her father's bedroom to mine，and back again，and looked after us both with the greatest care．But I never wondered what she did in the evenings，when Mr Edgar had gone to bed，and I no longer needed her． 
　　I only discovered the truth on the first day I was able to get up．In the evening I asked her to read to me，and was surprised how sleepy she seemed．She went to bed early．I felt rather worried about her health，and went to her room an hour later to see if she needed anything．Her bedroom was empty．I sat there in the dark，waiting for her to return． 
　　when she arrived，shaking the snow off her shoes，she was shocked to find me there．I guessed where she had been，but I made her tell me the whole story．Every night since I had been ill，she had ridden to Wuthering Heights and spent the evening with her cousin．Sometimes she was happy with Linton，when he was cheerful and less selfish，but most of the time she was miserable．However，she insisted that the visits should continue，because Linton needed her，and she wanted to see him． 
　　Although she begged me to say nothing to her father，I went straight to the master and told him．He forbade her to visit Wuthering Heights again．She had to obey her father， although it made her very sad． 
　　Well，Mr Lockwood，all this happened only about a year ago．I never thought I would be telling a stranger this story！But who knows how long you'll be a stranger？You're too，young to live alone for long，and no one could see Cathy and not love her．Anyway，I'll continue my story．  
　 
14 密 访 
　 
　　1800年 
　　　  
　　过了几个月，很快就到秋天了。艾加先生得了重感冒，似乎病情日渐严重。他整个冬天都呆在屋里，所以凯茜散步时只有我来陪她。自从她同林顿的关系结束后，她变得很沉默、忧郁，也非常担心父亲的病情。有一天我们在山庄花园散步时我看到她哭了。 
　　“凯茜，怎么啦，亲爱的？”我询问道。 
　　“哦，艾伦，”她抽泣道，“要是父亲去世了我该怎么办？要是你再去世了呢？我就会被孤零零地撇下！” 
　　“我倒希望他和我都能多活些年。你只需要照顾好你父亲，让他看到你快乐。但我想如果他认为你爱上了林顿，他会真的很痛苦，林顿的父亲盼着艾加先生死呢。” 
　　“我永远、永远不会做让我父亲担心或不快的事，”她许诺道。“我只希望他能痊愈。他是世上我最爱的人，我爱他胜过我自己！” 
　　就在我们刚到大门的时候，我看见一个绅士打扮的人骑在马上往里张望。是希斯克利夫。 
　　“林顿小姐！”他喊道。“我有话得跟你说！” 
　　“我不听，”凯茜回答。“父亲和艾伦都说你是个坏人。” 
　　“可要说的是我儿子林顿的事，不是我。你对他施了什么鬼花招！你给他写了这么多情书，然后我想你是厌倦了，不写了！好了，你伤透了可怜的林顿的心。我肯定他会因为爱你而被折磨死的，要是你不帮帮他，到不了明年夏天他就要入土了！仁慈点儿罢，来看看他。我下个星期都不在家，所以你来的话你父亲不会生气的。” 
　　他骑着马走了。尽管我百般劝说凯茜希斯克利夫一定没讲真话，可我家小姐还是很放心不下，执意要去看看林顿的情况。 
　　第二天上午我们骑马去了呼啸山庄。我们发现林顿孤单地躺在沙发上，他像是得了病，在发烧，咳嗽得也很厉害。 
　　“你们关上门行吗？”我们进屋时他不快地说，“太冷了！不，凯茜，别吻我，我会喘不上气来的！我想喝水。” 
　　凯茜给他倒了杯水。 
　　“你见到我高兴么，林顿？”她满怀期望地说。 
　　“是的，我高兴，”他答道。“但你早就该来的！我父亲骂我，说你不来是我的过错。你还会来看我吗？” 
　　“是的，林顿，”凯茜抓着他的手轻声说。“要是父亲同意，我可以抽一半时间来陪你。你是我弟弟该多好，那样我们就总能在一起了！” 
　　“但我父亲说你要是成了我妻子的话，你就会最爱我，那样就更好了。” 
　　“我不会爱任何人胜过我父亲，”她认真地说道。“有时候男人恨他们的妻子，像你父亲。他恨你母亲、我姑姑伊莎贝拉。所以她离开了他。” 
　　“一派胡言！”小伙子嚷道。“不管怎么说，你母亲恨你父亲！她爱我父亲！” 
　　“你撒谎！我恨你！”她喊道，使劲地推了一下沙发。他倒向后面，开始拼命地咳嗽，连我都吓坏了。最终他缓了过来。凯茜在一个角落里哭着，害怕自己真的伤着了他。 
　　“你现在感觉怎么样，林顿？”呆了一会儿她问道。“对不起，我不是故意要伤害你。” 
　　“但愿你也得我这么重的病，你这个无情的东西！你来之前，今天我本来好些了！”他腔调里对自己充满了怜悯。 
　　“我们得走了，”我说。“你看得出来，凯茜小姐，他不是因为对你的爱而要死的！他生病不是你的过错。走罢！”我们离开房间之前，我拦不住她在林顿的耳边悄悄说着什么。 
　　在回家的路上我告诉她我不会允许她再去看他。 
　　“他是个自私的孩子，凯茜小姐，我看他活不过20岁。我庆幸你不会嫁给他。” 
　　凯茜满脸愁容。“如果我去照顾他，他肯定能好起来。如果我们能更了解对方，我想我们不会吵架的。” 
　　“好，小姐，要是你还想再去那儿，不管要不要我去，我都会告诉你父亲。” 
　　可第二天我病了，只好在床上躺了三个星期，这于我是很不常有的事。我家小姐从她父亲的卧室跑到我的卧室，又跑回去，精心照顾我们两个人。但我从没想到过她在晚上艾加先生入睡后，我也不需要她照顾的时候，她都干了些什么。 
　　到我头一天能下床的时候我才察觉真相。那天晚上我请她给我读点东西，没想到她显得很瞌睡。她早早地上了床。我有些担心她的身体，过了一个小时我去她房间看她是不是需要点什么，她的卧室空无一人。我坐在黑暗中等她回来。 
　　她一进门，抖落鞋上的雪时看到我在那儿，她吓了一大跳。我猜到她去了哪儿，可我还是让她自己向我交代了整个来龙去脉。我生病后，她每天晚上都骑马去呼啸山庄去陪她表弟。在林顿心情愉快、不那么自私的时候，她有时也会高兴，可大多数时间里她都很难过。但她坚持继续去呼啸山庄，因为林顿需要她，她也想见他。 
　　虽然她央求我不要对她父亲吐露任何风声，我还是径直到主人哪儿告诉了他。他严禁凯茜再去呼啸山庄。这让她很伤心，可她不得不听父亲的话。 
　　好了，洛克伍德先生，这都不过是一年以前发生的事情。我从没想到会跟一个生人说这件事！可很难说您将来还算不算生人？您很年轻，不能总单独生活，谁见了凯茜都会喜欢上她的。不提这些了，我接着讲我的故事。 
　　　    


 