13 Heathcliff's son at Wuthering Heights 
　  
　　1797 Linton was very surprised to be woken so early，and told that he had another journey to make，before break fast．As we rode the four miles to Wuthering Heights，he kept asking me questions abut his new home，and the father he had never seen．When we arrived，Heathcliff，Hareton，and Joseph all came out of the house to inspect the child． 
　　‘Master，that's not a boy，'said Joseph after a while ． ‘Look at that white skin and fair hair！Mr Edgar's sent you his daughter instead！’ ‘God！What a beautiful creature！’laughed Heathcliff scornfully．‘That's worse than I expected！’ 
　　I helped the trembling child off the horse and into the house．Heathcliff took him roughly by the arm． 
　　‘I hope you'll be kind to him，Mr Heathcliff，’I said．‘He's weak，and ill．And he's all the family you've go！’ 
　　‘Don't worry，’Ellen，'replied Heathcliff with a smile．‘As Isabella's son he'll inherit Thrushcross Grange one day，and I don't want him to die before that He'll be educated as a gentleman．But I'm bitterly disappointed at having such a weak，crying baby for a son！’ 
　　So poor Linton was left in his father's care．At first Cathy was miserable，because she would not now have anyone to play with，but she soon forgot him．Whenever I met Zillah，the housekeeper，in the village，I used to ask her abut Linton． ‘He's often ill，'she told me．‘And so selfish！He has to have a fire even in summer！He calls for cakes and hot drinks all the time．He only ever thinks of himself．Mr Heathcliff can't bear being in the same room as him！’ 
　　Several years passed without any more news of Linton．In 1800 Cathy reached the age of sixteen．We never celebrated her birthday，because it was also the day her mother died．On this particular day she came downstairs，dressed for going out，and suggested a walk on the moors with me．Her father gave permission． 
　　It was a lovely spring morning，and I was very happy walking in the sunshine，watching Cathy running ahead of me．But we had walked further than I had realized，and I called to her to come back．She did not seem to hear me． We were on the moors，close to Wuthering Heights，when I caught sight of two men talking to her．I recognized Heathcliff and Hareton at once．I hurried to catch up with her． ‘Miss Cathy，’I said breathlessly，‘we must go home． Your father will be getting worried． ‘No，he won't，Ellen．This gentleman wants me to go to his house and meet his son．He says we've already met，but I don't remember，do you？Let's go，Ellen！’ 
　　Although I protested，she and Hareton were already halfway to Wuthering Heights．Heathcliff and I followed behind． ‘It's very bad of you，Mr Heathcliff，’I scolded him．‘Mr Edgar will blame me for letting her go to your house．’ ‘I want her to see Linton，Ellke， he re…led．‘Listen to my plan．It's really a very generous one．I want the two cousins to fall in love and marry．You know Cathy won't inherit anything from her father．My son Linton will inherit all the Linton fortune when Edgar dies．If she marries Linton， she'll be wealthy．Of course，if Linton dies，then the money comes to me，as his only other relation．’ 
　　I was still angry with Heathcliff，but it was too late to stop Cathy entering Wuthering Heights．She was delighted to rediscover her cousin Linton，who was keeping warm by the fire． ‘If he is my cousin，and you are his father，'she said to Heathcliff，smiling，‘then you must be my uncle！Why don't you ever visit us at the Grange？’ ‘I visited it once or twice too often before you were born，’ he said．‘I must tell you that I quarrelled violently with your father once．He hates me，and if you tell him you want to come here，he'll forbid it．’ 
　　‘Well， if I can't come here， Linton can come to visit me at the Grange， suggested Cathy happily． 
　　‘It'll be too far for me，’ said her cousin weakly．‘It would kill me to walk four miles．’ 
　　Heathcliff looked scornfully at his son． 
　　‘I don't think my plan will ever succeed， Ellen！’he whispered to me．‘Who would fall in love with a selfish baby 138like that？’ He went to the kitchen door and called，‘Hareton！Come and take Miss Cathy round the farm ．’Cathy was eager to see the animals， and she and Hareton went out． 
　　As we watched them through the kitchen window，Heathcliff seemed to be thinking aloud． 
　　‘I've taken my revenge on his father， by making Hareton work for me． I treat him badly， as they used to do to me， and he suffers， as I used to． He's intelligent， and strong， and handsome， but I've taught him to scorn those qualities ．So now he's just an uneducated farm worker，and knows nothing of the world．That's how he'll always be．And my son？He's stupid，and weak，and ill．But he's gentleman，and he'll mar- ry Cathy，and he'll be rich！’ 
　　Meanwhile Linton had got up from his armchair and gone out to join Cathy and Hareton．Through the open window I could hear the two younger ones laughing at Hareton's coarse way of speaking．I began to disliker Linton rather than pity him． 
　　When we arrived back at the Grange，Cathy told her fathter about the visit．He did not want to frighten her，and，in my opinion，did not explain clearly enough why she should never communicate with Linton again．At the time she seemed to accept her father's wish． 
　　During the next few weeks，however，I noticed Cathy's behaviour change．She was always writing on little pieces of paper，which she kept in a locked drawer in her room，and every morning she got up surprisingly early to go down to the kitchen．I suspected something，and day I decided to break open her drawer．In it I was horrified to find a whole pile of love letters from Linton．The two cousins had been writing to each other in secret for several weeks，and Cathy had used the milkman as a messenger．I told her at once that I knew her secret，and made her promise not to send or receive any more letters．We burnt Linton's letters together．  
　 
13 希斯克利夫的儿子在呼啸山庄 
　 
　　1797年 
　　　  
　　林顿很奇怪自己为什么那么早就被叫醒，而且还要接着走，连早餐都没吃。在我们骑马去呼啸山庄的四英里路途中，他一直在问我有关他的新家和他那从未见过面的父亲的事。我们一到，希斯克利夫、哈里顿和约瑟夫都走出房子来审视这孩子。 
　　“主人，那不是个男孩子，”过了一会儿约瑟夫说。“看那白皙的皮肤和浅浅的头发！艾加先生把他的女儿给你送来充数！” 
　　“上帝！多漂亮的小家伙！”希斯克利夫轻蔑地笑起来。“比我预想的还不如！” 
　　我把战战惊惊的孩子扶下马，陪他进了房子。希斯克利夫粗野地抓着他的胳膊。 
　　“我希望你对他好一点，希斯克利夫先生，”我说。“他体弱多病，况且他也是你唯一的家人！” 
　　“别担心，艾伦，”希斯克利夫笑着答道，“他是伊莎贝拉的儿子，总有一天会把画眉山庄继承下来，在此之前我可不希望他死。他会被调教成个绅士。但要这么个弱不禁风、哭哭啼啼的孩子作儿子，让我大失所望！” 
　　这样可怜的林顿就被留下来由他父亲照顾。开始凯茜很难过，因为这样一来她没有人陪她玩了，但不久她就把他忘了。无论什么时候我在村子里碰到女管家齐拉，我就向她打听林顿的情况。 
　　“他常生病，”她告诉我。“还特别自私！夏天他都得要点上炉火！他一刻不停地要点心和热茶。他只想着自己。希斯克利夫先生跟他在一个房间里根本呆不下去！” 
　　又是几年过去了，没再听到林顿的消息。1880年凯茜满16岁了。我们从未庆祝过她的生日，因为她母亲也是那一天去世的。就在这个不寻常的日子她一身出门的装束走下楼来，提议和我到荒原上去走走。她父亲同意了。 
　　那是个可爱的春天的上午，走在阳光下，看着凯茜在前面蹦蹦跳跳，我心情很愉快。但在我不经意之间，我们已走出了很远，我喊她回来。她好像没听见我的话。我们在荒原上，离呼啸山庄不远，这时我看见有两个男人在跟她说话。当时我就认出是希斯克利夫和哈里顿。我赶紧追上她。 
　　“凯茜小姐，”我喘着粗气说道，“我们得回家了。你父亲会开始担心了。” 
　　“不，他不会，艾伦。这位先生想让我到他家去见见他儿子。他说我们曾见过面，可我不记得了，你记得吗？我们去吧，艾伦！” 
　　尽管我不同意，可她和哈里顿已经走到去呼啸山庄的半路上了。希斯克利夫和我在后面跟着。 
　　“你没安好心，希斯克利夫先生，”我指责他。“艾加先生会怪我让她去你家的。” 
　　“我想让她见见林顿，艾伦，”他答道。“听听我的打算。这的确是个很大度的计划。我想让这两个表姐弟相爱结婚。你清楚凯茜继承不到他父亲的任何东西。我儿子林顿在艾加死后会继承林顿家所有家产。如果她嫁给林顿，她就会很富有。当然，如果林顿死了，财产就归我了，因为我是他唯一的家人。” 
　　我还在生着希斯克利夫的气，但已经来不及制止凯茜进呼啸山庄去了。她很高兴又见到表弟林顿，他正在炉火旁取暖。 
　　“他是我表弟，而你是他父亲，”她微笑着对希斯克利夫说，“那你肯定就是我姑父啦！你为什么从不到画眉山庄去看我们？” 
　　“我在你出世之前多去了那儿一两次，”他说。“我必须告诉你有一次我同你父亲吵得很凶。他恨我，要是你告诉他你要到这儿来，他会坚决不许的。” 
　　“那好，要是我不能来这儿，林顿可以去画眉山庄去看我，”凯茜满心欢喜地出主意道。 
　　“对我来说太远了，”她的表弟细声细气地说。“走四英里我会累死的。” 
　　希斯克利夫轻蔑地看着自己的儿子。 
　　“我想我的计划是不可能成功了，艾伦！”他小声对我说。“谁会爱上像他那么个自私的小东西？”他走到厨房门口叫道，“哈里顿！来带凯茜小姐到农庄看看。”凯茜很想看看牲畜，于是她同哈里顿出去了。 
　　我们从厨房的窗户看着他们，希斯克利夫好像是在自言自语。 
　　“让哈里顿替我干活，我已经报复了他父亲。我对他百般虐待，他们以前对我也是那样；他很痛苦，我以前也一样。他聪明、健壮、英俊，但我教他看不起这些优点。所以他如今成了个没教养的干农活的，对这个世界一无所知。他将来永远就是这个样子啦。而我的儿子呢？他愚蠢、孱弱多病。可他是个绅士，他会娶凯茜，还会很富有！” 
　　这时林顿从躺椅中站起来，出去找凯茜和哈里顿。我由开着的窗户听到那两个年纪较小的年轻人正在奚落哈里顿的说话口音粗俗。我开始有些不喜欢林顿，不那么同情他了。 
　　我们回到画眉山庄后，凯茜把去呼啸山庄的事告诉了父亲。在我看来，他可能是不想吓着她，没有跟她解释清楚她为什么不能再和林顿交往。当时她似乎是接受了父亲的告诫。 
　　可在过后的几个星期里，我注意到凯茜的举动有些异样。她老是在小纸条上写字，把纸条锁在她房间的抽屉里，每天早晨起床出奇地早，然后下到厨房。我怀疑她在搞什么鬼，于是一天我决定橇开她的抽屉。我震惊地发现里面是一大撂林顿写来的情书。这两个表姐弟偷偷地相互通信已有好几个星期了，凯茜是让送牛奶的替他们捎信。我马上告诉她我知道了她的秘密，逼着她答应不再写信和收信。我们一起把林顿的信烧了。 
　　　    


 