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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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369 “An idle whim, I fear, sir,” was my answer; “or else an idle whim is going to spirit me away. I shall set out for London next week; and I must give you warning that I feel no disposition to retain Thrushcross Grange beyond the twelve months I agreed to rent it. I believe I shall not live there any more.” “Oh, indeed! you’re tired of being banished from the world, are you?” he said. “But if you be coming to plead off paying for a place you won’t occupy, your journey is useless; I never relent in exacting my due from any one.” “I’m coming to plead off nothing about it!” I exclaimed, considerably irritated. “Should you wish it, I’ll settle with you now,” and I drew my note-book from my pocket. “No, no,” he replied coolly; “you’ll leave sufficient behind to cover your debts, if you fail to return . . . I’m not in such a hurry. Sit down and take your dinner with us; a guest that is safe from repeating his visit can generally be made welcome. Catherine! bring the things in--where are you?” Catherine reappeared, bearing a tray of knives and forks. “You may get your dinner with Joseph,” muttered Heathcliff aside, “and remain in the kitchen till he is gone.” She obeyed his directions very punctually--perhaps she had no temptation to transgress. Living among clowns and misanthropists, she probably cannot appreciate a better class of people when she meets them. With Mr. Heathcliff, grim and saturnine, on one hand, and Hareton, absolutely dumb, on the other, I made a somewhat cheerless meal, and bid adieu early. I would have departed by the back way, to get a last glimpse of Catherine, and annoy old Joseph; but Hareton received orders to lead up my horse, and my host |
