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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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407 straight in. He cannot be in bed, I thought: those showers would drench him through! He must either be up or out. But I’ll make no more ado, I’ll go boldly and look! Having succeeded in obtaining entrance with another key, I ran to unclose the panels, for the chamber was vacant--quickly pushing them aside, I peeped in. Mr. Heathcliff was there--laid on his back. His eyes met mine so keen and fierce, I started; and then he seemed to smile. I could not think him dead--but his face and throat were washed with rain; the bedclothes dripped, and he was perfectly still. The lattice, flapping to and fro, had grazed one hand that rested on the sill--no blood trickled from the broken skin, and when I put my fingers to it, I could doubt no more--he was dead and stark! I hasped the window; I combed his black long hair from his forehead; I tried to close his eyes--to extinguish, if possible, that frightful, lifelike gaze of exultation before any one else beheld it. They would not shut--they seemed to sneer at my attempts; and his parted lips and sharp white teeth sneered too! Taken with another fit of cowardice, I cried for Joseph. Joseph shuffled up, and made a noise, but resolutely refused to meddle with him. “Th’ divil’s harried off his soul,” he cried, “and he muh hev his carcass intuh t’ bargin, for owt Aw care! Ech! what a wicked un he looks grinning at death!” and the old sinner grinned in mockery. I thought he intended to cut a caper round the bed; but suddenly composing himself, he fell on his knees, and raised his hands, and returned thanks that the lawful master and the ancient stock were restored to their rights. |
