# ■ 17 Mr Lockwood visits Wuthering Heights again

1802 After hearing the end of Mrs Dean's story，I made my plans for the future．I decided I did not want to spend another winter at the Grange，and told her I would ride to the Heights to inform my landlord．She handed me a letter to give to Cathy Heathcliff．

When I arrived at the gate，Hareton met me and took me into the house．Cathy was there，preparing vegetables for lunch．She did not bother to greet me．

‘She may be beautiful，’I thought，‘but she's not very polite．’I passed by her chair，and cleverly dropped Mrs Dean's note in front of her，so that Hareton wouldn't see it．She，however，just said aloud，‘What's that？’

‘A letter from the housekeeper at the Grange，’I said，annoyed with her．She gasped，and tried to pick it up，but Hareton got there first．

‘Mr Heathcliff will want to look at this，’he said，putting it in his pocket．But when Cathy pretended to cry，Hareton could not bear to make her sad，and he threw the letter down on the table．She eagerly read every word，and asked me several questions about the people at the Grange．

‘Mrs Dean will want an answer to her letter，’I reminded her．

‘You must tell her that I have no paper or pens to write with．I haven't even any books！'she answered sadly．

‘No books！’I cried．‘How can you manage without them in this lonely place？’

‘I always used to read so much that Mr Heathcliff decided to take away my only pleasure and destroy my books．I've looked all over the house for them．Joseph only reads the Bible，but some of my books are in Hareton's room！Why did you take them，Hareton？Just because you enjoy stealing？They can't be any use to you！’

‘I think Mr Hareton wants to learn，’I said，hoping to prevent a quarrel between them．‘No doubt he took them away to study them．’

‘Yes，'replied Cathy，laughing．‘I hear him trying to read to himself sometimes and it's extremely funny！He makes some terrible mistakes！’

After a moment's shocked silence Hareton left the room．He returned almost immediately with his arms full of books，and threw them angrily down at Cathy's feet．

‘Take them！’he shouted．‘I never want to see them again！’

‘I won't have them now，'she said．‘I'll hate them because they'll make me think of you．’

Hareton picked up the books and threw them on the fire，then walked quickly out of the house．

Mr Heathcliff came in as Hareton went out．He had a restless，anxious expression on his face．

‘Mr Heathcliff，’I said，‘I must tell you I'm leaving for London next week，for six months，and I shan't want to rent the Grange any more after October．’

‘So，Mr Lockwood，you've got tired of the moors already，have you？Well，have your lunch with Hareton and me，anyway．Cathy，take your lunch in the kitchen with Joseph and Zillah．’

I did not enjoy lunch with my two silent companions，and left the Heights straight afterwards．

‘What a pity，’I thought，‘that Cathy Heathcliff and I didn't fall in love，as Mrs Dean would have liked！Then I could have taken her away from this miserable place for ever！’

Several months later，in September，I was travelling to visit friends in Yorkshire．I found myself near Thrushcross Grange，and decided to spend a night there．After all，I was still paying rent for it．When I arrived，I was surprised to find a different housekeeper，who told me Mrs Dean had become housekeeper at the Heights．I wanted to have a walk after travelling all day，so I left orders for the woman to cook my supper and prepare bedroom for me，and I walked the four miles to Wuthering Heights．

As I came close to the old house，I noticed that there were flowers in the garden，and the doors and windows stood open．I could see two people inside，and I stopped for a moment，curious to hear a little of their conversation．

‘Read it again，stupid！'said a voice as sweet as a silver bell．‘Read it correctly this time，or I'll pull your hair！’

‘You must kiss me if I get it right，’answered a deep voice．The man was sitting at a table，reading from a book．His handsome face shone with pleasure，and his eyes often left the book to look at the small white hand that lay on his shoulder．The girl stood behind him，bending over to help him．Her face—it was fortunate he could not see her face，or he would never have been able to concentrate on his studies．I could see it，and I was bitterly sorry that I had thrown away my chance of seeing that beauty every day of my life．

I did not want to disturb their happiness，so I went round to the back door，where I discovered my old friend Ellen Dean．

‘Oh，Mr Lockwood，welcome back！'she cried．‘Are you staying at the Grange again？’

‘Yes，Mrs Dean，just for one night．But tell me，why are you housekeeper here now and not at the Grange？’

‘Zillah left，you see，and Mr Heathcliff wanted me here．’

‘I have a little business with him，about the rent．’

‘Oh！Mr Heathcliff is dead，sir．He died three months ago．I manage all Mrs Heathcliff's business for her．She hasn't learnt to do it herself yet，you see．’

‘Heathcliff is dead！’I repeated，surprised．‘Well！Tell me how it happened，Mrs Dean！’

‘Sit down，sir，and drink some beer．I'll gladly tell you．His life ended very strangely．’

■ 17 洛克伍德先生再訪呼嘯山莊

1802年

聽完了迪恩夫人的故事，我為自己的將來做好了計劃。我拿定主意不想在畫眉山莊過第二個冬天了，我告訴她我要騎馬到呼嘯山莊去通知我的房東。她交給我一封信要我帶給凱茜·希斯克利夫。

我到大門口時，哈里頓迎我進了房子。凱茜在，正準備午餐用的蔬菜。她懶得和我打招呼。

“她也許漂亮，”我想，“可她太無禮了。”走過她的椅子時我巧妙地把迪恩夫人的便條丟在她面前，這樣哈里頓就看不見了。可她卻大聲說道，“那是什麼？”

“畫眉山莊女管家的信，”我說，有些生她的氣。她愣了一下，剛想要揀起來，但哈里頓先拿到了。

“希斯克利夫先生會想看看的，”他說，把信揣進了口袋裡。可當凱茜假裝哭的時候，哈里頓不忍讓她傷心，把信扔到桌子上。她急切地讀著每一個字，還問了我幾個關於畫眉山莊裡的人的問題。

“迪恩夫人想有回信，”我提醒她。

“你一定要告訴她我沒有可用來寫信的紙和筆。我連書都沒有！”她難過地說。

“沒有書！”我叫道。“在這麼孤寂的地方沒有書你是怎麼過的？”

“我過去總是很喜歡讀書，所以希斯克利夫先生決定剝奪我唯一的樂趣，把我的書毀掉。我整個屋子都找遍了。約瑟夫只讀《聖經》，可我的一些書卻在哈里頓的房間裡！你為什麼要拿那些書，哈里頓？只是因為你喜歡偷東西嗎？它們對你沒什麼用！”

“我想哈里頓先生是想學習，”我說，希望他們別吵起來。“無疑他拿走書是去研讀的。”

“是的，”凱茜笑著答道。“我聽到他有時自己試著讀書，可笑極了！有時犯嚴重的錯誤。”

哈里頓很吃驚，呆呆地說不出話來，過了一會兒離開了房間。他隨後即抱著一懷抱書回來，怒氣衝衝地將書扔在凱茜的腳邊。

“拿走吧！”他嚷道。“我再也不想看了！”

“我現在也不想要它們了。”她說。“我會恨它們的，因為會讓我想起你。”

哈里頓揀起書扔進了火裡，然後快步走出了房子。

哈里頓一出去希斯克利夫先生就進來了。滿臉焦慮不安的表情。

“希斯克利夫先生，”我說，“我得告訴您我下週要去倫敦，要走六個月，所以10月份以後我就不想再租用畫眉山莊了。”

“這麼說，洛克伍德先生，您已經厭倦荒原了，是嗎？好，不管怎麼樣，您跟哈里頓和我一起用午餐吧。凱茜，你在廚房同約瑟夫和齊拉吃午餐。”

跟兩位默不作聲的人一起用午餐真不是件樂事，之後我就直接離開了呼嘯山莊。

“真遺憾，”我想，“凱茜·希斯克利夫和我沒有像迪恩夫人希望的那樣彼此相愛！果真如此的話我就帶她永遠離開這個傷心的地方。”

幾個月之後，正值9月，我去看望在約克郡的朋友，途中我發現自己離畫眉山莊不遠，於是決定去那兒過一夜。沒想到到了那兒卻發現管家已換了個人，新的管家告訴我迪恩夫人已到呼嘯山莊去做管家了。經過一整天的旅行我想散散步，於是吩咐女管家為我做好晚餐，準備一間臥室，然後我步行四英里去呼嘯山莊。

當我走近那棟老宅子，我注意到花園裡開著花，門和窗也都是開著的。我能看見裡面有兩個人，我駐足站了一會兒，好奇地聽到他們之間的一點談話。

“再讀一遍，笨蛋！”一個銀鈴般甜美的聲音說道。“這次別讀錯了，否則我就拽你的頭髮！”

“我要是讀對了你一定要吻我，”一個低沉的聲音回答。這個人坐在桌旁，正讀一本書。他英俊的面龐洋溢著喜悅的光彩，他的雙眼不時離開書本看著搭在他肩上的白皙的小手。那姑娘站在他身後，彎著腰輔導他。她的面龐——幸虧他看不到她的面龐，否則他決不能集中精神學習。可我能看到這面龐，我真是懊悔自己丟掉了此生終日與這個美人相見的機會。

我不想打攪他們的快樂，所以繞到了後門，在那兒看到了我的老朋友艾倫·迪恩。

“噢，洛克伍德先生，歡迎回來！”她叫道。“您又在畫眉山莊住了？”

“是的，迪恩夫人，只住一夜。先告訴我，你為什麼在這兒做管家而不在畫眉山莊了？”

“齊拉走了，你知道，希斯克利夫先生想要我到這兒來。”

“我和他還有一些事務，租房子的事。”

“噢！希斯克利夫先生死了，先生。他三個月以前死的。我替希斯克利夫夫人處理一切事務。她還沒學會自己來幹，你知道。”

“希斯克利夫死了！”我驚異地重複道。“那麼，告訴我是怎麼回事，迪恩夫人！”

“請坐，先生，喝點啤酒。我很樂意告訴您。他的生命結束得很奇特。”