Maximum-assistance view: every word above everyday vocabulary is explained at every appearance; each name is introduced at its first appearance in the chapter.

CHAPTER II

Yesterday afternoon set in misty and cold. I had half a mind to spend it by my study fire, instead of wading through heath and mud to Wuthering Heights (Yesterday afternoon turned misty and cold. I half thought of spending it by my study fire instead of dragging myself through open moorland and mud to Wuthering Heights). On coming up from dinner, however, (N.B.—I dine between twelve and one o’clock ((Note: I take my main meal between twelve and one o'clock); the housekeeper, a matronly lady, taken as a fixture along with the house, could not, or would not, comprehend my request that I might be served at five (the housekeeper, a motherly older woman who came as a fixed part of the house, could not, or would not, understand my request to be served at five))—on mounting the stairs with this lazy intention (climbing the stairs with this lazy plan in mind), and stepping into the room, I saw a servant-girl on her knees surrounded by brushes and coal-scuttles (climbing the stairs with this lazy plan, and stepping into the room, I found a servant girl on her knees surrounded by brushes and coal buckets), and raising an infernal dust as she extinguished the flames with heaps of cinders (raising a hellish dust as she put out the fire with heaps of ash). This spectacle drove me back immediately; I took my hat, and, after a four-miles’ walk, arrived at Heathcliff’s garden-gate just in time to escape the first feathery flakes of a snow shower (This sight drove me straight back out. I took my hat, and after a four mile walk reached Heathcliff's garden gate just in time to miss the first feathery flakes of a snow shower).

On that bleak hill top the earth was hard with a black frost, and the air made me shiver through every limb (On that bare windswept hilltop the ground was hard with a black frost, and the air set me shivering in every limb). Being unable to remove the chain, I jumped over (Unable to undo the chain, I jumped over), and, running up the flagged causeway bordered with straggling gooseberry-bushes, knocked vainly for admittance, till my knuckles tingled and the dogs howled (running up the paved path edged with sprawling berry bushes, I knocked uselessly to be let in, until my knuckles stung and the dogs howled).

“Wretched inmates!” I ejaculated, mentally, “you deserve perpetual isolation from your species for your churlish inhospitality (Miserable household! I burst out inwardly. You deserve to be cut off from your kind for ever for your surly unwelcoming ways). At least, I would not keep my doors barred in the day-time. I don’t care—I will get in! (At the least, I would not keep my doors locked in daytime. I do not care, I will get in!)” So resolved, I grasped the latch and shook it vehemently. Vinegar-faced Joseph projected his head from a round window of the barn (So decided, I seized the door latch and shook it hard. Sour-faced Joseph poked his head out of a round window in the barn).

“What are ye for? (What do you want?)” he shouted. “T’ maister’s down i’ t’ fowld. Go round by th’ end o’ t’ laith, if ye went to spake to him.” (What do you want? he shouted. The master is down in the sheep pen. Go round by the end of the barn if you want to speak to him)

“Is there nobody inside to open the door?” I hallooed, responsively (Is there nobody inside to open the door? I shouted back).

“There’s nobbut t’ missis; and shoo’ll not oppen ’t an ye mak’ yer flaysome dins till neeght.” (There is nobody but the mistress, and she will not open it though you make your frightful racket until night)

“Why? Cannot you tell her whom I am, eh, Joseph?”

“Nor-ne me! I’ll hae no hend wi’t,” muttered the head, vanishing (Not I! I will have no hand in it, the head said in a low growl, disappearing).

The snow began to drive thickly. I seized the handle to essay another trial (The snow began driving down thickly. I gripped the handle to try once more); when a young man without coat, and shouldering a pitchfork, appeared in the yard behind (when a young man with no coat, a hay fork over his shoulder, appeared in the yard behind). He hailed me to follow him (He called for me to follow him), and, after marching through a wash-house, and a paved area containing a coal-shed, pump, and pigeon-cot, we at length arrived in the huge, warm, cheerful apartment where I was formerly received (after marching through a laundry room and a paved yard holding a coal shed, a water pump and a pigeon house, we came at last to the huge, warm, cheerful room where I had been received before). It glowed delightfully in the radiance of an immense fire, compounded of coal, peat, and wood (It glowed delightfully in the light of a huge fire built of coal, dried bog-turf and wood); and near the table, laid for a plentiful evening meal, I was pleased to observe the “missis,” an individual whose existence I had never previously suspected (and near the table, set for a generous evening meal, I was pleased to see the mistress, a person whose existence I had never before suspected). I bowed and waited, thinking she would bid me take a seat. She looked at me, leaning back in her chair, and remained motionless and mute (I bowed and waited, thinking she would ask me to sit. She looked at me, leaning back in her chair, and stayed still and silent).

“Rough weather!” I remarked (Rough weather! I remarked). “I’m afraid, Mrs. Heathcliff, the door must bear the consequence of your servants’ leisure attendance: I had hard work to make them hear me (I am afraid, Mrs Heathcliff, the door must pay for your servants' slow easy-paced service. I had hard work making them hear me).”

She never opened her mouth. I stared—she stared also (She never opened her mouth. I stared. She stared back): at any rate, she kept her eyes on me in a cool, regardless manner, exceedingly embarrassing and disagreeable (at any rate she kept her eyes on me in a cool, uncaring way, extremely awkward and unpleasant).

“Sit down,” said the young man, gruffly. “He’ll be in soon.” (Sit down, said the young man roughly. He will be in soon)

I obeyed; and hemmed (I obeyed, and gave a small cough), and called the villain Juno, who deigned, at this second interview, to move the extreme tip of her tail, in token of owning my acquaintance (I obeyed, cleared my throat, and called to the villain dog Juno, who condescended, at this second meeting, to move the very tip of her tail as a sign that she knew me).

“A beautiful animal!” I commenced again. “Do you intend parting with the little ones, madam?” (A beautiful animal! I began again. Do you mean to give away the little ones, madam?)

“They are not mine,” said the amiable hostess, more repellingly than Heathcliff himself could have replied (They are not mine, said my charming hostess, more coldly than Heathcliff himself could have answered).

“Ah, your favourites are among these?” I continued, turning to an obscure cushion full of something like cats (Ah, your favourites are among these? I went on, turning to a shadowed cushion covered with what looked like cats).

“A strange choice of favourites!” she observed scornfully (A strange choice of favourites! she remarked with scorn).

Unluckily, it was a heap of dead rabbits (As luck would have it, it was a pile of dead rabbits). I hemmed once more, and drew closer to the hearth, repeating my comment on the wildness of the evening (Unluckily, it was a pile of dead rabbits. I cleared my throat again and moved closer to the fire, repeating my remark about the wild evening).

“You should not have come out,” she said, rising and reaching from the chimney-piece two of the painted canisters (she said, standing and reaching down two of the painted tea tins from the mantel shelf).

Her position before was sheltered from the light; now, I had a distinct view of her whole figure and countenance (Where she sat before was shielded from the light. Now I had a clear view of her whole figure and face). She was slender, and apparently scarcely past girlhood (She was slim, and seemingly barely past being a girl): an admirable form, and the most exquisite little face that I have ever had the pleasure of beholding (She was slim, and seemingly barely past girlhood: a lovely figure, and the most perfect little face I have ever had the pleasure of seeing); small features, very fair; flaxen ringlets, or rather golden, hanging loose on her delicate neck (small fine features, very fair. Pale yellow curls, or rather golden ones, hanging loose on her delicate neck); and eyes, had they been agreeable in expression, that would have been irresistible (and eyes that, had their expression been pleasant, would have been impossible to resist): fortunately for my susceptible heart, the only sentiment they evinced hovered between scorn and a kind of desperation, singularly unnatural to be detected there (luckily for my easily-won heart, the only feeling they showed hung between scorn and a kind of desperation, strangely unnatural to find there). The canisters were almost out of her reach; I made a motion to aid her; she turned upon me as a miser might turn if any one attempted to assist him in counting his gold (The tins were nearly beyond her reach. I moved to help her. She rounded on me as a gold-hugging miser might if someone tried to help him count his gold).

“I don’t want your help,” she snapped; “I can get them for myself.”

“I beg your pardon!” I hastened to reply.

“Were you asked to tea?” she demanded (Were you invited to tea? she demanded), tying an apron over her neat black frock, and standing with a spoonful of the leaf poised over the pot (she demanded, tying an apron over her neat black dress, and standing with a spoonful of tea leaves held ready over the pot).

“I shall be glad to have a cup,” I answered.

“Were you asked?” she repeated.

“No,” I said, half smiling. “You are the proper person to ask me.”

She flung the tea back, spoon and all, and resumed her chair in a pet (She threw the tea back in, spoon and all, and went back to her chair in a fit of temper); her forehead corrugated, and her red under-lip pushed out, like a child’s ready to cry (her forehead wrinkled up, and her red lower lip pushed out like a child's about to cry).

Meanwhile, the young man had slung on to his person a decidedly shabby upper garment, and, erecting himself before the blaze, looked down on me from the corner of his eyes (Meanwhile the young man had thrown a decidedly worn-out jacket over himself, and, standing tall before the fire, looked down at me from the corner of his eyes), for all the world as if there were some mortal feud unavenged between us (for all the world as if there were some deadly unsettled quarrel between us). I began to doubt whether he were a servant or not (I began to wonder whether he was a servant or not): his dress and speech were both rude, entirely devoid of the superiority observable in Mr. and Mrs. Heathcliff (His clothes and speech were both rough, completely lacking the higher polish you could see in Mr and Mrs Heathcliff); his thick brown curls were rough and uncultivated, his whiskers encroached bearishly over his cheeks, and his hands were embrowned like those of a common labourer (His thick brown curls were rough and untended, his face-hair spread bear-like over his cheeks, and his hands were browned like a common workman's): still his bearing was free, almost haughty, and he showed none of a domestic’s assiduity in attending on the lady of the house (Yet he carried himself freely, almost proudly, and showed none of a servant's eagerness in waiting on the lady of the house). In the absence of clear proofs of his condition, I deemed it best to abstain from noticing his curious conduct (With no clear proof of his position, I judged it best to take no notice of his odd behaviour); and, five minutes afterwards, the entrance of Heathcliff relieved me, in some measure, from my uncomfortable state (and five minutes later Heathcliff's entrance freed me, in some degree, from my awkward state).

“You see, sir, I am come, according to promise!” I exclaimed, assuming the cheerful (You see, sir, I have come, as promised! I cried, putting on a cheerful air); “and I fear I shall be weather-bound for half an hour, if you can afford me shelter during that space (I fear I shall be trapped by the weather for half an hour, if you can give me shelter for that time).”

“Half an hour?” he said, shaking the white flakes from his clothes (Half an hour? he said, shaking the white snow bits from his clothes); “I wonder you should select the thick of a snow-storm to ramble about in (I wonder that you would pick the thick of a snow storm to wander about in). Do you know that you run a risk of being lost in the marshes? People familiar with these moors often miss their road on such evenings (Do you know you risk being lost in the bogs? People who know these moors well often lose their way on such evenings); and I can tell you there is no chance of a change at present (and I can tell you there is no hope of a change just now).”

“Perhaps I can get a guide among your lads, and he might stay at the Grange till morning—could you spare me one?” (Perhaps I could have a guide from among your boys, and he might stay at the Grange until morning. Could you spare me one?)

“No, I could not.”

“Oh, indeed! Well, then, I must trust to my own sagacity.” (Oh, indeed! Well then, I must trust my own good judgement)

“Umph!”

“Are you going to mak’ the tea?” (Are you going to make the tea?) demanded he of the shabby coat, shifting his ferocious gaze from me to the young lady (he demanded of the young man in the worn coat, moving his fierce stare from me to the young lady).

“Is he to have any?” she asked, appealing to Heathcliff.

“Get it ready, will you?” was the answer, uttered so savagely that I started (Get it ready, will you? was the answer, spoken so brutally that I jumped). The tone in which the words were said revealed a genuine bad nature. I no longer felt inclined to call Heathcliff a capital fellow (The tone the words were said in showed a truly bad nature. I no longer felt moved to call Heathcliff a first-rate fellow). When the preparations were finished, he invited me with—“Now, sir, bring forward your chair.” (When everything was ready, he invited me with, Now, sir, bring your chair forward) And we all, including the rustic youth, drew round the table: an austere silence prevailing while we discussed our meal (we all, the country-rough young man included, drew round the table, a stern silence ruling while we ate our meal).

I thought, if I had caused the cloud, it was my duty to make an effort to dispel it (I thought, if I had brought on this cloud, it was my duty to try to clear it away). They could not every day sit so grim and taciturn (They could not sit so grim and wordless every day); and it was impossible, however ill-tempered they might be, that the universal scowl they wore was their every-day countenance (and it seemed impossible, however bad-tempered they were, that the scowl they all wore was their everyday face).

“It is strange,” I began, in the interval of swallowing one cup of tea and receiving another (It is strange, I began, in the pause between finishing one cup of tea and being handed another)—“it is strange how custom can mould our tastes and ideas: many could not imagine the existence of happiness (many people could not imagine happiness existing) in a life of such complete exile from the world as you spend, Mr. Heathcliff (it is strange how habit can shape our tastes and ideas. Many people could not imagine happiness existing in a life so completely cut off from the world as yours, Mr Heathcliff); yet, I’ll venture to say, that, surrounded by your family, and with your amiable lady as the presiding genius over your home and heart— (yet I will dare to say that, surrounded by your family, with your charming lady as the guiding spirit over your home and heart—)”

“My amiable lady!” he interrupted, with an almost diabolical sneer on his face (he broke in, with an almost devilish curl of the lip). “Where is she—my amiable lady?”

“Mrs. Heathcliff, your wife, I mean.”

“Well, yes—oh, you would intimate (Well, yes. Oh, you mean to hint) that her spirit has taken the post of ministering angel, and guards the fortunes of Wuthering Heights, even when her body is gone (oh, you mean to suggest that her spirit has taken up the post of caring angel, and watches over the fortunes of Wuthering Heights even though her body is gone). Is that it?”

Perceiving myself in a blunder, I attempted to correct it (Seeing I had made a mistake, I tried to mend it). I might have seen there was too great a disparity between the ages of the parties to make it likely that they were man and wife (I should have seen that the gap in age between the two was too wide to make them likely husband and wife). One was about forty: a period of mental vigour at which men seldom cherish the delusion of being married for love by girls (One was about forty, an age of mental strength at which men rarely hold on to the fond illusion that girls marry them for love): that dream is reserved for the solace of our declining years. The other did not look seventeen (that dream is saved for the comfort of our fading years. The other did not look seventeen).

Then it flashed upon me—“The clown at my elbow, who is drinking his tea out of a basin and eating his bread with unwashed hands, may be her husband (Then it flashed on me: the country lump at my elbow, drinking his tea from a bowl and eating his bread with unwashed hands, may be her husband): Heathcliff junior, of course (the younger Heathcliff, of course). Here is the consequence of being buried alive: she has thrown herself away upon that boor from sheer ignorance that better individuals existed! (Here is what comes of being buried alive: she has thrown herself away on that crude fellow out of pure ignorance that better men existed!) A sad pity—I must beware how I cause her to regret her choice.” The last reflection may seem conceited; it was not (A sad pity. I must be careful not to make her regret her choice. That last thought may sound vain. It was not). My neighbour struck me as bordering on repulsive; I knew, through experience, that I was tolerably attractive (My neighbour struck me as close to repulsive, and I knew from experience that I was reasonably attractive).

“Mrs. Heathcliff is my daughter-in-law,” said Heathcliff, corroborating my surmise (Mrs Heathcliff is my son's wife, said Heathcliff, confirming my guess). He turned, as he spoke, a peculiar look in her direction (As he spoke, he turned a strange look her way): a look of hatred; unless he has a most perverse set of facial muscles that will not, like those of other people, interpret the language of his soul (As he spoke he turned a strange look in her direction, a look of hatred, unless his face muscles are so contrary that they refuse, unlike other people's, to speak the language of his soul).

“Ah, certainly—I see now: you are the favoured possessor of the beneficent fairy,” I remarked, turning to my neighbour (Ah, of course, I see now: you are the lucky owner of this kindly fairy, I remarked, turning to my neighbour).

This was worse than before (This landed worse than before): the youth grew crimson, and clenched his fist, with every appearance of a meditated assault (This was worse than before. The young man went deep red and clenched his fist, looking every bit like a man planning an attack). But he seemed to recollect himself presently, and smothered the storm in a brutal curse, muttered on my behalf: which, however, I took care not to notice (But he seemed to catch hold of himself soon after, and choked the storm down in a savage curse growled my way, which I took care not to notice).

“Unhappy in your conjectures, sir,” observed my host; “we neither of us have the privilege of owning your good fairy; her mate is dead (Unlucky in your guesses, sir, my host observed. Neither of us has the honour of owning your good fairy. Her mate is dead). I said she was my daughter-in-law: therefore, she must have married my son (I said she was my son's wife, therefore she must have married my son).”

“And this young man is—”

“Not my son, assuredly.” (Certainly not my son)

Heathcliff smiled again, as if it were rather too bold a jest to attribute the paternity of that bear to him (Heathcliff smiled again, as if it were rather too bold a joke to name him father of that bear).

“My name is Hareton Earnshaw,” growled the other; “and I’d counsel you to respect it!” (My name is Hareton Earnshaw, the other growled, and I would advise you to respect it!)

“I’ve shown no disrespect,” was my reply, laughing internally at the dignity with which he announced himself (I have shown no disrespect, I replied, laughing inside at the grand air with which he announced himself).

He fixed his eye on me longer than I cared to return the stare, for fear I might be tempted either to box his ears or render my hilarity audible (He fixed his eye on me longer than I cared to stare back, for fear I might be tempted either to hit his ears or let my laughter be heard). I began to feel unmistakably out of place in that pleasant family circle (I began to feel unmistakably out of place in that pleasant family circle). The dismal spiritual atmosphere overcame, and more than neutralised, the glowing physical comforts round me (The gloomy spirit of the place overpowered, and more than cancelled out, the glowing bodily comforts around me); and I resolved to be cautious how I ventured under those rafters a third time (and I decided to think hard before coming under that roof a third time).

The business of eating being concluded, and no one uttering a word of sociable conversation, I approached a window to examine the weather (The eating finished, and nobody offering one word of friendly talk, I went to a window to check the weather) (I went over to a window to check the weather). A sorrowful sight I saw: dark night coming down prematurely, and sky and hills mingled in one bitter whirl of wind and suffocating snow (A sad sight I saw: dark night falling early, and sky and hills mixed in one bitter spinning of wind and choking snow).

“I don’t think it possible for me to get home now without a guide,” I could not help exclaiming (I do not think I can get home now without a guide, I could not help crying out). “The roads will be buried already; and, if they were bare, I could scarcely distinguish a foot in advance (The roads will be buried already, and even if they were clear, I could barely see a foot ahead).”

“Hareton, drive those dozen sheep into the barn porch (Hareton, drive those twelve sheep into the barn's covered entrance). They’ll be covered if left in the fold all night: and put a plank before them (They will be snowed over if left in the pen all night. And put a board across in front of them),” said Heathcliff.

“How must I do?” I continued, with rising irritation (What am I to do? I went on, my annoyance rising).

There was no reply to my question (My question got no answer); and on looking round I saw only Joseph bringing in a pail of porridge for the dogs, and Mrs. Heathcliff leaning over the fire, diverting herself with burning a bundle of matches (looking round, I saw only Joseph bringing in a bucket of porridge for the dogs, and Mrs Heathcliff leaning over the fire, amusing herself burning a bundle of matches) which had fallen from the chimney-piece as she restored the tea-canister to its place (as she put the tea tin back in its place). The former, when he had deposited his burden, took a critical survey of the room, and in cracked tones grated out (Joseph, when he had set down his load, looked the room over with a fault-finding eye, and in a cracked voice ground out)—“Aw wonder how yah can faishion to stand thear i’ idleness un war, when all on ’ems goan out! (I wonder how you can bear to stand there idle and worse, when everyone else has gone out!) Bud yah’re a nowt, and it’s no use talking—yah’ll niver mend o’yer ill ways, but goa raight to t’ divil, like yer mother afore ye!” (But you are a nothing, and there is no use talking. You will never mend your wicked ways, but go straight to the devil, like your mother before you!)

I imagined, for a moment, that this piece of eloquence was addressed to me; and, sufficiently enraged, stepped towards the aged rascal with an intention of kicking him out of the door (For a moment I imagined this fine speech was aimed at me, and, angry enough, stepped towards the old rogue meaning to kick him out of the door). Mrs. Heathcliff, however, checked me by her answer (But Mrs Heathcliff's answer stopped me short).

“You scandalous old hypocrite!” she replied (You shameless old fraud! she answered). “Are you not afraid of being carried away bodily, whenever you mention the devil’s name? I warn you to refrain from provoking me, or I’ll ask your abduction as a special favour! (Are you not afraid of being carried off body and all whenever you name the devil? I warn you to stop provoking me, or I will ask for you to be taken as a special favour!) Stop! look here, Joseph,” she continued, taking a long, dark book from a shelf (Stop! Look here, Joseph, she went on, taking a long dark book down from a shelf); “I’ll show you how far I’ve progressed in the Black Art: I shall soon be competent to make a clear house of it (I will show you how far I have come in the Black Art, the practice of dark magic. I shall soon be able to sweep this house clean of you all). The red cow didn’t die by chance; and your rheumatism can hardly be reckoned among providential visitations! (The red cow did not die by accident, and your aching joints can hardly be counted as heaven's doing!)”

“Oh, wicked, wicked!” gasped the elder; “may the Lord deliver us from evil!” (Oh, wicked, wicked! the old man gasped. May the Lord deliver us from evil!)

“No, reprobate! you are a castaway—be off, or I’ll hurt you seriously! (No, you godless sinner! You are one of the damned. Be off, or I will hurt you badly!) I’ll have you all modelled in wax and clay! and the first who passes the limits I fix shall—I’ll not say what he shall be done to—but, you’ll see! (I will have you all shaped in wax and clay, like a witch's charm, and the first who crosses the lines I set shall, I will not say what shall be done to him, but you will see!) Go, I’m looking at you! (Go, I am watching you!)”

The little witch put a mock malignity into her beautiful eyes, and Joseph, trembling with sincere horror, hurried out, praying, and ejaculating “wicked” as he went (The little witch put a pretend evil into her beautiful eyes, and Joseph, shaking with honest horror, hurried out, praying, and crying wicked as he went). I thought her conduct must be prompted by a species of dreary fun; and, now that we were alone (now that the two of us were alone), I endeavoured to interest her in my distress (I thought her behaviour must come from a kind of joyless fun, and, now that we were alone, I tried to interest her in my trouble).

“Mrs. Heathcliff,” I said earnestly, “you must excuse me for troubling you (Mrs Heathcliff, I said in earnest, you must forgive me for troubling you). I presume, because, with that face, I’m sure you cannot help being good-hearted (I take that liberty because, with that face, I am sure you cannot help being kind-hearted). Do point out some landmarks by which I may know my way home: I have no more idea how to get there than you would have how to get to London! (Do point out some landmarks by which I can find my way home. I have no more idea how to get there than you would have of getting to London!)”

“Take the road you came,” she answered, ensconcing herself in a chair, with a candle, and the long book open before her (Take the road you came by, she answered, settling herself deep into a chair with a candle and the long book open before her). “It is brief advice, but as sound as I can give (The advice is short, but as good as I can give).”

“Then, if you hear of me being discovered dead in a bog (Then if you hear of me found dead in a wet sinking marsh) or a pit full of snow, your conscience won’t whisper that it is partly your fault?” (Then if you hear I have been found dead in a bog or a pit full of snow, your conscience will not whisper that it is partly your fault?)

“How so? I cannot escort you. They wouldn’t let me go to the end of the garden wall.” (How so? I cannot walk you there. They would not let me go as far as the end of the garden wall)

“You! I should be sorry to ask you to cross the threshold, for my convenience, on such a night (I would be sorry to ask you to step over the doorway for my sake on such a night),” I cried. “I want you to tell me my way, not to show it: or else to persuade Mr. Heathcliff to give me a guide (I want you to tell me my way, not show it, or else to talk Mr Heathcliff into giving me a guide) (or else to talk Mr Heathcliff into giving me a guide).”

“Who? There is himself, Earnshaw, Zillah, Joseph and I. Which would you have?”

“Are there no boys at the farm?”

“No; those are all.”

“Then, it follows that I am compelled to stay.” (Then it follows that I am forced to stay)

“That you may settle with your host. I have nothing to do with it.” (That you may settle with your host. It is no business of mine)

“I hope it will be a lesson to you to make no more rash journeys on these hills,” cried Heathcliff’s stern voice from the kitchen entrance (I hope this will teach you to make no more reckless trips over these hills, came Heathcliff's hard voice from the kitchen doorway). “As to staying here, I don’t keep accommodations for visitors: you must share a bed with Hareton or Joseph, if you do (As for staying here, I keep no rooms for visitors. You must share a bed with Hareton or Joseph if you do) (you must share a bed with Hareton or Joseph if you stay).”

“I can sleep on a chair in this room,” I replied.

“No, no! A stranger is a stranger, be he rich or poor (No, no! A stranger is a stranger, rich or poor): it will not suit me to permit any one the range of the place while I am off guard!” said the unmannerly wretch (A stranger is a stranger, rich or poor. It will not suit me to let anyone roam the place while I am off my guard! said the ill-mannered wretch).

With this insult my patience was at an end. I uttered an expression of disgust, and pushed past him into the yard, running against Earnshaw in my haste (At this insult my patience ran out. I let out a sound of disgust and pushed past him into the yard, knocking into Earnshaw in my hurry) (bumping into Earnshaw in my rush). It was so dark that I could not see the means of exit; and, as I wandered round, I heard another specimen of their civil behaviour amongst each other (It was so dark I could not find the way out, and as I wandered about I heard another sample of their polite ways with one another). At first the young man appeared about to befriend me (At first the young man seemed ready to help me).

“I’ll go with him as far as the park,” he said.

“You’ll go with him to hell!” exclaimed his master, or whatever relation he bore (cried his master, or whatever relation the man was to him). “And who is to look after the horses, eh?”

“A man’s life is of more consequence than one evening’s neglect of the horses (than the horses going untended for one evening): somebody must go,” murmured Mrs. Heathcliff, more kindly than I expected (A man's life matters more than one evening's neglect of the horses. Somebody must go, said Mrs Heathcliff in a low voice, more kindly than I expected).

“Not at your command!” retorted Hareton. “If you set store on him, you’d better be quiet.” (Not on your orders! Hareton shot back. If you care about him, you had better keep quiet)

“Then I hope his ghost will haunt you; and I hope Mr. Heathcliff will never get another tenant till the Grange is a ruin (until the Grange stands in ruins),” she answered, sharply (Then I hope his ghost haunts you, and I hope Mr Heathcliff never gets another renter until the Grange is a ruin, she answered sharply).

“Hearken, hearken, shoo’s cursing on ’em!” muttered Joseph, towards whom I had been steering (Listen, listen, she is calling curses on them! said Joseph in a low growl, towards whom I had been making my way).

He sat within earshot, milking the cows by the light of a lantern, which I seized unceremoniously, and, calling out that I would send it back on the morrow, rushed to the nearest postern (He sat within hearing, milking the cows by lantern light. I grabbed the lantern without ceremony, and calling out that I would send it back the next day, rushed for the nearest small back gate) (made a dash for the nearest little back gate).

“Maister, maister, he’s staling t’ lanthern!” shouted the ancient, pursuing my retreat (Master, master, he is stealing the lantern! shouted the old man, chasing after me). “Hey, Gnasher! Hey, dog! Hey Wolf, holld him, holld him!” (Hey, Gnasher! Hey, dog! Hey Wolf, hold him, hold him!)

On opening the little door, two hairy monsters flew at my throat, bearing me down, and extinguishing the light (As I opened the little door, two hairy monsters flew at my throat, knocking me down and putting out the light) (knocking me flat and putting out the light); while a mingled guffaw from Heathcliff and Hareton put the copestone on my rage and humiliation (while a joined burst of loud laughter from Heathcliff and Hareton set the crowning stone on my rage and shame). Fortunately, the beasts seemed more bent on stretching their paws, and yawning, and flourishing their tails, than devouring me alive (Luckily the beasts seemed more set on stretching their paws, yawning and waving their tails than on eating me alive); but they would suffer no resurrection, and I was forced to lie till their malignant masters pleased to deliver me (but they would allow no rising again, and I was forced to lie there until their spiteful masters chose to free me): then, hatless and trembling with wrath, I ordered the miscreants to let me out—on their peril to keep me one minute longer—with several incoherent threats of retaliation that, in their indefinite depth of virulency, smacked of King Lear (Then, hatless and shaking with rage, I ordered the villains to let me out, at their peril if they kept me one minute more, with several confused threats of revenge which, in their bottomless depth of poison, echoed King Lear's wild curses).

The vehemence of my agitation brought on a copious bleeding at the nose, and still Heathcliff laughed, and still I scolded (The force of my upset brought on a heavy nosebleed, and still Heathcliff laughed, and still I raged). I don’t know what would have concluded the scene, had there not been one person at hand rather more rational than myself, and more benevolent than my entertainer (I do not know what would have ended the scene, had there not been one person at hand rather more sensible than I, and more kindly than my host). This was Zillah, the stout housewife; who at length issued forth to inquire into the nature of the uproar (This was Zillah, the sturdy housekeeper, who at last came out to ask what the noise was about). She thought that some of them had been laying violent hands on me (She believed some of them had been attacking me with their hands); and, not daring to attack her master, she turned her vocal artillery against the younger scoundrel (and not daring to attack her master, she turned her big guns of a voice on the younger rogue).

“Well, Mr. Earnshaw,” she cried (Well, Mr Earnshaw, she cried), “I wonder what you’ll have agait next? Are we going to murder folk on our very door-stones? (I wonder what you will be up to next? Are we going to murder people on our very doorsteps?) I see this house will never do for me—look at t’ poor lad, he’s fair choking! Wisht, wisht; you mun’n’t go on so. Come in, and I’ll cure that: there now, hold ye still (look at the poor lad, he is fairly choking! Hush, hush. You must not go on so. Come in, and I will cure that. There now, hold still).”

With these words she suddenly splashed a pint of icy water down my neck, and pulled me into the kitchen (With these words she suddenly poured a pint of icy water down my neck and pulled me into the kitchen). Mr. Heathcliff followed, his accidental merriment expiring quickly in his habitual moroseness (Mr Heathcliff followed, his chance burst of laughter dying quickly back into his usual gloom).

I was sick exceedingly, and dizzy, and faint; and thus compelled perforce to accept lodgings under his roof (I was extremely sick, dizzy and faint, and so forced, whether I would or not, to take a bed under his roof). He told Zillah to give me a glass of brandy, and then passed on to the inner room (He told Zillah to give me a glass of brandy, then went on into the inner room); while she condoled with me on my sorry predicament, and having obeyed his orders, whereby I was somewhat revived, ushered me to bed (while she offered me sympathy over my sorry fix, and having carried out his orders, which revived me somewhat, led me off to bed).