p. 1

wuthering heights emily bronte this ebook is designed and published by planet pdf for more free ebooks visit our web site at http www.planetpdf.com

[close]

p. 2

wuthering heights chapter i 1801 i have just returned from a visit to my landlord the solitary neighbour that i shall be troubled with this is certainly a beautiful country in all england i do not believe that i could have fixed on a situation so completely removed from the stir of society a perfect misanthropist s heaven and mr heathcliff and i are such a suitable pair to divide the desolation between us a capital fellow he little imagined how my heart warmed towards him when i beheld his black eyes withdraw so suspiciously under their brows as i rode up and when his fingers sheltered themselves with a jealous resolution still further in his waistcoat as i announced my name mr heathcliff i said a nod was the answer mr lockwood your new tenant sir i do myself the honour of calling as soon as possible after my arrival to express the hope that i have not inconvenienced you by my perseverance in soliciting the occupation of thrushcross grange i heard yesterday you had had some thoughts 2 of 540

[close]

p. 3

ebook brought to you by wuthering heights create view and edit pdf download the free trial version thrushcross grange is my own sir he interrupted wincing `i should not allow any one to inconvenience me if i could hinder it walk in the `walk in was uttered with closed teeth and expressed the sentiment `go to the deuce even the gate over which he leant manifested no sympathising movement to the words and i think that circumstance determined me to accept the invitation i felt interested in a man who seemed more exaggeratedly reserved than myself when he saw my horse s breast fairly pushing the barrier he did put out his hand to unchain it and then sullenly preceded me up the causeway calling as we entered the court `joseph take mr lockwood s horse and bring up some wine here we have the whole establishment of domestics i suppose was the reflection suggested by this compound order `no wonder the grass grows up between the flags and cattle are the only hedge cutters joseph was an elderly nay an old man very old perhaps though hale and sinewy `the lord help us he soliloquised in an undertone of peevish displeasure while relieving me of my horse looking meantime in my face so sourly that i charitably conjectured he must have need 3 of 540

[close]

p. 4

wuthering heights of divine aid to digest his dinner and his pious ejaculation had no reference to my unexpected advent wuthering heights is the name of mr heathcliff s dwelling `wuthering being a significant provincial adjective descriptive of the atmospheric tumult to which its station is exposed in stormy weather pure bracing ventilation they must have up there at all times indeed one may guess the power of the north wind blowing over the edge by the excessive slant of a few stunted firs at the end of the house and by a range of gaunt thorns all stretching their limbs one way as if craving alms of the sun happily the architect had foresight to build it strong the narrow windows are deeply set in the wall and the corners defended with large jutting stones before passing the threshold i paused to admire a quantity of grotesque carving lavished over the front and especially about the principal door above which among a wilderness of crumbling griffins and shameless little boys i detected the date `1500 and the name `hareton earnshaw i would have made a few comments and requested a short history of the place from the surly owner but his attitude at the door appeared to demand my speedy entrance or complete departure and i had no 4 of 540

[close]

p. 5

wuthering heights desire to aggravate his impatience previous to inspecting the penetralium one stop brought us into the family sitting-room without any introductory lobby or passage they call it here `the house pre eminently it includes kitchen and parlour generally but i believe at wuthering heights the kitchen is forced to retreat altogether into another quarter at least i distinguished a chatter of tongues and a clatter of culinary utensils deep within and i observed no signs of roasting boiling or baking about the huge fireplace nor any glitter of copper saucepans and tin cullenders on the walls one end indeed reflected splendidly both light and heat from ranks of immense pewter dishes interspersed with silver jugs and tankards towering row after row on a vast oak dresser to the very roof the latter had never been under-drawn its entire anatomy lay bare to an inquiring eye except where a frame of wood laden with oatcakes and clusters of legs of beef mutton and ham concealed it above the chimney were sundry villainous old guns and a couple of horse-pistols and by way of ornament three gaudily-painted canisters disposed along its ledge the floor was of smooth white stone the chairs high-backed primitive structures painted green one or two heavy black ones lurking in the shade in an arch 5 of 540

[close]

p. 6

wuthering heights under the dresser reposed a huge liver-coloured bitch pointer surrounded by a swarm of squealing puppies and other dogs haunted other recesses the apartment and furniture would have been nothing extraordinary as belonging to a homely northern farmer with a stubborn countenance and stalwart limbs set out to advantage in knee breeches and gaiters such an individual seated in his arm-chair his mug of ale frothing on the round table before him is to be seen in any circuit of five or six miles among these hills if you go at the right time after dinner but mr heathcliff forms a singular contrast to his abode and style of living he is a darkskinned gipsy in aspect in dress and manners a gentleman that is as much a gentleman as many a country squire rather slovenly perhaps yet not looking amiss with his negligence because he has an erect and handsome figure and rather morose possibly some people might suspect him of a degree of under-bred pride i have a sympathetic chord within that tells me it is nothing of the sort i know by instinct his reserve springs from an aversion to showy displays of feeling to manifestations of mutual kindliness he ll love and hate equally under cover and esteem it a species of impertinence to be loved or hated again no i m running on too fast i bestow my own attributes over6 of 540

[close]

p. 7

wuthering heights liberally on him mr heathcliff may have entirely dissimilar reasons for keeping his hand out of the way when he meets a would-be acquaintance to those which actuate me let me hope my constitution is almost peculiar my dear mother used to say i should never have a comfortable home and only last summer i proved myself perfectly unworthy of one while enjoying a month of fine weather at the seacoast i was thrown into the company of a most fascinating creature a real goddess in my eyes as long as she took no notice of me i `never told my love vocally still if looks have language the merest idiot might have guessed i was over head and ears she understood me at last and looked a return the sweetest of all imaginable looks and what did i do i confess it with shame shrunk icily into myself like a snail at every glance retired colder and farther till finally the poor innocent was led to doubt her own senses and overwhelmed with confusion at her supposed mistake persuaded her mamma to decamp by this curious turn of disposition i have gained the reputation of deliberate heartlessness how undeserved i alone can appreciate i took a seat at the end of the hearthstone opposite that towards which my landlord advanced and filled up an 7 of 540

[close]

p. 8

wuthering heights interval of silence by attempting to caress the canine mother who had left her nursery and was sneaking wolfishly to the back of my legs her lip curled up and her white teeth watering for a snatch my caress provoked a long guttural gnarl you d better let the dog alone growled mr heathcliff in unison checking fiercer demonstrations with a punch of his foot `she s not accustomed to be spoiled not kept for a pet then striding to a side door he shouted again `joseph joseph mumbled indistinctly in the depths of the cellar but gave no intimation of ascending so his master dived down to him leaving me vis-a-vis the ruffianly bitch and a pair of grim shaggy sheep-dogs who shared with her a jealous guardianship over all my movements not anxious to come in contact with their fangs i sat still but imagining they would scarcely understand tacit insults i unfortunately indulged in winking and making faces at the trio and some turn of my physiognomy so irritated madam that she suddenly broke into a fury and leapt on my knees i flung her back and hastened to interpose the table between us this proceeding aroused the whole hive half-a-dozen four-footed fiends of various sizes and ages issued from hidden dens to the common centre i felt my 8 of 540

[close]

p. 9

wuthering heights heels and coat-laps peculiar subjects of assault and parrying off the larger combatants as effectually as i could with the poker i was constrained to demand aloud assistance from some of the household in re-establishing peace mr heathcliff and his man climbed the cellar steps with vexatious phlegm i don t think they moved one second faster than usual though the hearth was an absolute tempest of worrying and yelping happily an inhabitant of the kitchen made more despatch a lusty dame with tucked-up gown bare arms and fire-flushed cheeks rushed into the midst of us flourishing a frying-pan and used that weapon and her tongue to such purpose that the storm subsided magically and she only remained heaving like a sea after a high wind when her master entered on the scene what the devil is the matter he asked eyeing me in a manner that i could ill endure after this inhospitable treatment what the devil indeed i muttered `the herd of possessed swine could have had no worse spirits in them than those animals of yours sir you might as well leave a stranger with a brood of tigers they won t meddle with persons who touch nothing he remarked putting the bottle before me and restoring 9 of 540

[close]

p. 10

wuthering heights the displaced table `the dogs do right to be vigilant take a glass of wine no thank you not bitten are you if i had been i would have set my signet on the biter heathcliff s countenance relaxed into a grin come come he said `you are flurried mr lockwood here take a little wine guests are so exceedingly rare in this house that i and my dogs i am willing to own hardly know how to receive them your health sir i bowed and returned the pledge beginning to perceive that it would be foolish to sit sulking for the misbehaviour of a pack of curs besides i felt loth to yield the fellow further amusement at my expense since his humour took that turn he probably swayed by prudential consideration of the folly of offending a good tenant relaxed a little in the laconic style of chipping off his pronouns and auxiliary verbs and introduced what he supposed would be a subject of interest to me a discourse on the advantages and disadvantages of my present place of retirement i found him very intelligent on the topics we touched and before i went home i was encouraged so far as to volunteer another visit to-morrow 10 of 540

[close]

p. 11

wuthering heights he evidently wished no repetition of my intrusion i shall go notwithstanding it is astonishing how sociable i feel myself compared with him 11 of 540

[close]

p. 12

wuthering heights 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 on coming up from dinner however n.b i dine 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 on mounting the stairs with this lazy intention and stepping into the room i saw a servant-girl on her knees surrounded by brushes and coal-scuttles and raising an infernal dust as she extinguished the flames with heaps of cinders 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 on that bleak hill-top the earth was hard with a black frost and the air made me shiver through every limb being unable to remove 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 12 of 540

[close]

p. 13

wuthering heights wretched inmates i ejaculated mentally `you deserve perpetual isolation from your species for your churlish inhospitality at least i would not keep my doors barred in the day-time i don t 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 what are ye for he shouted `t maister s down i t fowld go round by th end o t laith if ye went to spake to him is there nobody inside to open the door i hallooed responsively there s nobbut t missis and shoo ll not oppen `t an ye mak yer flaysome dins till neeght why cannot you tell her whom i am eh joseph nor-ne me i ll hae no hend wi t muttered the head vanishing the snow began to drive thickly i seized the handle to essay another trial when a young man without coat and shouldering a pitchfork appeared in the yard behind he hailed 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 13 of 540

[close]

p. 14

wuthering heights it glowed delightfully in the radiance of an immense fire compounded of coal peat 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 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 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 she never opened her mouth i stared she stared also at any rate she kept her eyes on me in a cool regardless manner exceedingly embarrassing and disagreeable sit down said the young man gruffly `he ll be in soon i obeyed and hemmed 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 a beautiful animal i commenced again `do you intend parting with the little ones madam they are not mine said the amiable hostess more repellingly than heathcliff himself could have replied 14 of 540

[close]

p. 15

ebook brought to you by wuthering heights create view and edit pdf download the free trial version ah your favourites are among these i continued turning to an obscure cushion full of something like cats a strange choice of favourites she observed scornfully unluckily it was a heap of dead rabbits i hemmed once more and drew closer to the hearth repeating my comment on the wildness of the evening you should not have come out she said rising and reaching from the chimney-piece two of the painted canisters her position before was sheltered from the light now i had a distinct view of her whole figure and countenance she was slender and apparently scarcely past girlhood an admirable form and the most exquisite little face that i have ever had the pleasure of beholding small features very fair flaxen ringlets or rather golden hanging loose on her delicate neck and eyes had they been agreeable in expression that would have been irresistible fortunately for my susceptible heart the only sentiment they evinced hovered between scorn and a kind of desperation singularly unnatural to be detected 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 15 of 540

[close]