呼啸山庄（Wuthering Heights）第四章
What vain weather-cocks we are! I, who had determined to hold mylf independent of all social intercour, and thanked my stars that, at length, I had lighted on a spot where it was next to impracticable--I, weak wretch, after maintaining till dusk a struggle with low spirits and solitude, was finally compelled to strike my colours; and, under pretence of gaining information concerning the necessities of my establishment, I desired Mrs Dean, when she brought in supper, to sit down while I ate it; hoping sincerely she would prove a regular gossip, and either rou me to animation or lull me to sleep by her talk. `Y ou have lived here a considerable time,’ I commenced; `did you not say sixteen years?’
`Eighteen, sir: I came, when the mistress was married, to wait on her; after she died, the master retained me for his houkeeper.’
`Indeed.’
母亲节演讲稿There ensued a pau. She was not a gossip, I feared; unless about her own affairs, and tho could hardly interest me. However, having studied for an interval, with a fist on either knee, and a cloud of meditation over her ruddy countenance, she ejaculated:
`Ah, times are greatly changed since then!’
`Y es,’ I remarked, `you’ve en a good many alterations, I suppo?’
`I have: and tro ubles too,’ she said.
`Oh, I’ll turn the talk on my landlord’s family!’ I thought to mylf. `A good subject to start--and that pretty girl-widow, I should like to know her history: whether she be a native of the country, or, as is more probable, an exot ic that the surly indigenae will not recognize for kin.’ With this intention I asked Mrs Dean why Heathcliff let Thrushcross Grange, and preferred living in a situation and residence so much inferior. `Is he not rich enough to keep the estate in good order?’ I inquired.
`Rich, sir!’ she returned. `He has, nobody knows what money, and every year it increas. Y es, yes, he’s rich enough to live in a finer hou than this: but he’s very near--clo-handed; and, if he had meant to flit to Thrushcross Grange, as soon as he heard of a good tenant he could not have borne to miss the chance of getting a few hundreds more. It is strange people should be so greedy, when they are alone in the world!’deem
`He had a son, it ems?’
`Y es, he had one--he is dead.’
英语报纸版面设计>lebritee`And, that young lady, Mrs Heathcliff, is his widow?’
`Y es.
`Where did she come from originally?’
`Why, sir, she is my late master’s daughter: Catherine Linton was her maiden name. I nurd her, poor thing! I did wish Mr Heathcliff would remove here, and then we might have been together again.’
`What! Catherine Linton?’ I exclaimed, astonished. But a minute’s reflection convinced me it was not my ghostly Catherine.
`Then,’ I continued, `my predecessor’s name was Linton?’
`It was.英语儿童歌曲
`And who is that Earnshaw, Hareton Earnshaw, who lives with Mr Heathcliff? are they relations?’
obama
`No; he is the late Mrs Linton’s nephew.’
世故的意思`The young lady’s cousin, then?’
`Y es; and her husband was her cousin also: one on the mother’s, the other on the father’s side: Heathcliff married Mr Linton’s sister.’
`I e the hou at Wuthering Heights has Earnshaw carved over the front door. Are they an old family?’
`V ery old, sir; and Hareton is the last of them, as our Miss Cathy is of us--I mean of the Lintons. Have you been to Wuthering Heights? I beg pardon for asking; but I should like to hear how she is!’
`Mrs Heathcliff? She looked very well, and very handsome; yet, I think, not very happy.’
`Oh dear, I don’t wonder! And how did you like the master?’ `A rough fe llow, rather, Mrs Dean. Is not that his character?’
`Rough as a saw edge, and hard as whinstone! The less you meddle with him the better.’
`He must have had some ups and downs in life to make him such a
churl. Do you know anything of his history?’
turnon`I t’s a cuckoo’s, sir--I know all about it: except where he was born, and who were his parents, and how he got his money, at first. And Hareton has been cast out like an unfledged dunnock! The unfortunate lad is the only one in all this parish that does not guess how he has been cheated.’ `Well, Mrs Dean, it will be a charitable deed to tell me something of my neighbours: I feel I shall not rest, if I go to bed; so be good enough to sit and chat an hour.’
`Oh, certainly, sir! I’ll just fetch a little wing, and then I’ll sit as long as you plea. But you’ve caught cold: I saw you shivering, and you must have some gruel to drive it out.’
bunch
The worthy woman bustled off, and I crouched nearer the fire; my head felt hot, and the rest of me chill: moreover, I was excited, almost to a pitch of foolishness, through my nerves and brain.新东方六级高频词汇
This caud me to feel, not uncomfortable, but rather fearful (as I am still) of rious effects from the incidents of today and yesterday. She returned prently, bringing a smoking basin and a basket of work; and, having placed the former on the hob, drew in her at, evidently plead to find me so companionable.
Before I came to live here, she commenced--waiting no further invitation to her story--I was almost always at Wuthering Heights; becau my mother had nurd Mr Hindley Earnshaw, that was Hareton’s
father, and I got ud to playing with the children: I ran errands too, and helped to make hay, and hung about the farm ready for anything that anybody would t me to. One fine summer morning--it was the beginning of harvest, I remember--Mr Earnshaw, the old master, came downstairs, dresd for a journey; and after he had told Joph what was to be done during the day, he turned to Hindley, and Cathy, and me--for I sat eating my porridge with them--and he said, speaking to his son, `Now my bonny man, I’m going to Liverpool today, what shall I bring you? Y ou may choo what you like: only let it be little, for I shall walk there and back: sixty miles each way, that is a long spell!’ Hindley named a fiddle, and then he asked Miss Cathy; she was hardly six years old, but she could ride any hor in the stable, and she cho a whip. He did not forget me; for he had a kind heart, though he was rather vere sometimes. He promid to bring me a pocketful of apples and pears, and then he kisd his children goodbye and t off.
It emed a long while to us all--the three days of his abnce--and often did little Cathy ask when he would be home. Mrs Earnshaw expected him by supper time on the third evening, and she put th
e meal off hour after hour; there were no signs of his coming, however, and at last the children got tired of running down to the gate to look. Then it grew dark; she would have had them to bed, but they begged sadly to be allowed to stay up; and, just about eleven o’clock, the door latch was
