Грозовой перевал

           "Therearemanythingstobeconsideredbeforethatquestioncanbeansweredproperly,"Isaidsententiously."Firstandforemost,doyouloveMr.Edgar?"

           "Whocanhelpit?OfcourseIdo,"sheanswered.

           ThenIputherthroughthefollowingcatechism:foragirloftwenty-twoitwasnotinjudicious.

           "Whydoyoulovehim,MissCathy?"

           "Nonsense,Ido—that’ssufficient."

           "Bynomeans;youmustsaywhy?"

           "Well,becauseheishandsome,andpleasanttobewith."

           "Bad!"wasmycommentary.

           "Becauseheisyoungandcheerful."

           "Badstill."

           "Andbecausehelovesme."

           "Indifferent,comingthere."

           "Andhewillberich,andIshallliketobethegreatestwomanoftheneighbourhood,andIshallbeproudofhavingsuchahusband."

           "Worstofall.Andnow,sayhowyoulovehim?"

           "Asanybodyloves—You’resilly,Nelly."

           "Notatall—Answer."

           "Ilovethegroundunderhisfeet,andtheairoverhishead,andeverythinghetouches,andeverywordhesays.Iloveallhislooks,andallhisactions,andhimentirelyandaltogether.Therenow!"

           "Andwhy?"

           "Nay;youaremakingajestofit;itisexceedinglyill-natured!It’snojesttome!"saidtheyounglady,scowling,andturningherfacetothefire.

           "I’mveryfarfromjesting,MissCatherine,"Ireplied."YouloveMr.Edgarbecauseheishandsome,andyoung,andcheerful,andrich,andlovesyou.