Грозовий перевал
Chapter 12
ThenagoodwhileafterIheardhermurmur,"No,I’llnotdie—he’dbeglad—hedoesnotlovemeatall—hewouldnevermissme!"
"Didyouwantanything,ma’am?"Ienquired,stillpreservingmyexternalcomposure,inspiteofherghastlycountenanceandstrangeexaggeratedmanner.
"Whatisthatapatheticbeingdoing?"shedemanded,pushingherthickentangledlocksfromherwastedface."Hashefallenintoalethargy,orishedead?"
"Neither,"repliedI;"ifyoumeanMr.Linton.He’stolerablywell,Ithink,thoughhisstudiesoccupyhimrathermorethantheyought:heiscontinuallyamonghisbooks,sincehehasnoothersociety."
Ishouldnothavespokenso,ifIhadknownhertruecondition,butIcouldnotgetridofthenotionthatsheactedapartofherdisorder.
"Amonghisbooks!"shecried,confounded."AndIdying!Ionthebrinkofthegrave!MyGod!doesheknowhowI’maltered?"continuedshe,staringatherreflectioninamirrorhangingagainsttheoppositewall."IsthatCatherineLinton!Heimaginesmeinapet—inplay,perhaps.Cannotyouinformhimthatitisfrightfulearnest?Nelly,ifitbenottoolate,assoonasIlearnhowhefeels,I’llchoosebetweenthesetwo;eithertostarveatonce—thatwouldbenopunishmentunlesshehadaheart—ortorecover,andleavethecountry.Areyouspeakingthetruthabouthimnow?Takecare.
