Wuthering Heights

Therefore, not to mention his clothes, which had seen three months’ service in mireand dust, and his thick uncombed hair, the surface of his face and hands wasdismally beclouded. He might well skulk behind the settle, on beholding such abright, graceful damsel enter the house, instead of a rough-headed counterpart ofhimself, as he expected. ‘Is Heathcliff not here?’ she demanded, pulling off hergloves, and displaying fingers wonderfully whitened with doing nothing andstaying indoors.’Heathcliff, you may come forward,’ cried Mr. Hindley, enjoying hisdiscomfiture, and gratified to see what a forbidding young blackguard he would becompelled to present himself. ‘You may come and wish Miss Catherine welcome,like the other servants.’Cathy, catching a glimpse of her friend in his concealment, flew to embracehim; she bestowed seven or eight kisses on his cheek within the second, and thenstopped, and drawing back, burst into a laugh, exclaiming, ‘Why, how very blackand cross you look! and how–how funny and grim! But that’s because I’m used toEdgar and Isabella Linton. Well, Heathcliff, have you forgotten me?’She had some reason to put the question, for shame and pride threw doublegloom over his countenance, and kept him immovable.’Shake hands, Heathcliff,’ said Mr. Earnshaw, condescendingly; ‘once in a waythat is permitted.”I shall not,’ replied the boy, finding his tongue at last; ‘I shall not stand to belaughed at. I shall not bear it!’ And he would have broken from the circle, but MissCathy seized him again.’I did not mean to laugh at you,’ she said; ‘I could not hinder myself: Heathcliff,shake hands at least! What are you sulky for? It was only that you looked odd. Ifyou wash your face and brush your hair, it will be all right: but you are so dirty!’She gazed concernedly at the dusky fingers she held in her own, and also at herdress; which she feared had gained no embellishment from its contact with his.’You needn’t have touched me!’ he answered, following her eye and snatchingaway his hand. ‘I shall be as dirty as I please: and I like to be dirty, and I will bedirty.’With that he dashed headforemost out of the room, amid the merriment of themaster and mistress, and to the serious disturbance of Catherine; who could notcomprehend how her remarks should have produced such an exhibition of badtemper.After playing lady’s-maid to the new-comer, and putting my cakes in the oven,and making the house and kitchen cheerful with great fires, befitting Christmaseve,I prepared to sit down and amuse myself by singing carols, all alone;regardless of Joseph’s affirmations that he considered the merry tunes I chose asnext door to songs. He had retired to private prayer in his chamber, and Mr. andMrs. Earnshaw were engaging Missy’s attention by sundry gay trifles bought forher to present to the little Lintons, as an acknowledgment of their kindness. Theyhad invited them to spend the morrow at Wuthering Heights, and the invitation hadbeen accepted, on one condition: Mrs. Linton begged that her darlings might be kept carefully apart from that ‘naughty swearing boy.’Under these circumstances I remained solitary. I smelt the rich scent of theheating spices; and admired the shining kitchen utensils, the polished clock, deckedin holly, the silver mugs ranged on a tray ready to be filled with mulled ale forsupper; and above all, the speckless purity of my particular care–the scoured andwell-swept floor. I gave due inward applause to every object, and then Iremembered how old Earnshaw used to come in when all was tidied, and call me acant lass, and slip a shilling into my hand as a Christmas-box