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Shakespeare and other pre-20th Century Texts

Emily Bronte- Wuthering Heights

He neither spoke nor loosed his hold for some five minutes, during which period he bestowed more
kisses than ever he gave in his life before, I daresay: but then my mistress had kissed him first, and I
plainly saw that he could hardly bear, for downright agony, to look into her face! The same conviction
had stricken him as me, from the instant he beheld her, that there was no prospect of ultimate
recovery thereshe was fated, sure to die.
Oh, Cathy! Oh, my life! how can I bear it? was the first sentence he uttered, in a tone that did not
seek to disguise his despair. And now he stared at her so earnestly that I thought the very intensity of
his gaze would bring tears into his eyes; but they burned with anguish: they did not melt.
What now? said Catherine, leaning back, and returning his look with a suddenly clouded brow: her
humour was a mere vane for constantly varying caprices. You and Edgar have broken my heart,
Heathcliff! And you both come to bewail the deed to me, as if you were the people to be pitied! I shall
not pity you, not I. You have killed meand thriven on it, I think. How strong you are! How many
years do you mean to live after I am gone?
Heathcliff had knelt on one knee to embrace her; he attempted to rise, but she seized his hair, and
kept him down.
I wish I could hold you, she continued, bitterly, till we were both dead! I shouldnt care what you
suffered. I care nothing for your sufferings. Why shouldnt you suffer? I do! Will you forget me? Will
you be happy when I am in the earth? Will you say twenty years hence, Thats the grave of
Catherine Earnshaw? I loved her long ago, and was wretched to lose her; but it is past. Ive loved
many others since: my children are dearer to me than she was; and, at death, I shall not rejoice that I
am going to her: I shall be sorry that I must leave them! Will you say so, Heathcliff?
Dont torture me till Im as mad as yourself, cried he, wrenching his head free, and grinding his teeth.
The two, to a cool spectator, made a strange and fearful picture. Well might Catherine deem that
heaven would be a land of exile to her, unless with her mortal body she cast away her moral character
also. Her present countenance had a wild vindictiveness in its white cheek, and a bloodless lip and
scintillating eye; and she retained in her closed fingers a portion of the locks she had been grasping.
As to her companion, while raising himself with one hand, he had taken her arm with the other; and so
inadequate was his stock of gentleness to the requirements of her condition, that on his letting go I
saw four distinct impressions left blue in the colourless skin.
Are you possessed with a devil, he pursued, savagely, to talk in that manner to me when you are
dying? Do you reflect that all those words will be branded in my memory, and eating deeper eternally
after you have left me? You know you lie to say I have killed you: and, Catherine, you know that I
could as soon forget you as my existence! Is it not sufficient for your infernal selfishness, that while
you are at peace I shall writhe in the torments of hell?

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I shall not be at peace, moaned Catherine, recalled to a sense of physical weakness by the violent,
unequal throbbing of her heart, which beat visibly and audibly under this excess of agitation. She said
nothing further till the paroxysm was over; then she continued, more kindly
Im not wishing you greater torment than I have, Heathcliff. I only wish us never to be parted: and
should a word of mine distress you hereafter, think I feel the same distress underground, and for my
own sake, forgive me! Come here and kneel down again! You never harmed me in your life. Nay, if
you nurse anger, that will be worse to remember than my harsh words! Wont you come here again?
Do!
Heathcliff went to the back of her chair, and leant over, but not so far as to let her see his face, which
was livid with emotion. She bent round to look at him; he would not permit it: turning abruptly, he
walked to the fireplace, where he stood, silent, with his back towards us. Mrs. Lintons glance
followed him suspiciously: every movement woke a new sentiment in her. After a pause and a
prolonged gaze, she resumed; addressing me in accents of indignant disappointment:
Oh, you see, Nelly, he would not relent a moment to keep me out of the grave. That is how Im
loved! Well, never mind. That is not my Heathcliff. I shall love mine yet; and take him with me: hes
in my soul. And, added she musingly, the thing that irks me most is this shattered prison, after all.
Im tired of being enclosed here. Im wearying to escape into that glorious world, and to be always
there: not seeing it dimly through tears, and yearning for it through the walls of an aching heart: but
really with it, and in it. Nelly, you think you are better and more fortunate than I; in full health and
strength: you are sorry for mevery soon that will be altered. I shall be sorry for you. I shall be
incomparably beyond and above you all. I wonder he wont be near me! She went on to herself. I
thought he wished it. Heathcliff, dear! you should not be sullen now. Do come to me, Heathcliff.
In her eagerness she rose and supported herself on the arm of the chair. At that earnest appeal he
turned to her, looking absolutely desperate. His eyes, wide and wet, at last flashed fiercely on her; his
breast heaved convulsively. An instant they held asunder, and then how they met I hardly saw, but
Catherine made a spring, and he caught her, and they were locked in an embrace from which I
thought my mistress would never be released alive: in fact, to my eyes, she seemed directly
insensible. He flung himself into the nearest seat, and on my approaching hurriedly to ascertain if she
had fainted, he gnashed at me, and foamed like a mad dog, and gathered her to him with greedy
jealousy. I did not feel as if I were in the company of a creature of my own species: it appeared that
he would not understand, though I spoke to him; so I stood off, and held my tongue, in great
perplexity.
A movement of Catherines relieved me a little presently: she put up her hand to clasp his neck, and
bring her cheek to his as he held her; while he, in return, covering her with frantic caresses, said wildly

You teach me now how cruel youve beencruel and false. Why did you despise me? Why did you
betray your own heart, Cathy? I have not one word of comfort. You deserve this. You have killed
yourself. Yes, you may kiss me, and cry; and wring out my kisses and tears: theyll blight youtheyll
damn you. You loved methen what right had you to leave me? What rightanswer mefor the
poor fancy you felt for Linton? Because misery and degradation, and death, and nothing that God or
Satan could inflict would have parted us, you, of your own will, did it. I have not broken your heart
youhave broken it; and in breaking it, you have broken mine. So much the worse for me that I am
strong. Do I want to live? What kind of living will it be when youoh, God! would you like to live with
your soul in the grave?

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Let me alone. Let me alone, sobbed Catherine. If Ive done wrong, Im dying for it. It is enough!
You left me too: but I wont upbraid you! I forgive you. Forgive me!
It is hard to forgive, and to look at those eyes, and feel those wasted hands, he answered. Kiss me
again; and dont let me see your eyes! I forgive what you have done to me. I love my murderer
but yours! How can I?
They were silenttheir faces hid against each other, and washed by each others tears. At least, I
suppose the weeping was on both sides; as it seemed Heathcliff could weep on a great occasion like
this.
I grew very uncomfortable, meanwhile; for the afternoon wore fast away, the man whom I had sent off
returned from his errand, and I could distinguish, by the shine of the western sun up the valley, a
concourse thickening outside Gimmerton chapel porch.
Chapter 15

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