ON the fifth morning, or rather afternoon, a different stepapproached - lighter and shorter; and, this time, the personentered the room. It was Zillah; donned in her scarlet shawl, witha black silk bonnet on her head, and a willow-basket swung to herarm.

'Eh, dear! Mrs. Dean!' she exclaimed. 'Well! there is a talkabout you at Gimmerton. I never thought but you were sunk in theBlackhorse marsh, and missy with you, till master told me you'dbeen found, and he'd lodged you here! What! and you must have goton an island, sure? And how long were you in the hole? Did mastersave you, Mrs. Dean? But you're not so thin - you've not been sopoorly, have you?'

'Your master is a true scoundrel!' I replied. 'But he shall answerfor it. He needn't have raised that tale: it shall all be laidbare!'

'What do you mean?' asked Zillah. 'It's not his tale: they tellthat in the village - about your being lost in the marsh; and Icalls to Earnshaw, when I come in - "Eh, they's queer things, Mr.Hareton, happened since I went off. It's a sad pity of that likelyyoung lass, and cant Nelly Dean." He stared. I thought he had notheard aught, so I told him the rumour. The master listened, and hejust smiled to himself, and said, "If they have been in the marsh,they are out now, Zillah. Nelly Dean is lodged, at this minute, inyour room. You can tell her to flit, when you go up; here is thekey. The bog-water got into her head, and she would have run homequite flighty; but I fixed her till she came round to her senses.You can bid her go to the Grange at once, if she be able, and carrya message from me, that her young lady will follow in time toattend the squire's funeral."'

'Mr. Edgar is not dead?' I gasped. 'Oh! Zillah, Zillah!'

'No, no; sit you down, my good mistress,' she replied; 'you'reright sickly yet. He's not dead; Doctor Kenneth thinks he may lastanother day. I met him on the road and asked.'

Instead of sitting down, I snatched my outdoor things, and hastenedbelow, for the way was free. On entering the house, I looked aboutfor some one to give information of Catherine. The place wasfilled with sunshine, and the door stood wide open; but nobodyseemed at hand. As I hesitated whether to go off at once, orreturn and seek my mistress, a slight cough drew my attention tothe hearth. Linton lay on the settle, sole tenant, sucking a stickof sugar-candy, and pursuing my movements with apathetic eyes.'Where is Miss Catherine?' I demanded sternly, supposing I couldfrighten him into giving intelligence, by catching him thus, alone.He sucked on like an innocent.

'Is she gone?' I said.

'No,' he replied; 'she's upstairs: she's not to go; we won't lether.'

'You won't let her, little idiot!' I exclaimed. 'Direct me to herroom immediately, or I'll make you sing out sharply.'

'Papa would make you sing out, if you attempted to get there,' heanswered. 'He says I'm not to be soft with Catherine: she's mywife, and it's shameful that she should wish to leave me. He saysshe hates me and wants me to die, that she may have my money; butshe shan't have it: and she shan't go home! She never shall! -she may cry, and be sick as much as she pleases!'

He resumed his former occupation, closing his lids, as if he meantto drop asleep.

'Master Heathcliff,' I resumed, 'have you forgotten all Catherine'skindness to you last winter, when you affirmed you loved her, andwhen she brought you books and sung you songs, and came many a timethrough wind and snow to see you? She wept to miss one evening,because you would be disappointed; and you felt then that she was ahundred times too good to you: and now you believe the lies yourfather tells, though you know he detests you both. And you joinhim against her. That's fine gratitude, is it not?'

The corner of Linton's mouth fell, and he took the sugar-candy fromhis lips.

'Did she come to Wuthering Heights because she hated you?' Icontinued. 'Think for yourself! As to your money, she does noteven know that you will have any. And you say she's sick; and yetyou leave her alone, up there in a strange house! You who havefelt what it is to be so neglected! You could pity your ownsufferings; and she pitied them, too; but you won't pity hers! Ished tears, Master Heathcliff, you see - an elderly woman, and aservant merely - and you, after pretending such affection, andhaving reason to worship her almost, store every tear you have foryourself, and lie there quite at ease. Ah! you're a heartless,selfish boy!'

'I can't stay with her,' he answered crossly. 'I'll not stay bymyself. She cries so I can't bear it. And she won't give over,though I say I'll call my father. I did call him once, and hethreatened to strangle her if she was not quiet; but she beganagain the instant he left the room, moaning and grieving all nightlong, though I screamed for vexation that I couldn't sleep.'

'Is Mr. Heathcliff out?' I inquired, perceiving that the wretchedcreature had no power to sympathize with his cousin's mentaltortures.

'He's in the court,' he replied, 'talking to Doctor Kenneth; whosays uncle is dying, truly, at last. I'm glad, for I shall bemaster of the Grange after him. Catherine always spoke of it asher house. It isn't hers! It's mine: papa says everything shehas is mine. All her nice books are mine; she offered to give methem, and her pretty birds, and her pony Minny, if I would get thekey of our room, and let her out; but I told her she had nothing togive, they ware all, all mine. And then she cried, and took alittle picture from her neck, and said I should have that; twopictures in a gold case, on one side her mother, and on the otheruncle, when they were young. That was yesterday - I said they weremine, too; and tried to get them from her. The spiteful thingwouldn't let me: she pushed me off, and hurt me. I shrieked out -that frightens her - she heard papa coming, and she broke thehinges and divided the case, and gave me her mother's portrait; theother she attempted to hide: but papa asked what was the matter,and I explained it. He took the one I had away, and ordered her toresign hers to me; she refused, and he - he struck her down, andwrenched it off the chain, and crushed it with his foot.'

'And were you pleased to see her struck?' I asked: having mydesigns in encouraging his talk.

'I winked,' he answered: 'I wink to see my father strike a dog ora horse, he does it so hard. Yet I was glad at first - shedeserved punishing for pushing me: but when papa was gone, shemade me come to the window and showed me her cheek cut on theinside, against her teeth, and her mouth filling with blood; andthen she gathered up the bits of the picture, and went and sat downwith her face to the wall, and she has never spoken to me since:and I sometimes think she can't speak for pain. I don't like tothink so; but she's a naughty thing for crying continually; and shelooks so pale and wild, I'm afraid of her.'

'And you can get the key if you choose?' I said.

'Yes, when I am up-stairs,' he answered; 'but I can't walk up-stairs now.'

'In what apartment is it?' I asked.

'Oh,' he cried, 'I shan't tell YOU where it is. It is our secret.Nobody, neither Hareton nor Zillah, is to know. There! you'vetired me - go away, go away!' And he turned his face on to hisarm, and shut his eyes again.

I considered it best to depart without seeing Mr. Heathcliff, andbring a rescue for my young lady from the Grange. On reaching it,the astonishment of my fellow-servants to see me, and their joyalso, was intense; and when they heard that their little mistresswas safe, two or three were about to hurry up and shout the news atMr. Edgar's door: but I bespoke the announcement of it myself.How changed I found him, even in those few days! He lay an imageof sadness and resignation awaiting his death. Very young helooked: though his actual age was thirty-nine, one would havecalled him ten years younger, at least. He thought of Catherine;for he murmured her name. I touched his hand, and spoke.

'Catherine is coming, dear master!' I whispered; 'she is alive andwell; and will be here, I hope, to-night.'

I trembled at the first effects of this intelligence: he half roseup, looked eagerly round the apartment, and then sank back in aswoon. As soon as he recovered, I related our compulsory visit,and detention at the Heights. I said Heathcliff forced me to goin: which was not quite true. I uttered as little as possibleagainst Linton; nor did I describe all his father's brutal conduct- my intentions being to add no bitterness, if I could help it, tohis already over-flowing cup.

He divined that one of his enemy's purposes was to secure thepersonal property, as well as the estate, to his son: or ratherhimself; yet why he did not wait till his decease was a puzzle tomy master, because ignorant how nearly he and his nephew would quitthe world together. However, he felt that his will had better bealtered: instead of leaving Catherine's fortune at her owndisposal, he determined to put it in the hands of trustees for heruse during life, and for her children, if she had any, after her.By that means, it could not fall to Mr. Heathcliff should Lintondie.

Having received his orders, I despatched a man to fetch theattorney, and four more, provided with serviceable weapons, todemand my young lady of her jailor. Both parties were delayed verylate. The single servant returned first. He said Mr. Green, thelawyer, was out when he arrived at his house, and he had to waittwo hours for his re-entrance; and then Mr. Green told him he had alittle business in the village that must be done; but he would beat Thrushcross Grange before morning. The four men came backunaccompanied also. They brought word that Catherine was ill: tooill to quit her room; and Heathcliff would not suffer them to seeher. I scolded the stupid fellows well for listening to that tale,which I would not carry to my master; resolving to take a wholebevy up to the Heights, at day-light, and storm it literally,unless the prisoner were quietly surrendered to us. Her fatherSHALL see her, I vowed, and vowed again, if that devil be killed onhis own doorstones in trying to prevent it!

Happily, I was spared the journey and the trouble. I had gonedown-stairs at three o'clock to fetch a jug of water; and waspassing through the hall with it in my hand, when a sharp knock atthe front door made me jump. 'Oh! it is Green,' I said,recollecting myself - 'only Green,' and I went on, intending tosend somebody else to open it; but the knock was repeated: notloud, and still importunately. I put the jug on the banister andhastened to admit him myself. The harvest moon shone clearoutside. It was not the attorney. My own sweet little mistresssprang on my neck sobbing, 'Ellen, Ellen! Is papa alive?'

'Yes,' I cried: 'yes, my angel, he is, God be thanked, you aresafe with us again!'

She wanted to run, breathless as she was, up-stairs to Mr. Linton'sroom; but I compelled her to sit down on a chair, and made herdrink, and washed her pale face, chafing it into a faint colourwith my apron. Then I said I must go first, and tell of herarrival; imploring her to say, she should be happy with youngHeathcliff. She stared, but soon comprehending why I counselledher to utter the falsehood, she assured me she would not complain.

I couldn't abide to be present at their meeting. I stood outsidethe chamber-door a quarter of an hour, and hardly ventured near thebed, then. All was composed, however: Catherine's despair was assilent as her father's joy. She supported him calmly, inappearance; and he fixed on her features his raised eyes thatseemed dilating with ecstasy.

He died blissfully, Mr. Lockwood: he died so. Kissing her cheek,he murmured, - 'I am going to her; and you, darling child, shallcome to us!' and never stirred or spoke again; but continued thatrapt, radiant gaze, till his pulse imperceptibly stopped and hissoul departed. None could have noticed the exact minute of hisdeath, it was so entirely without a struggle.

Whether Catherine had spent her tears, or whether the grief weretoo weighty to let them flow, she sat there dry-eyed till the sunrose: she sat till noon, and would still have remained broodingover that deathbed, but I insisted on her coming away and takingsome repose. It was well I succeeded in removing her, for atdinner-time appeared the lawyer, having called at Wuthering Heightsto get his instructions how to behave. He had sold himself to Mr.Heathcliff: that was the cause of his delay in obeying my master'ssummons. Fortunately, no thought of worldly affairs crossed thelatter's mind, to disturb him, after his daughter's arrival.

Mr. Green took upon himself to order everything and everybody aboutthe place. He gave all the servants but me, notice to quit. Hewould have carried his delegated authority to the point ofinsisting that Edgar Linton should not be buried beside his wife,but in the chapel, with his family. There was the will, however,to hinder that, and my loud protestations against any infringementof its directions. The funeral was hurried over; Catherine, Mrs.Linton Heathcliff now, was suffered to stay at the Grange till herfather's corpse had quitted it.

She told me that her anguish had at last spurred Linton to incurthe risk of liberating her. She heard the men I sent disputing atthe door, and she gathered the sense of Heathcliff's answer. Itdrove her desperate. Linton who had been conveyed up to the littleparlour soon after I left, was terrified into fetching the keybefore his father re-ascended. He had the cunning to unlock andre-lock the door, without shutting it; and when he should have goneto bed, he begged to sleep with Hareton, and his petition wasgranted for once. Catherine stole out before break of day. Shedared not try the doors lest the dogs should raise an alarm; shevisited the empty chambers and examined their windows; and,luckily, lighting on her mother's, she got easily out of itslattice, and on to the ground, by means of the fir-tree close by.Her accomplice suffered for his share in the escape,notwithstanding his timid contrivances.