«No sir,» I couldn’t stop myself from answering, «he won’t touch anything – and I think he should have his share of the treats as well.»
«He’ll have a share of my hand, if I catch him downstairs again,» roared Hindley, reaching out to grab Heathcliff by the hair. «Just wait till I get hold of these elegant locks – let’s see if I can pull them a little bit longer!»
«They’re long enough already,» observed Master Linton, peeping round the door. «I’m surprised he doesn’t have a headache, with that colt’s mane over his eyes!»
I’m sure that Edgar meant no harm, but Heathcliff couldn’t bear such impertinence from someone he already saw as his rival. So he seized a dish of apple sauce – the first thing he could find – and poured it all over Edgar’s head! Edgar instantly burst into tears[26], and Cathy and Isabella came hurrying to help.
In an instant, Hindley had grabbed Heathcliff by the collar and marched him up to his room, where he obviously thrashed him soundly, because he returned quite red in the face. I found a dishcloth and rubbed at Edgar’s nose and mouth quite roughly, telling him it served him right for interfering. Then his sister began to cry and say she wanted to go home, but Cathy just stood there, staring in horror.
«You shouldn’t have upset Heathcliff like that,» she told the snivelling Edgar. «Now Hindley will beat him – and I hate it when he hurts Heathcliff. I can’t eat my dinner now. Why did you speak to him, Edgar?»
«But I didn’t,» sobbed the boy, escaping from my hands. «I promised mama I wouldn’t say a word to him, and I didn’t!»
«Well there’s no need to cry!» replied Cathy scornfully. «You’re not dead. And you stop crying too, Isabella – has anyone hurt you?»
«Now children – time for dinner,» said Hindley, bustling into the room. «Let’s all enjoy the feast!»
Hindley served up large helpings of food, and his wife kept up a stream of cheerful talk[27]. Gradually, the children recovered and everyone began to enjoy their meal… or at least everyone did except Cathy. I watched her lift a mouthful of food to her lips, and quickly put it down again.Then she dropped her fork and dived under the table to hide her tears. And all through the afternoon I saw that she was in agony, longing to get away and find Heathcliff again.
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