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yet, and wiping the perspiration from my forehead: the intruder appeared to hesitate and muttered to himself.
    At last, he said in a half-whisper, plainly not expecting an answer,
    »Is any one here?«
    I considered it best to confess my presence, for I knew Heathcliff's accents, and feared he might search further, if I kept quiet.
    With this intention, I turned and opened the panels – I shall not soon forget the effect my action produced.
    Heathcliff stood near the entrance, in his shirt and trousers; with a candle dripping over his fingers, and his face as white as the wall behind him. The first creak of the oak startled him like an electric shock: the light leaped from his hold to a distance of some feet, and his agitation was so extreme, that he could hardly pick it up.
    »It is only your guest, sir,« I called out, desirous to spare him the humiliation of exposing his cowardice further. »I had the misfortune to scream in my sleep, owing to a frightful nightmare. I'm sorry I disturbed you.«
    »Oh, God confound you, Mr. Lockwood! I wish you were at the –« commenced my host setting the candle on a chair, because he found it impossible to hold it steady.
    »And who showed you up to this room?« he continued, crushing his nails into his palms, and grinding his teeth to subdue the maxillary convulsions. »Who was it? I've a good mind to turn them out of the house, this moment!«
    »It was your servant, Zillah,« I replied flinging myself, on to the floor, and rapidly resuming my garments. »I should not care if you did, Mr. Heathcliff; she richly deserves it. I suppose that she wanted to get another proof that the place was haunted, at my expense – Well, it is – swarming with ghosts and goblins! You have reason in shutting it up, I assure you. No one will thank you for a dose in such a den!«
    »What do you mean?« asked Heathcliff, »and what are you doing? Lie down and finish out the night, since you
are
here; but, for Heaven's sake! don't repeat that horrid noise – Nothing could excuse it, unless you were having your throat cut!«
    »If the little fiend had got in at the window, she probably would have strangled me!« I returned. »I'm not going to endure the persecutions of your hospitable ancestors, again – Was not the Reverend Jabes Branderham akin to you on the mother's side? And that minx, Catherine Linton, or Earnshaw, or however she was called – she must have been a changeling – wicked little soul! She told me she had been walking the earth these twenty years: a just punishment for her mortal transgressions, I've no doubt!«
    Scarcely were these words uttered, when I recollected the association of Heathcliff's with Catherine's name in the book, which had completely slipped from my memory till thus awakened. I blushed at my inconsideration; but without showing further consciousness of the offence, I hastened to add,
    »The truth is, sir, I passed the first part of the night in –« Here, I stopped afresh – I was about to say »perusing those old volumes,« then it would have revealed my knowledge of their written, as well as their printed contents; so correcting myself, I went on,
    »In spelling over the name scratched on that window-ledge. A monotonous occupation, calculated to set me asleep, like counting, or –«
    »What
can
you mean, by talking in this way to
me!
« thundered Heathcliff with savage vehemence. »How – how
dare
you, under my roof – God! he's mad to speak so!« And he struck his forehead with rage.
    I did not know whether to resent this language, or pursue my explanation; but he seemed so powerfully affected that I took pity and proceeded with my dreams; affirming I had never heard the appellation of »Catherine Linton,« before, but, reading it often over produced an impression which personified itself when I had no longer my imagination under control.
    Heathcliff gradually fell back into the shelter of the bed, as I spoke, finally, sitting down almost concealed behind it.