[00:00.20] Chapter 10.
[00:01.86] Linton comes home.
[00:05.98] Soon after Catherine's visit to Wathering Heights, a letter arrived for my master.
[00:13.82] It was to tell him that Isabella was dead.
[00:18.37] But she left a son, and straight away Edgar set out to bring the boy to the Grange.
[00:26.76] Catherine ran wild with joy at the thought that she would have a playmate.
[00:32.14] True, she amused herself well enough, but I had often thought it a pity that she was an only child.
[00:43.43] On the day of Linton's arrival, Isabella had named him after her brother.
[00:49.95] Catherine went down to the main gate a dozen or more times, and at last ran back to the kitchen crying, "They're here!
[00:59.30] They're here!"
[01:01.57] Oh, sir, he looked so like Edgar that he might almost have been his young brother.
[01:10.43] He had the same pale, delicate air.
[01:16.69] But there was also a peevishness about him that was never found in his uncle.
[01:24.38] "Now, Catherine," said her father, "your little cousin isn't as strong as you, and you must take care not to tire him."
[01:34.31] "Oh, I will, Papa," she said.
[01:38.51] "I wouldn't do anything to make him unhappy."
[01:43.89] "There now, Linton," said my master.
[01:48.43] "Your cousin is fond of you already.
[01:52.01] You have nothing to do now but rest and amuse yourself."
[01:58.85] "Let me go to bed then," said the boy, and off he trailed in the care of a servant.
[02:07.38] Catherine went with him to sit by his side until he slept.
[02:13.59] "I think he'll do very well, Nelly," said my master, "once he has the company of another child, if we keep him, Catherine will put new spirit in him."
[02:29.16] "Yes, if we can keep him," thought I.
[02:36.62] Late that night, the maid told me that Heathcliff's servant, Joseph, wished to see the master.
[02:46.56] "What is it, Joseph?" I asked, going down to the kitchen to speak with him.
[02:52.82] "Mr. Linton's gone to bed.
[02:55.73] He's tired out with traveling."
[02:59.30] "Heathcliff has sent me for his lad," said Joseph.
[03:04.54] "I mustn't go back without him."
[03:09.73] I went upstairs to waken my master.
[03:14.84] Joseph followed me, barging into the bedroom and stating at once the reason for his visit.
[03:23.53] "He wants his lad," he said.
[03:27.78] My master didn't seem surprised by the request.
[03:34.61] "Tell Mr. Heathcliff that his son shall come to Wathering Heights tomorrow," he said, speaking calmly, but with an expression of great sorrow.
[03:48.52] "You may also tell him that the child's mother wanted him to stay with me.
[03:53.77] His health is not good."
[03:57.88] "No," said Joseph.
[04:01.33] "That means nothing.
[04:04.47] Heathcliff must have his lad, and I must take him now."
[04:11.00] My master rose from his bed at this, and, grasping Joseph by the elbow, thrust him from the room.
[04:18.65] "Go back and tell your master what I have said.
[04:22.87] The boy will be sent to him in the morning."
[04:27.57] "Very well," shouted Joseph, as he made his way back down the stairs.
[04:34.11] "Tomorrow, he'll come himself.
[04:39.32] Thrust him out if you dare."
[04:45.79] So that this threat could not be carried out, my master told me to take Linton to Wathering Heights at the crack of dawn.
[04:56.00] And I was on no account to tell Catherine where he had gone.
[05:01.71] Linton was very cross at being woken at 5:00 the next morning.
[05:08.50] "Where are we going?" he asked fretfully.
[05:14.37] "Why, you are going to see your father, Linton," I said, trying to make the whole thing sound like a merry jaunt.
[05:25.72] "Just a visit that would come to an end as visits almost always do."
[05:33.61] But the child shrank back and stared at me.
[05:38.77] "My father?" he whimpered.
[05:44.37] "But I don't have a father."
[05:48.72] "He lives in a big house over the moor," I said, ignoring his distress.
[05:56.02] "And you must learn to love him, and then he will love you."
[06:03.88] We set out then, Linton on Miss Catherine's pony, and myself on the old pony, Minnie.
[06:12.79] I thought about the lies I had told the poor child, and did my best to soften them, or at least bring them a little nearer to the truth.
[06:24.15] "He may not be so gentle and kind at first," I said, "but he will come to love you better than any uncle, for you are his very own."
[06:37.30] We reached Wathering Heights and found Heathcliff, Joseph, and Herton at breakfast.
[06:46.27] "Bring it in then, Nelly," said Heathcliff, as Linton stood shivering on the doorstep.
[06:56.73] I gently urged him forward until he stood in the glow of the light.
[07:05.27] The three men stared at him.
[07:08.18] Then Joseph broke into his cackling laugh.
[07:13.74] "Hey!
[07:15.37] I think Edgar Linton's swapped you, master, and that's his lass."
[07:23.26] "My!
[07:25.92] What a beauty," said Heathcliff.
[07:31.97] "What did they rear it on?"
[07:36.49] "I hope that you're going to be kind to the boy, Mr. Heathcliff," I said.
[07:42.17] "Remember, he's all the kin you have in the world."
[07:48.45] "Oh, I'll be kind, Nelly," said he.
[07:53.06] "I wish to see my son become owner of Thrush Cross Grange.
[08:00.48] I cannot let him die until he has it.
[08:04.97] Then, I shall inherit it from him.
[08:10.61] For that reason, I will put up with him, though I can barely stand the sight of the weak little thing."
[08:22.68] I was mystified, but I had no excuse to stay longer.
[08:30.34] I slipped out while poor Linton was timidly backing away from a friendly sheep dog.
[08:38.98] "Don't leave me here!" I heard him shout.
[08:43.67] "I'll not stay here!"
[08:47.93] But the door was firmly closed, and I heard the key turn in the lock.
[08:55.15] I mounted the pony, and, leading Miss Catherine's pony, rode home.
[09:03.80] There was nothing else that I could do.