To obviate the danger of this threat being fulfilled, Mr Linton commissioned me to take the boy home early, on Catherine's pony; and, said he: `As we shall now have no influence over his destiny, good or bad, you must say nothing of where he is gone, to my daughter: she cannot associate with him hereafter, and it is better for her to remain in ignorance of his proximity; lest she should be restless, and anxious to visit the Heights. Merely tell her his father sent for him suddenly, and he has been obliged to leave us.'
Linton was very reluctant to be roused from his bed at five o'clock, and astonished to be informed that he must prepare for further travelling; but I softened off the matter by stating that he was going to spend some time with his father, Mr Heathcliff, who wished to see him so much, he did not like to defer the pleasure till he should recover from his late journey.
`My father!' he cried, in strange perplexity. `Mamma never told me I had a father. Where does he live? I'd rather stay with uncle.'
`He lives a little distance from the Grange,' I replied; `just beyond those hills: not so far, but you may walk over here when you get hearty. And you should be glad to go home, and to see him. You must try to love him, as you did your mother, and then he will love you.'
`But why have I not heard of him before?' asked Linton. `Why didn't mamma and he live together, as other people do?'
`He had business to keep him in the north,' I answered, `and your mother's health required her to reside in the south.'
`And why didn't mamma speak to me about him?' persevered the child. `She often talked of uncle, and I learnt to love him long ago. How am I to love papa? I don't know him.'
`Oh, all children love their parents,' I said. `Your mother, perhaps, thought you would want to be with him if she mentioned him often to you. Let us make haste. An early ride on such a beautiful morning is much preferable to an hour's more sleep.
`Is she to go with us,' he demanded: `the little girl I saw yesterday?' replied I.
`Is uncle?' he continued.
`No, I shall be your companion there,' I said.
Linton sank back on his pillow and fell into a brown study.
`I won't go without uncle,' he cried at length: `I can't tell where you mean to take me.'
I attempted to persuade him of the naughtiness of showing reluctance to meet his father; still he obstinately resisted any progress towards dressing, and I had to call for my master's assistance in coaxing him out of bed. The poor thing was finally got off, with several delusive assurances that his absence should be short; that Mr Edgar and Cathy would visit him, and other promises, equally ill-founded, which I invented and reiterated at intervals throughout the way. The pure heather-scented air, and the bright sunshine, and the gentle canter of Minny, relieved his despondency after a while. He began to put questions concerning his new home, and its inhabitants, with greater interest and liveliness.
`Is Wuthering Heights as pleasant a place as Thrushcross Grange?' he inquired, turning to take a last glance into the valley, whence a light mist mounted and formed a fleecy cloud on the skirts of the blue.
`It is not so buried in trees,' I replied, `and it is not quite so large, but you can see the country beautifully all round; and the air is healthier for you--fresher and dryer. You will, perhaps, think the building old and dark at first; though it is a respectable house: the next best in the neighbourhood. And you will have such nice rambles on the moors. Hareton Earnshaw--that is Miss Cathy's other cousin, and so yours in a manner--will show you all the sweetest spots; and you can bring a book in fine weather, and make a green hollow your study; and, now and then, your uncle may join you in a walk: he does, frequently, walk out on the hills.'
`And what is my father like?' he asked. `Is he as young and handsome as uncle?'
`He's as young,' said I; `but he has black hair and eyes, and looks sterner; and he is taller and bigger altogether. He'll not seem to you so gentle and kind at first, perhaps, because it is not his way: still, mind you, be frank and cordial with him; and naturally he'll be fonder of you than any uncle, for you are his own.'
`Black hair and eyes!' mused Linton. `I can't fancy him. Then I am not like him, am I?'
`Not much,' I answered: not a morsel, I thought, surveying with regret the white complexion and slim frame of my companion, and his large languid eyes--his mother's eyes, save that, unless a morbid touchiness kindled them a moment, they had not a vestige of her sparkling spirit.
`How strange that he should never come to see mamma and me!' he murmured. `Has he ever seen me? If he have, I must have been a baby. I remember not a single thing about him!'
`Why, Master Linton,' said I, `three hundred miles is a great distance; and ten years seem very different in length to a grown-up person compared with what they do to you. It is probable Mr Heathcliff proposed going from summer to summer, but never found a convenient opportunity; and now it is too late. Don't trouble him with questions on the subject: it will disturb him, for no good.'
The boy was fully occupied with his own cogitations for the remainder of the ride, till we halted before the farmhouse garden gate. I watched to catch his impressions in his countenance. He surveyed the carved front and low-browed lattices, the straggling gooseberry bushes and crooked firs, with solemn intentness, and then shook his head: his private feelings entirely disapproved of the exterior of his new abode. But he had sense to postpone complaining: there might be compensation within. Before he dismounted, I went and opened the door. It was half past six; the family had just finished breakfast; the servant was clearing and wiping down the table. Joseph stood by his master's chair telling some tale concerning a lame horse; and Hareton was preparing for the hay field.
为了避免这威吓实现的危险，林惇先生派我早早地送这孩子回家，让他骑着凯瑟琳的小马去。他说，——“既然我们现在不能对于他的命运有所影响，无论是好或坏，你就千万别对我女儿说他去哪里了，今后她不能同他有什么联系，别让她知道他就在邻近；不然她就安不下心来，急着去呼啸山庄。你就告诉她说他的父亲忽然差人来接他，他就只好离开我们走了。”
五点钟时，好容易才把林惇从床上唤起来，一听说他还得准备再上路，大吃一惊；但是我告诉他得跟他的父亲希刺克厉夫先生住些时候，并说他父亲多么想看他，不愿再延迟这种见面的快乐，都等不及他恢复旅途的疲劳，这样才把事情缓和下来。
“我的父奈”他叫起来，莫名其妙地纳闷着。“妈妈从来没有告诉过我说我有一个父亲。他住在哪儿？我情愿跟舅舅住在一起。”
“他住在离山庄不远的地方，”我回答，“就在那些小山那边，不算怎么远，等你身体好些，你可以散步到这儿来。你应该欢欢喜喜地回家去见他。你一定得试着爱他，像对母亲一样，那么他也就会爱你了。”
“可是为什么我以前没听说过他呢？”林惇问道。“为什么妈妈不跟他住在一起，像别人家一样？”
“他有事情得留在北方。”我回答，“而你母亲的健康情况需要她住在南方。”
“可为什么妈妈没跟我说起他来呢？”这孩子固执地问下去。“她常常谈起舅舅，我老早就知道爱他了。我怎么去爱爸爸呢？我不认识他。”
“啊，所有的孩子们都爱他们的父母。”我说，“也许你母亲以为她要是常跟你提起他，你或者会想跟他住在一起哩。我们赶快去吧。在这样美丽的早晨，早早骑马出去比多睡一个钟头可好多了。”
“昨天我看见的那个小姑娘是不是跟我们一同去？”他问。
“现在不去。”我回答。
“舅舅呢？”他又问。
“不去，我要陪你去那儿的。”我说。
林惇又倒在他的枕头上，沉思起来。
“没有舅舅我就不去。”他终于叫喊起来了，“我闹不清你到底打算把我带到哪儿去。”
我企图说服他，说他如果表现出不愿意见他父亲，那是没规矩的行为；他仍然执拗地反抗我，不许我给他穿衣服，我只好叫主人来帮忙哄他起床。我许下了好多渺茫的保证，说他去不多久一定能回来的，说埃德加先生和凯蒂会去看他的，还有其他的诺言，毫无根据，都是我一时瞎编出来的，而且一路上我还时不时地重复着这些诺言。终于，这可怜的小东西出发了。过了一会，那纯洁的、带着青草香味的空气，那灿烂的阳光，以及敏妮的轻轻的缓步使他的沮丧神气缓和下来了。他开始带着较大的兴趣盘问他的新家的情形，家里住些什么人。
“呼啸山庄是不是一个跟画眉田庄一样好玩的地方？”他问，同时转过头向山谷中望了最后一眼，从那里有一片轻雾升起，在蓝色天空的边缘上形成了一朵白云。
“它不是像这样隐在树荫里。”我回答，“而且也没这么大，但是你四面可以看得到美丽的乡村景色；那空气对你的健康也比较适宜——比较新鲜干燥。也许你起初会觉得那所房子又旧又黑；虽然那是一所很漂亮的房子，在这附近是数一数二的了。而且你还可以在旷野里好好地溜达溜达。哈里顿·恩萧——就是，凯蒂小姐另一个表哥，也就是你的表哥，——他会带你到一切最可爱的地点看看；好天气时，你还可以带本书，把绿色的山谷当作你的书房，而且，有时候，你舅舅还可以和你一块散步，他是常常出来在山中散步的。”
“我父亲什么样？”他问。“他是不是跟舅舅一样的年轻漂亮？”
“他也是那么年轻，”我说，“可是他有黑头发和黑眼睛，而且看上去比较严厉些，也高大一些。也许一开始你觉得他不怎么和气仁慈，因为这不是他的作风；可是，你得记住，还是要跟他坦白和亲切；他就会很自然地比任何舅舅还要更喜欢你，因为你是他自己的孩子啊。”
“黑头发，黑眼睛”林惇沉思着。“我想象不出来。那么我长得不像他啦，是吗？”
“不太像，”我回答，同时心里想着：一点也不像，抱憾地望望我的同伴的白皙的容貌和纤瘦的骨骼，还有他那大而无神的眼睛——他母亲的眼睛，只是，有一种病态的焦躁会偶然地点亮这对眼睛，它们一点也没有她那种闪烁神采的痕迹。
“他从来没有去看过妈妈和我，这多奇怪！”他咕噜着。
“他看见过我没有？要是他看见过，那一定还在我是婴孩的时候。关于他，我一件事也记不得了！”
“啊，林惇少爷。”我说，“三百英里是很长的距离；而十年对于一个成年人和对于你却是不一样长短的。没准希刺克厉夫年年夏天打算去，可是从来没有找到适当的机会；现在又太晚了。关于这件事不要老问他使他心烦吧：那会使他不安的，没有一点好处。”
这孩子后来一路上就只顾想他自己的心思，直到我停在住宅花园的大门前。我细看他脸上现出什么印象。他一本正经地仔细观看着那刻花的正面房屋与矮檐的格子窗，那蔓生的醋栗丛和弯曲的枞树，然后摇摇头；他自己完全不喜欢他这新居的外表。但是他还懂得先不忙抱怨：也许里面好些，还可以弥补一下。在他下马之前，我走去开门。那时正是六点半；全家刚用过早餐；仆人正在收拾和擦桌子。约瑟夫站在他主人的椅子旁边，正在讲着关于一匹跛马的事；哈里顿正预备到干草地里去。
