`Nay,' he replied, looking down, and blushing bashfully.
He could not stand a steady gaze from her eyes, though they were just his own.
`Whose then--your master's?' she asked.
He coloured deeper, with a different feeling, muttered an oath, and turned away.
`Who is his master?' continued the tiresome girl, appealing to me.`He talked about ``our house'', and ``our folk''.I thought he had been the owner's son.And he never said, Miss; he should have done, shouldn't he, if he's a servant?'
Hareton grew black as a thunder cloud, at this childish speech.
I silently shook my questioner, and at last succeeded in equipping her for departure.
`Now, get my horse,' she said, addressing her unknown kinsman as she would one of the stable-boys at the Grange.`And you may come with me.I want to see where the goblin-hunter rises in the marsh, and to hear about the fairishes , as you call them: but make haste! What's the matter? Get my horse, I say.
`I'll see thee damned before I be thy servant!' growled the lad.`You'll see me what ?' asked Catherine in surprise.`Damned--thou saucy witch!' he replied.
`There, Miss Cathy! you see you have got into pretty company, I interposed.`Nice words to be used to a young lady! Pray don't begin to dispute with him.Come, let us seek for Minny ourselves, and begone.'
`But, Ellen,' cried she, staring, fixed in astonishment, `how dare he speak so to me? Mustn't he be made to do as I ask him? You wicked creature, I shall tell papa what you said.--Now, then!'
Hareton did not appear to feel this threat; so the tears sprang into her eyes with indignation.`You bring the pony,' she exclaimed, turning to the woman, `and let my dog free this moment!'
`Softly, miss,' answered the addressed: `you'll lose nothing by being civil.Though Mr Hareton, there, be not the master's son, he's your cousin; and I was never hired to serve you.'
` He my cousin!' cried Cathy, with a scornful laugh.`Yes, indeed,' responded her reprover.
`Oh, Ellen! don't let them say such things,' she pursued, in great trouble.`Papa is gone to fetch my cousin from London: my cousin is a gentleman's son.That my'--she stopped, and wept outright; upset at the bare notion of relationship with such a clown.
`Hush, hush!' I whispered, `people can have many cousins, and of all sorts, Miss Cathy, without being any the worse for it; only they needn't keep their company, if they be disagreeable and bad.'
`He's not--he's not my cousin, Ellen!' she went on, gathering fresh grief from reflection, and flinging herself into my arms for refuge from the idea.
I was much vexed at her and the servant for their mutual revelations;having no doubt of Linton's approaching arrival, communicated by the former, being reported to Mr Heathcliff; and feeling as confident that Catherine's first thought on her father's return, would be to seek an explanation of the latter's assertion concerning her rude-bred kindred.Hareton, recovering from his disgust at being taken for a servant, seemed moved by her distress;and, having fetched the pony round to the door, he took, to propitiate her, a fine crooked-legged terrier whelp from the kennel, and putting it into her hand bid her wisht! for he meant nought.Pausing in her lamentations, she surveyed him with a glance of awe and horror, then burst forth anew.
