Грозовой перевал / Wuthering Heights

I hammered on the door until my knuckles tingled and the dogs howled.

«Wretched people,» I shouted, shaking the door latch, «I’m freezing to death out here. Why don’t you let me in?»

A vinegary-faced old servant stuck his head out of the window.

«The master’s not at home. You’ll have to go and find him out in the fields.»

«Well, isn’t there anyone here to let me in?»

«There’s only the missus,» the old man replied, «and she wouldn’t open the door if you made that noise all night.

В»

By this time, the snow had begun to fall heavily and I had just seized the knocker to start hammering again when a young man with a pitchfork appeared in the yard. He called to me to follow him and we soon arrived in the room where I had been before.

I cheered up greatly when I saw a large fire burning in the grate, and I was delighted to see the В«missusВ», sitting next to a table laid for supper. I bowed and waited, thinking that she would offer me a seat, but she stayed completely silent, staring up at me from her chair.

She was about eighteen years old and very slim, with fair, curling hair. She also had the most exquisite face I had ever seen, with small features and eyes which would have been irresistible, if only they had a less disagreeable expression.

В«Rough weather!В» I remarked to the beautiful young lady.

She stared at me without smiling.

«Sit down,» said the young man, gruffly. «He’ll be in soon.

В»

I obeyed, and began to fondle the wretched dog that had caused me so much trouble on my last visit.

В«A beautiful animal!В» I started again. В«Do you plan to keep her puppies, madam?В»

«They’re not mine,» my charming hostess replied in a voice even more chilling than Heathcliff would have used.

В«Ah, so these are your pets then?В» I said, turning to a cushion full of something like cats.

В«A strange choice of petsВ», she observed scornfully.

Unfortunately, the pets turned out to be a heap of dead rabbits! I cleared my throat again and tried repeating my comments on the weather.

«Well you shouldn’t have come out,» was all the rude young woman could say as she reached up for a canister of tea.

В«Were you asked for tea?В» she demanded.

В«I would very much like a cup.В»

В«But were you asked?В»

«No,» I said, half smiling. «But surely it’s up to you, madam, to ask me that.