I imagined, for a moment, that this piece of eloquence was addressed to me; and, sufficientlj enraged, stepped toward the aged rascal with an intention of kicking him out of the door.
Mrs. Heathcliff, however, checked me by her answer.
"You scandalous old hypocrite!" she replied; "are you not afraid of being carried away bodily, whenever you mention the devil's name? I warn you to refrain from provoking me, I'll ask your abduction as a special favor. Stop, look here Joseph," she continued, taking a long, dark book from a shelf, I'll show you how far I've progressed in the Black Art—I shall soon be competent to make a clear house of it. The red cow didn't die by chance; and your rheumatism can hardly be reckoned among providential visitations!"
"Oh, wicked, wicked!" gasped the elder, "may the Lord deliver us from evil!"
"No, reprobate! you are a castaway—be off, or I'll hurt you seriously! I'll have you all modeled in wax and clay; and the first who passes the limits I fix, shall—I'll not say what he shall be done to—but, you'll see! Go, I'm looking at you!"
The little witch put a mock malignity into her beautiful eyes and Joseph, trembling with sincere horror, hurried out praying and ejaculating "wicked" as he went.
I thought her conduct must be prompted by a species of dreary fun; and, now that we were alone, I endeavored to interest her in my distress.
"Mrs. Heathcliff," I said, earnestly, "you must excuse me for troubling you—I presume, because, with that face, I'm sure you can not help being good-hearted. Do point out some landmarks by which I may know my way home—I have no more idea how to get there than you would have how to get to London!"
"Take the road you came," she answered, ensconcing herself in a chair, with a candle, and the long book open before her. "It is brief advice; but as sound as I can give."
"Then, if you hear of me being discovered dead in a bog, or a pit full of snow, your conscience won't whisper that it is partly your fault?"
"How so? I can not escort you. They would'nt let me go to the end of the garden-wall."
"You! I should be sorry to ask you to cross the threshold for my convenience on such a night," I cried. "I want you to
