dens to the common center. I felt my heels end coat laps peculiar subjeds of assault; and, parrying off the larger combatants, aa effectually aa I could, with the poker, I was constrained to demand aloud assistance from some of the household in re-establishing peace.
Mr. Heathcliff and his man climbed the cellar steps with vexatious phlegm. I don't think they moved one second faster than usual, though the hearth was an absolute tempest of worrying and yelping.
Happily, an inhabitant of the kitchen made more dispatch; a lusty dame, with tucked up gown, bare arms, and fire-flushed cheeks, rushed into the midst of us, flourishing a frying-pan, and used that weapon, and her tongue, to such purpose, that the storm subsided magically, and she only remained, heaving like a sea after a high wind, when her master entered on the scene.
"What the devil is the matter?" he asked, eyeing me in a manner that I could ill endure after this inhospitable treatment.
"What the devil, indeed!" I muttered. "The herd of possessed swine could have had no worse spirits in them than those animals of yours, sir. You might as well leave a stranger with a brood of tigers!"
"They won't meddle with persons who touch nothing," he remarked putting the bottle before me, and restoring the displaced table. "The dogs do right to be vigilant. Take a glass of wine!"
"No, thank you."
"Not bitten, are you?"
"If I had been, I would have set my signet on the biter."
Heathcliff's contenance relaxed into a grin.
"Come, come," he said, "you are flamed, Mr. Lockwood. Here, take a little wine. Guests are so exceedingly rare in this house that I and my dogs, I am willing to own, hardly know how to receive them. Your health, sir!"
I bowed and returned the pledge; beginning to perceive that it would be foolish to sit sulking for the misbehavior of a pack of curs; besides, I felt loth to yield the fellow further amusement at my expense, since his humor took that turn.
He—probably swayed by prudential considerations of the folly of offending a good tenant—relaxed a little in the laconic
