Heathcliff stood near the entrance, in his shirt and trousers; with a candle dripping over his fingers, and his face as white as the wall behind him. The first creak of the oak startled him like an electric shock: the light leaped from his hold to a distance of some feet, and his agitation was so extreme, that he could hardly pick it up.

希斯克利夫站在门口，身穿衬衫和长裤，手里拿着蜡烛，烛油滴在他的手指上，而他的脸同他身后的墙一样苍白。橡木门一响，他的震惊犹如触电一般：蜡烛从他手中滑落下来，掉在了几英尺外，而他极度不安，差点捡不起来蜡烛。

'It is only your guest, sir,' I called out, desirous to spare him the humiliation of exposing his cowardice further. 'I had the misfortune to scream in my sleep, owing to a frightful nightmare. I'm sorry I disturbed you.'

“是你的客人而已，先生，”为了避免他会因过多的表露出他的胆怯而感到难堪，我喊出声来。“因为做噩梦，我不幸在梦中大叫。很抱歉，打扰你了。”

'Oh, God confound you, Mr. Lockwood! I wish you were at the - ' commenced my host, setting the candle on a chair, because he found it impossible to hold it steady. 'And who showed you up into this room?' he continued, crushing his nails into his palms, and grinding his teeth to subdue the maxillary convulsions. 'Who was it? I've a good mind to turn them out of the house this moment?'

“噢，你真该死， 洛克伍德先生！我希望你是在――”我的主人说道，由于拿不稳手中的蜡烛，他把它固定在椅子上。“是谁领你到这个房间来的？”他继续问道，拳头紧握，指甲扎入手掌，咬紧牙齿以防止下颌的抽搐。“是谁？我很想现在就把他赶出去！” 'It was your servant Zillah,' I replied, flinging myself on to the floor, and rapidly resuming my garments. 'I should not care if you did, Mr. Heathcliff; she richly deserves it. I suppose that she wanted to get another proof that the place was haunted, at my expense. Well, it is - swarming with ghosts and goblins! You have reason in shutting it up, I assure you. No one will thank you for a doze in such a den!'

“是你的仆人齐拉，”我说，同时跳下床来，很快穿好衣服。“我一点都不在乎你这样做，希斯克利夫先生，这是她应得的。我猜，她是想借我的缘故，换一个不闹鬼地方工作。而这里，挤满了孤魂野鬼！我可以保证，你把它关起来是对的。没有人因为在这个鬼地方睡上一觉而感谢你的！”

'What do you mean?' asked Heathcliff, 'and what are you doing? Lie down and finish out the night, since you ARE here; but, for heaven's sake! don't repeat that horrid noise: nothing could excuse it, unless you were having your throat cut!'

“你说什么？”希斯克利夫问道，“你在干什么？既然你已经在这里了，就躺下来等天亮在说。但是，看在上帝的份上，千万不要再发出那恐怖的声音，除非你的喉咙被割断了！”

'If the little fiend had got in at the window, she probably would have strangled me!' I returned. 'I'm not going to endure the persecutions of your hospitable ancestors again. Was not the Reverend Jabez Branderham akin to you on the mother's side? And that minx, Catherine Linton, or Earnshaw, or however she was called - she must have been a changeling - wicked little soul! She told me she had been walking the earth these twenty years: a just punishment for her mortal transgressions, I've no doubt!'

“如果那个小恶鬼从窗户爬了进来，她肯定会掐死我的！”我回敬道，“我可不愿再受你那好客的祖先的迫害了。尊敬的杰布兹·布兰德汉姆是不是你母亲的亲戚？而那个年轻女子，凯瑟琳·林顿，或者恩肖，或者其他什么她用过的姓氏，她一定难以管束，是个小淘气包！她告诉我，她在外面走了20年了，只是为了救赎她身前犯下的罪。对此，我一点都不怀疑！”

Scarcely were these words uttered when I recollected the association of Heathcliff's with Catherine's name in the book, which had completely slipped from my memory, till thus awakened. I blushed at my inconsideration: but, without showing further consciousness of the offence, I hastened to add - 'The truth is, sir, I passed the first part of the night in - ' Here I stopped afresh - I was about to say 'perusing those old volumes,' then it would have revealed my knowledge of their written, as well as their printed, contents; so, correcting myself, I went on - 'in spelling over the name scratched on that window-ledge. A monotonous occupation, calculated to set me asleep, like counting, or - '

话还刚出口，我救想起了书上关于希斯克利夫和凯瑟琳关系的描写，而这之前，我却忘得一干二净，现在感道非常尴尬。我因自己得疏忽而感到脸红，但是，我并没有表现出来已经感到自己的冒失，而是很快补充到，“事情是这样的，先生，我前半夜是在这里――”话到这里，我停住了，我本想说“读这些旧书”，但是这样就会暴露我知道书中的内容，因此我改口说道，“拼刻在窗台上的这些名字，非常单调的事情，数着数着就睡着了，就跟数数字一样，或者――”

'What CAN you mean by talking in this way to ME!' thundered Heathcliff with savage vehemence. 'How - how DARE you, under my roof? - God! he's mad to speak so!' And he struck his forehead with rage.

“你用这样和我说话到底想说什么？”希斯克利夫非常激动而粗鲁的吼道，“好，好大的胆子啊你，这是我的家！上帝啊，他这样说真是疯了！”他的前额因愤怒而青筋暴涨。

I did not know whether to resent this language or pursue my explanation; but he seemed so powerfully affected that I took pity and proceeded with my dreams; affirming I had never heard the appellation of 'Catherine Linton' before, but reading it often over produced an impression which personified itself when I had no longer my imagination under control. Heathcliff gradually fell back into the shelter of the bed, as I spoke; finally sitting down almost concealed behind it. I guessed, however, by his irregular and intercepted breathing, that he struggled to vanquish an excess of violent emotion. Not liking to show him that I had heard the conflict, I continued my toilette rather noisily, looked at my watch, and soliloquised on the length of the night: 'Not three o'clock yet! I could have taken oath it had been six. Time stagnates here: we must surely have retired to rest at eight!'

我不知道是该回击他的话，还是继续我的解释，但是他的反应似乎非常强烈，我不得不同情得继续解说我得梦，并断言我从来没有听过“凯瑟琳·林顿”这样的名字，只是读的次数太多而在我的想象力失控的情况下赋予了它生命。在我解释的时候，希斯克利夫慢慢的退到床里面去了，最后坐了下来，几乎被床完全挡了起来。然而，通过他紊乱的呼吸声，我想他是在努力平息过于强烈的感情波动。不想让他知道我听见了他挣扎的声音，我继续穿衣服，还把声音弄得很响，看看表，自言自语得抱怨夜得长，“还不到三点！我以为已经六点了。时间静止不动：我们一定是在八点就准备睡觉了！” 'Always at nine in winter, and rise at four,' said my host, suppressing a groan: and, as I fancied, by the motion of his arm's shadow, dashing a tear from his eyes. 'Mr. Lockwood,' he added, 'you may go into my room: you'll only be in the way, coming down- stairs so early: and your childish outcry has sent sleep to the devil for me.'

“冬天的时候都是九点，早上四点起床，”压住呻吟的声音，我的主人说道，而我通过他的手臂的影子的动作，猜想他是在擦眼角的泪水。“洛克伍德先生，”他继续说道，“你可以到我的房间去，只有这样，现在下楼太早了。你那孩子般的喊叫把我的睡意都吓跑了。”

'And for me, too,' I replied. 'I'll walk in the yard till daylight, and then I'll be off; and you need not dread a repetition of my intrusion. I'm now quite cured of seeking pleasure in society, be it country or town. A sensible man ought to find sufficient company in himself.' “我也是，”我回答道，“我可以在院子里散步直到天亮，然后我就离开。而你也不必担心我还会再来打扰。我这不管是在城里还是在乡下都爱交朋友的毛病，现在毛病已经差不多被治好了。一个聪明的人应该在自己的身上找到足够多的朋友！”

'Delightful company!' muttered Heathcliff. 'Take the candle, and go where you please. I shall join you directly. Keep out of the yard, though, the dogs are unchained; and the house - Juno mounts sentinel there, and - nay, you can only ramble about the steps and passages. But, away with you! I'll come in two minutes!'

“好朋友！”希斯克利夫说到，“拿着蜡烛，想去哪就去哪吧。我会直接去找你的。但是别到院子里去，因为狗没有用链子锁起来。而房间里――朱诺在那设了哨，啊，不， 你只能在台阶和走廊里走走。但是，走吧！我两分钟之后就来找你！”