英语听力：呼啸山庄 03 Ellen Dean's story--Catherine and Heathcliff as children

　　3 Ellen Dean's story—Catherine and Heathcliff as children

　　1770 When I was a child，I was always at Wuthering Heights，because my mother was a servant with the Earnshaw family．They are a very old family who have lived in that house for centuries，as you can see from their name on the stone over the front door. I grew up with Catherine and Hindley Earnshaw，and we three played together as children.

　　One day，their father Mr Earnshaw came back from a long journey. He had travelled sixty miles to Liverpool 1 and back on business，and was very tired.

　　‘Look what I've brought you！’he told us all，unwrapping something he was holding carefully in his arms．Catherine and Hindley were expecting presents，and they rushed eagerly to see what it was. They were very disappointed 2 to see only a dirty，black-haired gipsy child.

　　‘I found him all alone in the busy streets of Liverpool，’Mr Earnshaw explained to them，‘and I couldn't leave him to die． He can sleep in your room．’But Hindley and Catherine were angry because they had not received any presents，and refused to let the strange child share their room．However Mr Earn－shaw insisted，and little by little the boy became accepted by the family．He was called Heathcliff，as a first and last name．No one ever discovered who his parents had been．

　　Catnerine and he became great friends，but Hindley hated him，and was often cruel to him．Old Mr Earnshaw was strangely fond of this gipsy child，and frequently 3 punished his son for behaving badly to Heathcliff．Hindley began to be jealous 4 of his father's feelings for Heathcliff，and saw them both as enemies．

　　This situation could not last．As Mr Earnshaw grew old and ill，Heathcliff became even more his favourite，and Hindley often quarrelled with his father．When Hindley was sent away to study，I hoped that we would have peace in the house．But then it was that old servant Joseph who caused trouble．He tried to persuade his master to be stricter with the children，and was always complaining that Heathcliff and Catherine did not spend enough time studying the Bible 5 or attending church services．

　　Catherine was a wild，wicked girl in those days．We had to watch her every moment of the day，to stop her playing her tricks on us．She was proud，and liked giving orders．But she had the prettiest face and the sweetest smile you've ever seen．I could forgive her anything when she came to say she was sorry.

　　She was much too fond of Heathcliff，and the worst punishment we could invent was to keep her separate 6 from him．Her father could no longer understand her or her behaviour，and Catherine did not realize that his illness made him less patient with her．

　　At last Mr Earnshaw found peace．He died quietly in his chair by the fire one October evening in 1775．The night was wild and stormy，and we were all sitting together in the big kitchen．Joseph was reading his Bible at the table，while Catherine had her head on her father's knee．He was pleased to see her so gentle for once，and she was singing him to sleep．I was glad the old gentleman was sleeping so well．But when it was time to go to bed，Catherine put her arms round her father's neck to say goodnight，and immediately screamed，‘Oh，he's dead，Heathcliff！He's dead！’

　　Heathcliff and I started crying loudly and bitterly 7 too．Joseph told me to fetch the doctor，so I ran to the village，although I knew it was too late．When I came back，I went to the children's room，to see if they needed me，and I listened for a moment at their door. They were imagining the dead man in a beautiful distant place，far from the troubles of this world．And as I listened，crying silently，I could not help wishing we were all there safe together.

　　3 艾伦·迪恩讲述的故事

　　——凯瑟琳和希斯克利夫的童年

　　1770年

　　我小时候一直在呼啸山庄，因为我母亲在欧肖家做用人。欧肖家是一个很古老的家族，在那幢宅子住了好几百年，你能从门前石头上刻着的名字看出来。我是同凯瑟琳和亨德雷·欧肖一起长大的，小时候我们仨都在一起玩儿。

　　一天，他们的父亲欧肖先生出远门回来。他步行了六十英里去利物浦办事后又赶回来，非常疲倦。

　　“看我给你们带来了什么！”他对我们大家说，一边打开了怀里小心抱着的东西。凯瑟琳和亨德雷正指望着是礼物呢，兴冲冲地围上来看到底是什么东西。当他们只看到一个脏兮兮、黑头发的吉卜赛孩子时，大失所望。

　　“我看到他孤零零地呆在利物浦繁忙的街头，”欧肖先生对他们解释说，“我总不能让他就那么死了吧。他可以睡在你们的房里。”但亨德雷和凯瑟琳气恼没有得到礼物，不肯让这个野孩子睡在他们的房间。在欧肖先生的坚持下，一家人还是渐渐地接受了这个孩子。给他起了个名字叫希斯克利夫，既是名，也是姓。始终没人搞清楚他的父母是谁。

　　凯瑟琳和他成了好朋友，但亨德雷不喜欢他，对他常常很粗暴。老欧肖先生异乎寻常地喜欢这个吉卜赛孩子，时常因为自己的儿子对希斯克利夫不友善而惩罚他。亨德雷开始嫉妒他父亲对希斯克利夫的感情，视他俩为敌。

　　这种情况不可能持续下去。随着欧肖先生变得年迈多病，他越发地偏爱希斯克利夫了，而亨德雷则常同他父亲吵架。当亨德雷被送到外头上学后，我本指望我们能在家里过上安稳日子。但又轮到老仆人约瑟夫招惹是非。他试图怂恿他的主人对孩子们再严厉些，总是抱怨希斯克利夫和凯瑟琳不下功夫研读《圣经》和参加教堂的礼拜。

　　凯瑟琳当时是个任性、淘气的姑娘。我们一天到晚都得盯着她，一不留意就做我们的恶作剧。她自大，好发号施令。但您从没看到过她那可爱的小脸和甜甜的微笑。只要她过来说抱歉时，我就什么都原谅她了。

　　她太喜欢希斯克利夫了，不让她和希斯克利夫在一起是我们所能采取的最严厉的惩罚。她的父亲已无法理解她和她的所作所为，而凯瑟琳也没有意识到父亲的病情已使他对自己不像以前那样惯着了。

　　欧肖先生最终安息了。1775年10月的一个晚上，他安祥地死在火炉旁他的椅子上。那天晚上狂风肆虐，我们都一起坐在大厨房里。约瑟夫伏案读着他的《圣经》，凯瑟琳把头枕在她父亲的膝头。好不容易看到她这么乖，欧肖先生很高兴，她唱着歌儿催他入眠。老先生睡得这么好，我很欣慰。但该上床睡觉，凯瑟琳用胳膊搂着她父亲的脖子道晚安时，她突然尖叫起来，“啊，他死了，希斯克利夫！他死了！”

　　希斯克利夫和我也都开始嚎啕痛哭。约瑟夫叫我去喊大夫，虽然我知道太晚了，但还是跑去了村子。回来后，我到孩子们的房间去看看他们是否需要我，我在门前站着听了一会儿。他们正在那儿想像死去的人如何在一个遥远、美丽的地方远离凡世的烦恼。我边听边默默地哭着，不禁开始祈望我们都能在天堂相安无事地相处。