The apartment and furniture would have been nothing extraordinary as belonging to a homely, northern farmer, with a stubborn countenance, and stalwart limbs set out to advantage in knee- breeches and gaiters. Such an individual seated in his arm-chair, his mug of ale frothing on the round table before him, is to be seen in any circuit of five or six miles among these hills, if you go at the right time after dinner. But Mr. Heathcliff forms a singular contrast to his abode and style of living. He is a dark- skinned gipsy in aspect, in dress and manners a gentleman: that is, as much a gentleman as many a country squire: rather slovenly, perhaps, yet not looking amiss with his negligence, because he has an erect and handsome figure; and rather morose. Possibly, some people might suspect him of a degree of under-bred pride; I have a sympathetic chord within that tells me it is nothing of the sort: I know, by instinct, his reserve springs from an aversion to showy displays of feeling - to manifestations of mutual kindliness. He'll love and hate equally under cover, and esteem it a species of impertinence to be loved or hated again. No, I'm running on too fast: I bestow my own attributes over-liberally on him. Mr. Heathcliff may have entirely dissimilar reasons for keeping his hand out of the way when he meets a would-be acquaintance, to those which actuate me. Let me hope my constitution is almost peculiar: my dear mother used to say I should never have a comfortable home; and only last summer I proved myself perfectly unworthy of one.

有这样一个主人：一个普通的北方农民，一张古板的脸，一双被绑腿马裤衬托得尤为粗壮的腿，那么房子和家具也就没有什么特别之处了，而且在五六英里外的山上，如果你去的时间恰巧是午饭之后的话，你可以看见他坐在他的扶手椅上，一杯冒着泡沫的啤酒放在他前面的圆桌上。然而希斯克利夫先生却和他的住所和生活方式有着鲜明的对比。他的面容，是一个深肤色的吉普赛人；他的衣着和他的言谈举止，是一个绅士，至少有像其他的乡绅所表现出来的绅士风度：相当散漫，但是他不修边幅的样子还没有到不能忍受的地步，因为他的身材挺拔，外表英俊，只是郁郁寡欢。有可能，有人会把他的态度当作是缺少教养的傲慢，然而我内心同情的只觉却告诉我并不是那么一回事。我的只觉告诉我，他的沉默源于他对张扬感情――互相表示亲热的，友好的厌恶。他默默的爱，默默的恨，却又把被爱和被恨看作是不合时宜的事情。不，我说得太多了，我把自己得喜好强加于他。在见到一个准熟人的时，而把手收起来，希斯克利夫先生可能有完全不同于我的理由。让我期望我的作风总是非常特别：我亲爱的妈妈曾经说过我永远也不会有一个舒适的家；就在去年夏天，我就证实了我的确不配有一个舒适的家。

While enjoying a month of fine weather at the sea-coast, I was thrown into the company of a most fascinating creature: a real goddess in my eyes, as long as she took no notice of me. I 'never told my love' vocally; still, if looks have language, the merest idiot might have guessed I was over head and ears: she understood me at last, and looked a return - the sweetest of all imaginable looks. And what did I do? I confess it with shame - shrunk icily into myself, like a snail; at every glance retired colder and farther; till finally the poor innocent was led to doubt her own senses, and, overwhelmed with confusion at her supposed mistake, persuaded her mamma to decamp.

当我在海滨享受好天气的那个月，我遇见了一个非常迷人的同伴。在我看来简直就是女神，即便她根本就没有注意到我。我并没有把我的爱意说出来，然而，如果看也是语言的话，那个笨苯的傻瓜可能已经猜出我深陷其中。她最终还是明白了我的意思，并对我回萌一望――这是可以想象到的最甜美的一望。而我做了什么呢？说出来非常羞愧―― 我又退缩成冰冷的我，就像蜗牛一样缩了回去，每一瞥都让我退缩得更远，更冷漠。直到最后，这个可怜的无辜的人儿开始怀疑她自己的感觉，深陷与她所想的误解的谜团之中，于是她说服她的妈妈和她一起匆匆离去。

By this curious turn of disposition I have gained the reputation of deliberate heartlessness; how undeserved, I alone can appreciate.

因为这次奇怪的性情转变，我得了个故意负心的名声；当我一个人的时候，我就认为多么不值得啊。