Before passing the threshold, I paused to admire a quantity of grotesque carving lavished over the front, andespecially about the principal door正门附近; above which, among a wilderness of crumbling griffins and shameless littleboys, I detected the date “1500,” and the name “Hareton Earnshaw.” I would have made a few comments, andrequested a short history of the place from the surly owner; but his attitude at the door appeared to demand myspeedy entrance, or complete departure, and I had no desire to aggravate his impatience previous to inspectingthe penetralium.
One step brought us into the family sitting-room, without any introductory lobby or passage: they call it here“the house” preeminently. It includes kitchen and parlour, generally; but I believe at Wuthering Heights thekitchen is forced to retreat altogether into another quarter: at least I distinguished a chatter of tongues, and aclatter of culinary utensils, deep within; and I observed no signs of roasting, boiling, or baking, about the hugefire-place; nor any glitter of copper saucepans and tin cullenders on the walls. One end, indeed, reflectedsplendidly both light and heat from ranks of immense pewter dishes, interspersed with silver jugs and tankards,towering row after row, on a vast oak dresser, to the very roof. The latter had never been underdrawn: its entireanatomy lay bare to an enquiring eye, except where a frame of wood laden with oatcakes and clusters of legs ofbeef, mutton, and ham, concealed it. Above the chimney were sundry villainous old guns, and a couple of horsepistols: and, by way of ornament, three gaudily-painted canisters disposed along its ledge. The floor was ofsmooth white stone; the chairs, high-backed, primitive structures, painted green: one or two heavy black oneslurking in the shade. In an arch under the dresser, reposed a huge, liver-coloured bitch pointer, surrounded by aswarm of squealing puppies; and other dogs haunted other recesses.
