I presume you grew weary of the amusement and dropped it, didn't you?
Well, you dropped Linton with it into a Slough of Despond.

He was in earnest: in love, really.

As true as I live, he's dying for you; breaking his heart at your fickleness: not figuratively, but actually.

Though Hareton has made him a standing jest for six weeks, and I have used more serious measures, and attempted to frighten him out of his idiotcy, he gets worse daily; and he'll be under the sod before summer, unless you restore him!' 'How can you lie so glaringly to the poor child ?' I called from the inside.

'Pray ride on! How can you deliberately get up such paltry falsehoods?
Miss Cathy, I'll knock the lock off with a stone: you won't believe that vile nonsense.