Wuthering Heights Audiobook Story by Emily Bront Learn English Through Story
wuthering heights by emily bronte
[Music]
[Laughter]
[Music]
chapter one
mr lockwood visits wuthering heights
1801
i have just returned from a visit to my
landlord mr heathcliff
i am delighted with the house i am
renting from him
thrash cross grange is miles away from
any town or village
that suits me perfectly
and the scenery here in yorkshire is so
beautiful
mr heathcliff in fact is my only
neighbor
and i think his character is similar to
mine
he does not like people either
my name is lockwood i said when i met
him at the gate to his house
i’m renting thrush cross grange from you
i just wanted to come and introduce
myself
he said nothing
but frowned
and did not encourage me to enter
after a while however he decided to
invite me in
joseph
take mr lockwood’s horse
he called
and bring up some wine from the cellar
joseph was a very old servant with a
sour expression on his face
he looked crossly up at me as he took my
horse
god help us
a visitor
he muttered to himself
perhaps there were no other servants i
thought
and it seemed that mr heathcliff hardly
ever received guests
his house is called wuthering heights
the name means a windswept house on a
hill
and it is a very good description
the trees around the house do not grow
straight
but are bent by the north wind
which blows over the moors every day of
the year
fortunately the house is strongly built
and is not damaged even by the worst
winter storms
the name earnshaw is cut into a stone
over the front door
mr heathcliff and i entered the huge
main room it could have been any
yorkshire farmhouse kitchen
except that there was no sign of cooking
and no farmer sitting at the table
mr heathcliff certainly does not look
like a farmer
his hair and skin are dark like a
gypsies
but he has the manners of a gentleman
he could perhaps take more care with his
appearance
but he is
handsome i think he is proud
and also unhappy
we sat down by the fire in silence
joseph
shouted mr heathcliff
no answer came from the seller
so he dived down there
leaving me alone with several rather
fierce looking dogs
suddenly one of them jumped angrily up
at me and in a moment all the others
were attacking me
from every shadowy corner in the great
room appeared a growling animal
ready to kill me it seemed
help
mr heathcliff help
i shouted
trying to keep the dogs back
my landlord and his servant were in no
hurry to help
and could not have climbed the cellar
steps more slowly
but luckily a woman who i supposed was
the housekeeper
rushed into the room to calm the dogs
what the devil is the matter
mr heathcliff asked me rudely when he
finally entered the room
your dog sir
i replied
you shouldn’t leave a stranger with them
they’re
dangerous come come mr lockwood
have some wine
we don’t often have strangers here
and i’m afraid neither i nor my dogs are
used to receiving them
i could not feel offended after this and
accepted the wine
we sat drinking and talking together for
a while
i suggested visiting him tomorrow
he did not seem eager to see me again
but i shall go anyway
i am interested in him
even if he isn’t interested in me
two days later
yesterday afternoon was misty and
bitterly cold
but i walked the four miles to
weathering heights and arrived just as
it was beginning to snow
i banged on the front door for ten
minutes
getting colder and colder
finally joseph’s head appeared at a
window of one of the farm buildings
what do you want
he growled
could you let me in
i asked desperately
he shook his head
there’s only mrs heathcliff indoors and
she won’t open the door to you
just then a young man appeared and
called me to follow him
we went through the back door
and into the big room where i had been
before
i was delighted to see a warm fire and a
table full of food
and this time there was a woman sitting
by the fire
she must be mrs heathcliff i thought i
had not imagined my landlord was married
she looked at me coldly without saying
anything
terrible weather
i remarked
there was silence
what a beautiful animal
i tried again
pointing to one of the dogs that had
attacked me
she still said nothing but got up to
make the tea
she was only about 17
with the most beautiful little face i
had ever seen
her golden wavy hair fell around her
shoulders
have you been invited to tea
she asked me crossly
no
but you are the proper person to invite
me
i smiled
for some reason this really annoyed her
she stopped making the tea and threw
herself angrily back in her chair
meanwhile the young man was staring
aggressively at me
he looked like a farm worker but seemed
to be part of the family
i did not feel at all comfortable
at last heathcliff came in
here i am sir
as i promised i said
cheerfully you shouldn’t have come
he answered
shaking the snow off his clothes
you’ll never find your way back in the
dark
perhaps you could lend me a servant to
guide me back to the grange
i asked
no i couldn’t
there aren’t any servants here except
joseph and the housekeeper
get the tea ready will you
he added fiercely to the young woman
i was shocked by his unpleasantness
we sat down to eat
i tried to make conversation with the
three silent people round the table
how happy you must be mr heathcliff i
began
in this quiet place
with your wife and
my wife
my wife’s ghost you mean
i suddenly realized i had made a serious
mistake
so his wife was dead
of course he was too old to be married
to that young girl
she must be married to the young man
next to me
who was drinking his tea out of a bowl
and eating his bread with unwashed hands
perhaps the poor girl had found no one
better to marry in this uninhabited
area i turned politely to the young man
ah
so you are this lady’s husband
this was worse than before
his face went red and he seemed only
just able to stop himself hitting me
he muttered something i could not hear
wrong again mr lockwood
said mr heathcliff
no her husband
my son
is dead
this
he added looking scornfully at the young
man
is certainly not my son
my name
is the young man
we finished our meal in silence
and when i looked out of the window all
i could see was darkness and snow
i don’t think i can get home without a
guide
i said politely
no one answered me
i turned to the woman
mrs heathcliff
i begged
what can i do
please help me
take the road you came on
she replied without interest opening a
book
that’s the best advice i can give
mr heathcliff
i’ll have to stay here for the night i
told him
i hope that will teach you not to walk
over the moors in bad weather
he answered
i don’t keep guest bedrooms
you can share a bed with harton or
joseph
i was so angry with them all that i
could not stay there a moment longer and
rushed out into the darkness
i saw joseph by the back door
caught hold of the lamp he was carrying
and ran with it to the gate
but the dogs chased after me and
attacked me
and i was soon knocked to the ground
heathcliff and herton stood at the door
laughing
as i shouted at the dogs and tried to
get up
in the end i was again rescued by the
housekeeper zilla
who ordered away the dogs and helped me
to my feet
i was so bruised and exhausted that i
did not feel strong enough to walk home
and although i did not want to
i had to spend the night at wuthering
heights
nobody wished me a good night
as zilla took me upstairs
to find a bed for me
[Music]
chapter 2
catherine earnshaw’s room
1801
quietly sir
whispered the housekeeper as we climbed
up the dark stairs
my master will be angry if he discovers
which bedroom you’re sleeping in
for some reason
he doesn’t want anyone to sleep there
i don’t know why
there’s strange people in this house you
know
here’s the room sir
but i was too tired to listen
thank you zilla i said and taking the
candle i entered the room and closed the
door
the only piece of furniture in the large
dusty bedroom was a bed
placed next to the window
there were heavy curtains which could be
pulled around it
to hide the sleeper from anyone else in
the room
looking inside the curtains
i saw a little shelf full of books just
under the window
i put my candle down on the shelf
and dropped thankfully onto the bed
i closed the curtains around the bed
and felt safe from heathcliff
and everyone else at wuthering heights
i noticed that there were names
written on the wall in childish
handwriting
earnshaw
catherine heathcliff
and catherine linton
then i fell asleep
but i was woken very suddenly by a smell
of burning
my candle had fallen onto a bible on the
shelf and was burning it
when i opened the bible to see if it was
damaged
i found that wherever there was an empty
page
or half a page
someone had written on it
and on the first page was written
catherine earnshaw’s diary
who was the girl who had slept in this
bed
written her name on the wall
and then written her diary in the bible
25 years ago
i read it with interest
how i hate my brother hindley
it began
he is so cruel to poor heathcliff
if only my father hadn’t died
while he was alive
heathcliff was like a brother to hindley
and me
but now hindley and his wife francis
have inherited the house and the money
and they hate heathcliff
that horrible old servant joseph is
always angry with heathcliff and me
because we don’t pray
or study the bible
and when he tells his master hindley
always punishes us
i can’t stop crying
poor heathcliff
hindley says he is wicked
and can’t play with me
or eat with me anymore
my eyes were beginning to close again
and i fell
asleep never before had i passed such a
terrible night
disturbed by the most frightening dreams
suddenly
i was woken by a gentle knocking on the
window it must be the branch of a tree i
thought and tried to sleep again
outside i could hear the wind driving
the snow against the window
but i could not sleep
the knocking annoyed me so much that i
tried to open the window
when it did not open i broke the glass
angrily and stretched out my hand
towards the branch
but instead my fingers closed around a
small
ice cold hand
it held my hand tightly
and a voice cried sadly
let me in
let me in
who are you
i asked
trying to pull my hand away
katherine linton
it replied
i’ve come home
i lost my way
there seemed to be a child’s face
looking in the window
terra made me cruel
i rubbed the creature’s tiny wrist
against the broken glass so that blood
poured down onto the bed
as soon as the cold fingers let go for a
moment
i pulled my hand quickly back
put a pile of books in front of the
broken window
and tried not to listen to the desperate
cries outside
[Music]
go away
i called
i’ll never let you in
not if you go on crying for 20 years
it is almost 20 years
replied the sad little voice
i’ve been out here in the dark
for nearly 20 years
the hand started pushing through the
window at the pile of books
and i knew it would find me and catch
hold of me again
unable to move i stared in horror at the
shape behind the glass
and screamed
there were rapid footsteps outside my
bedroom door
and then i saw the light of a candle in
the room
is anyone here
whispered heathcliff
he could not see me behind the curtains
and clearly did not expect an answer
i knew i could not hide from him
so i opened the curtains wide
i was surprised by the effect of my
action
heathcliff dropped his candle
and stood without moving
his face as white as the wall behind him
he did not seem to recognize me
it’s only your guest lockwood
i said
i’m sorry
i must have had a bad dream and screamed
in my sleep
to the devil with you mr lockwood
rowled my landlord
who allowed you to sleep in this room
who was it
it was your housekeeper mr heathcliff
i said
quickly putting my clothes on
and i’m angry with her myself
no one can sleep in a room full of
ghosts
what do you mean
asked heathcliff looking suddenly very
interested
ghosts you say
that little girl
catherine linton or earnshaw or whatever
her name was
must have been wicked
she told me she had been a ghost for
nearly 20 years
it was probably a punishment for her
wickedness
how dare you speak of her to me
cried heathcliff wildly
but as i described my dream
he became karma
and sat down on the bed
trembling as he tried to control his
feelings
mr lockwood
he said finally
brushing a tear from his eye
you can go into my bedroom to sleep for
the rest of the night
i’ll stay here for a while
no more sleep for me tonight
i replied
i’ll wait in the kitchen until it’s
daylight
and then i’ll leave
you needn’t worry about my visiting you
again either
i’ve had enough company for a long time
but as i turned to go downstairs
my landlord thinking he was alone
threw himself on the bed
pushed open the window
and called into the darkness
come in
come in
he cried
tears rolling down his face
catherine
do come
my darling
hear me this time
but only the snow and wind blew into the
room
how could my dream have produced such
madness
i could not watch his suffering anymore
and went downstairs
i waited in the kitchen until it was
light enough outside for me to find my
way through the deep snow
back to thrash cross grange
the housekeeper there ellen dean
rushed out to welcome me home
she thought i must have died in the
previous night’s snowstorm
with a warm fire
and a hot meal
i began to recover from my unpleasant
experiences
after my stay at wuthering heights
i thought i would never want to speak to
any human being again
but by the end of the next day
i was beginning to feel lonely
decided to ask mrs dean to sit with me
after supper
how long have you lived in this house
i asked her
18 years sir i came here early in 1783
when my mistress was married
to look after her
and when she died
i stayed here as housekeeper
who was your mistress
i asked
her name was catherine earnshaw
she replied
ah
my ghostly catherine
i muttered quietly to myself
she married mr edgar linton
a neighbor
added mrs dean
and they had a daughter
cathy
who married mr heathcliff’s son
ah so that must be the widow
young mrs heathcliff at wuthering
heights
that’s right sir
did you see her
i looked after her as a baby you know
how is she
i do want to know
she looked very well
and very beautiful
but i don’t think she’s happy
oh poor thing
and what did you think of mr heathcliff
he’s a rough hard man mrs dean
but i’m very interested in him
tell me more about him
well
he’s very rich of course
and mean at the same time
he could live here at thrust cross
grange
which is a finer house than wuthering
heights
but he would rather receive rent
than live comfortably
but i’ll tell you the whole story of his
life
as much as i know
that is
and then you can judge for yourself
chapter three
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
onshore family
they are a very old family who’ve 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 traveled 60 miles to liverpool
and back on business
and was very tired
look what i 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 to see only
a dirty black-haired gypsy 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 earnshaw 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
catherine and he became great friends
but hindley hated him and was often
cruel to him
old mr earnshaw was strangely fond of
this gypsy child
and frequently punished his son for
behaving badly to heathcliff
hindley began to be jealous of his
father’s feelings for heathcliff and saw
them both as enemies
the situation could not last
as mr earnshaw grew old and ill
heathcliff became even more his favorite
and hindley often quarreled 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 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 planar tricks on us
she was proud and like 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 from him
her father could no longer understand
her or her behavior
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 around her
father’s neck to say good night
and immediately
oh
he’s dead heathcliff
he’s dead
heathcliff and i started crying loudly
and bitterly 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
[Music]
chapter four
[Music]
catherine earnshaw
gets to know the lintons
[Music]
hindley came home for his father’s
burial
was more surprising was that he brought
a wife with him
she was called francis
a thin
pale woman with a frequent cough
now that hindley was the master of the
house
he ordered joseph and me to spend our
evenings in the small back kitchen as we
were only servants
while he his wife and catherine sat in
the main room
catherine and heathcliff were treated
very differently
catherine received presents and could
continue her lessons
but heathcliff was made to work on the
farm with the men
and as a farm worker was only allowed to
eat with us in the back kitchen
they grew up like two wild animals
hindley did not care what they did as
long as they kept out of his way
and they did not care even if he
punished them
they often ran away onto the moors in
the morning and stayed out all day
just to make hindley angry
i was the only one who cared what
happened to the two poor creatures
and i was afraid for them
one sunday evening they were missing at
bedtime
and hindley ordered me angrily to lock
the front door
but i did not want them to stay out in
the cold all night
so i kept my window open to look out for
them
in a while i saw heathcliff walking
through the gate
i was shocked to see him alone
where’s catherine
i cried sharply
at thrushcross grange with our neighbors
the lintons he replied
let me in ellen and i’ll explain what
happened
i went down to unlock the door and we
came upstairs very quietly
don’t wake the master up i whispered
now tell me
well
catherine and i thought we’d just walk
to the linton’s house we wanted to see
if isabella and edgar linton are
punished all the time by their parents
as we are
probably not
i answered i expect they are good
children and don’t need to be punished
nonsense ellen
guess what we saw when we looked in at
their sitting room window
a very pretty room with soft carpets and
white walls
catherine and i would love to have a
room like that
but in the middle of this beautiful room
isabella and edgar linton were screaming
and fighting over a little dog
how stupid they are ellen
if katherine wanted something i would
give it to her and she would do the same
for me
i would rather be here at wuthering
heights with her even if i’m punished by
joseph and that wicked hindley then at
thrush cross grange with those two fools
not so loud heathcliff
but you still haven’t told me why
catherine isn’t with you
well
as we were looking in
we started laughing at them so loudly
that they heard us
and sent the docks after us
we were about to run away
when a great fierce dog caught
catherine’s leg in its teeth
i attacked it and made it let go of her
leg
but the linton servants appeared and
caught hold of me
they must have thought we were robbers
catherine was carried unconscious into
the house and they pulled me inside too
all the time i was shouting and swearing
at them
what a wicked pair of thieves
said oh mr linton
the boy must be a gypsy he’s as dark as
the devil
mrs linton raised her hands in horror at
the sight of me
catherine opened her eyes
and edgar looked closely at her
mother
he whispered
the young lady
is miss unsure of wuthering heights
i’ve seen her in church occasionally
and look what our dog has done to her
leg
it’s bleeding badly
miss
earnshaw with a gypsy
cried mrs linton
surely not
but i think you must be right edgar
this girl is wearing black
and mr earnshaw died recently
it must be her
i’d better put a bandage on her leg at
once
why does her brother hindley let her run
around with such a companion
wondered mr linton
i remember now
he’s the gypsy child mr earnshaw brought
home from liverpool a few years ago
he’s a wicked boy
you can see that said mrs linton
and did you hear the bad language he
used just now
i’m shocked that my children heard it
i was pushed out into the garden
but i stayed to watch through the window
they put catherine on a comfortable sofa
cleaned her wound and fed her with cakes
and wine
i only left the house when i was sure
she was well taken care of
she’s a breath of fresh air for those
stupid lintons
i’m not surprised they like her
everybody who sees her must love her
mustn’t they ellen
i’m afraid you’ll be punished for this
heathcliff
i said sadly
and i was right
hindley warned heathcliff that he must
never speak to catherine again or he
would be sent away from wuthering
heights
and it was decided that catherine would
be taught to behave like a young
lady she stayed with the linton family
at thrushcross grange for five weeks
until christmas
by that time her leg was fine
and her manners were much better than
before
francis earnshaw visited her often
bringing her pretty dresses to wear
and persuading her to take care of her
appearance
so that when she finally came home after
her long absence
she almost seemed a different person
instead of a wild heartless girl we saw
a beautiful
carefully dressed young lady
when she had greeted all of us she asked
for heathcliff
come forward heathcliff
called hindley
you may welcome miss catherine home like
the other
servants heathcliff was used to being
outside all day and had not bothered to
wash or change his clothes
his face and hands were black with dirt
in spite of this
catherine was very glad to see him and
rushed up to kiss him
then she laughed
how funny and black and cross you look
but that’s because i’m used to edgar and
isabella who are always so clean and
tidy
well heathcliff have you forgotten me
but ashamed and proud
the boy said nothing
until suddenly his feelings were too
much for him
i won’t stay to be laughed at
he cried
and was about to run away
when catherine caught hold of his hand
why are you angry he cliff
you
you just look a bit strange that’s all
you’re so dirty
she looked worriedly at her hands and
her new
dress he needn’t have touched me
he said
pulling away his hand
i like being dirty and i’m going to be
dirty
as he ran
miserably out of the room
hindley and his wife laughed loudly
delighted that their plan to separate
the two young people seemed to be
succeeding
the next day was christmas day
edgar and isabella linton had been
invited to lunch
and their mother had agreed on condition
that her darlings were kept carefully
apart from that wicked boy
i felt sorry for poor heathcliff
and while the urn shores were at church
i helped him wash and dress in clean
clothes
you’re too proud
i scolded him as i brushed his black
hair
you should think how sad catherine is
when you can’t be together
and don’t be jealous of edgar linton
i wish i had blue eyes and fair hair
like him
i wish i’d behaved well and was going to
inherit a fortune
he has none of your intelligence or
character
and if you have a good heart you’ll have
a handsome face
who knows who your parents were
perhaps a king and queen
far more important than the linton’s
in this way
i encouraged heathcliff to have more
confidence in himself
but when the earnshaws and the linton’s
arrived back from church
the first thing hindley did was shout at
heathcliff
out of my sight until we finished eating
i’ll pull that long hair of yours if you
don’t obey me at once
it is long
said edgar
i’m surprised he can see anything
this was too much for heathcliff
he looked desperately around for a
weapon
picked up a bowl of hot soup
and threw it at edgar who started
screaming
hindley immediately took hold of
heathcliff and pushed him upstairs
i’m sure hindley’s going to hit him
cried catherine
i hate it when heathcliff is punished
it’s your fault edgar you annoyed him
why did you speak to him
i didn’t
replied edgar tears in his eyes
i promised mother i wouldn’t
i spoke about him not to him
well don’t cry
said catherine with scorn
you’ve made enough trouble already here
comes my brother
hindley returned
hot and breathless
that’ll teach him
he said
and now let’s have lunch
the others seem to forget heathcliff
but i noticed catherine could not eat
much
and i knew she was sorry for her friend
in the evening there was music from a
travelling band and dancing in the main
room
catherine said the music sounded sweeter
from high up
and so she went to sit in the dark on
the stairs
when i went to find her however
i discovered she had gone right to the
top of the house to talk to heathcliff
through his locked bedroom door
and had then climbed out onto the roof
and in through his window
i persuaded them both to come out of the
room the same way as i had no key to the
door
and took heathcliff down into the warm
servant’s kitchen with me
while catherine returned to her guests
and the dancing
you must be hungry heathcliff i said
you haven’t eaten all day
have some christmas cake do
i can’t eat anything
he growled putting his head in his hands
i’ve got to think how i can have my
revenge on hindley
i only hope he doesn’t die first
he’ll be sorry he’s treated me like this
ellen
[Music]
chapter 5
catherine and edgar
in the summer of this year
hindley’s wife francis had her first and
last baby
they called the boy hairtan
but the poor woman had been ill for a
long time although we had not realized
it
and died soon after hayton was born
hindley only had room in his heart for
two people
himself
and his wife so when she died he was in
despair
he neither cried nor prayed
instead he swore at god and man
and drank himself to sleep every night
the servants all left him except for
joseph and me
joseph enjoyed being able to scold his
wicked employer with warnings from the
bible
and i could not leave miss catherine
after all i had grown up with her and
hindley
but the master’s behaviour was a bad
example for catherine and heathcliff
at 15
catherine was the most beautiful girl
for miles around
but she was proud and quick-tempered
she led what was almost a double life
at wuthering heights under heathcliff’s
influence she annoyed hindley laughed at
joseph and was rude to me
but at thrushcross grange which she
often visited she showed a different
karma side of her character and was
polite intelligent and amusing
the lintons all liked her
and poor edgar had fallen in love with
her
heathcliff was 16 at this time
he did not have time to study anymore
and the long hours of work on the farm
made him tired and dull
there was always an angry expression on
his face
and he did not even try to keep himself
clean and tidy
he seemed to want people to dislike him
catherine and he still spent time
together when he was not working in the
fields
but he no longer expressed his fondness
for her in words
and he looked angry if she touched or
kissed him
one afternoon when hindley had gone into
town
heathcliff came into the main room after
lunch
i was helping catherine to arrange her
hair
as she had invited edgar linton to visit
her while hindley was absent
catherine
are you going anywhere this afternoon
asked heathcliff
why have you got that silk dress on
nobody’s visiting you i hope
no
i don’t think so
replied catherine looking quickly at me
but you should be at work by now
heathcliff
that devil hindley isn’t away very often
i’m taking a holiday
i won’t work anymore today
i’m staying with you this afternoon
he’ll never know
catherine thought for a moment
somehow she had to prepare him for
edgar’s visit
isabella and edgar said they might call
here this afternoon
if they come you’ll be scolded for not
working
tell ellen to say you’re busy and can’t
see them
he said
those friends of yours take up all your
time
you spend most of your evenings with
them not with me
why should i always spend my time with
you she asked crossley
what can you talk about
how can you amuse me
you never told me before that you didn’t
like my company catherine
cried heathcliff
just then we heard a horse outside and
there was a light knock on the door
edgar linton entered
his handsome face full of delight at
receiving catherine’s unexpected
invitation
i wondered if catherine was comparing
her two friends as edgar came in and
heathcliff ran out
i haven’t come too soon have i
asked edgar politely
no
answered catherine
leave us alone ellen
i’m just doing my work miss
i replied pretending to dust the
furniture
hindley had told me to be present if
edgar linton came to visit catherine
she came up to me and whispered crossly
go away elana
keeping her back to edgar she cruelly
scratched my arm
oh
i screamed to show edgar what had
happened
what a wicked thing to do miss you have
no right to hurt me
i didn’t touch you you lying creature
she cried angrily and unable to control
herself
hit me hard on the face
catherine love
catherine
cried edgar shocked
the baby hairtan who followed me
everywhere immediately started sobbing
and saying
wicked aunt catherine
she picked him up and shook the poor
child until he screamed
edgar rushed up to her and tried to stop
her
at once she turned and hit him over the
ear as hard as she could
the young man looked very pale and went
straight to the door
where are you going edgarlinton
she asked
don’t leave me
i shall be miserable all night
can i stay
after you have hit me
he replied
you’ve made me afraid and ashamed of you
i won’t come here again
well
go then if you want to
she cried
i’m going to cry until i’m ill
and she dropped onto the floor her
shoulders shaking and the tears rolling
down her face
edgar managed to get as far as the door
but here he hesitated
and i called out to him to encourage him
to leave
miss is just a selfish child sir
you’d better ride home and forget her
but as he could not stop looking at her
i knew there was no hope for him
nothing would keep him away from her now
and sure enough he came back into the
room and shut the door
this time
i left them alone and stayed in the
kitchen with little hairton
but when i came to warn them that
hindley had returned
i realized that their quarrel had only
brought them closer together
chapter six
heathcliff disappears
1778 to 1779.
[Music]
hendley came into the kitchen swearing
terribly just as i was about to hide
little hurtin in a cupboard
i was always afraid that hindley would
hurt his small son
either by accident or on purpose
when he was drunk so i tried to keep
hurtin out of the way
but this time hindley discovered my plan
ah
you keep my son in a cupboard do you
he cried angrily
picking up a sharp kitchen knife
with the devil’s help i’ll make you
swallow this ellen
and he pushed the knife between my teeth
i was never afraid he would hurt me
and calmly took the knife out of my
mouth
but that can’t be my son
can it
he continued aggressively
staring at the frightened little boy
if it is
he should be punished for not running to
greet his father
perhaps i’ll cut his ears off
and then suddenly this manner changed
no
hat and darling
don’t cry
kiss me
kiss your father
what
you won’t
then i’ll break your neck
pooh hurt and
screaming wildly was carried upstairs by
his father
suddenly
henley stopped on the stairs to listen
almost forgetting what he was holding
heathcliff had come into the house
and stood at the bottom of the stairs
looking up
just then
the child jumped out of hindley’s arms
and fell
i only had time to gasp in horror
before i saw that heathcliff had caught
him
heathcliff stared down at the child he
was holding
he must have felt sorry he had saved the
life of his enemy’s son
i rushed to take the poor little boy in
my arms
and hindly came slowly downstairs
look what you’ve done mr hindley i cried
you nearly killed your own son
what would his mother say if she were
alive
take him away ellen
and you heathcliff
go away too
i won’t murder you tonight
unless perhaps i set the house on fire
but that depends how i feel
he poured himself a drink
don’t drink anymore mr hindley
i begged
what difference does it make
he growled
get out both of you
to the devil with you
we left him swearing at us
and went back into the kitchen
it’s a pity he can’t kill himself with
drink but a teeth heathcliff
dr kenneth says he’ll live longer than
any of us he’s so strong
he walked out of the door
and i thought into the fields
in fact
i discovered later that he was sitting
just under the window and could hear
everything that was said in the kitchen
i was singing little herton to sleep
when catherine came in
are you alone ellen
she whispered
where’s heathcliff
he’s out on the farm i answered
she looked sad and worried
and i even saw a tear or two on her face
but i had not forgotten how she had lied
and behaved so badly to me as well as to
edgar linton so i did not feel sorry for
her or encourage her to talk
ellen
will you keep a secret for me
she asked in the end
giving me her sweetest smile
i must tell you
i need your advice
today
edgar linton
has asked me to marry him
and i gave him an answer
now
before i tell you if it was yes or no
you tell me
which i should have said
really miss catherine
how can i know
perhaps you should have refused him he
must be a fool to ask you after you were
so rude and violent this afternoon
well i accepted him ellen
she said crossley
but should i have done so
should i what do you think
first
do you love him
i asked
of course i do
she replied
why do you love him miss catherine
well i do
that’s enough
well
because he’s handsome and a pleasant
companion
that’s bad i said shaking my head
and because he loves me
that’s worse
and because he’ll be rich
and i shall be the most important woman
for miles around
worst of all
but there are several other handsome
rich young men in the world
why don’t you marry one of them
i don’t know any of them
i only know edgar
i don’t know why you’re unhappy miss
catherine
your brother will be pleased and mr
edgar’s parents will too
you love edgar and edgar loves you
what’s the problem
here
and here
replied catherine
beat in her head and her chest
in my heart and soul i know i’m wrong
ellen
i can’t live apart from heathcliff
he is more myself than i am
our souls are the same
i have nothing in common with edgar
but i can’t marry heathcliff now
hindley has made him become a poor dull
farmworker
he’ll never know how i love him
i suddenly heard a movement outside the
window
and saw heathcliff stand up and walk
away
i realized he had been listening until
he heard catherine say she could not
marry him
then he stayed to hear no more
quiet miss catherine
i said
just imagine how hard it will be for
heathcliff when you marry mr edgar
he’ll have no friends at all when you
leave him
leave him
why should we be separated
she asked angrily
who will separate us nobody will dare
edgar must learn to accept him as my
friend
didn’t you ever think ellen that if
heathcliff and i married we would be
very poor
but if i marry edgar i can help
heathcliff with my husband’s money
that’s the worst reason you’ve given so
far for marrying mr edgar
i replied shocked
it isn’t
heathcliff is more important to me than
myself
my love for edgar
is like the leaves on the trees
i’m sure time will change it
but my love for heathcliff
is like the rocks in the ground
not beautiful
but necessary and
unchanging he’s always
always in my heart
just then
joseph entered the kitchen
i whispered to catherine that i was sure
heathcliff had heard some of what she
said
she jumped up frightened and rushed
outside
but although we all looked everywhere
for heathcliff
there was no sign of him that night or
for many nights in the future
at about midnight
while we were still waiting for him to
come home
we noticed the wind was getting
stronger we could hear it whistling down
the chimney and howling all around the
house
suddenly there was a terrible crash of
thunder
and the branch of a tree fell onto the
roof
we were not hurt
but joseph immediately dropped onto his
knees to pray
the rain was beating down on the windows
but catherine stayed outside
although by now her hair and clothes
were completely wet
in the end
we all went to bed
i managed to persuade catherine to come
in
but she insisted on sleeping in the
kitchen
in case heathcliff returned during the
night
in the morning we discovered that she
had caught a fever as a result of
getting
wet she became seriously ill
and it was several weeks before dr
kenneth would allow her out of bed
when she recovered
she was invited to stay for a while at
thrushcross grange
unfortunately
old mr and mrs linton caught the fever
too
and died within a few days of each other
catherine returned to us prouder and
quicker tempered than ever
but not as strong as before
if she gets ill again
it could be fatal
dr kenneth warned us
my advice to you
is to do whatever she wants and don’t
make her angry
so we had to obey all her orders
and joseph and i were not allowed to
scold her anymore
edgar linton was still in love with her
and thought himself the happiest man on
earth when he married her three years
after his parents death
she insisted on having me with her so we
moved together to thrush cross grange
although i was very sad to leave little
hairtun with his father
it’s very late mr lockwood i think you
should go to bed or you’ll be ill
tomorrow
i can tell you the rest of the story
another time
four weeks later
in fact i was ill the next day
and have been ill since then
the terrible night i spent at wuthering
heights was the cause of my illness
and i blame mr heathcliff for it
dr kenneth has warned me i won’t be able
to go out until the spring
all i can do is lie in bed
listening to the howling wind
and staring at the gray northern sky
so i’ve decided to ask mrs dean to come
upstairs
and finish telling me her story
she tells me she’s happy to continue
chapter 7
heathcliff returns
well sir
when miss catherine became mrs linton
and we went to live at thrushcross
grange
i must say i was surprised and pleased
by her behaviour
she showed great funness for her husband
and for his sister isabella
he of course was very anxious that no
one should disobey her or make her angry
if she was depressed for a time
he blamed it on the illness she had had
and was sympathetic
but for most of the time
i believed they shared a deep and
growing love for each other
unfortunately
this happiness did not last
one evening i was bringing in a basket
of apples from the garden
when a voice behind me said
ellen
is that you
it was a deep
rather unusual voice
i turned to see a tall dark man in the
shadow near the kitchen door
don’t you know me
he asked
look
i’m not a stranger
what
i cried in surprise
for it had been four years since he
disappeared
heathcliff
is it really you
yes
he replied
looking up at the windows of the house
are they at home
where is she
tell me alan i must speak to her
i’m
not sure if you should see her
i hesitated
will the shock be too much for her
go and tell her i’m here ellen he said
impatiently
don’t make me suffer like this
i left him at the door
and went upstairs to find mr and mrs
linton
they were sitting quietly together
looking out over the peaceful valley
the room
and the view
and the two people
seemed so calm that i did not want to
disturb them but i had to deliver my
message
a man wants to see you madame i muttered
i’ll go downstairs and see him then
replied catherine bring the tea up ellen
while i’m away
she left the room
who is it ellen
asked mr edgar
it’s that heathcliff sir
you remember
he used to live at wuthering heights
what
the gypsy who worked on the farm
he cried
mrs linton would be angry if she heard
you talking about him like that sir
she was very upset when he ran away
she’s very fond of him you know
mr edgar put his head out of the window
and called to his wife
don’t stand there in the cold love bring
the person in if it’s anyone special
catherine rushed upstairs and into the
room wild and breathless
she threw her arms round her husband’s
neck
oh edgar darling
heathcliff’s come back
well well
said mr edgar crossley there’s no need
to get excited
i know you didn’t like him she said
but please i beg you to be friends with
him now
shall i ask him to come up
you’re suggesting inviting him up here
into our sitting room
don’t you think the kitchen is more
suitable for him
catherine looked at her husband
half angry and half laughing
no
she said
i can’t sit in the kitchen
ellen
bring two tables
one for your master and miss isabella
the other for heathcliff and myself
we’ll sit apart from them as we’re of a
lower class will that please you edgar
darling
decide quickly
i must have him near me
ellen
you go and bring him up said mr edgar
and catherine
try not to behave foolishly
remember he’s only a servant
when heathcliff entered the sitting room
i was surprised to see how much he had
changed
he wore a confident intelligent
expression on his face
and his manner was no longer rough
although i recognized the same black
fire in his eyes
the farm boy had become a gentleman
mr edgar was as surprised as i was
but welcomed heathcliff as politely as
he could
however he grew more and more annoyed as
he watched his wife’s delighted face
she could not take her eyes off
heathcliff
tomorrow
i won’t be able to believe that i’ve
seen and touched you heathcliff
she cried
catching hold of his hands
but how cruel of you to run away and
keep silent for four years and never
think of me
[Music]
i thought of you
more than you’ve thought of me
he replied quietly
i heard you had married catherine
and i came just to see you once
and then take my revenge on your brother
hindley
your welcome may change my plans
you know
i’ve had a bitter hard life since i last
heard your voice
and if i’ve survived it’s all because of
you
catherine
said mr edgar trying to remain polite
please pour out the tea or it will be
cold
mr heathcliff will have a long walk to
wherever he’s staying tonight
and i’m thirsty
but catherine was too excited and mr
edgar too angry to drink any tea
after a while their guest left
we discovered that he had been invited
to stay at wuthering heights by hindley
i could not understand why hindley who
hated him would want his company
and i felt sure it would have been
better for all of us if heathcliff had
never come back
catherine could not keep her happiness
to herself
in the middle of the night she woke me
to talk about heathcliff
i just can’t sleep ellen she said
an edgar won’t listen when i tell him
how happy i am
he’s so selfish
he never liked heathcliff i replied and
he’ll be angry if you go on talking
about him
you think he’s weak
but he could be as determined as you
about something he thinks is
important no
she laughed
i have such confidence in edgar’s love
that i think i could kill him and he
wouldn’t blame me for it
he will have to learn to accept
heathcliff as my friend
do you know why heathcliff is staying at
wuthering heights
oh yes
he explained that he went there to look
for me
hindley asked him to play cards
and when he discovered hiftive had a lot
of money
invited him to stay there
you know how greedy my brother is
you make heathcliff pay rent
and hope to win money from him at cards
heathcliff wants to stay there to be
near me
i’m so happy ellen
and i want everyone around me to be
happy too
catherine behaved so sweetly to her
husband in the next few days that
thrushcross grange seemed full of
sunshine and in spite of his doubts mr
edgar allowed heathcliff to visit her
regularly
however heathcliff’s visits produced a
result which none of us had expected
isabella
mr edgar’s sister a pretty girl of 18
suddenly declared that she was in love
with heathcliff
mr edgar who loved her dearly was
shocked
he knew that if he and catherine had no
sons
isabella would inherit the considerable
linton fortune
he did not like the idea of the fortune
passing to heathcliff as isabella’s
husband
but more importantly he suspected that
heathcliff was hiding his true
wickedness under his gentlemanly
appearance
catherine
tried hard to persuade isabella that
heathcliff was not worth loving
but poor isabella was jealous of
catherine’s relationship with heathcliff
and would not listen
finally catherine told heathcliff
himself that isabella was in love with
him
she thought she knew what his answer
would be
how could i ever love that stupid girl
he asked
she has a miserable pale face and weak
blue eyes just like your husband
but
she will inherit the family wealth from
him won’t she
that’s true
replied catherine
but don’t think about that heathcliff
i hope edgar and i will have several
sons and then they will inherit it
catherine did not speak of this matter
again
but i am sure heathcliff often thought
about it
i watched him carefully in the next few
days
i hoped he would do nothing to hurt mr
edgar who was a kind master to me
i was worried too about what was
happening at wuthering heights
hindley and his son herton seemed like
lost sheep to me
and i knew there was a wicked wolf just
waiting for the chance to attack them
[Music]
chapter 8
catherine is ill
the next time heathcliff came to
thrushcross grange
he met isabella by chance in front of
the house
i was watching from the kitchen window
as he went up to her
and supposing that no one else could see
him
kissed her
look madam
i cried to catherine who was passing
through the kitchen
that devil heathcliff told you he could
never love miss isabella
and now he’s kissing her
so when heathcliff entered the house
catherine was ready to scold him
leave isabella alone heathcliff she
ordered
you’ll make edgar
you think i’m afraid of that weak little
creature he growled
anyway
what difference does it make to you
i can kiss her if she likes it
i’m not your husband
you needn’t be jealous of me
i’m not jealous of you
replied catherine
if you like isabella you can marry her
but do you like
her it’s you i want to talk about
catherine
you know you’ve treated me badly
and i’m going to have my revenge
thank you for telling me isabella’s
secret
i swear i’ll make good use of it
at this point
i went to look for my master
and told him that catherine and
heathcliff were quarreling in the
kitchen how can my wife call that man a
friend
he cried angrily
i’ve been too weak with her
i can’t allow him to visit her anymore
call two servants ellen
he went to the kitchen
i followed him
telling the servants to wait in the hall
catherine
said mr edgar to his wife as he entered
do you think it’s right to listen to
this wicked man’s talk
have you been listening at the door
edgar
asked catherine coldly
heathcliff laughed which made mr edgar
even angrier
you sir
he said to heathcliff are poisoning our
family life
i should never have accepted you as
catherine’s friend
i must inform you that you will never be
allowed to enter this house again
and that if you don’t leave within three
minutes you will be thrown out
well
well
replied heathcliff looking scornfully at
mr edgar’s small figure
so
you’re going to throw me out yourself
are you
my master looked towards the door
i realized he wanted to call the
servants as he knew he was not strong
enough to fight heathcliff alone
but catherine must have guessed his plan
she hurried to the door and locked it
mr edgar looked at her in angry surprise
you must fight him like a gentleman
without anyone to help you
she told her husband
that’ll teach you to scold me
mr edgar tried to get hold of the key
but she threw it quickly into the
hotties part of the fire
he went very pale and could not stop his
whole body trembling
oh
edgar
crowdy’s wife
you’ve lost the fight already
you aren’t a man you’re a mouse
so that
said heathcliff pointing at mr edgar
is the thing you preferred to me
catherine
is he crying
or is he going to die of fear
he went up to look more closely at mr
edgar who suddenly recovered and hit
heathcliff hard on the neck
while heathcliff was getting his breath
back
mr edgar walked out of the other kitchen
door into the garden
now you’ll never be able to come here
again
said catherine to heathcliff
go away quickly
he’ll return with men and guns
heathcliff was sensible enough to take
her advice
he broke down the locked door and
escaped
just as the master and his men returned
catherine who was overexcited
ordered me to go upstairs with her
i hoped she would not discover that i
had told mr edgar about her quarrel with
heathcliff
i’m
wild with anger ellen she said when we
reach the sitting room
all this trouble is because of isabella
tell edgar i’m in danger of becoming
seriously ill
i hope it’s true i want to frighten him
he’s upset me badly
why did he listen to us talking in the
kitchen
heathcliff says wicked things but i know
i can control him
well if i can’t have heathcliff as my
friend if edgar is going to be mean and
jealous
i’ll try to break both their hearts by
breaking my own you must remind edgar
how quick tempered i am and what dr
kenneth said about my health
edgar must let me do what i want
i did not feel sympathetic towards
catherine
and certainly did not want to frighten
my poor master by telling him she was
ill
as i was leaving the room however he
answered
catherine he said
you must tell me one thing
you must choose between me and
heathcliff
which do you intend to have
leave me alone
she cried wildly
i’m ill
can’t you see
i can’t even stand
edgar leave me
she fell
stiff
and pale onto the floor
mr edgar looked very frightened
don’t worry sir
i whispered to him
she told me she would try to make you
afraid by pretending to be ill
unfortunately she heard me
she jumped up
her hair loose and her eyes staring and
rushed to her bedroom
we heard the key turn in the lock
for the next few days she refused to
speak to anyone even me
i took her food up to her room but she
would not eat
mr edgar spent his time in the library
and did not ask about his wife
he hoped i suppose that she would come
and ask him to forgive her
but i knew she was too proud to do that
on the third day she unlocked her door
and called me
she at and drunk eagerly then lay down
again
oh
why don’t i die since no one cares about
me
she muttered
edgar doesn’t love me at all
what is he doing all this time ellen
he’s reading books in the library madam
i answered
reading
books
she cried shocked
and i’m dying up here
my god
does he know how i’ve changed how ill i
am
can’t you tell him i’m seriously ill
ellen
you forget mrs linton that you’ve eaten
tonight
i’m sure you’ll feel better tomorrow
morning
i still wanted to make her realize how
selfish she was being
although i was a little worried by her
pale almost ghostly face
i begin to see that you don’t like me
ellen
how strange
i always thought everybody loved me
now they are all my enemies
isabella and edgar and you
i’ll die
with cold faces around me
i’ve had terrible dreams these past few
nights you know
open the window ellen
i’m so hot
i refused as it was the middle of winter
she was feverish
who is that over there
she asked
staring at her own face in a mirror
opposite her bed
i could not make her understand it was
herself
and i began to be afraid that her
illness was real
stay with me ellen
she cried holding my hand
i’m frightened of that face
i’m frightened of being alone
i wish i were in my bed wuthering
heights
with the wind howling through the trees
do let me feel a breath of air from the
moors
just one breath
i open the window for a moment
then closed it
the cold air seemed to calm her
i wish i were a young girl again
wild and free
out on the moors with heathcliff
open the window again
wider this time why won’t you
because i don’t want you to die of cold
i replied
but it’s my only chance of life she
cried jumping out of bed and going to
the window
i tried to force her back to bed
but her fever made a surprisingly strong
we looked out together into the icy
darkness
there was no moon and no lights were
visible anywhere
but catherine was sure she could see
wuthering heights
look
she said
there’s my old home
and the churchyard near it
i won’t lie there alone heathcliff
i won’t rest until you’re in the grave
with me
i was still holding her back from the
window and wondering what to do next
when mr edgar rented
please help sir i called
mrs linton is ill
catherine’s ill
he gasped
shut the window ellen
catherine why
when he saw his wife’s face
he was so shocked that he stopped
speaking and stared at her in horror
she was almost unconscious and did not
recognize him at first
it’s you is it
edgar linton
she said after a few moments
you don’t come when you’re wanted
and now you come
when you’re not wanted
but whatever you say
nothing can keep me from my home
my place of rest
out there in the open air with a
gravestone at my head
she’s feverish sir
and doesn’t know what she’s saying
i whispered
if she has food and rest she’ll recover
i want no further advice from you ellen
dean
said mr edgar coldly
you knew how ill she was and you didn’t
tell me
i ran downstairs and out of the kitchen
door to fetch the doctor
i thought i heard the sound of horses in
the distance which seemed strange at two
o’clock in the morning
and when i found dr kenneth
he told me someone had seen isabella and
heathcliff meeting secretly in the
garden earlier that evening
that night
none of us slept
we all sat together and waited while the
doctor stayed with his patient
he told us he hoped that catherine would
recover if we kept her very quiet
in the morning we discovered that
isabella’s room was empty
she had run away with heathcliff
when mr edgar heard the news he just
said
she chose to go with him
don’t speak to me of her again
i no longer think of her
as my sister
[Music]
chapter nine
isabella’s story
1784
for two months we heard nothing of
isabella or heathcliff
during that time
catherine was dangerously ill with brain
fever
and dr kenneth warned us that even if
she recovered her brain would never
return to normal
however she did seem to get better
and no one could have been happier than
my master when he saw her sitting up in
bed for the first time
and beginning to take an interest in the
people and things around her
he loved us so much
and took such good care of her that i
really thought she would recover
there was another reason for her to live
she was expecting a baby
and we all hoped she would have a son
who would inherit the linton fortune
then mr edgar received a letter from
isabella
telling him that she and heathcliff were
married
with it was a long letter for me
which said
wuthering heights
dear ellen
i arrived here last night and heard that
catherine is ill
my brother refuses to write to me so you
are the only one i can write to
tell edgar i still love him and
catherine
and want to return to thrushcross grange
but i can’t
the rest of this letter is for you alone
ellen
two questions
how did you manage to get on with the
people in this house
they don’t seem human
and
this interests me very much
what is mr heathcliff
a man
a madman
a devil
when you come to visit me you must
explain to me what sort of creature i’ve
married
and you must come very soon with a
message from edgar
heathcliff brought me here last night
this house is going to be my home he
says
he disappeared as soon as we arrived
so i entered the kitchen alone
what a miserable depressing place it is
now ellen
by the fire stood a dirty child i
realized he must be catherine’s nephew
herton and tried to shake his hand
but he greeted me by swearing at me
so i went into the hall to find somebody
else
when i knocked at another door
it was opened by a tall thin man
with long dirty hair hanging down to his
shoulders
i knew this must be hindley earnshaw
catherine’s brother
and hairton’s father
his eyes and hairtans reminded me of
catherine
what do you want
he asked roughly
my name was isabella linton i replied
now i’m married to mr heathcliff
ah
so that devil has returned
good
he growled
you can imagine ellen how unhappy i felt
in that unpleasant house
i knew that only four miles away was my
real home thrushcross grange
containing the only people i loved in
the
world but those four miles were like an
ocean which i could not cross
don’t tell edgar or catherine this
but i had hoped to find a friend at
wuthering heights
someone to support me against heathcliff
now i realized that no one here would
help me
after a long silence i said
please ask a maid to show me my bedroom
i’m tired after my journey
we have no maids here
he answered
joseph will show you heathcliff’s room
if you like
and
and you’d better lock the bedroom door
tonight
why mr earnshaw i asked
i did not want to lock myself in with
heathcliff
he brought out a gun which had a knife
attached to it look at this
he said
every night i try to open his bedroom
door
up to now he’s locked it
but one night he’ll forget and then i’ll
kill him
why do you hate him so much i asked
because he’s taken everything from me
he shouted angrily
there’s nothing left for herton
but i’m going to get it all back and his
money too and then his blood
then the devil can have his soul
he seemed mad to me ellen
i left him and went to find the old
servant joseph
it seemed that heathcliff’s room was
locked and there were no guest bedrooms
so in the end i slept on a chair in the
child’s room
what a welcome to my new home
i know heathcliff blames edgar for
catherine’s illness
he has warned me he’ll make me suffer
for it
oh i do hate him
i’m so miserable
i’ve been such a fool
don’t tell anyone at thrushcross grange
about this ellen
come quickly
don’t disappoint me
isabella
as soon as i had read this
i asked mr edgar if i could take a
message from him to his sister
you may visit her this afternoon ellen
if you like
tell her i’m not angry
just sorry to have lost her
i can’t imagine she will ever be happy
i shall never visit her or write to her
when i arrived at wuthering heights that
afternoon
i was shocked to see how much worse the
house looked than when i used to live
there
i realized that hindley did not care
what conditions he lived in
and joseph clearly spent more time
praying than cleaning
heathcliff and isabella were both in the
main room
heathcliff looked more like a gentleman
than i had ever seen him
but his wife had not bothered to brush
her hair or change a dress
i had to explain to poor isabella that
mr edgar had refused to write to her
she cried a little when she heard that
then heathcliff asked me question after
question about catherine’s illness
if you really love her i told him
you’ll keep away from her now
she mustn’t be over excited
her health will always be weak
and her loving husband is a very good
nurse to her
her loving husband
repeated heathcliff sconfili
don’t compare my feeling for her with
his
no ellen
before you leave this house
i’ll make you promise to arrange a
meeting for me with catherine i must see
her
i’ll never agree to that
i said
she’s just beginning to recover
she’s almost forgotten you
and now you want to upset her again
ellen
you know as well as i do that she can
never forget me
if she thinks once of edgar linton she
thinks a thousand times of me
he can’t love her as i can
and catherine has a heart as deep as
mine
catherine and edgar are very fond of
each other
said isabella suddenly don’t speak of my
brother like that
your dear brother doesn’t care enough
about you to write to you
replied heathcliff smiling sourly
that’s because he doesn’t know how much
i’ve suffered
she answered quietly
turning away to hide the tears on her
face
sir
i said
it seems to me that miss isabella mrs
heathcliff i should say
is unhappy
you must treat her kindly
try to look after her
let her have a maid for example
i’m not going to be soft with her
he replied with a laugh
she was stupid enough to run away with
me i never pretended to love her
now i think she’s beginning to realize
that i scorn her
she’s an even weaker fool than a brother
but she’s going to be useful to me
that’s why i’m keeping her with me
ellen
he says he married me to have his
revenge on edgar
but i won’t let him carry out his plan
whatever it is
i’ll die
or i’ll see him dead first
you’re getting violent isabella
said
heathcliff go upstairs now
i want to speak to ellen dean in private
go on
and he pushed her roughly out of the
door
don’t you feel pity for her i asked when
we were alone
have you ever felt pity for anybody in
your life
why should i
she’s just like an insect under my foot
the more she cries the more i enjoy
hurting her
now ellen listen
i’ll wait every day and every evening in
the grange garden until i find a chance
to see catherine
if i meet edgar linton or his servants
i’ll shoot them
but don’t you think it’d be better to
avoid a fight
you could tell me when she’ll be alone
then there’ll be no violence
i argued and complained and refused
fifty times
but in the end he forced me to agree
i promised to let him know when edgar
linton was away from home
i suppose it was wrong of me
but i hoped it would be heathcliff’s
last meeting with catherine
[Music]
chapter 10
heathcliff visits catherine for the last
time
[Laughter]
[Music]
you