And sliding from the bed before I could hinder her, she crossed the room, walking very uncertainly, threw it back, and bent out, careless of the frosty air that cut about her shoulders as keen as a knife. But I soon found her delirious strength much surpassed mine (she was delirious, I became convinced by her subsequent actions and ravings). There was no moon, and everything beneath lay in misty darkness: not a light gleamed from any house, far or near; all had been extinguished long ago: and those at Wuthering Heights were never visible-still she asserted she caught their shining.
“Look!” she cried eagerly, “thats my room with the candle in it, and the trees swaying before it; and the other candle is in Josephs garret. Joseph sits up late, doesnt he? Hes waiting till I come home that he may lock the gate. Well, hell wait a while yet. Its a rough journey, and a sad heart to travel it; and we must pass by Gimmerton Kirk to go that journey! Weve braved its ghosts often together, and dared each other to stand among https://cashbonus.org/payday-loans-ct/ the graves and ask them to come. But, Heathcliff, if I dare you now, will you venture? If you do, Ill keep you. Ill not lie there by myself: they may bury me twelve feet deep, and throw the church down over me, but I wont rest till you are with me. I never will!”
The delirium was not fixed, however; having weaned her eyes from contemplating the outer darkness, by degrees she centred her attention on him, and discovered who it was that held her
She paused, and resumed with a strange smile. “Hes considering-hed rather Id come to him! Find a way, then! not through that kirkyard. You are slow! Be content, you always followed me!”
Perceiving it vain to argue against her insanity, I was planning how I could reach something to wrap about her, without quitting my hold of herself (for I could not trust her alone by the gaping lattice), when, to my consternation, I heard the rattle of the door-handle, and Mr. He had only then come from the library; and, in passing through the lobby, had noticed our talking and been attracted by curiosity, or fear, to examine what it signified, at that late hour.
“Oh, sir!” I cried, checking the exclamation risen to his lips at the sight which met him, and the bleak atmosphere of the chamber. “My poor mistress is ill, and she quite masters me: I cannot manage her at all; pray, come and persuade her to go to bed. Forget your anger, for shes hard to guide any way but her own.”
He was silent. The haggardness of Mrs. Lintons appearance smote him speechless, and he could only glance from her to me in horrified astonishment.
Linton entered
“Shes been fretting here,” I continued, “and eating scarcely anything, and never complaining: she would admit none of us till this evening, and so we couldnt inform you of her state, as we were not aware of it ourselves; but it is nothing.”
I felt I uttered my explanations awkwardly; the master frowned. “It is nothing, is it, Ellen Dean?” he said sternly. “You shall account more clearly for keeping me ignorant of this!” And he took his wife in his arms, and looked at her with anguish.
“Ah! you are come, are you, Edgar Linton?” she said, with angry animation. “You are one of those things that are ever found when least wanted, and when you are wanted, never! I suppose we shall have plenty of lamentations now-I see we shall-but they cant keep me from my narrow home out yonder: my resting-place, where Im bound before spring is over! There it is: not among the Lintons, mind, under the chapel-roof, but in the open air, with a head-stone; and you may please yourself whether you go to them or come to me!”