24 Cont. Wuthering Heights - Abridged By Stephanie Poppins

Hello.

Welcome to Sleep Stories with Steph,

Your go-to romantic podcast that guarantees you a calm and entertaining transition into a great night's sleep.

Come with me as we immerse ourselves in a romantic journey to a time long since forgotten.

Emily Bronte was born in Yorkshire in 1818 and along with her brother and sisters Anne and Charlotte wrote from childhood onwards.

Wuthering Heights is the story she is best remembered for.

But before we begin let's take a moment to focus on where we are now.

Take a deep breath in through your nose and let it out with a long sigh.

Now close your eyes and feel yourself sink deeper into the support beneath you.

It is time to relax and fully let go.

There is nothing you need to be doing now and nowhere you need to go.

Happy listening.

Chapter 24 continued.

Get to thy own room,

Earnshaw said in a voice most inarticulate with passion and his face looked swelled and furious.

Take her there if she comes to see thee,

They'll sure kick me out o' this.

He swore at his Ellen and left Linton no time to answer,

Nearly throwing him into the kitchen and he clenched his fist as I followed,

Seemingly gnawing to knock me down.

I was afraid for a moment and I let one volume fall.

He kicked it after me and shut us out.

Then I heard a malignant crackly laugh by the fire and I saw that odious Joseph rubbing his bony hands and quivering.

Where must we go?

I asked of Linton,

Disregarding the old wretches and mockery.

But Linton was white and trembling.

He was not pretty then Ellen,

Oh no he looked frightful for his thin face and large eyes were wrought into an expression of frantic powerless fury.

He grasped the handle of the door and shook it but it was fastened inside.

If you don't let me in I'll kill you,

If you don't let me in I'll kill you,

He shrieked.

Joseph uttered his croaking laugh again.

That scared me even more so I took hold of Linton's hands and tried to pull him away but he shrieked so shockingly I dared not proceed.

At last his cries were choked by a dreadful fit of coughing,

Then blood gushed from his mouth and he fell on the ground.

I ran into the yard sick with terror and called for Zilla as loud as I could.

She soon heard me,

She was milking the cows in a shed behind the barn and hurrying from her work she inquired what was there to do.

I hadn't breath to explain,

Dragging her in I looked about for Linton then Earnshaw came out to examine the mischief he caused and he was then conveying the poor Linton upstairs.

Zilla and I ascended after him but he stopped me at the top of the steps and said I shouldn't go in,

I had to go home.

I exclaimed he'd killed Linton and I would enter.

Joseph locked the door though and declared I should do no such stuff and asked me whether I was bound to be as mad as him.

I stood crying until the housekeeper reappeared,

She affirmed Linton would be better in a bit but he couldn't do without shrieking and din and she took me and nearly carried me into the house.

Ellen I was ready to tear my hair off my head,

I sobbed and wept so my eyes were almost blind and that ruffian you have such sympathy with stood opposite presuming every now and then to bid me wished and denying it was his fault and frightened by my assertions I would tell papa that he should be put in prison and hanged.

He commenced blubbering himself and hurried out to hide his cowardly agitation but still I was not rid of him.

When at length they compelled me to depart and I got some hundred years off the premises he suddenly issued from the shadow of the roadside and yelled Minnie and took hold of me.

Miss Catherine I'm ill grieved he began but it's rather too bad.

I gave him a cut with my whip thinking perhaps he'd murder me then he let go thundering one of his horrid curses and I galloped home more than half out of my senses.

I didn't wish you good night that evening Ellen and I didn't go to Wuthering Heights the next I wished to exceedingly but I was strangely excited and dreaded to hear that Linton was dead.

On the third day I took courage at least I couldn't bear longer suspense and I stole off once more.

I went up at five o'clock and walked fancying I might manage to creep into the house and up to Linton's room unobserved however the dogs gave notice of my approach.

Zilla received me saying the lad was mending nicely and showed me into a small tiny carpeted apartment where to my inexpressible joy I beheld Linton laid out on a little sofa reading one of the books I'd given him but he would neither speak to me nor look at me he has such an unhappy temper Ellen and what quite confounded me when he did open his mouth it was to utter the falsehood that I'd occasioned the uproar and Hayton was not to blame.

Unable to reply I got up and walked from the room he sent after me a faint Catherine he did not reckon on being answered so but I would not turn back and the morrow was the second day on which I stayed at home nearly determined to visit him no more but it was so miserable going to bed and getting up and never hearing anything about him that my resolution melted into air before it was properly formed it had appeared wrong to take the journey once now it seemed wrong to refrain Michael came to ask if he must saddle Minnie and I said yes and considered myself doing duty as she bore me over the heels.

I was forced to pass the front windows to get into the court it was no use trying to conceal my presence.

Young master is in the house said Zilla as she saw me making for the parlour.

I went in and Earnshaw was in there too but he quitted the room directly Linton sat in the great armchair half asleep walking up to the fire began in a serious tone as you don't like me Linton and you think I come on purpose to hurt you and pretend that I do so every time this is our last meeting let us say goodbye and tell Mr Heathcliff you've no wish to see me and he mustn't invent any more falsehoods on the subject sit down and take your hat off Catherine he answered you are so much happier than I am you ought to be better.

Papa talks enough of my defects and shows enough scorn of me to make it natural I should doubt myself.

I doubt whether I'm not altogether as worthless as he calls me frequently and then I feel so cross and bitter I hate everybody I'm worthless and bad in temper and bad in spirit almost always and if you choose Catherine you may say goodbye and you'll get rid of an annoyance only do me this justice believe that if I might be as sweet and as kind and as good as you are I would be as willingly and more so done as happy and as healthy and believe that your kindness has made me love you deeper than if I deserved your love no I couldn't and cannot help showing my nature to you I regret it and repent it and shall regret and repent till the day I die.

I felt he spoke the truth Helen and I felt I must forgive him and though we should quarrel the next moment I must forgive him again we were reconciled but we cried both of us the whole time I stayed not entirely for sorrow yet I was sorry Linton had that distorted nature he'll never let his friends be at ease and he'll never let himself be at ease I have always gone to his little parlour since that night because his father returned the day after about three times I think we've been merry and hopeful as we were the first evening the rest of my visits were dreary and troubled now with his selfishness and spite now with his sufferings but I've learned to endure the former with nearly as little resentment as the latter Mr Heathcliff purposely avoids me I've hardly seen him at all last Sunday indeed coming earlier than usual I heard him abusing poor Linton cruelly for his conduct of the night before I can't tell how he knew of it unless he listened Linton had certainly behaved provokingly however it was the business of nobody but me and I interrupted Mr Heathcliff's lecture by entering and telling him so he burst into a laugh and went away saying he was glad I talked for you of the matter since then I've told Linton he must whisper his bitter things now Ellen you've heard it all I can't be prevented from going to Wuthering Heights except by inflicting misery on two people whereas if you'll only not tell Papa my going need disturb the tranquility of none you'll not tell will you it will be very heartless if you do I'll make up my mind on that point by tomorrow Miss Catherine I replied it requires some study so I'll leave you to your rest and go to think it over I thought it over aloud in my master's presence walking straight from Kathy's room to his and relating the whole story with the exception of her conversations with her cousin and and any mention of Hairton Mr Linton was alarmed and distressed more than he would acknowledge to me in the morning Catherine learned my betrayal of her confidence and she learned also her secret visits were to end in vain she wept and writhed against the interdict and implored her father to have pity on Linton all she got to comfort her was a promise he would write and give him leave to come to the Grange when he pleased but explaining he must no longer expect to see Catherine at Wuthering Heights perhaps had he been aware of his nephew's disposition and state he would have seemed fit to withhold even that slight consolation