4 Wuthering Heights Read And 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.

That's it.

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 three continued.

Come in,

Come in,

Heathcliff sobbed.

Cathy do come.

Once more my heart's darling hear me this time Catherine at last.

The spectre before him gave no sign of being but the snow and wind whirled wildly through even reaching my station and blowing out the light.

There was such anguish in the gush of grief that accompanied this raving that my compassion made me overlook its folly and I drew off half angry to have listened at all and vexed at having related my ridiculous nightmare since it produced that agony though why was beyond my comprehension.

I descended cautiously to the lower regions and landed in the back kitchen where a gleam of fire raked compactly together enabled me to rekindle my candle.

Nothing was stirring except a brindled grey cat which crept from the ashes and saluted me with a querulous mew.

Two benches shaped in sections of a circle nearly enclosed the hearth.

On one of these I stretched myself and the cat mounted the other.

We were both of us nodding ere anyone invaded our retreat and then it was Joseph shuffling down a wooden ladder that vanished in the roof through a trap.

His assent to his garret I suppose.

He cast a little look at the sinister flame which I had enticed to play between the ribs swept the cat from its elevation and bestowing himself in the vacancy commenced the operation of stuffing a three-inch pipe with tobacco.

My presence in his sanctum was evidently esteemed a piece of impudence too shameful for remark.

He silently applied the tube to his lips folded his arms and puffed away.

I let him enjoy the luxury unannoyed and after sucking out the last wreath and heaving a profound sigh he got up and departed as solemnly as he came.

A more elastic footstep entered next and now I opened my mouth for a good morning but closed it again salutation unachieved.

For Hairton Earnshaw was performing his horizon sotto voce a series of curses directed against every object he touched while he rummaged a corner for a spade or shovel to dig through the drifts.

He glanced over the back of the bench dilating his nostrils and thought as little of exchanging civilities with me as with my companion the cat.

I guessed by his preparations that egress was allowed and leaving my hard couch made a movement to follow him.

He noticed this and thrust at an inner door with the end of his spade intimating by an inarticulate sound that there was the place where I must go if I change my locality.

It opened into the house where the females were already astir.

Zilla urging flakes of flame up the chimney with a colossal bellows and Mrs Heathcliff kneeling on the hearth reading a book by the aid of the blaze.

She held her hand interposed between the furnace heat and her eyes and seemed absorbed in her occupation desisting from it only to chide the servant for covering her with sparks or to push her with sparks or to push away a dog now and then that snoozled his nose over forwardly into her face.

I was surprised to see Heathcliff was there also.

He stood by the fire his back towards me still finishing a stormy scene with poor Zilla who ever and anon interrupted her labor to pluck up the corner of her apron and heave an indignant groan.

You you worthless he broke out as I entered and into his daughter-in-law and employing an epithet as harmless as a duck or sheep but generally represented by a dash.

There you are at your idle tricks again the rest of them do earn their bread and you live on my charity put your trash away and find something to do you shall pay me for the plague of having you eternally in my sight do you hear me damnable jade.

I'll put my trash away because you can make me if I refuse answered the young lady closing her book and throwing it onto a chair now I'll not do anything those should swear your tongue out except what I please.

Heathcliff lifted his hand and the speaker sprang to a safer distance obviously acquainted with its weight.

Having no desire to be entertained by a cat and dog combat I stepped forward briskly as if eager to partake the warmth of the hearth and innocent of any knowledge of the interrupted dispute.

Each had enough decorum to suspend further hostilities.

Heathcliff placed his fists out of temptation in his pockets.

Mrs Heathcliff curled her lip and walked to a seat far off where she kept her word by playing the part of a statue during the remainder of my stay.

That was not long I declined joining their breakfast and at the first gleam of dawn took an opportunity of escaping into the free air now clear and still and cold as impalpable ice.

My landlord hallooed me to stop ere I reached the bottom of the garden and offered to accompany me across the moor.

It was well he did for the whole hill back was one billowy white ocean the swells and falls not indicating corresponding rises and depression in the ground.

Many pits at least were filled to a level and entire ranges of mounds the refuse of the quarries blotted from the chart which my yesterday's walk left pictured in my mind.

I had remarked on one side of the road at intervals of six or seven yards a line of upright stones continued through the whole length of the barren these were erected and daubed with lime on purpose to serve as guides in the dark and also when a fall like the present and founded the deep swamps on either hand with a firmer path but accepting a dirty pot pointing up here and there all traces of their existence had vanished and my companion found it necessary to warn me frequently to steer to the right or the left when I imagined I was following correctly the windings of the road.

We exchanged little conversation and he halted at the entrance of Thrush Cross Park saying I could make no error there.

Our duel was limited to a hasty bow and then I pushed forward trusting to my own resources for the porter's lodge is untenanted as yet.

The distance from the gate to the grange is two miles.

I believe I managed to make it four what with losing myself among the trees and sinking up to the neck in snow a predicament which only those who have experienced it can appreciate.

At any rate whatever were my wanderings the clock chimed 12 as I entered the house and that gave exactly an hour for every mile of the usual way from Wuthering Heights.

My human fixture and her satellites rushed to welcome me exclaiming tumultuously they had completely given me up.

Everybody conjectured I had perished that night and they were wondering how they must set about the search for my remains.

I bid them be quiet now they saw me returned and benumbed to my very heart I dragged upstairs whence after putting on dry clothes and pacing to and fro 30 or 40 minutes to restore the animal heat I adjourned to my study feeble as a kitten almost too much so as to enjoy the cheerful fire and smoking coffee which the servant had prepared for my refreshment.

Chapter four what vain weathercocks we are I who had determined to hold myself independent of all social intercourse and thanked my stars that at length I'd lighted on a spot where it was next to impracticable.

I weak wretch after maintaining till dusk a struggle with low spirits and solitude was finally compelled to strike my colours and under pretence of gaining information concerning the necessities of my establishment I desired Mrs Dean when she brought in supper to sit down while I ate it hoping sincerely she would prove a regular gossip and either rouse me to animation or lull me to sleep by her talk.

You have lived here a considerable time I commenced did you not say 16 years?

18 sir I came when the mistress was married to wait on her after she died the master retained me for his housekeeper.

Indeed there ensued a pause she was not a gossip I feared and less about her own affairs and those could hardly interest me however having studied for an interval with a fist on either knee and a cloud of meditation over her ruddy countenance she ejaculated ah times are greatly changed since then.

Yes I remarked you've seen a good many alterations I suppose.

I have she said and troubles too.

Oh I'll turn the talk on my landlord's family I thought to myself a good subject to start and that pretty girl widow I'd like to know her history whether she be a native of the country or as is more probable an exotic that the surly indigene will not recognise for kin.

With this intention I asked Mrs Dean why Heathcliff let Thrushcross Grange and preferred living in a situational residence so much inferior.

Is he not rich enough to keep the estate in good order I inquired.

Rich sir she returned he has nobody knows what money and every year it increases yes he's rich enough to live in a finer house than this but he's very near close-handed and if he'd meant to flip to Thrushcross Grange as soon as he heard of a good tenant he could not have borne to miss the chance of getting a few hundreds more.

It's strange people should be so greedy when they're alone in the world.

He had a son it seems yes he did have one he's dead and that young lady Mrs Heathcliff is his widow yes.

Where did she come from originally?

Why sir she's my late master's daughter Catherine Linton was her maiden name.

I nursed her poor thing I did wish Mr Heathcliff would remove her and then we might have been together again.

What Catherine Linton I exclaimed astonished but a minute's reflection convinced me it was not my ghostly Catherine.

Then I continued my predecessor's name was Linton.

It was.

And who is that Hairton Earnshaw who lives with Mr Heathcliff?

Are they relations?

No he's the late Mrs Linton's nephew.

The young lady's cousin then?

Yes and her husband was her cousin also one on the mother's the other on the father's side.

Heathcliff married Mr Linton's sister.

I see the house at Wuthering Heights as Earnshaw carved over the front door.

Are they an old family?

Very old sir and Hairton's the last of them as our Miss Cathy is of us I mean of the Lintons that is.

Have you been to Wuthering Heights?

I beg pardon for asking but I should like to hear how she is.

Mrs Heathcliff?

She looked very well and very handsome yet I think not very happy.

Oh dear I don't want her.

And how did you like the master?

A rough fellow rather Mrs Dean.

Is not that his character?

Rough as a sawedge and hard as windstone she said.

Unless you meddle with him the better.

He must have had some ups and downs in life to make him such a churl.

Do you know anything of the history?

It's a cuckoo sir I know all about it except where he was born and who were his parents and how he got his money at first and Hairton has been cast out like an unfetched dunnock.

The unfortunate lad's the only one in all this parish that does not guess how he's been cheated.

Well Mrs Dean it'll be a charitable deed to tell me something of my neighbours.

I feel I shall not rest if I go to bed so be good enough to sit and chat an hour.

Oh certainly sir.

I'll just fetch a little sewing and then I'll sit as long as you please.

But you caught cold.

I saw you shivering and you must have some gruel to drive it out.

The worthy woman bustled off and I crouched nearer the fire.

My head felt hot and the rest of me chill.

Moreover I was excited almost to a pitch of foolishness through my nerves and brain.

This caused me to feel not uncomfortable but rather fearful of serious effects from the incidents of today and yesterday.

She returned presently bringing a smoking basin and a basket of work and having placed the former on the hob drew in her seat evidently pleased to find me so companionable.

Before I came to live here she commenced waiting no further invitation to her story.

I was almost always at Wuthering Heights because my mother had nursed Mr Hindley Earnshaw that was Hairton's father and I got used to playing with the children.

I ran errands too and helped to make hay and hung about the farm ready for anything that anybody would set me to.

One fine summer morning,

It was the beginning of harvest I remember,

Mr Earnshaw the old master came downstairs dressed for a journey and after he told Joseph what was to be done during the day he turned to Hindley and Kathy and me for I sat eating my porridge with them and he said speaking to his son,

Now my bonny man I'm going to Liverpool today what shall I bring you?

You may choose what you like only let it be little for I shall walk there and back 60 miles each way that is a long spell.

Hindley named a fiddle and then he asked Miss Kathy.

She was hardly six years old but she could ride any horse in the stable and she chose a whip.

He did not forget me for he had a kind heart though he was rather severe sometimes.

He promised to bring me a pocket full of apples and pears then he kissed his children goodbye and set off.

It seemed a long while to us all,

Three days of his absence and often did Kathy ask when he'd be home.

Mrs Earnshaw expected him by supper time on the third evening and she put the meal off hour after hour.

There were no signs of his coming however and at last the children got tired of running down to the gate to look.

Then it grew dark,

She would have had them to bed but they begged sadly to be allowed to stay up and just after about 11 o'clock the door latch was raised quietly and in stepped the master.

He threw himself into a chair laughing and groaning and bid them all stand off where he was nearly killed.

He would not have another walk for the three kingdoms he said and at the end of it to be flighted with death and he opened up his great coat which he held bundled in his arms said,

See here wife I was never so beaten with anything in my life but you mustn't take it as a gift from God though it's as dark almost as if it came from the devil.

We crowded round and over Miss Kathy's head I had a peeped a dirty ragged black haired child big enough to walk and talk.

Indeed its face looked older than Katherine's yet when it was set on its feet it only stared round and repeated over and over again some gibberish no one could understand.

I was frightened and Mrs Earnshaw was ready to fling it out of the doors.

She flew up asking how he could fashion to bring that gypsy brat into the house when they had their own bairns to feed and fend for.

What did he mean to do with it?

Was he mad?

The master tried to explain the matter but he was really half dead with fatigue and all I could make out amongst her scolding was a tale of his seeing it starving and houseless and as good as dumb in the streets of Liverpool where he picked it up and inquired for its owner.

Not a soul knew to whom it belonged he said and his money and time being both limited he thought it better to take it home with him at once than run into vain expenses there because he was determined he'd not leave it as he found it.

Well the conclusion was my mistress grumbled herself calm and Mr Earnshaw told me to wash it and give it clean things and let it sleep with the children.

Hindi and Kathy consented themselves with looking and listening till peace was restored.

They both began searching their father's pockets for the presents he'd promised them.

The former was a boy of 14 but when he drew out what had been a fiddle crushed a morsel in the great coat he blubbered aloud and Kathy when she learned the master had lost her whip in attending on the stranger showed her humour by grinning and spitting at the stupid little thing earning for her pains a sound blow to teach her cleaner manners.

They entirely refused to have it in bed with them or even in their room and I had no more sense so I put it on the landing of the stairs hoping it might be gone on the morrow.

By chance or else attracted by hearing his voice it crept into Mr Earnshaw's door and there he found it on quitting his chamber.

Queries were made as to how it got there and I was obliged to confess and in recompense for my cowardice and inhumanity was sent out of the house.

This was Heathcliff's first introduction to the family.

On coming back a few days afterwards for I did not consider my banishment perpetual I found they'd christened him Heathcliff.

It was the name of a son who died in childhood and served him ever since both for Christian and surname.

Miss Kathy and he were very thick but Hindley hated him and to say the truth I did the same and we plagued and went on with him shamefully for I wasn't reasonable enough to feel my injustice and the mistress never put in a word on his behalf when she saw him wronged.

He seemed a sullen patient child hard and perhaps to ill treatment he would stand Hindley's blows without winking or shredding a tear and my pinches moved him only to draw in a breath and open his eyes as if he'd hurt himself by accident nobody was to blame.

This endurance made old Earnshaw furious when he discovered his son persecuting the poor fatherless child as he called him.

He talked to Heathcliff strangely believing all he said and petting him far above Kathy who was too mischievous and wayward for a favourite.

So from the very beginning he bred bad feeling in the house and at Mrs Earnshaw's death which happened in less than two years afterwards the young master had learned to regard his father as an oppressor rather than a friend and Heathcliff as a usurper of his parents affections and his privileges and he grew bitter with brooding over these injuries.

I sympathised a while but when the children fell ill of the measles and I had to tend them and take on me the cares of a woman at once I changed my ideas.

Heathcliff was dangerously sick and while he lay at the worst he would have had me constantly by his pillow.

I suppose he felt I did a good deal for him and he hadn't wit to guess that I was compelled to do it however I'll say this he was the quietest child that nurse ever watched over.

The difference between him and the others forced me to be less partial.

Kathy and her brother harassed me terribly he was as uncomplaining as a lamb though hardness not gentleness made him give little trouble.

He got through eventually and the doctor affirmed it was in a great measure down to me.

He praised me for my care I was vain of his commendations and softened towards the being by whose means I earned them and thus hindly lost his last ally.

Still I couldn't dote on Heathcliff and I wondered often what my master saw to admire so much in the sullen boy who never to my recollection repaid his indulgence by any sign of gratitude.

He was not insolent he was simply insensible though knowing perfectly the hold he had on his heart.

He had only to speak and all the house would be obliged to bend to his wishes.

As an instance I remember Mr.

Earnshaw once brought a couple of colts at the parish fair and gave the lads each one.

Heathcliff took the handsomest but it soon fell lame and when he discovered it he said to Hindley you must exchange horses with me.

I don't like mine and if you won't I'll tell your father of the three thrashings you've given me this week and I'll show my arm which is black to the shoulder.

Hindley put out his tongue and cuffed him over the ears.

You better do it at once he persisted escaping to the porch you'll have to and if I speak of these blows you'll get them again with interest.

Off dog cried Hindley threatening him with an iron weight used for weighing potatoes.

Throw it Heathcliff replied standing still and I'll tell how you boasted you'd turn me out of doors as soon as he died and see whether he'll not turn you out directly.

Hindley threw it hitting him on the breast and down he fell but he staggered up immediately breathless and white and had not I prevented it he'd have gone down to the master and got full revenge by letting his condition plead for him.

Take my colt gypsy then said young Earnshaw and I pray he'll break your neck take him and be damned you beggarly interloper hope he'll kick out your brains.

So Heathcliff went to loose the beast and shift it to his own stall.

He was passing behind him when Hindley finished his speech by knocking him under his feet and without stopping to examine whether his hopes were fulfilled he ran away as fast as he could.

I was surprised to witness how coolly the child gathered himself up and went on with his intention he exchanged saddles and all then sat down on a bundle of hay to overcome the qualm which the violent blow occasioned before he entered the house.

I persuaded him easily to let me lay the blame of the bruises on the horse and he reminded me little what tale was told since he'd had what he wanted.

He complained so seldom indeed of such stirs as these I really thought him not vindictive but I was deceived completely as you will hear.