Wuthering Heights

commonly wore, befitting her age more than her position; a low frock, with short sleeves, and nothing on either head, or neck. The frock was of light silk, and clung to her with wet; and her feet were protected merely by thin slippers; add to this a deep cut under one ear, which only the cold prevented from bleeding profusely, a white face scratched and bruised, and a frame hardly able to support itself through fatigue, and you may fancy my first fright was not much allayed when I had leisure to examine her.
    »My dear young lady,« I exclaimed, »I'll stir no-where, and hear nothing, till you have removed every article of your clothes, and put on dry things; and certainly you shall not go to Gimmerton to-night; so it is needless to order the carriage.«
    »Certainly, I shall;« she said; »walking or riding – yet I've no objection to dress myself decently; and – ah, see how it flows down my neck now! The fire does make it smart.«
    She insisted on my fulfilling her directions, before she would let me touch her; and not till after the coachman had been instructed to get ready, and a maid set to pack up some necessary attire, did I obtain her consent for binding the wound, and helping to change her garments.
    »Now, Ellen,« she said when my task was finished, and she was seated in an easy chair on the hearth, with a cup of tea before her, »You sit down opposite me, and put poor Catherine's baby away – I don't like to see it! You mustn't think I care little for Catherine, because I behaved so foolishly on entering – I've cried too, bitterly – yes, more than any one else has reason to cry – we parted unreconciled, you remember, and I shan't forgive myself. But for all that, I was not going to sympathise with him – the brute beast! O give me the poker! This is the last thing of his I have about me,« she slipped the gold ring from her third finger, and threw it on the floor. »I'll smash it!« she continued striking with childish spite. »And then I'll burn it!« and she took and dropped the misused article among the coals. »There! he shall buy another, if he gets me back again. He'd be capable of coming to seek me, to tease Edgar – I dare not stay, lest that notion should possess his wicked head! And besides, Edgar has not been kind, has he? And I won't come suing for his assistance; nor will I bring him into more trouble – Necessity compelled me to seek shelter here; though if I had not learnt he was out of the way, I'd have halted at the kitchen, washed my face, warmed myself, got you to bring what I wanted, and departed again to anywhere out of reach of my accursed – of that incarnate goblin! Ah, he was in such a fury – if he had caught me! It's a pity, Earnshaw is not his match in strength – I wouldn't have run, till I'd seen him all but demolished, had Hindley been able to do it!«
    »Well, don't talk so fast, Miss!« I interrupted, »you'll disorder the handkerchief I have tied round your face, and make the cut bleed again – Drink your tea, and take breath and give over laughing – Laughter is sadly out of place under this roof, and in your condition!«
    »An undeniable truth,« she replied, »Listen to that child! It maintains a constant wail – send it out of my hearing, for an hour; I shan't stay any longer.«
    I rang the bell, and committed it to a servant's care; and then I inquired what had urged her to escape from Wuthering Heights in such an unlikely plight – and where she meant to go, as she refused remaining with us?
    »I ought, and I wish to remain;« answered she; »to cheer Edgar, and take care of the baby, for two things, and because the Grange is my right home – but I tell you, he wouldn't let me! Do you think he could bear to see me grow fat, and merry; and could bear to think that we were tranquil, and not resolve on poisoning our comfort? Now, I have the satisfaction of being sure that he detests me to the point of its annoying him seriously to have me within earshot, or eye-sight – I notice, when I enter his presence, the muscles of his countenance are involuntarily distorted into an expression of hatred; partly arising from his knowledge of the good causes I have to feel that sentiment for him, and partly from original aversion – It is strong enough to make me feel pretty certain that he would not chase me over England, supposing I contrived a clear escape; and therefore I must get quite away. I've recovered from my first desire to be killed by him. I'd