‘Oh, sir!’ Icried, checkingtheexclamationrisentohislipsatthesightwhichmethim, andthebleakatmosphereofthechamber.‘MypoorMistressisill, andshequitemastersme: Icannotmanageheratall; pray, , forshe’shardtoguideanywaybutherown.’
‘Catherineill?’ hesaid, hasteningtous.‘Shutthewindow, Ellen! Catherine! Why …’
Hewassilent; ’sappearancesmotehimspeechless, andhecouldonlyglancefromhertomeinhorrifiedastonishment.
‘She’sbeenfrettinghere,’ Icontinued, ‘andeatingscarcelyanything, andnevercomplaining: shewouldadmitnoneofustillthisevening, andsowecouldn’tinformyouofherstate, aswewerenotawareofitourselves; butitisnothing.’
IfeltIutteredmyexplanationsawkwardly; themasterfrowned.‘Itisnothing, isit, EllenDean?’ hesaidsternly.‘Youshallaccountmoreclearlyforkeepingmeignorantofthis!’ Andhetookhiswifeinhisarms, andlookedatherwithanguish.
Atfirstshegavehimnoglanceofrecognition: , however; havingweanedhereyesfromcontemplatingtheouterdarkness, bydegreesshecentredherattentiononhim, anddiscoveredwhoitwasthatheldher.
‘Ah! youarecome, areyou, EdgarLinton?’ shesaidwithangryanimation … ‘Youareoneofthosethingsthatareeverfoundwhenleastwanted, andwhenyouarewanted, never! Isupposeweshallhaveplentyoflamentationsnow … Iseeweshall … buttheycan’tkeepmefrommynarrowhomeoutyonder: myresting-place, whereI’mboundbeforespringisover! Thereitis: notamongtheLintons, mind, underthechapel-roof, butintheopenair, withahead-stone; andyoumaypleaseyourself, whetheryougotothemorcometome!’
