CHAPTER SEVEN

The Marriage

On the third day Cathy asked to see Ellen. "I'm going to die," Cathy cried, "since no one cares about me. What is my husband doing?

"He is alone in his library," said Ellen. "Poor man, he is all alone!" "His books!" Cathy cried. "Why is he reading books when I am dying! Oh, how I wish I had never married him! I wish I was a girl again, and out on the moors! Open the window, Ellen! Now!"

"No—it will make you cold, and you will become even sicker," Ellen said firmly. "All right," said Cathy. "I'll open it myself!"

She got up from the bed before Ellen could stop her, and went to the window. She opened it and leaned out. She did not seem to care about the terrible cold. Ellen begged her to get back into bed, but Cathy did not listen. She stared out of the window, her eyes shining with happiness. There was no moon, and everything outside was dark and quiet.

"Look!" Cathy said suddenly. "I can see the lights shining from Wuthering Heights. That's my room with the candle in it, and the other candle is in Joseph's room. He's waiting for me to come home. Well, Joseph, you must wait longer. To find Wuthering Heights, we must pass by the Gimmerton Church. Heathcliff! We've seen the ghosts in that churchyard, haven't we? We used to tell each other to stand in the churchyard when we were children, and call to the ghosts. Heathcliff! I'm dying, and I might become a ghost in that church soon. Will you come if I ask you? If you do, I'll keep you with me forever, my love ... I'll not lie under that ground by myself! The people might bury me twelve feet under the ground, but I won't rest until you are with me, Heathcliff—I never will!"

Ellen almost cried when she heard these words. Suddenly the door opened and Edgar came in. "Oh, sir, Miss Catherine is sick and will not stay in bed!"

"Sick?" he said, coming forward. "Shut the window, Ellen. Cathy! What is wrong ... "

He stopped speaking when he saw his wife's face. He took her in his arms.

"Ah! So you have come, have you, Edgar!" Cathy cried. "Well, you can't keep me here. I'm going to a new home, a little home in the churchyard, under the ground! I'm dying! Edgar, I don't want you now. Go back to your books.

"Sir, she does not know what she is saying," said Ellen quickly. "You should find the doctor immediately."

"You're right, Ellen—she really is sick! Go and find the doctor," said Edgar. Ellen ran out of the house to find the doctor. But as she went through the garden that night, she thought she heard the sound of a horse running nearby. At that time, she did not think about it, but this was a strange sound at two o'clock in the morning. Who was riding a horse at that hour?

Ellen found the doctor and took him to Cathy. She was sleeping, and her husband was sitting by her bed.

The doctor told them that Cathy was extremely sick. If they wanted her to live, Cathy must be kept quiet, and nothing could upset her mind and emotions. That night Edgar and Ellen did not sleep. When the other servants woke up, they walked around the house quietly, speaking in whispers. Everyone was awake but Isabella, and the servants began to talk about how deeply she was sleeping. Suddenly one of the servants came running upstairs and ran into Cathy's bedroom.

"Oh, dear!" she cried. "Master Edgar, our young lady ... "

"Be quiet, girl!" cried Ellen, angrily.

"Speak lower, Mary, my wife is sick," said Mr Linton. "What's the matter? What's wrong with Miss Isabella?"

"She's gone! I had to go into Gimmerton this morning, and I found out that Heathcliff's taken her away!"

"Ellen," said Edgar, quietly, "go and find Isabella."

Ellen ran and looked into Isabella's room. It was empty. When she came back, Edgar looked at her face and knew what had happened. "Should we try to find her, and bring her back?" Ellen asked him. He shook his head. "Isabella has made her own choice," he said quietly. "From this day on, she is not my sister anymore. She has hurt me, and the honor of our family, very terribly by running away with him!" Edgar did not speak about Isabella for a very long time.

(end of section)