Wuthering Heights Chapter 14

After reading the letter, Nelly went to Edgar to tell him that his sister was at Wuthering Heights, and that she asked for forgiveness. But there is no use for forgiveness, since he felt she was lost from him forever. So Nelly made her trip to the Heights alone, and found Isabella anxiously waiting. The house and Isabella were dirty and neglected, and Heathcliff looked like a fine gentleman next to his dirty wife. She expected a letter from her brother, but Nelly had nothing to give her. Heathcliff asked about Catherine, and Nelly told him that it would be best for Catherine if he stayed away from her. She was a different person in appearance and personality, and only a shadow of Catherine Earnshaw remained in her. But Heathcliff is not willing to leave Catherine with Edgar, whose love is weak, and who is unfit for Catherine's love: "It is not in him to be loved like me: how can she love in him what he has not?" Chapter 14, pg. 137 Nelly and Isabella insist that the couple is fond of each other, but to a man of passions like Heathcliff, that is like blasphemy. He laughs at his marriage to Isabella, who in her love struck blindness thought him a romantic hero. She has since learned better, but Heathcliff likes to taunt her with her foolish passion, completely unrequited by him. Hopeless, she takes any abuse, and comes crawling back. Despite his mean temper and violent tendencies, she did not draw back from him, and Heathcliff found this delicious.

Topic Tracking: Violence 13
Topic Tracking: Madness 7

Heathcliff tossed Isabella from the room so he may speak to Nelly in private. He was determined to see Catherine despite any obstacles, at any cost. Nelly warned him that the excitement could harm her, but he did not believe her. Nelly finally agreed, and promised to deliver a letter to Catherine.

At this point Nelly stops her story, because Mr. Kenneth has arrived to check on Mr. Lockwood. He thinks how lucky he is not to have fallen for Mrs. Heathcliff, with the chance she could turn out like her mother.