Wuthering Heights Chapter 30

Nelly had tried to visit Wuthering Heights once, but Joseph would not let her see Cathy. Only the occasional word from Zillah told her anything. Zillah doesn't like Cathy; she thinks the girl is arrogant. When Cathy came to the Heights, she shut herself up with Linton, asking the next morning for the doctor. But Heathcliff refused, and Zillah, tired of the whiny boy, would not help. Zillah saw lots of suffering, but did not make it her business to help. One night Cathy came yelling that Linton was dying. When Heathcliff finally came to the bed, his son was dead. No loss to him, he taunted Cathy with the loss. The grieving girl replied: "You have left me so long to struggle against death, alone, that I feel and see only death! I feel like death!" Chapter 30, pg. 268-269 After his death Cathy stayed upstairs alone for two weeks. Her only visitor was Zillah. Once Heathcliff came up to show her that Linton had willed all his (and her) property to himself.

Cathy did not come down until one day when Heathcliff was away. Joseph was at church, and Zillah stayed behind with Cathy and Hareton. Hareton had a crush on Cathy, and Zillah offered to help clean him up before Cathy came down. Cathy was somber and cold. She allowed Hareton to help her reach some books, and to look at some of them with her. But he was so enchanted, that he made the mistake of stroking her hair, which greatly upset her. Apologetic and crushed, Hareton asked Zillah to ask Cathy to read to them. Zillah told Cathy Hareton wanted to hear her read, but Cathy rejected what she felt to be hypocritical interest. Too little too late, she felt. Hareton asked her what he could have done, and they quarreled until he finally went outside. Because of the cold, Cathy was often obliged to sit downstairs with them. Hareton became more talkative, but Zillah still disliked Cathy, who was snappish and unfriendly.

Nelly ends her story here. Mr. Lockwood is better, and he plans to ride over to the Heights and inform Heathcliff that he will be leaving the Grange, and that when his lease runs out in October, he can find another tenant.