Wuthering Heights & Jane Eyre
by Charlotte Brontë & Emily Brontë
Contents
Wuthering Heights — CHAPTER XXIII
Overview
Catherine and Nelly visit Linton at Wuthering Heights, where Linton’s frailty and spite spark a bitter quarrel about their parents. After a coughing fit, Linton manipulates Catherine’s guilt and secures future visits. Nelly vows to prevent them, but her ensuing three-week illness lets Catherine secretly continue the intimacy while nursing Edgar and Nelly.
Summary
On a cold, wet morning, Nelly and Catherine enter Wuthering Heights to confirm Heathcliff’s absence and find Linton alone by the fire. Linton complains of neglect, and Catherine tends him with water and wine. He presses for her continued company when Heathcliff is away.
Their talk sours as Linton repeats Heathcliff’s slanders against Edgar, and Catherine defends her father. Linton retaliates by claiming Catherine Earnshaw loved Heathcliff and hated Edgar. Provoked, Catherine shoves Linton’s chair; he collapses into a violent coughing fit, frightening her and using the episode to heighten her guilt.
Linton refuses comfort unless Catherine stays. Despite Nelly’s impatience, Catherine supports him, sings ballads, and remains until noon, when Hareton’s return forces their departure. Linton extracts a whispered promise from Catherine to come again. Outside, Nelly forbids further visits on pain of telling Edgar, but Catherine defies her.
Back at the Grange, Nelly falls ill for three weeks. During this time Catherine devotes herself to nursing Edgar and Nelly by day, appearing every evening with flushed cheeks and warmed hands, implying secret rides across the moors. Thus, despite Nelly’s intent to end the contact, Catherine likely continues her visits to Linton.
Who Appears
- Catherine (Cathy) LintonVisits Linton, quarrels, then soothes him; promises more visits; defies Nelly and likely continues meetings during Nelly’s illness.
- Linton HeathcliffSickly and petulant; provokes Catherine with slanders, collapses coughing, then manipulates her guilt to secure future visits.
- Ellen (Nelly) DeanChaperones the visit, condemns Linton’s behavior, forbids further meetings, then falls ill for three weeks, unintentionally enabling Catherine.
- Hareton EarnshawHeard returning for dinner, his approach ends the visit; earlier mocked by Linton in absentia.
- JosephSurly servant by the kitchen fire; dismissive, offering no help to Linton or the visitors.
- Edgar LintonIll at the Grange; lovingly nursed by Catherine during Nelly’s convalescence.
- HeathcliffAbsent but influential; his slanders fuel the quarrel, and his absences create openings for Catherine’s visits.