Wuthering Heights, Chapter 26 summary

What happens

1. Edgar permits the visit, but a herd boy directs Catherine and Ellen beyond their agreed meeting point toward the Heights.
2. They find Linton pale and weak, and Catherine struggles to interest him in conversation.
3. When Catherine suggests leaving, Linton begs her to stay and asks her to report that his health is tolerable.
4. Linton fears his father’s anger, while Catherine and Ellen disagree about whether his health improves.
5. Linton wakes in terror, imagining his father’s voice, and Catherine leaves after promising to return next Thursday.
6. Catherine’s disappointment gives way to pity and doubt, and both visitors tell Edgar little about their concerns.

In this chapter

What to notice

Linton makes clear that he fears anger directed at himself, not Catherine. His plea exposes the pressure beneath his insistence that the visit seems successful.

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