In her absence I began to beg for Zillah's place at the Heights, offering to resign mine to her; but he would suffer it on no account.

He bid me be silent; and then, for the first time, allowed himself a glance round the room and a look at the pictures.
Having studied Mrs.Linton's, he said--'I shall have that home.

Not because I need it, but--' He turned abruptly to the fire, and continued, with what, for lack of a better word, I must call a smile--'I'll tell you what I did yesterday! I got the sexton, who was digging Linton's grave, to remove the earth off her coffin lid, and I opened it.

I thought, once, I would have stayed there: when I saw her face again--it is hers yet!--he had hard work to stir me; but he said it would change if the air blew on it, and so I struck one side of the coffin loose, and covered it up: not Linton's side, damn him! I wish he'd been soldered in lead.

And I bribed the sexton to pull it away when I'm laid there, and slide mine out too; I'll have it made so: and then by the time Linton gets to us he'll not know which is which!' 'You were very wicked, Mr.Heathcliff!' I exclaimed; 'were you not ashamed to disturb the dead ?' 'I disturbed nobody, Nelly,' he replied; 'and I gave some ease to myself.
I shall be a great deal more comfortable now; and you'll have a better chance of keeping me underground, when I get there.