At last, he said, in a half-whisper, plainly not expecting an answer, 'Is any one here ?' I considered it best to confess my presence; for I knew Heathcliff's accents, and feared he might search further, if I kept quiet.

With this intention, I turned and opened the panels.

I shall not soon forget the effect my action produced.
Heathcliff stood near the entrance, in his shirt and trousers; with a candle dripping over his fingers, and his face as white as the wall behind him.

The first creak of the oak startled him like an electric shock: the light leaped from his hold to a distance of some feet, and his agitation was so extreme, that he could hardly pick it up.
'It is only your guest, sir,' I called out, desirous to spare him the humiliation of exposing his cowardice further.

'I had the misfortune to scream in my sleep, owing to a frightful nightmare.