Chapter 27

           Sevendaysglidedaway,everyonemarkingitscoursebythehenceforthrapidalterationofEdgarLinton’sstate.Thehavocthatmonthshadpreviouslywroughtwasnowemulatedbytheinroadsofhours.Catherine,wewouldfainhavedeludedyet:butherownquickspiritrefusedtodeludeher:itdivinedinsecret,andbroodedonthedreadfulprobability,graduallyripeningintocertainty.Shehadnotthehearttomentionherride,whenThursdaycameround;Imentioneditforher,andobtainedpermissiontoorderheroutofdoors:forthelibrary,whereherfatherstoppedashorttimedaily—thebriefperiodhecouldbeartositup—andhischamber,hadbecomeherwholeworld.Shegrudgedeachmomentthatdidnotfindherbendingoverhispillow,orseatedbyhisside.Hercountenancegrewwanwithwatchingandsorrow,andmymastergladlydismissedhertowhatheflatteredhimselfwouldbeahappychangeofsceneandsociety;drawingcomfortfromthehopethatshewouldnotnowbeleftentirelyaloneafterhisdeath.

           Hehadafixedidea,Iguessedbyseveralobservationsheletfall,that,ashisnephewresembledhiminperson,hewouldresemblehiminmind;forLinton’slettersborefewornoindicationsofhisdefectivecharacter.AndI,throughpardonableweakness,refrainedfromcorrectingtheerror;askingmyselfwhatgoodtherewouldbeindisturbinghislastmomentswithinformationthathehadneitherpowernoropportunitytoturntoaccount.