Isabella Linton

“ If Emily's hand fails in Edgar Linton it gains strength again in Isabella. These two are the types of the civilized, the over-refined, the delicate wearers of silk and velvet, dwellers in drawing-rooms with pure white ceilings bordered with gold, "with showers of glass-drops hanging in silver chains from the centre". They, as surely as the tainted Hindley, are bound to perish in any struggle with strong, fierce, primeval flesh and blood. The fatal moment in the tale is where the two half-savage children, Catherine and Heathcliff, come to Thrushcross Grange. ”

“ Life with Heathcliff becoming impossible to Isabella, she left the neighbourhood, never to revisit it, and lived near London; and there her son, whom she christened Linton, was born a few months after her escape. He was an ailing, peevish creature. When Linton was twelve, or a little more, and Catherine thirteen, Isabella died, and the boy was brought to Thrushcross Grange. Hindley Earnshaw drank himself to death about the same time, after mortgaging every yard of his land for cash; and Heathcliff was the mortgagee. ”

“ asked Mrs. Linton, appealing to me. "I'll repeat our conversation, word for word, Isabella; and you point out any charm it could have had for you." ”

“ Glentworth, as to clear his character or to prove his guilt; you have awakened in Isabella's breast the agonies of jealousy; I see you have, and I appeal to your humanity to relieve her tortures, for I declare, upon my honour, that I think them natural and even justifiable."
"Oh, God!" cried the lady, "why did I not foresee this? Isabella, my dear child, I have never beheld your husband, never; he knows not there is such a woman in existence as myself ”

“ So at least Frances thought, and left her alone, after first putting away the wool in the sofa table drawer.
But Mrs. Linchmore did not read, she laid the book carelessly in her lap, and was soon, apparently, deep in thought, from which she was only aroused by her husband's entrance; drawing a half sigh at the interruption, she took up her book again, and gave no reply to his greeting.
"I am afraid I have disturbed you, Isabella; you were dozing, were you not? or very nearly so."
"Never mind. It is almost time to dress for dinner." ”

“ Linton achieved both the objects which, as a good hostess, she had in view. Mr. Holland put in an appearance in one of Mrs. Linton’s big drawing rooms, and so did Phyllis Ayrton.
Everyone admitted that only a woman of the social capacity—some people called it genius—of Mrs. Linton could accomplish such a feat as the bringing into the same room two persons who had given unmistakable evidence of possessing a conscience apiece—the woman who had sacrificed the man for conscience’ sake, and the man who had sacrificed the woman under the same influence. ”

“ Somewhat heated with brandy, and wearied with much loss of sleep, Linwood fell into a sound slumber as soon as he retired. Not so with Gertrude. That faithfulness which has ever distinguished her sex, and the anxiety with which she watched all his movements, kept the wife awake while the husband slept. His sleep, though apparently sound, was nevertheless uneasy. Again and again she heard him pronounce the name of Isabella, and more than once she heard him say, “I am not married; I will never marry while you live.” ”

“ Parizzi took her in his carriage that evening, when the marchese reproached her for leaving her charge so early in the morning. "I found her," said he, "in great agitation, doubtless from anger and disappointment. Surely, if you were poorly, the family could have given restoratives without actually quitting her; you are the only person who does her good; your humanity might operate—but the English have little feeling; so I will now give you money, which perhaps you want for your husband."
"I am not in want of money, sir," said Isabella, proudly ”

“ She is several years younger, and will be no worse for waiting two or three years—not that she can see much more of her husband than she has done, as he is continually at sea, which is all the better, as there is little doubt of his having a ship ere long. We all love that the best which has cost us the most; and they will prize each other the more for their present sorrow, provided it is not continued too long. It is on this principle, Isabella, that I hope for the continuance of your affection. ”

“ It upholds Griselda as the type of feminine perfection, and—still in theory—between independence and being tyrannized over, goes in for the tyranny. "I would rather my husband beat me than let me do too much as I liked," said one before she married, who, after she was married, managed to get entire possession of the domestic reins, and took good care that her nominal lord should be her practical slave. For, notwithstanding the sweet submissiveness of her theory, the intensely womanly woman has the most astonishing knack of getting her own way and imposing her own will on others. ”

“ It is the peculiar property of jealousy to "make the food it lives on;" and although poor Isabella hid not one point on which to hang an argument, save the evident uneasiness of her husband—though she did not know whether her supposed rival was dead or alive, whether the complaints she at once pitied and resented were those which "poppy and mandragora" might medicine, or "those written troubles of the brain" which were incapable of cure, she contrived to make up for herself a draught of most terrible infliction. ”

“ Such were the lineaments on which he had gazed in passionate admiration, dwelt on with tender devotion, and lamented with sorrow, the more deep and abiding in that it was silent and unsuspected, nourished and fed, despite of the wealth which offered every other treasure, and even of the young, innocent, and ardent love of Isabella's virgin heart.
The long companionship of years, the interchange of thought, the gradual unfolding of affection, ripening ripening by degrees, until the whole being is absorbed in one object, and holds existence as tending to one end. ”

“ Isabella approached the couch, knelt down by it, and drawing the hand nearest to her, covered it with kisses and tears. "You have been to blame for not telling me, dearest, because you planted in my bosom jealousy and suspicion, which are now vanished, therefore I can bear my share of your trouble; and on your part some of my surprise and bitter mortification must be endured also. If you can give me the history of this poor lady, do. If it will affect you too much do not attempt it, but say at once what you desire me to do." ”

“ And very likely one or other of the other boys would want the help, the advice, or the simple friendly intercourse she was always ready to give them, thus forming and moulding them and leading them to higher things, just as a mother or, rather, a wiser and infinitely more experienced elder sister might have done, had she possessed the tact and skill of Mrs. Linton-Ward.
"A woman's influence ..." she mused again, as she entered the hall.
There she came face to face with Johnny Gilroy, hurrying towards the door, his collar perfectly clean, his dress bow tied by the hand of a true artist. ”

“ When the first joyful feelings of the moment had subsided, Isabella took an earnest survey of that which she undoubtedly considered to be her best earthly possession, and, with sincere satisfaction, perceived that her husband was blest with the general characteristics of health, though many of the finer lineaments of his countenance were obliterated, and he was decidedly looking old for his years. ”

“ She could a little, but not then. By an impatient gesture, Isabella was compelled to make an effort, finding her husband was in the anteroom. At that moment she considered him her fellow-sufferer; she could have wept over him, but it was difficult indeed to sing for him.
But Isabella had a strong mind as well as a kind heart, and she sung, successively, various songs, until the arrival of Parizzi, who found her looking almost as pale as his patient; and it was understood that she could not return that evening, her situation accounting for her indisposition. ”

“ Isabella could have dilated on her husband's love and her own happiness in it, but a delicate perception of Margarita's situation kept her silent. "Perhaps," she said, "the poor sufferer would rather it were so—rather that all the love of Glentworth belonged to self. I would not undeceive her; yet, surely Glentworth loved me once?" After thus conversing for an hour, Doctor Parizzi was announced, the signal for Isabella's departure. ”

“ Linton to turn in another direction she heard Max saying in a tender way:
“Poor darling! It is so hard to live with an uncongenial nature, isn’t it? I am so sorry for you.”
June did not hear Irene’s reply, but she wondered how she could bear such flattery, or how she could hear 117 her noble husband spoken of in such a slanderous way, and she thought she must speak to some one on the subject, but to whom she did not know.
“Miss Wilmer,” Mr. Linton said again, “if you knew how much I loved you you would at least condescend to reply when I tell you so.” ”

“ There's more than one amongst you would like to be safe home again, afore long! A set of lazy thieves, no less. The heavens be my bed, but I never thought I 'd see the day they 'd be bringing a 'naygur' to Ireland to teach us music!”
This singular apostrophe, which seemed to fill the measure of her woe, so far attracted Linton's curiosity to comprehend it, that he opened the window and looked out, and at once discovered, by the direction of the eyes of the circle, the object of the sarcasm. ”

“ Le futur must be rich, and I am afraid that she is unreasonable enough to expect that he should be young, and good-looking also."
"And pray what would you like yourself?" asked her sister.
"I ask three good qualities," replied Isabella, somewhat seriously; "he must be kind, rich, and rational."
"Certainly young ladies now-a-days think a great deal more about money than I did when I was a girl, and yet I made a great match," said Mrs. Palmer, looking reverently back to the honours and glories of her first marriage. ”

“ The secluded life at Brantwood became irksome to her, and the Lintons moved to Leinster Square, Bayswater, where the City life became equally irksome to her husband. Then came the separation, and Linton's departure for America, Mrs. Lynn Linton occupying various quarters in London, working on the Saturday Review, writing more novels, patronizing and generously helping young lady aspirants for literary successes, and making herself the centre of charming circles of friends and guests. In the lofty Queen Anne's Mansions, rising like a hill-summit above the flat plains and lake of St. ”

“ Though she preserves her wifely attachment to a man whom she has once thought worthy of better things, her respect dies away, and at last she openly defies him when he wants her, in contravention of her plain duty, not to adopt as her son a deserted orphan-boy. At this point her character stands out in noble contrast to his. She does adopt the boy, and brings him to live with her in spite of all; and when St. John is unnaturally peevish at its childish squalling, Isola bears his fretful animadversions with a patient dignity that touches the hearts of all about her. ”

“ Linton could only say, "Oh, shut up," boyishly, but he stepped up to the Justice, who was idle just then, to see what could be done about it. The Justice seemed a pretty decent fellow, but he only shook his head and smiled at the young reporter. "She only cries because she's a woman," he said, re-dipping his pen. "She knows the Island's the best place for her. ”

“ The more dependent she is, the better he will love her; the less of conscious thought, of active will, of originative power she has, the greater his regard and tenderness. To be the one sole teacher and protector of such a gentle little creature seems to him the most delicious and the best condition of married life; and he holds Milton's famous lines to be expressive of the only fitting relation between men and women. The adoring seraph is his ideal; Griselda, Desdemona, Lucy Ashton, are his highest culminations of womanly grace ”

“ Isabella, on the contrary, felt a real interest in the strangers, at least in one of them, of whose face she did not get so good a view as her sister had done, and though her spirits were by no means in tone for forming acquaintance with a stranger, and she was really much engaged with the solemn and beautiful objects by which she was surrounded, yet still, from time to time, she could not forbear looking towards the younger. ”

“ The friend of her youth is now a stout, soft, helpless old lady, much bedraped in woollen shawls, given to frequent sippings of brandy and water, and ensconced in the chimney corner like a huge clay figure set to dry. For her the indestructible old lady has the supremest contempt, heightened in intensity by a vivid remembrance of the time when they were friends and rivals. Ah, poor Laura, she says, straightening herself ”

“ Can it be possible that you had felt a momentary trepidation before meeting the gifted woman for whose genius you have ever entertained the greatest reverence? But Mrs. Lynn Linton will have none of it! Her kind and friendly greeting puts you at once at ease. She says that she has an hour or two to spare, that her work is well on, and that there is no immediate fear of her being disturbed by an emissary from the printers, so you settle down to have a good talk, and to learn from your hostess some particulars of her early life, and her subsequent eventful career. ”