Wuthering Heights Ellen "Nelly" Dean Quotes

"Have you considered how you'll bear the separation, and how he'll bear to be quite deserted in the world?" (9.98)

Catherine can hardly think beyond her own desires. Nelly makes a futile attempt to defend Heathcliff here. She knows that if Catherine marries Edgar, it isn't going to be pretty.

There was another rapid glance at the house, and supposing himself unseen, the scoundrel had the impudence to embrace her.

"Judas! Traitor!" I ejaculated. "You are a hypocrite, too, are you? A deliberate deceiver."

"Who is, Nelly?" said Catherine's voice at my elbow: I had been over-intent on watching the pair outside to mark her entrance.

"Your worthless friend!" I answered, warmly, "the sneaking rascal yonder. Ah, he has caught a glimpse of us—he is coming in! I wonder will he have the heart to find a plausible excuse for making love to Miss, when he told you he hated her?" (11.36-39)

Heathcliff's plot against Edgar begins, and Isabella becomes his willing dupe. Nelly doesn't exactly maintain calm in the situation. Look at her language—she clearly wants to provoke Catherine. And who exactly is the other hypocrite to which she refers here?

"The harm of it is, that her father [Edgar] would hate me if he found I suffered [Cathy] to enter your house; and I am convinced you have a bad design in encouraging her to do so." (21.36)

Nelly clues in to Heathcliff's ill intent, but that doesn't stop her from being suckered into going back to the Heights.