Summary Chp. 6

Hindley came home for the funeral with a wife who looked too cheerful to be intelligent. Now in command of the house, he thrashed Cathy and Heathcliff—especially Heathcliff—every chance he could. As a result, Heathcliff and Cathy made a promise to each other to purposely misbehave. Soon punishment was nothing but an entertainment to them.

The two were missing for one supper. Nelly Dean waited awhile. Later on Heathcliff came back all by himself with the news that Cathy was at Thrushcross Grange. He then explained that he and Cathy happened to trespass there and witnessed a fighting scene between Edgar and Isabella Linton. The way the good-mannered children fought seemed so funny to them that they laughed, which made the Linton children aware of their presence and call for help. Heathcliff and Cathy tried to get away, but one dog caught hold of Cathy’s ankle. Heathcliff wouldn’t leave her and so the Lintons found both of them.

Recognizing the girl as Miss Earnshaw, the Lintons took her in to treat her ankle. They wouldn’t let Heathcliff in, though, because in their eyes he was only a gipsy boy. Heathcliff saw from the outside that they had cleaned up Cathy’s wild appearance.

Hindley didn’t thrash Heathcliff for this incident, but he threatened him to never speak to his sister again or he would be dismissed from Wuthering Heights.