as I will.‟ „And the curate does not teach you to read and write, then?‟ I pursued.
„No, I was told the curate should have his— teeth dashed down his — throat, if he stepped over the threshold — Heathcliff had promised that!‟ (Chapter XI)]
From the following excerpts we learn about the poor relationship between Isabella and Heathcliff, which adds credit to my assertion that Heathcliff’s character does suffer from a psychological disorder.
[„My young lady is looking sadly the worse for her change of condition,‟ I remarked. „Somebody‟s love comes short in her case, obviously; whose, I may guess; but, perhaps, I shouldn‟t say.‟ „I should guess it was her own,‟ said Heathcliff. „She degenerates into a mere slut! She is tired of trying to please me uncommonly early. You‟d h ardly credit it, but the very morrow of our wedding she was weeping to go home. However, she‟ll suit this house so much the better for not being over nice, and I‟ll take care she does not disgrace me by rambling abroad.‟(Chapter XIV) „Take care, Ellen!‟ answered Isabella, her eyes sparkling irefully; there was no misdoubting by their expression the full success of her partner‟s endeavours to make himself detested. „Don‟t put faith in a single word he speaks. He‟s a lying fiend! a monster, and not a human being! I‟ve been told I might leave him before; and I‟ve made the attempt, but I dare not repeat it! Only, Ellen, promise you‟ll not mention a syllable of his infamous conversation to my brother or Catherine. Whatever he may pretend, he wishes to provoke Edgar to desperation: he says he has married me on purpose to obtain power over him; and he sha‟n‟t obtain it—I‟ll die first! I just hope, I pray, that he may forget his diabolical prudence and kill me! The single pleasure I can imagine is to die, or to see him dead!‟