11 The Tenant Of Wildfell Hall Abridged By Stephanie Poppins

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is framed as a series of letters from Gilbert Markham to his friend about the events connected with his meeting a mysterious young widow, calling herself Helen Graham. She arrives at Wildfell Hall, an Elizabethan mansion that has been empty for many years, with her young son and a servant.

Contrary to the early 19th-century norms, she pursues an artist's career and makes an income by selling her pictures. Her strict seclusion soon gives rise to gossip in the neighboring village and she becomes a social outcast. Refusing to believe anything scandalous about her, Gilbert befriends her and discovers her past.

In this episode, Helen becomes the target of a smear campaign led by two women scorned—jealousy motivates both Eliza Millward and Jane Wilson.

Transcript

Hello.

Welcome to Sleep Stories with Steph,

A romantic bedtime podcast guaranteed to help you drift off into a calm,

Relaxing sleep.

Come with me as we travel back to a time long ago where Helen Huntingdon is sacrificing everything she knows in order to protect her son.

But before we begin let us take a moment to focus on where we are now.

Take a deep breath in through your nose then let it out on a long sigh.

That's it.

It is time to relax and really let go.

Feel your shoulders melt away from your ears as you sink into the support beneath you.

Feel the pressure seep away from your cheeks as your breath drops into a natural rhythm.

There is nothing you need to be doing right now and nowhere you need to go.

We are together and it is time for sleep.

The Tenant of Wildfelm Hall by Anne Bronte Read and abridged by Stephanie Poppins Chapter 11 The Vicar Again You must suppose about three weeks passed over.

Mrs.

Graham and I were now established friends or brother and sister as we chose to consider ourselves.

She called me Gilbert,

Name I expressed desire,

And I called her Helen,

For I had seen that name written in her books.

I seldom attempted to see her above twice a week,

And I still made our meetings appear as a result of accident as often as I could,

For I found it necessary to be extremely careful.

And altogether I behaved with such exceeding propriety that she never had occasion to reprove me once.

Yet I could not but perceive that she was at times unhappy and dissatisfied with herself or her position,

And truly I myself was not quite contented with the latter.

This assumption of brotherly nonchalance was very hard to sustain,

And I often felt myself a most confounded hypocrite with it all.

I saw too,

Or rather I felt,

That in spite of herself,

I was not indifferent to her,

As the novel heroes modestly express it.

And while I thankfully enjoyed my present good fortune,

I could not fail to wish and hope for something better in future.

But,

Of course,

I kept such dreams entirely to myself.

"'Where are you going,

Gilbert?

' said Rose one evening,

Shortly after tea,

When I had been busy with the farm all day.

"'To take a walk,

' was the reply.

"'Do you always brush your hair so carefully and do your hair so nicely,

And put on such smart new gloves when you take a walk?

' "'Not always.

You're going to Wildfeld Hall,

Aren't you?

"'What makes you think so?

"'Because you look as if you were,

But I wish you wouldn't go so often.

"'Nonsense,

Child,

I don't go once in six weeks.

What do you mean?

' "'Well,

If I were you,

I wouldn't have quite so much to do with Mrs.

Graham.

' "'Why,

Rose,

Are you too giving in to the prevailing opinion?

' "'No,

' returned she,

Hesitatingly.

"'But I've heard so much about her lately,

Both at the Wilsons and the Vicarage.

"'And,

Besides,

Mama says,

If she were a proper person,

She wouldn't be living there by herself.

"'Don't you remember last winter,

Gilbert?

"'All that about the false name to the picture,

And how she explained it,

"'saying she'd had friends or acquaintances from whom she wished her present residence,

"'wasn't it?

"'And that she was afraid of their tracing her out.

"'Then how,

Suddenly,

She started up and left the room when that person came,

"'whom she took good care not to let us catch a glimpse of,

"'and who Arthur,

With such an air of mystery,

Told us it was his Mama's friend?

' "'Yes,

Rose,

I remember it all,

' said I.

"'And I can forgive your uncharitable conclusions,

For I did not know her myself.

"'I should put all those things together,

And believe the same as you do.

"'But,

Thank God,

I do know her.

"'And I should be unworthy of the name of a man,

"'if I could believe anything that was said against her,

"'unless I heard it from her own lips.

"'I should as soon believe such things ever again,

"'if I could believe anything that was said against her,

"'unless I heard it from her own lips.

"'I should as soon believe such things ever again,

"'unless I heard it from her own lips.

"'I should as soon believe such things of you,

Rose.

"'Oh,

Gilbert!

"'Well,

Do you think I could have believed anything of the kind,

"'whatever the Wilsons and Millwards dared to whisper?

"'I should hope not indeed.

"'And why not?

"'Because I know you,

That's why.

"'And I know her just as well.

"'Oh,

No,

' Rose persisted.

"'You know nothing of her former life,

"'and last year at this time,

"'you didn't know that such a person existed.

"'No matter.

"'There's such a thing as looking through a person's eyes "'and into the heart,

"'learning more of the height and breadth and depth "'of another soul in one hour,

"'that it might take you in a lifetime to discover,

"'if he or she were not disposed to reveal it,

"'or if you had not the sense to understand it.

"'Then you are going to see her this evening,

"'to be sure I am.

"'But what would Mama say,

Gilbert?

"'Mama needn't know.

"'But she must know sometime,

If you go on.

"'Go on.

"'There's no going on in the matter.

"'Mrs.

Graham and I are two friends,

"'and no man breathing shall hinder it,

"'or has a right to interfere between us.

"'But if you knew how they talk,

"'you'd be more careful,

' said Rose,

"'for her sake as well as for your own.

"'Jane Wilson thinks your visits to the old hall "'but another proof of her depravity.

"'Confound Jane Wilson!

"'And Eliza Millwood is quite grieved about you.

"'I hope she is.

"'But I wouldn't if I were you.

"'Wouldn't what?

"'How do they know that I go there?

"'There's nothing hid from them.

"'They spy out everything.

' "'I never thought of this,

' I said.

"'And so they dare to turn my friendship "'into food for further scandal.

"'That proves the falsehood of their lies.

"'But they don't speak openly to me about such things.

"'It's only by hints and innuendos "'and by what I hear others say "'that I know what they think.

"'Well,

Then I won't go today as it's getting late.

"'Jews take their cursed and venomed tongues,

' "'I muttered in the bitterness of my soul.

' "'And just at that moment "'the vicar entered the room.

"'We had been too much absorbed "'in our conversation to observe his knock.

"'After his customary cheerful "'and ratherly greeting of Rose,

"'who was rather a favourite with the old gentleman,

"'he turned somewhat sternly to me.

"'Well,

Sir,

' said he,

"'you're quite a stranger.

"'It is,

Let me see,

' "'he continued slowly "'as he deposited his ponderous bulk in the armchair "'that Rose officiously brought towards him.

"'It is just six weeks by my reckoning "'since you darkened my door.

' "'He spoke it with emphasis "'and struck his stick on the floor.

"'Is it so?

' said I.

"'Ay,

It is so.

' "'He added an affirmatory nod "'and continued to gaze upon me "'with a kind of irate solemnity,

"'holding his substantial stick between his knees "'with his hands clasped upon its head.

"'I've been busy,

' I said,

"'for an apology was evidently demanded.

"'Busy?

' repeated he divisively.

"'Yes,

You know,

I've been getting in my hay "'and now the harvest is beginning.

' "'Phew!

' "'Just then my mother came in "'and created a diversion in my favour "'by her loquacious and animated welcome "'of the Reverend guest.

"'She regretted deeply he'd not come a little earlier "'in time for tea,

But offered to have some "'immediately prepared if he would do her the favour "'to partake of it.

"'Not any for me,

I thank you,

' replied he.

"'I shall be at home in a few minutes.

"'Oh,

But do stay and take a little.

"'It'll be ready in five minutes.

' "'But the Reverend rejected the offer "'with a majestic wave of the hand.

"'I'll tell you what I'll take,

Mrs Markham,

' "'said he.

"'I'll take a glass of your excellent ale.

' "'With pleasure,

' cried my mother,

"'proceeding with alacrity to pull the bell "'and order the favoured beverage.

"'I just thought I'd look in upon you as I passed.

"'Taste your home-brewed ale,

' "'said he.

"'I've just been to call on Mrs Graham.

' "'Have you indeed?

' "'He nodded gravely and added "'with an awful emphasis.

"'I thought it incumbent upon me to do so.

"'Really?

' "'ejaculated my mother.

"'Why so,

Mr Milward?

' asked I,

"'and he looked at me with some severity.

"'I thought it incumbent upon me,

' "'he said again and struck his stick on the floor.

"'My mother sat opposite,

"'an awestruck but admiring auditor,

"'as he continued to tell us what had happened.

"'Mrs Graham,

' said I.

"'He continued,

Shaking his head as he spoke.

"'These are terrible reports.

' "'What,

Sir?

' said she,

"'affected to be ignorant.

"'It is my duty as your pastor,

' said I,

"'to tell you both everything I myself "'see reprehensible in your conduct "'and all I have reason to suspect "'and what others tell me concerning you.

"'That is what I told her.

"'You did,

Sir?

' cried I,

"'starting from my seat "'and striking my fist on the table.

"'The pastor merely glanced towards me "'and continued,

Addressing my mother.

"'It was a painful day,

Mrs Markham,

"'but I told her.

' "'And how did she take it?

' "'asked my mother.

"'Hardened,

I fear,

Hardened,

' "'he replied,

With a despondent shake of the head.

"'And at the same time there was a strong display "'of unchastened,

Misdirected passions.

"'She turned white in the face "'and drew her breath through her teeth "'in a savage kind of way,

"'but she offered no extenuation or defence "'and with a kind of shameless calmness,

"'shocking indeed to witness it was in one so young,

"'as good as told me,

"'my remonstrous was unavailing "'and my pastoral advice quite thrown away upon her.

"'I withdrew at length,

"'too plainly seeing nothing could be done "'and sadly grieved to find her case so hopeless.

"'But I'm fully determined,

Mrs Markham,

' "'he continued,

"'that my daughters shall not consult with her.

"'Do you adopt the same resolution "'with regard to yours?

"'And as for your sons,

"'as for you,

Young man,

' "'he continued,

Sternly turning to me.

"'As for me,

Sir,

' I began,

"'but checked by some impediment in my utterance "'and finding my whole frame trembled with fury,

"'I said no more "'but took the wiser part of snatching up my hat "'and bolting from the room,

Slamming the door behind me "'with a bang that shook the house to its foundations.

"'The next minute saw me hurrying with rapid strides "'in the direction of Wildfell Hall.

"'To what intent or purposes I could scarcely tell,

"'but I must be moving somewhere "'and no other goal would do.

"'I must see her too and speak to her,

That was certain,

"'but what to say or how to act,

"'I had no definite idea.

"'Such stormy thoughts,

"'so many different resolutions crowded in upon me "'that my mind was still better "'than a chaos of conflicting passions.

'

Reviews

What a bunch of uptight prudes, right? Goodness… and Gilbert runs to the rescue, hehe.
Thank you! What’s up with the two stories you have written? Haven’t seen those two pop up in a while😍😘 no pressure of course🥰🥰