30 Tenant Of Wildfell Hall- By Stephanie Poppins

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 neighbouring village and she becomes a social outcast. Refusing to believe anything scandalous about her, Gilbert befriends her and discovers her past.

In this episode: Arthur returns from London in even worse shape than he did the year before. He is feverish and impatient with everyone, and Helen bides her time, waiting for the right moment to confront him about his conduct.

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. 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 Red and Abridged by Stephanie Poppins Chapter 30 Domestic Scenes On the following morning I received a few lines from Arthur confirming Hargrave's intimations respecting his approaching return and he did come the next week but in a condition of body and mind even worse than before. I did not however intend to pass over his derelictions this time without a remark. I found it would not do. But the first day he was weary with his journey and I was glad to get him back. I would not upbraid him then. I would wait till tomorrow. Next morning he was weary still. I would wait a little longer. But at dinner when after breakfasting at twelve o'clock on a bottle of soda water and a cup of coffee and lunching at two on another bottle of soda water mingled with brandy he was finding fought with everything on the table and declaring we must change our cook. I thought the time was come. It is the same cook we had before you went Arthur said I. You were generally pretty well satisfied with her then. You must have been letting her get into slovenly habits while I was away he said. It is enough to poison one eating such a disgusting mess. Then he pettishly pushed away his plate and leant back despairingly in his chair. I think it is you that had changed not she said I but with the utmost gentleness for I did not wish to irritate him. It may be so he replied carelessly as he seized a tumbler of wine and water adding when he had tossed it off. For I have an infernal fire in my veins that all the waters of the ocean cannot quench. What kindled it I was about to ask but at that moment the butler entered and began to take away the things. Be quick Benson do have done with that infernal clutter and don't bring the cheese unless you want to make me sick outright Arthur said. Benson in some surprise removed the cheese and did his best to effect a quiet and speedy clearance of the rest but unfortunately there was a rumple in the carpet caused by the hasty pushing back of his master's chair at which he tripped and stumbled causing a rather alarming concussion with a tray full of crockery in his hands. The poor man turned pale and visibly trembled as he stooped to pick up the fragments. He couldn't help it Arthur said I the carpet caught his foot and there's no great harm done. Never mind the pieces now Benson you can clear them away afterwards. Glad to be released Benson expediously set out the dessert and withdrew. What could you mean Helen by taking the servant's part against mine said Arthur as soon as the door was closed when you knew I was distracted. I did not know you were distracted Arthur. I've never heard you complain of your nerves before and why shouldn't I have nerves as well as you? Oh I don't dispute your claim to their possession but I never complain of mine. No how should you when you never do anything to try them? Then why do you try yours Arthur? Do you think I have nothing to do but stay at home and take care of myself like a woman? It is impossible then to take care of yourself like a man when you go abroad. You told me you could and would too and you promised. Come come Helen don't begin with that nonsense now I can't bear it. Can't bear what? To be reminded of the promises you've broken. Helen you are cruel. If you knew how my heart throbbed and how every nerve thrilled through me while you spoke you would spare me. You can pity a dolt of a servant for breaking a dish but you have no compassion for me when my head is split in two and on fire with this consuming fever. He lent his head on his hand and sighed. I went to him and put my hand on his forehead. It was burning indeed. Then come with me into the drawing room Arthur and don't take any more wine. You've taken several glasses since dinner and eaten next to nothing all day. How can that make you better? With some coaxing in persuasion I got him to leave the table. When the baby was brought I tried to amuse him with that but poor little Arthur was cutting his teeth and his father could not bear his complaints and because in the course of the evening I went to share his exile for a little while I was reproached on my return for preferring my child to my husband. I found the latter reclining on the sofa just as I had left him. Well exclaimed the ancient man in a tone of pseudo-resignation I thought I wouldn't send for you. I thought I'd just see how long it would please you to leave me alone. I have not been very long have I Arthur? I've not been an hour I'm sure. Oh of course an hour is nothing to you so pleasantly employed but to me it has not been pleasantly employed interrupted I. I have been nursing our poor little baby who is very far from well and I could not leave him till I got him to sleep. Oh to be sure you're overflowing with kindness and pity for everything but me. Why should I pity you? What is the matter with you? Well that passes everything. All the wear and tear I've had when I come home sick and weary longing for comfort and expecting to find attention and kindness at least from my wife. She calmly asked what's the matter with me? There is nothing the matter with you returned I except what you have willfully brought upon yourself. Now Helen said he emphatically half rising from his recumbent posture if you bother me with another word I'll ring the bell and order six bottles of wine and by heaven I'll drink them dry before I stir from this place. I said no more but sat down before the table and drew a book towards me. Do let me have quietness at least continued he if you deny me every other comfort. Then he languidly closed his eyes as if to sleep. What the book was that lay open on the table before me I cannot tell for I never looked at it. With an elbow each side of it and my hands clasped before my eyes I delivered myself up to silent weeping. But Arthur was not asleep. At the first slight sob he raised his head and looked round. Impatiently exclaiming what are you crying for Helen what the juice is the matter now? I'm crying for you Arthur I replied speedily drying my tears. I started up and threw myself on my knees before him and clasping his nerveless hand between my own I continued don't you know that you are part of myself? Do you think you can injure and degrade yourself and I not feel it? Degrade myself Helen? Yes degrade what have you been doing all this time? You better not ask said he with a faint smile and you had better not tell but you can't deny you have degraded yourself miserably. You've shamefully wronged yourself body and soul and me too and I can't endure it quietly and I won't. Well don't squeeze my hand so frantically and don't agitate me so for heaven's sake. Oh hattersly you are right this woman will be the death of me with her keen feelings and her interesting force of character. There there do spare me a little. Arthur you must repent cried I in a frenzy of desperation throwing my arms around him and burying my face in his bosom. You shall say you're sorry for what you've done. Well I am. You are not you'll do it again. I shall never live to do it again if you treat me so savagely replied he pushing me from him. You've nearly squeezed the breath out of my body. He pressed his hand to his heart and looked really agitated and ill. Now get me a glass of wine said he to remedy what you've done. I'm almost ready to faint. I flew to get the required remedy and it seemed to revive him considerably. What a shame it is said I as I took the empty glass from his hand for a strong young man like you to reduce yourself to such a state. If you knew all my girl you'd say rather what a wonder it is you can bear it so well as you do. You will have to pay a higher price than you anticipate if you don't take care. There will be the total loss of your own health and of my affection too if that is of any value to you. What you're at the game of threatening me with the loss of your affection again are you? If you don't mind my pretty tyrant you'll make me regret my choice in good earnest and envy my friend Hattersley his meek little wife is quite a pattern to her sex. He had her with him in London all season and she was no trouble at all. He might amuse himself as he pleased in regular bachelor style and she never complained of neglect. There's not such a jewel in all England and he swears he wouldn't take a kingdom for her but he makes her life a curse to her. Not he she has no will but his and is always contented and happy as long as he's enjoying himself. In that case she's as great a fool as he is but it is not so. I've had several letters from her expressing the greatest anxiety about his proceedings and complaining you incite him to commit those extravagances. One especially in which he implores me to use my influence with you to get away from London and affirms that her husband never did such things before you came and would certainly discontinue them as soon as you departed and left him to the guidance of his own good sense. The detestable little traitor. Give me the letter and he shall see it as sure as I'm a living man. No he shall not see it without her consent but if he did there is nothing there to anger him nor in any of the others. She never speaks a word against him. It's only anxiety for him that she expresses. She only alludes to his conduct in the most delicate terms and makes every excuse for him she can possibly think of and as for her own misery I rather feel it than see it expressed in her letters. But she abuses me and no doubt you helped her. No I told her she overrated my influence with you that I would gladly draw you away from the temptations of the town if I could but I had little hope of success and that I thought she was wrong in supposing you enticed Mr. Hatterley or anyone else into error. So that is the way you go on heartening each other up to mutiny and abusing each other's partners and throwing out implications against your own to the mutable gratification of both. According to your own account said I my evil counsel has had but little effect on her and thenceforth I restrained my tears and passions as much as I could. I spared him my exhortations and fruitless efforts at conversion too for I saw it was all in vain. God might awaken that heart supine and stupefied with self-indulgence and remove the film of sensual darkness from his eyes but I could not. His injustice and ill humor towards his inferiors who could not defend themselves I still resented and withstood but when I alone was their object as was frequently the case I endured it with calm forbearance. I attended carefully to his wants and amusements but not I own with the same devoted fondness as before because I could not feel it. Besides I had now another claimant on my time and care my ailing infant for whose sake I frequently braved and suffered the reproaches and complaints of his unreasonably exacting father.

Reviews

Knowing that she will get away eventually is good, but what a vision of a decidedly tortured relationship! Thank you 🙏🏼❤️