The Tenant of Wildfell Hall: Chapter 35 Summary & Analysis

Annabella grows bold as time goes on. She is as friendly as she wants to be with Arthur, inquiring often after his health in order to underscore Helen’s coldness and indifference, and Arthur responds with gratitude and flirtatiousness. Helen is nearly driven to seek revenge by flirting with Walter Hargrave but stops herself, horrified by the thought that she might be in danger of growing more and more like Arthur and his friends the longer she is with them. She starts to doubt her identity as a Christian, since no true believer could harbor the hateful feelings she has toward Annabella and Arthur. Helen saves the bulk of her hatred for Annabella—she could forgive Arthur someday, she writes, but never Annabella.

On the last morning of the houseguests’ stay at Grassdale, Helen goes down to breakfast to find Annabella up early. Arthur joins them, and he and Annabella begin talk in front of Helen about how sad they are that they will have to part. Annabella asks Helen to forgive her, saying that she simply loves Arthur more than Helen does. Helen is visibly upset, and Arthur laughs at her. Later, Walter Hargrave seems to intimate that he and Helen might have a love affair now that she is free of her husband, but Helen rebukes him. In the afternoon, Annabella informs Helen that she really should thank her—it’s because of Annabella that Arthur has moderated his drinking habits. Helen is too furious to speak. Annabella then asks her one favor: she hopes Helen will do what she can to keep Arthur from slipping into his old ways.

Walter Hargrave adds to Helen’s discomfort by begging her forgiveness for offending her earlier. He cannot rest until he knows he is back in her good graces. Helen says she will forgive him this one offense if he vows to sin no more. He says he will do everything he can in the future to deserve her good opinion. Helen, rejoining the rest of the company, can only be thankful that they will all be gone the next day.