42 Oliver Twist - Read By Stephanie Poppins

"Oliver Twist," written by Charles Dickens in the 19th century, tells the story of an orphan boy and his adventures in London's slums. In this episode, there is a shock in the night that disrupts the fragile peace of the darkened city streets, propelling Oliver into unforeseen challenges and encounters.

In this episode, Nancy is acting strangely.

Transcript

Hello.

Welcome to Sleep Stories with Steph,

Your go-to romantic podcast that guarantees you a calm and entertaining transition into a great night's sleep.

Come with me as we immerse ourselves in a romantic journey to a time long since forgotten.

But before we begin,

Let's take a moment to focus on where we are now.

Take a deep breath in through your nose and let it out with a long sigh.

Now close your eyes and feel yourself sink deeper into the support beneath you.

It is time to relax and fully let go.

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

Happy listening.

Chapter 41 Containing fresh discoveries and showing that surprises like misfortunes seldom come alone.

Rose's situation was indeed one of no common trial and difficulty.

While she felt the most eager and burning desire to penetrate the mystery in which Oliver's history was enveloped,

She could not but hold sacred the confidence which the miserable woman with whom she just conversed had reposed in her.

Her words and manner had touched Rosemary's heart and mingled with her love for her young charge and scarcely less intense in its truth and fervour,

Was her fond wish to win the outcast back to repentance and hope.

They purposed remaining in London only three days prior to departing for some weeks to a distant part of the coast.

It was now midnight of the first day.

What course of action could Rose determine upon which could be adopted in eight and forty hours?

Or how could she postpone the journey without exciting suspicion?

Mr.

Lossman was with them and would be for the next two days.

But Rose was too well acquainted with the excellent gentleman's impetuosity and foresaw too clearly the wrath with which in the first explosion of his indignation he would regard the instrument of Oliver's recapture.

To trust him with the secret,

As resulting to any legal advisor,

If she had known how to do so,

It was scarcely to be thought of for the same reason.

Once the thought occurred to her of seeking assistance from Harry,

But this awakened the recollection of their last parting and it seemed unworthy of her to call him back.

Disturbed by these different reflections,

Rose passed a sleepless and anxious night.

After more communing with herself the next day,

She arrived at the desperate conclusion of having to consult Harry regardless.

It'd be painful to him,

She thought,

To come back here,

How painful it will be to me.

Perhaps he will not come,

He may write or he may come himself,

And studiously abstain from meeting me.

And here Rose dropped the pen and turned away,

As though the very paper which was to be her messenger should not see her weep.

She had taken up the same pen and laid it down again fifty times,

When Oliver,

Who'd been walking in the streets with Mr.

Giles for a bodyguard,

Entered the room in such a breathless haste and violent agitation as seemed to betoken some new cause of alarm.

What makes you look so flurried?

Asked Rose,

Advancing to meet him.

I hardly know how,

I feel as if I should be choked,

Replied the boy,

To think I should have seen him at last and you should be able to know I've told you the truth.

I never thought you'd told us anything but the truth,

Said Rose,

But what is this,

Of whom do you speak?

I've seen the gentleman who was so good to me,

Mr.

Brownlow,

That we've so often talked about.

There,

Asked Rose,

Getting out of a coach,

Replied Oliver,

Shedding tears of delight,

And going into a house.

I didn't speak to him,

I couldn't speak to him for he didn't see me,

And I trembled so that I was not able to go after him but Giles asked for me whether he lived there and they said he did.

Here it is,

Oliver opened a scrap of paper.

What shall I do when I come to see him and hear him speak again?

With Rose's attention not a little distracted by these and a great many other incoherent exclamations of joy,

She read the address which was Craven Street in the Strand.

Quick,

She said,

Tell them to fetch a Hackney coach and be ready to go with me.

I'll take you there directly without a minute's loss of time.

Oliver needed no prompting to dispatch and in a little more than five minutes they were on their way to Craven Street.

When they arrived,

Rose left Oliver in the coach on the pretence of preparing the old gentleman to receive him and sending up her card by the servant requested to see Mr Brownlow.

The servant soon returned to beg she would walk upstairs and following him into an upper room,

Miss Mayley was presented to an elderly gentleman of benevolent appearance in a bottle green coat.

At no great distance from whom was seated another old gentleman in nankeen breeches and gaiters who did not look particularly benevolent and he was sitting with his hands clasped on the top of a thick stick and his chin propped there upon.

This is my friend Mr Grimwig.

Grimwig,

Will you leave us for a few minutes?

I believe,

Interposed Miss Mayley,

This period of our interview I need not give that gentleman the trouble of going away.

If I am correctly informed he's cognizant of the business on which I wish to speak to you.

I shall surprise you very much,

Rose continued,

But you once showed great benevolence and goodness to a very dear young friend of mine and I'm sure you'll take interest in hearing of him again.

Indeed,

Said Mr Brownlow.

Oliver Twist,

You knew him as.

The words no sooner escaped Rose's lips than Mr Grimwig,

Who'd been affecting to dip into a large book that lay on the table,

Upset it with a great crash and falling back in his chair discharged from his features every expression but one of unmitigated wonder.

Mr Brownlow was no less surprised,

Although his astonishment was not expressed in the same eccentric manner.

He drew his chair nearer to Miss Mayley's and said.

Do me the favour,

My dear young lady,

To leave entirely out of the question that goodness and benevolence of which you speak and of which nobody else knows anything.

If you have it in your power to produce any evidence which will alter the unfavourable opinion I was once induced to entertain of that poor child,

In heaven's name,

Put me in possession of it.

He's a child of noble nature and a warm heart,

Said Rose,

And that power which has thought fit to try him beyond his years has planted in his breast affections and feelings which would do honour to many who've numbered his days six times over.

Rose then related,

In a few natural words,

All that had befallen Oliver since he left Mr Brownlow's house,

Reserving Nancy's information for that gentleman's privateer and concluding with the assurance that his only sorrow for some months past had not been able to meet with his former benefactor and friend.

Thank God,

Said the old gentleman.

This is great happiness to me,

Great happiness,

But you've not taught me where he is now.

You must pardon my finding fault with you.

Why,

Have you not brought him?

He's waiting in a coach at the door,

Replied Rose.

At this door?

The old gentleman hurried out of the room,

Down the stairs,

Up the coach steps and into the coach,

Without another word.

When the room door closed behind him,

Mr Grimwig lifted up his head and,

Converting one of the hind legs of his chair into a pivot,

Described three distinct circles with the assistance of his stick in the table,

Sitting in it all the time.

After performing this evolution,

He rose and limped as fast as he could up and down the room at least a dozen times,

Then stopping suddenly before Rose,

Kissed her without the slightest preface.

Hush,

He said,

As she rose in some alarm.

Don't be afraid,

I'm old enough to be your grandfather.

You're a sweet girl,

I like you.

And here they are.

In fact,

As he threw himself at one dexterous dive into his former seat,

Mr Brownlow returned accompanied by Oliver,

Whom Mr Grimwig received very graciously.

There is somebody else who shall not be forgotten by the bye,

Said Mr Brownlow.

Send Mrs Bedwin here,

If you please.

The old housekeeper answered the summons with all dispatch and,

Dropping a curtsy at the door,

Waited for orders.

Why,

You get blinder every day,

Bedwin,

Said Mr Brownlow.

Well,

That I do,

Sir,

Replied the old lady.

People's eyes at my time of life don't improve with age,

Sir.

I could have told you that,

Rejoined Mr Brownlow.

But put on your glasses and see if you can't find out what you were wanted for,

Will you?

The old lady began to rummage in her pocket for her spectacles.

But Oliver's patience was not proof against this first trial.

And yielding to his first impulse,

He sprang into her arms.

God be good to me,

Cried the old lady,

Embracing him.

It's my innocent boy.

My dear old nurse,

Cried Oliver.

He would come back unknowing,

Said the old lady.

And how well he looks,

How like a gentleman's son he's dressed again.

Where have you been this long while?

The same sweet face,

But not so pale.

The same soft eye,

But not so sad.

I've never forgotten them,

Or his quiet smile.

But I've seen them every day,

Side by side with those of my own dear children,

Dead and gone since I was a lightsome young creature.

Running on thus,

And now holding Oliver from her to mark how he'd grown,

Now clasping him to her and passing her fingers fondly through his hair,

The good soul laughed and wept upon his neck by turns.

Mr.

Brownlow led the way into another room,

And there he heard from Rose a full narration of her interview with Nancy.

Rose also explained her reasons for not confiding in her friend,

Mr.

Losburn.

The old gentleman considered she'd acted prudently and readily undertook to hold solemn conference with a worthy doctor himself.

It was a rain she should call at the hotel at eight o'clock that evening,

And in the meantime,

Mrs.

Mailey should be cautiously informed of all that occurred.

These preliminaries adjusted,

Rose and Oliver returned home.

Rose had no means overrated the measure of the good doctor's wrath.

Nancy's history was no sooner unfolded than he poured forth a shower of mingled threats and execrations.

He threatened to make her the first victim of the combined ingenuity of Mrs.

Blathers and Duff,

And actually put on his hat preparatory to sallying forth to obtain the assistance of those worthies.

And doubtless he would,

In this first outbreak,

Have carried the intention into effect without a moment's consideration of the consequences if he had not been restrained in part by corresponding violence on the side of Mr.

Brownlow,

Who was himself of an irascible temperament and party by such arguments and representations seemed best calculated to dissuade him from his hot-brained purpose.

Then what is the devil to be done?

Asked the impetuous doctor.

Are we to pass vote of thanks to all these vagabonds,

Male and female,

And beg them to accept a hundred pounds as a trifling mark of our esteem?

Not exactly that,

Rejoined Mr.

Brownlow,

But we must proceed gently and with great care.

Supposing it were possible to bring these scoundrels to justice without compromising Nancy's safety,

What good should we bring about?

Hanging a few of them at least in all probability,

Suggested the doctor,

And transporting the rest.

Very good,

Said Mr.

Brownlow,

Smiling,

But no doubt they'll bring that about for themselves in the fullness of time.

It will be necessary to see the girl,

To ascertain from her whether she will point out this monk's on the understanding he's to be dealt with by us and not by the law,

Or if she will not or cannot do that,

To procure her from such an account of his haunts and description of his person as will enable us to identify him.

She cannot be seen until next Sunday night.

Tonight is Tuesday,

I would suggest in the meantime we remain perfectly quiet and keep these matters secret,

Even from Oliver himself.

Now come,

Supper has been announced,

And young Oliver,

Who is all alone in the next room,

Will have begun to think by this time we've wearied of his company and entered into some dark conspiracy to thrust him forth upon the world.