35 Cont. 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, the hunt is on. And Rose delivers some unwelcome news.
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 35 Containing the unsatisfactory result of Oliver's adventure and a conversation of some importance between Harry Mailey and Rose When the inmates of the house attracted by Oliver's cries hurried to the spot from which they proceeded,
They found him pale and agitated,
Pointing in the direction of the meadows behind the house and scarcely able to articulate the words,
The Jew!
The Jew!
Mr Giles was at a loss to comprehend what this outcry meant,
But Harry Mailey,
Whose perceptions were something quicker,
Said,
What direction did he take?
He caught up a heavy stick which was standing in a corner.
That,
Replied Oliver,
Pointing out the course the man had taken,
I missed them in an instant.
There they are in the ditch,
Said Harry.
Follow and keep me as near as you can.
So saying,
He sprang over the hedge and darted off with a speed which rendered it a matter of exceeding difficulty for the others to keep near him.
Giles followed as well as he could,
And Oliver followed too,
And in the course of a minute or two,
Mr Losburn,
Who'd been out walking and just returned,
Tumbled over the hedge after them,
Shouting all the while to know,
Most prodigiously,
What was the matter.
On they went,
Not stopped,
Even to breathe,
Until the leader,
Striking off into an angle of the field indicated by Oliver,
Began to search narrowly the ditch and the hedge adjoining.
This afforded time for the remainder of the party to come up,
And for Oliver to communicate to Mr Losburn the circumstances that had led to so vigorous a pursuit.
But the search was all in vain.
There were not even the traces of recent footsteps to be seen.
They stood now on the summit of a little hill,
Commanding the open fields in every direction for three or four miles.
There was the village in the hollow on the left,
But in order to gain that,
After pursuing the track Oliver had pointed out,
The men must have made a circuit of open ground,
Which it was impossible they could have accomplished in so short a time.
A thick wood skirted the meadowland in another direction,
But they could not have gained that covert for the same reason.
It must have been a dream,
Oliver,
Said Harry Maily.
Oh,
No,
Indeed,
Sir,
Replied Oliver,
Shuddering at the thought.
I saw him too plainly for that.
I saw them both,
As plainly as I see you now.
Who was the other?
Inquired Harry.
The very man I told you of,
Who came so suddenly upon me at the inn.
We had our eyes fixed full upon each other and I could swear to him.
They took this way,
Demanded Harry.
Are you sure?
As I am,
That the men were at the window,
Replied Oliver.
He pointed down as he spoke to the hedge which divided the cottage garden from the meadow.
The tall man leaped over just there and the Jew,
Running a few paces to the right,
Crept through that cap.
The two men watched Oliver's earnest face as he spoke,
And looking from him to each other,
Seemed to feel satisfied of the accuracy of what he said.
Still,
In no direction were there any appearances of the trampling of men in hurried flight.
The grass was long,
But it was trodden down nowhere,
Save where their own feet had crushed it.
This is strange,
Said Harry.
Strange,
Echoed the doctor.
Blathers and Duff themselves could make nothing of it.
Notwithstanding the evidently useless nature of their search,
They did not desist until the coming on of night rendered its further prosecution hopeless,
And even then they gave it up with reluctance.
Giles was dispatched to the different alehouses in the village,
Furnished with the best description Oliver could give of the appearance and dress of the strangers.
On the next day,
Fresh search was made,
And the enquiries renewed,
But with no better success.
On the day following,
Oliver and Mr Maylie repaired to the market town in the hope of seeing or hearing something of the men there,
But this effort was equally fruitless.
After a few days,
The affair was forgotten as most affairs are.
Meanwhile,
Rose was rapidly recovering.
She had left her room,
Was able to go out,
And mixed once more with the family,
Carrying joy into the hearts of all.
But although this happy change had a visible effect on the little circle,
And although cheerful voices and merry laughter were once more heard in the cottage,
There was at times an unwanted restraint upon some there,
Which Oliver could not fail to remark.
Mrs Maylie and her son were often closeted together for a long time.
More often than once,
Rose appeared with traces of tears upon her face.
After Mr Losburn had fixed a day for his departure to Chertsey,
These symptoms increased,
And it became evident something was in progress which affected the peace of the young lady and of somebody else besides.
At length one morning,
When Rose was alone in the breakfast parlour,
Harry Maylie entered,
And with some hesitation begged permission to speak with her for a few moments.
"'A few,
A very few,
Will suffice,
Rose,
' said the young man,
Drawing his chair to her.
"'What I have to say has already presented itself to your mind.
The most cherished hopes of my heart are not unknown to you,
Though from my lips you have not heard them stated.
' Rose had been very pale from the moment of his entrance,
But that might have been the effect of her recent illness.
She merely bowed and bended over some plants that stood near,
Waiting in silence for him to proceed.
"'I ought to have left here before,
' said Harry.
"'You should have indeed,
' replied Rose.
"'Forgive me for saying so,
But I wish you had.
"'I was brought here by the most dreadful and agonising of all apprehensions.
"'The fear of losing one dear being on whom my every wish and hope are fixed.
"'We've been dying,
Trembling between earth and heaven.
"'We know that when the young,
The beautiful and the good are visited with sickness,
"'their pure spirits insensibly turn towards their bright home of lasting rest.
"'We know heaven help us,
The best and fairest of our kind too often fade in blooming.
' There were tears in the eyes of the gentle girl as these words were spoken.
And when one fell upon the flower over which he bent,
And glistened brightly in its cup,
Making it more beautiful,
It seemed as though the outpouring of her fresh young heart claimed kindred naturally with the loveliest things in nature.
"'I've watched you changed almost from death to life,
"'with eyes that turn blind with their eagerness and deep affection,
' he continued.
"'You recover day by day and almost hour by hour.
"'Do not tell me you wish I'd lost this,
For it softened my heart to all mankind.
' "'I did not mean that,
' said Rose,
Weeping.
"'I only wish you'd left here that you might have turned to high and noble pursuits again,
"'to pursuits well worthy of you.
"'There is no pursuit more worthy of me,
"'more worthy of the highest nature that exists,
"'than the struggle to win such a heart as yours,
' "'said the young man taking her hand.
"'Rose,
My own dear Rose,
For years I've loved you,
"'hoping to win my way to fame,
"'and then come proudly home and tell you it being pursued,
"'just for you to share.
"'Thinking my daydreams how I'd remind you in that happy moment "'of the many silent tokens I'd given of a boy's attachment,
"'and claim your hand,
"'as in redemption of some old mute contract that had been sealed between us.
"'That time is not arrived,
"'but here,
With not fame won and no young vision realised,
"'I offer you the heart so long your own,
"'and stake my all upon the words with which you greet the offer.
"'Your behaviour has been ever kind and noble,
' said Rose,
"'mastering the emotions by which she was agitated.
"'As you believe,
I'm not insensible or ungrateful,
"'so hear my answer.
"'Is it that I may endeavour to deserve you,
Is it,
Rose?
' "'It is,
' replied Rose,
"'that you must endeavour to forget me.
"'Not as your old and dear attachment "'companion,
"'but as the object of your love.
"'Look into the world,
"'think how many hearts you would be proud to gain.
"'Confide some other passion to me,
If you will,
"'and I will be the truest,
Warmest and most faithful friend you have.
' "'There was a pause during which Rose,
"'who'd covered her face with one hand,
"'gave free vent to her tears.
"'Your reasons,
' he said at length in a low voice,
"'your reasons for this decision?
"'Yes,
Harry,
I owe it to myself "'that I,
A friendless,
Portionless girl "'with a blight upon my name,
"'should not give your friend's reason to suspect "'I'd sordidly yielded to your first passion "'and fastened myself on all your hopes and projects.
"'I owe it to you and yours to prevent you from opposing,
"'in the warmth of your generous nature,
"'this great obstacle to your progress in the world.
"'If your inclinations chime with your sense of duty,
' Harry began.
"'They do not,
' replied Rose,
Colouring deeply.
"'Then you return my love,
' said Harry.
"'Say but that,
Dear Rose,
Say but that,
"'and soften the bitterness of this hard disappointment.
"'If I could have done so without doing heavy wrong to him I loved,
' "'rejoined Rose,
I could have,
"'have received this declaration differently,
' said Harry.
"'Do not conceal that from me at least.
' "'I could,
' said Rose.
"'Stay,
' she added,
Disengaging her hand.
"'But why should we prolong this painful interview?
' "'Oh,
Rose,
' said Harry,
"'in the name of my ardent and enduring attachment,
"'in the name of all I suffered for you,
"'and all you doomed me to undergo,
"'answer me.
' "'If your lot had been differently cast,
' rejoined Rose.
"'If you'd been even a little but not so far above me,
"'if I could have been a help and comfort to you "'in any humble scene of peace and retirement,
"'and not a blot and drawback "'in ambitious and distinguished crowds,
"'I should have been spared this trial.
"'I have every reason to be happy,
"'very happy now.
"'But then,
Harry,
I own,
"'I should have been happier.
"'I cannot help this weakness,
"'and it makes my purpose stronger,
' "'said Rose,
Extending her hand.
"'I must leave you now indeed.
' "'I ask one promise,
' said Harry,
"'once and only once more.
"'Say within a year,
But it may be much sooner.
"'I may speak to you again on this subject for the last time.
' "'Not to press me to alter my right determination,
' "'replied Rose with a melancholy smile.
"'It will be useless.
' "'No,
' said Harry,
"'to hear you repeat it if you will,
"'finally repeat it.
"'I'll lay at your feet "'whatever station of fortune I may possess,
"'and if you still adhere to your present resolution,
"'I will not seek by word or act to change it.
' "'Then let it be so,
' "'rejoined Rose.
"'It is but one pang the more,
"'and by that time,
"'I may be unable to bear it better.
' "'She extended her hand again,
"'but the young man caught her to his bosom,
"'and imprinting one kiss on her beautiful forehead,
"'hurried from the room.
'"
