 Chapter number 46 of Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens This is LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Chapter 46 The Appointment Kept The church clocks chime three quarters past eleven as two figures emerge on Tundun Bridge. One which advanced with a swift and rapid step was out of a woman who looked eagerly about her as though in a quest of some expected object. The other figure was of that other man, who long in the deepest shadow he could find. At some distance accommodated his pace to hers, stopping when she stopped as she moved again, creeping stealthily on, but never allowing himself, and the ardour is a pursuit, again upon her footsteps. Thus they crossed the bridge from the middle sex to the surrey shore, when the woman, apparently disappointed in her anxious scrutiny of the foot passages, turned back. The movement was sudden, but he who watched her was not thrown off his guard by it. Forge, slinking into one of the recesses which somehow, the peers of the bridge, leaning over the parrot that better concealed his figure, he suffered her to pass on the opposite pavement. When she was about the same distance in advance as she had been before, he slipped quietly down, and followed her again. At nearly the centre of the bridge, she stopped. The man stopped too. It was a very dark night. A day had been unfavourable, and at that hour in place there were few people stirring. Such as they were, hurried quickly past, very possibly without seeing, but certainly weren't noticing either, when all the man quipped her in view. Their appearance was not calculated to attract the impure dune, in regard of such as the restitute population, as chance digged their way over the bridge that night in search of some cold art or torridous huddle wherein to lay their heads. They stood there in silence, neither speaking nor spoken to by anyone who passed. A mist hung over the river, deepening the red glare of the fires had burnt upon the small craft moored off the different wharves, and the rendering darker and more indistinct the murky buildings on the banks. The old smoke-stained storehouses on either side rose heavy and dull for the dense mass of roofs and gables, and frown only upon water too black to reflect even their lumbering shapes. A tower of old Saint Saviour's church, in the spire of Saint Magnus, so long the giant waters of the ancient bridge were visible in gloom. What the forest of shipping below bridge, and the sleek leafs scattered spires of churches above, were nearly all hidden from sight. The girl had taken a few neat and distressed turns to and fro, closely watched and whiled by her hidden observer. When the heaviest ill of Saint Paul's toiled for the death of another day, meek night had come upon the serrated city, a palace, the nightseller, the jail, the madhouse, the chambers of birth and death, of health and sickness, the richest fate of the corpse and the calm sleep of the child. Meek night was upon them all. The hour had not struck two minutes when a young lady, accompanied by a grey-haired gentleman, alighted from a hackney carriage within a short distance of the bridge, and having dismissed the vehicle, walked straight towards it. It scattered full upon its pavement, and the girl started and immediately wade towards them. They walked onward, looking about them with an air of persons who entertained some very slight expectation which had till chance of being realised, and they would suddenly join by this new associate. They altered with an explanation of surprise, but suppressed it immediately, for the man in the garments of a countryman came close up. Brushed against them, indeed, that precise moment. Not here, said Nancy hurriedly. I'm afraid to speak to you here. Come away out of the public road. Down the steps you order. Yes, it's not these words, and indicated by the hand, the direction in which you wish them to proceed. The hunterman looked round, and, roughly as they talked up the old pavement for, passed on. The steps to which the girl had pointed were those which, on the surrogate bank, and on the same side of the bridge, a saint saviour's church, formed a landing stairs from the river, to this spot, the man bearing the appearance of a countryman, hastened unobserved, for a moment's survey of the place he began to ascend. These stairs are part of the bridge. They consist of three flights, just below the end of the second, going down the stone wall on the left, terminating an ornamental pilaster facing towards the Thames. At this point, the lower steps widen, so that a person turning that angle of the wall is necessarily unseen by any others on the stairs who would chance to be above him. If only a step. The hunterman looked hastily round when he reached this point, and as there seemed no better place of concealment, and the tide being at, there was plenty of room, he stepped aside, with his back to the pilaster, and they awaited, pretty certain that they would come no lower, and that even if he could not hear what was said, he could follow them again, with safety. So Tardaly stole the time in this lonely place and so eager was a spy to penetrate the motives of an interview so different from what he had been led to expect, that he more than once gave the matter up for lost and persuaded himself, either they had stopped for above, more than resulted in some entirely different spot to hold the mysterious conversation. He was on the point of emerging from his hiding place and regaining the road above, when he heard the sound of footsteps and directly afterwards of voices almost close to his ear. He dreams a little straight upright against the wall and scarcely breathing, listened attentively. This is far enough, said a voice which was evidentially that of the gentleman. I will not suffer that young lady go any farther. Many people would have distrusted you too much to have come even so far, but you'll see I am willing to fuel you. To you, my me, cried the voice of the girl, which you and me had followed. You'll consider it, sir. You, my me. Well, well, it's no matter. Why, for what? said the gentleman in the kinder tone. For what purpose can you have brought us to this strange place? Why, not to have left me speak to you above there, where it is light, and there is something stirring, instead of bringing us into this dark and dismal hole. I tell you before, blight Nancy, that I was afraid to speak to you there. I don't know what it is, said the girl, shattering, but I was such a feeling, all made to know it that I can hardly stand. A fear of what? asked the gentleman who seemed a pittier. I was scared to know what, implied the girl. I wish I did. All but thoughts of death, and shrouded blood upon them, and a fear made me burn as if I was all fire. That had been upon me all day. I was reading a book tonight, with the wild time away. The same things came into the print. Imagination, said the gentleman soothing her. No imagination, implied the girl in a hoarse voice. All sway I saw, coughing written on every page of the book in large red letters. Oh, yeah, that carried me close to me, in street to night. There was nothing he'd usually in that, said the gentleman. There passed me off in real wands, rejoined the girl. This was not. There was something so uncommon in her manner, that the flesh of the concealed listener crept as he heard the girl latter these words, and the blonde chill within him. He had never experienced a greater relief than in hearing the sweet voice of the young lady as she begged her to be calm, and not allow herself to become the prey of such fearful fancies. Speak to her kindly, said the young lady to her companion. Poor creature, she seems to need it. You're all religious people, and my head's up, but see me is on tonight. And picture flames and vengeance, cried the girl. Oh, dear lady, well, those who glend with galls own focus, gentlemen, as a coin as an archfool, riches are you, who have in youth and booty. And all that air lost might be a little proud, and said so much humbler. Ah, said the gentleman. Our Turk turns his face after washing it well to the east. When he says his prayers, these good people, after giving their faces such a rub against the world as to take the smiles off, turned with no less regularity to the darkest side of heaven. Between the Musulman and the Pharisee, commend me to the first. These words appeared to be addressed to the young lady, and were perhaps uttered with a view of offertending Nancy's time to recover herself. The gentleman shortly afterwards addressed itself to her. You were not here that Sunday night, is it? Ah, come, come, blight Nancy. Oh, skip your eye force, by whom? Hear me, oh, to the young lady of before. You're not suspected of holding in the communication with anybody on this subject, which is brought by the old gentleman. No, replied the girl shaking her head. It's not very easy to me to leave him as he knows why. I couldn't give him a drink of water before he came away. Did you wait before you would return? Inquired the gentleman. No, in all way, not when I am, expect me. Good, said the gentleman. Now listen to me. Warm ready, implied the girl, as he paused for a moment. This young lady, the gentleman began, has communicated to me, and to some other friends who had been safely trusted, want to tell her nearly a full night since. I confess to you that I had doubted first whether you were to be implicitly relied upon. Now I firmly believe you are. Oh, I am, said the girl, earnestly. I can't believe it. The proof to you that I am disposed to trust you, I tell you without reserve, that we propose to extort the secret, whatever it may be, from the fear of this man, mocks. But if, if, said the gentleman, he cannot be secured, or if secured, cannot be acted upon as we wish. He must deliver up the jewel. Fling again, cried the girl, recoiling. This man must be delivered up by you, said the gentleman. All we know, do it! I will never do it! replied the girl. Devil who that is, nor worse than devil, as he's been to me, I will never do it at that. You will not, said the gentleman, who was sitting there, will be prepared for this answer. Never! wrote on the girl. Tell me why? For one reason, I joined the girl firmly, for one reason, that the lady knows who will stand by me, and I will know she will, for I have a promise. And for this whole reason, besides that, I have led a bad life, too. And many have also kept the same courses together, all not turn upon them, who might, any of them, have turned upon me, but didn't bow as they are. Then, said the gentleman, as if this has been the point he had been aiming to attain, put monks into my hands, and leave him to me to deal with. All we tell is against the olders. I promise you that in that case, if the truth is false from him, there the matter will rest. There must be circumstances in all of his little history, which would be painful to drag before the public eye. And if the truth is once seated, they shall go scot-free. Oh, for there is not, suggested the girl, then, pursued the gentleman, this fee-in shall not be the drop to justice that your consent. In such a case, I could show you reason, I think, which would induce you to deal with it. If I only made his promise for that, that's the girl. You have, implied, brothers, my true and faithful pledge. Most will never learn how you know what you do, said the girl, after short pause. Never, replied the gentleman, the intelligence shall be brought to bear upon him, that he could never even guess. I'll bear the law, among last my little child, to the girl, after another inville of silence. I will take your words. After receiving an assurance from both, that she might safely do so, she proceeded in a voice so low that it was often difficult for the listener to discover even the passport of what she said to describe by name and situation, the public house when she had been followed that night. From the manner in which she occasionally paused, it appears as if the gentleman were making some hasty notes of the information she communicated. When she thoroughly explained the localities of the place, the best position from which to watch it for that sighting and observation, and the night and hour on which Munch was most in the habit of frequenting it, she seemed to consider for a few moments for the purpose of recalling as features and appearances more forcibly to alert a collection. I is tall, said the girl. I was strongly made, Munch, but I was stoned. As I lurking walk, as he walks, he consistently looks over his shoulder, first a warm sort and then all the other. Don't forget that, for his eyes and his head say much deeper than any other man's, and you more than was telling him about that alone. His face is dark, long as air and noise, and I know he'd get me more than six or eight in twaltly, wither than haggard. His lips are all discoloured, and his figure with marks of teeth read his desperate face, ties even brice his hands and covers them with woos. What were you saw? said the girl, stopping subtly. The gentleman replied in hurried manner that he was not conscious of having done so and about to proceed. Pour this, said the girl. I'll draw it out from all the people I have so I'll tell you all, if I've only seen him twice, and both times he was covered up in a large cloak. I'll think that's all I can give you, knowing boy. Stay, though, she added. I pour his throat, so I'll, you see, parmol it, but it was Nick, the chief, their race, their race, a prude lead mark, like us born of schools, cried the gentleman. How is this? said the girl. You know him. The young lady uttered a cry of surprise, and for a few moments they were still the listener could distinctly hear them breathe. I think I do, said the gentleman, taking silence. I shall, by all description, be. Many people are singularly like each other, it may not be the same. As he expressed himself to this effect, with assumed carelessness, he took a step or two nearer the concealed spy, as a later could tell from distinctness with which he heard him utter, he must be. Now, he said, returning, so it seemed by the sound to the spot where he'd stood before, you were given our ass this young woman, and I'd trust you to be the better for it. What can I do to serve you? Nothing! replied Nancy. You will not persist in saying that, rejoined at the gentleman, with the voice and emphasis of kindness that might have touched a much harder and more obdurate heart. Think now. Tell me. No way, sir! rejoined at the girl weeping, you can do not unhelp me, on past a whooping aid. You put yourself beyond its pale, said the gentleman. The past has been a drearly waste with you, of youthful energies misspent, and such priceless treasures lavished, as the creator bestows, but once and never grants again. But for the future, you may hope, I do not say that it is in our power to offer your purse of heart and mind, for that must come as you seek it, but a quiet silo, either an ignorant, or if you fear to remain here. In some foreign country, it is not only within the compass of our ability, but our most angriest wish to secure you. Before the dawn and morning, before this river wakes to the first glimpse of daylight, you should be placed as entirely beyond the reach of your formal associates, and leave as utter an absence of all trace behind you, as if you were to disappear from the earth this moment. Come! I would not have your goat back to exchange your word with any old companion, or take one look at any old haunt, or breathe the very air with his pestilence and death you. Quit them all, for there is time and opportunity. She would be persuaded now, cried the young lady. She hesitates, I am sure. I fear not, my dear, Mr. Gentleman. No, sir, or do not reply the girl after a short struggle. I am chained to my own life, and I lowly hate it now, but I cannot leave it. I must have gone too far to turn back, and yet I don't know, for you have not spoken to me to it so, some time ago, I shall lap it off. But, she yet said, looking hastily round, a fear comes over me again. I must go home. Home! repeated the young lady, with great stress upon the word. Home, lady! Are you enjoying the girl? This is such a home, as it all breaks from myself, with the work of my own life. Let us part, or shall be watched or seen. Go! Go! If I have done you any service, all I ask is that you leave me, and let me go my way alone. It is useless, Mr. Gentleman, with a sigh. We compromise the safety, perhaps, by staying here. We may have detained her longer Yes, yes, there is a girl, you have. What, cried the young lady, can be the end of this poor creature's life. What, enjoyed the girl, love before you lady, look at that dark water, how many times do you read a sword's eyes, spring into your toy, and you know living thing, to care for, all the way around, it may be years hence, or it may be only months, but all shall come to that last. Do not speak thus, pray, return the young lady, saw-beaten. I will never eat your ears, dear lady, and go forbid such or as should, should I the girl. Good night, good night, the gentleman turned away. This purse, cried the young lady, take it for my sake, that you may have some resource in an hour of need and trouble. No, replied the girl, I not would don this for money, but let me have that to think of, and yet, give me something that you would warn, or I should like to have something, no, no, not a ring, your gloves on, handkerchief, anything I can keep, as I am belonging to you, sweet lady. There, bless you, good, bless you, good night, good night. The violent agitation of the girl, may apprehension of some discovery, which would subject her to ill-usage and violence, seemed to determine the gentleman to leave her, as she requested. The sound of treating full steps were audible, and the voices ceased. The two figures of the young lady and her companion soon afterwards appeared upon the bridge. They stopped at the summit of the stairs. Hark! cried the young lady, listening. Did she call? I thought I heard a voice. No, my love, I had Mr Brownler looking certainly back. She has not eluved, and will not till we are gone. Rose may lay lingered, but the old gentleman drew her arm through his, and led her with gentle force away. As they disappeared, the girl sunk down nearly at her full length upon one of the stone stairs, and ventured the anguish of her heart in bitter tears. After a time she arose, and with feeble and tottering steps ascended the street. The astonished listener remained motionless on his post for some minutes afterwards, and having a certain with many cautious glances around him, that he was again alone, creeped slowly from his hiding place in return, stealthily, and the shade of the wall, in the same manner as he had descended, peeping out more than once when he reached the top to make sure he was observed. Noah Claypool darted away at his utmost speed, and made for the jewels' house as fast as it legs would carry them. End of chapter 46 of Oliver Twist. Chapter number 47 of Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Arthur Piantodosi. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. Chapter 47. Chapter 47. Fatal Consequences. It was nearly two hours before daybreak, the time which in the autumn of the year may be truly called the dead of night. When the streets are silent and deserted, when even sounds appear to slumber, and profilagacy and riot of staggered home to dream, it was at this still and silent hour that Fagan sat watching in his old lair with face so distorted and pale, and eyes so red and blanched short that he looked less like a man than like some hideous phantom, moist from the grave and worried by an evil spirit. He sat crouching over a cold half wrapped in an old torn cobalet, with his face turned towards a wasting candle that stood upon the table by his side. His right hand was raised to his lips and as, absorbed in thought, he hit his long black nails. He disclosed among his toothless gums a few such fangs as should have been a dog or a rat. Stretched upon a mattress on the floor, lay no a clay-pel, fast asleep, towards him the old man sometimes directed his eyes for an instant, and then brought them back again to the piano, which with a long-burnt wick, almost double, and hot grease falling down in clots upon the table, plainly showed that his thoughts were busy elsewhere. Indeed there were, mortification at the overthrow of his notable scheme. Hatred of the girl who had dared to barter with strangers, and uttered distrust of his sincerity, I felt refusal to yield him up. Bitter disappointment at the loss of his revenge on Sykes, the fear of detection and ruin and death, and the fierce and deadly rage killed by all. These were the passionate considerations which, following close upon each other with rapid and ceaseless whirl, shot through the brain of Fagin as every evil thought and blackest purpose lay working at his heart. He sat without changing his attitude in the least, or appearing to take the smaller seed of time, and his quick ear seemed to be attracted by a footstep on the street. At last, he melted, wiping his dry and feverish mouth. At last, the bell rang gently as he spoke, ding-dong, ding-dong. He crept upstairs the door and presently returned accompanied by a man muffled to the chin, or carried a bundle under one arm. Sitting down and throwing back his elder clout, the man displayed the burly frame of Sykes. There he is! He said, laying the bundle on the table, Take care of that and do the bullshit, can't we? It's been troublein' over again! Oh, the washin' been here three hours ago! Fagin laid his hand upon the bundle and, locating it in the cupboard, sat down again without speaking. But he did not take his eyes off the robber for an instant during this action, and now that they sat it over against each other, waist to face. He looks fixedly at him with his lips quivering so violently, his face so altered by the emotions which had mastered him, that the power-spraker involuntarily drew back his chair and surveyed him with a look of real fright. Oh, now! cried Sykes. Oh, you look at my own seven four! Fagin raised his right hand and shook his trembling four finger in the air, but his passion was so great that the power of speech whilst for the moment gone. Damn! Said Sykes, kneeling in his breast to look at her arm. He's gone mad! How much are you looking at my own silver? No, no. rejoined Fagin, finding his voice. It's not. You're not the person, Bill. I know. I know what to find with you. And you haven't, haven't you? Said Sykes, looking sterly at him obstentatiously pressing a pistol into a more convenient pocket. Lost looking! For one of us! Which one of us is your mother? I got that to tell you, Bill. Said Fagin, drawing his chair nearer. Will make you worse than me. Oh, I! Returned the dropper with an incredulous air. Tell away! Look sharp! All that's really gone lost. Cried Fagin. She has pretty well settled that in her own mind already. Sykes looked with an aspect of great perplexity under the jewel's base. In reading no satisfactory explanation of the riddle there, clenched his coat collar in the was-dewed hand and shook him behind a lake. Speak, will you! He said. All of you, don't do to me for all the breath! Early all mine and save your gold sigh in plain words. And with it you don't really know how to cope with it! Suppose that lad that's laying there. Fagin began. Sykes turned round away, no oversleeping, as if he'd not previously observed him. Whoa! He said, resuming his form of position. Suppose that lad besought Fagin, he was to pitch, to blow upon us all. Verse a year at the right folks for the purples, and then having a meeting with them on this street to paint down likenesses. Describe every mark that he might know us by, and the crib where we might find our seal it take. Suppose he was to do all of this, and besides to blow upon a plant with him been all in, more or less of his own fancy, not grabbed, trapped, tried, ear-wheat by the parson and brought to it by bread and water, but out of his own fancy to please his own taste, stealing out at nights to find his most interested against us, and pitching to them, Do you hear me? cried the jewelers, as it was flashing with rage. Suppose he did all this? What then? What then? replied Sykes with a tremendous oath. If he would let the Lord till I came, I grind his skull under the eye, and in my boot his many grinders are always upon his head. What if I did it? cried Fagan, almost in a yell. I, who knew so much, had could hang so many besides myself. I don't know! replied Sykes, clenching his teeth and turning white, with mere suggestion, I do something in jail to get me potentials, if I was trolling along with you, I'll fall in a body with an arm and call and beat your brains out of old people. Oh, he should have got so much strength, out of that robber, poisoning his brawny arm. Oh, he could smash your wedding as if I'd worn his wagon and gone over it. Would I? said the housebreaker. Troy me! If it was Charlie, or the Dodger, or Beethoven, I don't care who! replied Sykes impatiently. Where was I? I'd serve them the same. Fagan tarred the robber and motioning him to be silent, souped over the bed upon the floor and shook the sleeper to rouse him. Sykes leant forward in his chair, looking on with his hands upon his knees, as if wondering much what all this questioning and preparation was to end in. Booster! Booster! Poor lad! said Fagan, looking up, and the expression of devilish anticipation and speaking slowly with marketing embassies. He is tired, tired with watching the her so long, watching for her bill. Who's your man? Oh, Sykes, drawing back. Fagan made no answer, but bending over the sleeper again hauled him into a sitting posture. When he said, soon may have it been repeated several times, no rubbed his eyes, and giving a heavy on looks sweepery about him. Tell me that again, once again, just for him to hear. Say the jewel pointed at Sykes as he spoke. Tell you all! asked the sleeper, shaking himself petrically. That's about Nancy, said Fagan, clashing Sykes with the rest as if to prevent his leaving house before he had heard enough. You followed her. Yes, to London Bridge. Yes, where she met two people. So she did. A gentleman, a lady, that she had gone off to have her own call before, who asked to give up all her pals, and monks first, which she did, and to describe him, which she did, and to tell her what house it was that he made at, and go to, which she did, and where it could be best watched from, which she did, and what time the people went there, which she did. She did all this, she told it all, every word without a threat, without a murmur. She did. Did she not? cried Fagan, half mad for with fury. All right! replied Noah, scratching his head. Those just wore the walls. What did they say, but less Sunday? About we are sold, eh? Applied Noah, considering. What a tone you are before! Again, tell it again! cried Fagan. Staten eggs grip on Sykes, and brand increasing at other hand aloft as the foam flew from his lips. They asked, said Noah, who, as he grew more wakeful, seemed to have a dawning perception of who Sykes was. They also watched it and come last Sunday, as she promised. She says she couldn't. Why? Why? Tell him that! Because you were full, we kept the home bar filled, a mile she had told them all before. Applied Noah, what more of him? cried Fagan, what more of the man she had told them of before? Tell him that! Tell him that! Why, that she couldn't very easily get out of door unless he knew where she was going to. Said Noah, and so the first time she went to see Lady, she, oh, oh, oh, oh, it made me laugh. When she said it, it did. She gave him a drink of Lordnam. Oh, it was fire! cried Sykes, bringing fiercely from the jewel. Let me go! Me and the old man from him, he rushed from the room, and darted wildly and furiously up the stairs. Bill! Bill! cried Fagan, following him hastily. A word! Only a word! A word would not have been its change, but the house-breaker was unable to open the door, on which he was expending futeless oaths and violence when the jewel came panting up. Let me out! said Sykes. Don't spidge me in this norm, Sykes! Let me out or say! Yeah, may speak a word. He joined Fagan, laying his hand upon the lock. You won't be... Wow! replied the other. You won't be too violent, Bill. The day was breaking, and there was light enough for the men to see each other's faces. They had changed with one brief glance. There was a fire in the eyes of both, which could not be mistaken. I mean, said Fagan, showing that he felt all the skies were now useless. Not too violent for safety, be crafty, Bill, and not too bold. Sykes made new reply, but pulling up the door, on which Fagan had turned the lock, tashed into the silent streets. With that one pause, a moment's consideration, that one's turning his head to the right or the left, or raising his eyes to the sky or lower into the ground, looking straight for him a savage resolution. His teeth so tightly compressed that the strange awl drew his skin. The robber held on his headlong course, nor muttered a word, nor relaxed a muscle, until he reached his own door. He opened it softly, with a key, strode lightly up the stairs and entering his own room, double-locked the door, lifting a heavy table against it, drew back the curtain of the bed. The girl was lying, half-dressed upon it. He had roused her from her sleep, for she raised herself with her head and startled look. Good job! said the man, or as ye, Bill, said the girl, with inspiration of pleasure to cern, Arches! was the reply. Good job! There was a candle burning, with the man hastily drew it from the candlestick and hurled it under the grate, into light of early day, without the girl rose to undraw the curtain. No, it be! said Steele, Arches, rosting his hand before, No, it not, Lord, for what are you? Bell! said the girl, and a voice alarm. What do you know, Lord, at me? The robber sat regarding her for a few seconds with the elated nostrils and heaving breasts, and then grasping her by the head and throat, dragged her into the middle of her room, and looking once towards the door, placed his heavy hand upon her mouth. Boom! Boom! gasped the girl, wrestling with his strength to mourn for her. Oh, I won't scream or cry! Not once hear me! Speak to me! Tell me what I've done! You know you, she devil! Reburned the robber, suppressing his breath. You all, tonight, every word you said was heard! And spare my life for no more heaven as I will spend yours! They joined the girl, clinging to him. Boom! Dear Bill, you cannot all kill me! Oh, think all I've given up! Only this one night for you! You shall have time to think and see yourself in his crime! I will lose my own! You cannot rear me up! Bill! Bill, for good God's sake! For your own! For my! Stop with all you spill my blood! I have been true to you! For my guilty soul I have! The man struggled violently to release his arms, but those of the girl were clasped round his and tear her as he would. He could not tear them away. Bill! Cried the girl, striving to lay her hand upon his breast. Well, gentlemen, that dear lady, told me tonight of her home when some form had come where I could end my days in solitude and peace. Let me see him again and beg them on my knees to show me the same mercy and goodness to you. A little old boat leave this dreadful place on far portly bed of lies and forget how he had lived except in prayers. I never see a short one more! He never too liked to repent! They told me so! I'll feel it now, but we must have time! A little leg of time! The housebreaker freed one arm and grasped his pistol. A certainty of immediate detection if he fired, flashed across his mind even in the midst of his fury, and he beat it twice with all force he could summon upon that upturned face that almost touched his own. She staggered and fell, nearly blinded with the blood that rained down for a deep gash in the floor ahead, but raising herself with difficulty on her knees drew from her bosom a white handkerchief, bruised mainly his own and holding it up in her folded hands as high towards heaven as a feeble strength with a low breathed one prayer for mercy to her maker was a ghastly figure to look upon. The murderer staggered earning backwards the wall and shutting out the sight with his hand, seized a heavy club and struck her down. End of chapter 47 of Oliver Twist Chapter 48 of Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Arthur Piantadosi Chapter 48 The Flight of Sykes Of all bad deeds under the cover of the darkness had been committed within wide London's bounds since night hung over it, that was the worst. Of all the horrors that rose within ill scent upon the morning air that was the foulest and most cruel. The sun, the bright sun that brings back not life alone but new life and hope and freshness to man burst upon the crowded city in clear and radiant glory though costly colored glass through the paper-mended window. Thruidrull domenrot and crevice it shed its equal ray. It lighted up the room where the woman lay. It did. It tried to shut it out but it would stream in. If the sight had been a ghastly one in the dull morning what was it now in all that brilliant light? He had not moved. He had been afraid to stir. There had been a moan and a motion of the hand and with terror added to rage he struck and struck again. Once he threw a rug over it but it was worse to fancy the eyes and to imagine them moving towards him and to see them glaring upward as if watching the reflection of the pool of gold that quivered in dance in the sunlight on the ceiling he'd plucked it off again and there was the body, mere flesh and blood no more. But such flesh and so much blood he struck a light kindled the fire and thrust the club into it. There was hair upon the end which blazed and shrunk into a light cinder and caught by the air whirled up the chimney. Even that frightened him, sturdy as he was but he held the weapon till it broke and then piled it on the coals to burn away and smouldered into ashes. He washed himself and rubbed his clothes. There were spots that would not be removed but he cut the pieces out and burned them. How those stains were dispersed about the room the very feet of the dog were bloodier. All this time he had never once turned his back upon the corpse. No, not for a moment. Such preparations completely moved backward towards the door dragging the dog with him lest he should soil his feet anew and carrying out fresh evidence of the crime into the streets. He shut the door slowly, knocked it, took the key and left the house. He crossed over and glanced up at the window to be sure that nothing was visible from the outside. There was a curtain still drawn which she wouldn't admit the light she never saw again. Lay nearly under there he knew that God had a son pulled down upon the very spot. A glance was instantaneous. It was a relief to have got free of the room. He whistled on the dog and walked rapidly away. He went through Islington strode up the hill at Highgate on which stands the stone in order of Whittington. He turned down to Highgate Hill on the steady of purpose and uncertain where to go. Struck off to the right again almost as soon as he began to descend and taking the footpath across the fields scurted car and wood and came on to Amstead Heth traversing the hollow to the valley of Heth. He went to the opposite bank and crossing the road which joins the village of Amstead in Highgate made long the remaining portion of the fields at North End in one of which he laid himself down under the hedge and slept. Soon he was up again and away, not far into the country but back towards London by the high road then back again then over another part of the same ground as he already traversed and wandering up and down in fields and lying on ditches and starting up to make for some other spots and do the same and ramble on again. Where could he go that was near and not too public to get some meat and drink? Hendon. That was some good place, not far off and out of most people's way neither he directed his steps running sometimes and sometimes with a strange perversity loitering at a snail's pace or stopping altogether idly breaking the hedges with a stick but when he got there all the people he met the very children at the doors seemed to view him with suspicion back he turned again without the courage to purchase bit or drop though he had tasted no food for many hours and once more he lingered on the heth uncertain where to go he wandered over miles and miles of ground and still came back to the old place moulding a new unit past and the day was hit on the wane and still he ramble to and fro and up and down and round and round and still lingered about the very same spot and as he got away and shaped his cause for Hadfield it was nine o'clock at night when the man quite tired out in the door limping a lame from the other custom exercise turned down the hill but the church of the quiet village and plotting this idle street crept into a small public house whose scanty light had guided them to the spot there was a fire in the taproom and some country labourers were drinking before it they made room for this strange but he sat down in the furthest corner rank alone or rather with his dog to whom he cast a morsel of food from time to time the conversation with the men assembled here turned upon the neighbouring land and farmers and when those topics were exhausted upon the age of some old man who had been buried on the previous Sunday young men present considering him very old and the old men present regularly couldn't quite young not older one right-grandfather said it that in he was with ten or fifteen year of life in him at least if he had taken care if he had taken care there was nothing to attract attention and sight alarm in this the robber after taking his reckoning sat silent and unnoticed in his corner and was almost dropped asleep when he was awoken by the noisy entrance of a newcomer this was an antique fellow a peddler and half-mountain bank who travelled about the country on foot to vend horses razors, wash balls, harness paste medicine for dogs and sauces cheap perfume, Murray cosmetics and such like wares which he carried in case slung onto his back his interest was a signal for various homily jokes with the countrymen which slack and not until he had made the supper and opened his box of treasures when he ingeniously contrived to unite the business with the amusement Oh, be thou, Storff Goody airy as the Canadian countrymen writing to some composition cakes in one corner This said the fellow producing one This is an infallible and invaluable composition for moving all sorts of stain rust, dirt, mildew, spick speck, spore or spanner from silk, satyr Latin, encumbrate, claw, crepe Storff, profit, merino, moslin bombazine or woolen Storff wine stains, food stains beer stains, water stains paint stains, pitch stains any stains all come out one rot for this infallible and valuable composition And the lady stains all that we only need to swallow one cake and she's cured it once for its poison If a gentleman were to prove this he is only meaning to poke one little square and he is probably beyond question for with quite a satisfactory as a pistol bullet and a great deal of arse and flavor cause sequentially the more credit he'd taken it One penny a square we always were to choose one penny a square There were two buyers to that and more of the listeners plainly hesitated The vendor observed this increasing the quality It's all bought up as fast as you can be made said the fellow And I thought with more mills 16 engines and a galvanic battery always a working point and they cut and make it fast The main works so well they die off and the winners is pensioned directly with 12 pounds a year for which other children are premium for 50 for twins One penny a square two outbanks is all the same and four followers has received the joy One penny a square walled stains fruit stains beer stains wall stains street stains picture stains mold stains blood stains just stay in the poor way of a genuine company they all take to clean out but all they can do all me a pile of ale Oh! cried Scythe starting up Give me our book all take it clean out sir Applied the man winking to the company before you can come across wrong to get it Then they all observed the dark stain in poor way as genuine as that no one as silly but quicker than a crown or what is a wine stain fruit stain beer stain wall stain paint stain pitch stain mold stain and blood stain the man got no further for Scythe with a hideous implication over through the table and tearing the half from him burst out of the house with the same perversity of feeling and other resolution it fastened for him despite himself all day the murderer finding that he was not full of and that they most probably considered him some drunken failure turned back up the town and getting out of the glare of the lamps were stagecoach standing in the street was walking past when he recognised a mail from London and saw that he was standing at the little post office he almost knew what was to come but he crossed over and listened the guard was standing at the door waiting for the letter bag a man dressed like a gamekeeper came up at the moment and he handed him a basket which lay ready on the pavement those for your people to the guard oh look I've been there were you don't lay a bag it won't ready but it won't fall out this won't do you know anything new from up in town Ben asked the gamekeeper drawing back to the window shutters the better to admire the horses no not we are nose on applied the man pulling up on his gloves calls up a hill are here to a murderer to downspit fields away while we wreck it mulch upon it oh that's quite true said the gentleman inside he was looking out at the window and a dreadful murder it was what was it sir to join the guard totting his hat man or woman price sir a woman implied the gentleman it is supposed now Ben applied the coachman intubationally door man here bag to the yard or were you going to sleep in there come in to the office keeper running out come in round the guard oh so is the young human or proper he's going to take a false image but oh there no when there give a oh alright the horn sounded a few cheerful notes oh and the coach was gone Sykes remain standing in the street apparently unmoved by what he had just heard and agitated by no stronger feeling than the doubt where to go at length he went back again and took the road which leads from Hatfield to St Albans he went on doggedly but as he left the town behind him and plunged into the solitude and darkness of the road he felt a dread in awe creeping upon him which shook him to the core every object before him substance or shadow stickler moving took the semblance of some fearful thing but these fears were nothing compared to the sense that haunted him of that morning's ghastly figure following at its heels he could trace its shadow in the gloom supplied the smallest outline a note how stiff and solemn it seemed to stalk along he could hear its garments rustling in the leaves and every breath of wind came laden with a last low cry if he stopped then it followed not running too that would have been a reef but like a corpse endowed with mere machinery of life and bore all on one slow and curly wind that ever rose or fell at times he turned with desperate aspiration resolved to beat this phantom off though it should look him dead but the hair rose on his head as blunt stood still for it had turned with him kept it before him that morning but it was behind him now always he leaned his back against a bank and felt that it stood above him visibly out against the cold night sky he threw himself upon the road on his back upon the road at his head it stalled silent erect and still a living gravestone with its epitaph in blunt let no man talk of murder and hint that providence must sleep there were twenty score of violent deaths in one long minute of that agony of fear there was a shed in the field he passed it offered shelter for the night if all the door were three tall topless trees which faded very dark within and the wind moaned through them with a dismal wail he could not walk on till daylight came again and here now a vision came before him as constant and more terrible than that in which he escaped those widely staring eyes so lustrous less and so glassy that he had better born to see than than think upon them appeared in the midst of the darkness light in themselves but given light to some indeed that he would not have forgotten if he had gone over its contents from memory each in its accustomed place the body was in its place and its eyes whereas he saw them when he stole away he got up and rushed into the field without the figure was behind him he re-entered the shed and shrunk down once more the eyes were there before he had laid himself on the rolling and every limb and the cold sweat starting from every poor when suddenly there arose a night wind the noise of distance shouting and the roar of voices mingled in alarm and wonder any sound of men in that lonely place even though it had conveyed a real cause the broad sky seemed on fire arising to the air with showers of sparks and rolling one above the other with sheeps of flame lighting the atmosphere of miles around and driving clouds of smoke in the direction where he stood a shout grew louder as new voices swill the roar niggled the cry of fire mingled with the ring of an alarm bell the fall of heavy bodies and short aloft as they were refreshed by food the noise increased as he looked there were people there man and woman light bustle it was like new life to him he darted outward straight head long dashing through briar and break leaping gate and fence as mathily as his dog who could reared with loud and sounding bark before him he came summoning the ring to drag the frightened horses from the staples others driving a cattle from the yards and outhouses and others coming late from the burning pile amid a shower of falling sparks and tumbling down of red hot beams the apertures where doors and windows stood an hour ago disclosed a mass of raging fire walls rocked and crumbled woman and elder and shrieked and men encouraged each other with noisy shouts and cheers the clanking of the ancient pumps and the spitting and hissing of the water fell upon the blazing woods and it was a tremendous roar he shouted too till he was hoarse and flying from memory and himself plunged into the thickets of the throng here and there he dived that night now working the pumps and himself wherever noise and men were thickest up and down the ladders upon the roofs of billings over floors that quaked and trembled with his weight under the lee of falling bricks and stones in every part of that great fire was he but he bore a charmed life in a neither scratch nor bruise nor weariness nor thought nor return with ten fold falls the dreadful consciousness of his crime he looked suspiciously about him for the men were conversing in groups and he feared to be the subject of the talk the dog obeyed the significant back of his finger and they drew off steadily the day together he passed near an engine where some men were seated who were from London talking about the murder I is going to burn it am I say said one but we don't have him yet full scouts are out and more and more there will be a cry all through country he erried off and walked till he almost dropped upon the ground then lay down in the lane and had a long but broken territory night suddenly he took the solution to get owing back to London some of you speak to them all of that he thought you all in place too don't ever expect an army out of these countries what can I buy for a week or so and fall in blood from fag and get abroad to France he acted upon this impulse day and choosing the least frequented roads began his journey back resolved to lie concealed within a short distance of a metropolis and entering at dusk to at his route proceed straight to that part of it which he fixed on for his destination the dog though if any description of him were out it would not be forgotten that the dog was missing it probably along the streets it resolved to drown him and walked on looking back for a pond picking up a heavy stone and tying it to his handkerchief as he went the animal looked up as into as fast as face while these preparations were making whether his instinct apprehended something of their purpose all the robbers sight long look at him was sterner the new ordinary he sculpted little father in the rear the new rule and carved as he came slowly along his master halted at the brink of a pool and looked around called him he sculpted outright you hear me call come here cried Sykes the animal came up from the very force of habit but as Sykes stooped to attach the handkerchief to his throat he also the little growl and started back come back said the robber the dog wagged let's make a running noose and called him again the dog advanced retreated paused in instant and scoured away at his hardest speed the man whistled again and again and sat down and waited in the expectation of you to turn but no dog appeared and at length he resumed his journey end of chapter 48 of Oliver twist chapter 49 of Oliver twist by Charles Dickens this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Arthur Piantadosi Oliver twist by Charles Dickens chapter 49 chapter 49â in Long Meet the conversation and the intelligence that intervenes the twilight was again closing when Mr. Brownlow alighted from a haference kaç coached in his own door he knocked softly of the door being opened the standing the man who bought man. Taking him between them, hurried him into the house. This man was Monks. He walked in the same manner up the stairs without speaking, and Mr Brownlow, preceding them, led the way into a back room. At the door of this apartment, Monks, who had descended with evident reluctance, stopped. A two-man looked at the old gentleman's if for instructions. He knows the alternative, said Mr Brownlow. If he hesitates or moves a finger, but as you bite him, drag him into the street, call for the aid of police, and impeach him as a felon in my name. How dare you say this of me, ass Monks! How dare you urge me to its young man! Blimey, Mr Brownlow, confronting with a steady look, Are you mad enough to leave this house? Unhand him. There, sir, you're free to go, and we to follow. But I warn you, by all the whole most sorghum and most sacred, that instant will have you apprehended on short of fraud and robbery, and resolutely movable. If you are determined to be the same, your blood be upon your own head. By what authority am I kidnapped in the street and brought here by these dogs? Asked Monks, looking from one to the other of the men who stood beside him. By mine, Mr Brownlow, those persons are undemified by me. If complain of being deprived of your liberty, you would power an opportunity to retrieve it as you came along, but you deemed it advisable to remain quiet. I say again, throw yourself protection on the law. I will appeal to law too, but when you have gotten too far to recede, do not sue me for leniency, and the power will have passed into other hands. Do not say I plunge you down the gulf, when to which you rest yourself. Monks was plainly disconcerted in alarm, besides, hesitated. You will decide quickly, said Mr Brownlow, with perfect furnace and composter. If you wish me to prefer charges publicly, and consign you to a punishment the extent of which, although I can, with a shutter, foresee, I cannot control once more, I say, for you know the way. If not, and you appealed my forbearance, and the mercy of those you have deeply injured, seat yourself without a word in that chair. It is waited for your two whole days. Monks muttered some in unintelligible words, but wavered still. You will be prompt, said Mr Brownlow, a word from me, and the alternative has gone forever. Still the man hesitated, I have not been lenient from the parley, said Mr Brownlow, and as I advocate the dearest interests of others, I have not the right. Is there demanded monks at the faltering tongue? Is there no middle course? None. Monks looked at the old gentleman with their anxious eye, but reading in his countenance nothing but severity and termination walked into the room, and shrugging his shoulders, sat down. Look the door from the outside, said Mr Brownlow, to the attendance, and come when I ring. The man obeyed, and the two were left alone together. This is pretty treatment, sir, said Monks throwing down his hat and coke, from my father's oldest friend. It is because I was your father's oldest friend, young man, returned Mr Brownlow. It is because the hopes and wishes of young and happy heirs bound up with him, and that fair creature of his blood and kindred who had rejoined her garden youth, and left me here, let's ordinary lonely man. It is because he knelt with me beside his only sister's deathbed when she was yet the boy, on the morning that would but heaven wield otherwise. I made her young my young wife. It is because my seared heart clung to him from that time forth, through all his trials and errors till he died. It is because the old recollections and associations filled my heart, and even the sight of you brings with it old thoughts of him. It is because of all these things that I move to treat you gently now. Yes, Edward Leiford, even now, and blush for your unworthiness who bear the name. What is the name to do with it? asked the other, after contemplating, having silence, and having dogged wonder, the agitation of his companion. What is the name to me? Nothing, replied Mr Brownlow. Nothing to you, but it was hers, and even at this instance of time brings back up to me an old man, the glow and thrill which I once felt, only to hear it repeated by a stranger. I am very glad you've changed it, very, very. This is all my dearly fine, said Melks, to retain his isugum designation. After a long silence during which he had jerked himself in silent filings to and fro, Mr Brownlow had sat, shading his face with his band. But what do you want with me? You have a brother, said Mr Brownlow, loosing himself. A brother, the whisper of whose name in your ear when I came behind you in the street, was in itself almost enough to make you accompany me hither in wonder and alarm. I have no brother, replied Melks. You know I was an only child. Why do you talk of me and brothers? You know that as well as I. Attending to what I do know and you may not, said Mr Brownlow, I shall interest you by and by. I know that of the wretched marriage into which family pride and those salted and arrows of all ambition forced you on a happy father and mere boy, you with a soul and most unnatural issue. I don't care for hard names, interrupted monks with a jeering laugh. You know the fact and that's enough for me. But I also know, pursued the old gentleman, the misery, the slow torture, the protracted anguish of that ill-assaulted union. I know how listless and weary each of that wretched pair dragged on a heavy chain through the world that was poisoned to them both. I know how cold formalities were succeeded by open taunts, how indifference gave ways to dislike, dislike to hate, and hate to loathing, until at last they wrenched a clanking bond asunder. And retiring a wide space apart carried each a galling fragment, in which nothing but death could break the rivets, to hide it in new society beneath the gayest looks they could assume. Your mother succeeded, she forgot it soon, but it rusted and cankered at your father's heart for many years. Well, they were separated, said mugs, and what of that? When they'd been separated for some time, return, Mr Brownlow, and your mother, who lay given up to continental frivolities, and have forgotten the young husband ten good years her junior, who, with prospects blighted, lingered on at home, he fell among new friends, this circumstance at least you know already. Not I, said mugs, turning away his eyes and beating his foot upon the ground, as a man who was determined to deny everything. Not I! Your manner, no less than your actions, assures me that you have never forgotten it, or ceased to think of it with bitterness. Return, Mr Brownlow, I speak of fifteen years ago, when you were not more than eleven years old, and your father at one and thirty, for it was, I repeat, a boy, when his father, old with him to marry, must I go back to evanes which cashed a shade upon the memory of your parent, or will you spare it and could disclose to me the truth? I'm nothing disclose, your joint mugs, you must talk on, if you will. These new friends then, said Mr Brownlow, were a naval officer retired from active service, whose wife had died some half a year before, and left him with two children. There had been more, but over their family, happily but two survived. They were both daughters, one a beautiful children of nineteen, and the other a mere child of two or three years old. What's this to me? asked mugs. They resided, said Mr Brownlow, without seeming to hear the interruption, in the part of the country to which your father, in his wandering, has repaired, and where he had taken up his abode, acquaintance, intimacy, friendship, first followed on each other. Your father was gifted as few men are, he had his sister's soul and person. As the old officer knew him more and more, he grew to love him. I would, that it had ended there, his daughter did the same. The old gentleman paused, monks was biting his lips, with his eyes fixed upon the floor, seeing this he immediately resumed. The end of the year found him contracted, sort of many contracted, to their daughter. The object of the first, true, ardent, only passion of a guileless girl. Your tale is of the longest, observed monks, with the ingress of his chair. It is a true tale of grief and trial and sorrow, young man, that it turned Mr Brownlow. And such tales usually are, if it were one of unmixed joy and happiness. It would be very brief, link one of those rich relations to strengthen who was interested in potency of your father had been sacrificed, as others are often. It is no uncommon case, died, and to repair the misery he had been instrumental in occasioning, left him his penacea for all griefs, money. It was necessary that he should immediately repair to Rome, whether this man had spent for health, where he had died, leaving as affairs and great confusion. He went, was seized with mortal illness there, was followed the moment the intelligence reached Paris by your mother, who carried you with her. He died the day after arrival, leaving no will, no will, so that the whole property fell to her and you. This part of the recital, monks held his breath and listened with the face of intense eagerness, though his eyes were not directed to all the speaker. As Mr Brownlow paused, he changed his position with the air of one who was experiencing a sudden relief, and wiped his hot hand, loose in hands. Before he went abroad, as he as he paced through London on his way, said Mr Brownlow, slowly, and fixing his eyes upon the other's face, he came to me. I never heard of that, interrupted monks, and a third of the pure incredulous but savoring more of disagreeable surprise. He came to me and he left with me and among some other things a picture. And Paul trepated by himself, a likeness of this poor girl, which he did not wish to leave behind, and could not carry forward on his hasty journey. He was worn by anxiety and remorse almost to a shadow, torqued in a wild, distracted way, of ruin and dishonour worked by himself, confided to me his intention to convert his whole property at any cost into money, and having settled on his wife and new apportion of his recent acquisition to fly the country, I guess too well he would not fly alone, and never see it more. Even for me, his old and early friend, to a strong attachment had taken root on the earth that covered one, or dear to both, even for me he would held any more particular confession, promising to write and tell me all, and after that to see me once again, for the last time on earth. Alas, that was the last time. I had no letter, and I never saw him more. I went, said Mr Brown, now at a short pause. I went when all was over, to the scene of his, I will use the term the word, will defruely use, for wordly harshness or favour are now a like of Tim, of his guilty love. As all these my fears were realised that airing child should find one heart and home, shelter and passion at her. The family had left that part a week before, they had called in such trifling debts as were outstanding, discharged them, and left the place by night. Why, or wither, uncontell, monks drew his breath yet more freely, and looked round for the smile of triumph. When your brother, so Mr Brown, drawing nearer to the other's chair, when your brother, a feeble, ragged, neglected child, was cast in my way by a stronger hand than chance, initialed by me for my life of vice, and in for me, what, eyed monks, by me, said Mr Brown now. I told you I should interest you before long, and I say by me, I see that your cunning associates have suppressed my name, although for all he knew I would be quite strange to your ears. When he was rescued by me then, and lay recovering from sickness in my house, his strong resemblance to this picture that I have spoken of struck me with astonishment, even when I first saw him in all his dirt and misery. It was a lingering expression on his face that came upon me like a glimpse of some old friend flashing, all one in a vivid dream. I need not tell you that he was snared away before I knew his history. Why not? asked monks hastily, because you know it well. I, denial to me, is vain, replied Mr Brown now, and I will show your thine ear no more than that. You, you, can't prove it against me! I'm a monk, I can file you to do it! We shall see, return the old gentleman to the searching glance. I lost the boy, and no evidence of mine could recover him. Your mother being dead, I knew that you alone could saw the mystery of anybody could, and as when I had first heard of you, you were on your own estate in the West Indies. Wither, as you well know, you were tired of pulling your mother's death to escape the consequence of vicious causes here. I made the voyage. You had left it, mutton's before, and was supposed to be in London, but no one could tell you where. I returned. Your agents had no clue to your residence. You came and went, they said, as strangely as you had ever done. Sometimes for days together and sometimes not for months, keeping all the parents the same low horns and mingling with the same infamous herd who had been your associates when I fierce in the gaunt and gavel of the ploy. I wearied them with new applications. I faced a cheat's eye night and day, and until two hours ago, all my efforts were fruitless, and I never saw you for an instant. And now you do see me! had monks rising boldly, what men, fraud and robberier high-sounding words justify you think my fancy resemblance is some young meep to an idle, tall-worked man's brother! You don't even know that a child was born in a small, red pair! You don't even know that! I did not, applied Mr. Brown low-rising to, but within the last fortnight I have learned it all. You have a brother, you know it, and him. There was a will which your mother destroyed, leaving a secret in the game to you with her own death. It contained a reference to some child, likely to be the result of this sad connection, which child was born and accidentally encountered by you when your suspicions were first awakened by his resemblance to your father. You were a pair to the place of his birth. There existed proofs, proofs long suppressed of his birth and parentage. Those proofs were destroyed by you when now in your own words you'll accomplish the jewel. The only proofs of the boys I get in you lie at the bottom of the river in the old hag, or receive them and run the mother is rotting in our coffin! Unworthy son! Coward! Lair! You rule all your councils with thieves and murderers and dark rooms at night. You whose plots and wiles have brought a violent death upon the head of one worth million such as you. You who, from your cradle war goal and bitterness to your own father's heart, and in whom you'll leave in passions, fights and profiling is the investor till they found the bender, the hideous disease which hit your face and index even your mind. You Edward Leiford! Do you still brave me? No! No! No! Return the coward! Overwhelmed by these accumulated charges, every word, every word that pass between you and that destitistical villain is known to be. Shadows on the wall have caught your whispers and brought them to my ear. The sight that produced a curious child has turned, fight itself, and given it the courage and almost the attributes of virtue. Murder has been done, to which you all are morally, if not really, a party. No! No! In the pose, Bunks. I, I do nothing of that. I was going to inquire the truth of the story when you overtook me. I didn't know the cause. I thought it wasn't Guaman Guaro. It was the partial disclosure of your secrets. I think none, Mr. Bronner. Will you just close the hole? Yes, I will. Set your hand toward statement of truth and facts and repeat it before witnesses. That I promise to. Remain quietly here until such a document is drawn up and proceed with me and such a place as I may deem most advisable for the purpose of attesting it. If you insist upon it, I'll do that also, replied Bunks. You must do more than that, said Mr. Bronner. Make restitution to an innocent and unoffending child for such he is. Although the offspring of a guilty and most miserable love, you have not forgotten the provisions of the will. Carry them into execution so far as your brother is concerned, and go where you please. In this world you need meat no more. While Bunks was pacing up and down, meditating with dark and evil looks on this proposal and the possibilities of evading it, torn by his fears on the one hand and his hatred on the other, the door was hurriedly unlocked and a gentleman, Mr. Lawsburn, entered the room in violent agitation. The man will be taken. He's right. He will be taken tonight. The murderer asked Mr. Bronner. Yes, yes, replied the other. His dog has been seen looking about some old hound, and there seems a little doubt that the master by the ease so will be there, under cover of darkness. Spies were hungry about in every direction. I spoke to the men who are charged for his capture, and they tell me I cannot escape. A reward of a hundred pounds has been claimed by government tonight. I will give fifty more, said Mr. Bronner, and reclaim it with my own lips upon the spot, if I can reach it. Where is Mr. Mealy? Harry, as soon as he had seen your friend here, safe in a coat with you, he hurried off to where he had this, applied the doctor, and mounting his horse, salient for the joy of first party at some plate, and the outskirts agreed upon between them. Feighing in, said Mr. Bronner, what of him? Well, I had last heard he had not been taken, but it will be, or is by this time. They're sure of him. Have you made up your mind, says Mr. Bronner, a low voice of monks? Yes, you're a blind. You? You? Will my secret be made? I will. Remain here till I return. It is your only hope of safety. They left the room, and the door was again locked. What have you done? asked the doctor and whisper, all that I could hope to do, and even more, coupling with all girls' intelligence with my previous knowledge. As a result of our good friends' inquiries on the spot, I left them no loophole to escape, and laid bare the whole villainy, which by these lights had become plain as day. Right in a point the evening after tomorrow, at seven, for the meeting, we shall be down there a few hours before, but shall require rest, especially the young lady, who may have greater need of firmness than either you or I can quick to a sea just now, and my blood boils to avenge this poor murdered creature, which way have they taken? Drive straight to the office, and you will be in time. Aye, Mr. Bronner, I will remain here. The two gentlemen hastily separated, eating a fever of excitement, wholly uncontrollable. End of Chapter 49 of Oliver Twist Chapter 50 of Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens This is LibriVox Recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Arthur Piantodosi Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens Chapter 50 The Pursuit and Escape Near to that part of the Thames, on which the church had wrought her earbuds, where the buildings on the banks are dirtiest, and the vessels on the rivers the blackest, with the dust of colliers, and the smoke of close-built low-roofed houses, the resist the filthiest, the strangest, the most extraordinary of the many localities that are hidden in London, only unknown, even by name, to a good the great mass of its inhabitants. To reach this place, the visitor has to penetrate through a maze of close, narrow, and muddy streets, thrown by the roughest and poorest of the multi-site people, in a virtue to the traffic there may be, as opposed to occasion. The cheapest and least-dedicated provisions are heaped in the shops, the courses and commonest circles are wearing a peril dangle at the salesman's door, and stream from the house peripet and windows, jostling with unemployed labourers of a lowest class, burlars-teavers, curl-whippers, brazen women, ragged children, and the refuse of the river. He makes his way with difficulty alone, assailed by affinctive sights and smells from the narrow alleys which branch off on the right to left, and deafened by the clash of ponderous wagons that bear great piles of merchandise from the stacks of warehouses that rise from every corner. Arriving at length in streets from outer and less frequented than those through which he has passed, new walks but not only altering out of his fronts, projecting over the pavement, dismantled walls that seem totter as he passes, chimneys half crushed, half attaining to fall, windows guarded by rusty iron bars, a time and dirt have almost eaten away every imaginable sight of desolation and neglect. In such a neighbourhood beyond Dorchead in the borough of Southwark stands Jacobs Island, surrounded by muddy ditch, six or eight feet deep and fifteen or twenty wide when the tide is in. One school mill pond but known in days of this story is fully ditch. It is a creek or inlet from the Thames and could always be filled with high water by opening the sluices at the lead mill from which it took its old name. At such times a stranger looking from one of the Oaten British throne across its mill lane will see the inhabitants of the sows on either side lowering from their back doors and windows, buckets and pails, domestic utensils of all kinds in which to haul the water up. When his eye is turned from these operations and houses themselves, his utmost astonishment will be excited by the scene before him. Crazy wooden galleries common to the backs of half a dozen houses with holes from which to look upon the slime beneath, windows broken and parched with turbos thrust out on which to dry their linen which is never there. Broom so small, so filthy, so confined, that the air would seem tainted even for the dirt and sprawler which they shelter. Woman chambers thrusting themselves out above the mud and threatening to fall into it. As some have done, dirt bespired walls and discarrying foundations, every repulsive lenient of poverty, every loath of an indication of filth, rot and garbage, all these ornament the banks of fully ditch. In Jacobs Island the warehouses are roofless and empty, the walls are crumbling down, the windows are windows near more, the doors are flooding into the streets, the chimneys are blackened, but they yield no smoke. Thirty of all the years ago, before losses and chance that he suits came upon it, it was a thriving place, but now it is a desolate island indeed. The houses have no owners, they are broken open and entered upon by those who have the courage, and there they live and they die. They must have powerful motives or secret residence, or be reduced to a destitute condition indeed, who seek refuge in Jacobs Island. In an upper room of one of his houses, a detached house of fair size, ruinous in other respects, but strongly defended a door and window, of which house the back commanded the ditch in a manner already described. They were assembled three men, who were regarding each other every now and then with looks, expressive of perplexity and expectation, set for some time in profound and gloomy silence. One of these was Toby Crackett, another Mr. Chittling, and the third a robber of thirty years, whom, as he knows, had been almost beaten in in some old scalpel, and his face bore a fearful scar which might probably be traced to the same occasion. This man was returned in transport, and his name was Caggs. Oh, I wish, said Toby, turning to Mr. Chittling, said Caggs, Well, I thought you had been a little more glad to see me than this, applied Mr. Chittling, with a malin callier. Oh, looking young gentleman, said Toby, one monkey himself so very exclusive as I had done, and boy, it means it snuck over his head with nobody a pride and smell in a bogey. It's better than a story, than the order of visit of all young gentlemen. However, I expected more than pleasant mercy made me to play coals without convenience, see. But though it stands as as you are, I especially was exclusive, your mind is gone, friends, stopping with him. As you are, as soon as it was expected from volume parts, and his two more is to warn of his particular dodgy sort of his return. At his Mr. Caggs, there was a short silence after which Toby cracked it, seeming to abandon as hopeless any further effort to re-entain his usual devil-may-care swagger. Turned to Chittling and said, Who was begging talk then? Just a dinner time, two o'clock this afternoon, Shauling all made our lucky up the warshaws ship-nate, and drew to go in the empty war-but, hold down words, but his leg was so precious, long that I stood out and just taught him who he took him to. I bet, poor bet, she waited to see the boy, his big good, who it was, applied Chittling, his countenance falling more and more. I went all mad, screaming and raving, and beating iron against his balls, so I bought a straight waistcoat all then, took it in the horse-bill, and there she is. What's come o' young baits, demanded Caggs, he on the boat, nor come over there, but don't be here soon, applied Chittling, and nowhere else to go do now, for people and cripples are all in custody, and the more all that can, I went up there, see it, my own eyes, he filled with tropes. I said it's a smosh, observed Toby, biting his lips, as more and more will go o'er his face. Those sessions are long, said Caggs, and they are getting wasted over and over the turns, King's evidence, as a cause he will, from what we said already, and Prophagian is in Caesarean before a fact, and getting far away a woman before he is, swinging in six days from west, my God! You saw here the people groan, said Chittling, the opposers fought like devils, away, torn him away. He was down once, and they made a ring round him, and fought way, way along. You sure see now, he looked about him, all moorly and bleeding, and clung to them as if they were religious friends. Oh, you'd see him now, who not maybe will stand up right, with a prescient eye on them all, and drug him at all amongst them. Oh, you'd see the people drop not one by the other, and so would they wear a teething mankin at him. Oh, you'd see the blood boiling there in beer, near the cries when we, the woman, walked himself with his son on a crowy street corner, swallowing terrors all out. The horrors stricken weakness of this scene pressed his hands upon his ears, and his eyes closed and got up, and paced violently to and fro, like one distracted. While he was thus engaged, and the two men sat by in silence, with their eyes fixed upon the floor, a pattering noise was heard upon the stairs, and Sykes's door bounded into the room. They ran to the window down stairs and into the street. The dog jumped in it to the open window. He made no attempt to fool of them, nor is his master to be seen. What was the meaning, L.S., the toby, when they have returned? They can't be coming here. All right, all right, I hope not. He was coming here to come with the dog, said Cags, stooping down towards the other the animal, or play-pounding on the floor. Yeah, give her some warm for him, in his room so faint. He struck me all up every drop, said chitling after watering the dog sometime in silence. Call me with moan, lame or blind, he moan, come a long way. Where can you come from, exclaimed toby? It's been in the all kinds of call, and far and field was strange as calmed on here, where he'd been so many a time and all been. Where can you come from first, and how come he's here without you? Aye, my mother then called the murderer by his own name. A cure made him by himself. What were you think, said chitling, sure he'd be shook his head. If he ought, said Cags, a door he wanted to lead us away, where he did it. No eyeings go out in the country, left the door behind. He must give him a slip, so wow, or he wouldn't be so easy. This illusion, appearing the most probable one, was adopted as the right, the door creeping under a chair, coiled as a self up to sleep, without any more notice from anybody. It being mad dark, the shutter was closed, and an handle lighted and placed upon the table. The terrible events over the last two days made a deep impression on all three, increased by the danger and uncertainty of their own position. They drew their chairs closer together, starting at every sound. They spoke little, and that in whispers, and mothers silent and all stricken as if the remains of the murdered woman lay in the next room. It saw thus some time, and suddenly it was heard, hurried knocking at the door below. Young bites, said Cags, looking angrily around, to check the fear he felt himself, and knocking came again. No, it wasn't he, he never knocked like that. Cogack had went to the window, and shaking all over, drew in his head. There was no need to tell them who it was, his pale face was enough. The door, too, was on the alert in an instant, and ran whining to the door. Almost let him in, he said, taking up the candle. I know any help for it, asked the other man, and with a hoarse voice, Norn, it must come in. Don't ever saw a dog, said Cags. Cagging round a candle from the chimney piece, and lighting it with such a trembling hand that a knocking was twice repeated before he had finished. Crag had went down to the door, and returned, followed by a man with a lower part of his face buried and a handkerchief, another tied over his head under his heart. He drew them slowly off, blanched face, sunken eyes, hollow cheeks, Beard of three days' growth, wasted flesh, short thick breath, was the very ghost of Cags. He laid his hand upon a chair which stood in the middle of the room, but shuddering as it was about to drop into it, and seemingly with lands over his shoulder, dragged it back a close to the wall, as close as it was to go, and ground it against it, and sat down. Not a word had been exchanged, he looked from one end to another in silence. Even I were furtively raised and met his, it was instantly averted. When his hollow voice broke silence, they all three started. They never seemed to have heard its tones before. I came at that door here, he asked. Alone three hours ago, an old baby's face took a true lie. True. They were silent again. Darn you all! said Sykes, passing his hand across its forehead. Are you knowing it, say to me? There was an uneasy movement throughout among them, but nobody spoke. You look in this house! said Sykes, turning his face to crack it. You mean to sell me or let me lie? I hear you, this house is over! Are you going to make a store of hair? He then gets safe, returned the poor son's rest after some hesitation. Sykes carried his eyes slowly up the wall behind him, rather trying to hurt his head than actually doing it, and said, Ice! The boy! Is it buried? They shook their heads. Why isn't it? He retorted him at the same glance behind him. Where keeps so surely things mumble ground for? Who's that knocking? Crack it, intimated. By motion of his hands, he left the room. There was nothing to fear, and directly came back with Charlie baits behind him. Sykes atop his at the door, said for a moment the boy entered the room. He encountered his figure. Toby! Said the boy, folding back, as Sykes turned his eyes towards him. Will you tell me this? Doubsters! There had been something so tremendous than the shrinking off of a three. The wretched man was willing to perpetuate even this lad. Accordingly, he nodded, and made as though he would shake hands with him. Let me go when it's some all-error! Said the boy, retuning as he'll further. Charlie! Said Sykes, stepping forward. Don't you! Don't you know me? Don't come near me! Answered the boy, still retreating and looking with horror in his eyes, upon the murderous face. You morsel! The man stopped halfway, and they looked at each other, as Sykes' eyes sunk gradually to the ground. What is you three? cried the boy, shaking his clenched fist and becoming more and more excited as he spoke. What is you three? I'm not afraid of him, and they're coming out after him. I'll give him up. I will! I'll take you out of the walls. And I'll kill me for all you likes. If he dies, or I'm here, I'll give him up. I'll give him up if he starts to bubble alive. Murder! Help! If there's a plugger, I'm out of my youth for you will me. Murder! Help! Don't with them! Pouring out these cries, and accompanying him with vital death, just to locate an education, the boy actually threw himself, single-handedly upon the strong man, in in the intensity of his energy, and the suddenness of his surprise, brought him heavily to the ground. A spritz spectator seemed quite stupefied. They offered no interference, and the boy and man rolled on the ground together, the former, healers of the blow that showered upon him. Trenching his hands tighter and tighter in the garments about the murderer's breast, but never ceasing to call for help with all his might, Contest, however, was too unequal to last long. Psych set him down, his knee was on his throat, and Crackett pulled him back with the look of alarm, and pointed to the window. There were lights gleaming below, voices in loud, and earnest conversation, the tramp of hurried footsteps. Elderly seemed in number, closing nearest was in bridge. One man on horseback seemed to be among the crowd, for there was now ease of hoofs rattling on the uneven pavement. A gleam of lights increased, the footsteps came mulled thickly and noisily on. Then came a loud knocking at the door, and then a horse murmured from such amount to do the angry voices that would make the boulders quail. Help! Constraint the boy in a voice that read the air. Eyes here! Break down the door! In the king's name! Can I have the voices read out? The horse cry arose again, but louder. Break down the door! String the boy. I'll tell you they'll never open it! Roll straight to where my law is! Break down the door! Strokes, heavy and heavy, rattled upon the door, and nowhere a window shutters easy seats to speak, and a loud huzzah burst from the crowd, giving a listener for the first time some adequate idea of its immense extent. Open the door, some blade, where my law is screeching out, babe! Cryed Sykes fiercely, running to and fro, and dragging the boy now, as easily as if he were an empty sack. Ah, door! Quick! He flung him in, and bolted it and turned the key. I said downstairs, door forced! Double law enshrined! Replied, frecket. Oh, with the other two men, still remain quite helpless and bewildered. A pile of the waste, strong! Lower his sheet on, and the windows too! Yes, and the windows! D'oh, you! Cryed the illicit ruffian, throwing up the sash and menacing the crowd. Do your worst! Or would she hear me yet? Of all the terrific yells that ever fell on mortal ears, none could it cede the cry of the infuriated throng. Some shouted as those who were nearest to set the house on fire. Others roared to the officers to shoot him dead. Among them all, none shoot such fury as the man on horseback who threw himself out of the saddle and bursting through the crowd as if he were potting water, cried beneath the window in a voice that rose above all others. Fondry Guinness, the man who brings a ladder! The nearest voices took up the cry, and hundreds echoed it. Some called for ladders, some for sledgehammers, some ran with tortoise to and fro as if to seek them, and still came back and rolled again. Some spent their breath in impotent curses and excretions, some pressed forward the ecstasy of madmen and thus impeded the progress of those below. Some among the boldest attempted to climb up by the waterspouting trepises on the wall, and all waved to and fro in the darkness beneath like a field of corn moved by an angry wind and joined from time to time in one round furious roar. I'll join! cried the murderer as he staggered back into the room and shot the faces out. The toy was in my eyes! Oh, keep me up! Give me a rope! A long rope! There, away and fro, I've had dropping in the fall and in the edge of clear all that way! Give me a rope! Or else you do three more murders and kill more itself! The panic stricken men pointed to where such artisals were kept. The murderer, hastily selecting the longest and strongest cord, arrayed up to the rooftop. All the windowed in the rear of the house had been long ago, been bricked up. It's like one small trap in the room where the boy was locked and that was too small even for the passage of his body. But from his aperture he had never ceased to call on those without to guard the back. And thus when the murderer emerged at last on the house top by the door on the roof, a loud shout for acclaim the fact of those in front who immediately began poor round, pressing upon each other in an unbroken stream. He planted a board which had been carried up with him for the purpose, so firmly against the door that must be a matter of great difficulty open it from the inside, and creeping over the tiles looked over the lower peripat. The water was out and the ditch a bed of mud. The crowd had been hushed at earning these few moments, watching his motions and doubtful for his purpose. But the instant they proceeded it knew it was defeated and they raised a cry of flamboyant excretion to which they all their previous shouting had been whispers. Again and again it rose. Those who were too great a distance to know its meaning took up it the sound it echoed and re-echoed. It seemed so the whole city had pulled its population out to curse him. On pressed the people from the front. On, on, on! In a strong, struggling, ca-erent of angry faces with here and there a glaring torch enlighten them up and show them all their wrath and passion. The houses on the opposite side of the ditch had just been entered by the mob. Sashes were thrown up and torn bodily out. There were tears and tears of faces in every window clustered upon clustered people clinging at every house top. Each little bridge and there were three in sight bent beneath the weight of the crowd upon it. Still the current pulled on to find some nook or hole from which to vent their shouts and only for an instant see the wretch. Oh, add him now! cried a man on the earth's bridge. Rawr! The crowd lighted up with their uncovered heads and again the shouts rose. I would give him fifty pounds. Shrouded an old gentleman from the same quarter. The man who takes him alive I will remain here till he come to ask me for it. There was another roar. At this moment the word was passed among the crowd that the doors forced it last and that he would first call for the latter and mount it into the room. The stream abruptly turned as this intelligence ran from mouth to mouth and the people at the windows seeing those upon the bridge as well as going back quitted their stations and running into the street joined the concourse that now from pale melds the spot they left each a man crushing and striving with his neighbour and all panting with impatience to get near the door and look upon the criminal as the officers brought him out. The cries and shrieks of those who were pressed on those to suffocation all trampled down and trodden underfoot on the confusion were dreadful and their ways were completely blocked up and at this time between this rush of thunder again the space in front of the house and the unavailing struggles of others to extricate themselves on the mass they did attention to distract it on the murderer although the universal eagerness for his capture was impossible increased. The man had shrunk down thoroughly quelled by the ferocity of the crowd and the impossibility of escape but seeing the sudden change when there was no resulpidity that had occurred he sprang upon his feet to have any one last effort for his life by dropping into the ditch and at the risk being stiff they filled and endeavouring to creep away and adapt us in confusion roused into noose strangling the energy and simulated by the noise within the house which announced that entrance had really been affected instead it's fault against the stack of chimneys fastened one end of the rope vertically and firmly around it and with the other made a strong running noose by the aid of his hands and teeth almost in the second he could let himself down by the call within a distance of the ground on his own height and his knife ready in his hand to cut it then and drop and the very instant when he brought the loop over his head previous to slipping in between his armpits and when the old gentleman before mentioned would clung so tight to the railing of the bridge as to resist the falls of the crowd and retain his position as he warned noose about him that the man was about to let himself down at the very instant the murderer looking behind him on the roof through his arms around his head under the yell of terror the oise again he cried in an earthy screech staggering as if it stopped by lightning he lost his balance and tumbled over the parapet the noose was on his neck he ran up with his weight tight as a bow string and switched as an arrow at speeds he fell for five and thirty feet there was a sudden jerk a terrific convulsion of the limbs and there he hung with the open knife clenched in his stiffening hand the old chimney quivered with a shock but stood it bravely the murderer swung a lifeless against the wall and the boy thrusting aside the dangling body with his obscurity's view called to the people to come and take him out for God's sake a dog which is laid concealed till now ran backwards and forwards on the parapet with a dismal howl and collecting himself for a spring jumped for the dead man on the shoulders missing his aim he fell into the ditch turned completely over as he went and striking his head against a stone dashed out his brains End of chapter 50 of Oliver Twist