Chapter 14
(narrated by Tommy)
A Visit to Rose Maylie
The next day Bill Sikes felt a little better and Nancy went out to buy food and drink with the money from Fagin.
Sikes drank a lot, then fell back into a deep sleep.
'Ah!' whispered Nancy as she stood up. 'I must go now or I may be too late.'
She quickly put on her hat and went out without a sound. She hurried through the busy London streets to the richer part of the town, where the streets were much quieter. As the clock struck eleven, she entered the hall of a quiet family hotel near Hyde Park. She felt nervous and waited for a few moments before she moved towards the stairs.
'Now, what do you want here?' asked one of the servants.
He saw that she was poor, pale and thin.
'I want to see a lady who is staying here,' answered Nancy.
'A lady! What lady?' answered the man, looking at Nancy carefully.
'Miss Maylie.'
'Come!' said the man, pushing her towards the door. 'You must leave now.'
'No!' replied Nancy. 'Please take a message for me. Tell her that a young woman wants to speak to her alone, and it is very important.'
The servant went up the stairs. He thought that Miss Maylie would refuse to see her. But soon he returned and asked Nancy to follow him.
'I am the person that you wanted to see,' Rose Maylie said in a sweet voice.
The kind voice and the gentleness of Miss Maylie surprised Nancy. She started to cry.
'Oh, lady, lady!' she said. 'If there were more people like you in the world, there would be fewer like me! '
'Please sit down,' said Rose.' If you are in trouble I will be glad to help you.'
'Is that door shut?' asked Nancy. 'I took little Oliver back to Fagin's on the night when he left that gentleman's house. I live among thieves but I have never known any better life. You have never known hunger and cold and slept in the streets with no friends, dear lady!' Nancy wept.
'I pity you!' said Rose.' I am so sorry for you.'
'Heaven bless you for your kindness,' said Nancy. 'Nobody knows that I am here. They would murder me if they knew. But I want to tell you something that I have heard. Do you know a man called Monks? '
'No,' said Rose.
'He knows you, and he knows that you are here,' said Nancy. 'That is how I found this hotel.'
'I have never heard the name,' said Rose.
'Then perhaps he has another name,' said Nancy. 'Last night I heard him talking to old Fagin. They know that Oliver is here and they are planning to catch him again. Monks intends to pay Fagin if Oliver becomes a thief again.'
'But why?' asked Rose.
'I don't really know,' said Nancy. 'But if Oliver is a thief, his life will always be in danger. Monks hates Oliver so much! He said that he had the young boy's money now and wished to see him dead. Monks said, That will be the end of my young brother, Oliver.'
'His brother!' cried Rose.
'Those were his words, lady,' said Nancy. 'And now it is late. I must get back before they find out that I have gone.'
'Don't go,' said Rose. 'Stay here. You will be safe with me. Why don't we tell the police?'
'I must go back,' said Nancy. 'How can I explain to a sweet, innocent lady like you? There is one man among the thieves that I love. I cannot leave him.’
'But you have come here to help Oliver. And it was dangerous for you. Let me help you now!' cried Rose.
'You are the first person who has ever spoken to me in such a kind way. But it is too late for me!'
'I can't let you leave like this,' said Rose. 'What shall I do?'
'You must tell this story to someone who will advise you,' said Nancy. 'We must save Oliver.'
'Where can I find you again if I need to?' asked Rose.
'Will you promise me that you will come alone, or with the only other person who knows about me?'
'I promise,' said Rose.
'Then, if I am alive,' said Nancy, 'I will walk on London Bridge every Sunday night from eleven until the clock strikes twelve. And now goodbye, dear lady.'
Chapter 15
(narrated by Daniel)
Old Friends Meet
Oliver wanted to see Mr Brownlow again, while they were staying in London. He had told the two ladies about his kindness.
So Rose went with Oliver. She decided to tell Mr Brownlow Nancy's secret. When they arrived at his house, she asked to see Mr Brownlow on very important business. She left Oliver in the carriage with Mr Giles, and followed the servant into an upstairs room. There she met a kind old gentleman. There was another old gentleman in the room who did not look so kind.
'Mr Brownlow, sir?' asked Rose, looking from one gentleman to the other.
'That is my name,' said the one with the kind face. 'This is my friend, Mr Grimwig. Grimwig, will you leave us for a few minutes?' Rose remembered what Oliver had told her about Mr Grimwig.
She said,
'I think Mr Grimwig knows the business that I wish to speak about.' Mr Grimwig bowed.
'I shall surprise you very much,' said Rose, 'but you were once very kind to a very dear young friend of mine. I'm sure that you will be interested to hear about him again. His name is Oliver Twist.'
'Well, well!' said Mr Brownlow. He and Mr Grimwig looked very surprised.
'A bad boy!' said Mr Grimwig, 'I'll eat my head if he isn't a bad boy!'
'He is a good boy,' said Rose quickly. 'He has a fine nature and a warm heart.'
'Tell us what you know about this poor child,' said Mr Brownlow. 'We are very interested in him.'
Rose described everything that had happened to Oliver. She told them too that Oliver had been sad that he could not see his dear old friend, Mr Brownlow.
'This makes me very happy, very happy!' said the old gentleman. 'But, Miss Maylie, you haven't told us where he is now. Why haven't you brought him with you?'
'He is waiting in the carriage at the door,' said Rose.
'At the door!' cried Mr Brownlow.
He hurried out of the room and down the stairs without another word.
When he had gone, Mr Grimwig got up from his chair and walked up and down the room. Then, stopping suddenly, he kissed Rose.
'Don't be afraid,' he said, as the young lady stood up in shock.
'I am old enough to be your grandfather. You are a sweet girl. I like you. Ah! Here they are!'
He returned quickly to his chair as Mr Brownlow came in with Oliver. Mrs Bedwin came too, and Oliver jumped into her arms.
While Oliver and the old lady were talking and laughing and crying and kissing, Mr Brownlow led Rose into another room. There he heard the story of Nancy’s visit to Rose.
'This is a very strange mystery,' said Mr Brownlow, 'and we will never understand it until we find this man, Monks.'
'Only Nancy can help us,' said Rose, 'and we cannot see her until next Sunday.'
Chapter 14
(narrated by Tommy)
A Visit to Rose Maylie
The next day Bill Sikes felt a little better and Nancy went out to buy food and drink with the money from Fagin.
Sikes drank a lot, then fell back into a deep sleep.
'Ah!' whispered Nancy as she stood up. 'I must go now or I may be too late.'
She quickly put on her hat and went out without a sound. She hurried through the busy London streets to the richer part of the town, where the streets were much quieter. As the clock struck eleven, she entered the hall of a quiet family hotel near Hyde Park. She felt nervous and waited for a few moments before she moved towards the stairs.
'Now, what do you want here?' asked one of the servants.
He saw that she was poor, pale and thin.
'I want to see a lady who is staying here,' answered Nancy.
'A lady! What lady?' answered the man, looking at Nancy carefully.
'Miss Maylie.'
'Come!' said the man, pushing her towards the door. 'You must leave now.'
'No!' replied Nancy. 'Please take a message for me. Tell her that a young woman wants to speak to her alone, and it is very important.'
The servant went up the stairs. He thought that Miss Maylie would refuse to see her. But soon he returned and asked Nancy to follow him.
'I am the person that you wanted to see,' Rose Maylie said in a sweet voice.
The kind voice and the gentleness of Miss Maylie surprised Nancy. She started to cry.
'Oh, lady, lady!' she said. 'If there were more people like you in the world, there would be fewer like me! '
'Please sit down,' said Rose.' If you are in trouble I will be glad to help you.'
'Is that door shut?' asked Nancy. 'I took little Oliver back to Fagin's on the night when he left that gentleman's house. I live among thieves but I have never known any better life. You have never known hunger and cold and slept in the streets with no friends, dear lady!' Nancy wept.
'I pity you!' said Rose.' I am so sorry for you.'
'Heaven bless you for your kindness,' said Nancy. 'Nobody knows that I am here. They would murder me if they knew. But I want to tell you something that I have heard. Do you know a man called Monks? '
'No,' said Rose.
'He knows you, and he knows that you are here,' said Nancy. 'That is how I found this hotel.'
'I have never heard the name,' said Rose.
'Then perhaps he has another name,' said Nancy. 'Last night I heard him talking to old Fagin. They know that Oliver is here and they are planning to catch him again. Monks intends to pay Fagin if Oliver becomes a thief again.'
'But why?' asked Rose.
'I don't really know,' said Nancy. 'But if Oliver is a thief, his life will always be in danger. Monks hates Oliver so much! He said that he had the young boy's money now and wished to see him dead. Monks said, That will be the end of my young brother, Oliver.'
'His brother!' cried Rose.
'Those were his words, lady,' said Nancy. 'And now it is late. I must get back before they find out that I have gone.'
'Don't go,' said Rose. 'Stay here. You will be safe with me. Why don't we tell the police?'
'I must go back,' said Nancy. 'How can I explain to a sweet, innocent lady like you? There is one man among the thieves that I love. I cannot leave him.’
'But you have come here to help Oliver. And it was dangerous for you. Let me help you now!' cried Rose.
'You are the first person who has ever spoken to me in such a kind way. But it is too late for me!'
'I can't let you leave like this,' said Rose. 'What shall I do?'
'You must tell this story to someone who will advise you,' said Nancy. 'We must save Oliver.'
'Where can I find you again if I need to?' asked Rose.
'Will you promise me that you will come alone, or with the only other person who knows about me?'
'I promise,' said Rose.
'Then, if I am alive,' said Nancy, 'I will walk on London Bridge every Sunday night from eleven until the clock strikes twelve. And now goodbye, dear lady.'
Chapter 15
(narrated by Daniel)
Old Friends Meet
Oliver wanted to see Mr Brownlow again, while they were staying in London. He had told the two ladies about his kindness.
So Rose went with Oliver. She decided to tell Mr Brownlow Nancy's secret. When they arrived at his house, she asked to see Mr Brownlow on very important business. She left Oliver in the carriage with Mr Giles, and followed the servant into an upstairs room. There she met a kind old gentleman. There was another old gentleman in the room who did not look so kind.
'Mr Brownlow, sir?' asked Rose, looking from one gentleman to the other.
'That is my name,' said the one with the kind face. 'This is my friend, Mr Grimwig. Grimwig, will you leave us for a few minutes?' Rose remembered what Oliver had told her about Mr Grimwig.
She said,
'I think Mr Grimwig knows the business that I wish to speak about.' Mr Grimwig bowed.
'I shall surprise you very much,' said Rose, 'but you were once very kind to a very dear young friend of mine. I'm sure that you will be interested to hear about him again. His name is Oliver Twist.'
'Well, well!' said Mr Brownlow. He and Mr Grimwig looked very surprised.
'A bad boy!' said Mr Grimwig, 'I'll eat my head if he isn't a bad boy!'
'He is a good boy,' said Rose quickly. 'He has a fine nature and a warm heart.'
'Tell us what you know about this poor child,' said Mr Brownlow. 'We are very interested in him.'
Rose described everything that had happened to Oliver. She told them too that Oliver had been sad that he could not see his dear old friend, Mr Brownlow.
'This makes me very happy, very happy!' said the old gentleman. 'But, Miss Maylie, you haven't told us where he is now. Why haven't you brought him with you?'
'He is waiting in the carriage at the door,' said Rose.
'At the door!' cried Mr Brownlow.
He hurried out of the room and down the stairs without another word.
When he had gone, Mr Grimwig got up from his chair and walked up and down the room. Then, stopping suddenly, he kissed Rose.
'Don't be afraid,' he said, as the young lady stood up in shock.
'I am old enough to be your grandfather. You are a sweet girl. I like you. Ah! Here they are!'
He returned quickly to his chair as Mr Brownlow came in with Oliver. Mrs Bedwin came too, and Oliver jumped into her arms.
While Oliver and the old lady were talking and laughing and crying and kissing, Mr Brownlow led Rose into another room. There he heard the story of Nancy’s visit to Rose.
'This is a very strange mystery,' said Mr Brownlow, 'and we will never understand it until we find this man, Monks.'
'Only Nancy can help us,' said Rose, 'and we cannot see her until next Sunday.'
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