PAGE 12
Oliver Twist
by
Of course the matter was too serious to pass over, and the next day, as Rose was trying to decide upon a course of action, Oliver settled it for her, by rushing in with breathless haste, and exclaiming, “I have seen the gentleman–the gentleman who was so good to me–Mr. Brownlow!”
“Where?” asked Rose.
“Going into a house,” replied Oliver. “And Giles asked, for me, whether he lived there, and they said he did. Look here,” producing a scrap of paper, “here it is; here’s where he lives–I’m going there directly! OH, DEAR ME! DEAR ME! what shall I do when I come to hear him speak again!”
With her attention not a little distracted by these exclamations of joy, an idea came to Rose, and she determined upon turning this discovery to account.
“Quick!” she said, “tell them to fetch a hackney-coach, and be ready to go with me. I will take you to see Mr. Brownlow directly.”
Oliver needed no urging and they were soon on their way to Craven Street. When they arrived, Rose left Oliver in the coach, and sending up her card, requested to see Mr. Brownlow on business. She was shown up stairs, and presented to Mr. Brownlow, an elderly gentleman of benevolent appearance, in a bottle-green coat, and with him was his friend, Mr. Grimwig. Rose began at once upon her errand, to the great amazement of the two old gentlemen. She related in a few natural words all that had befallen Oliver since he left Mr. Brownlow’s house, concluding with the assurance that his only sorrow for many months had been the not being able to meet with his former benefactor and friend.
“Thank God!” said Mr. Brownlow. “This is great happiness to me; great happiness! But why not have brought him?”
“He is waiting in a coach at the door,” replied Rose.
“At this door!” cried Mr. Brownlow. With which he hurried down the stairs, without another word, and came back with Oliver. Then Mrs. Bedwin was sent for. “God be good to me!” she cried, embracing him; “it is my innocent boy! He would come back–I knew he would! How well he looks, and how like a gentleman’s son he is dressed again! Where have you been, this long, long while?”
Running on thus,–now holding Oliver from her, now clasping him to her and passing her fingers through his hair, the good soul laughed and wept upon his neck by turns.
Leaving Oliver with her, Mr. Brownlow led Rose into another room, by her request, and she narrated her interview with Nancy, which occasioned Mr. Brownlow no small amount of perplexity and surprise. After a long consultation they decided to take Mrs. Maylie and Dr. Losberne into their confidence, also Mr. Grimwig, thus forming a committee for the purpose of guarding the young lad from further entanglement in the plots of villains.
Through Nancy, with whom Rose had another interview, the man Monks was tracked, and finally captured by Mr. Brownlow, who to his sorrow, found that the villain was the erring son of his oldest friend, and his name of Monks only an assumed one. Facing him in a room of his own house, to which Monks had been brought,–Mr. Brownlow charged the man with one crime after another.
The father of Monks had two children who were half brothers, Monks and Oliver Twist. The father died suddenly, leaving in Mr. Brownlow’s home the portrait of Oliver’s mother, which was hanging in the house-keeper’s room. The striking likeness between this portrait and Oliver had led Mr. Brownlow to recognise the boy as the child of his dear old friend. Then, just when he had determined to adopt Oliver, the boy had disappeared, and all efforts to find him had proved unavailing. Mr. Brownlow knew that, although the mother and father were dead, the elder brother was alive, and at once commenced a search for him. Now he had discovered him in the man Monks, the friend of thieves and murderers, and by a chance clue he found also that there had been a will, dividing the property between the two brothers. That will had been destroyed, together with all proofs of Oliver’s parentage, so that Monks might have the entire property. Fearing discovery, Monks had bargained with Fagin to keep the child a thief or to kill him outright.