39 Oliver Twist - Read By Stephanie Poppins

Hello.

Welcome to Sleep Stories with Steph,

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

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

But before we begin,

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

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

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

It is time to relax and fully let go.

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

Happy listening.

Chapter 39 introduces some respectable characters with whom the reader is already acquainted and shows how monks and the Jew laid their worthy heads together.

On the evening following that upon which the three worthies mentioned in the last chapter disposed of their little matter of business as therein narrated,

Mr.

William Sykes,

Awakening from a nap,

Drowsily growled forth an inquiry what time of night it was.

The room in which Mr.

Sykes propounded this question was not one of those he had tenanted,

Although it was in the same quarter of the town and was situated at no great distance from his former lodgings.

It was not so desirable a habitation as his old quarters,

Being a mean and badly furnished apartment of very limited size,

Lighted only by one small window in the shelving roof and abutting on a close and dirty lane.

Nor were they wanting other indications of the good gentleman's having gone down in the world of late,

For a great scarcity of furniture and total absence of comfort,

Together with the disappearance of all such small movables as smear,

Clothes and linen,

Bespoke a state of extreme poverty.

The housebreaker was lying on the bed,

Wrapped in his white greatcoat by way of a dressing gown,

And displaying a set of features in no degree improved by the cadaverous hue of illness and the addition of a soiled nightcap and a stiff black beard of a week's growth.

The dog sat at the bedside,

Now eyeing his master with a whistled look,

And pricking his ears,

And uttering a low growl as some noise in the street or in the lower part of the house attracted his attention.

Seated by the window,

Busily engaged in patching an old waistcoat which formed a portion of the robber's ordinary dress,

Was a woman.

So pale and reduced with watching and privation,

There would have been considerable difficulty in recognising her as the same Nancy who has already figured in this tale,

But for the voice in which she replied.

Not long gone seven,

She said,

How do you feel tonight Bill?

As weak as water,

He replied.

Lend us a hand and get me off this thundering bed anyhow.

Illness had not improved his temper,

For as the girl raised him up and led him to a chair,

He muttered various curses on her awkwardness and struck her.

Whining are you?

He said.

Don't stand snivelling,

If you can't do anything better than that,

Cut off altogether.

I hear you,

Replied the girl,

Turning her face aside and forcing a laugh.

What fancy have you got on your head now?

You thought better of it,

Have you?

Growled Sykes,

Marking the tear which trembled in her eye.

All the better for you,

You have.

You don't mean to say you'd be hard on me tonight,

Bill?

Said the girl,

Laying her hand on his shoulder.

No,

Cried Sykes,

Why not?

Such a number of nights,

She said,

With a touch of woman's tenderness,

Which communicated something like sweetness of tone.

Such a number of nights I've been patient,

Nursing and caring for you as if you'd been a child,

And this is the first time I've seen you like yourself.

You wouldn't have served me as you did just now,

If you thought that,

Would you?

Can't say you wouldn't.

Well then,

I wouldn't.

Why damn,

Now the girl's whining again.

It's nothing,

Said the girl,

Throwing herself into a chair.

Don't you seem to mind me?

It'll soon be over.

What'll be over?

What fool are you up to now?

Get up and bustle about and don't come over me with your woman's nonsense.

At any other time,

This remonstrance and the tone in which it was delivered would have had the desired effect.

But the girl,

Being really weak and exhausted,

Dropped her head over the back of the chair and fainted before Mr.

Sykes could get out a few of the appropriate O's with which,

On similar occasions,

He was accustomed to garnish his threats.

Not knowing very well what to do in this uncommon emergency,

But Miss Nancy's hysterics were usually of that violent kind,

Which the patient fights and struggles without much assistance.

Mr.

Sykes tried a little blasphemy and,

Finding that mode of treatment wholly ineffectual,

Called for assistance.

What's the matter here,

My dear?

Said Fagin,

Looking in.

Lend an ear to the girl,

Can't you?

Don't stand chattering and grinning at me,

Said Sykes.

With an exclamation of surprise,

Fagin hastened to the girl's assistance,

While Mr.

John Dawkins,

Otherwise the artful dodger,

Who'd followed his venerable friend into the room,

Hastily deposit on the floor a bundle with which he was laden,

And snatching a bottle from the grasp of Master Charles Bates,

Who came close at his heels,

Uncorked it in a twinkling with his teeth,

And poured a portion of its contents down the patient's throat,

Previously taking a taste himself to prevent mistakes.

Give her a whiff of fresh air with the bellows,

Charlie,

Said Mr.

Dawkins,

And you slap her hands,

Fagin,

Whilst Bill undoes the petticoats.

These united restoratives,

Administered with great energy,

Especially that department consigned to Master Bates,

Who appeared to consider his sharing the proceedings a piece of unexampled pleasantry,

Were not long in producing the desired effect.

The girl gradually recovered her senses,

And,

Staggering to a chair by the bedside,

Hid her face upon the pillow.

What the devil wind has blowed you here,

Asked Sykes.

No wind at all,

My dear,

Said Fagin,

For evil winds blow nobody any good.

Dodger,

My dear,

Open the bundle and give Bill the little trifles we spent all our money on this morning.

A rabbit pie,

Bill,

Exclaimed the gentleman,

Disclosing to view a huge pastry.

Such delicate creatures with such tender limbs,

Bill,

The very bones melt in your mouth.

Ah,

Said Fagin,

Rubbing his hands with great satisfaction,

You'll do now,

Bill,

You'll do now.

Do,

Exclaimed Mr.

Sykes.

I might have been done for twenty times over,

For you've done anything to help me.

What do you mean by leaving a man in this state three weeks and more,

You false-hearted vagabond?

Only hearing,

Boys,

Said Fagin,

Shrugging his shoulders,

And us come to bring him all these beautiful things.

The things is well enough in their way,

Observed Mr.

Sykes,

A little soothed as he glanced over the table.

But what have you got to say for yourself?

Why should you leave me here alone?

I couldn't help it,

Bill,

Said Fagin.

I can't go into a long explanation before company,

But I couldn't help it upon my honour.

Upon your what?

Cut me a piece of that pie,

One of you boys,

To take the taste out of that mouth,

Or I'll choke him dead.

Don't be out to temper me,

Dear,

Urged Fagin submissively.

I never forgot you,

Bill,

Never once.

I'll pound it you hasn't,

Replied Sykes with a bitter grin.

You've been scheming and plotting away every hour that I laid shivering and burning here,

And Bill was to do this,

And Bill was to do that,

And Bill was to do it all dirt cheap as soon as he got well,

And was quite poor enough for your work.

If it hadn't been for the girl,

I might have died.

There now,

Bill,

Remonstrated Fagin,

Eagerly catching at the word,

If it hadn't been for the girl.

Oh,

But poor old Fagin was amazed at you having such an handy girl about you.

He says true enough there,

Said Nancy,

Coming hastily forward.

Let him be,

Let him be.

Nancy's appearance gave a new turn to the conversation,

For the boys,

Receiving a sly wink from the weary old Jew,

Began to ply her with liquor,

Of which,

However,

She took very sparingly,

While Fagin,

Assuming an unusual flow of spirits,

Gradually brought Mr.

Sykes into a better temper,

By effecting to regard his threats as a little pleasant banter,

And moreover by laughing very heartily at one or two rough jokes,

Which,

After repeated applications to the spirit bottle,

He condescended to make.

That's all very well,

Said Mr.

Sykes,

But I must have some blunt from you tonight.

I haven't got a piece of coin about me,

Replied the Jew.

You've got lots at home,

Retorted Sykes,

And I must have some from there.

Lots,

Cried Fagin,

Holding up his hands.

I haven't so many as would.

I don't know how much you've got,

And I dare say you hardly know yourself,

As it'll take a pretty long time to count it.

I must have some tonight,

Fagin,

And that's flat.

Well,

Well,

Said Fagin,

With a sigh,

I'll send the artful round presently.

He won't do nothing of the kind.

The art's a good deal too artful.

He'd forget to come,

Or lose his way,

Or get dodged by traps and be prevented or anything for an excuse.

Nancy shall go to the ken and fetch it,

To make sure,

And I'll lie down and have a snooze while she's gone.

After a great deal of haggling and squabbling,

Fagin beat down the amount of the required advance of five pounds to three pounds,

Four and sixpence,

Protesting with many solemn asservations that that would only leave him eighteen pence to keep house with.

In due course,

They arrived at Fagin's abode,

Where they found Toby Crackett and Mr Chitling intent upon their fifteenth game at cribbage,

Which is scarcely necessary to say the latter gentleman lost,

And with it his fifteenth and last sixpence,

Much to the amusement of his young friends.

There's nobody been,

Toby?

Asked Fagin.

Not a living leg.

Answered Mr Crackett.

It's been dull as swipes.

You all stand summing and some fagging to recompense me for keeping out so long.

With these and other ejaculations of the same kind,

Crackett swept up his winnings and crammed them into his waistcoat pocket with a haughty air,

As though such small pieces of silver were wholly beneath the consideration of a man of his figure.

This done,

He swaggered around the room,

With so much elegance and gentility,

That Mr Chitling,

Bestowing numerous admiring glances on his legs and boots till they were out of sight,

Assured the company he considered his acquaintance cheap at fifteen sixpences an interview,

And he didn't value his losses the snap of his little finger.

The sooner you go,

The better,

Tom,

My dear.

Said Fagin.

Make up your loss at once and don't lose any more time.

Dodger,

Charlie,

It's time you were on the lay.

Come,

It's near ten and nothing's done yet.

In obedience to this hint,

The boys,

Nodding to Nancy,

Took up their hats and left the room.

The Dodger and his vivacious friend indulging as they went,

In many witticisms at the expense of Mr Chitling.

Now,

Said Fagin,

When they'd left the room,

I'll go and get you that cash,

Nancy.

This is only the key of a little cupboard where I keep a few odd things the boys get,

My dear.

I never lock up me money,

For I've none to lock up,

My dear,

None to lock up.

It's a poor trade,

Nancy,

And no thanks,

But I'm fond of seeing the young people about me,

And I bear it all,

I do,

I bear it.

Hush,

Who's there?

Listen.

Nancy,

Who was sitting at the table with her arms folded,

Appeared in no way interested in the arrival,

Or who the person,

Whoever he was,

Came and went,

Until the murmur of a man's voice reached her ears.

It was Monk's.

The girl slipped off her shoes,

And drawing her gown loosely over her head and muffling her arms in it,

She stood at the door,

Listening with breathless interest.

The moment the noise ceased,

She glided from the room,

Ascended the stairs with incredible softness and silence,

And was lost in the gloom above.