“It must have been a dream, Oliver,” said Harry Maylie.“Oh, no, indeed, sir,” replied Oliver, shuddering at the veryrecollection of the old wretch’s countenance; “I saw him tooplainly for that. I saw them both, as plainly as I see you now.”“Who was the other?” inquired Harry and Mr. Losberne,together.“The very same man I told you of, who came so suddenly uponme at the inn,” said Oliver. “We had our eyes fixed full upon eachother; and I could swear to him.”“They took this way?” demanded Harry; “are you sure?”“As I am that the men were at the window,” replied Oliver,pointing down, as he spoke, to the hedge which divided theCharles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsOliver Twist 367cottage garden from the meadow. “The tall man leaped over, justthere; and the Jew, running a few paces to the right, crept throughthat gap.”The two gentlemen watched Oliver’s earnest face, as he spoke,and looking from him to each other, seemed to feel satisfied of theaccuracy of what he said. Still, in no direction were there anyappearances of the trampling of men in hurried flight. The grasswas long; but it was trodden down nowhere, save where their ownfeet had crushed it. The sides and brinks of the dishes were ofdamp clay; but in no one place could they discern the print ofmen’s shoes, or the slightest mark which would indicate that anyfeet had pressed the ground for hours before.“This is strange!” said Harry.“Strange?” echoed the doctor. “Blathers and Duff, themselves,could make nothing of it.”Notwithstanding the evidently useless nature of their search,they did not desist until the coming on of night rendered itsfurther prosecution hopeless; and even then, they gave it up withreluctance. Giles was despatched to the different ale-houses in thevillage, furnished with the best description Oliver could give of theappearance and dress of the strangers. Of these, the Jew was, at allevents, sufficiently remarkable to be remembered, supposing hehad been seen drinking, or loitering about; but Giles returnedwithout any intelligence, calculated to dispel or lessen themystery.On the next day, fresh search was made, and the inquiriesrenewed; but with no better success. On the day following, Oliverand Mr. Maylie repaired to the market-town, in the hope of seeingor hearing something of the men there; but this effort was equallyCharles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsOliver Twist 368fruitless. After a few days, the affair began to be forgotten, as mostaffairs are, when wonder, having no fresh food to support it, diesaway of itself.Meanwhile, Rose was rapidly recovering. She had left herroom; was able to go out; and mixing once more with the family,carried joy into the hearts of all.But, although this happy change had a visible effect on the littlecircle, and although cheerful voices and merry laughter were oncemore heard in the cottage, there was at times, an unwontedrestraint upon some there, even upon Rose herself, which Olivercould not fail to remark. Mr. Maylie and her son were oftencloseted together for a long time; and more than once Roseappeared with traces of tears upon her face. After Mr. Losbernehad fixed a day for his departure to Chertsey, these symptomsincreased; and it became evident that something was in progresswhich affected the peace of the young lady, and of somebody elsebesides.At length, one morning, when Rose was alone in the breakfast-parlour, Harry Maylie entered; and, with some hesitation, beggedpermission to speak with her for a few moments.“A few—a very few—will suffice, Rose,” said the young man,drawing his chair towards her. “What I shall have to say, hasalready presented itself to your mind; the most cherished hopes ofmy heart are not unknown to you, though from my lips you havenot yet heard them stated.”Rose had been very pale from the moment of his entrance; butthat might have been the effect of her recent illness. She merelybowed; and bending over some plants that stood near, waited insilence for him to proceed. ought to have left here, before,” saidCharles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsOliver Twist 369Harry.“You should, indeed,” replied Rose. “Forgive me for saying so,but I wish you had.”“I was brought here, by the most dreadful and agonising of allapprehensions,” said the young man: “the fear of losing the onedear being on whom my every wish and hope are fixed. You hadbeen dying, trembling between earth and heaven. We know thatwhen the young, the beautiful, and good, are visited with sickness,their pure spirits insensibly turn towards their bright home oflasting rest; we know, Heaven help us, that the best and fairest ofour kind, too often fade in blooming.”There were tears in the eyes of the gentle girl, as these wordswere spoken; and when one fell upon the flower over which shebent, and glistened brightly in its cup, making it more beautiful, itseemed as though the out-pouring of her fresh young heart,claimed kindred naturally, with the loveliest things in nature.“A creature,” continued the young man passionately, “acreature as fair and innocent of guile as one of God’s own angels,fluttered between life and death. Oh, who could hope, when thedistant world to which she was akin, half-opened to her view, thatshe would return to the sorrow and calamity of this, Rose, Rose, toknow that you were passing away like some soft shadow, which alight from above casts upon the earth; to have no hope that youwould be spared to those who linger here; hardly to know a reasonwhy you should be; to feel that you belonged to that bright spherewhither so many of the fairest and the best have winged their earlyflight; and yet to pray, amid all these consolations, that you mightbe restored to those who loved you—these were distractionsalmost too great to bear. They were mine, by day and night; andCharles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsOliver Twist 370with them, came such a rushing torrent of fears, andapprehensions, and selfish regrets, lest you should die, and neverknow how devotedly I loved you, as almost bore down sense andreason in its course. You recovered. Day by day, and almost hourby hour, some drop of health came back, and mingling with thespent and feeble stream of life which circulated languidly withinyou, swelled it again to a high and rushing tide. I have watchedyou change almost from death to life, with eyes that turned blindwith their eagerness and deep affection. Do not tell me that youwish I had lost this; for it has softened my heart to all mankind.”“I did not mean that,” said Rose, weeping; “I only wish you hadleft here, that you might have turned to high and noble pursuitsagain; to pursuits well worthy of you.”“There is no pursuit more worthy of me, more worthy of thehighest nature that exists, than the struggle to win such a heart asyours,” said the young man, taking her hand. “Rose, my own dearRose! For years—for years—I have loved you; hoping to win myway to fame, and then come proudly home and tell you it had beenpursued only for you to share; thinking, in my day-dreams, how Iwould remind you, in that happy moment, of the many silenttokens I had given of a boy’s attachment, and claim your hand, asin redemption of some old, mute contract that had been sealedbetween us! That time has not arrived; but here, with no famewon, and no young vision realised, I offer you the heart so longyour own, and stake my all upon the words with which you greetthe offer.”“Your behaviour has ever been kind and noble,” said Rose,mastering the emotions by which she was agitated. “As youbelieve that I am not insensible or ungrateful, so hear my answer.”Charles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsOliver Twist 371“It is, that I may endeavour to deserve you; is it, dear Rose?”“It is,” replied Rose, “that you must endeavour to forget me; notas your old and dearly-attached companion, for that would woundme deeply; but, as the object of your love. Look into the world;think how many hearts you would be proud to gain are there.Confide some other passion to me, if you will; I will be the truest,warmest, and most faithful friend you have.”There was a pause, during which, Rose, who had covered herface with one hand, gave free vent to her tears. Harry still retainedthe other.“And your reasons, Rose,” he said, at length, in a low voice;“your reasons for this decision?”“You have a right to know them,” rejoined Rose. “You can saynothing to alter my decision. It is a duty that I must perform. I oweit, alike to others, and to myself.”“To yourself?”“Yes, Harry. I owe it to myself, that I, a friendless, portion lessgirl, with a blight upon my name, should not give your friendsreason to suspect that I had sordidly yielded to your first passion,and fastened myself, a clog, on all your hopes and projects. I owe itto you and yours, to prevent you from opposing, in the warmth ofyour generous nature, this great obstacle to your progress in theworld.”“If your inclinations chime with your sense of duty—” Harrybegan.“They do not,” replied Rose, colouring deeply.“Then you return my love?” said Harry. “Say but that, dearRose; say but that; and soften the bitterness of this harddisappointment!”Charles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsOliver Twist 372“If I could have done so, without doing heavy wrong to him Iloved,” rejoined Rose, “I could have—”“Have received this declaration very indifferently?” said Harry.“Do not conceal that from me, at least, Rose.”“I could,” said Rose. “Stay,” she added, disengaging her hand,“why should we prolong this painful interview? Most painful tome, and yet productive of lasting happiness, notwithstanding; forit will be happiness to know that I once held the high place in yourregard which I now occupy, and every triumph you achieve in lifewill animate me with new fortitude and firmness. Farewell, Harry!As we have met today, we meet no more; but in other relationsthan those in which this conversation would have placed us, wemay be long and happily entwined; and may every blessing thatthe prayers of a true and earnest heart can call down from thesource of all truth and sincerity, cheer and prosper you!”“Another word, Rose,” said Harry. “Your reason in your ownlips, let me hear it?”“The prospect before you,” answered Rose firmly, “is a brilliantone. All the honours to which great talents and powerfulconnections can help men in public life, are in store for you. Butthose connections are proud; and I will neither mingle with suchas may hold in scorn the mother who gave me life, nor bringdisgrace or failure on the son of her who had so well supplied thatmother’s place. In a word,” said the young lady, turning away, asher temporary firmness forsook her, “there is a stain upon myname, which the world visits on innocent heads. I will carry it intono blood but my own; and the reproach shall rest alone on me.”“One word more, Rose. Dearest Rose! one more!” cried Harry,throwing himself before her. “If I had been less—less fortunate,Charles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsOliver Twist 373the world would call it—if some obscure and peaceful life hadbeen my destiny—if I had been poor, sick, helpless—would youhave turned from me then? Or has my probable advancement toriches and honour, given this scruple birth?”“Do you press me to reply,” answered Rose. “The question doesnot arise, and never will. It is unfair, almost unkind, to urge it.”“If your answer be what I almost dare to hope it is,” retortedHarry, “it will shed a gleam of happiness upon my lonely way, andlight the path before me. It is not an idle thing to do so much, bythe utterance of a few brief words, for one who loves you beyondall else. Oh, Rose! in the name of my ardent and enduringattachment; in the name of all I have suffered for you, and all youdoom me to undergo; answer me this one question!”“Then, if your lot had been differently cast,” rejoined Rose; “ifyou had been even a little, but not so far, above me; if I could havebeen a help and comfort to you in any humble scene of peace andretirement, and not a blot and drawback in ambitious anddistinguished crowds, I should have been spared this trial. I haveevery reason to be happy, very happy, now; but then, Harry, I ownI should have been happier.”Busy recollections of old hopes, cherished as a girl, long ago,crowded into the mind of Rose, while making this avowal; but theybrought tears with them, as old hopes will when they come backwithered; and they relieved her.“I cannot help this weakness, and it makes my purposestronger,” said Rose, extending her hand. “I must leave you now,indeed.”“I ask one promise,” said Harry. “Once, and only once-more—say within a year, but it may be much sooner—I may speak to youCharles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsOliver Twist 374again on this subject, for the last time?”“Not to press me to alter my right determination,” replied Rose,with a melancholy smile; “it will be useless.”“No,” said Harry; “to hear you repeat it, if you will—finallyrepeat it! I will lay at your feet, whatever of station or fortune Imay possess; and if you still adhere to your present resolution, willnot seek, by word or act, to change it.”“Then let it be so,” rejoined Rose; “it is but one pang the more,and by that time I may be enabled to bear it better.”She extended her hand again. But the young man caught her tohis bosom; and, imprinting one kiss on her beautiful forehead,hurried from the room.Charles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsOliver Twist 375Chapter 36Is a very short one, and may appear of no greatimportance in its place; but it should be readnotwithstanding, as a sequel to the last, and a key toone that will follow when its time arrives.“A nd so you are resolved to be my travellingcompanion this morning; eh?” said the doctor, asHarry Maylie joined him and Oliver at the breakfast-table. “Why, you are not in the same mind or intention two half-hours together!”“You will tell me a different tale one of these days,” said Harry,colouring without any perceptible reason.“I hope I may have good cause to do so,” replied Mr. Losberne;“though I confess I don’t think I shall. But yesterday morning youhave made up your mind, in a great hurry, to stay here, and toaccompany your mother, like a dutiful son, to the seaside. Beforenoon, you announce that you are going to do me the honour ofaccompanying me as far as I go, on your road to London. And atnight, you urge me, with great mystery, to start before the ladiesare stirring; the consequence of which is, that young Oliver here ispinned down to his breakfast when he ought to be ranging themeadows after botanical phenomena of all kinds. Too bad, isn’t it,Oliver!”“I should have been very sorry not to have been at home whenyou and Mr. Maylie went away, sir,” rejoined Oliver.“That’s a fine fellow,” said the doctor; “you shall come and seeCharles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsOliver Twist 376me when you return. But, to speak seriously, Harry, has anycommunication from the great nobs produced this sudden anxietyon your part to be gone?”“The great nobs,” replied Harry, “under which designation Ipresume, you include my most stately uncle, have notcommunicated with me at all, since I have been here; nor, at thistime of the year, is it likely that anything would occur to rendernecessary my immediate attendance among them.”“Well,” said the doctor, “you are a queer fellow. But of coursethey will get you into Parliament at the election before Christmas,and these sudden shiftings and changes are no bad preparation forpolitical life. There’s something in that. Good training is alwaysdesirable, whether the race be for place, cup, or sweepstakes.”Harry Maylie looked as if he could have followed up this shortdialogue by one or two remarks that would have staggered thedoctor not a little; but he contented himself with saying, “We shallsee,” and pursued the subject no further. The post-chaise drove upto the door shortly afterwards; and Giles coming in for thebaggage, the good doctor bustled out, to see it packed.“Oliver,” said Harry Maylie, in a low voice, “let me speak aword with you.”Oliver walked into the window-recess to which Mr. Mayliebeckoned him; much surprised at the mixture of sadness andboisterous spirits, which his whole behaviour displayed.“You can write now?” said Harry, laying his hand upon hisarm.“I hope so, sir,” replied Oliver.
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