Beforethreemonthshadpassed,RoseFlemingandHarryMaylieweremarriedinthevillagechurchwhichwashenceforthtobethesceneoftheyoungclergyman’slabours;onthesamedaytheyenteredintopossessionoftheirnewandhappyhome.
Mrs.Maylietookupherabodewithhersonanddaughter-in-law,toenjoy,duringthetranquilremainderofherdays,thegreatestfelicitythatageandworthcanknow—thecontemplationofthehappinessofthoseonwhomthewarmestaffectionsandtenderestcaresofawell-spentlife,havebeenunceasinglybestowed.
Itappeared,onfullandcarefulinvestigation,thatifthewreckofpropertyremaininginthecustodyofMonks(whichhadneverprosperedeitherinhishandsorinthoseofhismother)wereequallydividedbetweenhimselfandOliver,itwouldyield,toeach,littlemorethanthreethousandpounds.
Bytheprovisionsofhisfather’swill,Oliverwouldhavebeenentitledtothewhole;butMr.Brownlow,unwillingtodeprivetheeldersonoftheopportunityofretrievinghisformervicesandpursuinganhonestcareer,proposedthismodeofdistribution,towhichhisyoungchargejoyfullyacceded.
Monks,stillbearingthatassumedname,retiredwithhisportiontoadistantpartoftheNewWorld;where,havingquicklysquanderedit,heoncemorefellintohisoldcourses,and,afterundergoingalongconfinementforsomefreshactoffraudandknavery,atlengthsunkunderanattackofhisolddisorder,anddiedinprison.
Mr.BrownlowadoptedOliverashisson.Removingwithhimandtheoldhousekeepertowithinamileoftheparsonage-house,wherehisdearfriendsresided,hegratifiedtheonlyremainingwishofOliver’swarmandearnestheart,andthuslinkedtogetheralittlesociety,whoseconditionapproachedasnearlytooneofperfecthappinessascaneverbeknowninthischangingworld.
Soonafterthemarriageoftheyoungpeople,theworthydoctorreturnedtoChertsey,where,bereftofthepresenceofhisoldfriends,hewouldhavebeendiscontentedifhistemperamenthadadmittedofsuchafeeling;andwouldhaveturnedquitepeevishifhehadknownhow.
Fortwoorthreemonths,hecontentedhimselfwithhintingthathefearedtheairbegantodisagreewithhim;then,findingthattheplacereallynolongerwas,tohim,whatithadbeen,hesettledhisbusinessonhisassistant,tookabachelor’scottageoutsidethevillageofwhichhisyoungfriendwaspastor,andinstantaneouslyrecovered.
Herehetooktogardening,planting,fishing,carpentering,andvariousotherpursuitsofasimilarkind:allundertakenwithhischaracteristicimpetuosity.
Beforehisremoval,hehadmanagedtocontractastrongfriendshipforMr.Grimwig,whichthateccentricgentlemancordiallyreciprocated.
Onallsuchoccasions,Mr.Grimwigplants,fishes,andcarpenters,withgreatardour;doingeverythinginaverysingularandunprecedentedmanner,butalwaysmaintainingwithhisfavouriteasseveration,thathismodeistherightone.
OnSundays,heneverfailstocriticisethesermontotheyoungclergyman’sface:alwaysinformingMr.Losberne,instrictconfidenceafterwards,thatheconsidersitanexcellentperformance,butdeemsitaswellnottosayso.
Itisastandingandveryfavouritejoke,forMr.BrownlowtorallyhimonhisoldprophecyconcerningOliver,andtoremindhimofthenightonwhichtheysatwiththewatchbetweenthem,waitinghisreturn;butMr.Grimwigcontendsthathewasrightinthemain,and,inproofthereof,remarksthatOliverdidnotcomebackafterall;whichalwayscallsforthalaughonhisside,andincreaseshisgoodhumour.
Mr.NoahClaypole:receivingafreepardonfromtheCrowninconsequenceofbeingadmittedapproveragainstFagin:andconsideringhisprofessionnotaltogetherassafeaoneashecouldwish:was,forsomelittletime,atalossforthemeansofalivelihood,notburdenedwithtoomuchwork.
Theladyfaintsawayatthedoorsofcharitablepublicans,andthegentlemanbeingaccommodatedwiththree-pennyworthofbrandytorestoreher,laysaninformationnextday,andpocketshalfthepenalty.
Mr.andMrs.Bumble,deprivedoftheirsituations,weregraduallyreducedtogreatindigenceandmisery,andfinallybecamepaupersinthatverysameworkhouseinwhichtheyhadoncelordeditoverothers.
Mr.Bumblehasbeenheardtosay,thatinthisreverseanddegradation,hehasnotevenspiritstobethankfulforbeingseparatedfromhiswife.
AstoMr.GilesandBrittles,theystillremainintheiroldposts,althoughtheformerisbald,andthelast-namedboyquitegrey.
Theysleepattheparsonage,butdividetheirattentionssoequallyamongitsinmates,andOliverandMr.Brownlow,andMr.Losberne,thattothisdaythevillagershaveneverbeenabletodiscovertowhichestablishmenttheyproperlybelong.
MasterCharlesBates,appalledbySikes’scrime,fellintoatrainofreflectionwhetheranhonestlifewasnot,afterall,thebest.
Arrivingattheconclusionthatitcertainlywas,heturnedhisbackuponthescenesofthepast,resolvedtoamenditinsomenewsphereofaction.
Hestruggledhard,andsufferedmuch,forsometime;but,havingacontenteddisposition,andagoodpurpose,succeededintheend;and,frombeingafarmer’sdrudge,andacarrier’slad,heisnowthemerriestyounggrazierinallNorthamptonshire.
Andnow,thehandthattracesthesewords,falters,asitapproachestheconclusionofitstask;andwouldweave,foralittlelongerspace,thethreadoftheseadventures.
IwouldfainlingeryetwithafewofthoseamongwhomIhavesolongmoved,andsharetheirhappinessbyendeavouringtodepictit.
IwouldshowRoseMaylieinallthebloomandgraceofearlywomanhood,sheddingonhersecludedpathinlifesoftandgentlelight,thatfellonallwhotroditwithher,andshoneintotheirhearts.
Iwouldpaintherthelifeandjoyofthefire-sidecircleandthelivelysummergroup;Iwouldfollowherthroughthesultryfieldsatnoon,andhearthelowtonesofhersweetvoiceinthemoonliteveningwalk;Iwouldwatchherinallhergoodnessandcharityabroad,andthesmilinguntiringdischargeofdomesticdutiesathome;Iwouldpaintherandherdeadsister’schildhappyintheirloveforoneanother,andpassingwholehourstogetherinpicturingthefriendswhomtheyhadsosadlylost;Iwouldsummonbeforeme,onceagain,thosejoyouslittlefacesthatclusteredroundherknee,andlistentotheirmerryprattle;Iwouldrecallthetonesofthatclearlaugh,andconjureupthesympathisingtearthatglistenedinthesoftblueeye.
HowMr.Brownlowwenton,fromdaytoday,fillingthemindofhisadoptedchildwithstoresofknowledge,andbecomingattachedtohim,moreandmore,ashisnaturedevelopeditself,andshowedthethrivingseedsofallhewishedhimtobecome—howhetracedinhimnewtraitsofhisearlyfriend,thatawakenedinhisownbosomoldremembrances,melancholyandyetsweetandsoothing—howthetwoorphans,triedbyadversity,remembereditslessonsinmercytoothers,andmutuallove,andferventthankstoHimwhohadprotectedandpreservedthem—theseareallmatterswhichneednottobetold.
Ihavesaidthattheyweretrulyhappy;andwithoutstrongaffectionandhumanityofheart,andgratitudetothatBeingwhosecodeisMercy,andwhosegreatattributeisBenevolencetoallthingsthatbreathe,happinesscanneverbeattained.
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