Nancy's Monologue from Oliver Twist

Not here. I am afraid to speak to you here. Come away – out of the public road – down the steps yonder!

I have such a fear and dread upon me tonight that I can hardly stand! I scarcely know of what. I wish I did.. Horrible thoughts of death, and shrouds with blood upon them, and a fear that has made me burn as if I was on fire, have been upon me all day. I was reading a book tonight, to wile the time away, and the same things come into the print. Not my imagination – I saw “coffin” written on every page of the book in large block letters- aye, and they carried one close to me, in the streets tonight!

Your haughty religious people would have held their heads up to see me as I am tonight, and preached of flames and vengeance! Oh dear lady! Why ar'n't those who claim to be God's own folks as gentle and as kind to us poor wretches as you, who, having youth, and beauty, and all that they have lost, might be a little proud instead of so much humbler?

As to the man, then – he is tall, and a strongly made man, but not stout; he has a lurking walk, and as he walks, constantly looks over his shoulder, first on one side, and then on the other. Don't forget that, for his eyes are sunk in his head so much deeper than any other man's, that you might almost tell him by that alone. His face is dark, like his hair and eyes, and although he can't be more than six or eight and twenty, withered and haggard. His lips are often discoloured and disfigured with the marks of teeth, for he has desperate fits, and sometimes even bites his hands and covers them with wounds. Part of this, I've drawn out from other people at the house I tell you of, for I have only seen him twice, and both times he was covered up in a large cloak. I think that's all I can give you to know him by. Stay though – upon his throat, so high that you can see a part of it below his neckerchief when he turns his face, there is a broad red mark, like a burn or a scald. And now I must go. No, you can do nothing to help me. I am past all hope, indeed.