Chapter 53

ANDLAST

Thefortunesofthosewhohavefiguredinthistalearenearlyclosed。Thelittlethatremainstotheirhistoriantorelate，istoldinfewandsimplewords。

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。Asfarfromhome，diedthechiefremainingmembersofhisfriendFagin'sgang。

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。Ineachandallhehassincebecomefamousthroughouttheneighborhood，asamostprofoundauthority。

Beforehisremoval，hehadmanagedtocontractastrongfriendshipforMr。Grimwig，whichthateccentricgentlemancordiallyreciprocated。HeisaccordinglyvisitedbyMr。Grimwigagreatmanytimesinthecourseoftheyear。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。Aftersomeconsideration，hewentintobusinessasanInformer，inwhichcallingherealisesagenteelsubsistence。Hisplanis，towalkoutonceaweekduringchurchtimeattendedbyCharlotteinrespectableattire。Theladyfaintsawayatthedoorsofcharitablepublicans，andthegentlemanbeingaccommodatedwiththree-pennyworthofbrandytorestoreher，laysaninformationnextday，andpocketshalfthepenalty。SometimesMr。Claypolefaintshimself，buttheresultisthesame。

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。These，andathousandlooksandsmiles，andturnsofthoughtandspeech--Iwouldfainrecallthemeveryone。

HowMr。Brownlowwenton，fromdaytoday，fillingthemindofhisadoptedchildwithstoresofknowledge，andbecomingattachedtohim，moreandmore，ashisnaturedevelopeditself，andshowedthethrivingseedsofallhewishedhimtobecome--howhetracedinhimnewtraitsofhisearlyfriend，thatawakenedinhisownbosomoldremembrances，melancholyandyetsweetandsoothing--howthetwoorphans，triedbyadversity，remembereditslessonsinmercytoothers，andmutuallove，andferventthankstoHimwhohadprotectedandpreservedthem--theseareallmatterswhichneednottobetold。Ihavesaidthattheyweretrulyhappy；andwithoutstrongaffectionandhumanityofheart，andgratitudetothatBeingwhosecodeisMercy，andwhosegreatattributeisBenevolencetoallthingsthatbreathe，happinesscanneverbeattained。

Withinthealtaroftheoldvillagechurchtherestandsawhitemarbletablet，whichbearsasyetbutoneword：‘AGNES。’Thereisnocoffininthattomb；andmayitbemany，manyyears，beforeanothernameisplacedaboveit！But，ifthespiritsoftheDeadevercomebacktoearth，tovisitspotshallowedbythelove--thelovebeyondthegrave--ofthosewhomtheyknewinlife，IbelievethattheshadeofAgnessometimeshoversroundthatsolemnnook。IbelieveitnonethelessbecausethatnookisinaChurch，andshewasweakanderring。

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