The Bookseller's Errand
You are Oliver Twist. Life has taken a miraculous turn. After being rescued from the streets, you have been living with the kind Mr. Brownlow and his housekeeper in Pentonville. The fever that nearly took your life has broken, and for the first time, you feel safe. Today, Mr. Brownlow sits in his study with his eccentric friend, Mr. Grimwig.
Mr. Grimwig doubts your honesty, betting his own head that you will return to your old thief friends if given the chance. To prove him wrong, Mr. Brownlow entrusts you with a mission. "You are to say that you have brought these books back, and that you have come to pay the four pound ten I owe him," Mr. Brownlow says, handing you a five-pound note and a stack of books. "I won't be ten minutes, sir!" you cry eagerly.
Outside, the air is crisp. You button the bank-note into your jacket pocket and place the books carefully under your arm. You are determined to return quickly to prove your gratitude.