Chapter 13

Novel Reading

Look Around

1. You will listen to some monologs. Match each picture with each story. Also identify the clues.

Monolog 1

My name is Gabriel Betteredge. I am an old butler for a wealthy English family living in the country. My
master, an English soldier, entrusted me with the task of giving a huge, yellow diamond to give Rachel,
his niece, and the daughter of his sister. This diamond had actually been stolen from a shrine in India. On
her eighteenth birthday, Rachel would inherit the diamond. I am not sure whether my master was
sincere in giving Rachel the diamond. I think the diamond was cursed. My master was a wicked man. Did
he want to take revenge on his family with this cursed diamond?

Monolog 2

Captain Trevile was writing a letter when d’Artagnan by chance saw the person who robbed him.
D’Artagnan, then, ran after him, but on his way he bumped into Arthos, jostled Porthos, and upset
Aramis. Feeling offended, the three musketeers challenged him to a duel. When they were dueling, the
dreaded cardinal’s guards threatened to arrest them because dueling was against the law. This threat
forced d’Artagnan to help the musketeers to drive the cardinal’s guards away. By the time they arrived
in Paris the four of them had become close friends.

Monolog 3

“This is Quasimodo, the bell ringer of Notre-Dame! Quasimodo, the one-eyed! Quasimodo, the bandy-
legged! Quasimodo, the hunchback! Let the women with child beware!" shouted the scholars. The
women did, in fact, hide their faces. "Oh! The horrible monkey!" said someone in the crowd. "As wicked
as he is ugly," retorted another. “He’s the devil," added a third.

Monolog 4

Eliza, John, and Georgiana were now with their Mama in the sitting room at Gateshead. Mama was lying,
resting by the fireside with her loved ones near her. She looked perfectly happy. She had dismissed me
from the group, saying that she was sorry. She was forced to keep me a distance, but that until I tried
seriously to develop a friendlier and attractive nature towards Mama. Mama really could not allow me
to join in the pleasures intended only for happy little children. “But what have I done?” I asked.
“Jane, I don’t like questions or objections. Children should not speak to those older than themselves in
such a way. Sit down somewhere, and until you can speak pleasantly, remain silent.”

10. These pictures depict scenes from the book Jane Eyre. Listen to the monologs. Match the pictures
with the monologs.

Excerpt 1

“You know Thornfield Hall, of course?" I managed to say at last.

“Yes, ma'am; I lived there once."

“Did you?" Not in my time, I thought. You are a stranger to me.”

“I was the horse keeper of Mr. Rochester," he added.

“Is Mr. Rochester living at Thornfield Hall now?" I asked.

“No, Ma'am—oh, no! No one is living there. I suppose you are a stranger in these parts, or you would
have heard what happened last autumn,—Thornfield Hall is quite a ruin. It was burnt down just about
harvest time. A dreadful calamity! It was a terrible spectacle: I witnessed it myself."

Excerpt 2

“How dare I, Mrs. Reed? How dare I? Because it is the truth. You think I have no feelings and that I can
do without one bit of love or kindness, but I cannot live so and you have no pity. I shall remember how
you thrust me back roughly, and thrust me back violently into the red room, and locked me up there to
my dying day; though I was in agony; though I cried out, while suffocating with distress, 'Have mercy!
Have mercy, Aunt Reed!' And that punishment you made me suffer because your wicked boy struck me,
knocked me down for nothing. I will tell anybody who asks me questions, this exact tale. People think
you are a good woman, but you are bad, hard-hearted. You are deceitful!"

Excerpt 3

“Good morning, Miss Adela," said Mrs. Fairfax. "Come and speak to the lady who is to teach you and to
make you a clever woman someday." She approached.

“C'est le ma gouverante!" said she.

“Is she French?" I inquired, amazed at hearing the French language.

Excerpt 4

A sliding sound and an exclamation of “What the deuce is to do now?" and a clattering tumble arrested
my attention. Man and horse were down. They had slipped on the sheet of ice which glazed the
causeway. I walked down to the traveler and I asked him the question.

“Are you injured, sir?"

He did not answer me but he was pronouncing some words which prevented him from replying to me
directly.

"Can I do anything?" I asked again.

"You must just stand on one side," he answered as he rose, first to his knees and then to his feet.

“If you are hurt, and want help, sir, I can fetch someone either from Thornfield Hall or from Hay."

“Thank you. I shall do. I have no broken bones, only a sprain," and again he stood up and tried his foot,
but the result extorted an involuntary, "Ugh!"