Literature
Audioscript
1.02 Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
I didn’t sleep much. I couldn’t somehow, for thinking. And
every time I woke up, I thought somebody had me by the
neck. So the sleep didn’t do me no good. By and by I said
to myself, I can’t live this way; I’m going to find out who it
is that’s here on the island with me. … Well, I felt better
immediately. So I took my paddle and slid out from shore
just a little, and then let the canoe go into the shadows.
The moon was shining, and outside it made it almost as
light as day. … Everything still as rocks and sound asleep.
Well, by this time, I was almost down to the foot of the
island. A cool breeze began to blow, and it meant that
the night was almost over. I got near the shore; then I got
my gun and slipped out and into the woods. I sat down
there on a log, and looked out through the leaves. It was
very dark but in a little while I saw light and the day was
coming. So I took my gun and slipped off towards where
I had found that campfire, stopping every minute or two to
listen. But I had no luck somehow; I couldn’t seem to find
the place. But by and by, sure enough, I saw a fire away
through the trees. I went for it, cautious and slow. By and
by I was close enough to have a look, and there was a man
lying on the ground. He had a blanket around his head,
and his head was nearly in the fire. I sat there behind a tree
about six foot away from him, and kept my eyes on him. It
was getting light now. It was Miss Watson’s Jim! I was glad
to see him. I says: “Hello, Jim!” He stared at me. Then he
dropped down on his knees and put his hands together
and said: “Don’t hurt me – don’t! I have never done no
harm to a ghost. I always liked dead people, and done all
I could for them. You go and get in the river again, where
you belong!”
Dracula by Bram Stoker
2.0 2
Just before I was leaving, the old lady came up to my room
and said in a hysterical way: “Must you go? Oh! Young Herr,
must you go?” She was in such an excited state that she
mixed her German all up with some other language that I
did not know at all. I was just able to follow her by asking
many questions. When I told her that I must go at once,
she asked again: “Do you know what day it is?”
I answered that it was the fourth of May. She shook her
head as she said again: “Oh, yes! I know that! I know that,
but do you know what day it is?” When I said that I did
not understand, she went on “It’s the eve of St. George’s
Day. Do you not know that tonight, when the clock strikes
midnight, all the evil things in the world will come out? Do
you know where you are going, and what you are going to
do?” She was so unhappy that I tried to comfort her, but
without effect.
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Finally, she went down on her knees and said please don’t
go; at least wait a day or two before starting. It was all very
ridiculous, but I did not feel comfortable leaving. However,
there was business to be done, and I could allow nothing
to interfere with it.
I thanked her, but explained my duty was imperative, and
that I must go […]
3.02 The Lost Stradivarius by John Meade Falkner
Without the music there was absolute stillness; the light
of the single candle scarcely reached the darker corners of
the room, but fell directly on the wicker chair and showed
it to be perfectly empty. Half amused, half annoyed with
himself at having without reason interrupted his music,
my brother returned to the music; but some impulse made
him light the candles which gave an illumination … The
third and the last movement, a Minuetto, were finished,
and John closed the book, intending, as it was now late,
to go to bed. As he shut the pages, a creaking of the wicker
chair again attracted his attention, and he heard distinctly
sounds such as would be made by a person raising himself
from a sitting position. This time, being less surprised, he
considered the probable causes of the noise he heard, and
arrived at the conclusion that there must be in the wicker
chair material responsive to certain notes of the violin,
in the same way glass in some church windows vibrates
in sympathy with certain tones of the organ. But his
imagination was not convinced; and he realised that the
second creaking of the chair had been when he shut the
music-book …
His conjectures did not, however, stop him sleeping or
even disturb his sleep with dreams, and he woke the
next morning with a cooler mind and one less inclined
to fantastic imagination. Although he saw Mr. Gaskell in
the course of the morning, he did not think it necessary
to mention to him so trivial a circumstance, but made an
appointment with him to have dinner together in his own
rooms that evening, and to amuse themselves afterwards
by playing some of the Italian music.
It was shortly after nine that night when, after dinner,
Mr. Gaskell seated himself at the piano and John tuned
his violin. There had been heavy thunder-rain in the
afternoon, and the wet air was now heavy and steaming …
The two young men enjoyed themselves for some while,
playing first a suite by Cesti, and then two early sonatas
by Buononcini. After the Buononcini, Mr. Gaskell picked
up the oblong copy of Graziani, and turning over its leaves,
proposed that they should play the same suite which John
had performed by himself the previous evening …
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4.02David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
I was not considered as being formally received into
the school, however, until J. Steerforth arrived. He was
reputed to be a great scholar, and was very good-looking,
and at least half-a-dozen years my senior. He enquired,
under a shed in the playground, into the particulars of my
punishment, and was pleased to express his opinion that
it was “a jolly shame;” for which I became bound to him for
ever afterwards.
“What money have you got, Copperfield?” he said, walking
aside with me. I told him seven shillings.
“You had better give it to me to take care of,” he said. “At
least, you can if you like. You needn’t if you don’t like.”
I hastened to comply with his friendly suggestion, and
opening Peggotty’s purse, turned it upside down into
his hand.
“Do you want to spend anything now?” he asked me.
“No thank you,” I replied.
“You can, if you like, you know,” said Steerforth. “Say
the word.”
“No, thank you, sir,” I repeated.
“Perhaps you’d like to spend a couple of shillings or so,
on a bottle of currant juice, up in the bedroom?” said
Steerforth. “You’ll be in the same room as me.”
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Literature
Audioscript
It certainly had not occurred to me before, but I said,
“Yes, I should like that.”
“Very good,” said Steerforth. “You’ll be glad to spend
another shilling or so on almond cakes, I dare say?”
I said, “Yes, I should like that, too.”
“And another shilling or so on biscuits, and another on
fruit, eh?” said Steerforth.
I smiled because he smiled, but I was a little troubled in my
mind, too.
“Well!’ said Steerforth’. We must make it stretch as far as
we can; that’s all. I’ll do the best in my power for you. I can
go out when I like, and I’ll get these things.”
With these words he put the money in his pocket, and
kindly told me not to make myself uneasy; he would take
care; it should be all right.
He was as good as his word. I had feared it was a waste
of my mother’s two half-crowns – though I had kept the
piece of paper they were wrapped in: which was a precious
saving. When we went upstairs to bed, he produced the
whole seven shillings’ worth, and laid it out on my bed in
the moonlight, saying:
“There you are, young Copperfield, and a royal spread
you’ve got.”
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