Wilkie Collins: The Woman in White (unabridged)
Glen McCready (Walter Hartright), Hugh Dickson (Vincent Gilmore and Frederick Fairlie), Rachel Bavidge (Marian Halcombe), Marie Collett (Eliza Michelson and The Tombstone), Teresa Gallagher (Hester Pinhorn, Mrs Catherick, and Jane Gould), Allan Corduner (Count Fosco and The Doctor)
- Release Date: 1st Sep 2008
- Catalogue No: NAX88412
- Label: Naxos AudioBooks
- Series: Classic Fiction, Complete Classics
- Length: 54 hours 39 minutes
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Wilkie Collins: The Woman in White (Unabridged)
- Recording Venue: Motivation Sound Studios, London
THE STORY BEGUN BY WALTER HARTRIGHT
Chapter 2
Without being actually a dwarf…
Chapter 3
'I said,' persisted Pesca…
We declared that we were deeply interested.
My mother rose the moment he had done…
Neither my mother's evident astonishment…
Chapter 4
'Did you hear me?' she said…
We set our faces towards London…
She seemed about to say more…
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
These odd words of welcome…
She had run on thus far…
Chapter 7
On approaching nearer to him…
I rang; and a new servant noiselessly…
He pointed to the picture of the Madonna…
Chapter 8
She took up a parasol lying on a chair…
Does my poor portrait of her…
She made the confession very prettily…
We had been out nearly three hours…
We all sat silent in the places we had chosen…
As the last sentence fell from the reader's lips…
Miss Halcombe paused, and looked at me…
Chapter 9
The evenings which followed the sketching…
I shrank then – I shrink still…
Chapter 10
Mr. Hartright,' she said…
The pang passed, and nothing but the dull…
Before I could assure her that she might…
Chapter 11
She gave me the letter.
There the extraordinary letter ended…
'If we are to find out anything,' I said…
Chapter 12
She then put the same question…
Although Miss Halcombe did not seem…
'I need go no farther with you…'
Just as she was leaving me again…
Chapter 13
While these ideas were passing…
I shuddered at the thought.
'Yes, yes, you did help me indeed…'
'I don't understand you,' she said…
'Oh, if I could die, and be hidden…'
The scream had reached other ears…
Chapter 14
The servant returned with a message…
I had fully expected to be left alone…
'I should like to account first, Miss Halcombe…'
Chapter 15
I turned instinctively to the walk…
'So far as it is possible to decide…'
We got through the dinner…
The rest of the evening passed…
She left the room.
THE STORY CONTINUED BY VINCENT GILMORE
I might, perhaps, have been a little…
I was the first to speak in answer…
'Certainly not,' replied Miss Halcombe.
Chapter 2
'No man could say more than that…'
The next morning, as soon as breakfast…
Under other circumstances I might…
I led her at once into speaking…
Chapter 3
So much for the landed property…
At the time when Miss Halcombe's letter…
I threw the letter away in disgust.
In the case of any other client…
Chapter 4
Mr. Fairlie shook the silver smelling-bottle…
THE STORY CONTINUED BY MARIAN HALCOMBE
'I shall lower myself, indeed…'
November 9th. The first event…
His attentive face relaxed a little.
I was determined to make him declare…
'May she not give it in the future…'
I tried vainly to soothe her…
Before I close my diary for to-night
November 13th. A sleepless night…
Chapter 2
But I did say more.
It is burnt. The ashes of his farewell letter…
December 1st. A sad, sad day…
Sir Percival is to arrive to-morrow.
'You found, of course, that they had heard…'
My pen is running away into…
The rest of the day is indescribable.
THE SECOND EPOCH – THE STORY CONTINUED BY MARIAN HALCOMBE
Reading is out of the question…
So much for the persons and events…
Twelve o'clock has struck…
Daylight confirmed the impression…
Finding no one in the hall…
'I am rather interested about Mrs. Catherick…'
Chapter 2
Oh, Marian!' she said…
Most men show something…
And the magician who has wrought this…
His manner and his command…
'Mind that dog, sir,' said the groom…
Sir Percival either knows little…
Chapter 3
On leaving the house we directed…
There was no mistaking his manner…
'And why not,' asked the Count…
'It is truly wonderful,' he said…
'Miss Halcombe is unanswerable…'
Sir Percival had paid no attention…
The motive of the Count's interference…
Chapter 4
Sir Percival looked at me sharply…
I had not spoken hitherto…
This unfortunate, yet most natural…
Sir Percival hesitated and looked…
She sighed bitterly. I saw in her face…
'Afraid of him, after his interference…'
Chapter 5
What answer could I make?
As she said those melancholy words…
I had caught her in my arms…
I waited a moment to give her…
Chapter 6
'I beg your pardon,' I said…
'Surely. But my little feathered children…'
I was just composing myself…
I saw him for the third time in a wrecked…
Her voice rose as the tumult of her…
'I am afraid she was hurt by it.'
'You tried to make her go on?'
'Are you quite sure you have told me…'
When I joined Laura again…
While the aspect under which Sir Percival…
Chapter 7
After skirting round by the back…
After soothing the poor girl…
Sir Percival crumpled up the paper in his hand…
'You dropped this downstairs…'
'After reading it once through,' she replied…
'What can we do, Marian?'
Chapter 8
'Most assuredly,' said the Count's quiet voice…
The letter to Mr. Fairlie occupied me next.
I was a little doubtful how she would meet…
When I got back to the house I had only…
These considerations occurred to me…
He had detained me in the drawing-room…
Chapter 9
I had heard the Count say…
No sound reached my ears…
That sentence of the Count's…
It was well for me that the Count's…
The Count moved from the verandah…
'Look here, Fosco, you and I have known…'
The light disappeared again…
'Yes. I have been to her mother…'
How short a time, and yet how long to me…
POSTSCRIPT BY A SINCERE FRIEND
THE STORY CONTINUED BY FREDERICK FAIRLIE
Let me do the girl justice.
I must really rest a little before…
'I should feel very much obliged to you, sir…'
I have mentioned that my usual course…
Is it necessary to say what my first…
I thought this very convincing and attentive…
When I heard the word fever, and when I…
He had said so much already…
He waved his horrid hand at me…
THE STORY CONTINUED BY ELIZA MICHELSON
Sir Percival was not civil enough…
To resume. The night passed as usual…
At the Count's particular suggestion…
Remembering Mr. Dawson's caution to me…
In the course of the next few days…
Before Mr. Dawson could answer…
On the tenth day it pleased a merciful…
I listened to him, perfectly aghast…
Chapter 2
Before I left I took care to satisfy myself…
I found that her ladyship had certainly…
His manner all through this strange…
'Pray don't write to Count Fosco…'
I thought it right, at this point…
At the time named the chaise drew up…
On turning the corner of the house…
Mrs. Rubelle, whom I had indicated…
I had hardly walked half-way towards…
He came punctually, and I found cause…
I need write no particulars…
THE STORY CONTINUED IN SEVERAL NARRATIVES – Chapter 1 – THE NARRATIVE OF HESTER PINHORN
Towards night-time the lady roused up…
'Your master is a foreigner…'
Chapter 2 – THE NARRATIVE OF THE DOCTOR
Chapter 3 – THE NARRATIVE OF JANE GOULD
Chapter 4 – THE NARRATIVE OF THE TOMBSTONE
Chapter 5 – THE NARRATIVE OF WALTER HARTRIGHT
It was the morning of the third day…
Time had flowed on, and silence had fallen…
THE THIRD EPOCH – THE STORY CONTINUED BY WALTER HARTRIGHT
In the eye of reason and of law…
Chapter 2
On the day of the funeral…
Although Count Fosco's letter to Mr. Fairlie…
On inquiry, it turned out that the supposed…
The nurse was there.
Lady Glyde's recollection of the events…
From this point her recollections were found…
The scene that followed…
Chapter 3
The house-work, which, if we had dared…
The only events of former days…
The first source of information to which…
There was time enough in the morning…
Chapter 4
'Do you believe that I have spoken the truth…'
I was obliged to wait and collect myself…
I considered. The housekeeper could not…
I looked at the letter while he was speaking…
The note contained these lines…
'You mean,' said Marian, 'the discovery…'
Chapter 5
While we were speaking together…
The first difficulty then was to find…
Chapter 6
Mrs. Clements did all in her power…
Anne was asleep when they got there.
Chapter 7
'With Catherick, sir – not with his wife.'
'So we thought at first, sir.'
'What became of Sir Percival?' I inquired.
Reasoning on these assumptions…
I noted down Major Donthorne's name…
The time was passing, the morning was…
Chapter 8
Am I trifling, here, with the necessities…
'Remember what anxious hearts you leave…'
'Say, if you please, that my business…'
She searched in the pocket of her gown…
She started up with the activity of a…
She started to her feet, and came close…
Chapter 9
The vestry of Old Welmingham church…
As I moved away from the back of the church…
Neither he nor his companion attempted…
'We might be tidier, mightn’t we, sir?'
The clerk put on his spectacles…
'Did you not tell me your former master…'
Chapter 10
My indignation, I may almost say…
He was a jovial, red-faced, easy-looking man…
The paltry means by which the fraud…
The two unhurt men pursued me.
With that answer he retraced his steps.
The thought half maddened me.
Save the church!
Chapter 11
The course that I was myself bound to take…
The inquest was adjourned over one day…
As I left the place, my thoughts turned…
THE STORY CONTINUED BY MRS. CATHERICK
But for one consideration he might have…
The first words I said to him…
Now and then I got away and changed…
His first words, and the tone in which…
She may have said the same thing to you…
THE STORY CONTINUED BY WALTER HARTRIGHT
The London solicitor of the deceased…
Chapter 2
'No, they were talking together as if…'
'It is hard to acknowledge it, Walter..'
I saw that she was thinking of him now…
His name was mentioned among us no more.
After a lapse of two days proof came…
The mention here of Mrs. Fairlie's name…
Chapter 3
The more I thought of our position…
'No. I have thought about it too…'
'Do you fear failure yourself, Walter?'
Chapter 4
The considerations thus presented to me…
Before I summoned Pesca to my assistance…
I crossed the road, and looked…
The curtain fell on the first act…
The moment he showed himself…
I saw that the effort of expressing himself…
'So far,' he resumed, 'you think the society…'
'I promised you that this confidence…'
Chapter 6
I signed and dated these lines…
Marian was at the stairhead waiting for me.
Chapter 7
'I can do better than that,' I replied.
'I decline to tell you.'
'Good! You have mentioned your terms…'
'I accept your conditions,' I said.
He dipped his pen in the ink…
Knowing as well as he did…
'Mr. Hartright – Monsieur Rubelle.'
THE STORY CONTINUED BY ISIDOR OTTAVIO BALDASSARE FOSCO
The situation at this period was emphatically…
The best years of my life have been…
Having suggested to Mrs. Clement…
I had myself previously recommended…
The next morning my wife and I…
I had written a note in the morning…
I took my visitor upstairs into a back room…
At the ripe age of sixty, I make this…
THE STORY CONCLUDED BY WALTER HARTRIGHT
I now had in my possession all the papers…
I occupied the interval day at the farm…
Mr. Kyrle rose when I resumed my seat…
Chapter 2
Approaching Notre Dame by the river-side…
Chapter 3
She had run on thus far…
Chapter 7
On approaching nearer to him…
I rang; and a new servant noiselessly…
He pointed to the picture of the Madonna…
Chapter 8
She took up a parasol lying on a chair…
Does my poor portrait of her…
She made the confession very prettily…
We had been out nearly three hours…
We all sat silent in the places we had chosen…
As the last sentence fell from the reader's lips…
Miss Halcombe paused, and looked at me…
Chapter 9
The evenings which followed the sketching…
I shrank then – I shrink still…
Chapter 10
Mr. Hartright,' she said…
The pang passed, and nothing but the dull…
Before I could assure her that she might…
Chapter 11
She gave me the letter.
There the extraordinary letter ended…
'If we are to find out anything,' I said…
Chapter 12
She then put the same question…
Although Miss Halcombe did not seem…
'I need go no farther with you…'
Just as she was leaving me again…
Chapter 13
While these ideas were passing…
I shuddered at the thought.
'Yes, yes, you did help me indeed…'
'I don't understand you,' she said…
'Oh, if I could die, and be hidden…'
The scream had reached other ears…
Chapter 14
The servant returned with a message…
I had fully expected to be left alone…
'I should like to account first, Miss Halcombe…'
Chapter 15
I turned instinctively to the walk…
'So far as it is possible to decide…'
We got through the dinner…
The rest of the evening passed…
She left the room.
THE STORY CONTINUED BY VINCENT GILMORE
I might, perhaps, have been a little…
I was the first to speak in answer…
'Certainly not,' replied Miss Halcombe.
Chapter 2
'No man could say more than that…'
The next morning, as soon as breakfast…
Under other circumstances I might…
I led her at once into speaking…
Chapter 3
So much for the landed property…
At the time when Miss Halcombe's letter…
I threw the letter away in disgust.
In the case of any other client…
Chapter 4
Mr. Fairlie shook the silver smelling-bottle…
THE STORY CONTINUED BY MARIAN HALCOMBE
'I shall lower myself, indeed…'
November 9th. The first event…
His attentive face relaxed a little.
I was determined to make him declare…
'May she not give it in the future…'
I tried vainly to soothe her…
Before I close my diary for to-night
November 13th. A sleepless night…
Chapter 2
But I did say more.
It is burnt. The ashes of his farewell letter…
December 1st. A sad, sad day…
Sir Percival is to arrive to-morrow.
'You found, of course, that they had heard…'
My pen is running away into…
The rest of the day is indescribable.
THE SECOND EPOCH – THE STORY CONTINUED BY MARIAN HALCOMBE
Reading is out of the question…
So much for the persons and events…
Twelve o'clock has struck…
Daylight confirmed the impression…
Finding no one in the hall…
'I am rather interested about Mrs. Catherick…'
Chapter 2
Oh, Marian!' she said…
Most men show something…
And the magician who has wrought this…
His manner and his command…
'Mind that dog, sir,' said the groom…
Sir Percival either knows little…
Chapter 3
On leaving the house we directed…
There was no mistaking his manner…
'And why not,' asked the Count…
'It is truly wonderful,' he said…
'Miss Halcombe is unanswerable…'
Sir Percival had paid no attention…
The motive of the Count's interference…
Chapter 4
Sir Percival looked at me sharply…
I had not spoken hitherto…
This unfortunate, yet most natural…
Sir Percival hesitated and looked…
She sighed bitterly. I saw in her face…
'Afraid of him, after his interference…'
Chapter 5
What answer could I make?
As she said those melancholy words…
I had caught her in my arms…
I waited a moment to give her…
Chapter 6
'I beg your pardon,' I said…
'Surely. But my little feathered children…'
I was just composing myself…
I saw him for the third time in a wrecked…
Her voice rose as the tumult of her…
'I am afraid she was hurt by it.'
'You tried to make her go on?'
'Are you quite sure you have told me…'
When I joined Laura again…
While the aspect under which Sir Percival…
Chapter 7
After skirting round by the back…
After soothing the poor girl…
Sir Percival crumpled up the paper in his hand…
'You dropped this downstairs…'
'After reading it once through,' she replied…
'What can we do, Marian?'
Chapter 8
'Most assuredly,' said the Count's quiet voice…
The letter to Mr. Fairlie occupied me next.
I was a little doubtful how she would meet…
When I got back to the house I had only…
These considerations occurred to me…
He had detained me in the drawing-room…
Chapter 9
I had heard the Count say…
No sound reached my ears…
That sentence of the Count's…
It was well for me that the Count's…
The Count moved from the verandah…
'Look here, Fosco, you and I have known…'
The light disappeared again…
'Yes. I have been to her mother…'
How short a time, and yet how long to me…
POSTSCRIPT BY A SINCERE FRIEND
THE STORY CONTINUED BY FREDERICK FAIRLIE
Let me do the girl justice.
I must really rest a little before…
'I should feel very much obliged to you, sir…'
I have mentioned that my usual course…
Is it necessary to say what my first…
I thought this very convincing and attentive…
When I heard the word fever, and when I…
He had said so much already…
He waved his horrid hand at me…
THE STORY CONTINUED BY ELIZA MICHELSON
Sir Percival was not civil enough…
To resume. The night passed as usual…
At the Count's particular suggestion…
Remembering Mr. Dawson's caution to me…
In the course of the next few days…
Before Mr. Dawson could answer…
On the tenth day it pleased a merciful…
I listened to him, perfectly aghast…
Chapter 2
Before I left I took care to satisfy myself…
I found that her ladyship had certainly…
His manner all through this strange…
'Pray don't write to Count Fosco…'
I thought it right, at this point…
At the time named the chaise drew up…
On turning the corner of the house…
Mrs. Rubelle, whom I had indicated…
I had hardly walked half-way towards…
He came punctually, and I found cause…
I need write no particulars…
THE STORY CONTINUED IN SEVERAL NARRATIVES – Chapter 1 – THE NARRATIVE OF HESTER PINHORN
Towards night-time the lady roused up…
'Your master is a foreigner…'
Chapter 2 – THE NARRATIVE OF THE DOCTOR
Chapter 3 – THE NARRATIVE OF JANE GOULD
Chapter 4 – THE NARRATIVE OF THE TOMBSTONE
Chapter 5 – THE NARRATIVE OF WALTER HARTRIGHT
It was the morning of the third day…
Time had flowed on, and silence had fallen…
THE THIRD EPOCH – THE STORY CONTINUED BY WALTER HARTRIGHT
In the eye of reason and of law…
Chapter 2
On the day of the funeral…
Although Count Fosco's letter to Mr. Fairlie…
On inquiry, it turned out that the supposed…
The nurse was there.
Lady Glyde's recollection of the events…
From this point her recollections were found…
The scene that followed…
Chapter 3
The house-work, which, if we had dared…
The only events of former days…
The first source of information to which…
There was time enough in the morning…
Chapter 4
'Do you believe that I have spoken the truth…'
I was obliged to wait and collect myself…
I considered. The housekeeper could not…
I looked at the letter while he was speaking…
The note contained these lines…
'You mean,' said Marian, 'the discovery…'
Chapter 5
While we were speaking together…
The first difficulty then was to find…
Chapter 6
Mrs. Clements did all in her power…
Anne was asleep when they got there.
Chapter 7
'With Catherick, sir – not with his wife.'
'So we thought at first, sir.'
'What became of Sir Percival?' I inquired.
Reasoning on these assumptions…
I noted down Major Donthorne's name…
The time was passing, the morning was…
Chapter 8
Am I trifling, here, with the necessities…
'Remember what anxious hearts you leave…'
'Say, if you please, that my business…'
She searched in the pocket of her gown…
She started up with the activity of a…
She started to her feet, and came close…
Chapter 9
The vestry of Old Welmingham church…
As I moved away from the back of the church…
Neither he nor his companion attempted…
'We might be tidier, mightn’t we, sir?'
The clerk put on his spectacles…
'Did you not tell me your former master…'
Chapter 10
My indignation, I may almost say…
He was a jovial, red-faced, easy-looking man…
The paltry means by which the fraud…
The two unhurt men pursued me.
With that answer he retraced his steps.
The thought half maddened me.
Save the church!
Chapter 11
The course that I was myself bound to take…
The inquest was adjourned over one day…
As I left the place, my thoughts turned…
THE STORY CONTINUED BY MRS. CATHERICK
But for one consideration he might have…
The first words I said to him…
Now and then I got away and changed…
His first words, and the tone in which…
She may have said the same thing to you…
THE STORY CONTINUED BY WALTER HARTRIGHT
The London solicitor of the deceased…
Chapter 2
'No, they were talking together as if…'
'It is hard to acknowledge it, Walter..'
I saw that she was thinking of him now…
His name was mentioned among us no more.
After a lapse of two days proof came…
The mention here of Mrs. Fairlie's name…
Chapter 3
The more I thought of our position…
'No. I have thought about it too…'
'Do you fear failure yourself, Walter?'
Chapter 4
The considerations thus presented to me…
Before I summoned Pesca to my assistance…
I crossed the road, and looked…
The curtain fell on the first act…
The moment he showed himself…
I saw that the effort of expressing himself…
'So far,' he resumed, 'you think the society…'
'I promised you that this confidence…'
Chapter 6
I signed and dated these lines…
Marian was at the stairhead waiting for me.
Chapter 7
'I can do better than that,' I replied.
'I decline to tell you.'
'Good! You have mentioned your terms…'
'I accept your conditions,' I said.
He dipped his pen in the ink…
Knowing as well as he did…
'Mr. Hartright – Monsieur Rubelle.'
THE STORY CONTINUED BY ISIDOR OTTAVIO BALDASSARE FOSCO
The situation at this period was emphatically…
The best years of my life have been…
Having suggested to Mrs. Clement…
I had myself previously recommended…
The next morning my wife and I…
I had written a note in the morning…
I took my visitor upstairs into a back room…
At the ripe age of sixty, I make this…
THE STORY CONCLUDED BY WALTER HARTRIGHT
I now had in my possession all the papers…
I occupied the interval day at the farm…
Mr. Kyrle rose when I resumed my seat…
Chapter 2
Approaching Notre Dame by the river-side…
Chapter 3