The Moonstone
Date: 2022-05-16 06:25:23+00:00
Keywords: Crime; General; Historical; Mystery; Classics; Mystery Thriller; Fiction; Victorian; British Literature; Literature; Historical Fiction; 19th Century; Mystery & Detective
Description: A giant diamond stolen from India; a rakish rogue; a naive teenager and a drug-fueled scandal. These are the leading parts that combine to make one of the greatest detective novels of all time.'The Moonstone' by Wilkie Collins laid many of the foundations for the detective genre. At heart, though, it is a great story. Rachel Verinder inherits a large Indian diamond on her 18th birthday. It turns out to have been stolen from India by her corrupt uncle and is of immense religious significance. When the diamond goes missing at Rachel's birthday party, it sparks a mystery that involves Indian jugg
Publisher: Lindhardt og Ringhof

COM PLETE

CLASSICS

UNABRIDGED

T

Wilkie Collins
he

Read by

MoonsTone

Ronald Pickup and cast

1 Cousin – Prologue – The Storming of Seringapatam (1799) 6:14

2 So, as told in our camp, ran the fanciful story...

7:31

3 The Story – First Period – The Loss of the Diamond (1848) 7:03

4 Chapter 2

7:48

5 After that it was all over with me, of course.

6:03

6 Chapter 3

9:56

7 Going round to the terrace, I found...

11:00

8 Chapter 4

12:25

9 I saw no sign of the girl in the plantation.

10:48

10 Before I could say a word, I saw Mr Franklin...

2:18

11 Chapter 5

12:09

12 There was perhaps a grain of truth mixed up...

11:15

13 Chapter 6

12:53

14 I instantly exerted my wits.

10:31

15 I handed the paper back to Mr Franklin...

10:20

16 Chapter 7

11:55

17 Chapter 8

8:02

18 As for Mr Franklin and Miss Rachel...

7:40

19 Add one thing more to this, and I have done.

6:57

20 On the fourteenth, came Mr Godfrey’s answer 10:01

2

21 Chapter 9

9:21

22 With those words she went out...

9:24

23 Chapter 10

8:42

24 You might have heard a pin fall.

8:49

25 I had just ranged the decanters in a row...

9:52

26 Here I struck in. This sort of thing didn’t at all square...

8:35

27 Chapter 11

7:55

28 About half-past seven I woke, and opened my window...

7:47

29 We had our breakfasts – whatever happens in a house...

7:16

30 Ten minutes later, to our infinite relief...

11:05

31 As things stood, at present, no answer...

9:40

32 I found Mr Franklin writing at the library-table.

12:34

33 Chapter 12

7:54

34 This was a nice sort of man to recover...

8:23

35 Mr Franklin was as close at hand as could be...

6:38

36 ‘A young lady’s tongue is a privileged member, sir’...

11:46

37 Chapter 13

7:46

38 I reminded my lady here that Mr Godfrey was going away.

9:29

39 Chapter 14

8:39

40 I had got on very fairly well with Sergeant Cuff so far.

9:38

3

41 I walked out in the fine summer afternoon...

6:41

42 Chapter 15

8:25

43 As it turned out, I found myself standing...

8:52

44 We went on to Cobb’s Hole, seeing the footsteps...

7:49

45 Mrs Yolland produced out of her pocket...

9:04

46 On hearing those words, the infernal detective-fever began...

6:38

47 Chapter 16

8:48

48 Being restless and miserable...

9:09

49 Not feeling sure that I had really seen the Sergeant...

8:36

50 Chapter 17

9:53

51 After leaving my mistress, I found Penelope...

9:43

52 Chapter 18

8:53

53 Sergeant Cuff was just as quick on his side.

7:20

54 I went round with him to the servants’ hall.

3:27

55 Chapter 19

7:52

56 With that relief, I began to fetch my breath again…

6:53

57 Chapter 20

9:32

58 Chapter 21

7:09

59 Sergeant Cuff bowed. My mistress had produced...

8:51

60 This time he looked my way.

8:53

4

61 He thereupon passed the whole of Rosanna’s proceedings...

7:02

62 Chapter 22

9:31

63 The pony-chaise returned a good half hour...

9:52

64 To take anything as her Ladyship took it was a privilege...

7:56

65 Chapter 23

8:40

66 On the next day (Sunday), the close carriage...

11:44

67 I leave you to imagine how I watched for the postman...

7:15

68 Saturday, the last day of the week...

8:07

69 Second Period – The Discovery of the Truth (1848–1849) 8:37

70 We had a meeting that evening of the Select Committee...

8:24

71 An interval elapsed, and he heard a sound below...

8:53

72 I was punctual to the luncheon hour on Tuesday.

5:09

73 Chapter 2

4:31

74 ‘Dearest Rachel,’ he said, in the same voice...

9:30

75 Rachel looked at him very strangely...

8:11

76 Before another word could be said by anybody...

7:28

77 Chapter 3

8:50

78 Mr Bruff looked surprised to see me.

10:04

79 I could see plainly that the new light I had thrown...

9:16

80 Chapter 4

10:45

5

81 So I passed that blissful night.

12:39

82 Chapter 5

2:34

83 ‘Don’t sit on the ottoman,’ the young lady proceeded.

9:51

84 She turned round on a sudden...

11:34

85 Chapter 6

4:38

86 Chapter 7

8:46

87 Having first met her advances with all possible cordiality...

10:59

88 When her cup of tea went up to her the next morning...

8:59

89 Chapter 8

9:17

90 Let me dry my eyes, and return to my narrative.

8:02

91 The tone in which she said those words...

7:06

92 When I first attracted the attention of the company by rising...

7:45

93 Mr Bruff gave it up, exactly as he had given it up...

8:45

94 Second Narrative contributed by Matthew Bruff, solicitor 9:21

95 The moment I got back I spoke to my clerk...

9:10

96 We had walked on, for nearly a mile I should say...

9:03

97 Chapter 2

11:25

98 Chapter 3

8:55

99 I remembered that Mr Franklin Blake had detected...

6:55

100 He handed me the open pocket-book.

8:07

6

101 Third Narrative – contributed by Franklin Blake 11:20

102 Chapter 2

8:59

103 This stroke of sarcasm put him in a better humour...

9:29

104 Chapter 3

6:47

105 Having reached that inevitable conclusion...

7:55

106 My directions in the memorandum instructed me...

7:00

107 Chapter 4

7:54

108 ‘I won’t trouble you with much about myself...’

10:17

109 ‘Well, I went in that morning to do my work in your room...’

9:48

110 ‘Just at that moment, Mr Betteredge spoilt it all...’

10:15

111 Chapter 5

10:38

112 ‘She had only just spoken those cruel words...’

11:06

113 Chapter 6

11:44

114 I started, in ungovernable agitation, to my feet.

11:02

115 Chapter 7

8:24

116 I advanced towards her, hardly conscious...

7:43

117 She was right – in every way, right.

8:38

118 I attempted to speak.

7:12

119 Chapter 8

8:08

120 Early the next morning, I set forth...

8:44

7

121 It was just too late to start by the train which left London...

7:28

122 With the object that I had in view...

8:42

123 Chapter 9

9:07

124 ‘I can add nothing which will make the description...’

10:46

125 I felt that he was unanswerable, here...

9:43

126 He paused again. I looked round at him.

9:38

127 Chapter 10

8:39

128 I began to regain my self-possession.

8:53

129 I started to my feet. I tried to speak.

7:28

130 ‘I will try to answer you in a few words,’ said Ezra Jennings...

9:53

131 Fourth Narrative – Extracted from the Journal of Ezra Jennings 9:42

132 Two o’clock. I have just returned from my round...

9:36

133 Mr Blake made me a sign to take him at his word.

9:03

134 June 20th. Mr Blake is beginning to feel...

9:04

135 June 21st. A short entry must suffice…

7:03

136 Yesterday, also, Mr Blake had the lawyer’s answer.

10:05

137 At that point in the conversation, we were interrupted...

9:15

138 Betteredge withdrew to fetch the medicine-chest...

8:59

139 Looking next towards Mr Blake, I found him...

7:53

140 We waited – seeing and hearing nothing.

8:55

8

141 After saying those words, I put the writing materials...

8:14

142 Fifth Narrative – The Story Resumed by Franklin Blake 8:06

143 Without noticing either of us, Mr Luker...

7:02

144 At nine, the next morning, I was ready for my visitor.

10:02

145 In five minutes more, Sergeant Cuff and I...

10:18

146 The illustrious name instantly produced its effect.

8:34

147 Sixth Narrative – Contributed by Sergeant Cuff 10:29

148 III: With regard to the subject now in hand...

7:55

149 IV: Late on the evening of Friday, the twenty-third of June...

6:41

150 V: This was the story told by your cousin...

8:58

151 Seventh Narrative – In a letter from Mr Candy 5:51

152 Eighth Narrative – Contributed by Gabriel Betteredge 5:53

153 Epilogue – The Finding of the Diamond – Sgt Cuff’s Man 2:49

154 II. The Statement of the Captain (1849) 3:02

155 III. The Statement of Mr Murthwaite (1850) 8:57

Total time: 22:27:34

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Cast

Gabriel Betteredge Ronald Pickup

Cousin Joe Marsh

Drusilla Clack Fenella Woolgar

Mr Bruff Sam Dale

Ezra Jennings & Sergeant Cuff’s Man Jonathan Oliver Franklin Blake Jamie Parker

Sergeant Cuff Sean Barrett

Mr Candy and the Captain David Timson Mr Murthwaite John Foley

Titles Benjamin Soames

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Wilkie Collins

(1824–1889)

The MoonsTone

William Wilkie Collins was born in London popular with such a huge audience.

in 1824, the son of a successful landscape

Like Dickens, Collins was both
painter. After working in the tea business a popular and highly literary writer; a and reading for the bar at Lincoln’s Inn, he hundred years later, T.S. Eliot was to determined to become a ‘man of letters’ describe The Moonstone as ‘the first, the and was fortunate to acquire Charles longest and the best of modern English Dickens as his literary patron. His interest detective novels’, and Collins’s device in writing novels came from his early of letting each ‘witness’ give his own involvement in the theatre and in 1851 he version of the events owes as much to became stage valet to Dickens for one of the drama of the courtroom as to the the many dramatic entertainments which theatre. By adopting this structure Collins Dickens and his friends and family staged was able not only to sustain interest and for various charitable causes. Eventually, suspense throughout a long novel based Collins was promoted and in 1856 the on a single event, but was also able to two writers co-starred in a play, The use his skill of characterisation to the Frozen Deep, which Collins had written full. Gabriel Betteridge is no ordinary old himself. His plays were full of drama retainer; he is sought out as often for his and suspense and it was his love of the wisdom as for his dependability and it is immediacy of the theatre which went his beguiling voice which draws us into on to inform his novels with the vitality the story. Collins wrote that the ‘Narrative and pace which are so evident in The of Miss Clack... proved most successful Moonstone and which were to make it so in amusing the public’ and she remains 11
one of his greatest creations, as familiar form in the popular magazine All the Year today as she was when the book was first Round from January 4 to August 8 1868.

published. Rosanna Spearman and Rachel He explained in a preface of 1871 how Verinder are both strong and passionate difficult the process had been, when he women who do not conform to the strict was struck down by illness and his mother Victorian archetype. In fact, Collins defied lay dying: ‘I doubt if I should have lived to convention himself: he formed a liaison write another book, if the responsibility of with Martha Rudd, by whom he had two the weekly publication of this story had daughters and a son, but whom he never not forced me to rally my sinking energies married, and continued throughout to of body and mind – to dry my useless sustain another relationship with Caroline tears, and to conquer my merciless pains.’

Clow. The fact that his private life left In fact, Collins suffered from recurring him on the margins of respectable society attacks of gout and depression and relied may explain why Collins felt able to create increasingly on laudanum for relief from characters who are less constrained by his pain. The drug was freely available their social position than many figures in and no doubt he drew on his own Victorian literature.

experiences of laudanum when he wrote

In the Preface to the first edition of the The Moonstone.

book, Collins wrote: ‘The attempt made

Between 1859 and 1870, Collins
here is to trace the influence of character published four major novels, The Woman on circumstance. The conduct pursued, in White, No Name, Armadale and The under a sudden emergency, by a young Moonstone. Although he went on to girl, supplies the foundation on which I write many more novels, none was to have built this book.’ However, the book match the perfection in style and content is much more than this might suggest of The Moonstone. Wilkie Collins died in and part of Collins’s success is no doubt 1889.

attributable to his astute commercial
sense. The Moonstone appeared in serial Notes by Heather Godwin

12

Ronald Pickup works extensively in both stage and screen productions. His recent film work includes The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Prince of Persia: Sands of Time. He has also appeared in the television series Parade’s End, Larkrise to Candleford, Fortunes of War and Orwell on Jura. His theatre credits include Heartbreak House, Waiting for Godot, Uncle Vanya, Peer Gynt and Long Day’s Journey Into Night.

Joe Marsh graduated from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in 2008, having previously read English at the University of Cambridge. His theatre credits include Alexander Onassis in Aristo (Chichester Festival Theatre) and Olivia in Twelfth Night (Lord Chamberlain’s Men). His television credits include Silent Witness (BBC) and Above Suspicion (La Plante Productions). Other audio credits include Pierrot Lunaire (NMC Recordings).

Fenella Woolgar trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Shortly after graduating, she starred in Stephen Fry’s film Agatha and has since performed in films by Mike Leigh ( Vera Drake), Richard E Grant ( Wah-Wah) and Woody Allen ( Scoop and

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger). She has worked in theatre at the National Theatre and The Old Vic, and won the Clarence Derwent Award for Best Supporting Actress in the West End in 2012.

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Sam Dale has over 40 years experience as a professional actor.

He was a member of the BBC Radio Drama Repertory Company (‘The Rep’) on two occasions, which led to a host of productions for Radio 4, including On Mardle Fen, Fortunes of War, The Divine Comedy, The Compete Smiley, I Claudius as well as numerous novels by Raymond Chandler. For Radio 4’s ‘Book of the Week’, he has read Jennifer Johnston’s Shadows on Our Skin and two volumes of Chris Mullin’s diaries. Other audiobook work includes Jonathan Franklin’s The 33.

Jonathan Oliver has worked in theatres across the country: War and Peace at the Royal National Theatre, The Homecoming at Leicester Haymarket and the role of Antony in Antony and Cleopatra at the Bridwell. TV credits include Eskimo Day, House of Eliott and Hannay and he is active in voice-over and radio.

Jamie Parker is best known for his roles in the films The History Boys and Valkyrie and the television drama Van Gogh: Painted with Words. He has also performed in the television series Foyle’s War, The Hour, Parade’s End, The Politician’s Husband, Silent Witness and Silk. His theatre credits include Henry IV Parts I & II and Henry V
at Shakespeare’s Globe and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead at the Haymarket Theatre.

14

Sean Barrett started acting as a boy on BBC children’s television in the days before colour, when it went out live. He grew up through Z Cars, Armchair Theatre, Minder and Father Ted. His theatre credits include Peter Pan at the old Scala Theatre and Noël Coward’s Suite in 3 Keys in the West End. Films include War & Peace, Dunkirk and A Cry from the Streets. He was a member of the BBC Radio Drama Company. He also features in Molloy, Malone Dies, The Unnamable, The Voice of the Buddha and Canterbury Tales III and read the part of Vladimir in Waiting for Godot for Naxos AudioBooks and the part of Nakata in Kafka on the Shore.

David Timson has made over 1,000 broadcasts for BBC Radio Drama. For Naxos AudioBooks he wrote The History of the Theatre, which won an award for most original production from the Spoken Word Publishers Association in 2001. He has also directed four Shakespeare plays for Naxos AudioBooks, including King Richard III (with Kenneth Branagh), which won Best Drama Award from the SWPA in 2001. In 2002 he won the Audio of the Year Award for his reading of A Study in Scarlet. He also reads The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes I, II, III, IV, V, and VI and The Return of Sherlock Holmes I, II, and III, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Sign of Four, The Valley of Fear, and The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes.

15

John Foley has worked as an actor in theatres throughout the UK and US. He has published reference books and children’s stories, and written and voiced more than 600 scripts for BBC

World Service and R4; other radio includes numerous adaptations of works by writers such as Brecht, Ibsen, John Osborne, Alan Bennett and Victoria Wood. He has also produced a number of audiobooks for Naxos and Random House.

Benjamin Soames trained at LAMDA. He has appeared in the popular TV series Sharpe and toured worldwide in Measure for Measure with Cheek by Jowl. A former Royal Marine Commando, serving in Kosovo and Iraq, he teaches Hostile Environment Security Training for the EU and is still active as a close protection officer in the UK and abroad. His productions for Naxos AudioBooks include Tales from the Greek Legends, Tales from the Norse Legends, The Tale of Troy, The Adventures of Odysseus, Venus and Adonis, Great Inventors and their Inventions, Great Scientists and their Discoveries and Afghanistan – In a Nutshell.

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Credits

Produced by John Foley and Nicolas Soames

Edited and mastered by Sarah Butcher

© Booklet: Naxos AudioBooks Ltd 2014

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. UNAUTHORISED PUBLIC PERFORMANCE, BROADCASTING

AND COPYING OF THESE COMPACT DISCS PROHIBITED.

Booklet and cover design: Hannah Whale, Fruition – Creative Concepts, using images from Shutterstock

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© 2014 Naxos

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Made in England.

Wilkie Collins

Total time

COM PLETE

22:27:34

T

CLASSICS

UNABRIDGED

NA0162D
he MoonsTone

CD ISBN:

Read by Ronald Pickup and cast

9781843797975

Upon inheriting the Moonstone, a huge and priceless diamond, Rachel Verinder’s delight turns to dismay when the gem suddenly disappears.

But this is no ordinary theft. Sergeant Cuff of Scotland Yard is called in and immediately suspects an intricate plot. However, not even his powers of detection can penetrate fully the mysteries surrounding the diamond. And as we listen to each character’s version of the events, layer upon layer of drama and suspense build to the final and astonishing denouement of this magnificent, classic English detective novel.

Cast

Gabriel Betteredge Ronald Pickup

Cousin Joe Marsh

Drusilla Clack Fenella Woolgar

Mr Bruff Sam Dale

Ezra Jennings & Sergeant Cuff’s Man Jonathan Oliver Franklin Blake Jamie Parker

Sergeant Cuff Sean Barrett

Mr Candy and the Captain David Timson Mr Murthwaite John Foley

AMD130614

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