'The House at Old Vine' (6) - Oliver's Tale Quiz | Literature

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Oliver and his brother Cromwell both worked on their father's land in the years following the restoration of the monarchy. Bitter that returning Royalists had taken back land he had bought from the government, Father was particularly scathing of the returning family. Unfortunately Oliver was to fall in love with the daughter of the man that Father considered robbed him of a house and three hundred acres. What was her name?

Answer: Marie

Lucy Newton was the girl Father had arranged for Oliver to marry, but he was going through a rebellious stage (mainly because he could not admit his love for Marie Garland) and refused. Determined to have his own way or dismiss that which offended him, Father told him to marry Lucy or leave.

When Oliver left, Cromwell helped him by giving him his watch to sell (they had no money) and a bag full of clothes, and thanked him because he was to marry Lucy and not Dorcas.

2. What was the first thing Oliver noticed when he arrived at the Old Vine?

Answer: that the building was shabby and rundown

Oliver could not quite work out if the building had always been in this state of disrepair, or whether it was because he had grown accustomed to the perfect condition of his father's property. The other statements were also true of the school at this time, but it was the condition of the building which was first noticed.

3. When it was agreed that Oliver would become a teacher, what wage was agreed upon for the work?

Answer: his keep

When Oliver and Mr Flowerdew were talking about the money, it seems as if �10 a year was the going rate, for Mr Flowerdew said, "I'd employ you myself if I could afford ten pounds a year, but I can't. I don't make ends meet as it is.' Oliver eventually offered to stay until Christmas for his keep alone, and a testimonial (reference) at the end of that time, saying, "Perhaps God did send me, sir." Mr Flowerdew replied, "The Devil more like. Just to see how low I could fall."

4. What punishment did Mr Flowerdew suggest that Oliver use to keep order among the boys?

Answer: losing a turn at washing up

Because Ethelreda was the only member of household staff left, and the food had become sparse and bland because of lack of money, in spite of Ethelreda's daily 'miracle of the loaves and fishes' (as Mr Flowerdew put it), they had put a rota in place to help with the washing up, and the boys on that duty were permitted to dip into the pickle barrel afterwards.

When Oliver used this punishment he took over the job for a few days, and found that he was craving the pickle himself, and could understand why the withdrawal of this chore was such a hardship to the boys.

5. What strange characteristic of Ethelreda's did Oliver notice within a week of being at the Old Vine?

Answer: she washed her hands all the time

We are not told exactly, but we can surmise that she developed this habit after her marriage to the Canon, as Oliver noted that she would go to the water bowl to wash her hands at the merest mention of Mr Kentwoode, who was the father of her child, and had died around the time he was born.

6. Oliver would sometimes spend the evening in the study with the Canon, Mr Flowerdew and Ethelreda. On one occasion her son, Rupert, wanted to be heard reading and there started a discussion during which the Canon was mean to his wife. What word did he use to describe her, without actually mentioning her connection to it?

Answer: pagan

The Canon forced Ethelreda to define the word 'pagan' and then corrected her reply ('a person who has never heard of Christ') by saying that many who have heard of Christ are still pagan. He was clearly referring to Ethelreda and her sheltered upbringing in the Fens, and that she had hoodwinked him with her pregnancy.

7. Unable to cope without some money, and the cash raised from the sale of his watch gone, Oliver went looking for evening work, finding it eventually at the 'Hawk in Hand'. What was his job there?

Answer: doorman

John Webster (whom we are to believe is Mr Kentwoode's half-brother - see 'Barbara's Tale') employed Oliver to take the money at the door of his Wonderland - a theatre-type hall where different types of entertainers were invited to perform to local audiences. On one occasion Oliver took the boys along to fill seats after a disastrous first night of 'The Merchant of Venice', and from that came the fateful evening when he took Rupert to a violin recital.

8. Rupert Hatton was a gifted musician, a talent he inherited from his natural father, Mr Kentwoode. His legal father, Canon Hatton, hated this talent and refused to allow him to play any music at all, but he was encouraged by Mr Flowerdew. When Danielli came to Baildon to perform Oliver took the boy to hear him play, for Danielli played the same instrument as Rupert. What instrument was this?

Answer: violin

In the next book of the trilogy we learn that Rupert travelled with Danielli for some years, practicing day in and day out. When he was finally allowed to perform, he suffered a fit which left him paralysed on his left-hand side and unable to play the violin again.

9. The Canon was waiting for Oliver and Rupert to return from Danielli's concert, and sent Oliver up to his room, saying that he could deal with both Rupert and Ethelreda without his assistance. Unsure of what the old man would do, Oliver snuck back and watched from the doorway. What did he see?

Answer: the Canon holding Ethelreda in a bully grip

While pulling her arm up her back the Canon was insisting that his wife smash the violin. Later Rupert was to tell Oliver that he would not have broken Ethelreda's arm because then she would not have been able to cook, but at that time Oliver was concerned for her and blundered in; the Canon smashed his fist into his nose for his trouble.

He was to tell Mr Flowerdew that Oliver came home drunk and fell; both Ethelreda and Rupert gave him the lie because of his bullying ways.

10. Poppy medicine appears throughout the Old Vine trilogy - an opiate of some kind, it is always shown as a great pain reliever but dangerous in large doses. A member of the school is to die of an overdose given deliberately by another - but who gave it to who?

Answer: Rupert gave it to the Canon

'Too many things rushed into my head in one second of time. The boy's obsession; his interest in the poppy syrup, the accessibility of those keys; the almost empty bottle, and the crazy triumph of the music which was echoed in those words, "He's dead". One second in which to suspect a child of murder.'

Source: Author ArleneRimmer

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'The House at Old Vine' (6) - Oliver's Tale Quiz

Oliver Stanton was a pupil at the Old Vine School and returned as a teacher. This is his story.

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