Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster

Note: This chapter is italicized to indicate a temporal shift; it takes place in Nan’s past when she lived with the Sweep.

Nan and the Sweep struggle through freezing wind, and finally come across an old shed with a furnace. The Sweep is talking happily about roasting pheasants when he suddenly begins coughing uncontrollably, staining his handkerchief black.

As Nan is about to light the fire, the Sweep stops her when he sees a feather and realizes that there is a nest in the flue. Nan goes to remove the nest, but the Sweep says that the baby birds’ parents will abandon them if they are touched by human hands. In deference to the birds, they do not light a fire but instead struggle on through the freezing night.

While Nan is having a bath, Charlie comes into the bathroom to ask her what he is. Nan reminds him about privacy and tells him that he is a creature made of soot. He goes to the Books Room to find out more even though he cannot read. Nan and Charlie decide that Charlie needs a body because he is getting too big for her to lift and he cannot do anything for himself.