雾都孤儿-第1章

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1　　O　liver’s　early　life

　　

O　liver　Twist　was　born　in　a　workhouse，and　when　he　arrived　in　this　hard　world，it　was　very　doubtful　whether　he　would　live　beyond　the　first　three　minutes．He　lay　on　a　hard　little　bed　and　struggled　to　start　breathing．

O　liver　fought　his　first　battle　without　much　assistance　from　the　two　people　present　at　his　birth．One　was　an　old　woman，who　was　nearly　always　drunk，　and　the　other　was　a　busy　local　doctor，who　was　not　paid　enough　to　be　very　interested　in　O　liver’s　survival．　After　all，death　was　a　common　event　in　the　workhouse，where　only　the　poor　and　homeless　lived．

However，O　liver　managed　to　draw　his　first　breath，and　the　n　announced　his　arrival　to　the　rest　of　the　workhouse　by　crying　loudly．His　mother　raised　her　pale　young　face　from　the　pillow　and　whispered，　‘Let　me　see　the　child，　and　die．’

The　doctor　turned　away　from　the　fire，　where　he　had　been　warming　his　hands．　‘You　must　not　talk　about　dying　yet，’he　said　to　her　kindly．He　gave　her　the　child　to　hold．Lovingly，she　kissed　the　baby　on　its　forehead　with　her　cold　white　lips，the　n　stared　wildly　around　the　room，fell　back…and　died。　‘Poor　dear！’said　the　nurse，hurriedly　putting　a　green　glass　bottle　back　in　the　pocket　of　her　long　skirt。

The　doctor　began　to　put　on　his　coat．　‘The　baby　is　weak　and　will　probably　have　difficulties，’　he　said．　‘If　so，　give　it　a　little　milk　to　keep　it　quiet．’The　n　he　looked　at　the　dead　woman。　　‘The　mother　was　a　good－looking　girl．Where　did　she　come　from？’

　‘She　was　brought　here　last　　night，’replied　the　old　woman。　‘She　was　found　lying　in　the　street。　She’d　walked　some　distance，judging　by　her　shoes，which　were　worn　to　pieces．Where　she　came　from，where　she　was　going　to，or　what　her　name　was，nobody　knows。’

The　　doctor　lifted　　the　　girl’s　　left　　hand。　‘The　old　story，’he　said　sadly，shaking　his　　head．　‘No　wedding　ring，　I　see．Ah！Good　night。’

And　so　O　liver　was　left　with　only　the　drunken　nurse．Without　clothe　s，under　his　first　blanket，　he　could　have　been　the　child　of　a　king　or　a　beggar．But　when　the　woman　dressed　him　later　in　rough　cotton　clothe　s，　yellow　with　age，he　looked　exactly　what　he　was　…　an　orphan　in　a　workhouse，　ready　for　a　life　of　misery，hunger，　and　neglect。　

O　liver　cried　loudly．If　he　could　have　known　that　he　was　a　workhouse　orphan，　perhaps　he　would　have　cried　even　more　loudly。

The　re　was　no　one　to　look　after　the　baby　in　the　workhouse，so　O　liver　was　sent　　to　a　special　　‘baby　farm’　nearby。　The　re，he　and　thirty　other　children　rolled　around　the　floor　all　day，without　the　inconvenience　of　too　much　food　or　too　much　clothing。　Mrs　Mann，the　old　　woman　who　　‘looked　　after’　them，　was　very　experienced．She　knew　what　was　good　for　children，and　a　full　stomach　was　very　dangerous　to　their　health。　She　also　knew　what　was　good　for　herself，　so　she　kept　for　her　own　use　the　money　that　she　was　given　for　the　children’s　food．The　board　responsible　for　the　orphans　sometimes　checked　on　the　health　of　the　children，　but　They　always　sent　the　beadle，a　kind　of　local　policeman，to　announce　their　visit　the　day　before．So　whenever　the　board　arrived，　of　course，the　children　were　always　neat　and　clean．

This　was　the　way　O　liver　was　brought　up。　Consequently，　at　the　age　of　nine　he　was　a　pale，thin　child　and　short　for　his　age．But　despite　frequent　beatings　by　Mrs　Mann，　his　spirit　was　strong，　which　was　probably　the　reason　why　he　managed　to　reach　the　age　of　nine　at　all．

On　O　liver’s　ninth　birthday，　Mr　Bumble　the　beadle　came　to　the　house　to　see　Mrs　Mann．Through　the　front　window　Mrs　Mann　saw　him　at　the　gate，　and　turned　quickly　to　the　girl　who　worked　with　her．

　‘Quick！Take　O　liver　and　those　others　upstairs　to　be　washed！’she　said．The　n　she　ran　out　　to　unlock　the　gate．（It　was　always　kept　locked　to　prevent　official　visitors　walking　in　unexpectedly．）

　‘I　have　business　to　talk　about，’Mr　Bumble　told　Mrs　Mann　as　he　entered　the　house．He　was　a　big　fat　man，　often　bad…tempered，　and　was　full　of　self…importance。　He　did　not　like　to　be　kept　waiting　at　a　locked　gate。

Mrs　Mann　took　his　hat　and　coat，　placed　a　chair　for　him，and　expressed　great　concern　for　his　comfort．　‘You’ve　had　a　long　walk，Mr　Bumble’　she　said，　‘and　you　must　be　thirsty．’She　took　out　a　bottle　from　the　cupboard．

　‘No，　thank　you，　Mrs　Mann。　Not　a　drop．’He　waved　the　bottle　away．

　‘Just　a　little　drop，　Mr　Bumble，　with　cold　water，’　said　Mrs　Mann　persuasively．

Mr　Bumble　coughed．　‘What　is　it？’　he　asked，　looking　at　the　bottle　with　interest．

　‘Gin．I　keep　it　for　the　children’s　medicine　drink。’

　‘You　give　the　children　gin，Mrs　Mann？’asked　Mr　Bumble，watching　as　she　mixed　his　drink．

　‘Only　with　medicine，　sir．　I　don’t　like　to　see　the　m　suffer．’

　‘You’re　a　good　woman，　Mrs　Mann．’　Mr　Bumble　drank　half　his　glass　immediately．　‘I’ll　tell　the　board　about　you．Now　…　the　reason　why　I’m　here．　O　liver　Twist　is　nine　years　old　today．　We’ve　never　been　able　to　discover　anything　about　his　parents。’

　‘The　n　how　did　he　get　his　name？’

　‘I　gave　it　to　him，’said　Mr　Bumble　proudly．　‘We　follow　the　　alphabet．The　　last　　one　　was　　an　S…Swubble．　The　n　it　　was　T，　so　this　one　is　Twist．　The　next　one　will　be　Unwin．Anyway，Oliver　Twist　is　now　old　enough　to　return　to　the　workhouse．　Bring　him　here，　please．’　While　Mrs　Mann　went　to　get　him，　　Mr　Bumble　finished　the　rest　of　his　gin．

Oliver，　his　face　and　hands　now　almost　clean，　was　led　into　the　room。

　‘Will　you　come　along　with　me，Oliver？’asked　Mr　Bumble　in　a　loud　voice．

Oliver　was　very　glad　to　be　free　of　Mrs　Mann’s　violence，　but　he　said　nothing　because　she　was　angrily　shaking　her　finger　at　him．However，as　the　gate　closed　behind　O　liver，he　burst　into　tears。　He　was　leaving　behind　the　other　children，　the　only　friends　he　had，and　he　realized　at　that　moment　how　lonely　he　was　in　the　world。

Mr　Bumble　walked　on　with　long　steps，with　O　liver　on　his　short　little　legs　running　beside　him．The　feeling　of　contentment　produced　by　gin－and－water　had　now　disappeared，and　the　beadle　was　in　a　bad　mood　once　more．

Back　at　the　workhouse，　O　liver　was　taken　to　see　the　board。　He　stood　in　front　of　ten　fat　men　who　were　sitting　around　a　table．

　‘What’s　your　name，　boy？’　asked　a　particularly　fat　man　with　a　very　round，　red　face．

O　liver　was　frightened　at　the　sight　of　so　many　people，　and　started　to　cry。

　‘Why　are　you　crying？’

The　beadle　hit　him　on　the　back，and　so　naturally　O　liver　cried　even　more。

　‘The　boy　is　a　fool，’one　member　of　the　board　announced。

　‘You　know　you　have　no　father　or　mother，’said　the　first　man，　‘and　that　you　have　been　brought　up　with　other　orphans？’

　‘Yes，　sir，’replied　O　liver，　crying　bitterly．

　‘Why　is　the　boy　crying？’repeated　the　other　man，　puzzled．

　‘You　have　come　here　to　be　educated，’continued　the　fat　man，　　‘so　you　will　start　working　here　tomorrow　at　six　o’clock．’

O　liver　was　led　away　to　a　large　room，　where，on　a　rough　hard　bed，he　cried　himself　to　sleep．

The　room　in　the　workhouse　where　the　boys　were　fed　was　a　large　stone　hall，and　at　one　end　the　master　and　two　women　served　the　food．This　consisted　of　a　bowl　of　thin　soup　three　times　a　day，　with　a　piece　of　bread　on　Sundays．The　boys　ate　everything　and　were　always　hungry．The　bowls　never　needed　washing．The　boys　polished　the　m　with　their　spoons　until　They　shone．After　three　months　of　this　slow　starvation，one　of　the　boys　told　the　others　he　was　so　hungry　that　one　night　he　might　eat　the　boy　who　slept　next　to　him．He　had　a　wild　hungry　eye，and　　the　　other　　boys　　believed　　him．After　a　long　　discussion，They　decided　that　one　of　the　m　should　ask　for　more　food　after　supper　that　evening，and　O　liver　was　chosen．

The　evening　arrived；the　soup　was　served，and　the　bowls　were　empty　again　in　a　few　seconds．O　liver　went　up　to　the　master，with　his　bowl　in　his　hand．He　felt　very　frightened，but　also　desperate　with　hunger．

　‘Please，sir，I　want　some　more．’

The　master　was　a　fat，healthy　man，　but　he　turned　very　pale。　He　looked　at　the　little　boy　in　front　of　him　with　amazement．Nobody　else　spoke．

　‘What？’　he　asked　at　last，　in　a　faint　voice．

　‘Please，　sir，’　replied　　O　liver，　‘I　want　　some　　more。’

The　master　hit　him　with　the　serving　spoon，the　n　seized　O　liver’s　arms　and　shouted　for　the　beadle．The　beadle　came　quickly，heard　the　dreadful　news，and　immediately　ran　to　tell　the　board．

　‘He　　asked　　for　more？’　Mr　Limbkins，the　　fattest　　board　member，　asked　in　horror．　‘Bumble　…　is　this　really　true？’

　‘That　boy　　will　　be　hanged！’　said　　the　　man　who　　earlier　had　called　O　liver　a　fool．　‘You　see　if　I’m　not　right．’

O　liver　was　led　away　to　be　locked　up，and　a　reward　was　offered　to　anybody　who　would　take　him　away　and　use　him　for　work。



　



2　　O　liver’s　first　job

　　

O　liver　stayed　a　prisoner　alone　in　the　dark　room　for　a　week．　He　cried　bitterly　all　day，and　when　the　long　night　came，he　spread　his　little　hands　over　his　eyes　to　shut　out　the　darkness，　and　tried　to　sleep．He　was　given　freezing　water　to　wash　with，and　was　beaten　daily　by　Mr　Bumble　in　front　of　all　the　other　boys　in　the　hall，as　a　warning　to　the　m．

One　day　Mr　Bumble　met　the　local　undertaker，　Mr　Sowerberry，　outside　the　workhouse．

　‘Do　you　know　anybody　who　wants　to　train　a　boy　for　work，Mr　Sowerberry？’Mr　Bumble　pointed　at　the　notice　on　the　wall　above　him，　which　offered　five　pounds　to　anybody　who　would　take　O　liver　Twist　for　work．

Mr　Sowerberry　rubbed　his　chin　and　thought　for　a　while．　‘I　pay　enough　　for　the　　poor　　with　my　　taxes，’　he　said，　‘so　why　shouldn’t　I　be　able　to　make　use　of　the　m　in　my　work？　Yes，　I’ll　take　the　boy　myself．’

And　so　the　board　agreed　to　send　O　liver　to　work　for　the　undertaker．The　necessary　papers　were　signed．O　liver’s　small　possessions　were　put　into　a　brown　paper　parcel，and　he　was　led　to　Mr　Sowerberry’s　house　by　Mr　Bumble．As　They　walked　along，tears　began　to　run　down　O　liver’s　face．

　‘What　is　it　this　time？’asked　Mr　Bumble　impatiently．　‘Don’t　be　so　ungrateful．This　gentleman　is　going　to　look　after　you。’　

　‘It’s　just　that　I’m　so　lonely，　sir！’　said　the　child．　‘Everybody　hates　me．Please　don’t　be　angry　with　me，sir！’

Even　Mr　Bumble　felt　a　little　pity。　He　coughed，told　O　liver　to　dry　his　eyes　and　be　a　good　boy，　and　walked　on　with　him　in　silence。

The　undertaker　had　just　finished　work　for　the　day　when　Mr　Bumble　entered　his　shop．

　‘Here，I’ve　brought　the　boy，’　said　the　beadle．

O　liver　bowed　to　the　undertaker，　who　raised　his　candle　to　get　a　better　view　of　the　boy．　‘Mrs　Sowerberry，’he　called，　‘come　and　　have　　a　look．’

His　wife，　a　short，thin　woman　with　a　disagreeable　face，came　out　to　see。　‘He’s　very　small，’she　said　immediately．

　‘He　is，’agreed　Mr　Bumble，　‘but　he’ll　grow，Mrs　Sowerberry。’　

　‘Yes，’she　said　crossly，　‘when　he　eats　our　food。　Go　on，get　downstairs。’　She　pushed　O　liver　downstairs　into　a　damp，dark　kitchen，and　called　to　the　girl　working　down　the　re。　‘Here，Charlotte，give　this　boy　some　meat　that　the　dog　left…if　he　t