雾都孤儿-第2章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　thinks　it’s　good　enough　for　him．’

O　liver　tore　the　meat　to　pieces　with　his　teeth　as　if　he　were　a　wild　animal。　Mrs　Sowerberry　watched　him　in　silent　horror，already　thinking　about　her　future　food　bills，then　took　him　upstairs　to　the　shop．

　‘You’ll　sleep　here，　among　the　coffins，’she　said。

O　liver　stared　around　the　dark，airless　shop　at　the　coffins，some　finished，some　only　half…made．He　trembled　at　the　thought　of　ghosts．His　bed　was　a　small　hole　in　the　floor，and　looked　　very　　like　　a　grave．

But　it　was　not　only　the　room　that　depressed　O　liver．He　felt　very　lonely，with　no　friends　and　no　one　to　care　for　him．　As　he　lay　on　the　bed，he　found　himself　wishing　that　it　really　was　his　grave。　

The　next　morning　he　was　woken　up　by　someone　kicking　at　the　shop　door．

　‘Open　　the　door，will　you？’shouted　a　voice　through　　the　keyhole．

　‘Yes，sir。’　

　‘I　suppose　you’re　the　new　boy，’said　the　voice　through　the　keyhole．　‘How　old　are　you？’

　‘Ten，　sir。’　

　‘The　n　I’ll　hit　you　when　I　get　in，’said　the　voice．

O　liver　was　experienced　enough　to　know　that　the　promise　was　probably　true．　He　opened　the　door　with　a　shaking　hand，the　n　　looked　　up　　and　　down　the　street．All　he　could　see　was　a　large　boy　wearing　the　uniform　of　one　of　the　charity　schools，where　the　children　of　the　very　poor　used　to　go．

　‘Did　you　want　a　coffin？’asked　O　liver，innocently．

The　charity－boy　looked　at　him　fiercely．　‘You’ll　be　needing　a　coffin　soon，Workhouse，if　you　make　jokes　like　that！　I’m　Mister　Noah　Claypole，and　you’re　working　under　me．Now，hurry　up　and　open　the　curtains！’As　he　said　this，　he　kicked　O　liver　and　entered　the　shop．He　was　a　big，clumsy　boy　of　about　fourteen，　with　a　large　head　and　very　small　eyes．Added　to　the　se　attractions　were　a　red　nose　and　dirty　yellow　trousers．

The　boys　went　down　to　breakfast，　which　the　girl　Charlotte　had　made　for　the　m。　She　gave　an　extra　piece　of　meat　to　Noah，the　n　told　O　liver　to　hurry　up　as　it　was　his　job　to　look　after　the　shop．

　‘Did　you　hear　that，Workhouse？’　shouted　Noah．

　‘He　heard，　Noah，’said　Charlotte。　　‘Leave　him　alone。’

　‘Why？’asked　Noah。　‘All　his　relations　have　already　left　him　alone。　His　mother　and　father　aren’t　going　to　interfere　with　him！’Charlotte　and　Noah　both　started　laughing　loudly．O　liver　sat　alone　in　the　corner，eating　old　bits　of　bread。

Noah　was　a　charity－boy，　but　not　a　workhouse　orphan；　he　at　least　knew　who　his　parents　were。　But　for　a　long　time　all　the　local　shop－boys　had　insulted　him　because　he　wore　the　uniform　of　a　charity…boy．　Now　fortune　had　brought　him　a　creature　in　an　even　lower　position　in　society　than　himself．Noah　intended　to　repay　to　O　liver　every　insult　he　had　ever　received，and　to　make　the　new　boy’s　life　a　misery。　

After　a　few　weeks，Mr　Sowerberry　decided　that　he　liked　O　liver’s　appearance　enough　to　train　him　in　the　undertaking　business．O　liver’s　permanent　expression　of　sadness　was　very　suitable，the　undertaker　thought，for　collecting　dead　bodies　from　houses　and　accompanying　the　coffins　to　funerals。

One　day　Mr　Bumble　came　to　tell　the　m　about　a　woman　who　had　died　in　an　extremely　poor　part　of　the　town，　and　Sowerberry　and　O　liver　went　to　collect　the　body．They　went　down　dirty　narrow　streets　where　the　houses　on　either　side　were　tall　and　large，but　very　old．Some　of　the　houses　were　almost　falling　down，　and　had　to　be　supported　by　huge　blocks　of　wood。　The　area　was　so　poor　that　even　the　dead　rats　in　the　street　looked　as　though　They　had　died　of　hunger．

They　found　the　right　house，and　climbed　the　dark　stairs　to　a　miserable　little　room．Some　children　watched　the　m　from　the　shadows　as　They　entered．Something　lay　beneath　a　blanket　on　the　floor　in　one　corner．A　man　and　an　old　woman　stood　near　the　body．O　liver　was　afraid　to　look　at　the　m．　With　their　thin　faces　and　sharp　teeth，　They　looked　like　the　rats　he　had　seen　outside．

As　Sowerberry　began　to　measure　the　body　for　a　coffin，　　the　man　knelt　on　the　floor　and　cried　out，　‘She　starved　to　death，I　tell　you！That’s　why　she　died！’He　fell　to　the　floor，and　all　the　children　behind　him　started　to　cry．Sowerberry　and　O　liver，their　work　done，left　as　fast　as　They　could．

They　returned　the　next　day　with　the　coffin　and　four　men　from　the　workhouse　who　were　to　carry　it．The　man　and　the　old　woman　followed　the　coffin　to　the　church，and　waited　silently　by　the　grave　for　the　priest　to　arrive．When　at　last　he　came，　he　hurried　through　the　burial　prayers，　and　as　quickly　as　possible（it　was　only　a　job，after　all）　the　coffin　was　put　into　the　ground。　At　this　point　the　husband，　who　had　not　moved　once　during　his　wife’s　burial…　not　even　during　the　long　wait　for　the　priest…suddenly　fainted　to　the　ground　and　had　to　have　cold　water　thrown　over　him．

　‘So　how　did　you　like　it，O　liver？’asked　Sowerberry　later，as　they　walked　home。

　‘Not　very　much，　sir，’O　liver　answered　truthfully．

　‘You’ll　get　used　to　it，my　boy。’

O　liver　wondered　how　long　that　would　take，and　remained　silent　all　the　way　back　to　the　shop，thinking　about　everything　that　he　had　seen　and　heard。



　

3　　O　liver　goes　to　London

　　

O　liver　was　now　officially　an　undertaker’s　assistant．It　was　a　good，sickly　time　of　year，and　coffins　were　selling　well。　O　liver　gained　a　lot　of　experience　in　a　short　time，and　was　interested　to　see　how　brave　some　people　were　after　a　death　in　the　family。　During　funerals　for　some　rich　people，　for　example，he　saw　that　the　people　who　had　cried　the　loudest　in　church　usually　recovered　the　fastest　afterwards．He　noticed　how　in　other　wealthy　families　the　wife　or　the　husband　often　seemed　quite　cheerful　and　calm　despite　the　recent　death…just　as　if　nothing　had　happened．O　liver　was　very　surprised　to　see　all　this，　and　greatly　admired　the　m　for　controlling　their　sadness　so　well。

He　was　treated　badly　by　most　of　the　people　around　him．Noah　was　jealous　because　O　liver　went　out　to　burials　while　he　was　left　back　in　the　shop，so　he　treated　him　even　worse　than　before．Charlotte　treated　him　badly　because　Noah　did。　And　Mrs　Sowerberry　was　his　enemy　because　Mr　Sowerberry　was　supposed　to　be　his　friend。　

One　day　something　happened　which　might　seem　unimportant，but　which　had　a　great　effect　on　O　liver’s　future。　Noah　was　in　a　particularly　bad　mood　one　dinner…time，and　so　he　tried　to　make　O　liver　cry　by　hitting　him，pulling　his　hair，and　calling　him　horrible　names。　This　was　all　unsuccessful，　so　he　tried　personal　insults．

　‘Workhouse，　how’s　your　mother？’　he　asked．

　‘She’s　dead，’replied　O　liver，his　face　going　red　with　emotion．

Noah　hoped　that　O　liver　was　going　to　cry，　so　he　continued．

　‘What　　did　　she　　die　　of，　Workhouse？’

　‘Of　a　broken　heart，　I　was　told．’And　a　tear　rolled　down　O　liver’s　　cheek。　

　‘Why　　are　　you　　crying，Workhouse？’

O　liver　remained　silent，and　Noah　grew　braver．　‘You　know，I　feel　very　sorry　for　you，Workhouse，but　the　truth　is　your　mother　　was　　a　　wicked　　woman．’

O　liver　seemed　suddenly　to　wake　up。　‘What　did　you　say？’

　‘She　was　so　bad　it　was　lucky　she　died，　or　she　would　have　ended　up　in　prison，or　hung。’

His　face　bright　red　with　anger，O　liver　jumped　up，　seized　Noah’s　throat，　and　shook　the　older　boy　so　violently　that　his　teeth　nearly　fell　out。　The　n　he　hit　him　with　all　his　strength　and　knocked　him　to　the　ground．

　‘He’ll　murder　me！’screamed　Noah．　‘Charlotte！　Help！O　liver’s　gone　mad—’

Charlotte　and　Mrs　Sowerberry　ran　in　and　screamed　in　horror．They　took　hold　of　O　liver　and　began　to　heat　him．　The　n　Noah　got　up　and　started　to　kick　him　from　behind．When　They　were　all　tired，　They　forced　O　liver，　who　was　still　fighting　and　shouting，　into　　the　　cellar　　and　　locked　　it．

Mrs　Sowerberry　sat　down，　breathing　heavily．　‘He’s　like　a　wild　animal！’she　said．　‘We　could　all　have　been　murdered　in　our　beds！’

　‘I　hope　Mr　Sowerberry　doesn’t　take　any　more　of　the　se　dreadful　creatures　from　the　workhouse，’said　Charlotte．　‘Poor　Noah　was　nearly　killed！’Mrs　Sowerberry　looked　at　Noah　sympathetically。

Noah，　who　was　twice　O　liver’s　size，　pretended　to　rub　tears　from　his　eyes．

　‘What　shall　we　do？’　cried　Mrs　Sowerberry．　‘He’ll　kick　that　door　down　in　ten　minutes。’　They　could　hear　O　liver　banging　and　kicking　at　the　cellar　door．　‘Noah…run　and　get　Mr　Bumble．’

So　Noah　ran　through　the　streets　as　quickly　as　he　could　to　fetch　the　beadle．　When　he　reached　the　workhouse，　he　waited　for　a　minute　to　make　sure　his　face　was　suitably　tearful　and　frightened。

As　soon　as　Mr　Bumble　came　out，Noah　cried，　‘Mr　Bumble！Mr　Bumble！　It’s　O　liver　Twist，sir．He’s　become　violent．He　tried　to　murder　me，　sir！　And　Charlotte，　and　Mrs　Sowerberry　as　well。’

Mr　Bumble　was　shocked　and　angry．　‘Did　he？I’ll　come　up　the　re　immediately　and　beat　him　with　my　stick．’

When　he　arrived　at　the　shop，O　liver　was　still　kicking　wildly　at　the　cellar　door。

　‘Let　me　out！’he　shouted　from　the　cellar，when　he　heard　Mr　Bumble’s　voice．　‘I’m　not　afraid　of　you！’

Mr　Bumble　stopped　for　a　moment，amazed　and　even　rather　frightened　by　this　change　in　O　liver．　The　n　he　said　to　Mrs　Sowerberry，　‘It’s　the　meat　that’s　caused　this，　you　know。’

　‘What？’

　‘Meat，　madam。　You’ve　fed　him　too　well　here。　Back　in　the　workhouse　this　would　never　have　happened。’

　‘I　knew　I　was　too　generous　to　him，’said　Mrs　Sowerberry，raising　her　eyes　to　the　ceiling．

At　that　moment　Mr　Sowerberry　returned　and，hearing　what　had　happened（according　to　the　ladies），　he　beat　O　liver　so　hard　that　even　Mr　Bumble　and　Mrs　Sowerberry　were　satisfied．　Mr　Sowerberry　was　not　a　cruel　man，but　he　had　no　choice。　He　knew　that　if　he　didn’t　punish　O　liver，　his　wife　would　never　forgive　him．

That　night，　alone　in　the　room　with　the　coffins，O　liver　cried　bitter，　lonely　tears．　He　did　not　sleep，　and　very　early　in　the　morning，　before　anyone　was　awake，　he　quietly　unlocked　the　shop　door　and　left　the　house．　He　ran　up　the　street　and　through　the　town　as　far　as　the　main　road，where　he　saw　a　sign　that　told　him　it　was　just　seventy　miles　from　the　re　to　London。　The　name　London　gave　the　boy　an　idea．That　huge　place！　Nobody，　　not　even　Mr　Bumble，　could　ever　find　him　the　re！He　had　heard　old　men　in　the　workhouse　say　it　was　a　good　place　for　brave　boys，and　　that　　the　re　　was　always　work　　the　re　　for　　those　　that　　wanted　　it．It　would　be　the　best　place　for　him．He　jumped　to　his　feet　and　walked　forward　again．

But　after　only　four　miles　he　began　to　realize　just　how　far　he　would　have　to　walk．　He　stopped　to　think　about　it．　He　had　a　piece　of　bread，　a　rough　shirt，　two　pairs　of　socks　and　a　penny。　But　he　could　not　see　how　the　se　would　help　him　get　to　London　any　faster，　so　he　continued　walking．

He　walked　twenty　miles　that　day．　The　only　thing　he　had　to　eat　was　his　piece　of　bread　and　some　water　which　he　begged　from　houses　near　the　road。　He　slept　the　first　night　in　a　field，feeling　lonely，　tired，　cold　and　hungry。　He　was　even　hungrier　the　next　morning　when　he　woke　up，　and　he　had　to　buy　some　more　bread　with　his　penny．That　day　he　walked　only　twelve　miles．　His　legs　were　so　weak　that　They　shook　beneath　him．

The　next　day　he　tried　to　beg　for　money，　but　large　signs　in　some　villages　warned　him　that　anyon