八喜电子书 > 经管其他电子书 > oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪)) >

第2部分

oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第2部分

小说: oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪)) 字数: 每页4000字

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!



considerable doubt whether the child would survive to bear any 
name at all; in which case it is somewhat more than probable that 
these memoirs would never have appeared; or; if they had; that 
being comprised within a couple of pages; they would have 
possessed the inestimable merit of being the most concise and 
faithful specimen of biography; extant in the literature of any age 
or country。 

Although I am not disposed to maintain that the being born in a 
workhouse; is in itself the most fortunate and enviable 
circumstance that can possibly befall a human being; I do mean to 
say that in this particular instance; it was the best thing for Oliver 
Twist that could by possibility have occurred。 The fact is; that 

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics 


Oliver Twist 

there was considerable difficulty in inducing Oliver to take upon 
himself the office of respiration—a troublesome practice; but one 
which custom has rendered necessary to our easy existence; and 
for some time he lay gasping on a little flock mattress; rather 
unequally poised between this world and the next: the balance 
being decidedly in favour of the latter。 Now; if; during this brief 
period; Oliver had been surrounded by careful grandmothers; 
anxious aunts; experienced nurses; and doctors of profound 
wisdom; he would most inevitably and indubitably have been 
killed in no time。 There being nobody by; however; but a pauper 
old woman; who was rendered rather misty by an unwonted 
allowance of beer; and a parish surgeon who did such matters by 
contract; Oliver and Nature fought out the point between them。 
The result was; that; after a few struggles; Oliver breathed; 
sneezed; and proceeded to advertise to the inmates of the 
workhouse the fact of a new burden having been imposed upon 
the parish; by setting up as loud a cry as could reasonably have 
been expected from a male infant who had not been possessed of 
that very useful appendage; a voice; for a much longer space of 
time than three minutes and a quarter。 

As Oliver gave this first proof of the free and proper action of 
his lungs; the patchwork coverlet which was carelessly flung over 
the iron bedstead rustled; the pale face of a young woman was 
raised feebly from the pillow; and a faint voice imperfectly 
articulated the words; “Let me see the child; and die。” 

The surgeon had been sitting with his face turned towards the 
fire; giving the palms of his hands a warm and a rub alternately。 
As the young woman spoke; he rose; and advancing to the bed’s 
head; said; with more kindness than might have been expected of 

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics 


Oliver Twist 

him: 

“Oh; you must not talk about dying yet。” 

“Lor bless her dear heart; no!” interposed the nurse; hastily 
depositing in her pocket a green glass bottle; the contents of which 
she had been tasting in a corner with evident satisfaction。 “Lor 
bless her dear heart; when she has lived as long as I have; sir; and 
had thirteen children of her own; and all on ’em dead except two; 
and them in the wurkus with me; she’ll know better than to take 
on in that way; bless her dear heart! Think what it is to be a 
mother; there’s a dear young lamb; do。” 

Apparently this consolatory perspective of a mother’s prospects 
failed in producing its due effect。 The patient shook her head; and 
stretched out her hand towards the child。 

The surgeon deposited it in her arms。 She imprinted her cold 
white lips passionately on its forehead; passed her hands over her 
face; gazed wildly round; shuddered; fell back—and died。 They 
chafed her breast; hands; and temples; but the blood had stopped 
for ever。 They talked of hope and comfort。 They had been 
strangers too long。 

“It’s all over; Mrs。 Thingummy!” said the surgeon at last。 

“Ah; poor dear; so it is!” said the nurse; picking up the cork of 
the green bottle; which had fallen out on the pillow; as she stooped 
to take up the child。 “Poor dear!” 

“You needn’t mind sending up to me; if the child cries; nurse;” 
said the surgeon; putting on his gloves with great deliberation。 
“It’s very likely it will be troublesome。 Give it a little gruel if it is。” 
He put on his hat; and; pausing by the bedside on his way to the 
door; added; “She was a good…looking girl; too; where did she 
come from?” 

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics 


Oliver Twist 

“She was brought here last night;” replied the old woman; “by 
the overseer’s order。 She was found lying in the street。 She had 
walked some distance; for her shoes were worn to pieces; but 
where she came from; or where she was going to; nobody knows。” 

The surgeon leaned over the body; and raised the left hand。 
“The old story;” he said; shaking his head: “no wedding ring; I see。 
Ah! Good…night!” 

The medical gentleman walked away to dinner; and the nurse; 
having once more applied herself to the green bottle; sat down on 
a low chair before the fire; and proceeded to dress the infant。 

What an excellent example of the power of dress young Oliver 
Twist was I Wrapped in the blanket which had hitherto formed his 
only covering; he might have been the child of a nobleman or a 
beggar; it would have been hard for the haughtiest stranger to 
have assigned him his proper station in society。 But now that he 
was enveloped in the old calico robes which had grown yellow in 
the same service; he was badged and ticketed; and fell into his 
place at once—a parish child—the orphan of a workhouse—the 
humble; half…starved drudge—to be cuffed and buffeted through 
the world—despised by all; and pitied by none。 

Oliver cried lustily。 If he could have known that he was an 
orphan; left to the tender mercies of church…wardens and 
overseers; perhaps he would have cried the louder。 

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics 


Oliver Twist 

Chapter 2 

Treats Of Oliver Twist’s Growth; Education; And
Board。


For the next eight or ten months; Oliver was the victim of a 
systematic course of treachery and deception。 He was 
brought up by hand。 The hungry and destitute situation of 
the infant orphan was duly reported by the workhouse authorities 
to the parish authorities。 The parish authorities inquired with 
dignity of the workhouse authorities; whether there was no female 
then domiciled in “the house” who was in a situation to impart to 
Oliver Twist the consolation and nourishment of which he stood in 
need。 The workhouse authorities replied with humility; that there 
was not。 Upon this; the parish authorities magnanimously and 
humanely resolved; that Oliver should be “farmed” or; in other 
words; that he should be despatched to a branch workhouse some 
three miles off; where twenty or thirty other juvenile offenders 
against the poor…laws rolled about the floor all day; without the 
inconvenience of too much food or too much clothing; under the 
parental superintendence of an elderly female; who received the 
culprits at and for the consideration of sevenpence…halfpenny per 
small head per week。 Sevenpence…halfpenny’s worth per week is a 
good round diet for a child; a great deal may be got for 
sevenpence…halfpenny—quite enough to overload its stomach; and 
make it uncomfortable。 The elderly female was a woman of 
wisdom and experience; she knew what was good for children; 
and she had a very accurate perception of what was good for 

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics 


Oliver Twist 

herself。 So; she appropriated the greater part of the weekly 
stipend to her own use; and consigned the rising parochial 
generation to even a shorter allowance than was originally 
provided for them。 Thereby finding in the lowest depth a deeper 
still; and proving herself a very great experimental philosopher。 

Everybody knows the story of another experimental 
philosopher who had a great theory about a horse being able to 
live without eating; and who demonstrated it so well; that he got 
his own horse down to a straw a day; and would most 
unquestionably have rendered him a very spirited and rampacious 
animal on nothing at all; if he had not died; four and twenty hours 
before he was to have had his first comfortable bait of air。 
Unfortunately for the experimental philosophy of the female to 
whose protecting care Oliver Twist was delivered over; a similar 
result usually attended the operation of her system; for at the very 
moment when a child had contrived to exist upon the smallest 
possible portion of the weakest possible food; it did perversely 
happen in eight and a half cases out of ten; either that it sickened 
from want and cold; or fell into the fire from neglect; or got half…
smothered by accident; in any one of which cases; the miserable 
little being; was usually summoned into another world; and there 
gathered to the fathers it had never known in this。 

Occasionally; when there was some more than usually 
interesting inquest upon a parish child who had been overlooked 
in turning up a bedstead; or inadvertently scalded to death when 
there happened to be a washing—though the latter accident was 
very scarce; anything approaching to a washing being of rare 
occurrence in the farm—the jury would take it into their heads to 
ask troublesome questions; or the parishioners would rebelliously 

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics 


Oliver Twist 

affix their signatures to a remonstrance。 But these impertinences 
were speedily checked by the evidence of the surgeon; and the 
testimony of the beadle; the former of whom had always opened 
the body and found nothing inside (which was very probable 
indeed) and the latter of whom invariably swore whatever the 
parish wanted; which was very self…devotional。 Besides; the Board 
made periodical pilgrimages to the farm; and always sent the 
beadle the day before; to say they were going。 The children were 
neat and clean to behold; when they went; and what more would 
the people have! 

It cannot be expected that this system of farming would 
produce any very extraordinary or luxuriant crop。 Oliver Twist’s 
ninth birthday found him a pale; thin child; somewhat diminu

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的