oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第4部分

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gentleman　with　a　very　round；　red　face。　

“Bow　to　the　Board；”　said　Bumble。　Oliver　brushed　away　two　or　
three　tears　that　were　lingering　in　his　eyes；　and　seeing　no　board　
but　the　table；　fortunately　bowed　to　that。　

“What’s　your　name；　boy？”　said　the　gentleman　in　the　high　chair。　

Oliver　was　frightened　at　the　sight　of　so　many　gentlemen；　which　
made　him　tremble；　and　the　beadle　gave　him　another　tap　behind；　
which　made　him　cry。　These　two　causes　made　him　answer　in　a　very　
low　and　hesitating　voice；　whereupon　a　gentleman　in　a　white　
waistcoat　said　he　was　a　fool。　Which　was　a　capital　way　of　raising　his　
spirits；　and　putting　him　quite　at　his　ease。　

“Boy；”　said　the　gentleman　in　the　high　chair；　“listen　to　me。　You　
know　you’re　an　orphan；　I　suppose？”　

“What’s　that；　sir？”　inquired　poor　Oliver。　

“The　boy　is　a　fool—I　thought　he　was；”　said　the　gentleman　in　the　
white　waistcoat。　

“Hush！”　said　the　gentleman　who　had　spoken　first。　“You　know　
you’ve　got　no　father　or　mother；　and　that　you　were　brought　up　by　
the　parish；　don’t　you？”　

“Yes；　sir；”　replied　Oliver；　weeping　bitterly。　

“What　are　you　crying　for？”　inquired　the　gentleman　in　the　white　
waistcoat。　And　to　be　sure　it　was　very　extraordinary。　What　could　
the　boy　be　crying　for？　

“I　hope　you　say　your　prayers　every　night；”　said　another　
gentleman　in　a　gruff　voice；　“and　pray　for　the　people　who　feed　you；　

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Oliver　Twist　

and　take　care　of　you—like　a　Christian。”　

“Yes；　sir；”　stammered　the　boy。　The　gentleman　who　spoke　last　
was　unconsciously　right。　It　would　have　been　very　like　a　Christian；　
and　a　marvellously　good　Christian；　too；　if　Oliver　had　prayed　for　the　
people　who　fed　and　took　care　of　him。　But　he　hadn’t；　because　
nobody　had　taught　him。　

“Well！　You　have　come　here　to　be　educated；　and　taught　a　useful　
trade；”　said　the　red…faced　gentleman　in　the　high　chair。　

“So　you’ll　begin　to　pick　oakum　tomorrow　morning　at　six　
o’clock；”　added　the　surly　one　in　the　white　waistcoat。　

For　the　combination　of　both　these　blessings　in　the　one　simple　
process　of　picking　oakum；　Oliver　bowed　low　by　the　direction　of　the　
beadle；　and　was　then　hurried　away　to　a　large　ward；　where；　on　a　
rough；　hard　bed；　he　sobbed　himself　to　sleep。　What　a　noble　
illustration　of　the　tender　laws　of　England！　They　let　the　paupers　go　
to　sleep！　

Poor　Oliver！　He　little　thought；　as　he　lay　sleeping　in　a　happy　
unconsciousness　of　all　around　him；　that　the　Board　had　that　very　
day　arrived　at　a　decision　which　would　exercise　the　most　material　
influence　over　all　his　future　fortunes。　But　they　had。　And　this　was　
it：—　

The　members　of　this　Board　were　very　sage；　deep；　philosophical　
men；　and　when　they　came　to　turn　their　attention　to　the　
workhouse；　they　found　out　at　once；　what　ordinary　folks　would　
never　have　discovered—the　poor　people　liked　it！　It　was　a　regular　
place　of　public　entertainment　for　the　poorer　classes；　a　tavern　
where　there　was　nothing　to　pay；　a　public　breakfast；　dinner；　tea；　
and　supper　all　the　year　round；—a　brick　and　mortar　elysium；　
where　it　was　all　play　and　no　work。　“Oho！”　said　the　Board；　looking　

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very　knowing；　“we　are　the　fellows　to　set　this　to　rights；　we’ll　stop　it　
all；　in　no　time。”　So；　they　established　the　rule；　that　all　the　poor　
people　should　have　the　alternative　（for　they　would　compel　nobody；　
not　they）；　of　being　starved　by　a　gradual　process　in　the　house；　or　by　
a　quick　one　out　of　it。　With　this　view；　they　contracted　with　the　
waterworks　to　lay　on　an　unlimited　supply　of　water；　and　with　a　
corn…factor　to　supply　periodically　small　quantities　of　oatmeal；　and　
issued　three　meals　of　thin　gruel　a　day；　with　an　onion　twice　a　week；　
and　half　a　roll　on　Sundays。　They　made　a　great　many　other　wise　
and　humane　regulations；　having　reference　to　the　ladies；　which　it　is　
not　necessary　to　repeat；　kindly　undertook　to　divorce　poor　married　
people；　in　consequence　of　the　great　expense　of　a　suit　in　Doctors’　
Commons；　and；　instead　of　compelling　a　man　to　support　his　family；　
as　they　had　theretofore　done；　took　his　family　away　from　him；　and　
made　him　a　bachelor！　There　is　no　saying　how　many　applicants　for　
relief　under　these　last　two　heads；　might　have　started　up　in　all　
classes　of　society；　if　it　had　not　been　coupled　with　the　workhouse；　
but　the　Board　were　long…headed　men；　and　had　provided　for　this　
difficulty。　The　relief　was　inseparable　from　the　workhouse　and　the　
gruel；　and　that　frightened　people。　

For　the　first　six　months　after　Oliver　Twist　was　removed；　the　
system　was　in　full　operation。　It　was　rather　expensive　at　first；　in　
consequence　of　the　increase　in　the　undertaker’s　bill；　and　the　
necessity　of　taking　in　the　clothes　of　all　the　paupers；　which　
fluttered　loosely　on　their　wasted；　shrunken　forms；　after　a　week　or　
two’s　gruel。　But　the　number　of　workhouse　inmates　got　thin　as　well　
as　the　paupers；　and　the　Board　were　in　ecstasies。　

The　room　in　which　the　boys　were　fed　was　a　large　stone　hall；　
with　a　copper　at　one　end：　out　of　which　the　master；　dressed　in　an　

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apron　for　the　purpose；　and　assisted　by　one　or　two　women；　ladled　
the　gruel　at　meal…times。　Of　this　festive　composition　each　boy　had　
one　porringer；　and　no　more—except　on　occasions　of　great　public　
rejoicing；　when　he　had　two　ounces　and　a　quarter　of　bread　besides。　
The　bowls　never　wanted　washing。　The　boys　polished　them　with　
their　spoons　till　they　shone　again；　and　when　they　had　performed　
this　operation　（which　never　took　very　long；　the　spoons　being　
nearly　as　large　as　the　bowls）；　they　would　sit　staring　at　the　copper；　
with　such　eager　eyes；　as　if　they　could　have　devoured　the　very　
bricks　of　which　it　was　composed；　employing　themselves；　
meanwhile；　in　sucking　their　fingers　most　assiduously；　with　the　
view　of　catching　up　any　stray　splashes　of　gruel　that　might　have　
been　cast　thereon。　Boys　have　generally　excellent　appetites。　Oliver　
Twist　and　his　companions　suffered　the　tortures　of　slow　starvation　
for　three　months：　at　last　they　got　so　voracious　and　wild　with　
hunger；　that　one　boy；　who　was　tall　for　his　age；　and　hadn’t　been　
used　to　that　sort　of　thing　（for　his　father　had　kept　a　small　cook…
shop）；　hinted　darkly　to　his　companions；　that　unless　he　had　another　
basin　of　gruel　per　diem；　he　was　afraid　he　might　some　night　happen　
to　eat　the　boy　who　slept　next　him；　who　happened　to　be　a　weakly　
youth　of　tender　age。　He　had　a　wild；　hungry　eye；　and　they　implicitly　
believed　him。　A　council　was　held；　lots　were　cast　who　should　walk　
up　to　the　master　after　supper　that　evening；　and　ask　for　more；　and　
it　fell　to　Oliver　Twist。　

The　evening　arrived；　the　boys　took　their　places。　The　master；　in　
his　cook’s　uniform；　stationed　himself　at　the　copper；　his　pauper　
assistants　ranged　themselves　behind　him；　the　gruel　was　served　
out；　and　a　long　grace　was　said　over　the　short　commons。　The　gruel　
disappeared；　the　boys　whispered　each　other；　and　winked　at　Oliver；　

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while　his　next　neighbours　nudged　him。　Child　as　he　was；　he　was　
desperate　with　hunger；　and　reckless　with　misery。　He　rose　from　the　
table；　and　advancing　to　the　master；　basin　and　spoon　in　hand；　said；　
somewhat　alarmed　at　his　own　temerity：　

“Please；　sir；　I　want　some　more。”　

The　master　was　a　fat　healthy　man；　but　he　turned　very　pale。　He　
gazed　in　stupefied　astonishment　on　the　small　rebel　for　some　
seconds；　and　then　clung　for　support　to　the　copper。　The　assistants　
were　paralysed　with　wonder；　the　boys　with　fear。　

“What！”　said　the　master　at　length；　in　a　faint　voice。　

“Please；　sir；”　replied　Oliver；　“I　want　some　more。”　

The　master　aimed　a　blow　at　Oliver’s　head　with　the　ladle；　
pinioned　him　in　his　arms；　and　shrieked　aloud　for　the　beadle。　

The　Board　were　sitting　in　solemn　conclave；　when　Mr。　Bumble　
rushed　into　the　room　in　great　excitement；　and　addressing　the　
gentleman　in　the　high　chair；　said：　

“Mr。　Limbkins；　I　beg　your　pardon；　sir！　Oliver　Twist　has　asked　
for　more！”　

There　was　a　general　start。　Horror　was　depicted　on　every　
countenance。　

“For　more！”　said　Mr。　Limbkins。　“Compose　yourself；　Bumble；　
and　answer　me　distinctly。　Do　I　understand　that　he　asked　for　more；　
after　he　had　eaten　the　supper　allotted　by　the　dietary？”　

“He　did；　sir；”　replied　Bumble。　

“That　boy　will　be　hung；”　said　the　gentleman　in　the　white　
waistcoat。　“I　know　that　boy　will　be　hung。”　

Nobody　controverted　the　prophetic　gentleman’s　opinion。　An　
animated　discussion　took　place。　Oliver　was　ordered　into　instant　
confinement；　and　a　bill　was　next　morning　pasted　on　the　outside　of　

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the　gate；　offering　a　reward　of　five　pounds　to　anybody　who　would　
take　Oliver　Twist　off　the　hands　of　the　parish。　In　other　words；　five　
pounds　and　Oliver　Twist　were　offered　to　any　man　or　woman　who　
wanted　an　apprentice　to　any　trade；　business；　or　calling。　

“I　never　was　more　convinced　of　anything　in　my　life；”　said　the　
gentleman　in　the　white　waistcoat；　as　he　knocked　at　the　gate　and　
read　the　bill　next　morning：　“I　never　was　more　convinced　of　
anything　in　my　life；　than　I　am　that　that　boy　will　come　to　be　hung。”　

As　I　purpose　to　show　in　the　sequel　whether　the　white…
waistcoated　gentleman　was　right　or　not；　I　should　perhaps　mar　the　
interest　of　this　narrative　（supposing　it　to　possess　any　at　all）；　if　I　
ventured　to　hint　just　yet；　whether　the　life　of　Oliver　Twist　had　this　
violent　termination　or　no。　

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Chapter　3　

Relates　How　Oliver　Twist　Was　Very　Near　Getting　A
Place；　Which　Would　Not　Have　Been　A　Sinecure。


For　a　week　after　the　commission　of　the　impious　and　profane　
offence　of　asking　for　more；　Oliver　remained　a　close　
prisoner　in　the　dark　and　solitary　room　to　which　he　had　
been　consigned　by　the　wisdom　and　mercy　of　the　Board。　It　appears；　
at　first　sight；　not　unreasonable　to　suppose；　that；　if　he　had　
entertained　a　becoming　feeling　of　respect　for　the　prediction　of　the　
gentle。　man　in　the　white　waistcoat；　he　would　have　established　that　
sage　individual’s　prophetic　character；　once　and