oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第9部分

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cover　of　the　bread…pan。　There’s　your　tea；　take　it　away　to　that　box　
and　drink　it　there；　and　make　haste；　for　they’ll　want　you　to　mind　
the　shop。　D’ye　hear？”　

“D’ye　hear；　Work’us？”　said　Noah　Claypole。　

“Lor；　Noah！”　said　Charlotte；　“what　a　rum　creature　you　are！　
Why　don’t　you　let　the　boy　alone？”　

“Let　him　alone！”　said　Noah。　“Why　everybody　lets　him　alone　
enough；　for　the　matter　of　that。　Neither　his　father　nor　his　mother　
will　ever　interfere　with　him。　All　his　relations　let　him　have　his　own　
way　pretty　well。　Eh；　Charlotte？　He！　he！　he！”　

“Oh；　you　queer　soul！”　said　Charlotte；　bursting　into　a　hearty　
laugh；　in　which　she　was　joined　by　Noah；　after　which　they　both　
looked　scornfully　at　poor　Oliver　Twist；　as　he　was　shivering　on　the　
box　in　the　coldest　corner　of　the　room；　and　ate　the　stale　pieces　
which　had　been　specially　reserved　for　him。　

Noah　was　a　charity…boy；　but　not　a　workhouse　orphan。　No　
chance—child　was　he；　for　he　could　trace　his　genealogy　all　the　way　
back　to　his　parents；　who　lived　hard　by；　his　mother　being　a　
washerwoman；　and　his　father　a　drunken　soldier；　discharged　with　a　
wooden　leg　and　a　diurnal　pension　of　twopence…halfpenny　and　an　

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unstateable　fraction。　The　shop　boys　in　the　neighbourhood　had　
long　been　in　the　habit　of　branding　Noah；　in　the　public　streets；　with　
the　ignominious　epithets　of　“leathers；”　“charity；”　and　the　like；　and　
Noah　had　borne　them　without　reply。　But；　now　that　fortune　has　
cast　in　his　way　a　nameless　orphan；　at　whom　even　the　meanest　
could　point　the　finger　of　scorn；　he　retorted　on　him　with　interest。　
This　affords　charming　food　for　contemplation。　It　shows　us　what　a　
beautiful　thing　human　nature　may　be　made　to　be；　and　how　
impartially　the　same　amiable　qualities　are　developed　in　the　finest　
lord　and　the　dirtiest　charity…boy。　

Oliver　had　been　sojourning　at　the　undertaker’s　some　three　
weeks　or　a　month。　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Sowerberry—the　shop　being　shut　
up—were　taking　their　supper　in　the　little　back　parlour；　when　Mr。　
Sowerberry；　after　several　deferential　glances　at　his　wife；　said：　“My　
dear—”　He　was　going　to　say　more；　but；　Mrs。　Sowerberry　looking　
up；　with　a　peculiarly　unpropitious　aspect；　he　stopped　short。　

“Well；”　said　Mrs。　Sowerberry　sharply。　

“Nothing；　my　dear；　nothing；”　said　Mr　Sowerberry。　

“Ugh；　you　brute！”　said　Mrs。　Sowerberry。　

“Not　at　all；　my　dear；”　said　Mr。　Sowerberry　humbly。　“I　thought　
you　didn’t　want　to　hear；　my　dear。　I　was　only　going　to　say—”　

“Oh；　don’t　tell　me　what　you　were　going　to　say；”　interposed　Mrs。　
Sowerberry。　“I　am　nobody；　don’t　consult　me；　pray。　I　don’t　want　to　
intrude　upon　your　secrets。”　As　Mrs。　Sowerberry　said　this；　she　gave　
an　hysterical　laugh；　which　threatened　violent　consequences。　

“But；　my　dear；”　said　Mr。　Sowerberry；　“I　want　to　ask　your　
advice。’！　

“No；　no；　don’t　ask　mine；”　replied　Mrs。　Sowerberry；　in　an　
affecting　manner；　“ask　somebody　else’s。”　Here；　there　was　another　

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hysterical　laugh；　which　frightened　Mr。　Sowerberry　very　much。　
This　is　a　very　common　and　much…approved　matrimonial　course　of　
treatment；　which　is　often　very　effective。　It　at　once　reduced　Mr。　
Sowerberry　to　begging；　as　a　special　favour；　to　be　allowed　to　say　
what　Mrs。　Sowerberry　was　most　curious　to　hear。　After　a　short　
altercation　of　less　than　three…quarters　of　an　hour’s　duration；　the　
permission　was　most　graciously　conceded。　

“It’s　only　about　young　Twist；　my　dear；”　said　Mr。　Sowerberry。　
“A　very　good…looking　boy；　that；　my　dear。”　

“He　need　be；　for　he　eats　enough；”　observed　the　lady。　

“There’s　an　expression　of　melancholy　in　his　face；　my　dear；”　
resumed　Mr。　Sowerberry；　“which　is　very　interesting。　He　would　
make　a　delightful　mute；　my　love。”　

Mrs。　Sowerberry　looked　up　with　an　expression　of　considerable　
wonderment。　Mr。　Sowerberry　remarked　it；　and　without　allowing　
time　for　any　observation　on　the　good　lady’s　part；　proceeded。　

“I　don’t　mean　a　regular　mute　to　attend　grown…up　people；　my　
dear；　but　only　for　children’s　practice。　It　would　be　very　new　to　have　
a　mute　in　proportion；　my　dear。　You　may　depend　upon　it；　it　would　
have　a　superb　effect。”　

Mrs。　Sowerberry；　who　had　a　good　deal　of　taste　in　the　
undertaking　way；　was　much　struck　by　the　novelty　of　this　idea；　but；　
as　it　would　have　been　compromising　her　dignity　to　have　said　so；　
under　existing　circumstances；　she　merely　inquired；　with　much　
sharpness；　why　such　an　obvious　suggestion　had　not　presented　
itself　to　her　husband’s　mind　before？　Mr。　Sowerberry　rightly　
construed　this；　as　an　acquiescence　in　his　proposition；　it　was　
speedily　determined；　therefore；　that　Oliver　should　be　at　once　
initiated　into　the　mysteries　of　the　trade；　and；　with　this　view；　that　

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he　should　accompany　his　master　on　the　very　next　occasion　of　his　
services　being　required。　

The　occasion　was　not　long　in　coming。　Half　an　hour　after　
breakfast　next　morning；　Mr。　Bumble　entered　the　shop；　and　
supporting　his　cane　against　the　counter；　drew　forth　his　large　
leathern　pocket…book：　from　which　he　selected　a　small　scrap　of　
paper；　which　he　handed　over　to　Sowerberry。　

“Aha！”　said　the　undertaker；　glancing　over　it　with　a　lively　
countenance；　“an　order　for　a　coffin；　eh？”　

“For　a　coffin　first；　and　a　porochial　funeral　afterwards；”　replied　
Mr。　Bumble；　fastening　the　strap　of　the　leathern　pocketbook：　
which；　like　himself；　was　very　corpulent。　

“Bayton；”　said　the　undertaker；　looking　from　the　scrap　of　paper　
to　Mr。　Bumble。　“I　never　heard　the　name　before。”　

Bumble　shook　his　head；　as　he　replied；　“Obstinate　people；　Mr。　
Sowerberry；　very　obstinate。　Proud；　too；　I’m　afraid；　sir。”　

“Proud；　eh？”　exclaimed　Mr。　Sowerberry；　with　a　sneer。　“Come；　
that’s　too　much。”　

“Oh；　it’s　sickening；”　replied　the　beadle。　“Antimonial；　Mr。　
Sowerberry！”　

“So　it　is；”　acquiesced　the　undertaker。　

“We　only　heard　of　the　family　the　night　before　last；”　said　the　
beadle；　“and　we　shouldn’t　have　known　anything　about　them；　then；　
only　a　woman　who　lodges　in　the　same　house　made　an　application　
to　the　porochial　committee　for　them　to　send　the　porochial　surgeon　
to　see　a　woman　as　was　very　bad。　He　had　gone　out　to　dinner；　but　
his　’prentice　（which　is　a　very　clever　lad）　sent　’em　some　medicine　in　
a　blacking…bottle；　offhand。”　

“Ah；　there’s　promptness；”　said　the　undertaker。　

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“Promptness；　indeed！”　replied　the　beadle。　“But　what’s　the　
consequence；　what’s　the　ungrateful　behaviour　of　these　rebels；　sir？　
Why；　the　husband　sends　back　word　that　the　medicine　won’t　suit　
his　wife’s　complaint；　and　so　she　shan’t　take　it—says　she　shan’t　
take　it；　sir！　Good；　strong；　wholesome　medicine；　as　was　given　with　
great　success　to　two　Irish　labourers　and　a　coal…heaver；　only　a　week　
before—sent　’em　for　nothing；　with　a　blackin’…bottle　in—and　he　
sends　back　word　that　she　shan’t　take　it；　sir！”　

As　the　atrocity　presented　itself　to　Mr。　Bumble’s　mind　in　full　
force；　he　struck　the　counter　sharply　with　his　cane；　and　became　
flushed　with　indignation。　

“Well；”　said　the　undertaker；　“I　ne—ver—did—”　

“Never　did；　sir！”　ejaculated　the　beadle。　“No；　nor　anybody　never　
did；　but；　now　she’s　dead；　we’ve　got　to　bury　her；　and　that’s　the　
direction；　and　the　sooner　it’s　done；　the　better。”　Thus　saying；　Mr。　
Bumble　put　on　his　cocked　hat　wrong　side　first；　in　a　fever　of　
parochial　excitement；　and　flounced　out　of　the　shop。　

“Why；　he　was　so　angry；　Oliver；　that　he　forgot　even　to　ask　after　
you！”　said　Mr。　Sowerberry；　looking　after　the　beadle　as　he　strode　
down　the　street。　

“Yes；　sir；”　replied　Oliver；　who　had　carefully　kept　himself　out　of　
sight；　during　the　interview；　and　who　was　shaking　from　head　to　
foot　at　the　mere　recollection　of　the　sound　of　Mr。　Bumble’s　voice。　
He　needn’t　have　taken　the　trouble　to　shrink　from　Mr。　Bumble’s　
glance；　however；　for　that　functionary；　on　whom　the　prediction　of　
the　gentleman　in　the　white　waistcoat　had　made　a　very　strong　
impression；　thought　that　now　the　undertaker　had　got　Oliver　upon　
trial；　the　subject　was　better　avoided；　until　such　time　as　he　should　
be　firmly　bound　for　seven　years；　and　all　danger　of　his　being　

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returned　upon　the　hands　of　the　parish　should　be　thus　effectually　
and　legally　overcome。　

“Well；”　said　Mr。　Sowerberry；　taking　up　his　hat；　“the　sooner　this　
job　is　done；　the　better。　Noah；　look　after　the　shop。　Oliver；　put　on　
your　cap；　and　come　with　me。”　

Oliver　obeyed；　and　followed　his　master　on　his　professional　
mission。　

They　walked　on；　for　some　time；　through　the　most　crowded　and　
densely　inhabited　part　of　the　town；　and　then；　striking　down　a　
narrow　street　more　dirty　and　miserable　than　any　they　had　yet　
passed　through；　paused　to　look　for　the　house　which　was　the　object　
of　their　search。　The　houses　on　either　side　were　high　and　large；　but　
very　old；　and　tenanted　by　people　of　the　poorest　class：　as　their　
neglected　appearance　would　have　sufficiently　denoted；　without　
the　concurrent　testimony　afforded　by　the　squalid　looks　of　the　few　
men　and　women　who；　with　folded　arms　and　bodies　half…doubled；　
occasionally　skulked　along。　A　great　many　of　the　tenements　had　
shop…fronts；　but　these　were　fast　closed；　and　mouldering　away；　only　
the　upper　rooms　being　inhabited。　Some　houses　which　had　become　
insecure　from　age　and　decay；　were　prevented　from　falling　into　the　
street　by　huge　beams　of　wood　reared　against　the　walls；　and　firmly　
planted　in　the　road；　but　even　these　crazy　dens　seemed　to　have　
been　selected　as　the　nightly　haunts　of　some　houseless　wretches；　
for　many　of　the　rough　boards；　which　supplied　the　place　of　door　
and　window；　were　wrenched　from　their　positions；　to　afford　an　
aperture　wide　enough　for　the　passage　of　a　human　body。　The　
kennel　was　stagnant　and　filthy。　The　very　rats；　which　here　and　
there　lay　putrefying　in　its　rottenness；　were　hideous　with　famine。　

There　was　neither　knocker　nor　bell…handle　at　the　open　door　

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