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Themonth’strialover,Oliverwasformallyapprenticed.
Itwasanicesicklyseasonjustatthistime.
Incommercialphrase,coffinswerelookingup;and,inthecourseofafewweeks,Oliveracquiredagreatdealofexperience.
ThesuccessofMr.Sowerberry’singeniousspeculation,exceededevenhismostsanguinehopes.
Theoldestinhabitantsrecollectednoperiodatwhichmeasleshadbeensoprevalent,orsofataltoinfantexistence;andmanywerethemournfulprocessionswhichlittleOliverheaded,inahat-bandreachingdowntohisknees,totheindescribableadmirationandemotionofallthemothersinthetown.
AsOliveraccompaniedhismasterinmostofhisadultexpeditionstoo,inorderthathemightacquirethatequanimityofdemeanourandfullcommandofnervewhichwasessentialtoafinishedundertaker,hehadmanyopportunitiesofobservingthebeautifulresignationandfortitudewithwhichsomestrong-mindedpeoplebeartheirtrialsandlosses.
Forinstance;whenSowerberryhadanorderfortheburialofsomericholdladyorgentleman,whowassurroundedbyagreatnumberofnephewsandnieces,whohadbeenperfectlyinconsolableduringthepreviousillness,andwhosegriefhadbeenwhollyirrepressibleevenonthemostpublicoccasions,theywouldbeashappyamongthemselvesasneedbe—quitecheerfulandcontented—conversingtogetherwithasmuchfreedomandgaiety,asifnothingwhateverhadhappenedtodisturbthem.
Husbands,too,borethelossoftheirwiveswiththemostheroiccalmness.
Wives,again,putonweedsfortheirhusbands,asif,sofarfromgrievinginthegarbofsorrow,theyhadmadeuptheirmindstorenderitasbecomingandattractiveaspossible.
Itwasobservable,too,thatladiesandgentlemenwhowereinpassionsofanguishduringtheceremonyofinterment,recoveredalmostassoonastheyreachedhome,andbecamequitecomposedbeforethetea-drinkingwasover.
Allthiswasverypleasantandimprovingtosee;andOliverbehelditwithgreatadmiration.
ThatOliverTwistwasmovedtoresignationbytheexampleofthesegoodpeople,Icannot,althoughIamhisbiographer,undertaketoaffirmwithanydegreeofconfidence;butIcanmostdistinctlysay,thatformanymonthshecontinuedmeeklytosubmittothedominationandill-treatmentofNoahClaypole:whousedhimfarworsethanbefore,nowthathisjealousywasrousedbyseeingthenewboypromotedtotheblackstickandhatband,whilehe,theoldone,remainedstationaryinthemuffin-capandleathers.
Charlottetreatedhimill,becauseNoahdid;andMrs.Sowerberrywashisdecidedenemy,becauseMr.Sowerberrywasdisposedtobehisfriend;so,betweenthesethreeononeside,andaglutoffuneralsontheother,Oliverwasnotaltogetherascomfortableasthehungrypigwas,whenhewasshutup,bymistake,inthegraindepartmentofabrewery.
Andnow,IcometoaveryimportantpassageinOliver’shistory;forIhavetorecordanact,slightandunimportantperhapsinappearance,butwhichindirectlyproducedamaterialchangeinallhisfutureprospectsandproceedings.
Oneday,OliverandNoahhaddescendedintothekitchenattheusualdinner-hour,tobanquetuponasmalljointofmutton—apoundandahalfoftheworstendoftheneck—whenCharlottebeingcalledoutoftheway,thereensuedabriefintervaloftime,whichNoahClaypole,beinghungryandvicious,consideredhecouldnotpossiblydevotetoaworthierpurposethanaggravatingandtantalisingyoungOliverTwist.
Intentuponthisinnocentamusement,Noahputhisfeetonthetable-cloth;andpulledOliver’shair;andtwitchedhisears;andexpressedhisopinionthathewasa‘sneak’;andfurthermoreannouncedhisintentionofcomingtoseehimhanged,wheneverthatdesirableeventshouldtakeplace;andentereduponvarioustopicsofpettyannoyance,likeamaliciousandill-conditionedcharity-boyashewas.
But,makingOlivercry,Noahattemptedtobemorefacetiousstill;andinhisattempt,didwhatmanysometimesdotothisday,whentheywanttobefunny.Hegotratherpersonal.
‘Work’us,’saidNoah,‘how’syourmother?’
‘She’sdead,’repliedOliver;‘don’tyousayanythingabouthertome!’
Oliver’scolourroseashesaidthis;hebreathedquickly;andtherewasacuriousworkingofthemouthandnostrils,whichMr.Claypolethoughtmustbetheimmediateprecursorofaviolentfitofcrying.
Underthisimpressionhereturnedtothecharge.
‘Whatdidshedieof,Work’us?’saidNoah.
‘Ofabrokenheart,someofouroldnursestoldme,’repliedOliver:moreasifheweretalkingtohimself,thanansweringNoah.‘IthinkIknowwhatitmustbetodieofthat!’
‘Tolderollollol,rightfollairy,Work’us,’saidNoah,asatearrolleddownOliver’scheek.‘What’ssetyouasnivellingnow?’
‘Notyou,’repliedOliver,sharply.‘There;that’senough.Don’tsayanythingmoretomeabouther;you’dbetternot!’
‘Betternot!’exclaimedNoah.‘Well!Betternot!Work’us,don’tbeimpudent.Yourmother,too!Shewasanice‘unshewas.Oh,Lor!’
Andhere,Noahnoddedhisheadexpressively;andcurledupasmuchofhissmallrednoseasmuscularactioncouldcollecttogether,fortheoccasion.
‘Yerknow,Work’us,’continuedNoah,emboldenedbyOliver’ssilence,andspeakinginajeeringtoneofaffectedpity:ofalltonesthemostannoying:‘Yerknow,Work’us,itcan’tbehelpednow;andofcourseyercouldn’thelpitthen;andIamverysorryforit;andI’msureweallare,andpityyerverymuch.
Butyermustknow,Work’us,yermotherwasaregularright-downbad‘un.’
‘Whatdidyousay?’inquiredOliver,lookingupveryquickly.
‘Aregularright-downbad‘un,Work’us,’repliedNoah,coolly.
‘Andit’sagreatdealbetter,Work’us,thatshediedwhenshedid,orelseshe’dhavebeenhardlabouringinBridewell,ortransported,orhung;whichismorelikelythaneither,isn’tit?’
Crimsonwithfury,Oliverstartedup;overthrewthechairandtable;seizedNoahbythethroat;shookhim,intheviolenceofhisrage,tillhisteethchatteredinhishead;andcollectinghiswholeforceintooneheavyblow,felledhimtotheground.
Aminuteago,theboyhadlookedthequietchild,mild,dejectedcreaturethatharshtreatmenthadmadehim.
Buthisspiritwasrousedatlast;thecruelinsulttohisdeadmotherhadsethisbloodonfire.
Hisbreastheaved;hisattitudewaserect;hiseyebrightandvivid;hiswholepersonchanged,ashestoodglaringoverthecowardlytormentorwhonowlaycrouchingathisfeet;anddefiedhimwithanenergyhehadneverknownbefore.
‘He’llmurderme!’blubberedNoah.‘Charlotte!missis!Here’sthenewboyamurderingofme!Help!help!Oliver’sgonemad!Char—lotte!’
Noah’sshoutswererespondedto,byaloudscreamfromCharlotte,andalouderfromMrs.Sowerberry;theformerofwhomrushedintothekitchenbyaside-door,whilethelatterpausedonthestaircasetillshewasquitecertainthatitwasconsistentwiththepreservationofhumanlife,tocomefurtherdown.
‘Oh,youlittlewretch!’screamedCharlotte:seizingOliverwithherutmostforce,whichwasaboutequaltothatofamoderatelystrongmaninparticularlygoodtraining.
‘Oh,youlittleun-grate-ful,mur-de-rous,hor-ridvillain!’
Andbetweeneverysyllable,CharlottegaveOliverablowwithallhermight:accompanyingitwithascream,forthebenefitofsociety.
Charlotte’sfistwasbynomeansalightone;but,lestitshouldnotbeeffectualincalmingOliver’swrath,Mrs.Sowerberryplungedintothekitchen,andassistedtoholdhimwithonehand,whileshescratchedhisfacewiththeother.
Inthisfavourablepositionofaffairs,Noahrosefromtheground,andpommelledhimbehind.
Thiswasrathertooviolentexercisetolastlong.
Whentheywereallweariedout,andcouldtearandbeatnolonger,theydraggedOliver,strugglingandshouting,butnothingdaunted,intothedust-cellar,andtherelockedhimup.
Thisbeingdone,Mrs.Sowerberrysunkintoachair,andburstintotears.
‘Blessher,she’sgoingoff!’saidCharlotte.‘Aglassofwater,Noah,dear.Makehaste!’
‘Oh!Charlotte,’saidMrs.Sowerberry:speakingaswellasshecould,throughadeficiencyofbreath,andasufficiencyofcoldwater,whichNoahhadpouredoverherheadandshoulders.‘Oh!
Charlotte,whatamercywehavenotallbeenmurderedinourbeds!’
‘Ah!mercyindeed,ma’am,’wasthereply.
Ionlyhopethis’llteachmasternottohaveanymoreofthesedreadfulcreatures,thatareborntobemurderersandrobbersfromtheirverycradle.PoorNoah!
Hewasallbutkilled,ma’am,whenIcomein.’
‘Poorfellow!’saidMrs.Sowerberry:lookingpiteouslyonthecharity-boy.
Noah,whosetopwaistcoat-buttonmighthavebeensomewhereonalevelwiththecrownofOliver’shead,rubbedhiseyeswiththeinsideofhiswristswhilethiscommiserationwasbestoweduponhim,andperformedsomeaffectingtearsandsniffs.
‘What’stobedone!’exclaimedMrs.Sowerberry.
‘Yourmaster’snotathome;there’snotamaninthehouse,andhe’llkickthatdoordownintenminutes.’
Oliver’svigorousplungesagainstthebitoftimberinquestion,renderedthisoccurancehighlyprobable.
‘Dear,dear!Idon’tknow,ma’am,’saidCharlotte,‘unlesswesendforthepolice-officers.’
‘Orthemillingtary,’suggestedMr.Claypole.
‘No,no,’saidMrs.Sowerberry:bethinkingherselfofOliver’soldfriend.
‘RuntoMr.Bumble,Noah,andtellhimtocomeheredirectly,andnottoloseaminute;nevermindyourcap!Makehaste!
Youcanholdaknifetothatblackeye,asyourunalong.It’llkeeptheswellingdown.’
Noahstoppedtomakenoreply,butstartedoffathisfullestspeed;andverymuchitastonishedthepeoplewhowereoutwalking,toseeacharity-boytearingthroughthestreetspell-mell,withnocaponhishead,andaclasp-knifeathiseye.
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