English
Itwasacheerlessmorningwhentheygotintothestreet;blowingandraininghard;andthecloudslookingdullandstormy.
Thenighthadbeenverywet:largepoolsofwaterhadcollectedintheroad:andthekennelswereoverflowing.
Therewasafaintglimmeringofthecomingdayinthesky;butitratheraggravatedthanrelievedthegloomofthescene:thesombrelightonlyservingtopalethatwhichthestreetlampsafforded,withoutsheddinganywarmerorbrightertintsuponthewethouse-tops,anddrearystreets.
Thereappearedtobenobodystirringinthatquarterofthetown;thewindowsofthehouseswereallcloselyshut;andthestreetsthroughwhichtheypassed,werenoiselessandempty.
BythetimetheyhadturnedintotheBethnalGreenRoad,thedayhadfairlybeguntobreak.
Manyofthelampswerealreadyextinguished;afewcountrywaggonswereslowlytoilingon,towardsLondon;nowandthen,astage-coach,coveredwithmud,rattledbrisklyby:thedriverbestowing,ashepassed,anadmonitorylashupontheheavywaggonerwho,bykeepingonthewrongsideoftheroad,hadendangeredhisarrivingattheoffice,aquarterofaminuteafterhistime.
Thepublic-houses,withgas-lightsburninginside,werealreadyopen.
Bydegrees,othershopsbegantobeunclosed,andafewscatteredpeopleweremetwith.
Then,camestragglinggroupsoflabourersgoingtotheirwork;then,menandwomenwithfish-basketsontheirheads;donkey-cartsladenwithvegetables;chaise-cartsfilledwithlive-stockorwholecarcassesofmeat;milk-womenwithpails;anunbrokenconcourseofpeople,trudgingoutwithvarioussuppliestotheeasternsuburbsofthetown.
AstheyapproachedtheCity,thenoiseandtrafficgraduallyincreased;whentheythreadedthestreetsbetweenShoreditchandSmithfield,ithadswelledintoaroarofsoundandbustle.
Itwasaslightasitwaslikelytobe,tillnightcameonagain,andthebusymorningofhalftheLondonpopulationhadbegun.
TurningdownSunStreetandCrownStreet,andcrossingFinsburysquare,Mr.Sikesstruck,bywayofChiswellStreet,intoBarbican:thenceintoLongLane,andsointoSmithfield;fromwhichlatterplacearoseatumultofdiscordantsoundsthatfilledOliverTwistwithamazement.
Itwasmarket-morning.Thegroundwascovered,nearlyankle-deep,withfilthandmire;athicksteam,perpetuallyrisingfromthereekingbodiesofthecattle,andminglingwiththefog,whichseemedtorestuponthechimney-tops,hungheavilyabove.
Allthepensinthecentreofthelargearea,andasmanytemporarypensascouldbecrowdedintothevacantspace,werefilledwithsheep;tieduptopostsbytheguttersidewerelonglinesofbeastsandoxen,threeorfourdeep.
Countrymen,butchers,drovers,hawkers,boys,thieves,idlers,andvagabondsofeverylowgrade,weremingledtogetherinamass;thewhistlingofdrovers,thebarkingdogs,thebellowingandplungingoftheoxen,thebleatingofsheep,thegruntingandsqueakingofpigs,thecriesofhawkers,theshouts,oaths,andquarrellingonallsides;theringingofbellsandroarofvoices,thatissuedfromeverypublic-house;thecrowding,pushing,driving,beating,whoopingandyelling;thehideousanddiscordantdimthatresoundedfromeverycornerofthemarket;andtheunwashed,unshaven,squalid,anddirtyfiguresconstantlyrunningtoandfro,andburstinginandoutofthethrong;rendereditastunningandbewilderingscene,whichquiteconfoundedthesenses.
Mr.Sikes,draggingOliverafterhim,elbowedhiswaythroughthethickestofthecrowd,andbestowedverylittleattentiononthenumeroussightsandsounds,whichsoastonishedtheboy.
Henodded,twiceorthrice,toapassingfriend;and,resistingasmanyinvitationstotakeamorningdram,pressedsteadilyonward,untiltheywereclearoftheturmoil,andhadmadetheirwaythroughHosierLaneintoHolborn.
‘Now,young‘un!’saidSikes,lookingupattheclockofSt.Andrew’sChurch,‘harduponseven!youmuststepout.Come,don’tlagbehindalready,Lazy-legs!’
Mr.Sikesaccompaniedthisspeechwithajerkathislittlecompanion’swrist;Oliver,quickeninghispaceintoakindoftrotbetweenafastwalkandarun,keptupwiththerapidstridesofthehouse-breakeraswellashecould.
Theyheldtheircourseatthisrate,untiltheyhadpassedHydeParkcorner,andwereontheirwaytoKensington:whenSikesrelaxedhispace,untilanemptycartwhichwasatsomelittledistancebehind,cameup.
Seeing‘Hounslow’writtenonit,heaskedthedriverwithasmuchcivilityashecouldassume,ifhewouldgivethemaliftasfarasIsleworth.
‘Jumpup,’saidtheman.‘Isthatyourboy?’
‘Yes;he’smyboy,’repliedSikes,lookinghardatOliver,andputtinghishandabstractedlyintothepocketwherethepistolwas.
‘Yourfatherwalksrathertooquickforyou,don’the,myman?’inquiredthedriver:seeingthatOliverwasoutofbreath.
‘Notabitofit,’repliedSikes,interposing.‘He’susedtoit.
Here,takeholdofmyhand,Ned.Inwithyou!’
ThusaddressingOliver,hehelpedhimintothecart;andthedriver,pointingtoaheapofsacks,toldhimtoliedownthere,andresthimself.
Astheypassedthedifferentmile-stones,Oliverwondered,moreandmore,wherehiscompanionmeanttotakehim.
Kensington,Hammersmith,Chiswick,KewBridge,Brentford,wereallpassed;andyettheywentonassteadilyasiftheyhadonlyjustbeguntheirjourney.
Atlength,theycametoapublic-housecalledtheCoachandHorses;alittlewaybeyondwhich,anotherroadappearedtorunoff.Andhere,thecartstopped.
Sikesdismountedwithgreatprecipitation,holdingOliverbythehandallthewhile;andliftinghimdowndirectly,bestowedafuriouslookuponhim,andrappedtheside-pocketwithhisfist,inasignificantmanner.
‘Good-bye,boy,’saidtheman.
‘He’ssulky,’repliedSikes,givinghimashake;‘he’ssulky.Ayoungdog!Don’tmindhim.’
‘NotI!’rejoinedtheother,gettingintohiscart.‘It’safineday,afterall.’Andhedroveaway.
Sikeswaiteduntilhehadfairlygone;andthen,tellingOliverhemightlookabouthimifhewanted,onceagainledhimonwardonhisjourney.
Theyturnedroundtotheleft,ashortwaypastthepublic-house;andthen,takingaright-handroad,walkedonforalongtime:passingmanylargegardensandgentlemen’shousesonbothsidesoftheway,andstoppingfornothingbutalittlebeer,untiltheyreachedatown.
Hereagainstthewallofahouse,Oliversawwrittenupinprettylargeletters,‘Hampton.’
Theylingeredabout,inthefields,forsomehours.
Atlengththeycamebackintothetown;and,turningintoanoldpublic-housewithadefacedsign-board,orderedsomedinnerbythekitchenfire.
Thekitchenwasanold,low-roofedroom;withagreatbeamacrossthemiddleoftheceiling,andbenches,withhighbackstothem,bythefire;onwhichwereseatedseveralroughmeninsmock-frocks,drinkingandsmoking.
TheytooknonoticeofOliver;andverylittleofSikes;and,asSikestookverylittlenoticeofthem,heandhisyoungcomradesatinacornerbythemselves,withoutbeingmuchtroubledbytheircompany.
Theyhadsomecoldmeatfordinner,andsatsolongafterit,whileMr.Sikesindulgedhimselfwiththreeorfourpipes,thatOliverbegantofeelquitecertaintheywerenotgoinganyfurther.
Beingmuchtiredwiththewalk,andgettingupsoearly,hedozedalittleatfirst;then,quiteoverpoweredbyfatigueandthefumesofthetobacco,fellasleep.
ItwasquitedarkwhenhewasawakenedbyapushfromSikes.
Rousinghimselfsufficientlytositupandlookabouthim,hefoundthatworthyinclosefellowshipandcommunicationwithalabouringman,overapintofale.
‘So,you’regoingontoLowerHalliford,areyou?’inquiredSikes.
‘Yes,Iam,’repliedtheman,whoseemedalittletheworse—orbetter,asthecasemightbe—fordrinking;‘andnotslowaboutitneither.
Myhorsehasn’tgotaloadbehindhimgoingback,ashehadcomingupinthemornin’;andhewon’tbelonga-doingofit.Here’slucktohim.Ecod!he’sagood‘un!’
‘Couldyougivemyboyandmealiftasfarasthere?’demandedSikes,pushingthealetowardshisnewfriend.
‘Ifyou’regoingdirectly,Ican,’repliedtheman,lookingoutofthepot.‘AreyougoingtoHalliford?’
‘GoingontoShepperton,’repliedSikes.
‘I’myourman,asfarasIgo,’repliedtheother.‘Isallpaid,Becky?’
‘Yes,theothergentleman’spaid,’repliedthegirl.
‘Isay!’saidtheman,withtipsygravity;‘thatwon’tdo,youknow.’
‘Whynot?’rejoinedSikes.‘You’rea-goingtoaccommodateus,andwot’stopreventmystandingtreatforapintorso,inreturn?’
Thestrangerreflecteduponthisargument,withaveryprofoundface;havingdoneso,heseizedSikesbythehand:anddeclaredhewasarealgoodfellow.
TowhichMr.Sikesreplied,hewasjoking;as,ifhehadbeensober,therewouldhavebeenstrongreasontosupposehewas.
Aftertheexchangeofafewmorecompliments,theybadethecompanygood-night,andwentout;thegirlgatheringupthepotsandglassesastheydidso,andloungingouttothedoor,withherhandsfull,toseethepartystart.
Thehorse,whosehealthhadbeendrunkinhisabsence,wasstandingoutside:readyharnessedtothecart.
OliverandSikesgotinwithoutanyfurtherceremony;andthemantowhomhebelonged,havinglingeredforaminuteortwo‘tobearhimup,’andtodefythehostlerandtheworldtoproducehisequal,mountedalso.
Then,thehostlerwastoldtogivethehorsehishead;and,hisheadbeinggivenhim,hemadeaveryunpleasantuseofit:tossingitintotheairwithgreatdisdain,andrunningintotheparlourwindowsovertheway;afterperformingthosefeats,andsupportinghimselfforashorttimeonhishind-legs,hestartedoffatgreatspeed,andrattledoutofthetownrightgallantly.
Thenightwasverydark.Adampmistrosefromtheriver,andthemarshygroundabout;andspreaditselfoverthedrearyfields.
Itwaspiercingcold,too;allwasgloomyandblack.
Notawordwasspoken;forthedriverhadgrownsleepy;andSikeswasinnomoodtoleadhimintoconversation.
Oliversathuddledtogether,inacornerofthecart;bewilderedwithalarmandapprehension;andfiguringstrangeobjectsinthegaunttrees,whosebrancheswavedgrimlytoandfro,asifinsomefantasticjoyatthedesolationofthescene.
AstheypassedSunburyChurch,theclockstruckseven.
Therewasalightintheferry-housewindowopposite:whichstreamedacrosstheroad,andthrewintomoresombreshadowadarkyew-treewithgravesbeneathit.
Therewasadullsoundoffallingwaternotfaroff;andtheleavesoftheoldtreestirredgentlyinthenightwind.
Itseemedlikequietmusicforthereposeofthedead.
Sunburywaspassedthrough,andtheycameagainintothelonelyroad.Twoorthreemilesmore,andthecartstopped.Sikesalighted,tookOliverbythehand,andtheyonceagainwalkedon.
TheyturnedintonohouseatShepperton,asthewearyboyhadexpected;butstillkeptwalkingon,inmudanddarkness,throughgloomylanesandovercoldopenwastes,untiltheycamewithinsightofthelightsofatownatnogreatdistance.
Onlookingintentlyforward,Oliversawthatthewaterwasjustbelowthem,andthattheywerecomingtothefootofabridge.
Sikeskeptstraighton,untiltheywerecloseuponthebridge;thenturnedsuddenlydownabankupontheleft.
‘Thewater!’thoughtOliver,turningsickwithfear.‘Hehasbroughtmetothislonelyplacetomurderme!’
Hewasabouttothrowhimselfontheground,andmakeonestruggleforhisyounglife,whenhesawthattheystoodbeforeasolitaryhouse:allruinousanddecayed.
Therewasawindowoneachsideofthedilapidatedentrance;andonestoryabove;butnolightwasvisible.
Thehousewasdark,dismantled:andtheallappearance,uninhabited.
Sikes,withOliver’shandstillinhis,softlyapproachedthelowporch,andraisedthelatch.Thedooryieldedtothepressure,andtheypassedintogether.
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