The adventures of Oliver Twist. By Charles Dickens.

14 OLIVER TWIST.
from the table; and advancing to the master, basin prediction of the gentleman in the white waistcoat,
and spoon in hand, said, somewhat alarmed at his he would have established that sage individual's proown temerity: phetic character, once and forever, by tying one end
" Please, sir, I want some more." of his pocket-handkerchief to a hook in the wall, and
The master was a fat, healthy man; but he turned attaching himself to the other. To the performance
very pale. He gazed in stupefied astonishment on of this feat, however, there was one obstacle; namethe small rebel for some seconds, and then clung for ly, that pocket-handkerchiefs being decided articles
support to the copper.'The assistants were para- of luxury, had been, for all future times and ages,
lyzed with wonder; the boys with fear. removed from the noses of paupers by the express
"What!" said the master at length, in a faint order of the board, in council assembled: solemnly
voice. given and pronounced under their hands and seals.
"Please, sir," replied Oliver, "I want some more." There was a still greater obstacle in Oliver's youth
The master aimed a blow at Oliver's head with the and childishness. He only cried bitterly all day;
ladle; pinioned him in his arms; and shrieked aloud and, when the long, dismal night came on, spread his
for the beadle. little hands before his eyes to shut out the darkness,
The board were sitting in solemn conclave, when and crouching in the corner, tried to sleep: ever and
Mr. Bumble rushed into the room in great excite- anon waking with a start and tremble, and drawing
ment, and addressing the gentleman in the high himself closer and closer to the wall, as if to feel
chair, said, even its cold hard surface were a protection in the
"Mr. Limbkins, I beg your pardon, sir! Oliver gloom and loneliness which surrounded him.
Twist has asked for more." Let it not be supposed by the enemies of "the
There was a general start. Horror was depicted system," that, during the period of his solitary inon every countenance. carceration, Oliver was denied the benefit of exer" For more!" said Mr. Limbkins. " Compose your- cise, the pleasure of society, or the advantages of reself, Bumble, and answer me distinctly. Do I under- ligious consolation. As for exercise, it was nice cold
stand that he asked for more, after he had eaten the weather, and he was allowed to perform his ablusupper allotted by the dietary?" tions every morning under the pump, in a stone
" He did, sir," replied Bumble. yard, in the presence of Mr. Bumble, who prevented
"That boy will be hung," said the gentleman in his catching cold, and caused a tingling sensation to
the white waistcoat. "I know that boy will be pervade his frame, by repeated applications of the'hung." cane. As for society, he was carried every other day
Nobody controverted the prophetic gentleman's into the hall where the boys dined, and there sociaopinion. An animated discussion took place. 01- bly flogged as a public warning and example. And
iver was ordered into instant confinement; and a so far from being denied the advantages of religious
bill was next morning pasted on the outside of the consolation, he was kicked into the same apartment
gate, offering a reward of five pounds to any body every evening at prayer-time, and there permitted to
who would take Oliver Twist off the hands of the listen to, and console his mind with, a general suppliparish. In other words, five pounds and Oliver cation of the boys, containing a special clause, thereTwist were offered to any man or woman who want- in inserted by authority of the board, in which they
ed an apprentice to any trade, business, or calling. entreated to be made good, virtuous, contented, and
" I never was more convinced of any thing in my obedient, and to be guarded from the sins and vices
life," said the gentleman in the white waistcoat, as of Oliver Twist: whom the supplication distinctly
he knocked at the gate and read the bill next morn- set forth to be under the exclusive patronage and
ing: "I never was more convinced of any thing in protection of the powers of wickedness, and an artimy life, than I am that that boy will come to be cle direct from the manufactory of the very Devil
hung." himself.
As I purpose to show in the sequel whether the It chanced one morning, while Oliver's affairs
white-waistcoated gentleman was right or not, I were in this auspicious and comfortable state, that
should perhaps mar the interest of this narrative Mr. Gamfield, chimney-sweep, went his way down
(supposing it to possess any at all), if I ventured to the High Street, deeply cogitating in his mind his
hint just yet, whether the life of Oliver Twist had ways and means of paying certain arrears of rent,
this violent termination or no. for which his landlord had become rather pressing.
Mr. Gamfield's most sanguine estimate of his finances
could not raise them within full five pounds of the
desired amount; and, in a species of arithmetical
CHAPTER III. desperation, he was alternately cudgeling his brains
and his donkey, when, passing the work-house, his
RELATES HOW OLIVER TWIST W.~S VERY NEAR GETTINGe
A PLACE WHICH WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A SINECURE. eyes encountered the bill on the gate.
"Wo-o!" said Mr. Gamfield to the donkey.
DOR a week after the commission of the impious The donkey was in a state of profound abstracand profane offense of asking for more, Oliver tion: wondering, probably, whether he was destined
remained a close prisoner in the dark and solitary to be regaled with a cabbage-stalk or two when he
room to which he had been consigned by the wis- had disposed of the two sacks of soot with which the
dom and mercy of the board. It appears, at first little cart was laden; so, without noticing the word
sight, not unreasonable to suppose that, if he had of command, he jogged onward.
entertained a becoming feeling of respect for the Mr. Gamfield growled a fierce imprecation on the