فصل 07

CHAPTER VII

Oliver continues refractory.

NOAH CLAYPOLE RAN ALONG THE STREETS AT HIS SWIFTEST pace, and paused not once for breath until he reached the workhouse gate. Having rested here, for a minute or so, to collect a good burst of sobs and an imposing show of tears and terror, he knocked loudly at the wicket, and presented such a rueful face to the aged pauper who opened it that even he, who saw nothing but rueful faces about him at the best of times, started back in astonishment.

“Why, whats the matter with the boy! said the old pauper.

“Mr. Bumble! Mr. Bumble! cried Noah, with well-affected dismay and in tones so loud and agitated that they not only caught the ear of Mr. Bumble himself who happened to be hard by, but alarmed him so much that he rushed into the yard without his cocked hat—which is a very curious and remarkable circumstance, as showing that even a beadle, acted upon by a sudden and powerful impulse, may be afflicted with a momentary visitation of loss of self-possession and forgetfulness of personal dignity.

“Oh, Mr. Bumble, sir! said Noah “Oliver, sir—Oliver has—

“What? What? interposed Mr. Bumble with a gleam of pleasure in his metallic eyes. “Not run away he hasnt run away, has he, Noah?

“No, sir, no. Not run away, sir, but hes turned vicious, replied Noah. “He tried to murder me, sir and then he tried to murder Charlotte and then missis. Oh! what dreadful pain it is! Such agony, please, sir! And here, Noah writhed and twisted his body into an extensive variety of eel-like positions, thereby giving Mr. Bumble to understand that, from the violent and sanguinary onset of Oliver Twist, he had sustained severe internal injury and damage, from which he was at that moment suffering the acutest torture.

When Noah saw that the intelligence he communicated perfectly paralysed Mr. Bumble, he imparted additional effect thereunto by bewailing his dreadful wounds ten times louder than before and when he observed a gentleman in a white waistcoat crossing the yard, he was more tragic in his lamentations than ever, rightly conceiving it highly expedient to attract the notice, and rouse the indignation, of the gentleman aforesaid.

The gentlemans notice was very soon attracted for he had not walked three paces when he turned angrily round and inquired what that young cur was howling for, and why Mr. Bumble did not favour him with something which would render the series of vocular exclamations so designated as involuntary process.

“Its a poor boy from the free-school, sir, replied Mr. Bumble, “who has been nearly murdered—all but murdered, sir—by young Twist.

“By Jove! exclaimed the gentleman in the white waistcoat, stopping short. “I knew it! I felt a strange presentiment from the very first, that that audacious young savage would come to be hung!

“He has likewise attempted, sir, to murder the female servant, said Mr. Bumble, with a face of ashy paleness.

“And his missis, interposed Mr. Claypole.

“And his master, too, I think you said, Noah? added Mr. Bumble.

“No! hes out, or he would have murdered him, replied Noah. “He said he wanted to.

“Ah! Said he wanted to, did he, my boy? inquired the gentleman in the white waistcoat.

“Yes, sir, replied Noah. “And please, sir, missis wants to know whether Mr. Bumble can spare time to step up there, directly, and flog him—cause masters out.

“Certainly, my boy, certainly, said the gentleman in the white waistcoat, smiling benignly and patting Noahs head, which was about three inches higher than his own. “Youre a good boy—a very good boy. Heres a penny for you. Bumble, just step up to Sowerberrys with your cane, and see whats best to be done. Dont spare him, Bumble.

“No, I will not, sir, replied the beadle, adjusting the wax-end which was twisted round the bottom of his cane, for purposes of parochial flagellation.

“Tell Sowerberry not to spare him either. Theyll never do anything with him, without stripes and bruises, said the gentleman in the white waistcoat.

“Ill take care, sir, replied the beadle. And the cocked hat and cane having been, by this time, adjusted to their owners satisfaction, Mr. Bumble and Noah Claypole betook themselves with all speed to the undertakers shop.

Here the position of affairs had not at all improved. Sowerberry had not yet returned, and Oliver continued to kick, with undiminished vigour, at the cellar door. The accounts of his ferocity, as related by Mrs. Sowerberry and Charlotte, were of so startling a nature that Mr. Bumble judged it prudent to parley before opening the door. With this view he gave a kick at the outside, by way of prelude, and then, applying his mouth to the keyhole, said in a deep and impressive tone

“Oliver!

“Come you let me out! replied Oliver, from the inside.

“Do you know this here voice, Oliver? said Mr. Bumble.

“Yes, replied Oliver.

“Aint you afraid of it, sir? Aint you a-trembling while I speak, sir? said Mr. Bumble.

“No! replied Oliver, boldly.

An answer so different from the one he had expected to elicit, and was in the habit of receiving, staggered Mr. Bumble not a little. He stepped back from the keyhole, drew himself up to his full height, and looked from one to another of the three bystanders in mute astonishment.

“Oh, you know, Mr. Bumble, he must be mad, said Mrs. Sowerberry. “No boy in half his senses could venture to speak so to you.

“Its not Madness, maam, replied Mr. Bumble, after a few moments of deep meditation. “Its Meat

“What? exclaimed Mrs. Sowerberry.

“Meat, maam, meat, replied Bumble, with stem emphasis. “Youve overfed him, maam. Youve raised a artificial soul and spirit in him, maam, unbecoming a person of his condition, as the board, Mrs. Sowerberry, who are practical philosophers, will tell you. What have paupers to do with soul or spirit? Its quite enough that we let em have live bodies. If you had kept the boy on gruel, maam, this would never have happened.

“Dear, dear! ejaculated Mrs. Sowerberry, piously raising her eyes to the kitchen ceiling “this comes of being liberal!

The liberality of Mrs. Sowerberry to Oliver had consisted in a profuse bestowal upon him of all the dirty odds and ends which nobody else would eat, so there was a great deal of meekness and self-devotion in her voluntarily remaining under Mr. Bumbles heavy accusation. Of which, to do her justice, she was wholly innocent in thought, word, or deed.

“Ah! said Mr. Bumble, when the lady brought her eyes down to earth again “the only thing that can be done now, that I know of, is to leave him in the cellar for a day or so till hes a little starved down, and then to take him out and keep him on gruel all through his apprenticeship. He comes of a bad family. Excitable natures, Mrs. Sowerberry! Both the nurse and doctor said that that mother of his made her way here against difficulties and pain that would have killed any well-disposed woman weeks before.

At this point of Mr. Bumbles discourse, Oliver, just hearing enough to know that some new allusion was being made to his mother, recommenced kicking, with a violence that rendered every other sound inaudible. Sowerberry returned at this juncture. Olivers offence having been explained to him, with such exaggerations as the ladies thought best calculated to rouse his ire, he unlocked the cellar door in a twinkling, and dragged his rebellious apprentice out by the collar.

Olivers clothes had been torn in the beating he had received his face was bruised and scratched, and his hair scattered over his forehead. The angry flush had not disappeared, however and when he was pulled out of his prison, he scowled boldly on Noah and looked quite undismayed.

“Now, you are a nice young fellow, aint you? said Sowerberry, giving Oliver a shake, and a box on the ear.

“He called my mother names, replied Oliver.

“Well, and what if he did, you little ungrateful wretch? said Mrs. Sowerberry. “She deserved what he said, and worse.

“She didnt, said Oliver.

“She did, said Mrs. Sowerbeny.

“Its a lie! said Oliver.

Mrs. Sowerberry burst into a flood of tears.

This flood of tears left Mr. Sowerberry no alternative. if he had hesitated for one instant to punish Oliver most severely, it must be quite clear to every experienced reader that he would have been, according to all precedents in disputes of matrimony established, a brute, an unnatural husband, an insulting creature, a base imitation of a man, and various other agreeable characters too numerous for recital within the limits of this chapter. To do him justice, he was, as far as his power went—it was not very extensive—kindly disposed towards the boy, perhaps because it was his interest to be so, perhaps because his wife disliked him. The flood of tears, however, left him no resource, so he at once gave him a drubbing which satisfied even Mrs. Sowerberry herself and rendered Mr. Bumbles subsequent application of the parochial cane rather unnecessary. For the rest of the day he was shut up in the back kitchen, in company with a pump and a slice of bread and, at night, Mrs. Sowerberry, after making various remarks outside the door, by no means complimentary to the memory of his mother, looked into the room and, amidst the jeers and point ings of Noah and Charlotte, ordered him upstairs to his dismal bed.

It was not until he was left alone in the silence and stillness of the gloomy workshop of the undertaker that Oliver gave way to the feelings which the days treatment may be supposed likely to have awakened in a mere child. He had listened to their taunts with a look of contempt he had borne the lash without a cry, for he felt that pride swelling in his heart which would have kept down a shriek to the last, though they had roasted him alive. But now, when there were none to see or hear him, he fell upon his knees on the floor and, hiding his face in his hands, wept such tears as—God send for the credit of our nature—few so young may ever have cause to pour out before Him!

For a long time Oliver remained motionless in this attitude. The candle was burning low in the socket when he rose to his feet. Having gazed cautiously round him and listened intently, he gently undid the fastenings of the door and looked abroad.

It was a cold, dark night. The stars seemed, to. the boys eyes, farther from the earth than he had ever seen them before there was no wind, and the sombre shadows thrown by the trees upon the ground looked sepulchral and deathlike, from being so still. He softly reclosed the door. Having availed himself of the expiring light of the candle to tie up in a handkerchief the few articles of wearing apparel he had, he sat himself down upon a bench to wait for morning.

With the first ray of light that struggled through the crevices in the shutters, Oliver arose, and again unbarred the door. One timid look around—one moments pause of hesitation—he had closed it behind him, and was in the open street.

He looked to the right and to the left, uncertain whither to fly. He remembered to have seen the wagons, as they went out, toiling up the hill. He took the same route and arriving at a footpath across the fields, which he knew, after some distance, led out again into the road, struck into it and walked quickly on.

Along this same footpath Oliver well remembered he had trotted beside Mr. Bumble, when he first carried him to the workhouse from the farm. His way lay directly in front of the cottage. His heart beat quickly when he bethought himself of this, and he half resolved to turn back. He had come a long way, though, and should lose a great deal of time by doing so. Besides, it was so early that there was very little fear of his being seen, so he walked on.

He reached the house. There was no appearance of its inmates stirring at that early hour. Oliver stopped, and peeped into the garden. A child was weeding one of the little beds as he stopped, he raised his pale face and disclosed the features of one of his former companions. Oliver felt glad to see him, before he went for, though younger than himself, he had been his little friend and playmate. They had been beaten, and starved, and shut up together, many and many a time.

“Hush, Dick! said Oliver, as the boy ran to the gate, and thrust his thin arm between the rails to greet him. “Is any one up?

“Nobody but me, replied the child.

“You mustnt say you saw me, Dick, said Oliver. “I am running away. They beat and ill-used me, Dick and I am going to seek my fortune, some long way off. I dont know where. How pale you are!

“I heard the doctor tell them I was dying, replied the child with a faint smile. “I am very glad to see you, dear but dont stop, dont stop!

“Yes, yes, I will, to say good-bye to you, replied Oliver. “I shall see you again, Dick. I know I shall! You will be well and happy!

“I hope so, replied the child. “After I am dead, but not before. I know the doctor must be right, Oliver, because I dream so much of Heaven, and Angels, and kind faces that I never see when I am awake. Kiss me, said the child, climbing up the low gate, and flinging his little arms round Olivers neck. “Good-bye, dear! God bless you!

The blessing was from a young childs lips, but it was the first that Oliver had ever heard invoked upon his head and through the struggles and sufferings, and troubles and changes of his after life he never once forgot it.