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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 an involuntary process。
“It’s 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。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist
“And his master； too； I think you say； Noah？” added Mr。
Bumble。
“No！ he’s 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 master’s out。”
“Certainly； my boy； certainly；” said the gentleman in the white
waistcoat； smiling benignly； and patting Noah’s head； which was
about three inches higher than his own。 “You’re a good boy—a
very good boy。 Here’s a penny for you。 Bumble； just step up to
Sowerberry’s with your cane； and see what’s best to be done。
Don’t 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。
They’ll never do anything with him； without stripes and bruises；”
said the gentleman in the white waistcoat。
“I’ll take care； sir；” replied the beadle。 And the cocked hat and
cane having been； by this time； adjusted to their owner’s
satisfaction； Mr。 Bumble and Noah Claypole betook themselves
with all speed to the undertaker’s 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 Mr。 Sowerberry and Charlotte； were of so
startling a nature； that Mr。 Bumble judged it prudent to parley；
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist
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。
“Ain’t you afraid of it； sir？ Ain’t you a…trembling while 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 sense could venture to speak so to
you。”
“It’s not madness； ma’am；” replied Mr。 Bumble； after a few
moments of deep meditation。 “It’s meat。”
“What？” exclaimed Mrs。 Sowerberry。
“Meat； ma’am； meat；” replied Bumble； with stern emphasis。
“You’ve overfed him； ma’am。 You’ve raised a artificial soul and
spirit in him； ma’am； 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？ It’s quite enough
that we let ’em have live bodies。 If you had kept the boy on gruel；
ma’am； this would never have happened。”
“Dear； dear！” ejaculated Mrs。 Sowerberry； piously raising her
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist
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。 Bumble’s
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 he’s a little
starved down； and then to take him out； and to 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。 Bumble’s 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。 Oliver’s 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。 Oliver’s 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。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist
“Now； you are a nice young fellow； ain’t 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 didn’t；” said Oliver。
“She did；” said Mrs。 Sowerberry。
“It’s 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 do so； perhaps； because his wife disliked him。
The flood of tears； however； left him no resource； so he at once
gave h