按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist 180
Mr。 Bumble opened his eyes； read the advertisement； slowly
and carefully； three several times； and in something more than
five minutes was on his way to Pentonville； having actually； in his
excitement； left the glass of hot gin…and…water untasted。
“Is Mr。 Brownlow at home？” inquired Mr。 Bumble of the girl
who opened the door。
To this inquiry the girl returned the not uncommon； but rather
evasive reply of “I don’t know； where do you come from？”
Mr。 Bumble no sooner uttered Oliver’s name； in explanation of
his errand； than Mrs。 Bedwin； who had been listening at the
parlour door； hastened into the passage in a breathless state。
“Come in—come in；” said the old lady。 “I knew we should hear
of him。 Poor dear！ I knew we should！ I was certain of it。 Bless his
heart！ I said so； all along。”
Having said this； the worthy old lady hurried back into the
parlour again； and seating herself on a sofa； burst into tears。 The
girl； who was not quite so susceptible； had run upstairs
meanwhile； and now returned with a request that Mr。 Bumble
would follow her immediately； which he did。
He was shown into the little back study； where sat Mr。
Brownlow and his friend Mr。 Grimwig； with decanters and glasses
before them。 The latter gentleman at once burst into the
exclamation：
“A beadle！ A parish beadle； or I’ll eat my head。”
“Pray don’t interrupt just now；” said Mr。 Brownlow。 “Take a
seat； will you？”
Mr。 Bumble sat himself down； quite confounded by the oddity
of Mr。 Grimwig’s manner。 Mr。 Brownlow moved the lamp； so as to
obtain an uninterrupted view of the beadle’s countenance； and
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist 181
said； with a little impatience：
“Now； sir； you come in consequence of having seen the
advertisement？”
“Yes； sir；” said Mr。 Bumble。
“And you are a beadle； are you not？” inquired Mr。 Grimwig。
“I am a porochial beadle； gentlemen；” rejoined Mr。 Bumble
proudly。
“Of course；” observed Mr Grimwig； aside to his friend； “I knew
he was。 A beadle all over！”
Mr Brownlow gently shook his head to impose silence on his
friend； and resumed：
“Do you know where this poor boy is now？”
“No more than nobody；” replied Mr。 Bumble。
“Well； what do you know of him？” inquired the old gentleman。
“Speak out； my friend； if you have anything to say。 What do you
know of him？”
“You don’t happen to know any good of him； do you？” said Mr。
Grimwig caustically； after an attentive perusal of Mr。 Bumble’s
features。
Mr。 Bumble； catching at the inquiry very quickly； shook his
head with portentous solemnity。
You see？” said Mr。 Grimwig； looking triumphantly at Mr。
Brownlow。
Mr。 Brownlow looked apprehensively at Mr。 Bumble’s pursed…
up countenance； and requested him to communicate what he
knew regarding Oliver； in as few words as possible。
Mr。 Bumble put down his hat； unbuttoned his coat； folded his
arms； inclined his head in a retrospective manner； and； after a few
moments’ reflection； commenced his story。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist 182
It would be tedious if given in the beadle’s words； occupying as
it did； some twenty minutes in the telling； but the sum and
substance of it was； That Oliver was a foundling； born of low and
vicious parents。 That he had； from his birth； displayed no better
qualities than treachery； ingratitude； and malice。 That he had
terminated his brief career in the place of his birth； by making a
sanguinary and cowardly attack on an unoffending lad； and
running away in the night…time from his master’s house。 In proof
of his really being the person he represented himself； Mr。 Bumble
laid upon the table the papers he had brought to town； and folding
his arms again； awaited Mr。 Brownlow’s observations。
“I fear it is all too true；” said the old gentleman sorrowfully；
after looking over the papers。 “This is not much for your
intelligence； but I would gladly have given you treble the money； if
it had been favourable to the boy。”
It is not improbable that if Mr。 Bumble had been possessed of
this information at an earlier period of the interview； he might
have imparted a very different colouring to his little history。 It was
too late to do it now； however； so he shook his head gravely； and；
pocketing the five guineas； withdrew。
Mr。 Brownlow paced the room to and fro for some minutes；
evidently so much disturbed by the beadle’s tale； that even Mr。
Grimwig forbore to vex him further。
At length he stopped； and rang the bell violently。
“Mrs。 Bedwin；” said Mr。 Brownlow； when the housekeeper
appeared； “that boy； Oliver； is an impostor。”
“It can’t be； sir。 It cannot be；” said the old lady energetically。
“I tell you he is；” retorted the old gentleman。 “What do you
mean by can’t be？ We have just heard a full account of him from
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist 183
his birth； and he has been a thorough…paced little villain； all his
life。”
“I never will believe it； sir；” replied the old lady firmly。 “Never！”
“You old women never believe anything but quack…doctors； and
lying story…books；” growled Mr。 Grimwig。 “I knew it all along。 Why
didn’t you take my advice in the beginning； you would； if he hadn’t
had a fever； I suppose； eh？ He was interesting； wasn’t he？
Interesting！ Bah！” And Mr。 Grimwig poked the fire with a flourish。
“He was a dear； grateful； gentle child； sir；” retorted Mrs。
Bedwin indignantly。 “I know what children are； sir； and have done
these forty years； and people who can’t say the same； shouldn’t say
anything about them。 That’s my opinion！”
This was a hard hit at Mr。 Grimwig； who was a bachelor。 As it
extorted nothing from that gentleman but a smile； the old lady
tossed her head； and smoothed down her apron preparatory to
another speech； when she was stopped by Mr。 Brownlow。
“Silence！” said the old gentleman； feigning an anger he was far
from feeling。 “Never let me hear the boy’s name again。 I rang to
tell you that。 Never。 Never； on any pretence； mind！ You may leave
the room； Mrs。 Bedwin。 Remember！ I am in earnest。”
There were sad hearts at Mr。 Brownlow’s that night。
Oliver’s heart sank within him； when he thought of his good
kind friends； it was well for him that he could not know what they
had heard； or it might have broken outright。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist 184
Chapter 18
How Oliver Passed His Time In The Improving
Society Of His Reputable Friends。
About noon next day； when the Dodger and Master Bates
had gone out to pursue their customary avocations； Mr。
Fagin took the opportunity of reading Oliver a long
lecture on the crying sin of ingratitude； of which he clearly
demonstrated he had been guilty； to no ordinary extent； in wilfully
absenting himself from the society of his anxious friends； and； still
more； in endeavouring to escape from them after so much trouble
and expense had