Oliver Twist

and mercy of the board. It appears, at first sight not unreasonable to suppose, that, if he had entertained a becoming feeling of respect for the prediction of the gentleman in the white waistcoa

ed: solemnly given and pronounced under their hands and seals. There was a still greater obstacle in Oliver's youth and childishness. He only cried bitterly all day; and, when the long, dismal night came on, spread his little hands before his eyes to shut out th

a tingling sensation to pervade his frame, by repeated applications of the cane. As for society, he was carried every other day into the hall where the boys dined, and there sociably flogged as a public warning and example. And so far from being denied the advantages of religious consolation, he was kicked into the same apartment every evening at prayer-time, and there permitted to listen to, and console his mind with, a gene

ays and means of paying certain arrears of rent, 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

Mr. Gamfield

ed to be regaled with a cabbage-stalk or two when he had disposed of the two sacks of soot wi

beaten in any skull but a donkey's. Then, catching hold of the bridle, he gave his jaw a sharp wrench, by way of gentle reminder that he was not his own master; and by these means t

to read the bill, for he saw at once that Mr. Gamfield was exactly the sort of master Oliver Twist wanted. Mr. Gamfield smiled, too, as he perused the document; for five pounds was just the sum he had been wishing for; and, as to the boy with which it was encumbered, Mr. Gamfield, know

the parish wants to 'pr

in the white waistcoat, with a co

e, in a good 'spectable chimbley-sweepin' bisness,' said Mr.

donkey another blow on the head, and another wrench of the jaw, as a caution not to run away in his a

Mr. Limbkins, when Gamfield

hered in chimneys before n

at all in making a boy come down, for it only sinds him to sleep, and that's wot he likes. Boys is wery obstinit, and wery lazy, Gen'l'men, and there's nothink like a good hot bl

en proceeded to converse among themselves for a few minutes, but in so low a tone, that the words 'saving of expenditure,' 'looked well in the accounts,' 'have

mbers of the board, having resumed their se

ur proposition, and we

the gentleman in

t,' added the

ps, in some unaccountable freak, taken it into their heads that this extraneous circumstance ought to influence their proceedings. It was very unlike their general

m, gen'l'men?' said Mr. Gamf

s a nasty business, we think you ought to tak

tened, as, with a quick step, he

Come! Don't be too hard on a

pound ten was plent

h,' said the gentleman

gen'l'men. Say four pound, and you've

,' repeated Mr.

rence, gen'l'men,' urged Gam

e,' was the firm re

upon me, gen'l'men,'

premium. Take him, you silly fellow! He's just the boy for you. He wants the stick, now and then: it'll do h

ly broke into a smile himself. The bargain was made. Mr. Bumble, was at once instructed that Oliver Twist a

usual gymnastic performance, when Mr. Bumble brought him, with his own hands, a basin of gruel, and the holiday allowance of two ounces and a quarter of bread. At this tremendous sight, Olive

e thankful,' said Mr. Bumble, in a tone of impressive pomp

r!' said the ch

n: are a going to 'prentice' you: and to set you up in life, and make a man of you: although the expense to the parish is three pound

ng this address in an awful voice, the tears rolled

is eloquence had produced; 'Come, Oliver! Wipe your eyes with the cuffs of your jacket, and don't cry into your

that he should like it very much indeed; both of which injunctions Oliver promised to obey: the rather as Mr. Bumble threw in a gentle hint, that if he failed in either particular, there was

an hour. At the expiration of which time Mr. Bumble thrust

e said this, he put on a grim and threatening look, and add

It was a large room, with a great window. Behind a desk, sat two old gentleman with powdered heads: one of whom was reading the newspaper; while the other was perusing, with the aid of a pair of tortoise-shell spectacles, a small pi

the little bit of parchment; and there was a short pause, afte

, your worship,'

ead for a moment, and pulled the other old gentleman by the

e boy?' said th

ied Mr. Bumble. 'Bow to

his eyes fixed on the magistrates' powder, whether all boards were born with t

tleman, 'I suppose he's

umble; giving Oliver a sly pinch, to inti

eep, will he?' inqui

rade to-morrow, he'd run away simulta

u'll treat him well, and feed him, and do all tha

means I will,' replie

in the direction of the candidate for Oliver's premium, whose villainous countenance was a regular stamped receipt for cruelty

said Mr. Gamfield,

old gentleman: fixing his spectacles more firmly o

be immediately under his nose, it followed, as a matter of course, that he looked all over his desk for it, without finding it; and happening in the course of his search to look straight before him, his gaze encountered the pale and terrified face

ooked from Oliver to Mr. Limbkins; who attempted to

leman, 'you look pale and a

laying aside the paper, and leaning forward with an expression of

y would order him back to the dark room-that they would starve him-beat hi

ressive solemnity. 'Well! of all the artful and designing orphans

cond old gentleman, when Mr. Bumble had

. Bumble, incredulous of having heard

ld your

onishment. A beadle ordered to ho

-shell spectacles looked at his c

s,' said the old gentleman: tossing as

not form the opinion that the authorities have been guilty of

the matter,' said the second old gentleman sharply. 'Take the boy

awn and quartered into the bargain. Mr. Bumble shook his head with gloomy mystery, and said he wished he might come to good; whereunto Mr. Gamfield replied

liver Twist was again To Let, and that five pounds wou