OLIVERBECOMESBETTERACQUAINTEDWITHTHECHARACTERSOFHISNEWASSOCIATES；ANDPURCHASESEXPERIENCEATAHIGHPRICE。BEINGASHORT，BUTVERYIMPORTANT
CHAPTER，INTHISHISTORY
Formanydays，OliverremainedintheJew'sroom，pickingthemarksoutofthepocket-handkerchief，（ofwhichagreatnumberwerebroughthome，）andsometimestakingpartinthegamealreadydescribed：whichthetwoboysandtheJewplayed，regularly，everymorning。Atlength，hebegantolanguishforfreshair，andtookmanyoccasionsofearnestlyentreatingtheoldgentlemantoallowhimtogoouttoworkwithhistwocompanions。
Oliverwasrenderedthemoreanxioustobeactivelyemployed，bywhathehadseenofthesternmoralityoftheoldgentleman'scharacter。WhenevertheDodgerorCharleyBatescamehomeatnight，empty-handed，hewouldexpatiatewithgreatvehemenceonthemiseryofidleandlazyhabits；andwouldenforceuponthemthenecessityofanactivelife，bysendingthemsupperlesstobed。Ononeoccasion，indeed，heevenwentsofarastoknockthembothdownaflightofstairs；butthiswascarryingouthisvirtuouspreceptstoanunusualextent。
Atlength，onemorning，Oliverobtainedthepermissionhehadsoeagerlysought。Therehadbeennohandkerchiefstoworkupon，fortwoorthreedays，andthedinnershadbeenrathermeagre。Perhapsthesewerereasonsfortheoldgentleman'sgivinghisassent；but，whethertheywereorno，hetoldOliverhemightgo，andplacedhimunderthejointguardianshipofCharleyBates，andhisfriendtheDodger。
Thethreeboyssalliedout；theDodgerwithhiscoat-sleevestuckedup，andhishatcocked，asusual；MasterBatessaunteringalongwithhishandsinhispockets；andOliverbetweenthem，wonderingwheretheyweregoing，andwhatbranchofmanufacturehewouldbeinstructedin，first。
Thepaceatwhichtheywent，wassuchaverylazy，ill-lookingsaunter，thatOliversoonbegantothinkhiscompanionsweregoingtodeceivetheoldgentleman，bynotgoingtoworkatall。TheDodgerhadaviciouspropensity，too，ofpullingthecapsfromtheheadsofsmallboysandtossingthemdownareas；whileCharleyBatesexhibitedsomeveryloosenotionsconcerningtherightsofproperty，bypilferingdiversapplesandonionsfromthestallsatthekennelsides，andthrustingthemintopocketswhichweresosurprisinglycapacious，thattheyseemedtounderminehiswholesuitofclothesineverydirection。Thesethingslookedsobad，thatOliverwasonthepointofdeclaringhisintentionofseekinghiswayback，inthebestwayhecould；whenhisthoughtsweresuddenlydirectedintoanotherchannel，byaverymysteriouschangeofbehaviouronthepartoftheDodger。
TheywerejustemergingfromanarrowcourtnotfarfromtheopensquareinClerkenwell，whichisyetcalled，bysomestrangeperversionofterms，‘TheGreen’：whentheDodgermadeasuddenstop；and，layinghisfingeronhislip，drewhiscompanionsbackagain，withthegreatestcautionandcircumspection。
‘What'sthematter？’demandedOliver。
‘Hush！’repliedtheDodger。‘Doyouseethatoldcoveatthebook-stall？’
‘Theoldgentlemanovertheway？’saidOliver。‘Yes，Iseehim。’
‘He'lldo，’saidtheDoger。
‘Aprimeplant，’observedMasterCharleyBates。
Oliverlookedfromonetotheother，withthegreatestsurprise；buthewasnotpermittedtomakeanyinquiries；forthetwoboyswalkedstealthilyacrosstheroad，andslunkclosebehindtheoldgentlemantowardswhomhisattentionhadbeendirected。Oliverwalkedafewpacesafterthem；and，notknowingwhethertoadvanceorretire，stoodlookingoninsilentamazement。
Theoldgentlemanwasaveryrespectable-lookingpersonage，withapowderedheadandgoldspectacles。Hewasdressedinabottle-greencoatwithablackvelvetcollar；worewhitetrousers；andcarriedasmartbamboocaneunderhisarm。Hehadtakenupabookfromthestall，andtherehestood，readingaway，ashardasifhewereinhiselbow-chair，inhisownstudy。Itisverypossiblethathefanciedhimselfthere，indeed；foritwasplain，fromhisabstraction，thathesawnotthebook-stall，northestreet，northeboys，nor，inshort，anythingbutthebookitself：whichhewasreadingstraightthrough：turningovertheleafwhenhegottothebottomofapage，beginningatthetoplineofthenextone，andgoingregularlyon，withthegreatestinterestandeagerness。
WhatwasOliver'shorrorandalarmashestoodafewpacesoff，lookingonwithhiseyelidsaswideopenastheywouldpossiblygo，toseetheDodgerplungehishandintotheoldgentleman'spocket，anddrawfromthenceahandkerchief！ToseehimhandthesametoCharleyBates；andfinallytobeholdthem，bothrunningawayroundthecorneratfullspeed！
Inaninstantthewholemysteryofthehankerchiefs，andthewatches，andthejewels，andtheJew，rushedupontheboy'smind。
Hestood，foramoment，withthebloodsotinglingthroughallhisveinsfromterror，thathefeltasifhewereinaburningfire；then，confusedandfrightened，hetooktohisheels；and，notknowingwhathedid，madeoffasfastashecouldlayhisfeettotheground。
Thiswasalldoneinaminute'sspace。IntheveryinstantwhenOliverbegantorun，theoldgentleman，puttinghishandtohispocket，andmissinghishandkerchief，turnedsharpround。Seeingtheboyscuddingawayatsucharapidpace，heverynaturallyconcludedhimtobethedepredator；andshouting‘Stopthief！’withallhismight，madeoffafterhim，bookinhand。
Buttheoldgentlemanwasnottheonlypersonwhoraisedthehue-and-cry。TheDodgerandMasterBates，unwillingtoattractpublicattentionbyrunningdowntheopenstreet，hadmerelyretiredintotheveryfirstdoorwayroundthecorner。Theynosoonerheardthecry，andsawOliverrunning，than，guessingexactlyhowthematterstood，theyissuedforthwithgreatpromptitude；and，shouting‘Stopthief！’too，joinedinthepursuitlikegoodcitizens。
AlthoughOliverhadbeenbroughtupbyphilosophers，hewasnottheoreticallyacquaintedwiththebeautifulaxiomthatself-preservationisthefirstlawofnature。Ifhehadbeen，perhapshewouldhavebeenpreparedforthis。Notbeingprepared，however，italarmedhimthemore；soawayhewentlikethewind，withtheoldgentlemanandthetwoboysroaringandshoutingbehindhim。
‘Stopthief！Stopthief！’Thereisamagicinthesound。Thetradesmanleaveshiscounter，andthecar-manhiswaggon；thebutcherthrowsdownhistray；thebakerhisbasket；themilkmanhispail；theerrand-boyhisparcels；theschool-boyhismarbles；thepaviourhispickaxe；thechildhisbattledore。Awaytheyrun，pell-mell，helter-skelter，slap-dash：tearing，yelling，screaming，knockingdownthepassengersastheyturnthecorners，rousingupthedogs，andastonishingthefowls：andstreets，squares，andcourts，re-echowiththesound。
‘Stopthief！Stopthief！’Thecryistakenupbyahundredvoices，andthecrowdaccumulateateveryturning。Awaytheyfly，splashingthroughthemud，andrattlingalongthepavements：upgothewindows，outrunthepeople，onwardbearthemob，awholeaudiencedesertPunchintheverythickestoftheplot，and，joiningtherushingthrong，swelltheshout，andlendfreshvigourtothecry，‘Stopthief！Stopthief！’
‘Stopthief！Stopthief！’ThereisapassionFOR_hunting__something_deeplyimplantedinthehumanbreast。Onewretchedbreathlesschild，pantingwithexhaustion；terrorinhislooks；agonyinhiseyes；largedropsofperspirationstreamingdownhisface；strainseverynervetomakeheaduponhispursuers；andastheyfollowonhistrack，andgainuponhimeveryinstant，theyhailhisdecreasingstrengthwithjoy。‘Stopthief！’Ay，stophimforGod'ssake，wereitonlyinmercy！
Stoppedatlast！Acleverblow。Heisdownuponthepavement；andthecrowdeagerlygatherroundhim：eachnewcomer，jostlingandstrugglingwiththeotherstocatchaglimpse。‘Standaside！’‘Givehimalittleair！‘‘Nonsense！hedon'tdeserveit。’’Where'sthegentleman？‘‘Herehisis，comingdownthestreet。’‘Makeroomthereforthegentleman！‘‘Isthistheboy，sir！’‘Yes。‘
Oliverlay，coveredwithmudanddust，andbleedingfromthemouth，lookingwildlyroundupontheheapoffacesthatsurroundedhim，whentheoldgentlemanwasofficiouslydraggedandpushedintothecirclebytheforemostofthepursuers。
'Yes，’saidthegentleman，‘Iamafraiditistheboy。’
‘Afraid！’murmuredthecrowd。‘That'sagood'un！‘
‘Poorfellow！’saidthegentleman，'hehashurthimself。’
‘_I_didthat，sir，’saidagreatlubberlyfellow，steppingforward；'andpreciouslyIcutmyknuckleagin’hismouth。Istoppedhim，sir。‘
Thefollowtouchedhishatwithagrin，expectingsomethingforhispains；but，theoldgentleman，eyeinghimwithanexpressionofdislike，lookanxiouslyround，asifhecontemplatedrunningawayhimself：whichitisverypossiblehemighthaveattemptedtodo，andthushaveaffordedanotherchase，hadnotapoliceofficer（whoisgenerallythelastpersontoarriveinsuchcases）atthatmomentmadehiswaythroughthecrowd，andseizedOliverbythecollar。
‘Come，getup，’saidtheman，roughly。
'Itwasn'tmeindeed，sir。Indeed，indeed，itwastwootherboys，’saidOliver，claspinghishandspassionately，andlookinground。'Theyareheresomewhere。’
‘Ohno，theyain't，’saidtheofficer。Hemeantthistobeironical，butitwastruebesides；fortheDodgerandCharleyBateshadfiledoffdownthefirstconvenientcourttheycameto。
‘Come，getup！’
‘Don'thurthim，’saidtheoldgentleman，compassionately。
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