Chapter 11（1 / 3）

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TREATSOFMR。FANGTHEPOLICEMAGISTRATE；ANDFURNISHESASLIGHTSPECIMENOFHISMODEOFADMINISTERINGJUSTICE

Theoffencehadbeencommittedwithinthedistrict，andindeedintheimmediateneighborhoodof，averynotoriousmetropolitanpoliceoffice。ThecrowdhadonlythesatisfactionofaccompanyingOliverthroughtwoorthreestreets，anddownaplacecalledMuttonHill，whenhewasledbeneathalowarchway，andupadirtycourt，intothisdispensaryofsummaryjustice，bythebackway。Itwasasmallpavedyardintowhichtheyturned；andheretheyencounteredastoutmanwithabunchofwhiskersonhisface，andabunchofkeysinhishand。

‘What'sthematternow？’saidthemancarelessly。

‘Ayoungfogle-hunter，’repliedthemanwhohadOliverincharge。

‘Areyouthepartythat'sbeenrobbed，sir？’inquiredthemanwiththekeys。

‘Yes，Iam，’repliedtheoldgentleman；‘butIamnotsurethatthisboyactuallytookthehandkerchief。I--Iwouldrathernotpressthecase。’

‘Mustgobeforethemagistratenow，sir，’repliedtheman。‘Hisworshipwillbedisengagedinhalfaminute。Now，younggallows！’

ThiswasaninvitationforOlivertoenterthroughadoorwhichheunlockedashespoke，andwhichledintoastonecell。Herehewassearched；andnothingbeingfounduponhim，lockedup。

Thiscellwasinshapeandsizesomethinglikeanareacellar，onlynotsolight。Itwasmostintolerablydirty；foritwasMondaymorning；andithadbeentenantedbysixdrunkenpeople，whohadbeenlockedup，elsewhere，sinceSaturdaynight。Butthisislittle。Inourstation-houses，menandwomenareeverynightconfinedonthemosttrivialcharges--thewordisworthnoting--indungeons，comparedwithwhich，thoseinNewgate，occupiedbythemostatrociousfelons，tried，foundguilty，andundersentenceofdeath，arepalaces。Letanyonewhodoubtsthis，comparethetwo。

TheoldgentlemanlookedalmostasruefulasOliverwhenthekeygratedinthelock。Heturnedwithasightothebook，whichhadbeentheinnocentcauseofallthisdisturbance。

‘Thereissomethinginthatboy'sface，’saidtheoldgentlemantohimselfashewalkedslowlyaway，tappinghischinwiththecoverofthebook，inathoughtfulmanner；‘somethingthattouchesandinterestsme。_Can_hebeinnocent？Helookedlike--Byethebye，’exclaimedtheoldgentleman，haltingveryabruptly，andstaringupintothesky，‘Blessmysoul！--wherehaveIseensomethinglikethatlookbefore？’

Aftermusingforsomeminutes，theoldgentlemanwalked，withthesamemeditativeface，intoabackanteroomopeningfromtheyard；andthere，retiringintoacorner，calledupbeforehismind'seyeavastamphitheatreoffacesoverwhichaduskycurtainhadhungformanyyears。‘No，’saidtheoldgentleman，shakinghishead；‘itmustbeimagination。

Hewanderedoverthemagain。Hehadcalledthemintoview，anditwasnoteasytoreplacetheshroudthathadsolongconcealedthem。Therewerethefacesoffriends，andfoes，andofmanythathadbeenalmoststrangerspeeringintrusivelyfromthecrowd；therewerethefacesofyoungandbloominggirlsthatwerenowoldwomen；therewerefacesthatthegravehadchangedandclosedupon，butwhichthemind，superiortoitspower，stilldressedintheiroldfreshnessandbeauty，callingbackthelustreoftheeyes，thebrightnessofthesmile，thebeamingofthesoulthroughitsmaskofclay，andwhisperingofbeautybeyondthetomb，changedbuttobeheightened，andtakenfromearthonlytobesetupasalight，toshedasoftandgentleglowuponthepathtoHeaven。

ButtheoldgentlemancouldrecallnoonecountenanceofwhichOliver'sfeaturesboreatrace。So，heheavedasighovertherecollectionsheawakened；andbeing，happilyforhimself，anabsentoldgentleman，buriedthemagaininthepagesofthemustybook。

Hewasrousedbyatouchontheshoulder，andarequestfromthemanwiththekeystofollowhimintotheoffice。Heclosedhisbookhastily；andwasatonceusheredintotheimposingpresenceoftherenownedMr。Fang。

Theofficewasafrontparlour，withapanelledwall。Mr。Fangsatbehindabar，attheupperend；andononesidethedoorwasasortofwoodenpeninwhichpoorlittleOliverwasalreadydeposited；tremblingverymuchattheawfulnessofthescene。

Mr。Fangwasalean，long-backed，stiff-necked，middle-sizedman，withnogreatquantityofhair，andwhathehad，growingonthebackandsidesofhishead。Hisfacewasstern，andmuchflushed。Ifhewerereallynotinthehabitofdrinkingrathermorethanwasexactlygoodforhim，hemighthavebroughtactionagainsthiscountenanceforlibel，andhaverecoveredheavydamages。

Theoldgentlemanbowedrespectfully；andadvancingtothemagistrate'sdesk，said，suitingtheactiontotheword，‘Thatismynameandaddress，sir。’Hethenwithdrewapaceortwo；and，withanotherpoliteandgentlemanlyinclinationofthehead，waitedtobequestioned。

Now，itsohappenedthatMr。Fangwasatthatmomentperusingaleadingarticleinanewspaperofthemorning，advertingtosomerecentdecisionofhis，andcommendinghim，forthethreehundredandfiftiethtime，tothespecialandparticularnoticeoftheSecretaryofStatefortheHomeDepartment。Hewasoutoftemper；andhelookedupwithanangryscowl。

‘Whoareyou？’saidMr。Fang。

Theoldgentlemanpointed，withsomesurprise，tohiscard。

‘Officer！’saidMr。Fang，tossingthecardcontemptuouslyawaywiththenewspaper。‘Whoisthisfellow？’

‘Myname，sir，’saidtheoldgentleman，speaking_like_agentleman，‘myname，sir，isBrownlow。Permitmetoinquirethenameofthemagistratewhooffersagratuitousandunprovokedinsulttoarespectableperson，undertheprotectionofthebench。’Sayingthis，Mr。Brownlowlookedaroundtheofficeasifinsearchofsomepersonwhowouldaffordhimtherequiredinformation。

‘Officer！’saidMr。Fang，throwingthepaperononeside，‘what'sthisfellowchargedwith？’

‘He'snotchargedatall，yourworship，’repliedtheofficer。‘Heappearsagainstthisboy，yourworship。’

Hisworshipknewthisperfectlywell；butitwasagoodannoyance，andasafeone。

‘Appearsagainsttheboy，doeshe？’saidMr。Fang，surveyingMr。Brownlowcontemptuouslyfromheadtofoot。‘Swearhim！’

‘BeforeIamsworn，Imustbegtosayoneword，’saidMr。Brownlow；‘andthatis，thatIreallynever，withoutactualexperience，couldhavebelieved--’

‘Holdyourtongue，sir！’saidMr。Fang，peremptorily。