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OLIVER‘SDESTINYCONTINUINGUNPROPITIOUS，BRINGSAGREATMANTOLONDONTOINJUREHISREPUTATION
Itisthecustomonthestage，inallgoodmurderousmelodramas，topresentthetragicandthecomicscenes，inasregularalternation，asthelayersofredandwhiteinasideofstreakybacon。Theherosinksuponhisstrawbed，weigheddownbyfettersandmisfortunes；inthenextscene，hisfaithfulbutunconscioussquireregalestheaudiencewithacomicsong。Webehold，withthrobbingbosoms，theheroineinthegraspofaproudandruthlessbaron：hervirtueandherlifealikeindanger，drawingforthherdaggertopreservetheoneatthecostoftheother；andjustasourexpectationsarewroughtuptothehighestpitch，awhistleisheard，andwearestraightwaytransportedtothegreathallofthecastle；whereagrey-headedseneschalsingsafunnychoruswithafunnierbodyofvassals，whoarefreeofallsortsofplaces，fromchurchvaultstopalaces，androamaboutincompany，carollingperpetually。
Suchchangesappearabsurd；buttheyarenotsounnaturalastheywouldseematfirstsight。Thetransitionsinreallifefromwell-spreadboardstodeath-beds，andfrommourning-weedstoholidaygarments，arenotawhitlessstartling；only，there，wearebusyactors，insteadofpassivelookers-on，whichmakesavastdifference。Theactorsinthemimiclifeofthetheatre，areblindtoviolenttransitionsandabruptimpulsesofpassionorfeeling，which，presentedbeforetheeyesofmerespectators，areatoncecondemnedasoutrageousandpreposterous。
Assuddenshiftingsofthescene，andrapidchangesoftimeandplace，arenotonlysanctionedinbooksbylongusage，butarebymanyconsideredasthegreatartofauthorship：anauthor'sskillinhiscraftbeing，bysuchcritics，chieflyestimatedwithrelationtothedilemmasinwhichheleaveshischaractersattheendofevery
chapter：thisbriefintroductiontothepresentonemayperhapsbedeemedunnecessary。Ifso，letitbeconsideredadelicateintimationonthepartofthehistorianthatheisgoingbacktothetowninwhichOliverTwistwasborn；thereadertakingitforgrantedthattherearegoodandsubstantialreasonsformakingthejourney，orhewouldnotbeinvitedtoproceeduponsuchanexpedition。
Mr。Bumbleemergedatearlymorningfromtheworkhouse-gate，andwalkedwithportlycarriageandcommandingsteps，uptheHighStreet。Hewasinthefullbloomandprideofbeadlehood；hiscockedhatandcoatweredazzlinginthemorningsun；heclutchedhiscanewiththevigoroustenacityofhealthandpower。Mr。Bumblealwayscarriedhisheadhigh；butthismorningitwashigherthanusual。Therewasanabstractioninhiseye，anelevationinhisair，whichmighthavewarnedanobservantstrangerthatthoughtswerepassinginthebeadle'smind，toogreatforutterance。
Mr。Bumblestoppednottoconversewiththesmallshopkeepersandotherswhospoketohim，deferentially，ashepassedalong。Hemerelyreturnedtheirsalutationswithawaveofhishand，andrelaxednotinhisdignifiedpace，untilhereachedthefarmwhereMrs。Manntendedtheinfantpauperswithparochialcare。
‘Dratthatbeadle！’saidMrs。Mann，hearingthewell-knownshakingatthegarden-gate。‘Ifitisn'thimatthistimeinthemorning！Lauk，Mr。Bumble，onlythinkofitsbeingyou！Well，dearme，itISapleasure，thisis！Comeintotheparlour，sir，please。’
ThefirstsentencewasaddressedtoSusan；andtheexclamationsofdelightwereutteredtoMr。Bumble：asthegoodladyunlockedthegarden-gate：andshowedhim，withgreatattentionandrespect，intothehouse。
‘Mrs。Mann，’saidMr。Bumble；notsittingupon，ordroppinghimselfintoaseat，asanycommonjackanapeswould：butlettinghimselfgraduallyandslowlydownintoachair；‘Mrs。Mann，ma'am，goodmorning。’
‘Well，andgoodmorningto_you_，sir，’repliedMrs。Mann，withmanysmiles；‘andhopingyoufindyourselfwell，sir！’
‘So-so，Mrs。Mann，’repliedthebeadle。‘Aporochiallifeisnotabedofroses，Mrs。Mann。’
‘Ah，thatitisn'tindeed，Mr。Bumble，’rejoinedthelady。Andalltheinfantpaupersmighthavechorussedtherejoinderwithgreatpropriety，iftheyhadheardit。
‘Aporochiallife，ma'am，’continuedMr。Bumble，strikingthetablewithhiscane，‘isalifeofworrit，andvexation，andhardihood；butallpubliccharacters，asImaysay，mustsufferprosecution。’
Mrs。Mann，notverywellknowingwhatthebeadlemeant，raisedherhandswithalookofsympathy，andsighed。
‘Ah！Youmaywellsigh，Mrs。Mann！’saidthebeadle。
Findingshehaddoneright，Mrs。Mannsighedagain：evidentlytothesatisfactionofthepubliccharacter：who，repressingacomplacentsmilebylookingsternlyathiscockedhat，said，
‘Mrs。Mann，IamgoingtoLondon。’
‘Lauk，Mr。Bumble！’criedMrs。Mann，startingback。
‘ToLondon，ma'am，’resumedtheinflexiblebeadle，‘bycoach。Iandtwopaupers，Mrs。Mann！Alegalactionisacomingon，aboutasettlement；andtheboardhasappointedme--me，Mrs。Mann--todisposetothematterbeforethequarter-sessionsatClerkinwell。
AndIverymuchquestion，‘addedMr。Bumble，drawinghimselfup，’whethertheClerkinwellSessionswillnotfindthemselvesinthewrongboxbeforetheyhavedonewithme。‘
‘Oh！youmustn'tbetooharduponthem，sir，’saidMrs。Mann，coaxingly。
‘TheClerkinwellSessionshavebroughtituponthemselves，ma'am，’repliedMr。Bumble；‘andiftheClerkinwellSessionsfindthattheycomeoffratherworsethantheyexpected，theClerkinwellSessionshaveonlythemselvestothank。’
TherewassomuchdeterminationanddepthofpurposeaboutthemenacingmannerinwhichMr。Bumbledeliveredhimselfofthesewords，thatMrs。Mannappearedquiteawedbythem。Atlengthshesaid，
‘You'regoingbycoach，sir？Ithoughtitwasalwaysusualtosendthempaupersincarts。’
‘That'swhenthey'reill，Mrs。Mann，’saidthebeadle。‘Weputthesickpaupersintoopencartsintherainyweather，topreventtheirtakingcold。’
‘Oh！’saidMrs。Mann。
‘Theoppositioncoachcontractsforthesetwo；andtakesthemcheap，’saidMr。Bumble。‘Theyarebothinaverylowstate，andwefinditwouldcometwopoundcheapertomove’emthantobury‘em--thatis，ifwecanthrow’emuponanotherparish，whichIthinkweshallbeabletodo，iftheydon'tdieupontheroadtospiteus。Ha！ha！ha！‘
WhenMr。Bumblehadlaughedalittlewhile，hiseyesagainencounteredthecockedhat；andhebecamegrave。
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