Chapter 30（1 / 2）

RELATESWHATOLIVER‘SNEWVISITORSTHOUGHTOFHIM

Withmanyloquaciousassurancesthattheywouldbeagreeablysurprisedintheaspectofthecriminal，thedoctordrewtheyounglady'sarmthroughoneofhis；andofferinghisdisengagedhandtoMrs。Maylie，ledthem，withmuchceremonyandstateliness，upstairs。

‘Now，’saidthedoctor，inawhisper，ashesoftlyturnedthehandleofabedroom-door，‘letushearwhatyouthinkofhim。Hehasnotbeenshavedveryrecently，buthedon'tlookatallferociousnotwithstanding。Stop，though！Letmefirstseethatheisinvisitingorder。’

Steppingbeforethem，helookedintotheroom。Motioningthemtoadvance，heclosedthedoorwhentheyhadentered；andgentlydrewbackthecurtainsofthebed。Uponit，inlieuofthedogged，black-visagedruffiantheyhadexpectedtobehold，therelayamerechild：wornwithpainandexhaustion，andsunkintoadeepsleep。Hiswoundedarm，boundandsplinteredup，wascrosseduponhisbreast；hisheadreclinedupontheotherarm，whichwashalfhiddenbyhislonghair，asitstreamedoverthepillow。

Thehonestgentlemanheldthecurtaininhishand，andlookedon，foraminuteorso，insilence。Whilsthewaswatchingthepatientthus，theyoungerladyglidedsoftlypast，andseatingherselfinachairbythebedside，gatheredOliver'shairfromhisface。Asshestoopedoverhim，hertearsfelluponhisforehead。

Theboystirred，andsmiledinhissleep，asthoughthesemarksofpityandcompassionhadawakenedsomepleasantdreamofaloveandaffectionhehadneverknown。Thus，astrainofgentlemusic，ortheripplingofwaterinasilentplace，ortheodourofaflower，orthementionofafamiliarword，willsometimescallupsuddendimremembrancesofscenesthatneverwere，inthislife；whichvanishlikeabreath；whichsomebriefmemoryofahappierexistence，longgoneby，wouldseemtohaveawakened；whichnovoluntaryexertionofthemindcaneverrecall。

‘Whatcanthismean？’exclaimedtheelderlady。‘Thispoorchildcanneverhavebeenthepupilofrobbers！’

‘Vice，’saidthesurgeon，replacingthecurtain，‘takesupherabodeinmanytemples；andwhocansaythatafairoutsideshellnotenshrineher？’

‘Butatsoearlyanage！’urgedRose。

‘Mydearyounglady，’rejoinedthesurgeon，mournfullyshakinghishead；‘crime，likedeath，isnotconfinedtotheoldandwitheredalone。Theyoungestandfairestaretoooftenitschosenvictims。’

‘But，canyou--oh！canyoureallybelievethatthisdelicateboyhasbeenthevoluntaryassociateoftheworstoutcastsofsociety？’saidRose。

Thesurgeonshookhishead，inamannerwhichintimatedthathefeareditwasverypossible；andobservingthattheymightdisturbthepatient，ledthewayintoanadjoiningapartment。

‘Butevenifhehasbeenwicked，’pursuedRose，‘thinkhowyoungheis；thinkthathemayneverhaveknownamother'slove，orthecomfortofahome；thatill-usageandblows，orthewantofbread，mayhavedrivenhimtoherdwithmenwhohaveforcedhimtoguilt。Aunt，dearaunt，formercy'ssake，thinkofthis，beforeyouletthemdragthissickchildtoaprison，whichinanycasemustbethegraveofallhischancesofamendment。Oh！asyouloveme，andknowthatIhaveneverfeltthewantofparentsinyourgoodnessandaffection，butthatImighthavedoneso，andmighthavebeenequallyhelplessandunprotectedwiththispoorchild，havepityuponhimbeforeitistoolate！’

‘Mydearlove，’saidtheelderlady，asshefoldedtheweepinggirltoherbosom，‘doyouthinkIwouldharmahairofhishead？’

‘Oh，no！’repliedRose，eagerly。

‘No，surely，’saidtheoldlady；‘mydaysaredrawingtotheirclose：andmaymercybeshowntomeasIshowittoothers！WhatcanIdotosavehim，sir？’

‘Letmethink，ma'am，’saidthedoctor；‘letmethink。’

Mr。Losbernethrusthishandsintohispockets，andtookseveralturnsupanddowntheroom；oftenstopping，andbalancinghimselfonhistoes，andfrowningfrightfully。Aftervariousexclamationsof‘I'vegotitnow’and‘no，Ihaven't，’andasmanyrenewalsofthewalkingandfrowning，heatlengthmadeadeadhalt，andspokeasfollows：

‘IthinkifyougivemeafullandunlimitedcommissiontobullyGiles，andthatlittleboy，Brittles，Icanmanageit。Gilesisafaithfulfellowandanoldservant，Iknow；butyoucanmakeituptohiminathousandways，andrewardhimforbeingsuchagoodshotbesides。Youdon'tobjecttothat？’

‘Unlessthereissomeotherwayofpreservingthechild，’repliedMrs。Maylie。

‘Thereisnoother，’saidthedoctor。‘Noother，takemywordforit。’

‘Thenmyauntinvestsyouwithfullpower，’saidRose，smilingthroughhertears；‘butpraydon'tbeharderuponthepoorfellowsthanisindispensablynecessary。’

‘Youseemtothink，’retortedthedoctor，‘thateverybodyisdisposedtobehard-heartedto-day，exceptyourself，MissRose。Ionlyhope，forthesakeoftherisingmale***generally，thatyoumaybefoundinasvulnerableandsoft-heartedamoodbythefirsteligibleyoungfellowwhoappealstoyourcompassion；andIwishIwereayoungfellow，thatImightavailmyself，onthespot，ofsuchafavourableopportunityfordoingso，asthepresent。’

‘YouareasgreataboyaspoorBrittleshimself，’returnedRose，blushing。

‘Well，’saidthedoctor，laughingheartily，‘thatisnoverydifficultmatter。Buttoreturntothisboy。Thegreatpointofouragreementisyettocome。Hewillwakeinanhourorso，Idaresay；andalthoughIhavetoldthatthick-headedconstable-fellowdownstairsthathemusn'tbemovedorspokento，onperilofhislife，Ithinkwemayconversewithhimwithoutdanger。NowImakethisstipulation--thatIshallexaminehiminyourpresence，andthat，if，fromwhathesays，wejudge，andIcanshowtothesatisfactionofyourcoolreason，thatheisarealandthoroughbadone（whichismorethanpossible），heshallbelefttohisfate，withoutanyfartherinterferenceonmypart，atallevents。’

‘Ohno，aunt！’entreatedRose。

‘Ohyes，aunt！’saidthedoctor。‘Isisabargain？’

‘Hecannotbehardenedinvice，’saidRose；‘Itisimpossible。’

‘Verygood，’retortedthedoctor；‘thensomuchthemorereasonforaccedingtomyproposition。’

Finallythetreatywasenteredinto；andthepartiesthereuntosatdowntowait，withsomeimpatience，untilOlivershouldawake。

ThepatienceofthetwoladieswasdestinedtoundergoalongertrialthanMr。Losbernehadledthemtoexpect；forhourafterhourpassedon，andstillOliverslumberedheavily。Itwasevening，indeed，beforethekind-hearteddoctorbroughtthemtheintelligence，thathewasatlengthsufficientlyrestoredtobespokento。Theboywasveryill，hesaid，andweakfromthelossofblood；buthismindwassotroubledwithanxietytodisclosesomething，thathedeemeditbettertogivehimtheopportunity，thantoinsistuponhisremainingquietuntilnextmorning：whichheshouldotherwisehavedone。