OLIVERMINGLESWITHNEWASSOCIATES。GOINGTOAFUNERALFORTHEFIRSTTIME，HEFORMSANUNFAVOURABLENOTIONOFHISMASTER‘SBUSINESS
Oliver，beinglefttohimselfintheundertaker'sshop，setthelampdownonaworkman'sbench，andgazedtimidlyabouthimwithafeelingofaweanddread，whichmanypeopleagooddealolderthanhewillbeatnolosstounderstand。Anunfinishedcoffinonblacktressels，whichstoodinthemiddleoftheshop，lookedsogloomyanddeath-likethatacoldtremblecameoverhim，everytimehiseyeswanderedinthedirectionofthedismalobject：fromwhichhealmostexpectedtoseesomefrightfulformslowlyrearitshead，todrivehimmadwithterror。Againstthewallwereranged，inregulararray，alongrowofelmboardscutinthesameshape：lookinginthedimlight，likehigh-shoulderedghostswiththeirhandsintheirbreechespockets。Coffin-plates，elm-chips，bright-headednails，andshredsofblackcloth，layscatteredonthefloor；andthewallbehindthecounterwasornamentedwithalivelyrepresentationoftwomutesinverystiffneckcloths，ondutyatalargeprivatedoor，withahearsedrawnbyfourblacksteeds，approachinginthedistance。Theshopwascloseandhot。Theatmosphereseemedtaintedwiththesmellofcoffins。Therecessbeneaththecounterinwhichhisflockmattresswasthrust，lookedlikeagrave。
NorwerethesetheonlydismalfeelingswhichdepressedOliver。Hewasaloneinastrangeplace；andweallknowhowchilledanddesolatethebestofuswillsometimesfeelinsuchasituation。Theboyhadnofriendstocarefor，ortocareforhim。TheregretofnorecentseparationwasfreshinhiSMind；theabsenceofnolovedandwell-rememberedfacesankheavilyintohisheart。
Buthisheartwasheavy，notwithstanding；andhewished，ashecreptintohisnarrowbed，thatthatwerehiscoffin，andthathecouldbelaininacalmandlastingsleepinthechurchyardground，withthetallgrasswavinggentlyabovehishead，andthesoundoftheolddeepbelltosoothehiminhissleep。
Oliverwasawakenedinthemorning，byaloudkickingattheoutsideoftheshop-door：which，beforehecouldhuddleonhisclothes，wasrepeated，inanangryandimpetuouSManner，abouttwenty-fivetimes。Whenhebegantoundothechain，thelegsdesisted，andavoicebegan。
‘Openthedoor，willyer？’criedthevoicewhichbelongedtothelegswhichhadkickedatthedoor。
‘Iwill，directly，sir，’repliedOliver：undoingthechain，andturningthekey。
‘Isupposeyerthenewboy，ain'tyer？’saidthevoicethroughthekey-hole。
‘Yes，sir，’repliedOliver。
‘Howoldareyer？’inquiredthevoice。
‘Ten，sir，’repliedOliver。
‘ThenI'llwhopyerwhenIgetin，’saidthevoice；‘youjustseeifIdon't，that'sall，mywork'usbrat！’andhavingmadethisobligingpromise，thevoicebegantowhistle。
Oliverhadbeentoooftensubjectedtotheprocesstowhichtheveryexpressivemonosyllablejustrecordedbearsreference，toentertainthesmallestdoubtthattheownerofthevoice，whoeverhemightbe，wouldredeemhispledge，mosthonourably。Hedrewbacktheboltswithatremblinghand，andopenedthedoor。
Forasecondortwo，Oliverglancedupthestreet，anddownthestreet，andovertheway：impressedwiththebeliefthattheunknown，whohadaddressedhimthroughthekey-hole，hadwalkedafewpacesoff，towarmhimself；fornobodydidheseebutabigcharity-boy，sittingonapostinfrontofthehouse，eatingasliceofbreadandbutter：whichhecutintowedges，thesizeofhiSMouth，withaclasp-knife，andthenconsumedwithgreatdexterity。
‘Ibegyourpardon，sir，’saidOliveratlength：seeingthatnoothervisitormadehisappearance；‘didyouknock？’
‘Ikicked，’repliedthecharity-boy。
‘Didyouwantacoffin，sir？’inquiredOliver，innocently。
Atthis，thecharity-boylookedmonstrousfierce；andsaidthatOliverwouldwantonebeforelong，ifhecutjokeswithhissuperiorsinthatway。
‘Yerdon'tknowwhoIam，Isuppose，Work'us？’saidthecharity-boy，incontinuation：descendingfromthetopofthepost，meanwhile，withedifyinggravity。
‘No，sir，’rejoinedOliver。
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