Chapter 6

英查尔斯狄更斯提示您：看后求收藏（阅读阁yueduge.cc），接着再看更方便。

OLIVER，BEINGGOADEDBYTHETAUNTSOFNOAH，ROUSESINTOACTION，ANDRATHERASTONISHESHIM

Themonth'strialover，Oliverwasformallyapprenticed。Itwasanicesicklyseasonjustatthistime。Incommercialphrase，coffinswerelookingup；and，inthecourseofafewweeks，Oliveracquiredagreatdealofexperience。ThesuccessofMr。Sowerberry'singeniousspeculation，exceededevenhismostsanguinehopes。Theoldestinhabitantsrecollectednoperiodatwhichmeasleshadbeensoprevalent，orsofataltoinfantexistence；andmanywerethemournfulprocessionswhichlittleOliverheaded，inahat-bandreachingdowntohisknees，totheindescribableadmirationandemotionofallthemothersinthetown。AsOliveraccompaniedhismasterinmostofhis*****expeditionstoo，inorderthathemightacquirethatequanimityofdemeanourandfullcommandofnervewhichwasessentialtoafinishedundertaker，hehadmanyopportunitiesofobservingthebeautifulresignationandfortitudewithwhichsomestrong-mindedpeoplebeartheirtrialsandlosses。

Forinstance；whenSowerberryhadanorderfortheburialofsomericholdladyorgentleman，whowassurroundedbyagreatnumberofnephewsandnieces，whohadbeenperfectlyinconsolableduringthepreviousillness，andwhosegriefhadbeenwhollyirrepressibleevenonthemostpublicoccasions，theywouldbeashappyamongthemselvesasneedbe--quitecheerfulandcontented--conversingtogetherwithasmuchfreedomandgaiety，asifnothingwhateverhadhappenedtodisturbthem。Husbands，too，borethelossoftheirwiveswiththemostheroiccalmness。Wives，again，putonweedsfortheirhusbands，asif，sofarfromgrievinginthegarbofsorrow，theyhadmadeuptheirmindstorenderitasbecomingandattractiveaspossible。Itwasobservable，too，thatladiesandgentlemenwhowereinpassionsofanguishduringtheceremonyofinterment，recoveredalmostassoonastheyreachedhome，andbecamequitecomposedbeforethetea-drinkingwasover。Allthiswasverypleasantandimprovingtosee；andOliverbehelditwithgreatadmiration。

ThatOliverTwistwasmovedtoresignationbytheexampleofthesegoodpeople，Icannot，althoughIamhisbiographer，undertaketoaffirmwithanydegreeofconfidence；butIcanmostdistinctlysay，thatformanymonthshecontinuedmeeklytosubmittothedominationandill-treatmentofNoahClaypole：whousedhimfarworsethanbefore，nowthathisjealousywasrousedbyseeingthenewboypromotedtotheblackstickandhatband，whilehe，theoldone，remainedstationaryinthemuffin-capandleathers。Charlottetreatedhimill，becauseNoahdid；andMrs。Sowerberrywashisdecidedenemy，becauseMr。Sowerberrywasdisposedtobehisfriend；so，betweenthesethreeononeside，andaglutoffuneralsontheother，Oliverwasnotaltogetherascomfortableasthehungrypigwas，whenhewasshutup，bymistake，inthegraindepartmentofabrewery。

Andnow，IcometoaveryimportantpassageinOliver'shistory；forIhavetorecordanact，slightandunimportantperhapsinappearance，butwhichindirectlyproducedamaterialchangeinallhisfutureprospectsandproceedings。

Oneday，OliverandNoahhaddescendedintothekitchenattheusualdinner-hour，tobanquetuponasmalljointofmutton--apoundandahalfoftheworstendoftheneck--whenCharlottebeingcalledoutoftheway，thereensuedabriefintervaloftime，whichNoahClaypole，beinghungryandvicious，consideredhecouldnotpossiblydevotetoaworthierpurposethanaggravatingandtantalisingyoungOliverTwist。

Intentuponthisinnocentamusement，Noahputhisfeetonthetable-cloth；andpulledOliver'shair；andtwitchedhisears；andexpressedhisopinionthathewasa‘sneak’；andfurthermoreannouncedhisintentionofcomingtoseehimhanged，wheneverthatdesirableeventshouldtakeplace；andentereduponvarioustopicsofpettyannoyance，likeamaliciousandill-conditionedcharity-boyashewas。But，makingOlivercry，Noahattemptedtobemorefacetiousstill；andinhisattempt，didwhatmanysometimesdotothisday，whentheywanttobefunny。Hegotratherpersonal。

‘Work'us，’saidNoah，‘how'syourmother？’

‘She'sdead，’repliedOliver；‘don'tyousayanythingabouthertome！’

Oliver'scolourroseashesaidthis；hebreathedquickly；andtherewasacuriousworkingofthemouthandnostrils，whichMr。Claypolethoughtmustbetheimmediateprecursorofaviolentfitofcrying。Underthisimpressionhereturnedtothecharge。

‘Whatdidshedieof，Work'us？’saidNoah。

‘Ofabrokenheart，someofouroldnursestoldme，’repliedOliver：moreasifheweretalkingtohimself，thanansweringNoah。‘IthinkIknowwhatitmustbetodieofthat！’

‘Tolderollollol，rightfollairy，Work'us，’saidNoah，asatearrolleddownOliver'scheek。‘What'ssetyouasnivellingnow？’

‘Not_you_，’repliedOliver，sharply。‘There；that'senough。Don'tsayanythingmoretomeabouther；you'dbetternot！’

‘Betternot！’exclaimedNoah。‘Well！Betternot！Work'us，don'tbeimpudent。_Your_mother，too！Shewasanice’unshewas。Oh，Lor！‘Andhere，Noahnoddedhisheadexpressively；andcurledupasmuchofhissmallrednoseasmuscularactioncouldcollecttogether，fortheoccasion。

‘Yerknow，Work'us，’continuedNoah，emboldenedbyOliver'ssilence，andspeakinginajeeringtoneofaffectedpity：ofalltonesthemostannoying：‘Yerknow，Work'us，itcan'tbehelpednow；andofcourseyercouldn'thelpitthen；andIamverysorryforit；andI'msureweallare，andpityyerverymuch。Butyermustknow，Work'us，yermotherwasaregularright-downbad’un。‘

‘Whatdidyousay？’inquiredOliver，lookingupveryquickly。

‘Aregularright-downbad’un，Work'us，‘repliedNoah，coolly。’Andit'sagreatdealbetter，Work'us，thatshediedwhenshedid，orelseshe'dhavebeenhardlabouringinBridewell，ortransported，orhung；whichismorelikelythaneither，isn'tit？‘

Crimsonwithfury，Oliverstartedup；overthrewthechairandtable；seizedNoahbythethroat；shookhim，intheviolenceofhisrage，tillhisteethchatteredinhishead；andcollectinghiswholeforceintooneheavyblow，felledhimtotheground。

Aminuteago，theboyhadlookedthequietchild，mild，dejectedcreaturethatharshtreatmenthadmadehim。Buthisspiritwasrousedatlast；thecruelinsulttohisdeadmotherhadsethisbloodonfire。Hisbreastheaved；hisattitudewaserect；hiseyebrightandvivid；hiswholepersonchanged，ashestoodglaringoverthecowardlytormentorwhonowlaycrouchingathisfeet；anddefiedhimwithanenergyhehadneverknownbefore。

‘He'llmurderme！’blubberedNoah。‘Charlotte！missis！Here'sthenewboyamurderingofme！Help！help！Oliver'sgonemad！Char--lotte！’

Noah'sshoutswererespondedto，byaloudscreamfromCharlotte，andalouderfromMrs。Sowerberry；theformerofwhomrushedintothekitchenbyaside-door，whilethelatterpausedonthestaircasetillshewasquitecertainthatitwasconsistentwiththepreservationofhumanlife，tocomefurtherdown。

‘Oh，youlittlewretch！’screamedCharlotte：seizingOliverwithherutmostforce，whichwasaboutequaltothatofamoderatelystrongmaninparticularlygoodtraining。‘Oh，youlittleun-grate-ful，mur-de-rous，hor-ridvillain！’Andbetweeneverysyllable，CharlottegaveOliverablowwithallhermight：accompanyingitwithascream，forthebenefitofsociety。

Charlotte'sfistwasbynomeansalightone；but，lestitshouldnotbeeffectualincalmingOliver'swrath，Mrs。Sowerberryplungedintothekitchen，andassistedtoholdhimwithonehand，whileshescratchedhisfacewiththeother。Inthisfavourablepositionofaffairs，Noahrosefromtheground，andpommelledhimbehind。

Thiswasrathertooviolentexercisetolastlong。Whentheywereallweariedout，andcouldtearandbeatnolonger，theydraggedOliver，strugglingandshouting，butnothingdaunted，intothedust-cellar，andtherelockedhimup。Thisbeingdone，Mrs。Sowerberrysunkintoachair，andburstintotears。

‘Blessher，she'sgoingoff！’saidCharlotte。‘Aglassofwater，Noah，dear。Makehaste！’

‘Oh！Charlotte，’saidMrs。Sowerberry：speakingaswellasshecould，throughadeficiencyofbreath，andasufficiencyofcoldwater，whichNoahhadpouredoverherheadandshoulders。‘Oh！Charlotte，whatamercywehavenotallbeenmurderedinourbeds！’

‘Ah！mercyindeed，ma'am，’wasthereply。Ionlyhopethis'llteachmasternottohaveanymoreofthesedreadfulcreatures，thatareborntobemurderersandrobbersfromtheirverycradle。PoorNoah！Hewasallbutkilled，ma'am，whenIcomein。‘

‘Poorfellow！’saidMrs。Sowerberry：lookingpiteouslyonthecharity-boy。

Noah，whosetopwaistcoat-buttonmighthavebeensomewhereonalevelwiththecrownofOliver'shead，rubbedhiseyeswiththeinsideofhiswristswhilethiscommiserationwasbestoweduponhim，andperformedsomeaffectingtearsandsniffs。

‘What'stobedone！’exclaimedMrs。Sowerberry。‘Yourmaster'snotathome；there'snotamaninthehouse，andhe'llkickthatdoordownintenminutes。’Oliver'svigorousplungesagainstthebitoftimberinquestion，renderedthisoccurancehighlyprobable。

‘Dear，dear！Idon'tknow，ma'am，’saidCharlotte，‘unlesswesendforthepolice-officers。’

‘Orthemillingtary，’suggestedMr。Claypole。

‘No，no，’saidMrs。Sowerberry：bethinkingherselfofOliver'soldfriend。‘RuntoMr。Bumble，Noah，andtellhimtocomeheredirectly，andnottoloseaminute；nevermindyourcap！Makehaste！Youcanholdaknifetothatblackeye，asyourunalong。It'llkeeptheswellingdown。’

Noahstoppedtomakenoreply，butstartedoffathisfullestspeed；andverymuchitastonishedthepeoplewhowereoutwalking，toseeacharity-boytearingthroughthestreetspell-mell，withnocaponhishead，andaclasp-knifeathiseye。

诺亚吓了一大跳。