# ■ 1 Oliver's early life

Oliver Twist was born in a workhouse，and when he arrived in this hard world，it was very doubtful whether he would live beyond the first three minutes．He lay on a hard little bed and struggled to start breathing．

Oliver fought his first battle without much assistance from the two people present at his birth．One was an old woman，who was nearly always drunk， and the other was a busy local doctor，who was not paid enough to be very interested in Oliver's survival． After all，death was a common event in the workhouse，where only the poor and homeless lived．

However，Oliver managed to draw his first breath，and the n announced his arrival to the rest of the workhouse by crying loudly．His mother raised her pale young face from the pillow and whispered， 'Let me see the child， and die．'

The doctor turned away from the fire， where he had been warming his hands． 'You must not talk about dying yet，'he said to her kindly．He gave her the child to hold．Lovingly，she kissed the baby on its forehead with her cold white lips，the n stared wildly around the room，fell back-and died. 'Poor dear！'said the nurse，hurriedly putting a green glass bottle back in the pocket of her long skirt.

The doctor began to put on his coat． 'The baby is weak and will probably have difficulties，' he said． 'If so， give it a little milk to keep it quiet．'The n he looked at the dead woman. 'The mother was a good－looking girl．Where did she come from？'

She was brought here last night，'replied the old woman. 'She was found lying in the street. She'd walked some distance，judging by her shoes，which were worn to pieces．Where she came from，where she was going to，or what her name was，nobody knows.'

The doctor lifted the girl's left hand. 'The old story，'he said sadly，shaking his head． 'No wedding ring， I see．Ah！Good night.'

And so Oliver was left with only the drunken nurse．Without clothe s，under his first blanket， he could have been the child of a king or a beggar．But when the woman dressed him later in rough cotton clothe s， yellow with age，he looked exactly what he was - an orphan in a workhouse， ready for a life of misery，hunger， and neglect.

Oliver cried loudly．If he could have known that he was a workhouse orphan， perhaps he would have cried even more loudly.

The re was no one to look after the baby in the workhouse，so Oliver was sent to a special 'baby farm' nearby. The re，he and thirty other children rolled around the floor all day，without the inconvenience of too much food or too much clothing. Mrs Mann，the old woman who 'looked after' them， was very experienced．She knew what was good for children，and a full stomach was very dangerous to their health. She also knew what was good for herself， so she kept for her own use the money that she was given for the children's food．The board responsible for the orphans sometimes checked on the health of the children， but They always sent the beadle，a kind of local policeman，to announce their visit the day before．So whenever the board arrived， of course，the children were always neat and clean．

This was the way Oliver was brought up. Consequently， at the age of nine he was a pale，thin child and short for his age．But despite frequent beatings by Mrs Mann， his spirit was strong， which was probably the reason why he managed to reach the age of nine at all．

On Oliver's ninth birthday， Mr Bumble the beadle came to the house to see Mrs Mann．Through the front window Mrs Mann saw him at the gate， and turned quickly to the girl who worked with her．

Quick！Take Oliver and those others upstairs to be washed！'she said．The n she ran out to unlock the gate．（It was always kept locked to prevent official visitors walking in unexpectedly．）

I have business to talk about，'Mr Bumble told Mrs Mann as he entered the house．He was a big fat man， often bad-tempered， and was full of self-importance. He did not like to be kept waiting at a locked gate.

Mrs Mann took his hat and coat， placed a chair for him，and expressed great concern for his comfort． 'You've had a long walk，Mr Bumble' she said， 'and you must be thirsty．'She took out a bottle from the cupboard．

No， thank you， Mrs Mann. Not a drop．'He waved the bottle away．

Just a little drop， Mr Bumble， with cold water，' said Mrs Mann persuasively．

Mr Bumble coughed． 'What is it？' he asked， looking at the bottle with interest．

Gin．I keep it for the children's medicine drink.'

You give the children gin，Mrs Mann？'asked Mr Bumble，watching as she mixed his drink．

Only with medicine， sir． I don't like to see the m suffer．'

You're a good woman， Mrs Mann．' Mr Bumble drank half his glass immediately． 'I'll tell the board about you．Now - the reason why I'm here． Oliver Twist is nine years old today． We've never been able to discover anything about his parents.'

The n how did he get his name？'

I gave it to him，'said Mr Bumble proudly． 'We follow the alphabet．The last one was an S-Swubble． The n it was T， so this one is Twist． The next one will be Unwin．Anyway，Oliver Twist is now old enough to return to the workhouse． Bring him here， please．' While Mrs Mann went to get him， Mr Bumble finished the rest of his gin．

Oliver， his face and hands now almost clean， was led into the room.

Will you come along with me，Oliver？'asked Mr Bumble in a loud voice．

Oliver was very glad to be free of Mrs Mann's violence， but he said nothing because she was angrily shaking her finger at him．However，as the gate closed behind Oliver，he burst into tears. He was leaving behind the other children， the only friends he had，and he realized at that moment how lonely he was in the world.

Mr Bumble walked on with long steps，with Oliver on his short little legs running beside him．The feeling of contentment produced by gin－and－water had now disappeared，and the beadle was in a bad mood once more．

Back at the workhouse， Oliver was taken to see the board. He stood in front of ten fat men who were sitting around a table．

What's your name， boy？' asked a particularly fat man with a very round， red face．

Oliver was frightened at the sight of so many people， and started to cry.

Why are you crying？'

The beadle hit him on the back，and so naturally Oliver cried even more.

The boy is a fool，'one member of the board announced.

You know you have no father or mother，'said the first man， 'and that you have been brought up with other orphans？'

Yes， sir，'replied Oliver， crying bitterly．

Why is the boy crying？'repeated the other man， puzzled．

You have come here to be educated，'continued the fat man， 'so you will start working here tomorrow at six o'clock．'

Oliver was led away to a large room， where，on a rough hard bed，he cried himself to sleep．

The room in the workhouse where the boys were fed was a large stone hall，and at one end the master and two women served the food．This consisted of a bowl of thin soup three times a day， with a piece of bread on Sundays．The boys ate everything and were always hungry．The bowls never needed washing．The boys polished the m with their spoons until They shone．After three months of this slow starvation，one of the boys told the others he was so hungry that one night he might eat the boy who slept next to him．He had a wild hungry eye，and the other boys believed him．After a long discussion，They decided that one of the m should ask for more food after supper that evening，and Oliver was chosen．

The evening arrived；the soup was served，and the bowls were empty again in a few seconds．Oliver went up to the master，with his bowl in his hand．He felt very frightened，but also desperate with hunger．

Please，sir，I want some more．'

The master was a fat，healthy man， but he turned very pale. He looked at the little boy in front of him with amazement．Nobody else spoke．

What？' he asked at last， in a faint voice．

Please， sir，' replied Oliver， 'I want some more.'

The master hit him with the serving spoon，the n seized Oliver's arms and shouted for the beadle．The beadle came quickly，heard the dreadful news，and immediately ran to tell the board．

He asked for more？' Mr Limbkins，the fattest board member， asked in horror． 'Bumble - is this really true？'

That boy will be hanged！' said the man who earlier had called Oliver a fool． 'You see if I'm not right．'

Oliver was led away to be locked up，and a reward was offered to anybody who would take him away and use him for work.

1 奧利弗的童年

奧利弗·特威斯特出生在一家濟貧院裡，他來到這個艱難的人世的那一刻，是否能活過三分鐘都是很難說的。他躺在一張小硬板床上，掙扎著開始呼吸。

他出生時在場的兩個人沒有給他什麼幫助，這使得奧利弗要獨自承當他的第一場戰鬥。其中一個是位老婦人，她幾乎總是喝得醉醺醺的；另一個則是當地一位忙碌的醫生，這位醫生沒有得到足夠的報酬，所以對奧利弗能否活下來並不很在意。在濟貧院這個只有窮人和無家可歸的人待的地方，死亡畢竟是一件非常平常的事。

不管怎樣，奧利弗總算盡力吸進了第一口氣，然後，他以響亮的哭聲向濟貧院裡其他的人宣告自己的到來。他的母親從枕頭上抬起了年輕而蒼白的臉，用微弱的聲音說：“讓我看一眼孩子，我就可以死了。”

正在火爐上烤手取暖的醫生轉過身來，好心地對她說：“別說什麼死不死的了。”他把孩子遞過去讓她抱在懷裡。她用冰冷而毫無血色的嘴脣憐愛地在孩子的額頭上親了一下，然後急切地在屋裡四處環顧一圈，便向後倒去，嚥了氣。

“可憐的東西！”老看護說著，急忙將一個綠色的小玻璃瓶揣回長裙子的兜裡。

這時醫生開始穿外衣。“這孩子太弱，恐怕會有麻煩，”他說，“如果真是這樣，給他喂點牛奶，好讓他別哭。”然後，他又轉過臉看了一眼死去的女人，說：“這母親長得還挺漂亮。她是從哪兒來的？”

“她是昨天夜裡被送到這兒來的，”老婦人回答道。“她倒在馬路上，被人發現了。她腳上那雙鞋子已經磨得破破爛爛的了，由此可以看出她是從很遠的地方來的。她從哪兒來，要到哪兒去，叫什麼名字，沒人知道。”

醫生拉起那年輕女人的左手，搖搖頭，傷心地說：“又是老一套。沒有結婚戒指，果然如此。唉！晚安。”

奧利弗就這樣被留下了，由那位醉醺醺的看護一個人看著。他光著身子，裹在畢生第一塊毯子裡，既可以是國王的兒子，也可以是乞丐的兒子。可後來老婦人給他穿上了由於年頭太久而發了黃的粗棉布衣服，這時，他看上去和他的身份完全一致了——一個濟貧院的孤兒，準備好了去過一種充滿苦難、飢餓和忽視的生活。

奧利弗大聲哭著。假如他已經知道自己是一個濟貧院的孤兒，他可能會哭得更響些。

在濟貧院裡沒有專人照顧嬰兒，所以奧利弗被送進了附近一家專門的“育嬰堂”。在這裡，奧利弗與其他三十多個孩子每天在地上滾爬著，沒有過多的衣物和食物來麻煩他們。曼太太“照顧”著這些孩子，這老女人非常有經驗。她知道什麼對孩子們有好處，知道吃飽肚子對孩子們的身體是非常有害的。同時她也知道什麼對她自己有好處，於是她把人家給孩子們的伙食費都留給自己。負責孤兒事務的地方董事會有時會來檢查孩子們的健康狀況，可他們往往在前一天派執事去通告他們要來訪問，執事是一種地方警察。所以，無論他們什麼時候來，孩子們準是個個頭淨腳淨的。

奧利弗就是這樣長大的，因此，他到了九歲時，還非常蒼白瘦小，比同齡孩子矮一大截。儘管常常遭到曼太太的毒打，他的意志卻很堅強。這大概也是他竟然能活到九歲的緣故吧。

奧利弗九歲生日的這天，執事班布爾先生來育嬰堂看曼太太。曼太太透過樓前的窗戶看見他站在大門口，慌忙轉向和她一起幹活的女孩，說道：

“趕快！把奧利弗和其他孩子都帶到樓上洗洗！”然後她匆忙跑去開大門。（為了防止官方人員料想不及的來訪，這大門常常是鎖著的。）

“我有點事要跟你談，”班布爾先生跟曼太太說著，走進了屋子。他是個身材肥胖、脾氣暴躁、妄自尊大的人。他可不喜歡被關在門外長時間地等候。

曼太太接過了他的帽子和外衣，替他端過—把椅子，並且對他是否舒適表示了極大的關心。“班布爾先生，您大老遠地走來，一定是渴了。”她說著從櫥子裡拿出了一個瓶子。

“不，謝謝，曼太太，我一滴都不喝。”他揮手推開瓶子。

“只稍稍來一點兒，班布爾先生，這是加了冰水的，”她極力地勸說著。

班布爾先生咳嗽了一聲。“是什麼？”他問道，並饒有興趣地看著瓶子。

“杜松子酒，我這是留著給孩子們吃藥用的。”

“曼太太，你給孩子們喝杜松子酒？”班布爾先生看著她給自己兌酒，問道。

“只是吃藥的時候給他們喝上一點兒，先生。我不忍心看著他們受罪。”

“曼太太，你真是個好心的女人。”班布爾先生馬上喝下了半杯。“我會在董事會那裡替你美言的。現在言歸正傳，說說我今天來這兒的目的。奧利弗·特威斯特今天已經整整九歲了，迄今為止，我們沒有打聽到關於他父母的任何消息。”

“那麼，他是怎麼有了這個姓的？”

“這姓是我給他起的，”班布爾先生自豪地說，“我們是按照字母表的順序給他們安排姓氏的，前一個是S，叫斯瓦勃（Swubble），輪到他是字母T，所以就叫特威斯特（Twist），下一個叫恩溫（Unwin）。不管怎麼說，奧利弗已經長大了，該回到濟貧院去了。請把他帶到這兒來。”曼太太去帶奧利弗時，班布爾先生喝乾了杯子裡剩下的杜松子酒。

奧利弗手和臉差不多洗乾淨了，他被帶了進來。

“你願意跟我走嗎，奧利弗？”班布爾先生大聲問。

奧利弗特別渴望能儘早逃脫曼太太的暴虐統治，可他卻沒吭聲，因為這時她正惡狠狠地向他暗暗搖著手指頭。可是當大門在奧利弗身後關上時，他突然涕淚橫流。他就要離開其他的孩子們了，而這些孩子是他僅有的朋友，此刻，他頓時感到自己在這個世界上是多麼孤獨。

班布爾先生在前面大步流星地走著，奧利弗挪動短腿一路小跑地跟在旁邊。喝了加水的杜松子酒所產生的心滿意足的感覺這會兒已蕩然無存，這位執事的情緒又不好了。回到了濟貧院，奧利弗被帶去見董事會的人。十個體態臃腫、肥頭大耳的人圍坐在一張桌子周圍，他站在他們面前。

“小子，你叫什麼名字？”其中一個長著滾圓紅臉的特別胖的人問道。

奧利弗被眼前這麼多的人給嚇哭了。

“你哭什麼？”

執事在奧利弗的背上揍了一下，當然這一下使他哭得更厲害了。

“他是個傻子。”一位董事大聲說。

“你知道你沒有父母，是和那些孤兒一起長大的嗎？”第一位先生說。

“我知道，先生。”奧利弗傷心地回答道。

“這孩子哭什麼？”另外那位先生莫名其妙地問。

“你是到這兒來受教育的，”那個胖子接著說，“所以從明天早晨六點鐘起，你得在這兒幹活。”

奧利弗又從這兒被帶到了一間大屋子裡。他躺在屋裡一張粗糙的木板床上，哭著哭著就睡著了。

濟貧院裡男孩子們吃飯的地方是一間有石板牆石板地的大屋子，在屋子的一頭，管事的和兩位女傭負責給孩子們打飯。其實這一日三餐頓頓只是一碗稀粥，只有在星期天才加一片面包。孩子們把碗裡的東西吃得一乾二淨，還是飢腸轆轆。他們的碗根本不用刷洗。孩子們用勺子把碗颳得鋥亮。這樣緩慢的捱餓持續了三個月後，一天，一個男孩跟別的男孩子說他太餓了，沒準哪天晚上他會吃了睡在他邊上的人。他那飢餓得發狂的眼神讓別的男孩無法不相信他的話。經過長時間的商量，他們決定必須有一個人在當天晚飯後，去請求多給點兒吃的。結果，奧利弗被選中了。

天黑了，開晚飯了，沒有幾秒鐘，孩子們的碗就又一乾二淨了。奧利弗站了起來，手裡捧著碗，心驚膽戰地朝管事的走了過去。由於極度飢餓，他橫下了一條心。

“勞駕，先生。我還想要一點兒。”

管事的是一個腦滿腸肥的壯漢，但他一下子顯得大吃一驚，臉都白了。他驚訝地看著站在他面前的這個小男孩。這時屋裡鴉雀無聲。

“什麼？”他終於回過味來，用無力的聲音問道。

“勞駕，先生，”奧利弗又說了一遍，“我還想要一點兒。”

管事的用盛粥的勺子向奧利弗打去，過後又抓住他的胳膊大聲地叫喚著執事。執事馬上趕來了，得知了這件可怕的事，並立即跑去向董事會彙報。

“他想要更多的飯吃？”董事會頭號大胖子利姆金斯先生震驚地問，“班布爾——難道真是這樣嗎？”

“這孩子將來是要上絞刑架的！”起初說奧利弗是個傻子的那位先生嚷嚷著，“你就看我說得對不對吧。”

奧利弗被帶走，鎖在一間屋子裡。董事會宣佈，誰把這孩子領去幹活，誰就會得到獎賞。