CHAPTER II. TREATS OF OLIVER TWIST’S GROWTH, EDUCATION, AND BOARD

ard,”saidBumble.Oliverbrushedawaytwoorthreetearsthatwerelingeringinhiseyesandseeingnoboardbutthetable,fortunatelybowedtothat. “What’syourname,boy?”saidthegentlemaninthehighchair. Oliverwasfrightenedatthesightofsomanygentlemen,whichmadehimtremble:andthebeadlegavehimanothertapbehind,whichmadehimcry.Thesetwocausesmadehimanswerinaverylowandhesitatingvoicewhereuponagentlemaninawhitewaistcoatsaidhewasafool.Whichwasacapitalwayofraisinghisspirits,andputtinghimquiteathisease. “Boy,”saidthegentlemaninthehighchair,“listentome.Youknowyou’reanorphan,Isuppose?” “What’sthat,sir?”inquiredpoorOliver. “Theboyisafool—Ithoughthewas,”saidthegentlemaninthewhitewaistcoat. “Hush!”saidthegentlemanwhohadspokenfirst.“Youknowyou’vegotnofatherormother,andthatyouwerebroughtupbytheparish,don’tyou?” “Yes,sir,”repliedOliver,weepingbitterly. “Whatareyoucryingfor?”inquiredthegentlemaninthewhitewaistcoat.Andtobesureitwasveryextraordinary.Whatcouldtheboybecryingfor? “Ihopeyousayyourprayerseverynight,”saidanothergentlemaninagruffvoice“andprayforthepeoplewhofeedyou,andtakecareofyou—likeaChristian.” “Yes,sir,”stammeredtheboy.Thegentlemanwhospokelastwasunconsciouslyright.ItwouldhavebeenverylikeaChristian,andamarvellouslygoodChristiantoo,ifOliverhadprayedforthepeoplewhofedandtookcareofhim.Buthehadn’t,becausenobodyhadtaughthim. “Well!Youhavecomeheretobeeducated,andtaughtausefultrade,”saidthered-facedgentlemaninthehighchair. “Soyou’llbegintopickoakumto-morrowmorningatsixo’clock,”addedthesurlyoneinthewhitewaistcoat. Forthecombinationofboththeseblessingsintheonesimpleprocessofpickingoakum,Oliverbowedlowbythedirectionofthebeadle,andwasthenhurriedawaytoalargewardwhere,onarough,hardbed,hesobbedhimselftosleep.WhatanovelillustrationofthetenderlawsofEngland!Theyletthepaupersgotosleep! PoorOliver!Helittlethought,ashelaysleepinginhappyunconsciousnessofallaroundhim,thattheboardhadthatverydayarrivedatadecisionwhichwouldexercisethemostmaterialinfluenceoverallhisfuturefortunes.Buttheyhad.Andthiswasit: Themembersofthisboardwereverysage,deep,philosophicalmenandwhentheycametoturntheirattentiontotheworkhouse,theyfoundoutatonce,whatordinaryfolkswouldneverhavediscovered—thepoorpeoplelikedit!Itwasaregularplaceofpublicentertainmentforthepoorerclassesatavernwheretherewasnothingtopayapublicbreakfast,dinner,tea,andsupperalltheyearroundabrickandmortarelysium,whereitwasallplayandnowork.“Oho!”saidtheboard,lookingveryknowing“wearethefellowstosetthistorightswe’llstopitall,innotime.”So,theyestablishedtherule,thatallpoorpeopleshouldhavethealternative(fortheywouldcompelnobody,notthey),ofbeingstarvedbyagradualprocessinthehouse,orbyaquickoneoutofit.Withthisview,theycontractedwiththewater-workstolayonanunlimitedsupplyofwaterandwithacorn-factortosupplyperiodicallysmallquantitiesofoatmealandissuedthreemealsofthingrueladay,withanoniontwiceaweek,andhalfarollofSundays.Theymadeagreatmanyotherwiseandhumaneregulations,havingreferencetotheladies,whichitisnotnecessarytorepeatkindlyundertooktodivorcepoormarriedpeople,inconsequenceofthegreatexpenseofasuitinDoctors’Commonsand,insteadofcompellingamantosupporthisfamily,astheyhadtheretoforedone,tookhisfamilyawayfromhim,andmadehimabachelor!Thereisnosayinghowmanyapplicantsforrelief,undertheselasttwoheads,mighthavestartedupinallclassesofsociety,ifithadnotbeencoupledwiththeworkhousebuttheboardwerelong-headedmen,andhadprovidedforthisdifficulty.Thereliefwasinseparablefromtheworkhouseandthegruelandthatfrightenedpeople. ForthefirstsixmonthsafterOliverTwistwasremoved,thesystemwasinfulloperation.Itwasratherexpensiveatfirst,inconsequenceoftheincreaseintheundertaker’sbill,andthenecessityoftakingintheclothesofallthepaupers,whichf