CHAPTER IV. OLIVER, BEING OFFERED ANOTHER PLACE, MAKES HIS FIRST ENTRY INTO PUBLIC LIFE

Ingreatfamilies,whenanadvantageousplacecannotbeobtained,eitherinpossession,reversion,remainder,orexpectancy,fortheyoungmanwhoisgrowingup,itisaverygeneralcustomtosendhimtosea.Theboard,inimitationofsowiseandsalutaryanexample,tookcounseltogetherontheexpediencyofshippingoffOliverTwist,insomesmalltradingvesselboundtoagoodunhealthyport.Thissuggesteditselfastheverybestthingthatcouldpossiblybedonewithhim:theprobabilitybeing,thattheskipperwouldfloghimtodeath,inaplayfulmood,somedayafterdinner,orwouldknockhisbrainsoutwithanironbarbothpastimesbeing,asisprettygenerallyknown,veryfavouriteandcommonrecreationsamonggentlemanofthatclass.Themorethecasepresenteditselftotheboard,inthispointofview,themoremanifoldtheadvantagesofthestepappearedso,theycametotheconclusionthattheonlywayofprovidingforOlivereffectually,wastosendhimtoseawithoutdelay. Mr.Bumblehadbeendespatchedtomakevariouspreliminaryinquiries,withtheviewoffindingoutsomecaptainorotherwhowantedacabin-boywithoutanyfriendsandwasreturningtotheworkhousetocommunicatetheresultofhismissionwhenheencounteredatthegate,nolessapersonthanMr.Sowerberry,theparochialundertaker. Mr.Sowerberrywasatallgaunt,large-jointedman,attiredinasuitofthreadbareblack,withdarnedcottonstockingsofthesamecolour,andshoestoanswer.Hisfeatureswerenotnaturallyintendedtowearasmilingaspect,buthewasingeneralrathergiventoprofessionaljocosity.Hisstepwaselastic,andhisfacebetokenedinwardpleasantry,asheadvancedtoMr.Bumble,andshookhimcordiallybythehand. “Ihavetakenthemeasureofthetwowomenthatdiedlastnight,Mr.Bumble,”saidtheundertaker. “You’llmakeyourfortune,Mr.Sowerberry,”saidthebeadle,ashethrusthisthumbandforefingerintotheprofferedsnuff-boxoftheundertaker:whichwasaningeniouslittlemodelofapatentcoffin.“Isayyou’llmakeyourfortune,Mr.Sowerberry,”repeatedMr.Bumble,tappingtheundertakerontheshoulder,inafriendlymanner,withhiscane. “Thinkso?”saidtheundertakerinatonewhichhalfadmittedandhalfdisputedtheprobabilityoftheevent.“Thepricesallowedbytheboardareverysmall,Mr.Bumble.” “Soarethecoffins,”repliedthebeadle:withpreciselyasnearanapproachtoalaughasagreatofficialoughttoindulgein. Mr.Sowerberrywasmuchtickledatthis:asofcourseheoughttobeandlaughedalongtimewithoutcessation.“Well,well,Mr.Bumble,”hesaidatlength,“there’snodenyingthat,sincethenewsystemoffeedinghascomein,thecoffinsaresomethingnarrowerandmoreshallowthantheyusedtobebutwemusthavesomeprofit,Mr.Bumble.Well-seasonedtimberisanexpensiveartic