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

iscanetightly,aswashiswontwhenworkingintoapassion:“juriesisineddicated,vulgar,grovellingwretches.” “Sotheyare,”saidtheundertaker. “Theyhaven’tnomorephilosophynorpoliticaleconomyabout’emthanthat,”saidthebeadle,snappinghisfingerscontemptuously. “Nomoretheyhave,”acquiescedtheundertaker. “Idespise’em,”saidthebeadle,growingveryredintheface. “SodoI,”rejoinedtheundertaker. “AndIonlywishwe’dajuryoftheindependentsort,inthehouseforaweekortwo,”saidthebeadle“therulesandregulationsoftheboardwouldsoonbringtheirspiritdownfor’em.” “Let’emaloneforthat,”repliedtheundertaker.Sosaying,hesmiled,approvingly:tocalmtherisingwrathoftheindignantparishofficer. MrBumbleliftedoffhiscockedhattookahandkerchieffromtheinsideofthecrownwipedfromhisforeheadtheperspirationwhichhisragehadengenderedfixedthecockedhatonagainand,turningtotheundertaker,saidinacalmervoice: “Wellwhatabouttheboy?” “Oh!”repliedtheundertaker“why,youknow,Mr.Bumble,Ipayagooddealtowardsthepoor’srates.” “Hem!”saidMr.Bumble.“Well?” “Well,”repliedtheundertaker,“IwasthinkingthatifIpaysomuchtowards’em,I’vearighttogetasmuchoutof’emasIcan,Mr.Bumbleandso—IthinkI’lltaketheboymyself.” Mr.Bumblegraspedtheundertakerbythearm,andledhimintothebuilding.Mr.SowerberrywasclosetedwiththeboardforfiveminutesanditwasarrangedthatOlivershouldgotohimthatevening“uponliking”—aphrasewhichmeans,inthecaseofaparishapprentice,thatifthemasterfind,uponashorttrial,thathecangetenoughworkoutofaboywithoutputtingtoomuchfoodintohim,heshallhavehimforatermofyears,todowhathelikeswith. WhenlittleOliverwastakenbefore“thegentlemen”thateveningandinformedthathewastogo,thatnight,asgeneralhouse-ladtoacoffin-maker’sandthatifhecomplainedofhissituation,orevercamebacktotheparishagain,hewouldbesenttosea,theretobedrowned,orknockedonthehead,asthecasemightbe,heevincedsolittleemotion,thattheybycommonconsentpronouncedhimahardenedyoungrascal,andorderedMr.Bumbletoremovehimforthwith. Now,althoughitwasverynaturalthattheboard,ofallpeopleintheworld,shouldfeelinagreatstateofvirtuousastonishmentandhorroratthesmallesttokensofwantoffeelingonthepartofanybody,theywereratherout,inthisparticularinstance.Thesimplefactwas,thatOliver,insteadofpossessingtoolittlefeeling,possessedrathertoomuchandwasinafairwayofbeingreduced,forlife,toastateofbrutalstupidityandsullennessbytheillusagehehadreceived.Heheardthenewsofhisdestination,inperfectsilenceand,havinghadhisluggageputintohishand—whichwasn