CHAPTER VII. OLIVER CONTINUES REFRACTORY

claimedthegentlemaninthewhitewaistcoat,stoppingshort.“Iknewit!Ifeltastrangepresentimentfromtheveryfirst,thatthataudaciousyoungsavagewouldcometobehung!” “Hehaslikewiseattempted,sir,tomurderthefemaleservant,”saidMr.Bumble,withafaceofashypaleness. “Andhismissis,”interposedMr.Claypole. “Andhismaster,too,Ithinkyousaid,Noah?”addedMr.Bumble. “No!he’sout,orhewouldhavemurderedhim,”repliedNoah.“Hesaidhewantedto.” “Ah!Saidhewantedto,didhe,myboy?”inquiredthegentlemaninthewhitewaistcoat. “Yes,sir,”repliedNoah.“Andplease,sir,missiswantstoknowwhetherMr.Bumblecansparetimetostepupthere,directly,andfloghim—’causemaster’sout.” “Certainly,myboycertainly,”saidthegentlemaninthewhitewaistcoat:smilingbenignly,andpattingNoah’shead,whichwasaboutthreeincheshigherthanhisown.“You’reagoodboy—averygoodboy.Here’sapennyforyou.Bumble,juststepuptoSowerberry’swithyourcane,andseewhat’sbesttobedone.Don’tsparehim,Bumble.” “No,Iwillnot,sir,”repliedthebeadle.Andthecockedhatandcanehavingbeen,bythistime,adjustedtotheirowner’ssatisfaction,Mr.BumbleandNoahClaypolebetookthemselveswithallspeedtotheundertaker’sshop. Herethepositionofaffairshadnotatallimproved.Sowerberryhadnotyetreturned,andOlivercontinuedtokick,withundiminishedvigour,atthecellar-door.TheaccountsofhisferocityasrelatedbyMrs.SowerberryandCharlotte,wereofsostartlinganature,thatMr.Bumblejudgeditprudenttoparley,beforeopeningthedoor.Withthisviewhegaveakickattheoutside,bywayofpreludeand,then,applyinghismouthtothekeyhole,said,inadeepandimpressivetone: “Oliver!” “Comeyouletmeout!”repliedOliver,fromtheinside. “Doyouknowthisherevoice,Oliver?”saidMr.Bumble. “Yes,”repliedOliver. “Ain’tyouafraidofit,sir?Ain’tyoua-tremblingwhileIspeak,sir?”saidMr.Bumble. “No!”repliedOliver,boldly. Ananswersodifferentfromtheonehehadexpectedtoelicit,andwasinthehabitofreceiving,staggeredMr.Bumblenotalittle.Hesteppedbackfromthekeyholedrewhimselfuptohisfullheightandlookedfromonetoanotherofthethreebystanders,inmuteastonishment. “Oh,youknow,Mr.Bumble,hemustbemad,”saidMrs.Sowerberry. “Noboyinhalfhissensescouldventuretospeaksotoyou.” “It’snotMadness,ma’am,”repliedMr.Bumble,afterafewmomentsofdeepmeditation.“It’sMeat.” “What?”exc