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teach master not to have any more of these dreadful creaturs； that
are born to be murderers and robbers from their very cradle； Poor
Noah！ He was all but killed； ma’am； when I come in。
“Poor fellow！” said Mrs。 Sowerberry； looking piteously on the
charity…boy。
Noah； whose top waistcoat button might have been somewhere
on a level with the crown of Oliver’s head； rubbed his eyes with
the inside of his wrists while this commiseration was bestowed
upon him； and performed some affecting tears and sniffs。
“What’s to be done！” exclaimed Mrs。 Sowerberry。 “Your
master’s not at home； there’s not a man in the house； and he’ll
kick that door down in ten minutes。” Oliver’s vigorous plunges
against the bit of timber in question； rendered this occurrence
highly probable。
“Dear； dear！ I don’t know； ma’am；” said Charlotte； “unless we
send for the police…officers。”
“Or the millingtary；” suggested Mr。 Claypole。
“No； no；” said Mrs。 Sowerberry； bethinking herself of Oliver’s
old friend。 “Run to Mr。 Bumble； Noah； and tell him to come here
directly； and not to lose a minute； never mind your cap！ Make
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist
haste！ You can hold a knife to that black eye； as you run along。 It’ll
keep the swelling down。”
Noah stopped to make no reply； but started off at his fullest
speed； and very much it astonished the people who were out
walking； to see a charity…boy tearing through the streets pell…mell；
with no cap on his head； and a clasp…knife at his eye。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist
Chapter 7
Oliver Continues Refractory。
Noah Claypole ran along the streets at his swiftest pace；
and paused not once for breath； until he reached the
workhouse gate。 Having rested here； for a minute or so；
to collect a good burst of sobs and an imposing show of tears and
terror； he knocked loudly at the wicket； and presented such a
rueful face to the aged pauper who opened it； that even he； who
saw nothing but rueful faces about him at the best of times； started
back in astonishment。
“Why； what’s the matter with the boy！” said the old pauper。
“Mr。 Bumble！ Mr。 Bumble！” cried Noah； with well…affected
dismay； and in tones so loud and agitated； that they not only
caught the ear of Mr。 Bumble himself； who happened to be hard
by； but alarmed him so much that he rushed into the yard without
his cocked hat—which is a very curious and remarkable
circumstance； as showing that even a beadle； acted upon by a
sudden and powerful impulse； may be afflicted with a momentary
visitation of loss of self…possession； and forgetfulness of personal
dignity。
“Oh； Mr。 Bumble； sir！” said Noah； “Oliver； sir—Oliver has—”
“What？ What？” interposed Mr。 Bumble； with a gleam of
pleasure in his metallic eyes。 “Not run away； he hasn’t run away；
has he； Noah？”
“No； sir； no。 Not run away； sir； but he’s turned wicious；” replied
Noah。 “He tried to murder me； sir； and then he tried to murder
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist
Charlotte； and then missis。 Oh！ what dreadful pain it is！ Such
agony； please； sir！” And here； Noah writhed and twisted his body
into an extensive variety of eel…like positions； thereby giving Mr。
Bumble to understand that； from the violent and sanguinary onset
of Oliver Twist； he had sustained severe internal injury and
damage； from which he was at that moment suffering the acutest
torture。
When Noah saw that the intelligence he communicated
perfectly paralysed Mr。 Bumble； he imparted additional effect
thereunto； by bewailing his dreadful wound ten times louder than
before； and； when he observed a gentleman in a white waistcoat
crossing the yard； he was more tragic in his lamentations than
ever； rightly conceiving it highly expedient to attract the notice；
and rouse the indignation； of the gentleman aforesaid。
The gentleman’s notice was very soon attracted； for he had not
walked three paces； when he turned angrily round； and inquired
what that young cur was howling for； and why Mr。 Bumble did not
favour him with something which would render the series of
vocular exclamations so designated an involuntary process。
“It’s a poor boy from the free…school； sir；” replied Mr。 Bumble；
“who has been nearly murdered—all but murdered； sir—by young
Twist。”
“By Jove！” exclaimed the gentleman in the white waistcoat；
stopping short。 “I knew it！ I felt a strange presentiment from the
very first； that that audacious young savage would come to be
hung！”
“He has likewise attempted； sir； to murder the female servant；”
said Mr。 Bumble； with a face of ashy paleness。
“And his missis；” interposed Mr。 Claypole。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist
“And his master； too； I think you say； Noah？” added Mr。
Bumble。
“No！ he’s out； or he would have murdered him；” replied Noah。
“He said he wanted to。”
“Ah！ Said he wanted to； did he； my boy？” inquired the
gentleman in the white waistcoat。
“Yes； sir；” replied Noah。 “And please； sir； missis wants to know
whether Mr。 Bumble can spare time to step up there； directly； and
flog him—’cause master’s out。”
“Certainly； my boy； certainly；” said the gentleman in the white
waistcoat； smiling benignly； and patting Noah’s head； which was
about three inches higher than his own。 “You’re a good boy—a
very good boy。 Here’s a penny for you。 Bumble； just step up to
Sowerberry’s with your cane； and see what’s best to be done。
Don’t spare him； Bumble。”
“No； I will not； sir；” replied the beadle； adjusting the wax…end
which was twisted round the bottom of his cane。 for purposes of
parochial flagellation。 “Tell Sowerberry not to spare him either。
They’ll never do anything with him； without stripes and bruises；”
said the gentleman in the white waistcoat。
“I’ll take care； sir；” replied the beadle。 And the cocked hat and
cane having been； by this time； adjusted to their owner’s
satisfaction； Mr。 Bumble and Noah Claypole betook themselves
with all speed to the undertaker’s shop。
Here the position of affairs had not at all improved。 Sowerberry
had not yet returned； and Oliver continued to kick； with
undiminished vigour； at the cellar door。 The accounts of his
ferocity； as related by Mr。 Sowerberry and Charlotte； were of so
startling a nature； that Mr。 Bumble judged it prudent to parley；
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist
before opening the door。 With this view he gave a kick at the
outside； by way of prelude； and； then； applying his mouth to the
keyhole； said； in a deep and impressive tone：
“Oliver！”
“Come； you let me out！” replied Oliver； from the inside。
“Do you know this here voice； Oliver？” said Mr。 Bumble。
“Yes；” replied Oliver。
“Ain’t you afraid of it； sir？ Ain’t you a…trembling while speak；
sir？” said Mr。 Bumble。
“No！” replied Oliver boldly。
An answer so different from the one he had expected to elicit；
and was in the habit of receiving； staggered Mr。 Bumble not a
little。 He stepped back from the keyhole； drew himself up to his
full height； and looked from one to another of the three bystanders； in mute astonishment。
“Oh； you know； Mr。 Bumble； he must be mad；” said Mrs。
Sowerberry。 “No boy in half his sense could venture to speak so to
you。”
“It’s not madness； ma’am；” replied Mr。 Bumble； after a few
moments of deep meditation。 “It’s meat。”
“What？” exclaimed Mrs。 Sowerberry。
“Meat； ma’am； meat；” replied Bumble； with stern emphasis。
“You’ve overfed him； ma’am。 You’ve raised a artificial soul and
spirit in him； ma’am； unbecoming a person of his condition； as the
Board； Mrs。 Sowerberry； who are practical philosophers； will tell
you。 What have paupers to do with soul or spirit？ It’s quite enough
that we let ’em have live bodies。 If you had kept the boy on gruel；
ma’am； this would never have happened。”
“Dear； dear！” ejaculated Mrs。 Sowerberry； piously raising her
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist
eyes to the kitchen ceiling； “this comes of being liberal！”
The liberality of Mrs。 Sowerberry to Oliver had consisted in a
profuse bestowal upon him of all the dirty odds and ends which
nobody else would eat； so there was a great deal of meekness and
self…devotion in her voluntarily remaining under Mr。 Bumble’s
heavy accusation； of which； to do her justice； she was wholly
innocent； in thought； word； or deed。
“Ah！” said Mr。 Bumble； when the lady brought her eyes down
to earth again； “the only thing that can be done now； that I know
of； is to leave him in the cellar for a day or so； till he’s a little
starved down； and then to take him out； and to keep him on gruel
all through his apprenticeship。 He comes of a bad family。
Excitable natures； Mrs。 Sowerberry！ Both the nurse and doctor
said； that that mother of his made her way here； against difficulties
and pain that would have killed any well…disposed woman； weeks
before。”
At