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majestic voice。
Oliver was about to say that he would go along with anybody
with great readiness； when； glancing upwards； he caught sight of
Mrs。 Mann； who had got behind the beadle’s chair； and was
shaking her fist at him with a furious countenance。 He took the
hint at once； for the fist had been too often impressed upon his
body not to be deeply impressed upon his recollection。
“Will she go with me？” inquired poor Oliver。
“No； she can’t；” replied Mr。 Bumble； “but she’ll come and see
you sometimes。”
This was no very great consolation to the child。 Young as he
was； however； he had sense enough to make a feint of feeling great
regret at going away。 It was no very difficult matter for the boy to
call the tears into his eyes。 Hunger and recent ill…usage are great
assistants if you want to cry； and Oliver cried very naturally
indeed。 Mrs。 Mann gave him a thousand embraces； and； what
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Oliver Twist
Oliver wanted a great deal more； a piece of bread…and…butter； lest
he should seem too hungry when he got to the workhouse。 With
the slice of bread in his hand； and the little brown cloth parish cap
on his head； Oliver was then led away by Mr。 Bumble from the
wretched home where one kind word or look had never lighted the
gloom of his infant years。 And yet he burst into an agony of
childish grief； as the cottage gate closed after him。 Wretched as
were the little companions in misery he was leaving behind； they
were the only friends he had ever known； and a sense of his
loneliness in the great wide world； sank into the child’s heart for
the first time。
Mr。 Bumble walked on with long strides； little Oliver； firmly
grasping his gold…laced cuff； trotted beside him； inquiring at the
end of every quarter of a mile whether they were “nearly there。”
To these interrogations Mr。 Bumble returned very brief and
snappish replies； for the temporary blandness which gin…andwater awakens in some bosoms had by this time evaporated； and
he was once again a beadle。
Oliver had not been within the walls of the workhouse a quarter
of an hour； and had scarcely completed the demolition of a second
slice of bread； when Mr。 Bumble； who had handed him over to the
care of an old woman； returned； and； telling him it was a Board
night； informed him that the Board had said he was to appear
before it forthwith。
Not having a very clearly defined notion of what a live Board
was； Oliver was rather astounded by this intelligence； and was not
quite certain whether he ought to laugh or cry。 He had no time to
think about the matter； however； for Mr。 Bumble gave him a tap
on the head with his cane； to wake him up； and another on the
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Oliver Twist
back to make him lively； and bidding him follow； conducted him
into a large； whitewashed room； where eight or ten fat gentlemen
were sitting round a table。 At the top of the table； seated in an
arm…chair rather higher than the rest； was a particularly fat
gentleman with a very round； red face。
“Bow to the Board；” said Bumble。 Oliver brushed away two or
three tears that were lingering in his eyes； and seeing no board
but the table； fortunately bowed to that。
“What’s your name； boy？” said the gentleman in the high chair。
Oliver was frightened at the sight of so many gentlemen； which
made him tremble； and the beadle gave him another tap behind；
which made him cry。 These two causes made him answer in a very
low and hesitating voice； whereupon a gentleman in a white
waistcoat said he was a fool。 Which was a capital way of raising his
spirits； and putting him quite at his ease。
“Boy；” said the gentleman in the high chair； “listen to me。 You
know you’re an orphan； I suppose？”
“What’s that； sir？” inquired poor Oliver。
“The boy is a fool—I thought he was；” said the gentleman in the
white waistcoat。
“Hush！” said the gentleman who had spoken first。 “You know
you’ve got no father or mother； and that you were brought up by
the parish； don’t you？”
“Yes； sir；” replied Oliver； weeping bitterly。
“What are you crying for？” inquired the gentleman in the white
waistcoat。 And to be sure it was very extraordinary。 What could
the boy be crying for？
“I hope you say your prayers every night；” said another
gentleman in a gruff voice； “and pray for the people who feed you；
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Oliver Twist
and take care of you—like a Christian。”
“Yes； sir；” stammered the boy。 The gentleman who spoke last
was unconsciously right。 It would have been very like a Christian；
and a marvellously good Christian； too； if Oliver had prayed for the
people who fed and took care of him。 But he hadn’t； because
nobody had taught him。
“Well！ You have come here to be educated； and taught a useful
trade；” said the red…faced gentleman in the high chair。
“So you’ll begin to pick oakum tomorrow morning at six
o’clock；” added the surly one in the white waistcoat。
For the combination of both these blessings in the one simple
process of picking oakum； Oliver bowed low by the direction of the
beadle； and was then hurried away to a large ward； where； on a
rough； hard bed； he sobbed himself to sleep。 What a noble
illustration of the tender laws of England！ They let the paupers go
to sleep！
Poor Oliver！ He little thought； as he lay sleeping in a happy
unconsciousness of all around him； that the Board had that very
day arrived at a decision which would exercise the most material
influence over all his future fortunes。 But they had。 And this was
it：—
The members of this Board were very sage； deep； philosophical
men； and when they came to turn their attention to the
workhouse； they found out at once； what ordinary folks would
never have discovered—the poor people liked it！ It was a regular
place of public entertainment for the poorer classes； a tavern
where there was nothing to pay； a public breakfast； dinner； tea；
and supper all the year round；—a brick and mortar elysium；
where it was all play and no work。 “Oho！” said the Board； looking
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Oliver Twist
very knowing； “we are the fellows to set this to rights； we’ll stop it
all； in no time。” So； they established the rule； that all the poor
people should have the alternative （for they would compel nobody；
not they）； of being starved by a gradual process in the house； or by
a quick one out of it。 With this view； they contracted with the
waterworks to lay on an unlimited supply of water； and with a
corn…factor to supply periodically small quantities of oatmeal； and
issued three meals of thin gruel a day； with an onion twice a week；
and half a roll on Sundays。 They made a great many other wise
and humane regulations； having reference to the ladies； which it is
not necessary to repeat； kindly undertook to divorce poor married
people； in consequence of the great expense of a suit in Doctors’
Commons； and； instead of compelling a man to support his family；
as they had theretofore done； took his family away from him； and
made him a bachelor！ There is no saying how many applicants for
relief under these last two heads； might have started up in all
classes of society； if it had not been coupled with the workhouse；
but the Board were long…headed men； and had provided for this
difficulty。 The relief was inseparable from the workhouse and the
gruel； and that frightened people。
For the first six months after Oliver Twist was removed； the
system was in full operation。 It was rather expensive at first； in
consequence of the increase in the undertaker’s bill； and the
necessity of taking in the clothes of all the paupers； which
fluttered loosely on their wasted； shrunken forms； after a week or
two’s gruel。 But the number of workhouse inmates got thin as well
as the paupers； and the Board were in ecstasies。
The room in which the boys were fed was a large stone hall；
with a copper at one end： out of which the master； dressed in an
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apron for the purpose； and assisted by one or two women； ladled
the gruel at meal…times。 Of this festive composition each boy had
one porringer； and no more—except on occasions of great public
rejoicing； when he had two ounces and a quarter of bread besides。
The bowls never wanted washing。 The boys polished them with
their spoons till they shone again； and when they had performed
this operation （which never took very long； the spoons being
nearly as large as the bowls）； they would sit staring at the copper；
with such eager eyes； as if they could have devoured the very
bricks of which it was composed； employing themselves；
meanwhile； in sucking their fingers most assiduously； with the
view of catching up any stray splashes of gruel that might have
been cast thereon。 Boys have generally excellent appetites。 Oliver
Twist and his companions suffered the tortures of slow starvation
for three months： at last they got so voracious and wild wit