Chapter 6【1 / 2】

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OLIVER，BEINGGOADEDBYTHETAUNTSOFNOAH，ROUSESINTOACTION，ANDRATHERASTONISHESHIM

Themonth'strialover，Oliverwasformallyapprenticed。Itwasanicesicklyseasonjustatthistime。Incommercialphrase，coffinswerelookingup；and，inthecourseofafewweeks，Oliveracquiredagreatdealofexperience。ThesuccessofMr。Sowerberry'singeniousspeculation，exceededevenhismostsanguinehopes。Theoldestinhabitantsrecollectednoperiodatwhichmeasleshadbeensoprevalent，orsofataltoinfantexistence；andmanywerethemournfulprocessionswhichlittleOliverheaded，inahat-bandreachingdowntohisknees，totheindescribableadmirationandemotionofallthemothersinthetown。AsOliveraccompaniedhismasterinmostofhis*****expeditionstoo，inorderthathemightacquirethatequanimityofdemeanourandfullcommandofnervewhichwasessentialtoafinishedundertaker，hehadmanyopportunitiesofobservingthebeautifulresignationandfortitudewithwhichsomestrong-mindedpeoplebeartheirtrialsandlosses。

Forinstance；whenSowerberryhadanorderfortheburialofsomericholdladyorgentleman，whowassurroundedbyagreatnumberofnephewsandnieces，whohadbeenperfectlyinconsolableduringthepreviousillness，andwhosegriefhadbeenwhollyirrepressibleevenonthemostpublicoccasions，theywouldbeashappyamongthemselvesasneedbe--quitecheerfulandcontented--conversingtogetherwithasmuchfreedomandgaiety，asifnothingwhateverhadhappenedtodisturbthem。Husbands，too，borethelossoftheirwiveswiththemostheroiccalmness。Wives，again，putonweedsfortheirhusbands，asif，sofarfromgrievinginthegarbofsorrow，theyhadmadeuptheirmindstorenderitasbecomingandattractiveaspossible。Itwasobservable，too，thatladiesandgentlemenwhowereinpassionsofanguishduringtheceremonyofinterment，recoveredalmostassoonastheyreachedhome，andbecamequitecomposedbeforethetea-drinkingwasover。Allthiswasverypleasantandimprovingtosee；andOliverbehelditwithgreatadmiration。

ThatOliverTwistwasmovedtoresignationbytheexampleofthesegoodpeople，Icannot，althoughIamhisbiographer，undertaketoaffirmwithanydegreeofconfidence；butIcanmostdistinctlysay，thatformanymonthshecontinuedmeeklytosubmittothedominationandill-treatmentofNoahClaypole：whousedhimfarworsethanbefore，nowthathisjealousywasrousedbyseeingthenewboypromotedtotheblackstickandhatband，whilehe，theoldone，remainedstationaryinthemuffin-capandleathers。Charlottetreatedhimill，becauseNoahdid；andMrs。Sowerberrywashisdecidedenemy，becauseMr。Sowerberrywasdisposedtobehisfriend；so，betweenthesethreeononeside，andaglutoffuneralsontheother，Oliverwasnotaltogetherascomfortableasthehungrypigwas，whenhewasshutup，bymistake，inthegraindepartmentofabrewery。

Andnow，IcometoaveryimportantpassageinOliver'shistory；forIhavetorecordanact，slightandunimportantperhapsinappearance，butwhichindirectlyproducedamaterialchangeinallhisfutureprospectsandproceedings。

Oneday，OliverandNoahhaddescendedintothekitchenattheusualdinner-hour，tobanquetuponasmalljointofmutton--apoundandahalfoftheworstendoftheneck--whenCharlottebeingcalledoutoftheway，thereensuedabriefintervaloftime，whichNoahClaypole，beinghungryandvicious，consideredhecouldnotpossiblydevotetoaworthierpurposethanaggravatingandtantalisingyoungOliverTwist。

Intentuponthisinnocentamusement，Noahputhisfeetonthetable-cloth；andpulledOliver'shair；andtwitchedhisears；andexpressedhisopinionthathewasa‘sneak’；andfurthermoreannouncedhisintentionofcomingtoseehimhanged，wheneverthatdesirableeventshouldtakeplace；andentereduponvarioustopicsofpettyannoyance，likeamaliciousandill-conditionedcharity-boyashewas。But，makingOlivercry，Noahattemptedtobemorefacetiousstill；andinhisattempt，didwhatmanysometimesdotothisday，whentheywanttobefunny。Hegotratherpersonal。

‘Work'us，’saidNoah，‘how'syourmother？’

‘She'sdead，’repliedOliver；‘don'tyousayanythingabouthertome！’

Oliver'scolourroseashesaidthis；hebreathedquickly；andtherewasacuriousworkingofthemouthandnostrils，whichMr。Claypolethoughtmustbetheimmediateprecursorofaviolentfitofcrying。Underthisimpressionhereturnedtothecharge。

‘Whatdidshedieof，Work'us？’saidNoah。

‘Ofabrokenheart，someofouroldnursestoldme，’repliedOliver：moreasifheweretalkingtohimself，thanansweringNoah。‘IthinkIknowwhatitmustbetodieofthat！’

‘Tolderollollol，rightfollairy，Work'us，’saidNoah，asatearrolleddownOliver'scheek。‘What'ssetyouasnivellingnow？’

‘Not_you_，’repliedOliver，sharply。‘There；that'senough。Don'tsayanythingmoretomeabouther；you'dbetternot！’

‘Betternot！’exclaimedNoah。‘Well！Betternot！Work'us，don'tbeimpudent。_Your_mother，too！Shewasanice’unshewas。Oh，Lor！‘Andhere，Noahnoddedhisheadexpressively；andcurledupasmuchofhissmallrednoseasmuscularactioncouldcollecttogether，fortheoccasion。

‘Yerknow，Work'us，’continuedNoah，emboldenedbyOliver'ssilence，andspeakinginajeeringtoneofaffectedpity：ofalltonesthemostannoying：‘Yerknow，Work'us，itcan'tbehelpednow；andofcourseyercouldn'thelpitthen；andIamverysorryforit；andI'msureweallare，andpityyerverymuch。Butyermustknow，Work'us，yermotherwasaregularright-downbad’un。‘

‘Whatdidyousay？’inquiredOliver，lookingupveryquickly。

‘Aregularright-downbad’un，Work'us，‘repliedNoah，coolly。’Andit'sagreatdealbetter，Work'us，thatshediedwhenshedid，orelseshe'dhavebeenhardlabouringinBridewell，ortransported，orhung；whichismorelikelythaneither，isn'tit？‘

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