Chapter 7（1 / 3）

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OLIVERCONTINUESREFRACTORY

NoahClaypoleranalongthestreetsathisswiftestpace，andpausednotonceforbreath，untilhereachedtheworkhouse-gate。Havingrestedhere，foraminuteorso，tocollectagoodburstofsobsandanimposingshowoftearsandterror，heknockedloudlyatthewicket；andpresentedsucharuefulfacetotheagedpauperwhoopenedit，thatevenhe，whosawnothingbutruefulfacesabouthimatthebestoftimes，startedbackinastonishment。

‘Why，what'sthematterwiththeboy！’saidtheoldpauper。

‘Mr。Bumble！Mr。Bumble！’criedNoah，withwell-affecteddismay：andintonessoloudandagitated，thattheynotonlycaughttheearofMr。Bumblehimself，whohappenedtobehardby，butalarmedhimsomuchthatherushedintotheyardwithouthiscockedhat，--whichisaverycuriousandremarkablecircumstance：asshowingthatevenabeadle，acteduponasuddenandpowerfulimpulse，maybeafflictedwithamomentaryvisitationoflossofself-possession，andforgetfulnessofpersonaldignity。

‘Oh，Mr。Bumble，sir！’saidNoah：‘Oliver，sir，--Oliverhas--’

‘What？What？’interposedMr。Bumble：withagleamofpleasureinhismetalliceyes。‘Notrunaway；hehasn'trunaway，hashe，Noah？’

‘No，sir，no。Notrunaway，sir，buthe'sturnedwicious，’repliedNoah。‘Hetriedtomurderme，sir；andthenhetriedtomurderCharlotte；andthenmissis。Oh！whatdreadfulpainitis！

Suchagony，please，sir！‘Andhere，Noahwrithedandtwistedhisbodyintoanextensivevarietyofeel-likepositions；therebygivingMr。Bumbletounderstandthat，fromtheviolentandsanguinaryonsetofOliverTwist，hehadsustainedsevereinternalinjuryanddamage，fromwhichhewasatthatmomentsufferingtheacutesttorture。

WhenNoahsawthattheintelligencehecommunicatedperfectlyparalysedMr。Bumble，heimpartedadditionaleffectthereunto，bybewailinghisdreadfulwoundstentimeslouderthanbefore；andwhenheobservedagentlemaninawhitewaistcoatcrossingtheyard，hewasmoretragicinhislamentationsthanever：rightlyconceivingithighlyexpedienttoattractthenotice，androusetheindignation，ofthegentlemanaforesaid。

Thegentleman'snoticewasverysoonattracted；forhehadnotwalkedthreepaces，whenheturnedangrilyround，andinquiredwhatthatyoungcurwashowlingfor，andwhyMr。Bumbledidnotfavourhimwithsomethingwhichwouldrendertheseriesofvocularexclamationssodesignated，aninvoluntaryprocess？

‘It'sapoorboyfromthefree-school，sir，’repliedMr。Bumble，‘whohasbeennearlymurdered--allbutmurdered，sir，--byyoungTwist。’

‘ByJove！’exclaimedthegentlemaninthewhitewaistcoat，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，myboy；certainly，’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，bywayofprelude；and，then，applyinghismouthtothekeyhole，said，inadeepandimpressivetone：

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