第一章奥利弗出生地及出生时的种种情况.docx

第一章奥利弗出生地及出生时的4三Chapter1TreatsofthePlaceWhereOliverTwistWasBorn;andoftheCircumstancesAttendingHisBirth对于奥利弗而言，出生在贫民收容院似乎是最幸运不过的事情了。不然以他刚出生时的体弱多病，被遗弃在室外的话一定早已离开人世。在一旁的济贫院老太婆己经喝得醉醺醺的，听到奥利弗自己争取存活下来的哭声时，知道教区内又多添了一件“包袱二奥利弗的母亲是一位未婚妈妈，生完他不久便离开了人世。小奥利弗似乎为自己未来悲惨的生活在提前哭诉着，他从出生没多久就被贴上了济贫院孤儿的标签，准备着挨饿、挨冻、挨巴掌。八MONGotherpublicbuildingsinacertaintown,whichformanyreasonsitwillbeprudenttorefrainfrommentioning,andtowhichIwillassignnofictitiousname,itboastsofonewhichiscommontomosttowns,greatorsmall,toWiLaworkhouse;andinthisworkhousewasbom,onadayanddatewhichIneednottakeuponmyselftorepeat,inasmuchasitcanbeofnopossibleconsequencetothereader,inthisstageofthebusinessatallevents,theitemofmortalitywhosenameisprefixedtotheheadofthischapter.Foralongtimeafterhewasusheredintothisworldofsorrowandtrouble,bytheparishsurgeon,itremainedamatterofconsiderabledoubtwhetherthechildwouldsurvivetobearanynameatall;inwhichcaseitissomewhatmorethanprobablethatthesememoirswouldneverhaveappeared;or,iftheyhad,thatbeingcomprisedwithinacoupleofpages,thattheywouldhavepossessedtheinestimablemeritofbeingthemostconciseandfaithfulspecimenofbiographyextantintheliteratureofanyageorcountry.AlthoughIamnotdisposedtomaintainthatthebeingbominaworkhouseisinitselfthemostfortunateandenviablecircumstancethatcanpossiblybefallahumanbeing,IdomeantosaythatinthisparticularinstanceitwasthebestthingforOliverTwistthatcouldbypossibilityhaveoccurred.Thefactis,thattherewasconsiderabledifficultyininducingOlivertotakeuponhimselftheofficeofrespiration,一atroublesomepractice,butonewhichcustomhasrenderednecessarytooureasyexistence,andforsometimehelaygaspingonalittleflockmattress,ratherunequallypoisedbetweenthisworldandthenext,thebalancebeingdecidedlyinfavourofthelatter.Now,ifduringthisbriefperiod,Oliverhadbeensurroundedbycarefulgrandmothers,anxiousaunts,experiencednurses,anddoctorsofprofoundwisdom,hewouldmostinevitablyandindubitablyhavebeenkilledinnotime.Therebeingnobodyby,however,butapauperoldwoman,whowasrenderedrathermistybyanunwontedallowanceofbeer,andaparishsurgeonwhodidsuchmattersbycontract,OliverandNaturefoughtoutthepointbetweenthem.Theresultwas,that,afterafewstruggles,Oliverbreathed,sneezed,andproceededtoadvertisetotheinmatesoftheworkhousethefactofanewburdenhavingbeenimposedupontheparish,bysettingupasloudacryascouldreasonablyhavebeenexpectedfromamaleinfantwhohadnotbeenpossessedofthatveryusefulappendage,avoice,foramuchlongerspaceoftimethanthreeminutesandaquarter.AsOlivergavethisfirstproofofthefreeandproperactionofhislungs,thepatchworkcoverletwhichwascarelesslyflungovertheironbedstead,rustled;thepalefaceofayoungfemalewasraisedfeeblyfromthepillow;andafaintvoiceimperfectlyarticulatedthewords,tLetmeseethechild,anddie/Thesurgeonhadbeensittingwithhisfaceturnedtowardsthefire,givingthepalmsofhishandsawarmandarubalternately;butastheyoungwomanspoke,herose,andadvancingtothebed,shead,said,withmorekindnessthanmighthavebeenexpectedofhim-40h,youmustnottalkaboutdyingyet/'Lorblessherdearheart,nol,interposedthenurse,hastilydepositinginherpocketagreenglassbottle,thecontentsofwhichshehadbeentastinginacornerwithevidentsatisfaction.4Lorblessherdearheart,whenshehaslivedaslongasIhave,sir,andhadthirteenchildrenofherown,andallon,emdeadexcepttwo,andtheminthewurkuswithme,she,11knowbetterthantotakeoninthatway,blessherdearheart!Thinkwhatitistobeamother,there,sadearyounglamb,do.'Apparentlythisconsolatoryperspectiveofamother,sprospectsfailedinproducingitsdueeffect.Thepatientshookherhead,andstretchedoutherhandtowardsthechild.Thesurgeondepositeditinherarms.Sheimprintedhercoldwhitelipspassionatelyonitsforehead,passedherhandsoverherface,gazedwildlyround,shuddered,fellback一anddied.Theychafedherbreast,hands,andtemples;butthebloodhadfrozenforever.Theytalkedofhopeandcomfort.Theyhadbeenstrangerstoolong.It'sallover,Mrs.Thingummy/saidthesurgeonatlast.4Ah,poordear,soitis!'saidthenurse,pickingupthecorkofthegreenbottlewhichhadfallenoutonthepillowasshestoopedtotakeupthechild.4Poordear!'4Youneedn,tmindsendinguptome,ifthechildcries,nurse/saidthesurgeon,puttingonhisgloveswithgreatdeliberation.tIt,sverylikelyitwillbetroublesome.Giveitalittlegruelifitis.'Heputonhishat,and,pausingbythebed-sideonhiswaytothedoor,added,4Shewasagood-lookinggirl,too;wheredidshecomefrom?''Shewasbroughtherelastnight/repliedtheoldwoman,*bytheoverseer'sorder.Shewasfoundlyinginthestreet;shehadwalkedsomedistance,forhershoeswereworntopieces;butwhereshecamefrom,orwhereshewasgoingto,nobodyknows.5Thesurgeonleantoverthebody,andraisedthelefthand.4Theoldstory/hesaid,shakinghishead:4nowedding-ring,Isee.Ah!Goodnight!'Themedicalgentlemanwalkedawaytodinner;andthenurse,havingoncemoreappliedherselftothegreenbottle,satdownonalowchairbeforethefire,andproceededtodresstheinfant.WhatanexcellentexampleofpowerofdressyoungOliverTwistwas!Wrappedintheblanketwhichhadhithertoformedhisonlycovering,hemighthavebeenthechildofanoblemanorabeggar;itwouldhavebeenhardforthehaughtieststrangertohavefixedhisstationinsociety.Butnowthathewasenv