《Oliver Twist, or, The parish boy's progress 》作者： - Charles Dickens【

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Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: then clung for support to the copper. The assistants were paralysed with wonder; the boys with fear. " What " said the master at length, in a faint voice. " Please, sir," replied Oliver, " I want some more." The master aimed a blow at Oliver's head with the ladle; pinioned him in his arms; and shrieked aloud for the beadle. The board were sitting in solemn conclave, when Mr. Bumble rushed into the room in great excitement, and addressing the gentleman in the high chair, said, " Mr. Limbkins, I beg your pardon, sir Oliver Twist has asked for more " There was a general start. Horror was depicted on every countenance. " Tor more .'" said Mr. Limbkins. " Compose yourself, Bumble, and answer me distinctly. Do I understand that he asked for more, after he had eaten the supper allotted by the dietary ?" " He did, sir," replied Bumble. " That boy will be hung," said the gentleman in the white waistcoat. ' I know that boy will be hung." Nobody controverted the prophetic gentleman's opinion. An animated discussion took place. Oliver was ordered into instant confinement; and a bill was next morning pasted on the outside of the gate, offering a reward of five pounds to anybody who would take Oliver Twist off the hands of the parish. In other words, five pounds and Oliver Twist were offered to any man or woman who wanted an apprentice to any trade, business, or calling. " I never was more convinced of anything in my life," said the gentleman in the white waistcoat, as he knocked at the gate and read the bill next morning: " I never was more convinced of anything in my life, than I am, that that boy will come to be hung." As I purpose to show in the sequel whether the white-waistcoated gentleman was right or not, I should perhaps mar the interest of this n...