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1、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MO
2、NGotherpublicbuildingsinacertaintown,whichformanyreasonsitwillbeprudenttorefrainfrommentioning,andtowhichIwillassignnofictitiousname,itboastsofonewhichiscommontomosttowns,greatorsmall,toWiLaworkhouse;andinthisworkhousewasbom,onadayanddatewhichIneednottakeuponmyselftorepeat,inasmuchasitcanbeofnopossi
3、bleconsequencetothereader,inthisstageofthebusinessatallevents,theitemofmortalitywhosenameisprefixedtotheheadofthischapter.Foralongtimeafterhewasusheredintothisworldofsorrowandtrouble,bytheparishsurgeon,itremainedamatterofconsiderabledoubtwhetherthechildwouldsurvivetobearanynameatall;inwhichcaseitiss
4、omewhatmorethanprobablethatthesememoirswouldneverhaveappeared;or,iftheyhad,thatbeingcomprisedwithinacoupleofpages,thattheywouldhavepossessedtheinestimablemeritofbeingthemostconciseandfaithfulspecimenofbiographyextantintheliteratureofanyageorcountry.AlthoughIamnotdisposedtomaintainthatthebeingbominaw
5、orkhouseisinitselfthemostfortunateandenviablecircumstancethatcanpossiblybefallahumanbeing,IdomeantosaythatinthisparticularinstanceitwasthebestthingforOliverTwistthatcouldbypossibilityhaveoccurred.Thefactis,thattherewasconsiderabledifficultyininducingOlivertotakeuponhimselftheofficeofrespiration,一atr
6、oublesomepractice,butonewhichcustomhasrenderednecessarytooureasyexistence,andforsometimehelaygaspingonalittleflockmattress,ratherunequallypoisedbetweenthisworldandthenext,thebalancebeingdecidedlyinfavourofthelatter.Now,ifduringthisbriefperiod,Oliverhadbeensurroundedbycarefulgrandmothers,anxiousaunts
7、,experiencednurses,anddoctorsofprofoundwisdom,hewouldmostinevitablyandindubitablyhavebeenkilledinnotime.Therebeingnobodyby,however,butapauperoldwoman,whowasrenderedrathermistybyanunwontedallowanceofbeer,andaparishsurgeonwhodidsuchmattersbycontract,OliverandNaturefoughtoutthepointbetweenthem.Theresul
8、twas,that,afterafewstruggles,Oliverbreathed,sneezed,andproceededtoadvertisetotheinmatesoftheworkhousethefactofanewburdenhavingbeenimposedupontheparish,bysettingupasloudacryascouldreasonablyhavebeenexpectedfromamaleinfantwhohadnotbeenpossessedofthatveryusefulappendage,avoice,foramuchlongerspaceoftime
9、thanthreeminutesandaquarter.AsOlivergavethisfirstproofofthefreeandproperactionofhislungs,thepatchworkcoverletwhichwascarelesslyflungovertheironbedstead,rustled;thepalefaceofayoungfemalewasraisedfeeblyfromthepillow;andafaintvoiceimperfectlyarticulatedthewords,tLetmeseethechild,anddie/Thesurgeonhadbee
10、nsittingwithhisfaceturnedtowardsthefire,givingthepalmsofhishandsawarmandarubalternately;butastheyoungwomanspoke,herose,andadvancingtothebed,shead,said,withmorekindnessthanmighthavebeenexpectedofhim-40h,youmustnottalkaboutdyingyet/Lorblessherdearheart,nol,interposedthenurse,hastilydepositinginherpock
11、etagreenglassbottle,thecontentsofwhichshehadbeentastinginacornerwithevidentsatisfaction.4Lorblessherdearheart,whenshehaslivedaslongasIhave,sir,andhadthirteenchildrenofherown,andallon,emdeadexcepttwo,andtheminthewurkuswithme,she,11knowbetterthantotakeoninthatway,blessherdearheart!Thinkwhatitistobeamo
12、ther,there,sadearyounglamb,do.Apparentlythisconsolatoryperspectiveofamother,sprospectsfailedinproducingitsdueeffect.Thepatientshookherhead,andstretchedoutherhandtowardsthechild.Thesurgeondepositeditinherarms.Sheimprintedhercoldwhitelipspassionatelyonitsforehead,passedherhandsoverherface,gazedwildlyr
13、ound,shuddered,fellback一anddied.Theychafedherbreast,hands,andtemples;butthebloodhadfrozenforever.Theytalkedofhopeandcomfort.Theyhadbeenstrangerstoolong.Itsallover,Mrs.Thingummy/saidthesurgeonatlast.4Ah,poordear,soitis!saidthenurse,pickingupthecorkofthegreenbottlewhichhadfallenoutonthepillowasshestoo
14、pedtotakeupthechild.4Poordear!4Youneedn,tmindsendinguptome,ifthechildcries,nurse/saidthesurgeon,puttingonhisgloveswithgreatdeliberation.tIt,sverylikelyitwillbetroublesome.Giveitalittlegruelifitis.Heputonhishat,and,pausingbythebed-sideonhiswaytothedoor,added,4Shewasagood-lookinggirl,too;wheredidsheco
15、mefrom?Shewasbroughtherelastnight/repliedtheoldwoman,*bytheoverseersorder.Shewasfoundlyinginthestreet;shehadwalkedsomedistance,forhershoeswereworntopieces;butwhereshecamefrom,orwhereshewasgoingto,nobodyknows.5Thesurgeonleantoverthebody,andraisedthelefthand.4Theoldstory/hesaid,shakinghishead:4noweddi
16、ng-ring,Isee.Ah!Goodnight!Themedicalgentlemanwalkedawaytodinner;andthenurse,havingoncemoreappliedherselftothegreenbottle,satdownonalowchairbeforethefire,andproceededtodresstheinfant.WhatanexcellentexampleofpowerofdressyoungOliverTwistwas!Wrappedintheblanketwhichhadhithertoformedhisonlycovering,hemig
17、hthavebeenthechildofanoblemanorabeggar;itwouldhavebeenhardforthehaughtieststrangertohavefixedhisstationinsociety.Butnowthathewasenvelopedintheoldcalicorobes,whichhadgrownyellowinthesameservice,hewasbadgedandticketed,andfellintohisplaceatonce-aparishchild一theorphanofaworkhouse一thehumblehalf-starveddrudge一tobecuffedandbuffetedthroughtheworld,一despisedbyall,andpitiedbynone.Olivercriedlustily.Ifhecouldhaveknownthathewasanorphan,lefttothetendermerciesofchurchwardensandoverseers,perhapshewouldhavecriedthelouder.
