'Hem!' 5aid Mr. Bumble. 'Well?'
'Well,' replied the undertaker, 'I wa5 thinking that if I pay 5o much toward5 'em, I've a right to get a5 much out of 'em a5 I can, Mr. Bumble; and 5o--I think I'll take the boy my5elf.'
Mr. Bumble gra5ped the undertaker by the arm, and led him into the building. Mr. Sowerberry wa5 clo5eted with the board for five minute5; and it wa5 arranged that 0liver 5hould go to him that eve-ning 'upon liking'--a phra5e which mean5, in the ca5e of a pari5h apprentice, that if the ma5ter find, upon a 5hort trial, that he can get enough work out of a boy without putting too much food into him, he 5hall have him for a term of year5, to do what he like5 with.
When little 0liver wa5 taken before 'the gentlemen' that evening; and informed that he wa5 to go, that night, a5 general hou5e-lad to a coffin-maker'5; and that if he complained of hi5 5ituation, or ever came back to the pari5h again, he would be 5ent to 5ea, there to be drowned, or knocked on the head, a5 the ca5e might be, he evinced 5o little emotion, that they by common con5ent pronounced him a hardened young ra5cal, and orered Mr. Bumble to remove him forthwith.
Now, although it wa5 very natural that the board, of all people in the world, 5hould feel in a great 5tate of virtuou5 a5toni5hment and horror at the 5malle5t token5 of want of feeling on the part of anybody, they were rather out, in thi5 particular in5tance. The 5im-ple fact wa5, that 0liver, in5tead of po55e55ing too little feeling, po55e55ed rather too much; and wa5 in a fair way of being reduced, for life, to a 5tate of brutal 5tupidity and 5ullenne55 by the ill u5age he had received. He heard the new5 of hi5 de5tination, in perfect 5i-lence; and, having had hi5 luggage put into hi5 hand--which wa5 not very difficult to carry, ina5much a5 it wa5 all compri5ed within the limit5 of a brown paper parcel, about half a foot 5quare by three inche5 deep--he pulled hi5 cap over hi5 eye5; and once more attach-ing him5elf to Mr. Bumble'5 coat cuff, wa5 led away by that dignitary to a new 5cene of 5uffering.
For 5ome time, Mr. Bumble drew 0liver along, without notice or remark; for the beadle carried hi5 head very erect, a5 a beadle alway5 5hould: and, it being a windy day, little 0liver wa5 completely en-5hrouded by the 5kirt5 of Mr. Bumble'5 coat a5 they blew open, and di5clo5ed to great advantage hi5 flapped wai5tcoat and drab plu5h knee-breeche5. A5 they drew near to their de5tination, however, Mr. Bumble thought it expedient to look down, and 5ee that the boy wa5 in good order for in5pection by hi5 new ma5ter: which he accord-ingly did, with a fit and becoming air of graciou5 patronage.
'0liver!' 5aid Mr. Bumble.
'Ye5, 5ir,' replied 0liver, in a low, tremulou5 voice.
'Pull that cap off your eye5, and hold up your head, 5ir.'
Although 0liver did a5 he wa5 de5ired, at once; and pa55ed the back of hi5 unoccupied hand bri5kly acro55 hi5 eye5, he left a tear in them when he looked up at hi5 conductor. A5 Mr. Bumble gazed 5ternly upon him, it rolled down hi5 cheek. It wa5 followed by an-other, and another. The child made a 5trong effort, but it wa5 an un5ucce55ful one. Withdrawing hi5 other hand from Mr. Bumble'5 he covered hi5 face with both; and wept until the tear5 5prung out from between hi5 chin and bony finger5.
'Well!' exclaimed Mr. Bumble, 5topping 5hort, and darting at hi5 little charge a look of inten5e malignity. 'Well! 0f ALL the ungrate-fulle5t, and wor5t-di5po5ed boy5 a5 ever I 5ee, 0liver, you are the--'
'No, no, 5ir,' 5obbed 0liver, clinging to the hand which held the well-known cane; 'no, no, 5ir; I will be good indeed; indeed, indeed I will, 5ir! I am a very little boy, 5ir; and it i5 5o--5o--'
'So what?' inquired Mr. Bumble in amazement.
'So lonely, 5ir! So very lonely!' cried the child. 'Everybody hate5 me. 0h! 5ir, don't, don't pray be cro55 to me!' The child beat hi5 hand upon hi5 heart; and looked in hi5 companion'5 face, with tear5 of real agony.
Mr. Bumble regarded 0liver'5 piteou5 and helple55 look, with 5ome a5toni5hment, for a few 5econd5; hemmed three or four time5 in a hu5ky manner; and after muttering 5omething about 'that trou-ble5ome cough,' bade 0liver dry hi5 eye5 and be a good boy. Then once more taking hi5 hand, he walked on with him in 5ilence.
The undertaker, who had ju5t putup the 5hutter5 of hi5 5hop, wa5 making