2 Oliver』s first job 2 奧利弗的第一個工作

1 Oliver』s early life

1奧利弗的童年（第一章是補充上次的文本部分，第二章的文本部分在第一章的後面）

Oliver Twist was born in a workhouse，and when he arrived in this hard world，it was very doubtful whether he would live beyond thefirst three minutes.He lay on a hard little bed and struggled to startbreathing.

奧利弗·特威斯特出生在一家濟貧院里，他來到這個艱難的人世的那一刻，是否能活過三分鐘都是很難說的。他躺在一張小硬板床上，掙扎著開始呼吸。

Oliver fought his first battle withoutmuch assistance from the two people present at his birth.One was an old woman，who was nearly always drunk，and the other was a busy local doctor，who was not paidenough to be very interested in Oliver』s survival. After all，death was a common event in the workhouse，where only the poor and homeless lived.

他出生時在場的兩個人沒有給他什麼幫助，這使得奧利弗要獨自承當他的第一場戰鬥。其中一個是位老婦人，她幾乎總是喝得醉醺醺的;另一個則是當地一位忙碌的醫生，這位醫生沒有得到足夠的報酬，所以對奧利弗能否活下來並不很在意。在濟貧院這個只有窮人和無家可歸的人待的地方，死亡畢竟是一件非常平常的事。

However，Oliver managed to draw his first breath，and the n announcedhis arrival to the rest of the workhouse by crying loudly.His mother raised herpale young face from the pillow and whispered，『Let me see the child，and die.』

不管怎樣，奧利弗總算儘力吸進了第一口氣，然後，他以響亮的哭聲向濟貧院里其他的人宣告自己的到來。他的母親從枕頭上抬起了年輕而蒼白的臉，用微弱的聲音說：「讓我看一眼孩子，我就可以死了。」

The doctor turned away from the fire，where he had been warming his hands. 『You must not talkabout dying yet，』he said to herkindly.He gave her the child to hold.Lovingly，she kissed the baby on its forehead with her cold white lips，the n stared wildly around the room，fell back-and died. 『Poor dear!』said the nurse，hurriedly putting a green glass bottle back in the pocketof her long skirt.

正在火爐上烤手取暖的醫生轉過身來，好心地對她說：「別說什麼死不死的了。」他把孩子遞過去讓她抱在懷裡。她用冰冷而毫無血色的嘴唇憐愛地在孩子的額頭上親了一下，然後急切地在屋裡四處環顧一圈，便向後倒去，咽了氣。「可憐的東西!」老看護說著，急忙將一個綠色的小玻璃瓶揣回長裙子的兜里。

The doctor began to put on his coat.『The baby is weak and will probably have difficulties，』 he said. 『If so，give it a littlemilk to keep it quiet.』The n he looked at the dead woman. 『The mother was agood-looking girl.Where did she come from?』

這時醫生開始穿外衣。「這孩子太弱，恐怕會有麻煩，」他說，「如果真是這樣，給他喂點牛奶，好讓他別哭。」然後，他又轉過臉看了一眼死去的女人，說：「這母親長得還挺漂亮。她是從哪兒來的?」

『She was brought here last night，』replied the old woman. 『She was found lying in thestreet. She』d walked some distance，judging by hershoes，which were worn to pieces.Where she camefrom，where she was going to，or what her name was，nobody knows.』

「她是昨天夜裡被送到這兒來的，」老婦人回答道。「她倒在馬路上，被人發現了。她腳上那雙鞋子已經磨得破破爛爛的了，由此可以看出她是從很遠的地方來的。她從哪兒來，要到哪兒去，叫什麼名字，沒人知道。」

The doctor lifted the girl』s left hand.『The old story，』he said sadly，shaking his head. 『No wedding ring，I see.Ah!Good night.』

醫生拉起那年輕女人的左手，搖搖頭，傷心地說：「又是老一套。沒有結婚戒指，果然如此。唉!晚安。」

And so Oliver was left with only thedrunken nurse.Without clothe s，under his firstblanket，he could have been the child of a kingor a beggar.But when the woman dressed him later in rough cotton clothe s，yellow with age，he looked exactlywhat he was - an orphan in a workhouse，ready for a lifeof misery，hunger，and neglect.

奧利弗就這樣被留下了，由那位醉醺醺的看護一個人看著。他光著身子，裹在畢生第一塊毯子里，既可以是國王的兒子，也可以是乞丐的兒子。可後來老婦人給他穿上了由於年頭太久而發了黃的粗棉布衣服，這時，他看上去和他的身份完全一致了——一個濟貧院的孤兒，準備好了去過一種充滿苦難、飢餓和忽視的生活。

Oliver cried loudly.If he could haveknown that he was a workhouse orphan，perhaps he wouldhave cried even more loudly.

奧利弗大聲哭著。假如他已經知道自己是一個濟貧院的孤兒，他可能會哭得更響些。

The re was no one to look after the babyin the workhouse，so Oliver was sentto a special 『baby farm』 nearby. The re，he and thirty otherchildren rolled around the floor all day，without theinconvenience of too much food or too much clothing. Mrs Mann，the old woman who 『looked after』 them，was very experienced.She knew what was good for children，and a full stomach was very dangerous to their health.She also knew what was good for herself，so she kept forher own use the money that she was given for the children』s food.The boardresponsible for the orphans sometimes checked on the health of the children，but They always sent the beadle，a kind of local policeman，to announce their visit the day before.So whenever the board arrived，of course，the children werealways neat and clean.

在濟貧院里沒有專人照顧嬰兒，所以奧利弗被送進了附近一家專門的「育嬰堂」。在這裡，奧利弗與其他三十多個孩子每天在地上滾爬著，沒有過多的衣物和食物來麻煩他們。曼太太「照顧」著這些孩子，這老女人非常有經驗。她知道什麼對孩子們有好處，知道吃飽肚子對孩子們的身體是非常有害的。同時她也知道什麼對她自己有好處，於是她把人家給孩子們的伙食費都留給自己。負責孤兒事務的地方董事會有時會來檢查孩子們的健康狀況，可他們往往在前一天派執事去通告他們要來訪問，執事是一種地方警察。所以，無論他們什麼時候來，孩子們準是個個頭凈腳凈的。

This was the way Oliver was brought up.Consequently，at the age of nine he was a pale，thin child and short for his age.But despite frequentbeatings by Mrs Mann，his spirit wasstrong，which was probably the reason why hemanaged to reach the age of nine at all.

奧利弗就是這樣長大的，因此，他到了九歲時，還非常蒼白瘦小，比同齡孩子矮一大截。儘管常常遭到曼太太的毒打，他的意志卻很堅強。這大概也是他竟然能活到九歲的緣故吧。

On Oliver』s ninth birthday，Mr Bumble the beadle came to the house to see MrsMann.Through the front window Mrs Mann saw him at the gate，and turned quickly to the girl who worked with her.

奧利弗九歲生日的這天，執事班布爾先生來育嬰堂看曼太太。曼太太透過樓前的窗戶看見他站在大門口，慌忙轉向和她一起幹活的女孩，說道：

『Quick!Take Oliver and those othersupstairs to be washed!』she said.The n she ran out to unlock the gate.(It wasalways kept locked to prevent official visitors walking in unexpectedly.)

「趕快!把奧利弗和其他孩子都帶到樓上洗洗!」然後她匆忙跑去開大門。(為了防止官方人員料想不及的來訪，這大門常常是鎖著的。)

『I have business to talk about，』Mr Bumble told Mrs Mann as he entered the house.He was abig fat man，often bad-tempered，and was full of self-importance. He did not like to bekept waiting at a locked gate.

「我有點事要跟你談，」班布爾先生跟曼太太說著，走進了屋子。他是個身材肥胖、脾氣暴躁、妄自尊大的人。他可不喜歡被關在門外長時間地等候。

Mrs Mann took his hat and coat，placed a chair for him，and expressed great concern for his comfort. 『You』ve had a long walk，Mr Bumble』 she said，『and you must bethirsty.』She took out a bottle from the cupboard.

曼太太接過了他的帽子和外衣，替他端過—把椅子，並且對他是否舒適表示了極大的關心。「班布爾先生，您大老遠地走來，一定是渴了。」她說著從櫥子里拿出了一個瓶子。

『No，thank you，Mrs Mann. Not a drop.』He waved the bottle away.

「不，謝謝，曼太太，我一滴都不喝。」他揮手推開瓶子。

『Just a little drop，Mr Bumble，with cold water，』 said Mrs Mann persuasively.

「只稍稍來一點兒，班布爾先生，這是加了冰水的，」她極力地勸說著。

Mr Bumble coughed. 『What is it?』 he asked，looking at the bottle with interest.

班布爾先生咳嗽了一聲。「是什麼?」他問道，並饒有興趣地看著瓶子。

『Gin.I keep it for the children』smedicine drink.』

「杜松子酒，我這是留著給孩子們吃藥用的。」

『You give the children gin，Mrs Mann?』asked Mr Bumble，watching as she mixed his drink.

「曼太太，你給孩子們喝杜松子酒?」班布爾先生看著她給自己兌酒，問道。

『Only with medicine，sir. I don』t like to see the m suffer.』

「只是吃藥的時候給他們喝上一點兒，先生。我不忍心看著他們受罪。」

『You』re a good woman，Mrs Mann.』 Mr Bumble drank half his glass immediately.『I』ll tell the board about you.Now - the reason why I』m here. Oliver Twist isnine years old today. We』ve never been able to discover anything about hisparents.』

「曼太太，你真是個好心的女人。」班布爾先生馬上喝下了半杯。「我會在董事會那裡替你美言的。現在言歸正傳，說說我今天來這兒的目的。奧利弗·特威斯特今天已經整整九歲了，迄今為止，我們沒有打聽到關於他父母的任何消息。」

『The n how did he get his name?』

「那麼，他是怎麼有了這個姓的?」

『I gave it to him，』said Mr Bumble proudly. 『We follow the alphabet.The lastone was an S-Swubble. The n it was T，so this one isTwist. The next one will be Unwin.Anyway，Oliver Twist is nowold enough to return to the workhouse. Bring him here，please.』 While Mrs Mann went to get him，Mr Bumble finished the rest of his gin.

「這姓是我給他起的，」班布爾先生自豪地說，「我們是按照字母表的順序給他們安排姓氏的，前一個是S，叫斯瓦勃(Swubble)，輪到他是字母T，所以就叫特威斯特(Twist)，下一個叫恩溫(Unwin)。不管怎麼說，奧利弗已經長大了，該回到濟貧院去了。請把他帶到這兒來。」曼太太去帶奧利弗時，班布爾先生喝乾了杯子里剩下的杜松子酒。

Oliver，his face and hands now almost clean，was led into theroom.

奧利弗手和臉差不多洗乾淨了，他被帶了進來。

『Will you come along with me，Oliver?』asked Mr Bumble in a loud voice.

「你願意跟我走嗎，奧利弗?」班布爾先生大聲問。

Oliver was very glad to be free of MrsMann』s violence，but he saidnothing because she was angrily shaking her finger at him.However，as the gate closed behind Oliver，he burst into tears. He was leaving behind the otherchildren，the only friends he had，and he realized at that moment how lonely he was in theworld.

奧利弗特別渴望能儘早逃脫曼太太的暴虐統治，可他卻沒吭聲，因為這時她正惡狠狠地向他暗暗搖著手指頭。可是當大門在奧利弗身後關上時，他突然涕淚橫流。他就要離開其他的孩子們了，而這些孩子是他僅有的朋友，此刻，他頓時感到自己在這個世界上是多麼孤獨。

Mr Bumble walked on with long steps，with Oliver on his short little legs running besidehim.The feeling of contentment produced by gin-and-water had now disappeared，and the beadle was in a bad mood once more.

班布爾先生在前面大步流星地走著，奧利弗挪動短腿一路小跑地跟在旁邊。喝了加水的杜松子酒所產生的心滿意足的感覺這會兒已蕩然無存，這位執事的情緒又不好了。

Back at the workhouse，Oliver was taken to see the board. He stood in front often fat men who were sitting around a table.

回到了濟貧院，奧利弗被帶去見董事會的人。十個體態臃腫、肥頭大耳的人圍坐在一張桌子周圍，他站在他們面前。

『What』s your name，boy?』 asked a particularly fat man with a very round，red face.

「小子，你叫什麼名字?」其中一個長著滾圓紅臉的特別胖的人問道。

Oliver was frightened at the sight of somany people，and started to cry.

奧利弗被眼前這麼多的人給嚇哭了。

『Why are you crying?』

「你哭什麼?」

The beadle hit him on the back，and so naturally Oliver cried even more.

執事在奧利弗的背上揍了一下，當然這一下使他哭得更厲害了。

『The boy is a fool，』one member of the board announced.

「他是個傻子。」一位董事大聲說。

『You know you have no father or mother，』said the first man，『and that you havebeen brought up with other orphans?』

「你知道你沒有父母，是和那些孤兒一起長大的嗎?」第一位先生說。

『Yes，sir，』replied Oliver，crying bitterly.

「我知道，先生。」奧利弗傷心地回答道。

『Why is the boy crying?』repeated theother man，puzzled.

「這孩子哭什麼?」另外那位先生莫名其妙地問。

『You have come here to be educated，』continued the fat man，『so you will startworking here tomorrow at six o』clock.』

「你是到這兒來受教育的，」那個胖子接著說，「所以從明天早晨六點鐘起，你得在這兒幹活。」

Oliver was led away to a large room，where，on a rough hard bed，he cried himself to sleep.

奧利弗又從這兒被帶到了一間大屋子裡。他躺在屋裡一張粗糙的木板床上，哭著哭著就睡著了。

The room in the workhouse where the boyswere fed was a large stone hall，and at one end themaster and two women served the food.This consisted of a bowl of thin soupthree times a day，with a piece ofbread on Sundays.The boys ate everything and were always hungry.The bowls neverneeded washing.The boys polished the m with their spoons until They shone.Afterthree months of this slow starvation，one of the boystold the others he was so hungry that one night he might eat the boy who sleptnext to him.He had a wild hungry eye，and the other boysbelieved him.After a long discussion，They decided thatone of the m should ask for more food after supper that evening，and Oliver was chosen.

濟貧院里男孩子們吃飯的地方是一間有石板牆石板地的大屋子，在屋子的一頭，管事的和兩位女傭負責給孩子們打飯。其實這一日三餐頓頓只是一碗稀粥，只有在星期天才加一片麵包。孩子們把碗里的東西吃得一乾二淨，還是飢腸轆轆。他們的碗根本不用刷洗。孩子們用勺子把碗颳得鋥亮。這樣緩慢的挨餓持續了三個月後，一天，一個男孩跟別的男孩子說他太餓了，沒準哪天晚上他會吃了睡在他邊上的人。他那飢餓得發狂的眼神讓別的男孩無法不相信他的話。經過長時間的商量，他們決定必須有一個人在當天晚飯後，去請求多給點兒吃的。結果，奧利弗被選中了。

The evening arrived;the soup was served，and the bowls were empty again in a few seconds.Oliverwent up to the master，with his bowl inhis hand.He felt very frightened，but also desperatewith hunger.

天黑了，開晚飯了，沒有幾秒鐘，孩子們的碗就又一乾二淨了。奧利弗站了起來，手裡捧著碗，心驚膽戰地朝管事的走了過去。由於極度飢餓，他橫下了一條心。

『Please，sir，I want some more.』

「勞駕，先生。我還想要一點兒。」

The master was a fat，healthy man，but he turned verypale. He looked at the little boy in front of him with amazement.Nobody elsespoke.

管事的是一個腦滿腸肥的壯漢，但他一下子顯得大吃一驚，臉都白了。他驚訝地看著站在他面前的這個小男孩。這時屋裡鴉雀無聲。

『What?』 he asked at last，in a faint voice.

「什麼?」他終於回過味來，用無力的聲音問道。

『Please，sir，』 replied Oliver，『I want some more.』

「勞駕，先生，」奧利弗又說了一遍，「我還想要一點兒。」

The master hit him with the servingspoon，the n seized Oliver』s arms and shoutedfor the beadle.The beadle came quickly，heard the dreadfulnews，and immediately ran to tell the board.

管事的用盛粥的勺子向奧利弗打去，過後又抓住他的胳膊大聲地叫喚著執事。執事馬上趕來了，得知了這件可怕的事，並立即跑去向董事會彙報。

『He asked for more?』 Mr Limbkins，the fattest board member，asked in horror. 『Bumble - is this really true?』

「他想要更多的飯吃?」董事會頭號大胖子利姆金斯先生震驚地問，「班布爾——難道真是這樣嗎?」

『That boy will be hanged!』 said the manwho earlier had called Oliver a fool. 『You see if I』m not right.』

「這孩子將來是要上絞刑架的!」起初說奧利弗是個傻子的那位先生嚷嚷著，「你就看我說得對不對吧。」

Oliver was led away to be locked up，and a reward was offered to anybody who would take himaway and use him for work.

奧利弗被帶走，鎖在一間屋子裡。董事會宣布，誰把這孩子領去幹活，誰就會得到獎賞。

2 Oliver』s first job

2奧利弗的第一個工作

Oliver stayed aprisoner alone in the dark room for a week. He cried bitterly all day，and when the longnight came，he spread his little hands over his eyes to shut out the darkness，and tried tosleep.He was given freezing water to wash with，and was beaten daily by Mr Bumble infront of all the other boys in the hall，as a warning to the m.

奧利弗被單獨在小黑屋裡關了一星期。他整天都傷心地流淚，每當漫長的黑夜來臨，他就用兩隻小手捂住眼睛，來驅走黑暗，力求入睡。每天他只能用帶著冰碴的水洗臉。為了殺一儆百，奧利弗每天要當著其他孩子的面挨班布爾先生一頓毒打。

One day Mr Bumble met the local undertaker，Mr Sowerberry，outside theworkhouse.

一天，班布爾先生在濟貧院外面遇見了當地的棺材店老闆索爾貝里先生。

『Do you know anybody who wants to train a boy for work，Mr Sowerberry?』MrBumble pointed at the notice on the wall above him，which offered fivepounds to anybody who would take Oliver Twist for work.

「索爾貝里先生，您知道誰想要帶個學徒嗎?」班布爾指著牆上方的一個通告說。上面寫著，願意領走奧利弗·特威斯特去幹活的人可以得到五英鎊的獎金。

Mr Sowerberry rubbed his chin and thought for a while. 『I pay enough for thepoor with my taxes，』 he said，『so why shouldn』t I be able to make use of the m in mywork? Yes，I』ll take the boy myself.』

索爾貝里先生摸著下巴想了一會兒。「我納不少的稅金養活窮人，幹嗎不讓他們去為我幹活呢?對，我領走這孩子。」

And so the boardagreed to send Oliver to work for the undertaker.The necessary papers weresigned.Oliver』s small possessions were put into a brown paper parcel，and he was led toMr Sowerberry』s house by Mr Bumble.As They walked along，tears began to rundown Oliver』s face.

這樣，董事會同意讓棺材店老闆領走奧利弗去幹活。必要的手續都辦理了，奧利弗僅有的一點東西放在一個小牛皮紙包里。他由班布爾先生帶著去了索爾貝里先生家。他們一面走著，奧利弗一面又淚流滿面。

『What is it this time?』asked Mr Bumble impatiently. 『Don』t be soungrateful.This gentleman is going to look after you.』

「這回又怎麼了?」班布爾先生不耐煩地問，「別那麼不識好人心，這位先生會照顧你的。」

『It』s just that I』m so lonely，sir!』 said the child. 『Everybody hates me.Please don』tbe angry with me，sir!』

「我感到太孤單了，先生!」這孩子說，「人人都討厭我。請別生我的氣，先生!」

Even Mr Bumble felt a little pity. He coughed，told Oliver to dry his eyes and be agood boy，and walked on with him in silence.

連班布爾先生也有點可憐他了。他咳了一聲，囑咐奧利弗擦乾眼淚，要當個乖孩子。然後兩人便徑直朝前走著，誰也不吭聲了。

The undertaker had just finished work for the day when Mr Bumble entered hisshop.

班布爾先生走進鋪子時，棺材店老闆剛忙完一天的活計。

『Here，I』ve brought the boy，』 said the beadle.

「瞧!孩子我給您送來了。」執事說。

Oliver bowed to the undertaker，who raised his candle to get a better view of the boy.『Mrs Sowerberry，』he called，『come and have a look.』

奧利弗朝著店老闆鞠了一躬。索爾貝里先生舉起蠟燭台打量著奧利弗，嘴裡喊著：「太太，快來看看。」

His wife，a short，thin woman with a disagreeable face，came out to see. 『He』s very small，』she saidimmediately.

他的妻子是個瘦小枯乾、面目可憎的女人。她走出來看了一眼，馬上說：「他太小了。」

『He is，』agreed Mr Bumble，『but he』ll grow，Mrs Sowerberry.』

「是的，」班布爾先生說，「可他還會長的，索爾貝里太太。」

『Yes，』she said crossly，『when he eats our food. Go on，get downstairs.』She pushed Oliver downstairs into a damp，dark kitchen，and called to thegirl working down the re. 『Here，Charlotte，give this boy some meat that the dog left-if he thinksit』s good enough for him.』

「那倒是，」她不痛快地說，「他吃了我們家的飯是會長大的。走，下樓去。」她連推帶搡地把奧利弗推進了一間潮濕黑暗的廚房裡，並朝著在那兒幹活的女孩子說：「喂，夏洛特，把狗吃剩的肉給這孩子吃點——如果他不嫌棄的話。」

Oliver tore the meat to pieces with his teeth as if he were a wild animal. MrsSowerberry watched him in silent horror，already thinking about her future foodbills，then took him upstairs to the shop.

奧利弗像野獸一樣用牙撕啃著肉。索爾貝里太太目瞪口呆地看著他，心裡已經在想著她往後的伙食負擔了。過後，她又把他帶到樓上的鋪面里。

『You』ll sleep here，among the coffins，』she said.

「你就睡在這些棺材中間。」她說。

Oliver stared around the dark，airless shop at the coffins，some finished，some onlyhalf-made.He trembled at the thought of ghosts.His bed was a small hole in thefloor，and looked very like a grave.

奧利弗獃獃地環顧四周。原來這是一間黑暗、悶氣的作坊，裡面放著一些做好了和正在做著的棺材。看著這些，他滿腦子都是鬼怪，不由得毛骨悚然。他睡在地板上一個狹小的洞里，看上去真像個墓穴。

But it was not only the room that depressed Oliver.He felt very lonely，with no friends andno one to care for him. As he lay on the bed，he found himself wishing that it reallywas his grave.

使奧利弗沮喪的不僅僅是這個住處。他感到非常孤獨，沒有朋友，沒人關心他。他躺在床上時，發現自己真希望就是躺在墓穴里了。

The next morning he was woken up by someone kicking at the shop door.

第二天一大早，他被店門口一陣踢門聲驚醒。

『Open the door，will you?』shouted a voice through the keyhole.

「開開門，好嗎?」有人透過鑰匙孔喊道。

『Yes，sir.』

「就來，先生。」

『I suppose you』re the new boy，』said the voice through the keyhole. 『How old are you?』

「你大概就是新來的學徒吧?」從鑰匙孔里傳進來的聲音問道，「你多大了?」

『Ten，sir.』

「十歲了，先生。」

『The n I』ll hit you when I get in，』said the voice.

「那麼我進去就揍你一頓。」那聲音接著說。

Oliver was experienced enough to know that the promise was probably true. Heopened the door with a shaking hand，the n looked up and down the street.Allhe could see was a large boy wearing the uniform of one of the charity schools，where the childrenof the very poor used to go.

奧利弗很有經驗，認為他很可能真的說到做到。他用顫抖的手打開了門，然後，來回掃視了一下街面，只看見一個穿著一家慈善學校制服的大個子男孩。慈善學校是窮人家孩子上的學校。

『Did you want a coffin?』asked Oliver，innocently.

「您要棺材嗎?」奧利弗無知地問。

The charity-boy looked at him fiercely. 『You』ll be needing a coffin soon，Workhouse，if you make jokeslike that! I』m Mister Noah Claypole，and you』re working under me.Now，hurry up and openthe curtains!』As he said this，he kicked Oliver and entered the shop.He was a big，clumsy boy of aboutfourteen，with a large head and very small eyes.Added to the se attractions were ared nose and dirty yellow trousers.

這個慈善學校的男孩兇狠地看著他。「你才馬上要用棺材了。如果你是那麼開玩笑的話，我就管你叫濟貧院!我是諾厄·克萊普爾先生，你是在我手下幹活的。現在，馬上打開帘子!」他說著，抬腿朝奧利弗踢了一腳，然後走進了鋪子。他大約十四歲，大塊頭，笨手笨腳的，一個大腦袋上長了一雙很小的眼睛。除了這些非凡品貌以外，他還有一個紅鼻子和一條髒兮兮的黃褲子。

The boys went down to breakfast，which the girl Charlotte had made for the m. She gave anextra piece of meat to Noah，the n told Oliver to hurry up as it was his job to lookafter the shop.

兩個男孩到樓下去吃那個叫做夏洛特的姑娘為他們準備好的早飯。她多給了諾厄一塊肉，然後又讓奧利弗快點吃，因為照看鋪子是他的事。

『Did you hear that，Workhouse?』 shouted Noah.

「你聽見了嗎，濟貧院?」諾厄嚷嚷道。

『He heard，Noah，』said Charlotte. 『Leave him alone.』

「他聽見了，諾厄。」夏洛特說，「別管他。」

『Why?』asked Noah. 『All his relations have already left him alone. His motherand father aren』t going to interfere with him!』Charlotte and Noah both startedlaughing loudly.Oliver sat alone in the corner，eating old bits of bread.

「為什麼?」諾厄問道，「他的親戚早就不管他了。他父母親再也不會來煩他了!」夏洛特和諾厄兩人都大聲笑了起來，奧利弗獨自坐在角落裡吃著一點剩麵包。

Noah was a charity-boy，but not a workhouse orphan; he at least knew who hisparents were. But for a long time all the local shop-boys had insulted himbecause he wore the uniform of a charity-boy. Now fortune had brought him acreature in an even lower position in society than himself.Noah intended torepay to Oliver every insult he had ever received，and to make the new boy』s life a misery.

諾厄是個慈善學校的男孩，但並不是濟貧院里的孤兒;他起碼還知道自己的父母是誰。但就因為他穿著慈善學校的制服，有好長時間當地店鋪里的男孩子們都侮辱他。這一次運氣給他帶來了一個比他社會地位更低下的傢伙。諾厄決定要把以往所受的凌辱都轉送給奧利弗，讓這新來的男孩沒有好日子過。

After a few weeks，Mr Sowerberry decided that he liked Oliver』s appearanceenough to train him in the undertaking business.Oliver』s permanent expressionof sadness was very suitable，the undertaker thought，for collecting dead bodies from housesand accompanying the coffins to funerals.

幾星期之後，索爾貝里先生看夠了奧利弗，決定要訓練他去做殯儀生意。因為奧利弗老是一副苦相，棺材店老闆認為他很合適做這件事，他想讓他到死者家裡搬運屍體和陪伴棺柩到墓地去。

One day Mr Bumble came to tell the m about a woman who had died in an extremelypoor part of the town，and Sowerberry and Oliver went to collect the body.Theywent down dirty narrow streets where the houses on either side were tall andlarge，but very old.Some of the houses were almost falling down，and had to besupported by huge blocks of wood. The area was so poor that even the dead ratsin the street looked as though They had died of hunger.

一天，班布爾先生來告訴他們，有一位住在本鎮貧民區的女人死了。索爾貝里先生和奧利弗去收屍，他們沿著骯髒狹窄的街道朝前走著，路兩邊的房屋都是又高又大，但過於陳舊了。有些房屋幾乎要倒塌了，不得不用粗大的圓木支撐著。這個地方太窮了，連路上的死老鼠好像都是餓死的。

They found the right house，and climbed the dark stairs to a miserable littleroom.Some children watched the m from the shadows as They entered.Something laybeneath a blanket on the floor in one corner.A man and an old woman stood nearthe body.Oliver was afraid to look at the m. With their thin faces and sharp teeth，They looked likethe rats he had seen outside.

他們找到了死者的家，爬上黑暗的樓梯，走進了一個破破爛爛的小屋。幾個孩子從黑影里看著他們走進來。在屋子一角的地上，一條毯子蒙著什麼東西，旁邊站著一個男人和一個老婦。奧利弗害怕看他們，他們面孔削瘦，牙齒尖銳，看起來就像他在外面街上看到的老鼠。

As Sowerberry began to measure the body for a coffin，the man knelt onthe floor and cried out，『She starved to death，I tell you!That』s why she died!』He fellto the floor，and all the children behind him started to cry.Sowerberry and Oliver，their work done，left as fast asThey could.

索爾貝里先生開始量屍體，看需要多大的棺材。站在旁邊的男人跪在地上，大聲地喊了起來：「她是活活給餓死的呀!我告訴你，她就是為這個死的!」他倒在地上，身後的孩子們都哭了起來。索爾貝里和奧利弗忙完了活計，就趕快離開了。

They returned the next day with the coffin and four men from the workhouse whowere to carry it.The man and the old woman followed the coffin to the church，and waited silentlyby the grave for the priest to arrive.When at last he came，he hurried throughthe burial prayers，and as quickly as possible(it was only a job，after all) thecoffin was put into the ground. At this point the husband，who had not movedonce during his wife』s burial- not even during the long wait for thepriest-suddenly fainted to the ground and had to have cold water thrown overhim.

第二天，他們送來了棺材，一起來的還有四個從濟貧院來抬棺材的人。那個男人和老婦跟在棺材的後面來到了教堂，默默地站在墓穴旁等著牧師的到來。牧師終於來了，他匆忙地主持了葬禮的祈禱儀式(畢竟這只是一種活計)。棺材儘可能快地放進了墓穴，就在這時，這位在妻子葬禮中一直一動不動的丈夫——即使在長時間等待牧師時也不曾動一下——暈倒在地上了。人們不得不在他的臉上灑了一些涼水。

『So how did you like it，Oliver?』asked Sowerberry later，as they walked home.

「奧利弗，你感覺怎麼樣?」事後，索爾貝里在往家走的路上問。

『Not very much，sir，』Oliver answered truthfully.

「感覺不太好，先生。」奧利弗如實說道。

『You』ll get used to it，my boy.』

「你會習慣的，孩子。」

Oliver wondered how long that would take，and remained silent all the way back tothe shop，thinking about everything that he had seen and heard.

奧利弗不知道這需要多長時間，在回鋪子去的路上他一直一聲不吭，回想著自己所見所聞的一切。

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