第一章奥利弗出生地及出生时的种种情况.docx

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1、第一章奥利弗出生地及出生时的4Chapter1TreatsoftheP1aceWhereO1iverTwistWasBorn;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MON

2、Gotherpub1icbui1dingsinacertaintown,whichformanyreasonsitwi11beprudenttorefrainfrommentioning,andtowhichIwi11assignnofictitiousname,itboastsofonewhichiscommontomosttowns,greatorsma11,toWi1aworkhouse;andinthisworkhousewasbom,onadayanddatewhichIneednottakeuponmyse1ftorepeat,inasmuchasitcanbeofnopossib

3、1econsequencetothereader,inthisstageofthebusinessata11events,theitemofmorta1itywhosenameisprefixedtotheheadofthischapter.Fora1ongtimeafterhewasusheredintothiswor1dofsorrowandtroub1e,bytheparishsurgeon,itremainedamatterofconsiderab1edoubtwhetherthechi1dwou1dsurvivetobearanynameata11;inwhichcaseitisso

4、mewhatmorethanprobab1ethatthesememoirswou1dneverhaveappeared;or,iftheyhad,thatbeingcomprisedwithinacoup1eofpages,thattheywou1dhavepossessedtheinestimab1emeritofbeingthemostconciseandfaithfu1specimenofbiographyextantinthe1iteratureofanyageorcountry.A1thoughIamnotdisposedtomaintainthatthebeingbominawo

5、rkhouseisinitse1fthemostfortunateandenviab1ecircumstancethatcanpossib1ybefa11ahumanbeing,Idomeantosaythatinthisparticu1arinstanceitwasthebestthingforO1iverTwistthatcou1dbypossibi1ityhaveoccurred.Thefactis,thattherewasconsiderab1edifficu1tyininducingO1ivertotakeuponhimse1ftheofficeofrespiration,一atro

6、ub1esomepractice,butonewhichcustomhasrenderednecessarytooureasyexistence,andforsometimehe1aygaspingona1itt1ef1ockmattress,ratherunequa11ypoisedbetweenthiswor1dandthenext,theba1ancebeingdecided1yinfavourofthe1atter.Now,ifduringthisbriefperiod,O1iverhadbeensurroundedbycarefu1grandmothers,anxiousaunts,

7、experiencednurses,anddoctorsofprofoundwisdom,hewou1dmostinevitab1yandindubitab1yhavebeenki11edinnotime.Therebeingnobodyby,however,butapaupero1dwoman,whowasrenderedrathermistybyanunwonteda11owanceofbeer,andaparishsurgeonwhodidsuchmattersbycontract,O1iverandNaturefoughtoutthepointbetweenthem.Theresu1t

8、was,that,afterafewstrugg1es,O1iverbreathed,sneezed,andproceededtoadvertisetotheinmatesoftheworkhousethefactofanewburdenhavingbeenimposedupontheparish,bysettingupas1oudacryascou1dreasonab1yhavebeenexpectedfromama1einfantwhohadnotbeenpossessedofthatveryusefu1appendage,avoice,foramuch1ongerspaceoftimet

9、hanthreeminutesandaquarter.AsO1ivergavethisfirstproofofthefreeandproperactionofhis1ungs,thepatchworkcover1etwhichwascare1ess1yf1ungovertheironbedstead,rust1ed;thepa1efaceofayoungfema1ewasraisedfeeb1yfromthepi11ow;andafaintvoiceimperfect1yarticu1atedthewords,t1etmeseethechi1d,anddie/Thesurgeonhadbeen

10、sittingwithhisfaceturnedtowardsthefire,givingthepa1msofhishandsawarmandaruba1ternate1y;butastheyoungwomanspoke,herose,andadvancingtothebed,shead,said,withmorekindnessthanmighthavebeenexpectedofhim-40h,youmustnotta1kaboutdyingyet/1orb1essherdearheart,no1,interposedthenurse,hasti1ydepositinginherpocke

11、tagreeng1assbott1e,thecontentsofwhichshehadbeentastinginacornerwithevidentsatisfaction.41orb1essherdearheart,whenshehas1ivedas1ongasIhave,sir,andhadthirteenchi1drenofherown,anda11on,emdeadexcepttwo,andtheminthewurkuswithme,she,knowbetterthantotakeoninthatway,b1essherdearheart!Thinkwhatitistobeamothe

12、r,there,sadearyoung1amb,do.Apparent1ythisconso1atoryperspectiveofamother,sprospectsfai1edinproducingitsdueeffect.Thepatientshookherhead,andstretchedoutherhandtowardsthechi1d.Thesurgeondepositeditinherarms.Sheimprintedherco1dwhite1ipspassionate1yonitsforehead,passedherhandsoverherface,gazedwi1d1yroun

13、d,shuddered,fe11back一anddied.Theychafedherbreast,hands,andtemp1es;buttheb1oodhadfrozenforever.Theyta1kedofhopeandcomfort.Theyhadbeenstrangerstoo1ong.Itsa11over,Mrs.Thingummy/saidthesurgeonat1ast.4Ah,poordear,soitis!saidthenurse,pickingupthecorkofthegreenbott1ewhichhadfa11enoutonthepi11owasshestooped

14、totakeupthechi1d.4Poordear!4Youneedn,tmindsendinguptome,ifthechi1dcries,nurse/saidthesurgeon,puttingonhisg1oveswithgreatde1iberation.tIt,svery1ike1yitwi11betroub1esome.Giveita1itt1egrue1ifitis.Heputonhishat,and,pausingbythebed-sideonhiswaytothedoor,added,4Shewasagood-1ookinggir1,too;wheredidshecomef

15、rom?Shewasbroughthere1astnight/rep1iedtheo1dwoman,*bytheoverseersorder.Shewasfound1yinginthestreet;shehadwa1kedsomedistance,forhershoeswereworntopieces;butwhereshecamefrom,orwhereshewasgoingto,nobodyknows.5Thesurgeon1eantoverthebody,andraisedthe1efthand.4Theo1dstory/hesaid,shakinghishead:4nowedding-

16、ring,Isee.Ah!Goodnight!Themedica1gent1emanwa1kedawaytodinner;andthenurse,havingoncemoreapp1iedherse1ftothegreenbott1e,satdownona1owchairbeforethefire,andproceededtodresstheinfant.Whatanexce11entexamp1eofpowerofdressyoungO1iverTwistwas!Wrappedintheb1anketwhichhadhithertoformedhison1ycovering,hemighthavebeenthechi1dofanob1emanorabeggar;itwou1dhavebeenhardforthehaughtieststrangertohavefixedhisstationinsociety.Butnowthathewasenve1opedi