Oliver Twist
INVOLVES A CRITICAL POSITION
“Who’s that?” Brittles, opening the door a little way, with the up, and out, the with his hand.
“Open the door,” a man outside; “it’s the officers from Bow Street, as was sent to to-day.”
Much by this assurance, Brittles opened the door to its full width, and a man in a great-coat; who walked in, without saying anything more, and his shoes on the mat, as as if he there.
“Just send somebody out to my mate, will you, man?” said the officer; “he’s in the gig, a-minding the prad. Have you got a coach ’us here, that you put it up in, for five or ten minutes?”
Brittles in the affirmative, and pointing out the building, the man to the garden-gate, and helped his to put up the gig: while Brittles them, in a of great admiration. This done, they returned to the house, and, being into a parlour, took off their great-coats and hats, and like what they were.
The man who had at the door, was a of middle height, about fifty: with black hair, close; half-whiskers, a face, and eyes. The other was a red-headed, man, in top-boots; with a ill-favoured countenance, and a turned-up sinister-looking nose.
“Tell your that Blathers and Duff is here, will you?” said the man, his hair, and a pair of on the table. “Oh! Good-evening, master. Can I have a word or two with you in private, if you please?”
This was to Mr. Losberne, who now his appearance; that gentleman, Brittles to retire, in the two ladies, and the door.
“This is the lady of the house,” said Mr. Losberne, Mrs. Maylie.
Mr. Blathers a bow. Being to down, he put his on the floor, and taking a chair, to Duff to do the same. The gentleman, who did not appear so much to good society, or so much at his in it—one of the two—seated himself, after of the limbs, and the of his into his mouth, with some embarrassment.
“Now, with to this here robbery, master,” said Blathers. “What are the circumstances?”
Mr. Losberne, who appeared of time, them at great length, and with much circumlocution. Messrs. Blathers and Duff looked very meanwhile, and occasionally a nod.
“I can’t say, for certain, till I see the work, of course,” said Blathers; “but my opinion at once is,—I don’t mind myself to that extent,—that this wasn’t done by a yokel; eh, Duff?”
“Certainly not,” Duff.
“And, the word for the of the ladies, I your meaning to be, that this attempt was not by a countryman?” said Mr. Losberne, with a smile.
“That’s it, master,” Blathers. “This is all about the robbery, is it?”
“All,” the doctor.
“Now, what is this, about this here boy that the are a-talking on?” said Blathers.
“Nothing at all,” the doctor. “One of the to take it into his head, that he had something to do with this attempt to into the house; but it’s nonsense: absurdity.”
“Wery easy of, if it is,” Duff.
“What he says is correct,” Blathers, his in a way, and playing with the handcuffs, as if they were a pair of castanets. “Who is the boy? What account he give of himself? Where did he come from? He didn’t out of the clouds, did he, master?”
“Of not,” the doctor, with a at the two ladies. “I know his whole history: but we can talk about that presently. You would like, first, to see the place where the their attempt, I suppose?”
“Certainly,” Mr. Blathers. “We had the first, and the afterwards. That’s the way of doing business.”
Lights were then procured; and Messrs. Blathers and Duff, by the native constable, Brittles, Giles, and else in short, into the little room at the end of the passage and looked out at the window; and by way of the lawn, and looked in at the window; and after that, had a out to the with; and after that, a to the with; and after that, a to the with. This done, the of all beholders, they came in again; and Mr. Giles and Brittles were put through a of their in the previous night’s adventures: which they performed some six times over: each other, in not more than one respect, the time, and in not more than a dozen the last. This being at, Blathers and Duff the room, and a long together, with which, for and solemnity, a of great doctors on the point in medicine, would be child’s play.
Meanwhile, the doctor walked up and the next room in a very state; and Mrs. Maylie and Rose looked on, with faces.
“Upon my word,” he said, making a halt, after a great number of very turns, “I know what to do.”
“Surely,” said Rose, “the child’s story, to these men, will be to him.”
“I it, my dear lady,” said the doctor, his head. “I don’t think it would him, either with them, or with legal of a higher grade. What is he, after all, they would say? A runaway. Judged by and probabilities, his is a very one.”
“You it, surely?” Rose.
“I it, as it is; and I may be an old for doing so,” the doctor; “but I don’t think it is the for a practical police-officer, nevertheless.”
“Why not?” Rose.
“Because, my cross-examiner,” the doctor: “because, viewed with their eyes, there are many points about it; he can only prove the parts that look ill, and none of those that look well. Confound the fellows, they will have the why and the wherefore, and will take nothing for granted. On his own showing, you see, he has been the of for some time past; he has been to a police-officer, on a of a gentleman’s pocket; he has been taken away, forcibly, from that gentleman’s house, to a place which he cannot or point out, and of the of which he has not the idea. He is to Chertsey, by men who to have taken a to him, he will or no; and is put through a window to a house; and then, just at the very moment when he is going to the inmates, and so do the very thing that would set him all to rights, there into the way, a dog of a half-bred butler, and him! As if on purpose to prevent his doing any good for himself! Don’t you see all this?”
“I see it, of course,” Rose, at the doctor’s impetuosity; “but still I do not see anything in it, to the child.”
“No,” the doctor; “of not! Bless the of your sex! They see, for good or bad, more than one of any question; and that is, always, the one which presents itself to them.”
Having to this result of experience, the doctor put his hands into his pockets, and walked up and the room with than before.
“The more I think of it,” said the doctor, “the more I see that it will occasion trouble and if we put these men in of the boy’s story. I am it will not be believed; and if they can do nothing to him in the end, still the it forward, and to all the that will be upon it, must interfere, materially, with your plan of him from misery.”
“Oh! what is to be done?” Rose. “Dear, dear! why did they send for these people?”
“Why, indeed!” Mrs. Maylie. “I would not have had them here, for the world.”
“All I know is,” said Mr. Losberne, at last: with a of calmness, “that we must try and it off with a face. The object is a good one, and that must be our excuse. The boy has of upon him, and is in no condition to be talked to any more; that’s one comfort. We must make the best of it; and if be the best, it is no fault of ours. Come in!”
“Well, master,” said Blathers, entering the room by his colleague, and making the door fast, he said any more. “This warn’t a put-up thing.”
“And what the devil’s a put-up thing?” the doctor, impatiently.
“We call it a put-up robbery, ladies,” said Blathers, to them, as if he their ignorance, but had a for the doctor’s, “when the is in it.”
“Nobody them, in this case,” said Mrs. Maylie.
“Wery likely not, ma’am,” Blathers; “but they might have been in it, for all that.”
“More likely on that account,” said Duff.
“We it was a town hand,” said Blathers, his report; “for the of work is first-rate.”
“Wery it is,” Duff, in an undertone.
“There was two of ’em in it,” Blathers; “and they had a boy with ’em; that’s plain from the size of the window. That’s all to be said at present. We’ll see this that you’ve got at once, if you please.”
“Perhaps they will take something to drink first, Mrs. Maylie?” said the doctor: his brightening, as if some new had to him.
“Oh! to be sure!” Rose, eagerly. “You shall have it immediately, if you will.”
“Why, thank you, miss!” said Blathers, his coat-sleeve across his mouth; “it’s work, this of duty. Anythink that’s handy, miss; don’t put out of the way, on our accounts.”
“What shall it be?” asked the doctor, the lady to the sideboard.
“A little of spirits, master, if it’s all the same,” Blathers. “It’s a cold from London, ma’am; and I always that comes home to the feelings.”
This was to Mrs. Maylie, who it very graciously. While it was being to her, the doctor out of the room.
“Ah!” said Mr. Blathers: not his wine-glass by the stem, but the the thumb and of his left hand: and it in of his chest; “I have a good many pieces of like this, in my time, ladies.”
“That in the at Edmonton, Blathers,” said Mr. Duff, his colleague’s memory.
“That was something in this way, warn’t it?” Mr. Blathers; “that was done by Conkey Chickweed, that was.”
“You always gave that to him” Duff. “It was the Family Pet, I tell you. Conkey hadn’t any more to do with it than I had.”
“Get out!” Mr. Blathers; “I know better. Do you mind that time when Conkey was of his money, though? What a start that was! Better than any novel-book I see!”
“What was that?” Rose: to any of good-humour in the visitors.
“It was a robbery, miss, that would have been upon,” said Blathers. “This here Conkey Chickweed—”
“Conkey means Nosey, ma’am,” Duff.
“Of the lady that, don’t she?” Mr. Blathers. “Always interrupting, you are, partner! This here Conkey Chickweed, miss, a public-house over Battlebridge way, and he had a cellar, where a good many to see cock-fighting, and badger-drawing, and that; and a manner the was in, for I’ve ’em off’en. He warn’t one of the family, at that time; and one night he was of three hundred and twenty-seven in a bag, that was out of his in the of night, by a tall man with a black over his eye, who had himself under the bed, and after the robbery, jumped out of window: which was only a high. He was quick about it. But Conkey was quick, too; for he a him, and the neighbourhood. They set up a hue-and-cry, directly, and when they came to look about ’em, that Conkey had the robber; for there was of blood, all the way to some a good off; and there they ’em. However, he had off with the blunt; and, consequently, the name of Mr. Chickweed, witler, appeared in the Gazette among the other bankrupts; and all manner of and subscriptions, and I don’t know what all, was got up for the man, who was in a low of mind about his loss, and up and the streets, for three or four days, a his off in such a manner that many people was he might be going to make away with himself. One day he came up to the office, all in a hurry, and had a private with the magistrate, who, after a of talk, the bell, and orders Jem Spyers in (Jem was a active officer), and tells him to go and Mr. Chickweed in the man as his house. ‘I see him, Spyers,’ said Chickweed, ‘pass my house yesterday morning,’ ‘Why didn’t you up, and him!’ says Spyers. ‘I was so all of a heap, that you might have my with a toothpick,’ says the man; ‘but we’re sure to have him; for ten and eleven o’clock at night he passed again.’ Spyers no sooner this, than he put some clean and a comb, in his pocket, in case he should have to stop a day or two; and away he goes, and sets himself at one of the public-house the little red curtain, with his on, all to out, at a moment’s notice. He was his pipe here, late at night, when all of a Chickweed out, ‘Here he is! Stop thief! Murder!’ Jem Spyers out; and there he sees Chickweed, a-tearing the full cry. Away goes Spyers; on goes Chickweed; the people; out, ‘Thieves!’ and Chickweed himself on shouting, all the time, like mad. Spyers of him a minute as he a corner; round; sees a little crowd; in; ‘Which is the man?’ ‘D—me!’ says Chickweed, ‘I’ve him again!’ It was a occurrence, but he warn’t to be nowhere, so they to the public-house. Next morning, Spyers took his old place, and looked out, from the curtain, for a tall man with a black over his eye, till his own two again. At last, he couldn’t help ’em, to ’em a minute; and the very moment he did so, he Chickweed a-roaring out, ‘Here he is!’ Off he once more, with Chickweed half-way the ahead of him; and after twice as long a as the yesterday’s one, the man’s again! This was done, once or twice more, till one-half the gave out that Mr. Chickweed had been by the devil, who was playing with him arterwards; and the other half, that Mr. Chickweed had gone with grief.”
“What did Jem Spyers say?” the doctor; who had returned to the room after the of the story.
“Jem Spyers,” the officer, “for a long time said nothing at all, and to without to, which he his business. But, one morning, he walked into the bar, and taking out his snuffbox, says ‘Chickweed, I’ve out who done this here robbery.’ ‘Have you?’ said Chickweed. ‘Oh, my dear Spyers, only let me have wengeance, and I shall die contented! Oh, my dear Spyers, where is the villain!’ ‘Come!’ said Spyers, him a pinch of snuff, ‘none of that gammon! You did it yourself.’ So he had; and a good of money he had by it, too; and nobody would have it out, if he hadn’t been so to keep up appearances!” said Mr. Blathers, his wine-glass, and the together.
“Very curious, indeed,” the doctor. “Now, if you please, you can walk upstairs.”
“If you please, sir,” returned Mr. Blathers. Closely Mr. Losberne, the two officers to Oliver’s bedroom; Mr. Giles the party, with a candle.
Oliver had been dozing; but looked worse, and was more than he had appeared yet. Being by the doctor, he managed to up in for a minute or so; and looked at the without at all what was going forward—in fact, without to where he was, or what had been passing.
“This,” said Mr. Losberne, speaking softly, but with great notwithstanding, “this is the lad, who, being by a spring-gun in some on Mr. What-d’ ye-call-him’s grounds, at the here, comes to the house for this morning, and is of and maltreated, by that with the in his hand: who has his life in danger, as I can certify.”
Messrs. Blathers and Duff looked at Mr. Giles, as he was thus to their notice. The from them Oliver, and from Oliver Mr. Losberne, with a most mixture of and perplexity.
“You don’t to that, I suppose?” said the doctor, Oliver again.
“It was all done for the—for the best, sir,” answered Giles. “I am sure I it was the boy, or I wouldn’t have with him. I am not of an disposition, sir.”
“Thought it was what boy?” the senior officer.
“The housebreaker’s boy, sir!” Giles. “They—they had a boy.”
“Well? Do you think so now?” Blathers.
“Think what, now?” Giles, looking at his questioner.
“Think it’s the same boy, Stupid-head?” Blathers, impatiently.
“I don’t know; I don’t know,” said Giles, with a countenance. “I couldn’t to him.”
“What do you think?” asked Mr. Blathers.
“I don’t know what to think,” Giles. “I don’t think it is the boy; indeed, I’m almost that it isn’t. You know it can’t be.”
“Has this man been a-drinking, sir?” Blathers, to the doctor.
“What a muddle-headed you are!” said Duff, Mr. Giles, with contempt.
Mr. Losberne had been the patient’s this dialogue; but he now rose from the chair by the bedside, and remarked, that if the officers had any upon the subject, they would like to step into the next room, and have Brittles them.
Acting upon this suggestion, they to a apartment, where Mr. Brittles, being called in, himself and his in such a of fresh and impossibilities, as to no particular light on anything, but the of his own mystification; except, indeed, his that he shouldn’t know the boy, if he were put him that instant; that he had only taken Oliver to be he, Mr. Giles had said he was; and that Mr. Giles had, five minutes previously, in the kitchen, that he to be very much he had been a little too hasty.
Among other surmises, the question was then raised, Mr. Giles had anybody; and upon of the pistol to that which he had fired, it out to have no more than and paper: a which a on but the doctor, who had the about ten minutes before. Upon no one, however, did it make a than on Mr. Giles himself; who, after labouring, for some hours, under the of having a fellow-creature, at this new idea, and it to the utmost. Finally, the officers, without themselves very much about Oliver, left the Chertsey in the house, and took up their for that night in the town; promising to return the next morning.
With the next morning, there came a rumour, that two men and a boy were in the at Kingston, who had been over night under circumstances; and to Kingston Messrs. Blathers and Duff accordingly. The circumstances, however, themselves, on investigation, into the one fact, that they had been sleeping under a haystack; which, although a great crime, is only by imprisonment, and is, in the of the English law, and its love of all the King’s subjects, to be no satisfactory proof, in the of all other evidence, that the sleeper, or sleepers, have with violence, and have therefore themselves to the of death; Messrs. Blathers and Duff came again, as wise as they went.
In short, after some more examination, and a great more conversation, a was to take the joint of Mrs. Maylie and Mr. Losberne for Oliver’s if he should be called upon; and Blathers and Duff, being with a of guineas, returned to town with opinions on the of their expedition: the on a of all the circumstances, to the that the attempt had with the Family Pet; and the being to the full of it to the great Mr. Conkey Chickweed.
Meanwhile, Oliver and under the of Mrs. Maylie, Rose, and the kind-hearted Mr. Losberne. If prayers, from with gratitude, be in heaven—and if they be not, what prayers are!—the which the child called upon them, into their souls, peace and happiness.
CHAPTER XXXII.
