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Chapter 1
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TREATS OF THE PLACE WHERE OLIVER TWIST WAS BORN AND OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES ATTENDING HIS BIRTH

Among other public buildings in a certain town, which for many reasons it will be prudent1 to refrain from mentioning, and to which I will assign no fictitious2 name, there is one anciently common to most towns, great or small: to wit, a workhouse; and in this workhouse was born; on a day and date which I need not trouble myself to repeat, inasmuch as it can be of no possible consequence to the reader, in this stage of the business at all events; the item of mortality whose name is prefixed to the head of this chapter.

For a long time after it was ushered3 into this world of sorrow and trouble, by the parish surgeon, it remained a matter of considerable doubt whether the child would survive to bear any name at all; in which case it is somewhat more than probable that these memoirs4 would never have appeared; or, if they had, that being comprised within a couple of pages, they would have possessed5 the inestimable merit of being the most concise6 and faithful specimen7 of biography, extant in the literature of any age or country.

Although I am not disposed to maintain that the being born in a workhouse, is in itself the most fortunate and enviable circumstance that can possibly befall a human being, I do mean to say that in this particular instance, it was the best thing for Oliver Twist that could by possibility have occurred. The fact is, that there was considerable difficulty in inducing Oliver to take upon himself the office of respiration,--a troublesome practice, but one which custom has rendered necessary to our easy existence; and for some time he lay gasping8 on a little flock mattress9, rather unequally poised10 between this world and the next: the balance being decidedly in favour of the latter. Now, if, during this brief period, Oliver had been surrounded by careful grandmothers, anxious aunts, experienced nurses, and doctors of profound wisdom, he would most inevitably11 and indubitably have been killed in no time. There being nobody by, however, but a pauper12 old woman, who was rendered rather misty13 by an unwonted allowance of beer; and a parish surgeon who did such matters by contract; Oliver and Nature fought out the point between them. The result was, that, after a few struggles, Oliver breathed, sneezed, and proceeded to advertise to the inmates14 of the workhouse the fact of a new burden having been imposed upon the parish, by setting up as loud a cry as could reasonably have been expected from a male infant who had not been possessed of that very useful appendage15, a voice, for a much longer space of time than three minutes and a quarter.

As Oliver gave this first proof of the free and proper action of his lungs, the patchwork16 coverlet which was carelessly flung over the iron bedstead, rustled17; the pale face of a young woman was raised feebly from the pillow; and a faint voice imperfectly articulated the words, 'Let me see the child, and die.'

The surgeon had been sitting with his face turned towards the fire: giving the palms of his hands a warm and a rub alternately. As the young woman spoke18, he rose, and advancing to the bed's head, said, with more kindness than might have been expected of him:

'Oh, you must not talk about dying yet.'

'Lor bless her dear heart, no!' interposed the nurse, hastily depositing in her pocket a green glass bottle, the contents of which she had been tasting in a corner with evident satisfaction.

'Lor bless her dear heart, when she has lived as long as I have, sir, and had thirteen children of her own, and all on 'em dead except two, and them in the wurkus with me, she'll know better than to take on in that way, bless her dear heart! Think what it is to be a mother, there's a dear young lamb do.'

Apparently19 this consolatory20 perspective of a mother's prospects21 failed in producing its due effect. The patient shook her head, and stretched out her hand towards the child.

The surgeon deposited it in her arms. She imprinted22 her cold white lips passionately23 on its forehead; passed her hands over her face; gazed wildly round; shuddered24; fell back--and died. They chafed25 her breast, hands, and temples; but the blood had stopped forever. They talked of hope and comfort. They had been strangers too long.

'It's all over, Mrs. Thingummy!' said the surgeon at last.

'Ah, poor dear, so it is!' said the nurse, picking up the cork26 of the green bottle, which had fallen out on the pillow, as she stooped to take up the child. 'Poor dear!'

'You needn't mind sending up to me, if the child cries, nurse,' said the surgeon, putting on his gloves with great deliberation. 'It's very likely it _will_ be troublesome. Give it a little gruel27 if it is.' He put on his hat, and, pausing by the bed-side on his way to the door, added, 'She was a good-looking girl, too; where did she come from?'

'She was brought here last night,' replied the old woman, 'by the overseer's order. She was found lying in the street. She had walked some distance, for her shoes were worn to pieces; but where she came from, or where she was going to, nobody knows.'

The surgeon leaned over the body, and raised the left hand. 'The old story,' he said, shaking his head: 'no wedding-ring, I see. Ah! Good-night!'

The medical gentleman walked away to dinner; and the nurse, having once more applied28 herself to the green bottle, sat down on a low chair before the fire, and proceeded to dress the infant.

What an excellent example of the power of dress, young Oliver Twist was! Wrapped in the blanket which had hitherto formed his only covering, he might have been the child of a nobleman or a beggar; it would have been hard for the haughtiest29 stranger to have assigned him his proper station in society. But now that he was enveloped30 in the old calico robes which had grown yellow in the same service, he was badged and ticketed, and fell into his place at once--a parish child--the orphan31 of a workhouse--the humble32, half-starved drudge--to be cuffed33 and buffeted34 through the world--despised by all, and pitied by none.

Oliver cried lustily. If he could have known that he was an orphan, left to the tender mercies of church-wardens and overseers, perhaps he would have cried the louder.


在某一个小城,由于诸多原因,对该城的大名还是不提为好,我连假名也不给它取一个。此地和无数大大小小的城镇一样,在那里的公共建筑物之中也有一个古已有之的机构,这就是济贫院。本章题目中提到了姓名的那个人就出生在这所济贫院里,具体日期无需赘述,反正这一点对读者来说无关紧要――至少在目前这个阶段是这样。

    这孩子由教区外科医生领着,来到了这一个苦难而动荡的世界,在很长一段时间里,仍然存在着一件相当伤脑筋的问题,这孩子到底是不是能够有名有姓地活下去。如果是这种情况奥卡姆(WilliamofOccam〔或Ockham〕,约1300―约,本传记很有可能会永无面世之日,或者说,即便能问世也只有寥寥数页,不过倒也有一条无可估量的优点,即成为古往今来世界各国现存文献中最简明最忠实的传记范本。

    我倒也无意坚持说,出生在贫民收容院这件事本身乃是一个人所能指望得到的最美妙、最惹人羡慕的运气,但我的确想指出,此时此刻,对奥立弗退斯特说来,这也许是最幸运的一件事了。不瞒你说,当时要奥立弗自个儿承担呼吸空气的职能都相当困难――呼吸本来就是一件麻烦事,偏偏习惯又使这项职能成了我们维持生存必不可少的事情。好一阵子,他躺在一张小小的毛毯上直喘气,在今生与来世之间摇摆不定,天平决定性地倾向于后者。别的且不说,在这个短暂的时光里,倘若奥立弗的周围是一班细致周到的老奶奶、热心热肠的大娘大婶、经验丰富的护土以及学识渊博的大夫,毫无疑义,他必定一下子就被结果了。幸好在场的只有一个济贫院的老太婆,她已经叫不大容易到手的一点啤酒弄得有些晕乎乎的了,外加一位按合同办理这类事情的教区外科医生。除此之外,没有旁人。奥立弗与造化之间的较量见了分晓了。结果是,几个回合下来,奥立弗呼吸平稳了,打了一个喷嚏,发出一阵高声啼哭,作为一名男婴,哭声之响是可以想见的,要知道他在远远超过三分十五秒的时间里还始终不曾具有嗓门这样一种很有用处的附件。他开始向全院上下公布一个事实:本教区又背上了一个新的包袱。

    奥立弗刚以这一番活动证明自己的肺部功能正常,运转自如,这时,胡乱搭在铁床架上的那张补钉摞补钉的床单飒飒地响了起来,一个年轻女子有气无力地从枕头上抬起苍白的面孔,用微弱的声音不十分清晰地吐出了几个字:“让我看一看孩子再死吧。”

    医生面对壁炉坐在一边,时而烤烤手心,时而又搓搓手,听到少妇的声音,他站起来首倡经世致用之说;永嘉、永康两派反对空谈心性义理,主,走到床头,口气和善得出人意料,说:

    “噢,你现在还谈不上死。”

    “上帝保佑,她可是死不得,死不得。”护士插嘴说,一边慌慌张张地把一只绿色玻璃瓶放进衣袋里,瓶中之物她已经在角落里尝过了,显然十分中意。“上帝保佑,可死不得,等她活到我这把岁数,大夫,自家养上十三个孩子,除开两个,全都得送命,那两个就跟我一块儿待在济贫院里好了,到时候她就明白了,犯不着这样激动,死不得的,寻思寻思当妈是怎么回事,可爱的小羊羔在这儿呢,没错。”

    这番话本来是想用作母亲的前景来开导产妇,但显然没有产生应有的效果。产妇摇摇头,朝孩子伸出手去。

    医生将孩子放进她的怀里,她深情地把冰凉白皙的双唇印在孩子的额头上,接着她用双手擦了擦脸,狂乱地环顾了一下周围,战栗着向后一仰――死了。他们摩擦她的胸部、双手、太阳穴,但血液已经永远凝滞了。医生和护土说了一些希望和安慰的话。希望和安慰已经久违多时了。

    “一切都完了,辛格密太太。”末了,医生说道。

    “呵,可怜的孩子,是这么回事。”护士说着,从枕头上拾起那只绿瓶的瓶塞,那是她弯腰抱孩子的时候掉下来的。“可怜的孩子。”

    “护士,孩子要是哭的话,你尽管叫人来找我,”医生慢条斯理地戴上手套,说道,“小家伙很可能会折腾一气,要是那样,就给他喝点麦片粥。”他戴上帽子,还没走到门口,又在床边停了下来,添上了一句,“这姑娘还挺漂亮,哪儿来的?”

    “她是昨天晚上送来的,”老婆子回答,“有教区贫民救济处长官的吩咐。有人看见她倒在街上。她走了很远的路,鞋都穿成刷子了。要说她从哪儿来,到哪儿去,那可没人知道。”

    医生弯下腰,拿起死者的左手。“又是那种事,”他摇摇头说,“明白了,没带结婚戒指。啊。晚安。”

    懂医道的绅士外出吃晚饭去了,护士本人就着那只绿色玻璃瓶又受用了一番,在炉前一个矮椅子上坐下来,着手替婴儿穿衣服。

    小奥立弗真可以称为人靠衣装的一个杰出典范。他打从一出世唯一掩身蔽体的东西就是裹在他身上的那条毯子,你说他是贵家公子也行,是乞丐的贫儿亦可。就是最自负的外人也很难确定他的社会地位。不过这当儿,他给裹进一件白布旧罩衫里边,由于多次使用,罩衫已经开始泛黄,打上印章,贴上标签,一转眼已经正式到位――成为教区的孩子――济贫院的孤儿――吃不饱也饿不死的苦力――来到世上就要尝拳头,挨巴掌一一个个藐视,无人怜悯。

    奥立弗尽情地哭起来。他要是能够意识到自己成了孤儿,命运如何全得看教区委员和贫民救济处官员会不会发慈悲,可能还会哭得更响亮一些。


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 prudent M0Yzg     
adj.谨慎的,有远见的,精打细算的
参考例句:
  • A prudent traveller never disparages his own country.聪明的旅行者从不贬低自己的国家。
  • You must school yourself to be modest and prudent.你要学会谦虚谨慎。
2 fictitious 4kzxA     
adj.虚构的,假设的;空头的
参考例句:
  • She invented a fictitious boyfriend to put him off.她虚构出一个男朋友来拒绝他。
  • The story my mother told me when I was young is fictitious.小时候妈妈对我讲的那个故事是虚构的。
3 ushered d337b3442ea0cc4312a5950ae8911282     
v.引,领,陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The secretary ushered me into his office. 秘书把我领进他的办公室。
  • A round of parties ushered in the New Year. 一系列的晚会迎来了新年。 来自《简明英汉词典》
4 memoirs f752e432fe1fefb99ab15f6983cd506c     
n.回忆录;回忆录传( mem,自oir的名词复数)
参考例句:
  • Her memoirs were ghostwritten. 她的回忆录是由别人代写的。
  • I watched a trailer for the screenplay of his memoirs. 我看过以他的回忆录改编成电影的预告片。 来自《简明英汉词典》
5 possessed xuyyQ     
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的
参考例句:
  • He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
  • He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。
6 concise dY5yx     
adj.简洁的,简明的
参考例句:
  • The explanation in this dictionary is concise and to the point.这部词典里的释义简明扼要。
  • I gave a concise answer about this.我对于此事给了一个简要的答复。
7 specimen Xvtwm     
n.样本,标本
参考例句:
  • You'll need tweezers to hold up the specimen.你要用镊子来夹这标本。
  • This specimen is richly variegated in colour.这件标本上有很多颜色。
8 gasping gasping     
adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词
参考例句:
  • He was gasping for breath. 他在喘气。
  • "Did you need a drink?""Yes, I'm gasping!” “你要喝点什么吗?”“我巴不得能喝点!”
9 mattress Z7wzi     
n.床垫,床褥
参考例句:
  • The straw mattress needs to be aired.草垫子该晾一晾了。
  • The new mattress I bought sags in the middle.我买的新床垫中间陷了下去。
10 poised SlhzBU     
a.摆好姿势不动的
参考例句:
  • The hawk poised in mid-air ready to swoop. 老鹰在半空中盘旋,准备俯冲。
  • Tina was tense, her hand poised over the telephone. 蒂娜心情紧张,手悬在电话机上。
11 inevitably x7axc     
adv.不可避免地;必然发生地
参考例句:
  • In the way you go on,you are inevitably coming apart.照你们这样下去,毫无疑问是会散伙的。
  • Technological changes will inevitably lead to unemployment.技术变革必然会导致失业。
12 pauper iLwxF     
n.贫民,被救济者,穷人
参考例句:
  • You lived like a pauper when you had plenty of money.你有大把钱的时候,也活得像个乞丐。
  • If you work conscientiously you'll only die a pauper.你按部就班地干,做到老也是穷死。
13 misty l6mzx     
adj.雾蒙蒙的,有雾的
参考例句:
  • He crossed over to the window to see if it was still misty.他走到窗户那儿,看看是不是还有雾霭。
  • The misty scene had a dreamy quality about it.雾景给人以梦幻般的感觉。
14 inmates 9f4380ba14152f3e12fbdf1595415606     
n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • One of the inmates has escaped. 被收容的人中有一个逃跑了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The inmates were moved to an undisclosed location. 监狱里的囚犯被转移到一个秘密处所。 来自《简明英汉词典》
15 appendage KeJy7     
n.附加物
参考例句:
  • After their work,the calculus was no longer an appendage and extension of Greek geometry.经过他们的工作,微积分不再是古希腊几何的附庸和延展。
  • Macmillan must have loathed being judged as a mere appendage to domestic politics.麦克米伦肯定极不喜欢只被当成国内政治的附属品。
16 patchwork yLsx6     
n.混杂物;拼缝物
参考例句:
  • That proposal is nothing else other than a patchwork.那个建议只是一个大杂烩而已。
  • She patched new cloth to the old coat,so It'seemed mere patchwork. 她把新布初到那件旧上衣上,所以那件衣服看上去就象拼凑起来的东西。
17 rustled f68661cf4ba60e94dc1960741a892551     
v.发出沙沙的声音( rustle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He rustled his papers. 他把试卷弄得沙沙地响。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Leaves rustled gently in the breeze. 树叶迎着微风沙沙作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》
18 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
19 apparently tMmyQ     
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎
参考例句:
  • An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽,豁然开朗。
  • He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。
20 consolatory 8b1ee1eaffd4a9422e114fc0aa80fbcf     
adj.慰问的,可藉慰的
参考例句:
  • Action is consolatory. It is the enemy of thought and the friend of flattering illusions. 行动是可以慰藉的。它是思想的敌人,是幻想的朋友。 来自互联网
  • Action is consolatory. It is the enemy of thought and the friend of glittering illusions. 行动是令人安慰的,它是思想的敌人,是美好幻想的朋友。 来自互联网
21 prospects fkVzpY     
n.希望,前途(恒为复数)
参考例句:
  • There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
  • They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。
22 imprinted 067f03da98bfd0173442a811075369a0     
v.盖印(imprint的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • The terrible scenes were indelibly imprinted on his mind. 那些恐怖场面深深地铭刻在他的心中。
  • The scene was imprinted on my mind. 那个场面铭刻在我的心中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
23 passionately YmDzQ4     
ad.热烈地,激烈地
参考例句:
  • She could hate as passionately as she could love. 她能恨得咬牙切齿,也能爱得一往情深。
  • He was passionately addicted to pop music. 他酷爱流行音乐。
24 shuddered 70137c95ff493fbfede89987ee46ab86     
v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 );发抖;(机器、车辆等)突然震动;颤动
参考例句:
  • He slammed on the brakes and the car shuddered to a halt. 他猛踩刹车,车颤抖着停住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I shuddered at the sight of the dead body. 我一看见那尸体就战栗。 来自《简明英汉词典》
25 chafed f9adc83cf3cbb1d83206e36eae090f1f     
v.擦热(尤指皮肤)( chafe的过去式 );擦痛;发怒;惹怒
参考例句:
  • Her wrists chafed where the rope had been. 她的手腕上绳子勒过的地方都磨红了。
  • She chafed her cold hands. 她揉搓冰冷的双手使之暖和。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
26 cork VoPzp     
n.软木,软木塞
参考例句:
  • We heard the pop of a cork.我们听见瓶塞砰的一声打开。
  • Cork is a very buoyant material.软木是极易浮起的材料。
27 gruel GeuzG     
n.稀饭,粥
参考例句:
  • We had gruel for the breakfast.我们早餐吃的是粥。
  • He sat down before the fireplace to eat his gruel.他坐到壁炉前吃稀饭。
28 applied Tz2zXA     
adj.应用的;v.应用,适用
参考例句:
  • She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
  • This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。
29 haughtiest 4cbd5cbc175fae0ff6dd83d42573cbc5     
haughty(傲慢的,骄傲的)的最高级形式
参考例句:
30 enveloped 8006411f03656275ea778a3c3978ff7a     
v.包围,笼罩,包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She was enveloped in a huge white towel. 她裹在一条白色大毛巾里。
  • Smoke from the burning house enveloped the whole street. 燃烧着的房子冒出的浓烟笼罩了整条街。 来自《简明英汉词典》
31 orphan QJExg     
n.孤儿;adj.无父母的
参考例句:
  • He brought up the orphan and passed onto him his knowledge of medicine.他把一个孤儿养大,并且把自己的医术传给了他。
  • The orphan had been reared in a convent by some good sisters.这个孤儿在一所修道院里被几个好心的修女带大。
32 humble ddjzU     
adj.谦卑的,恭顺的;地位低下的;v.降低,贬低
参考例句:
  • In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见,他将在选举中获胜。
  • Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。
33 cuffed e0f189a3fd45ff67f7435e1c3961c957     
v.掌打,拳打( cuff的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She cuffed the boy on the side of the head. 她向这男孩的头上轻轻打了一巴掌。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Mother cuffed the dog when she found it asleep on a chair. 妈妈发现狗睡在椅子上就用手把狗打跑了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
34 buffeted 2484040e69c5816c25c65e8310465688     
反复敲打( buffet的过去式和过去分词 ); 连续猛击; 打来打去; 推来搡去
参考例句:
  • to be buffeted by the wind 被风吹得左右摇摆
  • We were buffeted by the wind and the rain. 我们遭到风雨的袭击。


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