Oliver Twist born in a workhouse. His mother managed to take one look at him and died; Before the boy turned nine years old, he was unable to find out who his parents were.
Not a single kind word, not a single gentle glance ever illuminated his dull infancy; he knew only hunger, beatings, bullying and deprivation. From the workhouse, Oliver is apprenticed to an undertaker; there he encounters the orphanage boy Noe Claypole, who, being older and stronger, constantly subjects Oliver to humiliation. He meekly endures everything, until one day Noe spoke ill of his mother - Oliver could not stand this and beat off the stronger and stronger, but cowardly offender. He is severely punished and flees from the undertaker.
Seeing a road sign for London, Oliver heads there. He spends the night in haystacks, suffering from hunger, cold and fatigue. On the seventh day after his escape in the town of Barnet, Oliver meets a ragamuffin of his age, who introduces himself as Jack Dawkins, nicknamed the Artful Dodger, feeds him and promises him lodging and protection in London. The clever Dodger led Oliver to the buyer of stolen goods, the godfather of London thieves and swindlers, the Jew Fagin - it was his patronage that was in mind. Fagin promises to teach Oliver a craft and give him a job, but in the meantime the boy spends many days ripping marks off handkerchiefs that young thieves bring to Fagin. When he first goes “to work” and sees with his own eyes how his mentors the Artful Dodger and Charlie Bates take a handkerchief out of a certain gentleman’s pocket, he runs in horror, is grabbed like a thief and dragged to the judge. Fortunately, the gentleman drops the claim and, full of sympathy for the bullied child, takes him in with him. Oliver has been ill for a long time, Mr. Brownlow and his housekeeper Mrs. Bedwin nurse him, marveling at his resemblance to the portrait of a young woman. beautiful woman that hangs in the living room. Mr Brownlow wants to adopt Oliver.
However, Fagin, fearing that Oliver will lead the law on his trail, tracks him down and kidnaps him. He strives at all costs to make a thief out of Oliver and achieve the boy’s complete submission. To rob Fagin's house, where he is very attracted to silverware, the performer of this action, Bill Sikes, who has recently returned from prison, needs a “lean boy” who, being thrust into the window, would open the door for the robbers. The choice falls on Oliver.
Oliver firmly decides to raise the alarm in the house as soon as he gets there, so as not to participate in the crime. But he didn’t have time: the house was guarded, and the boy, half stuck through the window, was immediately wounded in the arm. Sykes pulls him out, bleeding, and carries him away, but, hearing the pursuit, throws him into a ditch, not knowing for sure whether he is alive or dead. Having woken up, Oliver wanders to the porch of the house; its inhabitants Mrs. Maylie and her niece Rose put him to bed and call a doctor, abandoning the idea of turning the poor child over to the police.
Meanwhile, in the workhouse where Oliver was born, a poor old woman dies, who at one time looked after his mother, and when she died, robbed her. Old Sally calls the matron, Mrs. Corney, and repents that she stole the golden thing that the young woman asked her to keep, because this thing might make people treat her child better. Without finishing, old Sally died, handing Mrs. Corney the mortgage receipt.
Fagin is very concerned about Sikes' absence and Oliver's fate. Losing control of himself, he carelessly shouts in the presence of Nancy, Sikes's girlfriend, that Oliver is worth hundreds of pounds, and mentions some kind of will. Nancy, pretending to be drunk, lulls his vigilance, sneaks behind him and eavesdrops on his conversation with the mysterious stranger Monks. It turns out that Fagin persistently turns Oliver into a thief on the order of a stranger, and he is very afraid that Oliver will be killed and the thread will lead to him - he needs the boy to become a thief. Fagin promises to find Oliver and deliver him to Monks - dead or alive.
Oliver slowly recovers in the house of Mrs. Maylie and Rose, surrounded by the sympathy and care of these ladies and their family physician, Dr. Losburn. He tells them his story without reserve. alas, it is not confirmed by anything! When, at the boy’s request, the doctor goes with him to visit Dr. Brownlow, it turns out that he, having rented out the house, went to the West Indies; when Oliver recognizes the house by the road where Sikes took him before the robbery, Dr. Losburn discovers that the description of the rooms and the owner do not match... But this does not make Oliver any worse. With the arrival of spring, both ladies move to the village on vacation and take the boy with them. There he one day encounters a disgusting-looking stranger who showered him with curses and rolled on the ground in a fit. Oliver does not attach importance to this meeting, considering him crazy. But after a while the stranger’s face next to Fagin’s face appears to him in the window. Household members came running to the boy’s cry, but the search did not yield any results.
Monks, meanwhile, is wasting no time. In the town where Oliver was born, he finds the owner of old Sally's secret, Mrs. Corney - by this time she had managed to get married and become Mrs. Bumble. For twenty-five pounds, Monks buys from her a small wallet that old Sally took from the body of Oliver's mother. There was a gold medallion in the wallet, and in it were two locks of hair and a wedding ring; on the inside of the locket was engraved the name "Agnes", with space left for the surname and the date - about a year before Oliver's birth. Monks throws this wallet and all its contents into the stream, where it can no longer be found. When he returns, he tells Fagin about this, and Nancy again overhears them. Shocked by what she heard and tormented by her conscience because she helped return Oliver to Fagin by tricking him away from Mr. Brownlow, she, having put Sikes to sleep with opium, heads to where the Maylie ladies are staying and tells Rose everything she overheard: what if Oliver is captured again , then Fagin will receive a certain amount, which will increase many times over if Fagin makes him a thief, that the only evidence establishing the boy's identity lies at the bottom of the river, that although Monks got Oliver's money, it would have been better to get it in another way - drag the boy through all the city prisons and hang him on the gallows; at the same time, Monks called Oliver his brother and was glad that he was with Lady Maylie, for they would have given many hundreds of pounds to find out the origin of Oliver. Nancy asks not to give her away, refuses to accept money or any help and returns to Sykes, promising to walk across London Bridge every Sunday at eleven.
Roz is looking for someone to ask for advice. A happy accident helps: Oliver saw Mr. Brownlow on the street and found out his address. They immediately go to Mr. Brownlow. After listening to Roz, he decides to reveal the essence of the matter to Dr. Losbern, and then to his friend Mr. Grimwig and Mrs. Maylie’s son Harry (Roz and Harry have loved each other for a long time, but Roz does not say “yes” to him, fearing to damage his reputation and career with her dubious origin - she is the adopted niece of Mrs. Maylie). After discussing the situation, the council decides to wait until Sunday to ask Nancy to show them Monks, or at least describe his appearance in detail.
They waited for Nancy only on Sunday: for the first time, Sikes did not let her out of the house. At the same time, Fagin, seeing the girl’s persistent desire to leave, suspected something was wrong and assigned Noe Claypole to watch her, who by this time, having robbed his undertaker, fled to London and fell into the clutches of Fagin. Fagin, hearing Noe's report, flew into a frenzy: he thought that Nancy had simply made herself a new boyfriend, but the matter turned out to be much more serious. Deciding to punish the girl with the wrong hands, he tells Sikes that Nancy betrayed everyone, of course, without specifying that she spoke only about Monks and gave up money and hope for an honest life in order to return to Sikes. He calculated correctly: Sikes flew into a rage. But he underestimated the power of this rage: Bill Sikes brutally killed Nancy.
Meanwhile, Mr. Brownlow is not wasting time: he is conducting his own investigation. Having received Nancy's description of Monks, he reconstructs the full picture of the drama that began many years ago. The father of Edwin Lyford (that was Monks's real name) and Oliver was an old friend of Mr. Brownlow. He was unhappy in his marriage, his son early years showed vicious tendencies - and he broke up with his first family. He fell in love with young Agnes Fleming, with whom he was happy, but business called him abroad. In Rome he fell ill and died. His wife and son, afraid of missing out on their inheritance, also came to Rome. Among the papers they found an envelope addressed to Mr. Brownlow, which contained a letter for Agnes and a will. In the letter, he begged to forgive him and wear a medallion and ring as a sign of this. The will allocated eight hundred pounds each to his wife and eldest son, and left the rest of the property to Agnes Fleming and the child if he was born alive and reached adulthood, the girl inheriting the money unconditionally, and the boy only on the condition that he would not tarnish his name with any shameful act. Monks's mother burned this will, but kept the letter in order to disgrace Agnes's family. After her visit, out of shame, the girl’s father changed his last name and fled with both daughters (the second was just a baby) to the most remote corner of Wales. Soon he was found dead in bed - Agnes left home, he could not find her, he decided that she had committed suicide, and his heart broke. The younger sister Agnes was first taken in by the peasants, and then she became the adopted niece of Mrs. Maylie - it was Rose.
At the age of eighteen, Monks ran away from his mother, robbing her, and there was no sin that he did not indulge in. But before her death, she found him and told him this secret. Monks drew up and began to carry out his diabolical plan, which Nancy prevented at the cost of her life.
Presenting irrefutable evidence, Mr. Brownlow forces Monks to carry out his father's will and leave England.
So Oliver found an aunt, Rose resolved her doubts about her origins and finally said “yes” to Harry, who chose the life of a country priest over a brilliant career, and the Maylie family and Dr. Losburne became close friends with Mr. Grimwig and Mr. Brownlow, who adopted Oliver.
Bill Sikes died, tormented by a bad conscience, before he was arrested; and Fagin was arrested and executed.
An orphan boy who suffered the terrible fate of being an outcast. Oliver Twist was born in a workhouse. His mother died immediately after giving birth. Nine years would pass before it was known who his parents were.
In the meantime, he is growing up in this charitable institution, studying at school. Children in the workhouse are starved, beaten, severely punished, and humiliated. Soon, Oliver is taken on as an apprentice by an undertaker, where a boy from the orphanage, Noe Claypole, already lives, who has taken it into the habit of beating and humiliating Oliver. He meekly endures the bullying, until Noe once spoke ill of his mother. At this point Oliver could not stand it and beat his offender soundly.
He is punished and escapes from the undertaker. Oliver heads to . Exhausted by cold, hunger and fatigue, on the seventh day of his journey he meets a boy nicknamed the Artful Dodger, who leads the fugitive to the head of the London thieves, Fagin. He promises Oliver his protection. When he first goes out to work, he runs in fear. He is caught like a thief and taken to the judge. Mr. Brunlow, who was robbed, fortunately sympathizes with the frightened child and takes him in with him. At the gentleman's house, the sick Oliver is being nursed to health.
Mr. Brunlow intends to take the boy into custody. Fagin fears that Oliver will hand him over to the authorities. He finds the fugitive and kidnaps him. He certainly needs to make a thief out of the boy, completely subjugating him to himself. In the new “case”, Oliver will have to climb through the window and open the door for the robbers from the inside, and Bill Sikes, already an experienced thief, will take out the silverware. Oliver doesn't want to take part in the crime and plans to make a fuss. But the boy is wounded when he was only halfway through the window. Sykes retrieves Oliver, who is bleeding, and flees.
Hearing the pursuit, he throws the wounded man into a ditch to fend for himself. Having come to his senses, Oliver gets to some house, where Mrs. Maylie and her niece Roz pick him up. They call a doctor and take care of a sick boy. And in the workhouse, old Sally, before her death, gives the matron Mrs. Corney a mortgage receipt for a gold thing that she stole from Oliver's dying mother. Fagin's gang is concerned about finding Oliver. It turns out that the order to make him a thief came from a certain Monks, who fears that the boy was killed and the investigation will come to his attention. Fagin promises to find Oliver. But Sikes's girlfriend, Nancy, accidentally overhears Fagin, who says that the fugitive is worth a lot of money, and a mysterious will.
Oliver is gradually recovering. The lady of the house and Dr. Losburne take care of him. The boy tells them about his ordeals. In the spring everyone goes to the village. There one day Oliver was met by a terrible-looking man who rained down a bunch of curses on the boy and fell in a fit. Oliver thought he was simply crazy. But after some time he imagined Fagin’s face and that madman’s face at the window. His household came running to his cry, but the search for the scoundrels was in vain. Monks finds Mrs. Corney and buys from her for 25 pounds the purse that old woman Sally once took from Oliver's mother's neck. It contained a gold locket with two locks of hair and a wedding ring and was engraved with the name "Agnes".
Monks gets rid of things by throwing them into the river. When he tells Fagin about this, Nancy overheard the conversation again. She tries to save Oliver: she goes to Mrs. Maylie's niece, Rose, and tells her everything about the danger hanging over Oliver: if Fagin and Monks find him, they will make him a thief, he will go to prison, and he will be executed as a criminal. And all this is connected with some kind of will. Roz seeks advice from Mr. Brunlow, who once took pity on Oliver and took him in.
Branlow gathers a council: Doctor Losburne, Grimwig (Branlow's friend) and Lady Maylie's son Harry. They decide that Nancy should show them Monks, or at least describe him. Fagin suspected Nancy of treason. On his behalf, Nancy is tracked down and reported on her meeting with Roz. Fagin, deciding to get rid of Nancy, tells Sikes that his girlfriend has betrayed everyone. Sikes kills Nancy in a rage. And Mr. Brunlow conducts his own investigation.
It turns out that Monks is Edwin Lyford, and he is Oliver's brother on his father's side. Being unhappy in his marriage, the father breaks up with his first family and marries Agnes Fleming, but dies before the birth of his son, Oliver. In his will, he leaves 800 pounds to his ex-wife and son, who has already gone down the slippery slope of crime, and the bulk of his fortune to Agnes and his unborn child. Agnes also had a younger sister, who, after the death of their father, was taken in by Mrs. Maylie. Her name was Roz.
Monks, having learned from his mother about the family's secret and about the will, draws up a plan to capture and destroy Oliver as the main heir. But Nancy interfered by telling Roz about the impending crime against Oliver. Mr. Brunlow finds Monks and informs him of the results of his investigation. To avoid prison, Monks leaves England and dies in a foreign land.
Now Oliver is a rich heir, and in the person of Rose, he finds his own aunt. Roz and Mrs. Maylie's son, Harry, who have loved each other for a long time, can now get married because they are not related by blood. Mr Brunlow adopts Oliver. Sykes dies, like all the gang members. Fagin is executed.
Dickens' novel The Adventures of Oliver Twist was written in 1839. This is a story about a little boy, an orphan, who had to endure a lot of grief and hardship in his life. It is noteworthy that this is the first book in English literature in which the main character was a child.
Main characters
Oliver Twist- a kind and sympathetic boy, an orphan, whose life from birth was full of hardships and suffering.
Other characters
Fagin- an old Jewish man, the leader of a gang of thieves.
Charlie Bates, Jack Dawkins- young thieves from Fagin's gang.
Bill Sykes- a cruel, evil robber.
Nancy- a young thief, Sykes's girlfriend, who sacrificed her life to save Oliver.
Noe Claypole- undertaker's assistant.
Mr Brownlow- a kind man, Oliver's benefactor.
Mr Grimwig- Mr. Brownlow's best friend, a great skeptic.
Rose– the young girl who helped Oliver later turned out to be his own aunt.
Dr. Losburn- a friend of Miss Rose who helped Oliver improve his health.
Harry Maley- a young man in love with Rose.
Mr Bumble- parish minister.
Chapters 1-7
Oliver Twist was born in a workhouse. He had difficulty breathing and could have suffocated in the first minutes of his life, but “Oliver and Nature together won the battle.” The boy's mother only managed to hug him close and kiss him before she died.
Few cared about the orphaned baby, “deprived of the most necessary things.” Since there was no woman in the workhouse who was ready to take on all the care of the baby, “the parish authorities generously and humanely decided” to send him to the “farm” - a place where up to thirty children at a time were kept in terrible poverty, hunger and cold. supervised by an elderly woman.
When Oliver grew older, "the council decided to send him back to the workhouse." It was decided to apprentice him to an undertaker in order to teach him a “useful craft.”
The undertaker was assisted by another parish boy, Noe Claypole. He was older and stronger than Oliver, and never missed an opportunity to somehow humiliate him. The undertaker began to take Oliver on orders, and it was hard for the boy to get used to the grief of people who had just lost their loved ones.
One day, Noe, out of habit, began to “tease and torment young Oliver Twist,” but he did not pay any attention to him. Enraged by his indifference, Noe spoke ill of his mother. Oliver could no longer bear this - “the cruel insult inflicted on his late mother set his blood on fire,” and he began to beat the larger and stronger offender with all his strength.
Oliver was severely punished, and no one even tried to stand up for him. Having decided to “seek happiness somewhere far from here,” the boy left the undertaker’s house at dawn and went wherever his eyes led him.
Chapters 8-10
Having run so far that they could no longer catch him, Oliver went out onto a high road, where he found a road sign with the inscription “London”. Without thinking twice, he went to the big city, where no one “would ever be able to find him.”
In the town of Barnet, exhausted from hunger and extreme fatigue, Oliver met a local ragamuffin who was “about the same age as him.” It turned out to be Jack Dawkins, nicknamed the Artful Dodger, who fed Oliver and promised him his patronage in London. As darkness fell, he brought his new acquaintance to the London slums and introduced him to the old Jew Fagin, a buyer of stolen goods.
Fagin agreed to shelter Oliver and promised to soon teach him a useful craft. But until then, all the boy had done was rip marks from stolen handkerchiefs, which young thieves regularly brought.
"Oliver was impatient to get to work" and one day Fagin allowed him to go on a case with the Artful Dodger and Charley Bates. “What was Oliver’s horror and confusion” when he saw with his own eyes how his friends pulled out the handkerchief from the elderly gentleman. Without knowing why, he rushed away from this place, and everyone took him for a thief.
Chapters 11-13
The old gentleman refused to sue the boy who was caught by the police. He took pity on the unfortunate, hunted child, whose face strangely interested him.
When Oliver fainted from the excitement he experienced, Mr. Brownlow brought him to his home. He saw to it that "he was looked after with infinite tenderness and care," but the boy was still for a long time I couldn’t come to my senses.
When the danger passed and Oliver began to recover, he admitted to his benefactor's housekeeper, Mrs. Bedwin, that he was an orphan, and his mother died immediately after his birth.
In Mr. Brownlow's house there hung a portrait of a beautiful stranger, and everyone was surprised to notice that Oliver was his living copy - “the same features, eyes, forehead, mouth.”
Meanwhile, Fagin, having learned about Oliver’s disappearance, was seriously alarmed - he was afraid that the boy would set the police bloodhounds on him. The old man decided to consult with Billy Sikes, an experienced and cruel robber, on what to do. It was decided to find the boy and return him to the thieves' den.
Chapters 14-17
One day his old friend Mr. Grimwig came to Mr. Brownlow and decided to test Oliver. He gave the boy money and asked him to run to the bookstore and repay the debt to the merchant. Mr. Grimwig had no doubt that this temptation would be too great for a street urchin, and he would certainly run away with the money.
On the way to the book stall, Oliver met Nancy, a thief from Mr. Fagin's gang, and she forcibly took him to the den.
Mr. Brownlow advertised in the newspaper about the disappearance of Oliver Twist, and offered a reward for news of him or his past life. This was taken advantage of by the parish minister, Mr. Bumble, who hated Oliver. He denigrated the boy in the eyes of Mr. Brownlow and he, upset, decided to stop searching for his pupil.
Chapters 18-27
Old man Fagin planned to make a thief out of Oliver in order to tie him to himself as tightly as possible. However, the boy’s pure, noble soul resisted this in every possible way. Then the Jew began to cunningly arouse his interest in the illegal craft, telling fascinating “stories about the robberies that he committed in the days of his youth.”
Fagin and Sikes plan to rob a rich house. However, to carry out this plan, they needed a thin and dexterous boy who could crawl through a small window and open the door for the robbers. The choice fell on Oliver.
Sikes promised Oliver to shoot him if he disobeyed, and the boy was forced to obey him in everything. However, he decided to raise the alarm as soon as he was in the house and thereby protect its owners from robbery.
However, the burglary failed for another reason - the house was well guarded, and during the shootout Oliver was wounded in the arm. Sykes managed to carry him to safety, but upon hearing the pursuit, he threw the bloodied boy into a ditch. Having learned that Oliver had not returned from business, Mr. Fagin was very angry - he had big plans for the smart boy.
Meanwhile, in the workhouse where Oliver was born, a poor old woman who had once cared for his mother died. Before her death, she admitted that she had stolen a golden thing from the unfortunate woman, which could have influenced the fate of the newborn baby. The old woman managed to hand over the mortgage receipt to the matron, Mrs. Corney.
Chapters 28-32
When Oliver, thrown unconscious into a ditch, woke up, he "rose to his feet and tried to walk." He wandered “forward, not knowing where.” Seeing a house ahead, he hurried towards it, hoping that they would take pity on him and that he would not die on the street, away from people. Imagine his surprise and despair when he realized that this “was the very house that they wanted to rob.” The boy wanted to run away, but he was so weak that he decided to submit to fate.
The owners of the house - Mrs. Maylie and her seventeen-year-old niece Roz - took pity on the unfortunate Oliver and abandoned their intention to hand him over to the police. Realizing that “this poor child could not be an assistant to robbers,” they began to look after him. Rose had no doubt that only “mistreatment, beatings or hunger” could force Oliver to cooperate with the scoundrels.
"Oliver's illness was protracted and severe," but he was under the care of the experienced Dr. Losburn and the kind, caring ladies of the house. Thanks to their efforts, the boy began to recover, and tried in every possible way to express recognition to his saviors.
Oliver openly told them the sad story of his life. Dr. Losburn suggested that he go to London and visit Mr. Brownlow. To Oliver's great regret, it turned out that "Mr. Brownlow sold his property and has now left for the West Indies for a month and a half." His housekeeper and best friend, Mr. Grimwig, left with him. Thus, there was no one who could confirm the veracity of Oliver's story, but this did not make him treated any worse.
Thus three months flashed by, which for “Oliver were truly bliss.”
Chapters 33-36
One day Roz felt very bad - the girl developed a “cruel, dangerous fever.” Mrs. Maylie sent Oliver for the doctor, and he accidentally stumbled upon a strange gentleman who showered the boy with curses and threw himself to the ground in a violent fit.
The doctor confirmed the fears - Rose’s illness was very serious. Having learned about this, Mrs. Maylie's son, Harry, who had long been in love with the beautiful Rose, hurried to come to her.
When the girl felt better, an explanation took place between her and Harry. Rose admitted that she could not be his wife, since she was deprived of "friends and fortune, with a tarnished name." She didn't want to ruin Harry's bright future, but he didn't back down and asked to return to this conversation later.
One evening, Oliver noticed the face of a strange gentleman at the window, and next to him was old man Fagin. At first he couldn't believe his eyes, but then he "loudly called for help." All the inhabitants of the house came running to his screams, but the search for the villains did not yield any results.
Chapters 37-43
A stranger came to Mr. Bumble to find out “some information” from him. He asked to remember the events of twelve years ago, when a quiet, sickly boy named Oliver Twist was born. The stranger asked where he could find the old woman who was caring for the boy's mother. Mr. Bumble said that the old woman died, but she managed to convey a certain secret to his wife. Mr. Monks promised a generous reward for this information.
Miss Corney, who by then had become Mrs. Bumble, sold Mr. Monks an item that the old woman had stolen from Oliver Twist's mother. It was a tiny purse, which "contained a small gold medallion, and in the medallion were two locks of hair and a gold wedding ring." The inside of the medallion was "engraved with the name 'Agnes'." Having received the treasured wallet, Mr. Monks threw it into the seething stream.
After this, Monks hurried to the Jew Fagin. Nancy managed to overhear their conversation and was shocked by what she heard. Having cunningly got out of the den, she hurried to Lady Maylie's house. The girl told Rose everything she had heard from Monks and old man Fagin.
According to Monks, he dreamed of “making fun of his father’s swaggering will, dragging the boy through all the city prisons.” Monks was ready to pay Fagin a tidy sum if only he would make Oliver a full-fledged criminal. At the same time, he called the boy “Brother Oliver.”
Roz didn't know what to do with the information she had received. Fortunately, Oliver accidentally noticed Mr. Brownlow on the street, returning from the West Indies. Roz turned to him for help, telling him everything she learned from Nancy. After consulting, they involved Mr. Grimwig, Harry and Doctor Losbern in the case. Friends decided to meet Nancy and ask her to describe the mysterious Mr. Monks.
Chapters 44-48
Old Fagin witnessed Nancy desperately trying to get out into the street, and Sikes wouldn’t let her in. He suspected that the girl had made herself a new boyfriend, and ordered his new assistant, Noah Claypole, who had escaped from the undertaker to London, to keep an eye on the girl.
So Fagin found out that Nancy had met with the benefactors of Oliver Twist, and told them the signs of Mr. Monks. The angry old man decided to take revenge on Nancy, and informed her friend, the ferocious Sykes, about everything, who brutally beat her to death.
Chapters 49-53
Mr. Brownlow found Monks and forcibly brought him to his home. He managed to find out that Edward Lyford, the son of his old friend, was hiding under this name. The late Mr. Liford was once forced to marry an unloved girl by family coercion. “The only and monstrous fruit of this ill-fated marriage” was Edward, who showed bad inclinations from early childhood.
Unable to bear the painful family life, Mr. Lyford separated from his family. He soon fell wholeheartedly in love with the beautiful Agnes Fleming, with whom he finally knew happiness. Due to business matters, Mr. Liford was forced to leave his beloved. In Rome he fell ill with a “fatal disease” and died suddenly.
Before he left, Mr. Lyford called on his friend, Mr. Brownlow, and left a portrait of Agnes. Before his death, he wrote a letter to his beloved, in which he begged her to forgive him and always wear the ring and medallion he had given her.
According to Mr. Lyford's will, a certain amount was allocated to his wife and eldest son, while the entire property passed into the hands of Agnes and their common child. Moreover, the boy could receive an inheritance only if he did not tarnish his name with bad deeds.
Lyford's wife "did what any woman would do" - she burned the will and sent the letter to Agnes' father. He could not bear the shame - he changed his last name and moved with his two daughters to the other end of England. Before Agnes gave birth, she left home and her father died of grief. The younger sister Agnes, who became an orphan, was taken in by Mrs. Maylie.
Before her death, Mrs. Lyford told her son a family secret. Since then, Monks has become obsessed with the idea of finding his younger brother and harming him. However, his plans were not destined to come true, and he was forced to leave England forever.
Old Fagin was arrested and executed, and Syke died, tormented by remorse.
Rose, having learned the secret of her origin, agreed to become the wife of Harry, who chose a quiet, calm life in the village and the position of a priest.
Mr. Brownlow adopted Oliver, and tried to do everything possible to ensure that the seeds of the qualities that he wanted to see in him germinate in him.
Conclusion
In his novel “The Adventures of Oliver Twist,” the writer emphasizes that no matter how harsh life’s circumstances may be, a kind and honest person will always be rewarded for his perseverance and inner strength.
A brief retelling of “The Adventures of Oliver Twist” will be useful both for the reading diary and in preparation for a literature lesson.
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Retelling rating
Average rating: 4.6. Total ratings received: 193.
Oliver Twist was born in a workhouse. His mother managed to take one look at him and died; Before the boy turned nine years old, he was unable to find out who his parents were.
Not a single kind word, not a single gentle glance ever illuminated his dull infancy; he knew only hunger, beatings, bullying and deprivation. From the workhouse, Oliver is apprenticed to an undertaker; there he encounters the orphanage boy Noe Claypole, who, being older and stronger, constantly subjects Oliver to humiliation. He meekly endures everything, until one day Noe spoke ill of his mother - Oliver could not bear this and beat off the stronger and stronger, but cowardly offender. He is severely punished and flees from the undertaker.
Seeing a road sign for London, Oliver heads there. He spends the night in haystacks, suffering from hunger, cold and fatigue. On the seventh day after his escape in the town of Barnet, Oliver meets a ragamuffin of his age, who introduces himself as Jack Dawkins, nicknamed the Artful Dodger, feeds him and promises him lodging and protection in London. The clever Dodger led Oliver to the buyer of stolen goods, the godfather of London thieves and swindlers, the Jew Fagin - it was his patronage that was in mind. Fagin promises to teach Oliver a trade and give him a job, but in the meantime the boy spends many days ripping marks off handkerchiefs that young thieves bring to Fagin. When he first goes “to work” and sees with his own eyes how his mentors the Artful Dodger and Charlie Bates take a handkerchief out of a certain gentleman’s pocket, he runs in horror, is grabbed like a thief and dragged to the judge. Fortunately, the gentleman refuses the claim and, full of sympathy for the bullied child, takes him in with him. Oliver has been ill for a long time, Mr. Brownlow and his housekeeper Mrs. Bedwin nurse him, marveling at his resemblance to the portrait of a young beautiful woman that hangs in the living room. Mr Brownlow wants to adopt Oliver.
However, Fagin, fearing that Oliver will lead the law on his trail, tracks him down and kidnaps him. He strives at all costs to make a thief out of Oliver and achieve the boy’s complete submission. To rob Fagin's house, where he is very attracted to silverware, the performer of this action, Bill Sikes, who has recently returned from prison, needs a “lean boy” who, being thrust into the window, would open the door for the robbers. The choice falls on Oliver.
Oliver firmly decides to raise the alarm in the house as soon as he gets there, so as not to participate in the crime. But he didn’t have time: the house was guarded, and the boy, half stuck through the window, was immediately wounded in the arm. Sykes pulls him out, bleeding, and carries him away, but, hearing the pursuit, throws him into a ditch, not knowing for sure whether he is alive or dead. Having woken up, Oliver wanders to the porch of the house; its inhabitants Mrs. Maylie and her niece Rose put him to bed and call a doctor, abandoning the idea of turning the poor child over to the police.
Meanwhile, in the workhouse where Oliver was born, a poor old woman dies, who at one time looked after his mother, and when she died, robbed her. Old Sally calls the matron, Mrs. Corney, and repents of stealing the golden thing that the young woman asked her to keep, because this thing might make people treat her child better. Without finishing, old Sally died, handing Mrs. Corney the mortgage receipt.
Fagin is very concerned about Sikes' absence and Oliver's fate. Having lost control of himself, he inadvertently shouts in the presence of Nancy, Sykes's girlfriend, that Oliver is worth hundreds of pounds, and mentions some kind of will. Nancy, pretending to be drunk, lulls his vigilance, sneaks behind him and eavesdrops on his conversation with the mysterious stranger Monks. It turns out that Fagin persistently turns Oliver into a thief on the order of a stranger, and he is very afraid that Oliver is killed and the thread will lead to him - he needs the boy to become a thief. Fagin promises to find Oliver and deliver him to Monks - dead or alive.
Oliver slowly recovers in the house of Mrs. Maylie and Rose, surrounded by the sympathy and care of these ladies and their family physician, Dr. Losburn. He tells them his story without reserve. Alas, it is not confirmed by anything! When, at the boy’s request, the doctor goes with him to visit Dr. Brownlow, it turns out that he, having rented out the house, went to the West Indies; when Oliver recognizes the house by the road where Sikes took him before the robbery, Dr. Losburn discovers that the description of the rooms and the owner do not match... But this does not make Oliver any worse. With the arrival of spring, both ladies move to the village to rest and take the boy with them. There he one day encounters a disgusting-looking stranger who showered him with curses and rolled on the ground in a fit. Oliver does not attach importance to this meeting, considering him crazy. But after some time, the stranger’s face next to Fagin’s face appears to him in the window. Household members came running to the boy’s cry, but the search did not yield any results.
Monks, meanwhile, is wasting no time. In the town where Oliver was born, he finds the owner of the secret of old Sally, Mrs. Creakle - by this time she had managed to get married and become Mrs. Bumble. For twenty-five pounds, Monks buys from her a small wallet that old Sally took from the body of Oliver's mother. In the wallet there was a gold medallion, and in it were two curls and a wedding ring; on the inside of the locket was engraved the name "Agnes", with space left for the surname and the date - about a year before Oliver's birth. Monks throws this wallet with all its contents into the stream, where it can no longer be found. When he returns, he tells Fagin about this, and Nancy again overhears them. Shocked by what she heard and tormented by her conscience because she helped return Oliver to Fagin by tricking him away from Mr. Brownlow, she, having put Sikes to sleep with opium, goes to where Lady Maylie was staying and tells Rose everything she overheard: that if Oliver was captured again, Fagin would receive a certain sum, which would increase many times over if Fagin made him a thief, that the only evidence establishing the boy's identity lay at the bottom of the river, that although Monks got Olive's money ¬ra, but it would be better to achieve them in another way - to drag the boy through all the city prisons and hang him on the gallows; at the same time, Monks called Oliver his brother and was glad that he was with Lady Maylie, for they would have given many hundreds of pounds to find out Oliver’s origin. Nancy asks not to extradite her, refuses to accept money or any help and returns to Sykes, promising to walk across London Bridge every Sunday at eleven.
Roz is looking for someone to ask for advice. A happy accident helps: Oliver saw Mr. Brownlow on the street and found out his address. They immediately go to Mr. Brownlow. After listening to Roz, he decides to let Dr. Losberne in on the matter, and then his friend Mr. Grimwig and Mrs. Maylie's son Harry (Roz and Harry have loved each other for a long time, but Roz does not say yes to him, fearing damage to his reputation and career her dubious origins - she is the adopted niece of Mrs. Maylie). After discussing the situation, the council decides to wait until Sunday to ask Nancy to show them Monks, or at least describe his appearance in detail.
They waited for Nancy only on Sunday: for the first time, Sykes did not let her out of the house. At the same time, Fagin, seeing the girl’s persistent desire to leave, suspected something was wrong and assigned Noe Claypole to watch her, who by this time, having robbed his master, the undertaker, fled to London and fell into the clutches of Fagin. Fagin, having heard Noe's report, flew into a frenzy: he thought that Nancy had simply made herself a new boyfriend, but the matter turned out to be much more serious. Deciding to punish the girl with the wrong hands, he tells Sikes that Nancy betrayed everyone, of course, without specifying that she spoke only about Monks and gave up money and hope for an honest life in order to return to Sikes. He calculated correctly: Sikes was furious. But he underestimated the power of this rage: Bill Sikes brutally murdered Nancy.
Meanwhile, Mr. Brownlow is not wasting time: he is conducting his own investigation. Having received Nancy's description of Monks, he reconstructs the full picture of the drama that began many years ago. The father of Edwin Lyford (that was Monks's real name) and Oliver was an old friend of Mr. Brownlow. He was unhappy in his marriage, his son showed vicious tendencies from an early age - and he separated from his first family. He fell in love with young Agnes Fleming, with whom he was happy, but business called him abroad. In Rome he fell ill and died. His wife and son, afraid of missing out on their inheritance, also came to Rome. Among the papers they found an envelope addressed to Mr. Brownlow, which contained a letter for Agnes and a will. In the letter, he begged to forgive him and wear a medallion and ring as a sign of this. In the will he allocated eight hundred pounds each to his wife and eldest son, and left the rest of the property to Agnes Fleming and the child if he was born alive and reached adulthood, and the girl inherited the money unconditionally, and the boy only on the condition that he did not disgrace his name by any shameful act. Monks's mother burned this will, but kept the letter in order to disgrace Agnes's family. After her visit, out of shame, the girl’s father changed his last name and fled with both daughters (the second was just a baby) to the most remote corner of Wales. Soon he was found dead in bed - Agnes left home, he could not find her, he decided that she had committed suicide, and his heart broke. The younger sister Agnes was first taken in by the peasants, and then she became the adopted niece of Mrs. Maylie - it was Rose.
At the age of eighteen, Monks ran away from his mother by robbing her, and there was no sin that he did not indulge in. But before her death, she found him and told him this secret. Monks drew up and began to implement his diabolical plan, which Nancy prevented at the cost of her life.
Presenting irrefutable evidence, Mr. Brownlow forces Monks to carry out his father's will and leave England.
So Oliver found an aunt, Rose resolved her doubts about her origins and finally said “yes” to Harry, who chose the life of a country priest over a brilliant career, and the Maylie family and Dr. Losburne became close friends with Mr. Grimwig and Mr. Brownlow, who adopted Oliver.
Bill Sikes died, tormented by a bad conscience, before he was arrested; and Fagin was arrested and executed.
Section I
tells the story of the place where Oliver Twist was born and the circumstances under which it happened
There is a workhouse in every town in England. In one city, in such a public institution, “a mortal was born, whose name you see in the title of this section.” If at the moment of his birth he had been “surrounded by caring grandmothers, concerned aunts, experienced mothers and complex doctors, then he would certainly and inevitably have died.” After all, he did not breathe for several minutes. But next to him there were only a drunken beggar woman and the parish doctor, so Oliver and Nature fought one on one. As soon as he inhaled the air, sneezed and screamed, a young mother stirred on the metal bed, rose with difficulty from the pillow, took the baby, “hotly pressed her cold lips to his forehead, ... shuddered, fell on the pillow - and died.”
The doctor tried to do something, but in vain - the heart stopped forever. Leaving the room, he asked the beggar woman about the young woman, but she did not know who she was or how she got into the city.
The woman put away the newborn in an old, yellowed shirt, and it immediately became clear that the boy was not the son of a nobleman, but “a parish pupil, an orphan from a workhouse, a rootless, eternally hungry beggar, who is destined to know nothing in life except kicks and kicks, for whom everything will be shoved away and no one will be spared.”
Section II
tells how Oliver Twist grew up, was raised and fed
Over the next eight to ten months, Oliver was on the verge of death. Then the parish leadership sent him to the “farm”, where two to three dozen children were playing on the floor under the maternal supervision of an elderly woman. The old teacher supported the experimental philosopher’s theory “that a horse is capable of living without food, and successfully confirmed it by reducing her horse’s daily ration to one straw a day.” The fast steed died the day before he was supposed to switch to consuming only fresh air.
The children starved and died from accidents: one child fell into the fire or managed to suffocate, the cradle tumbled, or was scalded with boiling water. Sometimes an inquest was held into the death of an abandoned parish child, but the doctor and the parish Beadle swore to what the parish council wanted to hear from them.
This education system bore fruit.
“On the day of his nineteenth birthday, Oliver Twist was pale, a frail boy, short in stature and thin as a sliver.”
That day the parish Beadle Bumble came to Mrs. Mann's "farm" to pick up Oliver. The hostess ordered the boy to be washed, and she began to generously treat Beadle to gin. Mr. Bumble drank half a glass in one gulp and began to tell the owner of the establishment how he comes up with the foundling's surnames in alphabetical order.
They brought in Oliver, who was ready to go with anyone, anywhere. But he “thought of pretending that he really didn’t want to leave,” especially since Mrs. Mann, standing behind Beadle’s chair, was staring furiously and showing her fist.
In the workhouse, Oliver was brought before the eyes of the council. "Mr. Bumble hit him once on the head with a stick to stir him up a little, and once on the back to cheer him up... and led him into a large room where a dozen smooth gentlemen were sitting around." Oliver answered the gentlemen's questions quietly and haltingly, and the council members decided that he was a fool.
They asked him whether he knew that he had neither father nor mother, or whether he prayed for all those who fed him, but the boy only sobbed bitterly.
Council members said that Oliver was already big, and therefore she had to work off her bread. The boy had to mikata yarn.
The council "looked after" the workhouse residents. She began to feed the poor three times a day with thin porridge, she herself separated spouses and made single men out of them, and hid dead beggars. Because of such a life, the undertaker was never without work.
The boys were also given only porridge. It was poured into small bowls. After the bowls were empty, the children “carefully sucked their fingers in the hope that at least a grain of porridge had stuck to them.”
The guys went completely wild from hunger, and one of them said that he would eat his neighbor. His eyes were so wild, his comrades believed him unconditionally.
After dinner, Oliver asked for more porridge. The warden was stunned by surprise, and then yelled for Beadle.
Mr. Bumble immediately reported this advice, and the gentleman in the white waistcoat said that Oliver Twist would end his life on the gallows. The gentlemen discussed this unheard-of adventure and decided to offer five pounds to anyone who would take Oliver to their place.
Section III
tells how Oliver Twist almost got a place that is not at all heavenly
“For a whole week after Oliver Twist committed his blasphemous and shameful crime - he asked for more porridge - he, according to the wise and merciful resolution of the council, was kept under lock and key in a dark cell.” It would be natural to assume that he, according to the prediction of the gentleman in the white vest, could hang himself with a handkerchief. However, firstly, the council declared handkerchiefs a luxury item, and secondly, an even greater obstacle was his young age and childhood inexperience.
Oliver cried bitterly every night, afraid of the dark. And in the morning, in cold weather, he was doused with water from a pump and publicly flogged with rods as a warning and example to others.
“One morning, when Oliver was in such a wonderful, blissful state, Mr. Gamfield, the chimney sweep, was walking along the main street of the town, thinking hard about how to pay the rent ...” Suddenly he saw a notice on the workhouse gate for five pounds for a boy . It was precisely five pounds that he lacked.
The chimney sweep asked the council to give Oliver away, because he just needed an apprentice. The council members knew that Mr Gamfield had a number of boys who had suffocated in chimneys, but decided that the chimney sweep's offer was suitable for them.
The agreement was made and Mr. Bumble took Oliver to court to formalize the paperwork. Dear Beadle explained to the boy that he should smile joyfully in court, and transparently hinted: if Oliver does not agree to go to science as a chimney sweep, “then an unspeakably terrible punishment will befall him.”
In court, two old gentlemen were sitting at a desk. “The judge had long since lost clarity of vision and almost fallen into childhood,” but even he noticed Gamfield’s vile, cruel face and Oliver’s pale, frightened face.
The court refused to approve the agreement, and “the next morning the citizens of the city were again informed that Oliver Twist was being “hired” and five pounds would be paid to anyone who wanted to take him.”
Section IV
Oliver is offered another job and begins to work in the interests of society
The council members decided to send Oliver Twist to the seamen, so that on some ship he would either be spotted to death or drowned by sailors who love such entertainment. But the boy was taken in by Mr. Sowerberry, the parish undertaker. “He was a tall, thin, oily man” with a face not for smiling, although he could joke in professional themes. The undertaker met Mr. Bumble but also laughed at him because, since then, the council had introduced new system food for the workhouse residents, the coffins became narrower and lowered.
Little Oliver was given to the undertaker “for testing.” The next day Beadle Bumble took the boy to Mr. Sowerberry. On the way, Oliver burst into tears so bitterly that even Beedle's callous heart ached a little.
At the undertaker's house, Mrs. Sowerberry pushed Oliver into the so-called “kitchen,” where the maid Charlotte, “a slovenly dressed girl in worn-out shoes and torn blue woolen stockings,” fed the boy scraps that a dog would have disdained. At night they made a bed for Oliver in the workshop among the coffins.
Section V
Oliver meets fellow professionals. After his first participation in a funeral, he develops an unpleasant impression of his master’s craft
Oliver was afraid to spend the night in the workshop. “It seemed to him that at any moment some figure would bring his head out of the coffin - and he would go crazy with horror.” But it was not only this eerie environment that weighed on Oliver. Here he felt his loneliness especially acutely, and bitter sadness enveloped the boy.
In the morning, Oliver was awakened by a knock on the door. Having removed the heavy bolt, he saw “a smooth guy from the parish shelter, sitting on a pedestal in front of the house and eating a piece of bread and butter...” The guy said that his name was Noah Claypole and he would be Oliver’s boss.
Oliver followed all the orders of this big-faced, sleek, clumsy man, and received blows.
In the kitchen, Charlotte fed Noah a nice piece of ham, and Oliver got his leftovers.
Noah was not some kind of foundling. He could trace his ancestry back to his parents, who could not feed their son and sent him to be raised in a parish orphanage. The guys on the street teased Noah with insulting nicknames, “skin” and “beggar,” and he endured it in silence. But now he was completely taking out his anger on Oliver.
Three weeks have passed. Mr. Sowerberry decided to take Oliver to the funeral in order to make him feel distraught.
Possibility immediately. At night, a woman died, whose family lived in a dilapidated house on the outskirts of the city.
The Undertaker and Oliver entered the unheated room. A very pale, gray-haired man and an old woman were sitting in front of a cold fireplace, and a group of children were huddled in the corner.
The husband's grief made him half mad. He tore out his hair, shouting that he was sent to prison for begging, and the woman was starved to death. The mother of the deceased smiled meaninglessly and muttered something.
the deceased woman was buried in a mass grave, where there were so many coffins “that there were several feet left from the top to the surface.”
Oliver didn't like the sight of the funeral at all, but Mr. Sowerberry said he'd soon get used to it.
Section VI
Enraged by Noah's taunts, Oliver begins to act and surprises him greatly.
The test period expired, and Oliver was officially accepted as a student. There were more deaths, and the measles epidemic decimated children. Oliver, wearing a hat with a knee-length ribbon, led the funeral processions and caused delight and tenderness among all the mothers of the city.
And in the undertaker's workshop, Oliver, for many months, resignedly endured the bullying of Noah Claypole, who was furious with envy. Charlotte supported Noah in everything, especially since Mrs. Sowerberry fiercely hated Oliver, because her husband showed affection for the guy.
One day, Noah was left alone with Oliver and decided to mock the boy to his heart's content. First, he pulled Oliver by the hair, by the ear, and called him a suck-up, and when all this bullying did not produce the expected result, Noah began to laugh at Oliver’s mother and called her a whore.
“Red with rage, Oliver jumped up, overturned the chair and table, grabbed Noah by the throat, shook him so that his teeth clicked, and, putting all his strength into one blow, knocked his offender down.” From the mortal insult inflicted on his mother, his spirit rebelled, his blood boiled, and the little downtrodden boy overnight turned into a formidable avenger.
Charlotte came running at Noah's cry, then Mrs. Sowerberry. They began to beat Oliver, who resisted, fought and did not lose his fighting spirit, and then they pushed him into the cellar and locked him there. The boy continued to hit the door, trembling under his blows.
Mrs. Sowerberry sent Noah to the orphanage and ordered Mr. Bumble to be brought in immediately.
Section VII
Noah ran headlong into the workhouse gates. He pressed the blade of a knife to his black eye and screamed that Oliver wanted to kill him, his mistress and Charlotte.
When Mr. Bumble arrived at the undertaker's house, Oliver was still banging on the cellar door. Mr. Sowerberry returned and pulled the little rebel out of the cellar by the collar. In general, he treated the guy kindly, but his wife’s tears awakened his anger and he had only one thing left - to beat Oliver.
By evening he sat locked up in the cellar, and when it got dark, the hostess sent him to sleep in the workshop. All night the boy alternately cried and prayed, and at dawn he pulled back the bolt and, hesitating, went out into the street. He walked towards the workhouse. In the garden behind bars, Oliver saw his comrade Dick, who at this early hour was already weeding the garden bed. He raised his pale face, ran to the gate and extended his thin hand to Oliver. The boys said goodbye and Dick gave Oliver his blessing. Oliver remembered this blessing of a small child all his life.
Section VIII
Oliver goes to London. On the way he meets a strange young gentleman
Oliver walked quickly along the beaten path. Outside the city, he saw a sign on which it was written that from here to London it was exactly seventy miles. The boy remembered the words of the old residents of the workhouse, a guy with a head in London can earn big money.
the first day Oliver came twenty miles. He ate the only piece of bread that was in his knapsack and felt terrible hunger. At night, the boy buried himself in a haystack in the middle of a field, warmed up a little and fell asleep.
the next day he could barely move his legs from fatigue and hunger, and spent the night again in a cold, damp field. In the villages, Oliver tried to beg for a piece of bread, but in nine cases out of ten, farmers, seeing an outstretched hand, shouted that they would now set the dogs on him.
“On the seventh day after his escape, Oliver hobbled into the town of Barnet in the morning.” The town was still sleeping. “A dirty, dusty boy sat down on whose threshold to give his bloody, beaten feet a break.” Nobody paid any attention to him. Suddenly Oliver noticed that a guy was looking at him. “He had a snub nose, a flat forehead... and was grimy in the way that only a youngster could be grimy. For his age, he was short, his legs were crooked, and his eyes were quick and daring.” This frivolous, self-confident Firth was the first to approach Oliver, asked him where he was going, fed him ham and bread and offered to go to London together. From further conversation, Oliver learned that his friend's name was Jack Dawkins, he was a friend of a respected old London gentleman and was now going to the capital. Jack admitted that among his friends he is better known by the nickname “The Artful Dodger.”
The guys entered London late at night, passed through many streets and ended up in a narrow dirty, smelly alley near a house. The Dodger pushed Oliver into the corridor and led him into a dimly lit room with walls blackened by time and dirt. There was a wooden table in front of the fireplace, sausage was being fried over the fire on a wire, “and over it, leaning over it with a long fork in his hand was an old, wrinkled Jew with an ugly face overgrown with a shaggy beard... Four or five guys no older than the Dodger were sitting at the table. They smoked long clay pipes and drank liquor like adults."
Jack Dawkins called the old one Feigina and introduced Oliver Twist to the company. Everyone shook his hands firmly and sat down to dinner. Feigin poured Oliver a glass of gin with hot water, ordered to drink everything. The boy felt himself being carried into one of the mattresses on the floor and fell into a deep sleep.
Title IX
contains additional information about the pleasant old gentleman and his able pupils
Oliver woke up late in the morning and saw only an old Jew who was preparing breakfast. The boy lay with his eyelids flattened, heard and saw the old man, but his thoughts were far from here. Feigin called Oliver, but he did not respond. Then the old man locked the door, pulled out a small box from its hiding place and began to examine the jewelry.
Having gone through all this, the old man looked at Oliver and saw that he was not sleeping, and turned pale. He jumped up to the boy, but then affectionately turned the conversation to the fact that he had to support many children, and he acquired this property for his old age.
The Dodger and Charlie Bates returned and sat down to breakfast. Then the guys gave Fagin two wallets and four pocket squares, speaking among themselves in a language that Oliver almost did not understand. He had no idea when and where the guys managed to do such good work.
After a while, the guys and the old one started an interesting game: Feigin walked around the room, and Charlie the Dodger secretly pulled out various things from his pockets. The old man suggested that Oliver quietly take a handkerchief out of his pocket and praised him for his abilities.
Two young ladies, Beth and Nancy, came to join the young gentlemen. “They were very nice and relaxed, and Oliver thought they were wonderful girls.”
Section X
Oliver gets to know his new friends better and gains experience at great cost. A short but very important section of this story
“Oliver did not leave Fagin’s room for many days - either tearing marks from handkerchiefs, ... or participating in the already mentioned game, which the old gentleman and two guys played in the mornings.”
Finally one morning Oliver, Charley Bates and the Dodger went into town. Near the book stall, the guys saw an old gentleman in gold glasses who was intently reading a book. The Dodger and Charlie left Oliver, went up to the old man, the Dodger took out his handkerchief, handed it to Charlie, after which the two of them rushed and disappeared around the corner.
That’s when Oliver realized where Feigin got his handkerchiefs, watches, and jewelry. The boy was burned by a hot wave of horror, and he started to run. The gentleman, with a book in his hand, chased after Oliver, shouting: “Stop the thief.” These words had magical power. People dropped everything and ran after the boy.
Oliver was weak, a certain man caught up with him, hit him and knocked him down. The crowd surrounded the boy, a policeman arrived and took the boy to the court. The gentleman followed.
Section XI
follows police judge Mr. Feng and gives some insight into how he dispenses justice
Oliver was put in a cell that resembled a cellar. Since Saturday, about fifty drunks have been here, many men and women who were held on unproven charges. This room was worse and dirtier than the cells in Newgate prison, where dangerous criminals were kept.
After some time, Oliver was taken to court. The frightened boy could not say a word. The judge, Maeterlinck Feng, sat at the back of the court with a gloomy look. He treated the old gentleman rudely, who wanted to explain the essence of the matter, interrupting and insulting him. Then he started interrogating Oliver. The policeman, seeing that the boy was unable to understand or answer anything, randomly called Oliver Tom White and randomly talked about his dead parents.
Oliver could barely stand on his feet, lost consciousness and no longer heard the judge’s sentence: three months in prison. Suddenly the owner of the book stall ran into the hall and, not paying attention to Judge Feng’s anger, said that another guy had stolen the scarf. The enraged judge overturned the verdict and kicked everyone out of the room.
The old gentleman picked up the fainting Oliver and took him to his home.
Section XII
in which Oliver is better cared for than ever, and again features the jolly old gentleman and his young friends
Mr. Brownlow cared for Oliver, but for many, many days the boy remained insensitive to the care of his new friends. He melted in the fever, like wax on fire.
But “finally Oliver woke up, frail, thin and pale, transparent...” With difficulty lifting his head from the pillow, the boy looked around with fear and asked where he was. A clean and neatly dressed old woman immediately approached the bed. “She carefully laid Oliver’s head on the pillow and looked into his eyes with such kindness and love that he involuntarily grabbed her hand with his thin hand and wrapped it around his neck.” Mrs. Bedwin was moved to tears by this outburst of gratitude.
Oliver began to get better little by little. The housekeeper Mrs. Bedwin, Mr. Brownlow, the doctor, and the old nurse supported the boy’s strength with their care. After a while, Oliver began to come out to the table. In the living room, he noticed a portrait of a young charming woman hanging on the wall. Oliver could not take his eyes off him, and Mr. Brownlow was surprised at Oliver's absolute resemblance to the image of the unknown woman.
Section XIII
The intelligent reader gets acquainted with new characters, as well as with various interesting vicissitudes that are associated with these persons and are directly related to this legend
When the little thieves returned to Feigin without Oliver, the old man greeted them with a furious cry. He shook the Dodger by the collar, pushed Charlie, interrogating where they shared the boy.
Suddenly, a stocky man of about thirty-five, dressed in a black frock coat, greasy brown breeches, and laced shoes on thick legs that lacked shackles, entered the room cursing. This handsome thug came with big dog, who was pushed under the table, where he curled up and blinked his evil eyes frequently.
It was Bill Sikes. He asked the guys about Oliver's arrest and got angry with Feigin, saying that when the boy tells the police, the old man will be hanged. Feigin, smiling meaningfully and lovingly, said that others would burn with him.
All members of the honest company fell silent. After some time, Sykes offered to scout out the police where Oliver was being held. It was decided to entrust this task to Nancy, who had recently moved to Field Lane from the sailors' quarters and could not be afraid of being recognized.
Nancy changed into a simple suit and went to the police station. The cunning young lady asked the good-natured jailer what happened to Oliver, and reported everything to Bill Sikes and Fagin. These “caring” gentlemen decided to find the boy and stuff him down his throat before he gave them away.
Section XIV
contains further details of Oliver's stay with Mr. Brownlow, and also a remarkable prophecy which a gentleman named Grimwig made concerning Oliver when he went on his errand
Mr. Brownlow and Mrs. Bedwin avoided talking to Oliver about his past while he was still weak. Mrs. Bedwin talked about her wonderful children, taught the boy to play cribage, protected and entertained him in every possible way. Oliver's life in Mr. Brownlow's house was happy and safe. When the boy was completely well, the old gentleman invited him into his room. Oliver was struck by the abundance of books on the shelves, which reached right up to the ceiling. A conversation took place between Mr. Brownlow and Oliver about the future of the boy, whom the old gentleman planned to help get on his feet. Mr. Brownlow wanted to know how and where Oliver lived before, but as soon as the boy opened his mouth to talk about his life on the “farm”, about his wanderings for hire with the undertaker, an old friend of the owner of the house, Mr. Grimwig, came into the room.
He was a good man, and always contradicted everyone and was dissatisfied with everyone. He had no children, and therefore all boys were the same to him. "In his heart Mr. Grimwig was very inclined to recognize both Oliver's appearance and behavior as extremely pleasant, but his inherent spirit of bickering rebelled against this." He proved to his friend that Oliver is not at all what he seems. Mr. Brownlow was about to argue with his guest when Mrs. Bedwin brought a package of books that the messenger had brought. The old gentleman wanted to give money and several copies of books to the bookseller's messenger, but he had already disappeared. Oliver said that he could complete this assignment and ran there and back in ten minutes.
Hiding the five pounds in his pocket, he carefully took the books under his arm and went into the store. Looking after him, Mr. Grimwig declared that they would see the boy for the last time, because he would steal both the books and the money. Mr Brownlow defended Oliver.
“It was already so dark that it was difficult to see the numbers on the dial, and the two old gentlemen were all sitting silently at the table on which the watch lay.”
Section XV
which shows how sincerely Oliver Twist was loved by the jolly old Jew and Miss Nancy
In the room of the smelly tavern sat William Sykes. A white, red-eyed dog perched at his feet. Sykes kicked the dog for no apparent reason, and he, without thinking twice, silently stared sharp teeth into the owner's shoe. Sikes grabbed a knife and was ready to cut the dog’s throat, but suddenly the door opened and the dog immediately jumped out of the room, almost knocking Feigin off his feet. The enraged Sikes immediately transferred his anger to the old man, but he spoke in a gentle voice and gave him a ration of the loot. Bill calmed down a little and started talking about finding Oliver.
Meanwhile, Oliver was heading towards the book stall. Suddenly someone’s hands picked him up, and a familiar voice was heard behind him: “Oh, dear brother, I found you!” It was Nancy.
Oliver screamed and struggled, but passers-by sympathized with the “sister,” who cried out to the whole street that the boy had run away from the house, and his mother was being killed behind him.
Oliver, who was struggling and fighting off Nancy, was approached by Bill Sikes with a dog. He ordered the boy to be silent and dragged him into a maze of dark, narrow streets.
It got dark. Mrs. Bedwin waited anxiously on the threshold of the house, “while the two old gentlemen sat stubbornly in the dark drawing-room, with the clock clicking on the table between them.”
Section XVI
tells the story of what happened to Oliver Twist after he fell into the hands of Nancy
Sikes and Nancy took Oliver by the hand, and the man warned the boy that when he decided to scream, Pyatak would grab hold of him and tear him to pieces. The dog growled furiously, as if he understood his master’s language.
They were walking along unfamiliar dark streets, when suddenly the church clock dully struck eight times. It was at eight o'clock that the guys who were to be executed for crimes, well known to the thieves, stood under the gallows. Nancy started talking about these comrades, but Sikes was not too interested in their fates.
Oliver, Sikes and Nancy approached a long-abandoned shop, in which, after all, there was someone. The boy was pushed into a dark corridor. Where the candle flickered. Coming closer, Oliver saw Jack Dawkins, who recognized the boy and smiled mockingly. And in the musty room, Oliver saw Charles Bates, who was pointing his finger at him and rolling with laughter, and Mr. Fagin, who was bowing low to the stunned boy.
The Dodger and Charles forced Oliver to take off his clean clothes and put on rags, and took away his books and five pounds. Oliver begged to return the old gentleman's things, but the thieves only laughed at his despair.
Suddenly Oliver started running. The guys ran after him, and Nancy locked the dog in the room so that he would not catch up with the prisoner. Sikes became angry, but the girl screamed that she would not allow the child to be tortured. She told Fagin that she would defend Oliver, whom they wanted to make a thief, just as they made her a thief twelve years ago. The old man began to threaten Nancy, and in a frenzy she rushed at him with her fists. Sikes intercepted the girl, she thrashed in his arms and fainted.
Oliver was taken into a room and locked.
Section XVII
It so happened that in bloody melodramas tragic and comic scenes alternate: in one scene the hero falls under the weight of shackles onto a straw prison bed, and in the next his faithful comrade, unaware of the misfortune, amuses the audience with a funny song.
“In life there are even more amazing transitions from the table, bending under dishes, to the deathbed, from grief to festive clothes.” But in life we are not passive spectators, but actors.
Early in the morning Mr. Bumble left the workhouse gates and walked through the town with a solemn step. The Rada instructed him to take two women to London so that the court could determine their right to settle. Before leaving, Bumble called on Mrs. Mann to give her the money that the council had allocated for the maintenance of orphans. Mrs. Mann started talking about the children, boasting that they were all healthy, except for the two who died last week and little Dick. Beadle wanted to see Dick, and the boy was brought. “He was thin and pale, his cheeks were sunken, big eyes glittered painfully."
Mr. Bumble asked the boy what was happening to him, and Dick told him about his only wish. He would like someone to write a few words on paper before he dies and keep this note for Oliver Twist. Mr. Bumble was surprised and ordered the boy to be taken out.
The next day, Mr. Bumble quickly completed his business and ordered a modest lunch at the drive-in: several steaks, oyster sauce and porter. While drinking wine, he opened the newspaper and read an advertisement that Oliver Twist was wanted, about whom there was no information. Anyone who sheds light on his past will receive a reward of five guineas.
Mr. Bumble quickly found Mr. Brownlow's house and told the old gentleman “that Oliver was a foundling, the son of bad, unlucky parents, from birth he was the embodiment of deceit, ingratitude, malice; that he ended his short stay in his hometown with a vile and brutal attack on a harmless boy, after which he fled under the cover of darkness from his master’s house.” For this information he received five guineas and left. Mr. Brownlow and Mr. Grimwig were amazed, and Mrs. Bedwin did not believe a word Beadle said.
Section XVIII
How Oliver spent his time in the saving company of his worthy friends
The next day, Feigin read a long sermon to Oliver about the sin of ingratitude, which the guy allegedly took to his soul, leaving his comrades. He recalled that he sheltered and fed the boy when he was dying of hunger. Along the way, he told a story about an ungrateful boy who went to the police to inform his friends, but in court Feigin proved his innocence and accused the guy of serious crimes. He was hanged. “In conclusion, Mr. Feigin did not spare gloomy colors to describe all the unpleasant sensations that the suicide bomber experienced during the process of hanging, and very friendly and sincerely expressed the ardent hope that he would never have to subject Oliver Twist to such a painful operation.”
Oliver had no doubt that Feigin had more than once destroyed his overly knowledgeable or overly talkative accomplices.
Many days later, Oliver was completely alone. He sat near the only open window on the roof. One day, Charles Bates and the Dodger began to persuade Oliver to become a thief, like the rest of their company, but the boy objected that being a thief was evil.
Feigin rejoiced at the abilities of his students, rubbing his hands with satisfaction as he heard their words.
One day, Mr. Chitling, an eighteen-year-old thief who had already served time in prison, came into an abandoned house, but considered the Dodger smart, dexterous for himself and treated him with a certain respect. Feigin told Oliver to listen to the guys, and he himself spoke about the advantages of being a thief.
“From that day on, Oliver was rarely left alone, almost all the time the guys entertained him with their conversations, and every day they played an ancient game with Feigina...” Sometimes the old man talked about the robberies that he committed in his youth, and there was so much funny in those stories, that Oliver couldn't help but laugh heartily.
“To put it briefly, the cunning old Jew dragged the guy into his net, ... poured poison into his soul, hoping to stain and discredit it forever.”
Section XIX
in which an interesting idea is discussed and accepted
On a cold, rainy evening, Feigin left the house and, sneaking in the dark, winding along crooked, dirty streets, went to meet Sykes. Nancy was also there, whom Feigin did not see as she stood up for Oliver. The girl treated the old man to brandy, but he only dipped his lips into the glass. He came not to drink, but to talk about business.
There is a rich house in Chertsey. Te Krekit tried to persuade the servants to help the thieves, but he failed. The cunning thief wanted to make the maid fall in love with him, walking in front of the house in a canary vest, with sideburns glued on, then switched to a mustache and cavalry breeches, but even that was nothing.
Feigin was disappointed by the failure of Tebe Krekit. The only thing that remained for the thieves was to get into the house through a small window that did not have bars. And then it was decided that the thieves would take Oliver with them. He will climb through the window into the house, lock the door, and Crackit and Sikes will take away all the valuables.
Nancy, who so recently defended Oliver, helped her friends develop a cunning robbery plan.
Feigin, rubbing his hands, said that Oliver needed to be brought into the real case. Let the guy realize that he is one of them, that he is a thief, and then he will be theirs forever.
CHAPTER XX
in which Oliver comes into the possession of Mr. William Sykes
In the morning, Oliver saw a pair of new shoes with good soles by his mattress and decided that he was going to be fired. But it turned out that the boy would be taken to Bill Sikes's house. “Fagin’s tone and facial expression frightened the guy even more than this message.” The old man with a terrifying smile warned Oliver to beware of Sikes, for whom it would cost nothing to shed someone else's blood for a toy, and to do whatever he said. Oliver decided that he would probably be a robber for a servant, and ceased to be afraid and began to read a book about famous criminals and the punishment that befell them. The boy's blood ran cold from the descriptions of terrible crimes, and he rejected the book. Suddenly Nancy came into the room. She was very pale and said in a choked voice: “Forgive me, Lord! How could I…” Oliver helped her sit up, wrapped her cold legs in a scarf, and stirred up the heat in the fireplace. Gradually the girl calmed down and sat silently for a long time.
When it was completely dark, Nancy stood up and told Oliver that she would take him to Sikes. She asked the boy not to run away, because she would be killed when he did. On the street, Oliver almost screamed for help, but he remembered the girl’s suffering voice - and did not open his mouth.
Holding hands, Nancy and Oliver entered the house, where Bill was already waiting for them. The man showed a gun and said that he would shoot Oliver if he even spoke on the street. Nancy, looking intently at the boy, insistently explained Sikes's words that when Oliver stood across the road, the thief would shoot him in the head.
Early in the morning, Sikes woke Oliver. They hurriedly had breakfast and left the room. Nancy didn’t even look at the boy, petrified by the fire.
CHAPTER XXI
Expedition
It was a gloomy morning in the yard. It was market day. An “endless line of wagons with all kinds of livestock and meat carcasses” stretched into London, milkmaids walked with buckets of milk, men and women came with baskets of fish on their heads. “My feet plunged into the mud almost up to my ankles, and thick steam swirled above the sweating cattle. Whistling of drovers, barking of dogs, roaring of oxen, bleating of sheep, grunting and squealing of pigs, cries of hawkers, shouts, swearing, quarrels from all sides... the crush, jostling, unwashed, unshaven, pitiful, dirty figures darting about in the crowd - all this was stunned , amazed the one who came here for the first time.”
Sikes pulled Oliver behind the pandemonium, elbowing his way. The boy, adapting to the fast walking of the burglar, began to jog. On the way, an empty visa caught up with them, and Sykes asked the cab driver to give them a lift, and so that Oliver would not think of asking for help, he expressively patted the pocket where the pistol was.
They rode on the cart for a long time, and then wandered around the surrounding fields for several more hours until they reached the town of Hampton. There they dined on cold meat and sat in the tavern until nightfall. Sykes met a man who was returning home by cart and started dating him a good relationship. Late at night they left the inn, got on a cart, rode for a long time and walked again until they reached a dilapidated house on the river bank.
CHAPTER XXII
Sikes knocked on the door of the house. You Crackit and Barney, who had been waiting for their accomplice for a long time, greeted him with joy. Thee Krekit had rare, carefully curled hair in long spiral curls, into which “from time to time he ran his brusque fingers, decorated with large cheap rings.” When he saw Oliver, he was terribly surprised. Sikes explained this to him quietly, and You laughed loudly.
Oliver is terribly tired. “He was almost unaware of where he was and what was happening around him.” The men forced him to drink alcohol, and the boy forgot in a heavy sleep.
Late at night, the robbers began to gather. They took tools, knives, pistols, “wrapped their faces right up to their eyes with large dark scarves” and, leading Oliver by the hands, left the house.
The friends quickly came to the lonely estate. “Only now did Oliver, almost mad with despair and fear, realize that they had come here to rob, and maybe even kill.” He turned pale, his eyes disappeared, and a muffled cry of horror escaped from his chest. “Sykes uttered a terrible curse and cocked the trigger, but You... covered Oliver’s mouth with his hand and dragged the boy into the house.” The robbers opened the frame of the small window, Sikes pushed Oliver feet first and, ordering the bolt of the front door to be removed, he quietly lowered the boy to the floor. At that moment, Oliver decided to “raise the inhabitants of the house to their feet, even if he had to pay for it with his life.” But suddenly the figures of two men appeared on the stairs, “it flashed, banged, breathed smoke, ... and Oliver was thrown against the wall.”
Sikes reached through the window, grabbed the boy by the collar, and pulled him out. Oliver felt himself being pulled and lost consciousness.
CHAPTER XXIII,
which recounts the contents of a pleasant conversation between Bumble and a lady and shows that even the parish Beadle is characterized by human weaknesses
“Frost struck in the evening,” a piercing wind scattered snowdrifts, knocked down white dust and attacked obstacles in its path with a terrible howl. People living in warm houses gather in front of the fireplace on cold winter evenings and thank God that they are at home. But “many stepchildren of society in such weather forever close their eyes to the sky on our streets, and no sins burden their souls, it is unlikely that they will suffer worse torment in the next world.”
The workhouse matron, Mrs. Corney, sat down in front of the cheerful fireplace and was pleased to please her soul with a cup of tea. “The little teapot and the single cup on the table brought back sad memories of Mr. Corney (who died only twenty-five years ago), and she became extremely depressed.” Suddenly she was disturbed by a quiet knock on the door. The figure of Mr. Bumble appeared on the threshold. Mrs. Corney hesitated whether it would be proper to receive a man at a late hour, but nevertheless invited him into the room. They talked about today's terrible weather, about the unscrupulous poor who ask for help, about one ungrateful scoundrel who did not accept raw potatoes and flour, because, you see, he is homeless and cannot cook food. And then this impudent man left and died on the street. They agreed that the main trick to helping the poor is “to give them exactly what they don’t need. Finally they will get tired of walking and will give up.”
Mrs. Corney gave Mr. Bumble some tea. They sat so close at the table that Beadle, having finished his tea, “wiped his lips and kissed the matron without further ado,” and then put his arm around her waist. Suddenly this impudence was interrupted by a knock on the door. A very nasty almswoman appeared on the threshold, saying that old Sally was dying in terrible agony and asked to call the matron. Mrs. Corney asked Mr. Bumble to wait for her, and she went to the dying woman.
Left alone, Beadle counted the teaspoons, examined the silver milk jug, and carefully examined the furniture, “as if he were composing a detailed description of them.”
CHAPTER XXIV
which talks about things that are almost not worthy of attention. However, this section is short-lived, and in our story it may still turn out to be important
The body of the almswoman, the messenger of death, “was hunched over from old age, her arms and legs were trembling, her face, distorted in an absurd smile, looked like a mask created by the hand of a crazy master than a creation of nature.”
The old woman could not keep up with the matron and fell behind somewhere in the corridor. Mrs. Corney approached the sick woman, who lay in a bare room in the attic. Another old woman was sitting by the bed, and in front of the fireplace stood the pharmacist's apprentice, who said that Sally had at most two hours to live. “The matron grimaced irritably, wrapped herself in a shawl and sat down at the patient’s feet.”
The aldermen moved closer to the smoldering fireplace and extended their bony hands to the fire. “In the ominous reflections, their wrinkled faces became even more bridquishim.”
Sally lay unconscious, and the matron was about to leave, when suddenly the sick woman opened her eyes, saw the almswomen and asked them to drive them out. Both monsters screamed pitifully, but obeyed the boss’s order and left.
“The dying woman tried with all her might not to let the spark of life die out.” She began to talk about a young woman who was picked up on the street more than ten years ago. The unknown woman gave birth to a boy and died. Sally barely remembered those long-ago events, but she had the strength to say that she had stolen the only thing she had from the woman in labor. It was pure gold that could save her life, and she did not sell that thing - she hid it on her chest.
Dying, the young mother blessed her child and instructed Sally to keep the only valuable thing for her son, but the almswoman stole it. The patient was barely able to say before her death that the boy’s name was Oliver and that he was very similar to his mother.
the matron left the room and calmly said that Sally had never told anything worthwhile.
CHAPTER XXV
in which we return again to Mr. Feigin and company
That same evening, when Sally was dying in the workhouse, Mr. Fagin sat by the fireplace, deep in thought. At the table behind them the Dodger, Charlie Bates and Mr. Chitling were playing whist. The Dodger won all the time, although he played one against two. Charlie Bates understood the trick, but laughed merrily as he watched the Dodger.
Mr. Chitling lost his last money and threw away his cards. Today he was taciturn, thinking intently about something, and Charlie knew well that Tommy Chitling had got into Bates. His friend's love gave him a cheerful mood; he laughed, rolling on the floor.
Suddenly someone rang the doorbell. The guys immediately became silent and silently disappeared from the room! The rogue let his husband into the house in a rough work blouse. Feigin took a closer look and recognized Tebe Krekit.
Feigin and Plut were surprised to see the tired, dirty and unshaven face of the dapper You. Without waiting for questions, Crackit ordered food to be brought, and when he had eaten his fill, he told the Dodger to go out, drank gin and water and said that the matter had not worked out, that Oliver had been shot, and his accomplices had left him in a ditch and rushed in all directions, saving their skins.
CHAPTER XXVI
in which a new mysterious person appears on the scene actor and many events occur that are inextricably linked with this text
Feigin, upon hearing the news about Oliver, “screamed, pulled his hair, rushed headlong out of the house and rushed down the street” wherever his eyes looked. He calmed down a little when he approached the Three Cripples inn. Feigin was well known to all the nondescript inhabitants of the dirty back streets, who nodded cordially to him. He nodded to them in the same friendly manner and “turned to the frail little man who was sitting, slumped in a child’s chair, in front of the door of his store,” but he didn’t see Sykes. The little man replied that Bill was not here today. Feigin entered the tavern and went upstairs to a large room. There, men and women sat at a long table, “and in the corner, at an out-of-tune piano, a professional gentleman with a beetroot nose...” He played some tune, and “a young lady entertained the audience with a ballad of four verses.” The faces of her supporters were marked with the stamp of almost all vices and attracted attention precisely because of their disgustingness. “Cunning, cruelty, drunken impudence were their expressive features, but the most briddy and pitiful characters in this terrible picture were women - some still with traces of a youthful blush on their cheeks ... others were already completely devoid of the tempting signs of their sex, absolutely distorted and devastated by atrocities and debauchery, and yet they have not yet left their youth! Among all this gathering, Feigin looked out for the person he needed, but he was not here. He asked the innkeeper to tell him that 258 was looking for him, went out, hired a convertible and drove to the house where Sykes lived. In the room, Feigin saw only Nancy, who was completely drunk and did not react to the story that the case had not worked out, and the police were hunting Saikos. The old man began to ask the girl about Oliver, but she said that it was better for the boy to die than to be among people like them. These words angered Feigin. The old man emphatically declared that when Sikes saved his own skin, but returned without the boy, it would be better for her to kill him herself if she did not want to be strangled by the prison executioner. Saying this, Feigin said that Oliver is a treasure for him, especially now that he has “contacted with the devil himself in the flesh.”
Suddenly Feigin realized that in his unconsciousness he had blurted out too much, controlled himself and changed right before his eyes. He began to ask Nancy whether she remembered the words, but the girl asked to repeat it if he wanted anything. The old man decided that she was really drunk and did not understand his hints, and therefore calmed down and went home. Already right in front of the door of the house, the old man whom Feigin had been looking for in the tavern approached the old man. Feigin really didn’t want to bring the stranger into the house, but he insisted that he wanted to talk in a warm place. They entered the room, sat down by the fireplace and quietly talked about something. Monks (that’s what Feigin called him several times) accused the old man of not keeping his promise, of not turning the boy into a snotty pickpocket who would go to prison and stain himself forever. But Feigin justified himself, saying that this boy was not at all like others: nothing could intimidate him, he did not want to steal, he had no sins.
Suddenly Monks exclaimed that he saw a woman’s shadow flash across the wall. Feigin grabbed a candle, and they went around all the rooms, went down to the basement, but did not find any woman.
CHAPTER XXVII
redeems the guilt of one of the previous sections, in which a lady was very discourteously abandoned alone
Mr. Bumble, who remained in Mrs. Corney's room, "once again listed the teaspoons, weighed the sugar tongs in his hand, examined the milk jug even more carefully, examined the condition of the furniture extremely carefully, ... and again began to count the spoons" and hastily examined the contents of the owner's chest of drawers. What he saw in the boxes caused him great delight. There were all sorts of toiletries of the most fashionable styles and best quality, “and in the drawer with the padlock, when he shook it, a pleasant sound was heard, nothing less than the clinking of coins.”
He returned to the fireplace and sat down, when Mrs. Corney suddenly ran into the room. She was very excited, and Mr. Bumble, trying to calm the woman, hugged her and “in a passionate impulse kissed the tip of her chaste nose.” Mrs. Corney "put her arms round Mr. Bumble's neck." That evening they agreed to get married. There seemed to be a complete understanding between them, but Mrs. Corney did not tell her future husband anything about what she heard from Sally.
Mr. Bumble stopped at the undertaker's on his way home. The Sowerberry couple were at home, but the shop was open. Mr. Bumble looked through the living room window and saw a table covered with a tablecloth, on which were bread, butter, a mug of beer and a bottle of wine. Mr. Noah Claypole sat at the table, casually lounging in a chair, and Charlotte stood nearby, feeding him oysters. She tried to persuade him to eat another fat one, but Noah had already eaten too much and wanted to kiss Parlotta. Seeing this, Mr. Bumble burst into the room and shouted at the villains. Charlotte squealed, and Noah began to make excuses that the girl was constantly trying to kiss him.
Charlotte looked reproachfully at the guy, but he continued to accuse her of all sins.
CHAPTER XXVIII
which talks about Oliver Twist and tells of his further adventures
Sykes understood that he would not be able to escape from his pursuers with the wounded boy in his arms. Cursing all the watchmen and faithful servants, he laid Oliver on the grass and, threatening with a pistol, ordered You to return. But the accomplice was more afraid of the people who started screaming and the dogs, and therefore preferred to die from Bill’s bullet than to fall into the hands of his enemies. The stronger one ran away, and Sikes rushed after him, leaving the boy in a ditch.
there were three pursuers: Giles, Brittles and the wandering Tinker; who spent the night in the outbuilding, woke up from the noise and joined the chase along with his dogs. “Mr. Giles served as the butler and housekeeper for the old lady, Brittles was her footman, and he began his service as a very small errand boy, he was still treated like a young man who still had everything ahead of him, although he was already in his fourth decade.” .
Chasing the thieves, the men themselves were seriously frightened, and therefore, without catching the robbers, they returned to the house in a tight herd.
Fainted and helpless, Oliver lay in the ditch all night. Finally he opened his eyes, groaned, slowly got up and wandered off, not knowing where. It seemed to him as if Sikes and Crackit were next to him and the robber was squeezing his hand painfully.
Slowly the boy walked out onto the road, saw a house and trudged towards the people. Meanwhile, the pursuing heroes were eating breakfast, and Mr. Giles was telling the cook and the maid about the night's events, boasting of the courage of his comrades and his own. The women groaned, were surprised, huddled together in fear, when suddenly there was a knock on the door. Three daredevils, together with their dogs, went to the door, opened them and, “timidly looking over each other’s shoulders, they saw on the porch not a monster, but poor little Oliver Twist.” They grabbed him, dragged him into the hallway... and shouted that one of the thieves had been caught. This noise was interrupted by a euphonious female voice. The servants were ordered to carry the wounded man upstairs and call for a doctor and a constable.
The girl who gave these orders did not want to see who the wounded robber was.
CHAPTER XXIX
introduces the residents of the house Oliver ended up in
Two women were sitting at a table in a cozy room. They were served by Giles, impeccably dressed in a black three-piece suit.
One woman was no longer young. She sat in a majestic pose and gazed intently at her young interlocutor.
The girl was pleasing to the eye with the fresh beauty of her youth. “She is not yet seventeen years old. She was so slender and graceful, so gentle and affectionate, so pure and beautiful, seeming to the creatures unearthly, not related to the rough creatures that inhabit our world.” She looked at the old woman, and her eyes shone with such love and sincere devotion, “that the heavenly spirits would smile if they looked at her at that moment.”
“A convertible drove up to the gate, from which a sleek gentleman jumped out and ran as fast as he could towards the porch.” In an instant he was in the room, shouting words of sympathy to Mrs. Maylie about what had happened. Miss Rosa interrupted him and asked him to examine the wounded man.
Dr. Losbern was loved throughout the area for her sincerity and kindness. He stayed with the wounded man much longer than both housewives had hoped, and then invited the women to look at the robber, because they had never seen him. At first Giles simply did not dare admit that he had shot little boy, and then he couldn’t bring himself to tell the truth, which could nullify his glory.
CHAPTER XXX
tells of the impression Oliver made on those who came to see him
The doctor assured the women that the sight of the criminal would surprise them, and he was not mistaken. “Instead of the ugly, cruel villain they had hoped to see, there was a sick, emaciated child lying on the bed, fallen into a deep sleep.” The girl approached the boy, bent over him, her tears rolled down onto his forehead.
“Oliver stirred and smiled in his sleep, as if this manifestation of pity and compassion inspired him with a pleasant dream of love and affection that he had never known.” Women could believe that this fragile boy could be a willing accomplice of the dregs of society. Touched, Rosa asked her aunt to take pity on him and not to send this sick child to prison. The old woman agreed to save the boy, and the doctor suggested that Mr. Giles and Brittle should be forced to drop the charges.
Only in the evening Oliver came to his senses and told the whole story of his life. It was sad to hear about the torment and suffering that cruel people inflicted on him, and more than once his story was interrupted by the sad sighs of his listeners.
In the evening the doctor went down to the kitchen, where the servants were still discussing the events of the previous night, and in a firm voice asked Mr. Giles if he could swear that the boy who was lying upstairs was the same one who had climbed in through the window that night? Giles looked hesitantly at Brittles, Brittles looked hesitantly at Giles, the constable, who had been waiting a long time for the statement, pricked up his ears to better hear the answer, when suddenly the creaking of wheels was heard outside and the bell rang at the gate. Brittles said they were CID agents who were called by Giles.
CHAPTER XXXI
talks about a critical situation
Brittles opened the door and led two men into the living room. One was fat, of average height, with short-cropped black shiny hair, a round face and attentive eyes. His partner was a red-haired, bony man with an unpleasant face and an ominously raised Kirpa. Their names were Blathers and Duff. They immediately began asking about the crime, and the doctor, in order to stall for time, told all the circumstances in great detail, with many digressions and repetitions. Then the agents, snapping handcuffs, began to ask about the boy, but the doctor, in order to divert their attention, took them to inspect the crime scene.
Candles were brought, and Blathers and Dough, accompanied by the local constable and servants, examined the house, trimmed the bushes with a pitchfork, listened several more times to the stories of witnesses and noted the numerous differences in the testimony, and then held a conference among themselves.
Meanwhile, the doctor and Rosa consulted on how to save the child. Rose offered to tell everything honestly to the agents, but the doctor recalled the story of Oliver, who had been hanging out with criminals, he doesn’t know where the scoundrels’ nests are, he still participated in the robbery, and the butler’s shot did not allow the guy to make a fuss and thereby justify himself. Mr. Losburn was sure that the agents should not be told the truth about the guy, because they would never believe in his innocence.
Blathers and Duff made sure that none of the servants helped the robbers, and therefore they really need to see the boy, because the thieves could have planted him in the open window.
The excited doctor suggested that the agents first refresh themselves, and over a glass of strong ale they began to argue which of the city professionals could commit the robbery: Nosy Chiquid or the darling. And then Mr. Bleder began to talk about the cases he was investigating, about the cunning and cunning of the criminals. The agents did not notice how the doctor Losburn slipped out of the room, and then reappeared to take them to the patient.
Oliver dozed, but his condition worsened significantly. He looked at everyone with an absent-minded gaze; it was clear that he did not understand where he was or what was happening around him.
The doctor said that this boy was injured by a crossbow, came into the house for help, and the butler “grabbed him and beat him so that the poor fellow almost gave his soul to God.”
Frightened Giles looked dumbfounded, first at the doctor, then at the agents, and could no longer swear whether he had wounded this boy. They checked the pistols and found that the one they fired from was loaded only with gunpowder. “This discovery made a great impression on everyone except the doctor, who personally pulled the bullet out of the cartridge ten minutes ago.” A weight was lifted from Mr. Giles's soul, because it turned out that he could not kill anyone with a pistol without a bullet.
The disappointed agents left with nothing, and Oliver began to gradually recover thanks to the care of Mrs. Maylie, Rose and the kind-hearted Mr. Losbern.
CHAPTER XXXII
O happy life which began for Oliver among his good friends
Oliver was ill for a long time and seriously, and in the end he began to recover and could already show his gratitude to both women for their kindness.
After a while Miss Rose told Oliver that they were all going to the village where fresh air, the beauty and joy of spring will quickly put him on his feet.
Oliver was very worried that the kind gentleman and dear old lady who had once taken care of him, did not know, was alive. When the boy had completely recovered, Mr. Losburn went on the road with him in Mrs. Maylie's small carriage. They had already entered the suburbs of London, when suddenly Oliver saw the house where the thieves had taken him. The doctor ordered the coachman to stop, ran into the house and began kicking the door. Suddenly the door opened and a nondescript hunchback appeared on the threshold. The doctor grabbed him by the collar, pushed him inside and began to search the room for Sykes. The hunchback began to swear and threaten the doctor, and he, realizing that Oliver was mistaken, threw a coin to the owner, ordered him to shut up and went to the carriage. Gorban followed him, saw Oliver in the corner of the carriage, and this hateful and vindictive gaze haunted the boy day and night for many subsequent months.
The doctor got into the carriage and thought about his action. What would he do if he met thieves in the house? He couldn't go to the police, so he would have to admit that he destroyed Oliver's file. He acted rashly, without thinking about the consequences, which could have harmed both him and the boy.
After some time the carriage drove up to white house, which was empty, and in the window there was a sign: “For rent.” Neighbors said that Mr Brownlow, his friend and the housekeeper had gone to the West Indies.
Oliver and the doctor were disappointed at the failure. While ill, the boy often dreamed of meeting his friends, and was glad that he could tell how often he remembered them. And the doctor once again wanted to make sure that Oliver was telling the truth about his adventures.
Summer came and everyone left for the village. “For Oliver, who had only known the hustle and bustle of a dirty city, the new life" Not far from the house where they settled there was a modest rural churchyard. The boy often sat there near an abandoned grave, thought about his mother and secretly cried.
“The days flowed calmly and carefree, the nights brought neither fear nor worries...” Every morning Oliver went to see his old grandfather, who helped the guy improve in reading and writing. After classes he went for a walk with Mrs. Maylie and Rose. “With what pleasure Oliver listened to their Voices, how happy he was when they stopped to admire the flower.”
Early in the morning, Oliver ran out into the field, picked an armful of flowers, and made wonderful bouquets to decorate the table for breakfast. During the day he helped Mrs. Maley, worked in the garden, and carried out various small tasks. The women became attached to Oliver with all their hearts and were proud of him.
CHAPTER XXXIII
in which Oliver and his friends' happiness takes an unexpected turn
Oliver had long since recovered and become stronger, but remained as gentle and caring as when pain and suffering had weakened him.
One day their walk took a long time. Rose was in a cheerful mood, and they did not notice how they had gone quite far. She was tired and returned home at a slow pace. At home the girl tried to be the same as always, but for some reason she was very cold. After a while her cheeks flushed with heat, and then became marble white; the gentle blue eyes darkened themselves. And although Rose tried to be calm, Mrs. Maylie saw that she was very ill, and therefore she sent for the doctor and wrote a letter to Mr. Harry Maylie, although she had not yet sent it.
Oliver himself took the letter to the doctor at the post station. Returning home, in the station courtyard he ran into a tall man in a raincoat, who looked at the boy with big black eyes in a stunned manner and muttered: “Evil spirits! Who would have thought? Get lost, obsession! He will crawl out of the grave to stand in my way!
Still shouting random words, he stepped towards Oliver and suddenly fell to the ground and began to convulse, foaming at the lips. The boy decided that he was crazy and rushed home. Returning home, he became imbued with other concerns and forgot everything that concerned his own personality.
"Rose Maylie's condition worsened and she began to become delirious in the evening." The local doctor did not leave the patient’s bedside, but could not help. Rose was dying.
Late in the evening, doctor Losbern arrived and confirmed the disappointing diagnosis of the village doctor. “Rose fell into a deep sleep, from which she would either recover and return to life, or tell them her last goodbye.” And only at lunch the next day Mr. Losburn announced that Rose would live for the joy of everyone for many years to come.
CHAPTER XXXIV
gives some preliminary information about one young gentleman who first appears on the stage and narrates Oliver's new adventure
Oliver was beside himself with happiness when he heard the good news. He ran into the field and picked up an armful of flowers to decorate the patient’s room with bouquets. On the way home, he was overtaken by a carriage, in which Oliver saw Mr. Giles and an unfamiliar young gentleman. The carriage stopped, and the butler asked the boy through the window how Miss Rose was feeling. Oliver happily replied that he was much better, the danger was completely over. The stranger jumped out of the carriage, grabbed Oliver's hand and asked again about Rose's condition. This was Harry Maley, who, despite the difference in age, was very similar to his mother, Mrs. Maley. Oliver liked him for his good open face and pleasant, easy manners.
Mrs. Maylie looked at her son with impatience. Having met, they both did not hide their excitement. Harry affectionately reproached his mother for not informing her of Rose's illness, and confessed his passionate love for the girl. The wise woman replied that Rose was like a daughter to her, but Harry could not marry her, because her name was tarnished through no fault of hers. Evil people will begin to vilify both him and their children. And then he may regret that he tied his life this way, and Rosa suffers. And Harry warmly assured his mother that for the sake of the happiness of his whole life he would force Rose to listen to him and give an answer.
In the morning Oliver did not go to the field alone. He was accompanied by Mr. Harry. They picked flowers and together made a luxurious bouquet for Rose, which, even withered, the girl kept on the windowsill.
Rose had not gone out yet, there were no evening walks, and Oliver sat down to his books. One evening he sat with a book by the window and dozed off. Suddenly he heard Feigin's voice. The boy jumped up, looked out the window and saw the terrible face of the old thief, “and next to him, pale with rage or fear, ... stood the very man whom Oliver had encountered at the post office.”
“It lasted one moment, short and terrible, like a flash of lightning. And then they both disappeared." Oliver screamed loudly and began to loudly call for help.
CHAPTER XXXV
tells of Oliver's unsatisfactory conclusion to the incident, as well as a rather important conversation between Harry Maley and Rose
All the residents jumped out at Oliver's scream. The men ran to look for the old Jew and his companion, but all searches were in vain. There were not even traces of a hasty escape anywhere around, but no one doubted that the boy had seen Feigin and the stranger.
When it got completely dark, the search had to be stopped. Giles visited all the taverns in the neighboring village, Mr. Maylie and Oliver went to the neighboring town to ask about the unexpected guests, but this yielded nothing. Gradually this story began to be forgotten.
Meanwhile, Rose was recovering quickly. She gradually went out for walks in the garden, and her laughter had a beneficial effect on all the inhabitants of the house. And Oliver noticed that Mrs. Maylie and Harry were secluded for a long time and talked about quietly, and traces of tears were visible on Rosin's face. It was immediately clear that some circumstance was depriving both the girl and, possibly, others of peace of mind.
late one morning Harry Maley asked Rose to listen to him. He told the girl what terrible moments he had experienced when he learned that she was melting like a light shadow under a ray from heaven. Opinions about her turned into terrible, unbearable torture, because she could die without knowing how much he loved her endlessly.
Rose raised her head and Harry saw two tears in her eyes. But the girl overcame herself and firmly declared that he should leave immediately, because important and noble matters awaited him. He must find himself a girl whose name will not cast a shadow on him and his family. Rose considered it her duty to dispel all the dreams of a young man in love, because one wrong step could deprive him of the opportunity to succeed in life.
Finally, Harry wanted to know whether Rose's refusal would have been so categorical if he had been destined for a quiet, inconspicuous life, if he had been poor, sick or helpless? Without hesitation, the girl replied that she would never leave him in a difficult ordeal.
CHAPTER XXXVI
very short and, at first glance, not so important, but you need to read it - both as a continuation of the previous one, and as a key to one of the following
The doctor was surprised by Harry's decision to leave for London immediately and wanted to find out whether the reason for such a rush was that elections would take place very soon and there was a need to fight for votes. But Harry turned the conversation to something else.
Mr. Giles began to take things out, and Harry beckoned Oliver towards him. He asked the boy, who had already learned to write and read well, to describe to him everything about Mrs. Maylie and Rose, and to send letters to the main post office in London so that the women would not guess about anything. “Oliver, whom such an important and honorable assignment immediately raised in his own eyes, solemnly promised to keep the secret and send detailed messages.”
The departure was hasty, but Rose watched him from behind the white curtain and looked sadly after the carriage for a long time.
CHAPTER XXXVII
in which the reader will notice contradictions that are very characteristic of married life
Mr. Bumble sat in the workhouse parlor and watched the flies get caught in paper flytraps and fight in the colorful netting. Perhaps these doomed insects reminded him of some unfortunate incident in his own life.
Mr. Bumble has changed a lot. Where did the braided frock coat and triangular hat go? Bumble was no longer the parish Beadle. After marrying Mrs. Corney, he became a workhouse overseer. Only eight weeks had elapsed from this happy moment, and Mr. Bumble was already sighing that he had sold himself for six teaspoons.
Mrs. Bumble also did not feel happy in her married life. She disobeyed her husband, humiliated him in every possible way in front of the residents, undermined his authority in the eyes of the almswomen, proved that she was right by force, scratching, pulling his hair, pushing her husband. She intimidated the once formidable ruler of the workhouse guests, forced him to obey her, and Mr. Bumble called her “sweetheart,” “darling,” trying to hide from the eyes of the grumpy woman.
One day he went to a tavern and sat down next to an unfamiliar man. After some time, the stranger spoke to Bumble, treated him to a drink, and then began to ask him about the history of the birth of Oliver Twist. He did not stand on ceremony with the retired poor man and offered him a sovereign for information about “the old witch who delivered Oliver’s mother.”
Mr. Bumble quickly realized that he could earn a large sum, and therefore said that his wife had spoken with the dying Sally and knew about the matter that interested the stranger so much. The man made an appointment with the couple, wrote down the address of which corner on the river bank, paid for the drink and moved to the door. Mr. Bumble stopped the stranger and asked who they should look for. “My name is Monks,” he answered and hurriedly moved on.
CHAPTER XXXVIII
Black clouds began to shed their first drops of rain as Mr and Mrs Bumble set out late that evening for their appointment. They walked in silence the whole way.
The area in which they walked had long served as a refuge for the dregs of society, who lived in hastily put together shacks just above the river. In the middle of this heap of shacks stood a large, dilapidated structure. When this ruin was a factory.
Mr. Bumble stopped in front of the high doors and began to peer at the piece of paper with the address. Suddenly the door opened and Monks appeared on the threshold. He invited the couple into the house.
Mrs. Bumble came in first. Monks glared at her and asked about the secret she had kept for many years. But the woman, although she felt some fear from the sight of this sinister husband, was not at a loss and answered that the first question was how much this secret was worth.
Mr. Bumble listened to this bidding with his neck craned and his eyes bulging, because his stern wife had not yet revealed to him more than he knew from the beginning.
Monks offered twenty pounds, Mrs. Bumble said she wanted twenty-five pounds in gold, and that was the deal. The woman saw the shine of the coins in the dim light of the lantern and began to talk about the terrible death of Sally, who managed to tell about the thing stolen from Oliver’s mother. The dying woman held a deposit receipt in her hand. Mrs. Bumble guessed that the rich lady must have first kept those precious trinkets, hoping to sell them, and then gave them as collateral. The wardress thought that maybe someday she would benefit from those things, and so she bought them back. And now she hastily threw them on the table, as if rejoicing that she could finally lose these jewels.
Monks began to look at the gold medallion and the gold ring, in the middle of which was stamped the name “Agnes”, a number, and then there was space for the surname.
Monks got what he wanted. Suddenly he pulled the iron ring in the floor with all his might, lifted the secret lid under which the river was seething, and threw the jewelry into the stream.
CHAPTER XXXIX
brings onto the stage respected persons already familiar to the reader and tells what the worthy Monks and the worthy Jew discussed about
Lately fate has not been too kind to William Sykes. He had been so seriously ill for a long time that it was only thanks to Nancy’s care that he remained alive. “The illness did not soften Mr. Sikes’s tough temper: when the girl helped him out of bed and led him to a chair, he scolded her for her ineptitude, and even kicked her painfully.”
Tears trembled on Nancy's eyelashes, but her voice, full of feminine tenderness, sounded soft when she began to say that she had patiently looked after him like a little child, and now he did not think that he was hurting her. And Sikes did not even think about softening his rude tone, but diverged even more.
Feigin looked into the room, saw that Nancy, tired from sleepless nights, had fainted, and rushed to save the girl. He was assisted by the Dodger and Charlie Bates. Gradually the girl woke up and, staggering, went to the bed and fell face down into the pillow.
Sikes was terribly surprised by the sudden appearance of his friends, and they put bundles of delicious food and alcohol on the table and began to treat the owner and Nancy.
Bill ate a little, but instead of thanking him, he began to curse Feigin and demand money. Star had to go home with Nancy to give Sikes three pounds.
At home, Feigin found Crackit, Mr. Chitling, the Dodger, and young Bates. Chitling was losing, but did not take his admiring gaze off Crackit.
The Dodger and Charlie went out into the streets to recoup what they had lost by robbing them. Nancy received the promised money from Feigin and sat down at the table, but when she heard a man’s voice, she hastily tore off her shawl and hat and shoved them under the table.
Monks entered the room and wanted to talk to Feigina alone. The old man led the guest into another room. As soon as their footsteps died away, Nancy jumped up from her chair and, stealthily, followed them, stood under the door of the room and began to listen to the conversation of the men.
After some time, Monks left the house and went outside, and Feigin, returning to the room, found Nancy, who was already getting ready to leave.
Sikes, having received the money, did not pay attention to Nancy - he just ate and drank without stopping, and the girl walked around excited, like a person who had decided to take a desperate step. Sikes demanded a new portion of gin, Nancy took the glass, returned to Bill, poured some alcohol and gave him a drink. After a while, he collapsed on the bed and fell into a deep, sound sleep.
Nancy realized that the opium she had added to the gin had taken effect, quickly got dressed and left the house. The girl fled to a richer part of the city and stopped only at the door of a boarding hotel. It was about eleven o'clock at night, and the servants did not want to let Nancy in, but with incredible difficulty she managed to get a meeting with Miss Maylie.
CHAPTER XL
A strange date, which is a continuation of the events described in the previous section
Nancy saw a slender and beautiful girl in front of her - and a passionate feeling of shame for her miserable existence in the disgusting dens of London among thieves and robbers overwhelmed her. Rose's heart was torn with pity as she looked at Nancy, who told everything she knew about Monks, who was looking for Oliver Twist to make him a thief; about Feigin’s meeting with Monks, who boasted that he had destroyed evidence about the boy’s origins, and put the money into the hands of the imp, and now would like to destroy the boy.
Rose didn't know what to do next, but she really wanted to save Nancy. But the girl refused to accept help. They decided that Nancy would try to find out more about this dark matter, and Rose would wait for her on London Bridge on Sundays between eleven and twelve o'clock at night.
As Rose asked Nancy to leave the gang of robbers, the girl returned to Sykes.
CHAPTER XLI
Rose felt a passionate desire to reveal the secret of Oliver's origin and decided to turn to Harry for help, but she was never able to finish the letter. She pondered the first line for a long time, when suddenly a breathless Oliver ran into the room, going for a walk under the guard of Mr. Giles. The boy quickly said that he had seen Mr. Brownlow in the city and remembered the house into which this kind gentleman had gone. Rose decided to meet Oliver's savior, ordered a carriage and, together with Oliver, went to see Mr. Brownlow. The gentleman accepted her immediately. In the room, Miss Maylie found herself in front of an elderly man with a pleasant face. Mr. Grimwig was also there, bowing to the girl in a mannered manner. Miss Rose told the gentlemen everything she knew about Oliver's fate and called the boy. Oliver's meeting with Mr. Brownlow, Mr. Grimwig and the housekeeper Mrs. Bedwin moved the girl to tears. Then she told about the meeting with Nancy, and Mr. Brownlow praised her for the sensible decision to seek help from him, and not from the doctor Losburn, who, due to his inflammatory temperament, could resort to some reckless step.
“They decided to find out who Oliver’s parents are and return to him the inheritance that was... unjustly taken from him.” To do this, they need to find Monks, find out his real name and pin him to the wall. Nancy, whom they must meet, can help them with this. Then the gentlemen went to Mrs. Maylie and told her everything. It was decided that Miss Rose and her aunt would not leave town until this complicated matter was completely resolved.
CHAPTER XLII
Oliver's longtime acquaintance reveals undoubted signs of genius and becomes public figure in the capital
Two travelers were approaching London by the Northern Route. The man “was one of those lanky, bow-legged, clumsy, bony little people, whose age is difficult to accurately determine - in their youth they have the appearance of young men, and when they reach adulthood, they resemble overgrown youths. The woman was still young, but well-fed with a strong build, which he needed to carry the heavy bag tied behind his back.” The companion had a light bundle dangling from a stick, and therefore he walked with a light gait far ahead of the woman. It was Noah Claypole and Charlotte. They stole money from Mr. Sowerberry's cash register and now fled to London to hide from the owner in a back alley in the capital. The city was foreign to them, but Noah unmistakably walked in the direction of the dark, dirty corners until he stopped at the Three Cripples inn. They entered this den of criminals, ordered dinner and decided to spend the night here.
In the room where the aliens were taken, there was a small, inconspicuous window through which Feigin saw the aliens and heard them talking about the theft of twenty pounds and Noah’s desire to become a robber. Feigin realized that he could use this couple in his dark affairs, and therefore, without hesitation, he entered the room, repeated Noah’s words about his desire to clean out store cash registers, pockets, women’s bags, houses, postal carriages, banks and offered his help in the implementation of these plans .
CHAPTER XLIII
which tells how the clever Dodger got into trouble
The next day, Noah, who called himself Maurice Bolter, and Charlotte moved in with Feigin, who wanted to ensure that the recruit was carried away by his ingenious ingenuity from the very beginning of their acquaintance. “He spoke in detail about the grandiose scope of his operations, interweaving truth with fiction for his benefit, and alternating both with such skill that Mr. Bolter's respect for him grew noticeably, and with it was mingled the gracious fear that Feigin so craved in him awaken” with stories about the gallows that awaits traitors. Next, Feigin spoke about the arrest of Plut, ordered Poy to find the guy and find out how things are going on there now. The new recruit was afraid to go to the police headquarters, but did not dare to contradict the old one. Dressed in “a cabman’s coat, short corduroy trousers, and leather leggings,” Noah entered safely into the courtroom where the Dodger’s case was being heard.
Mr. Dawkins behaved as if he was innocent of anything, threatened the judges to appeal to the Home Secretary, reminded them of his rights and privileges, pretended “to sue them immediately, demanded that the jailer give his “names.” those two old friars over there in the judge’s chairs.” This was said in such a way that there was loud laughter from the audience in the hall.
Having made sure that Plut was taken out of the hall and locked in a small solitary cell, Noah hurried to Feigin “with the joyful news that Plut is an honor to his teacher and is creating a brilliant reputation for himself.”
CHAPTER XLIV
The time has come for Nancy to fulfill the promise she made to Roga Mayli. She fails
Nancy could not hide her embarrassment at the thought of what could happen if she trusted Roga and told about Feigin, Sykes and other members of the criminal gang. She recalled that they all trusted her with their secrets, revealed their vile plans to her, and now she could become the reason for their death. These fluctuations and changes in mood were not noticed by Sykes, but Feigin saw them clearly.
On Sunday evening Nancy wanted to leave the house to meet Miss Rosa, but Sikes forbade her to go out, “rather to do it in defiance than to have any good reason not to let the girl leave the house.” Nancy was angry, screaming, then began to beg, but Sikes took her clothes, twisted her hands and shoved her into the closet, locking the door.
Sikes did not understand what happened to Nancy, and Feigin, who witnessed her hysteria, became suspicious and decided to follow the girl.
CHAPTER XLV
Noah Claypole receives a secret assignment from Feigin
The next day Feigin barely waited for his new accomplice. When Noah arrived, the old man praised him for having done a good job yesterday, taking six shillings and nine pence from the children, and instructed him to keep an eye on Nancy. Noah waited in vain for six evenings for the girl, and on Sunday evening Nancy cautiously left the house and walked down the street. Noah approached her at a safe distance and followed, not taking his eyes off the girl’s figure.
CHAPTER XLVI
Promises kept
At eleven o'clock two figures appeared on London Bridge: a woman, as if she was looking for someone, and a man who was sneaking up behind. “In the middle of the bridge, the woman stopped, and the pursuer stopped too.”
The night was dark, and single passers-by quickly left, not noticing either the woman or the man.
Midnight struck when a carriage stopped in the middle of the bridge, from which a young lady and a gray-haired gentleman emerged. Nancy approached them, but did not speak, because this is where a man in peasant clothes was passing. The girl suggested going down the stairs from the bridge, not noticing that it was there that the peasant had gone and hid in a dark corner so that he could continue the pursuit if necessary. But Nancy led her companions simply to the spy, who could hear every word, and stopped. Not suspecting that they were being overheard, the girl shared her alarming premonitions with Miss Rose and the gentleman, and they felt pity for this lost soul.
The gentleman spoke of his plans for a way to extract the secret from Monks through Fagin, but Nancy objected that she would never betray this devil in human form, who had disfigured her life, but remained her accomplice. She secured their word of honor that neither Fagin nor Sikes would be harmed, and only then did she describe Monks. The gentleman finished his description and stated that he seemed to know this rascal. When saying goodbye, the gentleman assured Nancy that he would do everything in his power to extract the girl, give her a quiet, safe shelter, and restore her peace of mind. He asked Nancy to leave everything, give up her life as a thief and take advantage of the opportunity to breathe clean air. The gentleman saw that she was going through an internal struggle, but she could not give up the life that held her like a chain.
Nancy explained that she had come too far to return, and asked to be left in the home that she had created for herself through the deeds of her entire life.
Finally they said goodbye and went their separate ways. The spy, who heard everything word by word, was surprised and stood still for some time, and then, stealthily, went to Feigin’s house.
CHAPTER XLVII
Fatal consequences
Late at night, Feigin sat in front of an extinguished fireplace “and thoughtfully chewed his long black nails, flaunting his toothless gums, on which fangs stuck out here and there, similar to the teeth of a dog or a rat.”
Noah Claypole was sleeping peacefully on the floor. Feigin looked at him, and anger at the girl who turned out to be a traitor grew in his soul.
Sikes entered the room with a package in his hands. Feigin stared at the robber, and then began to hint that there was a traitor among them. Sykes at first did not understand anything, and then declared that if this had happened, he would have killed the scoundrel who spoke out with his own hands. Hearing this, Feigin woke up Noah and ordered him to tell them everything that he had learned while spying on Nancy.
Noah spoke in detail about Nancy's meeting with the lady and gentleman on London Bridge, about their conversation, and about the fact that Nessie refused to give up her accomplices, but named the house where they met.
Hearing all this, Sikes became furious and ran out the door. Without stopping once, without hesitating for a moment, looking at himself with a wildly determined look and with his teeth clenched and cheekbones protruding under his skin, the robber rushed at full speed until he found himself at the door of his home. He went into the room where Nancy was sleeping, turned the key in the lock twice and pressed a heavy table against the door.
Nancy woke up and looked at him with frightened eyes. The robber sat for some time, breathing heavily, and then grabbed the girl and covered her mouth with his heavy paw. Nancy clung to his hands, begged for mercy, reminded him of what she had given up for him, spoke of her loyalty, but the killer pulled his hand away, took the gun and hit the victim twice on the head with the heavy handle. Nancy fell, bleeding, and immediately got up. Beside himself with rage, brutalized by the sight of blood, Sikes grabbed a heavy stick and hit Nancy on the head with it.
CHAPTER XLVIII
Sykes's Escape
The clear sun, equally generously pouring its radiance through the expensive colored glass and paper-covered windows, illuminated the room where the murdered girl lay. This terrifying sight frightened Sykes.
Suddenly a groan was heard, and the girl’s hand trembled. Then, unconscious from fear and rage, Sikes beat Nancy again and again. Then he threw the stick into the fire, washed his face, brushed his clothes, and backed toward the door, dragging the dog behind him.
After leaving the house, the killer quickly left. He walked through the streets, not making out the road, walked through the wasteland, wandered through the fields, started to run, stopped, lay down to rest, and then walked again. “The morning had long passed, and then the day, and it was already getting dark, and Sikes kept walking here and there, circling in one place.” Finally he entered the village, turned to a small pub, ordered dinner and sat in the corner, listening to the chatter of the peasants. Suddenly another guest appeared in the room. He was a noisy shopkeeper who sold all sorts of utensils. The peasants began exchanging jokes and asking about the goods. The shopkeeper was taking out belts, razors, soap and a means for removing various stains from his box. To confirm the effectiveness of the miracle cure, the shopkeeper took Sykes's hat, on which he noticed a stain, and wanted to remove it. The killer jumped up, snatched the hat from the hands of the dumbfounded merchant and rushed into the street. There he saw a mail carriage and, hiding in the darkness, began to listen to the conversation between the conductor and the postman. It was about the terrible murder of a young girl. Sikes waited until the carriage drove off, and then walked along a deserted and dark path. Suddenly, in the darkness, he saw the familiar figure of Nancy and heard her dying moan. The killer stopped for a moment, and then the whole spirit ran. The figure kept pace with him. “She flew nearby on the wings of a quiet, sad wind, which did not intensify, but did not subside.” The hair on Sikes’s head stood up, and the blood froze in his veins. At times he was filled with a desperate determination to drive away the ghost, but the figure remained nearby all the time.
Sikes hid in a barn, but in front of him in the darkness the eyes of the murdered girl glowed.
All of a sudden night wind brought to him heartbreaking screams and screams. Somewhere far away there was a fire, and Sikes rushed there, closer to the human voices. Together with men and women, he rescued livestock, carried water, and lit fire.
Got busy in the morning. Tired people occupied the ruins, started talking, and Sykes again heard about the girl’s murder. He hurried to leave there, again wandered through deserted fields, and then went straight to London, where he thought he would not be found. The only thing that can lead the detectives to his trail is a remarkable dog. Sykes decided to drown the dog, but he, sensing danger, ran away from his owner.
CHAPTER XLIX
Monks and Mr Brownlow finally meet
Mr. Brownlow finally tracked down Monks and forced him to confess to everything that the criminal had committed against Oliver, who was his half-brother.
The old gentleman was a friend of Monks's father and knew well what torment and suffering his marriage to his first wife had turned out to be for him. Monks's mother was ten years older than her husband and was not very worried that their marriage had broken up, but, having learned about Oliver's birth and about the will in his favor, she revealed the secret to her son. Monks destroyed the evidence about Oliver's origins, tried to destroy the boy himself, but now, when Mr. Brownlow turned over the pages of his actions in front of him, the scoundrel was truly afraid, because the police could find out about his meeting with Sikes, Fagin and other criminals. The gentleman forced Monks to sign a confession about the origin of Oliver.
CHAPTER L
Chase and escape
Not far from the banks of the Thames lies one of London's nastiest outskirts, most of whose inhabitants don't even know its name. The inhabitants of the new houses lived in incredible poverty, “only a great need for a secret shelter, or hopeless difficulties can force a person to seek shelter here.”
Here in one of these houses, in which strong doors and windows were still preserved, Crackit, Mr. Chitling and the runaway convict Kegs gathered for Thee.
Mr Chitling witnessed how the police first arrested Feigin and then protected him from a crowd ready to tear the thief to shreds. Horrified by the memory of this spectacle, Mr. Chitling was telling the thieves about the fury of the crowd, when suddenly Sikes the dog ran into the room. The thieves rushed to look for Sykes, but he was nowhere to be found. And only late at night the killer knocked on the door of the house. They let him in, but Charlie Baigs, who arrived a little later, raised a cry and started a fight with Sikes, because he did not want to be in the same house with Nancy's killer. The noise that arose among the robbers woke up the people. Someone called the police, but people, without waiting for the lawmen, surrounded the house and began to break down the door.
Sikes, seeing that he could not escape through the windows and doors, climbed onto the roof, put his foot on the chimney, tied one end of the rope tightly around it, and made a noose at the other. Using this rope, he decided to go down to a ditch with water and either drown in the mud or break free. The killer had already thrown the noose over his head, intending to lower it under his arms, when, looking back, he threw his hands up and gasped in horror. Right in front of him, he saw the eyes of Nancy, whom he had killed. Sikes staggered, lost his balance and fell down. The noose that was just around his neck tightened, and the killer hung between the roof and the ditch.
The dog, where he had been hiding until now, jumped out onto the roof, howling sadly, began running along the parapet, and then jumped onto the dead man’s shoulders. Unable to resist, the dog flew head over heels into a ditch, hit a stone and scratched his head.
CHAPTER LI
reveals many secrets and tells about a marriage proposal, during which the issue of dowry and money for trinkets for the wife were not considered
A few days after the events mentioned in the previous section, Oliver, along with Mrs. Maylie, Rose, Mrs. Bedwin and the doctor, was riding in a carriage to his hometown. The boy already knew everything about Monks and his parents and sat in the corner, silent and discouraged.
When the carriage entered the city, Oliver seemed not to be himself. He looked at familiar places, laughed and cried at the same time, remembered Dick - his only friend, who once blessed him with a long and happy life.
The friends stayed at the main hotel in the city. When everyone was settled, Mr. Grimwig and Mr. Losburne came into Oliver's room, accompanied by Mr. Brownlow and her husband, who looked through the boy's window and terribly frightened him with his unusual appearance. Oliver was informed that Monks, his half-brothers, signed documents recognizing the boy as heir to his father's fortunes. Then Monks was forced to tell how his mother burned the will that was drawn up in Oliver's favor, and bequeathed to him her hatred of his father's illegitimate child and his lover. The scoundrel swore to the mother to hunt the boy down, to persecute him with extraordinary cruelty, to entangle the child in a web of evil and crimes in order to tarnish the mother’s name forever.
When the conversation turned to the wedding ring and locket, Mr. Brownlow led Mrs. Bumble and her husband into the room, who addressed Oliver with feigned joy. But his wife sent him to lick his tongue, and he wilted, then mumbled and finally fell silent.
The couple did not want to know Monks; they did not admit that it was they who sold the scoundrel Oliver’s jewelry to his mother. But then two paralytic women were brought into the room and told about an overheard conversation between Mrs. Bumble and a young woman who had just given birth to a boy and was dying. Mrs. and Mr. Bumble were forced to admit everything.
Mysteries continued to be revealed in this room. It turned out that Rose was the younger sister of Agnes, Oliver's mother. When Agnes became pregnant, she left the family. The saddened father changed his last name, moved to another part of the country, where he died, leaving neither a letter, nor a notebook, nor a piece of paper that would help find his friends or relatives. The poor thing took the rose for herself peasant family, but subsequently passed it on to Mrs. Maylie, who fell in love with the girl.
Oliver threw himself into Rose's arms, because now it became clear that she was his own aunt. “In one minute they found and lost their father, mother and sister, and sadness merged in one cup, but there was no bitterness in their tears,” because they were sanctified by deep feelings of love. “They sat alone for a long, long time,” until Harry Maley came into the room. He returned to Rose to again ask her to become his wife. For the sake of his beloved, Harry left his career, high society, and in return offered the girl his heart and home.
CHAPTER LII
Feiginova's last night
The hall where Feigin was tried was filled to the top rows. The criminal stood like a pillar behind a wooden barrier, only occasionally glancing from the chairman of the court, who was delivering an indictment, to the lawyer. He peered intently into the faces of the jury, trying to guess their verdict, raised his eyes to the gallery and could not read the slightest sympathy in any face.
In the end, the jury decided the fate of the criminal - he must!
“The courthouse shook from a powerful scream that was repeated again and again, eh. then echoed in bursts of roar that grew louder each time, like the roar of angry thunder. Then the crowd rejoiced outside, welcoming the news that he would die on Monday.”
Feigin listened to the verdict in silence, looking intently at the judge and not understanding a word. He stood like a marble statue, his lower jaw dropped, and his wide eyes looked at one point. The jailer had to take him by the shoulders so that he would understand that it was all over.
Feigin was taken to death row and left alone. At first he tried to collect his thoughts, then he began to remember the speeches in court and think about those death row prisoners sitting in this cell, awaiting execution.
The day passed very quickly. At night, two jailers entered the cell to take turns guarding the prisoner until his execution. Now Feigin no longer sat, but jumped up every minute and began to rush around the cell in such a rage that the jailers guarded him together, afraid to be left alone with him.
Monday, the day of execution, came suddenly for Feigin. He didn’t even notice how three days flew by. On the day of execution, Oliver and Mr. Brownlow came to the condemned man. Feigin was almost unconscious from fear of imminent death, but still recognized Oliver and told the boy where the papers that Monks had given for safekeeping were hidden.
CHAPTER LIII
And last
In a few words you can tell about the fate of the heroes.
Rose Fleming and Harry Maley were married in a village church and moved into a happy new home. Harry became a priest.
Mrs. Maylie moved in with her son and daughter-in-law.
Oliver and Monks each inherited three thousand pounds from their parents' fortunes. Monks, without hesitation, squandered his share, went to prison for fraud and died there.
Mr. Brownlow adopted Oliver and settled near Rose and Harry.
Mr. Noe Claypole chose the profession of an informer. Mr. and Mrs. Bumble, deprived of their positions, ended up in the same workhouse where they had ruled over others.
Young Charles Bates, terribly shocked by Sykes's crime, came to the conclusion that he needed to put an end to his criminal past. Through hard work he achieved a good goal and became a cattle breeder.
In the altar of the village church there is a marble plaque engraved with the name “Agnes”. There is NO coffin in this crypt, but if the souls of the dead return to those they loved in life, then the shadow of Agnes must hover in this quiet place.