Stranica 172 [172]
OCR
124 OLIVER TWIST. CHAPTER THE NINTH. Of the happy life Oliver began to lead with his kind friends. O.tver’s ailings were neither slight nor few. In addition to the pain and delay attendant upon a broken limb, his exposure to the wet and cold had brought on fever and ague, which hung about him for many weeks, and reduced him sadly. But at length he began by slow degrees to get better, and to be able to say sometimes, in a few tearful words, how deeply he felt the goodness of the two sweet ladies, and how ardently he hoped that when he grew strong and well again he could do something to show his gratitude ; only something which would let them see the love and duty with which his breast was full; something, however slight, which would prove to them that their gentle kindness had not been cast away, but that the poor boy, whom their charity had rescued from misery or death, was eager and anxious to serve them with all his heart and soul. *“ Poor fellow!” said Rose, when Oliver had been one day feebly endeavouring to utter the words of thankfulness that rose to his pale lips. “ You shall have many opportunities of serving us if you will. aunt intends that you shall accompany us. The quiet place, the pure air, and all the pleasures and beauties of spring, will restore you in a few days, and we will employ you in a hundred ways when you can bear the trouble.” “The trouble!” cried Oliver. “Oh! dear lady, if I could but work for you,— if I could only give you pleasure by watering your flowers, or watching your birds, or running up and down the whole day long to make you happy, what would I give to do it!” “You shall give nothing at all,” said Miss Maylie smiling; “for, as I told you before, we shall employ you in a hundred ways; and if you only take half the trouble to please us that you promise now, you will make me very happy indeed.” “ Happy, ma’am!” cried Oliver: * oh, how kind of you to say so!” “ You will make me happier than I can tell you,” replied the young lady. “To think that my dear good aunt should have been the means of rescuing any one from such sad misery as you have described to us, would be an unspeakable pleasure to goodness and compassion was sincerely imagine. Do you understand me?” she en watching Oliver’s thoughtful ce, “Oh, yes, ma’am, yes!” replied Oliver eagerly; “but I was thinking that | am ungrateful now.” 6 To whom?" inquired the young lady. c To the kind gentleman and the dear | old nurse who took so much care of me before,” rejoined Oliver. “If they knew how happy [ am, they would be pleased, I am sure.” “Tam sure they would,” rejoined Oliver’s benefactress; "sand Mr. Losberne has already been kind enough to promise that when you are well enough to bear the | journey he will carry you to see them.” ‘* Has he, ma’am!” cried Okver, his face brightening with pleasure. “I don’t know what I shall do for joy when I see their kind faces once again!" In a short time Oliver was sufficiently recovered to undergo the fatigue of this expedition; and one mornin he and Mr. Losberne set out accordingly in a little carriage which belonged to Mrs. Maylie. When they came to Chertsey Bridge, Oliver turned very pale, and uttered a loud exclamation. | “ What’s the matter with the boy?” | cried the doctor, as usual all in a bustle. “Do you see anything—hear anything— | feel anything—eh ?” “That, sir,” cried Oliver, pointing out of the carriage window. " That house!” s Yes; well, what of it? Stop, coachman. Pull up here,” cried the doctor. “What of the house, my man—eh?’” “The thieves—the house they took me to," whispered Oliver. “The devil it is!” cried the doctor. c Halloa, there! let me out!” But before the coachman could dismount from his box he had tumbled out of the coach by some means or other, and, running down to the deserted tenement, began kicking at the door like a madman. “Halloa!” said a little ugly humpbacked man, opening the door so suddenly that the doctor, from the very impetus of his last kick, nearly fell forward into the passage. ‘ What’s the matter here?" s Matter!" exclaimed the other, collaring him without a moment’s reflection. | § A good deal. Robbery is the matter.” “'There’ll be murder too,” replied the | hump-backed man coolly, “if you don’t take your hands off. Do you hear me?” | I hear you,” said the doctor, giving his captive a hearty shake. ‘“ Where’s — confound the fellow, what’s his ras
