Chapter 51 (第1/2页)

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AFFORDINGANEXPLANATIONOFMOREMYSTERIESTHANONE，ANDCOMPREHENDINGAPROPOSALOFMARRIAGEWITHNOWORDOFSETTLEMENTORPIN-MONEY

Theeventsnarratedinthelast

chapterwereyetbuttwodaysold，whenOliverfoundhimself，atthreeo'clockintheafternoon，inatravelling-carriagerollingfasttowardshisnativetown。Mrs。Maylie，andRose，andMrs。Bedwin，andthegooddoctorwerewithhim：andMr。Brownlowfollowedinapost-chaise，accompaniedbyoneotherpersonwhosenamehadnotbeenmentioned。

Theyhadnottalkedmuchupontheway；forOliverwasinaflutterofagitationanduncertaintywhichdeprivedhimofthepowerofcollectinghisthoughts，andalmostofspeech，andappearedtohavescarcelylesseffectonhiscompanions，whosharedit，inatleastanequaldegree。HeandthetwoladieshadbeenverycarefullymadeacquaintedbyMr。BrownlowwiththenatureoftheadmissionswhichhadbeenforcedfromMonks；andalthoughtheyknewthattheobjectoftheirpresentjourneywastocompletetheworkwhichhadbeensowellbegun，stillthewholematterwasenvelopedinenoughofdoubtandmysterytoleavetheminenduranceofthemostintensesuspense。

Thesamekindfriendhad，withMr。Losberne'sassistance，cautiouslystoppedallchannelsofcommunicationthroughwhichtheycouldreceiveintelligenceofthedreadfuloccurrencesthatsorecentlytakenplace。‘Itwasquitetrue，’hesaid，‘thattheymustknowthembeforelong，butitmightbeatabettertimethanthepresent，anditcouldnotbeataworse。’So，theytravelledoninsilence：eachbusiedwithreflectionsontheobjectwhichhadbroughtthemtogether：andnoonedisposedtogiveutterancetothethoughtswhichcrowdeduponall。

ButifOliver，undertheseinfluences，hadremainedsilentwhiletheyjourneyedtowardshisbirth-placebyaroadhehadneverseen，howthewholecurrentofhisrecollectionsranbacktooldtimes，andwhatacrowdofemotionswerewakenedupinhisbreast，whentheyturnedintothatwhichhehadtraversedonfoot：apoorhouseless，wanderingboy，withoutafriendtohelphim，orarooftoshelterhishead。

‘Seethere，there！’criedOliver，eagerlyclaspingthehandofRose，andpointingoutatthecarriagewindow；‘that'sthestileIcameover；therearethehedgesIcreptbehind，forfearanyoneshouldovertakemeandforcemeback！Yonderisthepathacrossthefields，leadingtotheoldhousewhereIwasalittlechild！OhDick，Dick，mydearoldfriend，ifIcouldonlyseeyounow！’

‘Youwillseehimsoon，’repliedRose，gentlytakinghisfoldedhandsbetweenherown。‘Youshalltellhimhowhappyyouare，andhowrichyouhavegrown，andthatinallyourhappinessyouhavenonesogreatasthecomingbacktomakehimhappytoo。’

‘Yes，yes，’saidOliver，‘andwe'll--we'lltakehimawayfromhere，andhavehimclothedandtaught，andsendhimtosomequietcountryplacewherehemaygrowstrongandwell，--shallwe？’

Rosenodded‘yes，’fortheboywassmilingthroughsuchhappytearsthatshecouldnotspeak。

‘Youwillbekindandgoodtohim，foryouaretoeveryone，’saidOliver。‘Itwillmakeyoucry，Iknow，tohearwhathecantell；butnevermind，nevermind，itwillbeallover，andyouwillsmileagain--Iknowthattoo--tothinkhowchangedheis；youdidthesamewithme。Hesaid“Godblessyou”tomewhenIranaway，’criedtheboywithaburstofaffectionateemotion；‘andIwillsay“Godblessyou”now，andshowhimhowIlovehimforit！’

Astheyapproachedthetown，andatlengthdrovethroughitsnarrowstreets，itbecamematterofnosmalldifficultytorestraintheboywithinreasonablebounds。TherewasSowerberry'stheundertaker'sjustasitusedtobe，onlysmallerandlessimposinginappearancethanherememberedit--therewereallthewell-knownshopsandhouses，withalmosteveryoneofwhichhehadsomeslightincidentconnected--therewasGamfield'scart，theverycartheusedtohave，standingattheoldpublic-housedoor--therewastheworkhouse，thedrearyprisonofhisyouthfuldays，withitsdismalwindowsfrowningonthestreet--therewasthesameleanporterstandingatthegate，atsightofwhomOliverinvoluntarilyshrunkback，andthenlaughedathimselfforbeingsofoolish，thencried，thenlaughedagain--therewerescoresoffacesatthedoorsandwindowsthatheknewquitewell--therewasnearlyeverythingasifhehadleftitbutyesterday，andallhisrecentlifehadbeenbutahappydream。

Butitwaspure，earnest，joyfulreality。Theydrovestraighttothedoorofthechiefhotel（whichOliverusedtostareupat，withawe，andthinkamightypalace，butwhichhadsomehowfallenoffingrandeurandsize）；andherewasMr。Grimwigallreadytoreceivethem，kissingtheyounglady，andtheoldonetoo，whentheygotoutofthecoach，asifhewerethegrandfatherofthewholeparty，allsmilesandkindness，andnotofferingtoeathishead--no，notonce；notevenwhenhecontradictedaveryoldpostboyaboutthenearestroadtoLondon，andmaintainedheknewitbest，thoughhehadonlycomethatwayonce，andthattimefastasleep。Therewasdinnerprepared，andtherewerebedroomsready，andeverythingwasarrangedasifbymagic。

Notwithstandingallthis，whenthehurryofthefirsthalf-hourwasover，thesamesilenceandconstraintprevailedthathadmarkedtheirjourneydown。Mr。Brownlowdidnotjointhematdinner，butremainedinaseparateroom。Thetwoothergentlemenhurriedinandoutwithanxiousfaces，and，duringtheshortintervalswhentheywerepresent，conversedapart。Once，Mrs。Mayliewascalledaway，andafterbeingabsentfornearlyanhour，returnedwitheyesswollenwithweeping。AllthesethingsmadeRoseandOliver，whowerenotinanynewsecrets，nervousanduncomfortable。Theysatwondering，insilence；or，iftheyexchangedafewwords，spokeinwhispers，asiftheywereafraidtohearthesoundoftheirownvoices。

Atlength，whennineo'clockhadcome，andtheybegantothinktheyweretohearnomorethatnight，Mr。LosberneandMr。Grimwigenteredtheroom，followedbyMr。BrownlowandamanwhomOliveralmostshriekedwithsurprisetosee；fortheytoldhimitwashisbrother，anditwasthesamemanhehadmetatthemarket-town，andseenlookinginwithFaginatthewindowofhislittleroom。Monkscastalookofhate，which，eventhen，hecouldnotdissemble，attheastonishedboy，andsatdownnearthedoor。Mr。Brownlow，whohadpapersinhishand，walkedtoatablenearwhichRoseandOliverwereseated。

‘Thisisapainfultask，’saidhe，‘butthesedeclarations，whichhavebeensignedinLondonbeforemanygentlemen，mustbeinsubstancerepeatedhere。Iwouldhavesparedyouthedegradation，butwemusthearthemfromyourownlipsbeforewepart，andyouknowwhy。’

‘Goon，’saidthepersonaddressed，turningawayhisface。‘Quick。Ihavealmostdoneenough，Ithink。Don'tkeepmehere。’

‘Thischild，’saidMr。Brownlow，drawingOlivertohim，andlayinghishanduponhishead，‘isyourhalf-brother；theillegitimatesonofyourfather，mydearfriendEdwinLeeford，bypooryoungAgnesFleming，whodiedingivinghimbirth。’

‘Yes，’saidMonks，scowlingatthetremblingboy：thebeatingofwhosehearthemighthaveheard。‘Thatisthebastardchild。’

‘Thetermyouuse，’saidMr。Brownlow，sternly，‘isareproachtothoselongsincepassedbeyondthefeeblecensureoftheworld。Itreflectsdisgraceonnooneliving，exceptyouwhouseit。Letthatpass。Hewasborninthistown。’

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