Chapter 1
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TREATSOFTHEPLACEWHEREOLIVERTWISTWASBORNANDOFTHECIRCUMSTANCESATTENDINGHISBIRTH
Amongotherpublicbuildingsinacertaintown，whichformanyreasonsitwillbeprudenttorefrainfrommentioning，andtowhichIwillassignnofictitiousname，thereisoneancientlycommontomosttowns，greatorsmall：towit，aworkhouse；andinthisworkhousewasborn；onadayanddatewhichIneednottroublemyselftorepeat，inasmuchasitcanbeofnopossibleconsequencetothereader，inthisstageofthebusinessatallevents；theitemofmortalitywhosenameisprefixedtotheheadofthis
chapter。
Foralongtimeafteritwasusheredintothisworldofsorrowandtrouble，bytheparishsurgeon，itremainedamatterofconsiderabledoubtwhetherthechildwouldsurvivetobearanynameatall；inwhichcaseitissomewhatmorethanprobablethatthesememoirswouldneverhaveappeared；or，iftheyhad，thatbeingcomprisedwithinacoupleofpages，theywouldhavepossessedtheinestimablemeritofbeingthemostconciseandfaithfulspecimenofbiography，extantintheliteratureofanyageorcountry。
AlthoughIamnotdisposedtomaintainthatthebeingborninaworkhouse，isinitselfthemostfortunateandenviablecircumstancethatcanpossiblybefallahumanbeing，Idomeantosaythatinthisparticularinstance，itwasthebestthingforOliverTwistthatcouldbypossibilityhaveoccurred。Thefactis，thattherewasconsiderabledifficultyininducingOlivertotakeuponhimselftheofficeofrespiration，--atroublesomepractice，butonewhichcustomhasrenderednecessarytooureasyexistence；andforsometimehelaygaspingonalittleflockmattress，ratherunequallypoisedbetweenthisworldandthenext：thebalancebeingdecidedlyinfavourofthelatter。Now，if，duringthisbriefperiod，Oliverhadbeensurroundedbycarefulgrandmothers，anxiousaunts，experiencednurses，anddoctorsofprofoundwisdom，hewouldmostinevitablyandindubitablyhavebeenkilledinnotime。Therebeingnobodyby，however，butapauperoldwoman，whowasrenderedrathermistybyanunwontedallowanceofbeer；andaparishsurgeonwhodidsuchmattersbycontract；OliverandNaturefoughtoutthepointbetweenthem。Theresultwas，that，afterafewstruggles，Oliverbreathed，sneezed，andproceededtoadvertisetotheinmatesoftheworkhousethefactofanewburdenhavingbeenimposedupontheparish，bysettingupasloudacryascouldreasonablyhavebeenexpectedfromamaleinfantwhohadnotbeenpossessedofthatveryusefulappendage，avoice，foramuchlongerspaceoftimethanthreeminutesandaquarter。
AsOlivergavethisfirstproofofthefreeandproperactionofhislungs，thepatchworkcoverletwhichwascarelesslyflungovertheironbedstead，rustled；thepalefaceofayoungwomanwasraisedfeeblyfromthepillow；andafaintvoiceimperfectlyarticulatedthewords，‘Letmeseethechild，anddie。’
Thesurgeonhadbeensittingwithhisfaceturnedtowardsthefire：givingthepalmsofhishandsawarmandarubalternately。Astheyoungwomanspoke，herose，andadvancingtothebed'shead，said，withmorekindnessthanmighthavebeenexpectedofhim：
‘Oh，youmustnottalkaboutdyingyet。’
‘Lorblessherdearheart，no！’interposedthenurse，hastilydepositinginherpocketagreenglassbottle，thecontentsofwhichshehadbeentastinginacornerwithevidentsatisfaction。
‘Lorblessherdearheart，whenshehaslivedaslongasIhave，sir，andhadthirteenchildrenofherown，andallon’emdeadexcepttwo，andtheminthewurkuswithme，she'llknowbetterthantotakeoninthatway，blessherdearheart！Thinkwhatitistobeamother，there'sadearyounglambdo。‘
Apparentlythisconsolatoryperspectiveofamother'sprospectsfailedinproducingitsdueeffect。Thepatientshookherhead，andstretchedoutherhandtowardsthechild。
Thesurgeondepositeditinherarms。Sheimprintedhercoldwhitelipspassionatelyonitsforehead；passedherhandsoverherface；gazedwildlyround；shuddered；fellback--anddied。Theychafedherbreast，hands，andtemples；butthebloodhadstoppedforever。Theytalkedofhopeandcomfort。Theyhadbeenstrangerstoolong。
‘It'sallover，Mrs。Thingummy！’saidthesurgeonatlast。
‘Ah，poordear，soitis！’saidthenurse，pickingupthecorkofthegreenbottle，whichhadfallenoutonthepillow，asshestoopedtotakeupthechild。‘Poordear！’
‘Youneedn'tmindsendinguptome，ifthechildcries，nurse，’saidthesurgeon，puttingonhisgloveswithgreatdeliberation。‘It'sverylikelyit_will_betroublesome。Giveitalittlegruelifitis。’Heputonhishat，and，pausingbythebed-sideonhiswaytothedoor，added，‘Shewasagood-lookinggirl，too；wheredidshecomefrom？’
‘Shewasbroughtherelastnight，’repliedtheoldwoman，‘bytheoverseer'sorder。Shewasfoundlyinginthestreet。Shehadwalkedsomedistance，forhershoeswereworntopieces；butwhereshecamefrom，orwhereshewasgoingto，nobodyknows。’
Thesurgeonleanedoverthebody，andraisedthelefthand。‘Theoldstory，’hesaid，shakinghishead：‘nowedding-ring，Isee。Ah！Good-night！’
Themedicalgentlemanwalkedawaytodinner；andthenurse，havingoncemoreappliedherselftothegreenbottle，satdownonalowchairbeforethefire，andproceededtodresstheinfant。
Whatanexcellentexampleofthepowerofdress，youngOliverTwistwas！Wrappedintheblanketwhichhadhithertoformedhisonlycovering，hemighthavebeenthechildofanoblemanorabeggar；itwouldhavebeenhardforthehaughtieststrangertohaveassignedhimhisproperstationinsociety。Butnowthathewasenvelopedintheoldcalicorobeswhichhadgrownyellowinthesameservice，hewasbadgedandticketed，andfellintohisplaceatonce--aparishchild--theorphanofaworkhouse--thehumble，half-starveddrudge--tobecuffedandbuffetedthroughtheworld--despisedbyall，andpitiedbynone。
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