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summary and arbitrary power over the liberties； the good name；
the character； almost the lives； of her Majesty’s subjects； especially
of the poorer class； and although； within such walls； enough
fantastic tricks are daily played to make the angels blind with
weeping； they are closed to the public； save through the medium
of the daily press。 Mr。 Fang was consequently not a little indignant
to see an unbidden guest enter in such irreverent disorder。
“What is this？ Who is this？ Turn this man out。 Clear the office！”
cried Mr。 Fang。
“I will speak；” cried the man； “I will not be turned out。 I saw it
all。 I keep the bookstall。 I demand to be sworn。 I will not be put
down。 Mr。 Fang； you must hear me。 You must not refuse； sir。”
The man was right。 His manner was determined； and the
matter was growing rather too serious to be hushed up。
“Swear the man；” growled Mr。 Fang； with a very ill grace。
“Now； man； what have you got to say？”
“This；” said the man； “I saw three boys—two others and the
prisoner here—loitering on the opposite side of the way； when this
gentleman was reading。 The robbery was committed by another
boy。 I saw it done； and I saw that this boy was perfectly amazed
and stupefied by it。” Having by this time recovered a little breath；
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the worthy bookstall keeper proceeded to relate； in a more
coherent manner； the exact circumstances of the robbery。
“Why didn’t you come here before？” said Fang； after a pause。
“I hadn’t a soul to mind the shop；” replied the man。 “Everybody
who could have helped me； had joined in the pursuit。 I could get
nobody till five minutes ago； and I’ve run here all the way。”
“The prosecutor was reading； was he？” inquired Fang； after
another pause。
“Yes；” replied the man。 “The very book he has in his hand。”
“Oh； that book； eh？” said Fang。 “Is it paid for？”
“No； it is not；” replied the man； with a smile。
“Dear me； I forgot all about it！” exclaimed the absentminded
old gentleman innocently。
“A nice person to prefer a charge against a poor boy！” said
Fang； with a comical effort to look humane。 “I consider； sir； that
you have obtained possession of that book； under very suspicious
and disreputable circumstances； and you may think yourself very
fortunate that the owner of the property declines to prosecute。 Let
this be a lesson to you； my man； or the law will overtake you yet。
The boy is discharged。 Clear the office。”
“D—n me！” cried the old gentleman； bursting out with the rage
he had kept down so long； “d—n me！ I’ll—”
“Clear the office！” said the magistrate。 “Officers； do you hear？
Clear the office！”
The mandate was obeyed； and the indignant Mr。 Brownlow was
conveyed out； with the book in one hand； and the bamboo cane in
the other； in a perfect frenzy of rage and defiance。 He reached the
yard； and his passion vanished for a moment。 Little Oliver Twist
lay on his back on the pavement； with his shirt unbuttoned； and
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his temples bathed with water； his face a deadly white； and a cold
tremble convulsing his whole frame。
“Poor boy； poor boy！” said Mr。 Brownlow； bending over him。
“Call a coach； somebody； pray。 Directly！” 。
A coach was obtained； and Oliver； having been carefully laid on
one seat； the old gentleman got in and sat himself on the other。
“May I accompany you？” said the bookstall keeper； looking in。
“Bless me； yes； my dear sir；” said Mr。 Brownlow quickly。 “I
forgot you。 Dear； dear！ I have this unhappy book still！ Jump in。
Poor fellow！ There’s no time to lose。”
The bookstall keeper got into the coach； and away they drove。
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Chapter 12
In Which Oliver Is Taken Better Care Of Than He
Ever Was Before—And In Which The Narrative
Reverts To The Merry Old Gentleman And His
Youthful Friends。
The coach rattled away； down Mount Pleasant and up
Exmouth Street； over nearly the same ground as that
which Oliver had traversed when he first entered London
in company with the Dodger； and； turning a different way when it
reached the Angel at Islington； stopped at length before a neat
house； in a quiet； shady street near Pentonville。 Here a bed was
prepared； without loss of time； in which Mr。 Brownlow saw his
young charge carefully and comfortably deposited； and here he
was tended with a kindness and solicitude that knew no bounds。
But； for many days； Oliver remained insensible to all the
goodness of his new friends。 The sun rose and sank； and rose and
sank again； and many times after that； and still the boy lay
stretched on his uneasy bed； dwindling away beneath the dry and
wasting heat of fever。 The worm does not his work more surely on
the dead body； than does this slow…creeping fire upon the living
frame。
Weak； and thin； and pallid； he awoke at last from what seemed
to have been a long and troubled dream。 Feebly raising himself in
the bed； with his head resting on his trembling arm； he looked
anxiously around。
“What room is this？ Where have I been brought to？” said
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Oliver。 “This is not the place I went to sleep in。”
He uttered these words in a feeble voice； being very faint and
weak； but they were overheard at once； for the curtain at the bed’s
head was hastily drawn back； and a motherly old lady； very neatly
and precisely dressed； rose as she undrew it； from an arm…chair
close by； in which she had been sitting at needlework。
“Hush； my dear；” said the old lady softly。 “You must be very
quiet； or you will be ill again； and you have been very bad—as bad
as bad could be； pretty nigh。 Lie down again； there’s a dear！” With
those words； the old lady very gently placed Oliver’s head upon
the pillow； and； smoothing back his hair from his forehead； looked
so kindly and loving in his face； that he could not help placing his
little withered hand in hers； and drawing it round his neck。
“Save us！” said the old lady； with tears in her eyes； “what a
grateful little dear it is。 Pretty creetur！ What would his mother feel
if she had sat by him as I have； and could see him now！”
“Perhaps she does see me；” whispered Oliver； folding his hands
together； “perhaps she has sat by me。 I almost feel as if she had。”
“That was the fever； my dear；” said the old lady mildly。
“I suppose it was；” replied Oliver； “because heaven is a long
way off； and they are too happy there； to come down to the
bedside of a poor boy。 But if she knew I was ill； she must have
pitied me； even there； for she was very ill herself before she died。
She can’t know anything about me though；” added Oliver； after a
moment’s silence。 “If she had seen me hurt； it would have made
her sorrowful； and her face has always looked sweet and happy；
when I have dreamed of her。”
The old lady made no reply to this； but wiping her eyes first；
and her spectacles； which lay on the counterpane； afterwards； as if
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they were part and parcel of those features； brought some cool
stuff for Oliver to drink； and then； patting him on the cheek； told
him he must lie very quiet； or he would be ill again。 So； Oliver kept
very still； partly because he was anxious to obey the kind old lady
in all things； and partly； to tell the truth； because he was
completely exhausted with what he had already said。 He soon fell
in a gentle doze； from which he was awakened by the light of a
candle； which； being brought near the bed； showed him a
gentleman with a large and loud…ticking gold watch in his hand；
who felt his pulse； and said he was a great deal better。
“You are a great deal better； are you not； my dear？” said the
gentleman。
“Yes； thank you； sir；” replied Oliver。
“Yes； I know you are；” said the gentleman。 “You’re hungry too；
ain’t you？”
“No； sir！” answered Oliver。
“Hem！” said the gentleman。 “No； I know you’re not。 He is not
hungry； Mrs。 Bedwin；” said the gentleman； looking very wise。
The old lady made a respectful inclination of the head； which
seemed to say that she thought the doctor was a very clever man。
The doctor appeared much of the same opinion himself。
“You feel sleepy； don’t you； my dear？” said the doctor。
“No； sir；” said Oliver。
“No；” said the doctor； with a very shrewd and satisfied look。
“You’re not sleepy。 Nor thirsty。 Are you？”
“Yes； sir； rather thirsty；” answered Oliver。
“Just as I expected； Mrs。 Bedwin；” said the doctor。 “It’s very
natural that he should be thirsty。 You may give him a little tea；
ma’am； and some dry toast without any butter。 Don’t keep him too
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warm； ma’am； but be careful that you don’t let him be too cold；
will you have the goodness？”
The old lady dropped a curtsey。 The doctor； after tasting the
cool stuff； a