Chapter 216.docx

Chapter 216.docx

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Chapter216

Chapter21

THEEXPEDITION

Itwasacheerlessmorningwhentheygotintothestreet;blowingandraininghard;andthecloudslookingdullandstormy.Thenighthadbeenverywet:

largepoolsofwaterhadcollectedintheroad:

andthekennelswereoverflowing.Therewasafaintglimmeringofthecomingdayinthesky;butitratheraggravatedthanrelievedthegloomofthescene:

thesombrelightonlyservingtopalethatwhichthestreetlampsafforded,withoutsheddinganywarmerorbrightertintsuponthewethouse-tops,anddrearystreets.Thereappearedtobenobodystirringinthatquarterofthetown;thewindowsofthehouseswereallcloselyshut;andthestreetsthroughwhichtheypassed,werenoiselessandempty.

BythetimetheyhadturnedintotheBethnalGreenRoad,thedayhadfairlybeguntobreak.Manyofthelampswerealreadyextinguished;afewcountrywaggonswereslowlytoilingon,towardsLondon;nowandthen,astage-coach,coveredwithmud,rattledbrisklyby:

thedriverbestowing,ashepassed,andadmonitorylashupontheheavywaggonerwho,bykeepingonthewrongsideoftheroad,hadendangeredhisarrivingattheoffice,aquarterofaminuteafterhistime.Thepublic-houses,withgas-lightsburninginside,werealreadyopen.Bydegrees,othershopsbegantobeunclosed,andafewscatteredpeopleweremetwith.Then,camestragglinggroupsoflabourersgoingtotheirwork;then,menandwomenwithfish-basketsontheirheads;donkey-cartsladenwithvegetables;chaise-cartsfilledwithlive-stockorwholecarcassesofmeat;milk-womenwithpails;anunbrokenconcourseofpeople,trudgingoutwithvarioussuppliestotheeasternsuburbsofthetown.AstheyapproachedtheCity,thenoiseandtrafficgraduallyincreased;whentheythreadedthestreetsbetweenShoreditchandSmithfield,ithadswelledintoaroarofsoundandbustle.Itwasaslightasitwaslikelytobe,tillnightcameonagain,andthebusymorningofhalftheLondonpopulationhadbegun.

TurningdownSunStreetandCrownStreet,andcrossingFinsburysquare,Mr.Sikesstruck,bywayofChiswellStreet,intoBarbican:

thenceintoLongLane,andsointoSmithfield;fromwhichlatterplacearoseatumultofdiscordantsoundsthatfilledOliverTwistwithamazement.

Itwasmarket-morning.Thegroundwascovered,nearlyankle-deep,withfilthandmire;athicksteam,perpetuallyrisingfromthereekingbodiesofthecattle,andminglingwiththefog,whichseemedtorestuponthechimney-tops,hungheavilyabove.Allthepensinthecentreofthelargearea,andasmanytemporarypensascouldbecrowdedintothevacantspace,werefilledwithsheep;tieduptopostsbytheguttersidewerelonglinesofbeastsandoxen,threeorfourdeep.Countrymen,butchers,drovers,hawkers,boys,thieves,idlers,andvagabondsofeverylowgrade,weremingledtogetherinamass;thewhistlingofdrovers,thebarkingdogs,thebellowingandplungingoftheoxen,thebleatingofsheep,thegruntingandsqueakingofpigs,thecriesofhawkers,theshouts,oaths,andquarrellingonallsides;theringingofbellsandroarofvoices,thatissuedfromeverypublic-house;thecrowding,pushing,driving,beating,whoopingandyelling;thehideousanddiscordantdimthatresoundedfromeverycornerofthemarket;andtheunwashed,unshaven,squalid,anddirtyfiguresconstantlyrunningtoandfro,andburstinginandoutofthethrong;rendereditastunningandbewilderingscene,whichquiteconfoundedthesenses.

Mr.Sikes,draggingOliverafterhim,elbowedhiswaythroughthethickestofthecrowd,andbestowedverylittleattentiononthenumeroussightsandsounds,whichsoastonishedtheboy.Henodded,twiceorthrice,toapassingfriend;and,resistingasmanyinvitationstotakeamorningdram,pressedsteadilyonward,untiltheywereclearoftheturmoil,andhadmadetheirwaythroughHosierLaneintoHolborn.

'Now,young'un!

'saidSikes,lookingupattheclockofSt.Andrew'sChurch,'harduponseven!

youmuststepout.Come,don'tlagbehindalready,Lazy-legs!

'

Mr.Sikesaccompaniedthisspeechwithajerkathislittlecompanion'swrist;Oliver,quickeninghispaceintoakindoftrotbetweenafastwalkandarun,keptupwiththerapidstridesofthehouse-breakeraswellashecould.

Theyheldtheircourseatthisrate,untiltheyhadpassedHydeParkcorner,andwereontheirwaytoKensington:

whenSikesrelaxedhispace,untilanemptycartwhichwasatsomelittledistancebehind,cameup.Seeing'Hounslow'writtenonit,heaskedthedriverwithasmuchcivilityashecouldassume,ifhewouldgivethemaliftasfarasIsleworth.

'Jumpup,'saidtheman.'Isthatyourboy?

'

'Yes;he'smyboy,'repliedSikes,lookinghardatOliver,andputtinghishandabstractedlyintothepocketwherethepistolwas.

'Yourfatherwalksrathertooquickforyou,don'the,myman?

'inquiredthedriver:

seeingthatOliverwasoutofbreath.

'Notabitofit,'repliedSikes,interposing.'He'susedtoit.

Here,takeholdofmyhand,Ned.Inwithyou!

'

ThusaddressingOliver,hehelpedhimintothecart;andthedriver,pointingtoaheapofsacks,toldhimtoliedownthere,andresthimself.

Astheypassedthedifferentmile-stones,Oliverwondered,moreandmore,wherehiscompanionmeanttotakehim.Kensington,Hammersmith,Chiswick,KewBridge,Brentford,wereallpassed;andyettheywentonassteadilyasiftheyhadonlyjustbeguntheirjourney.Atlength,theycametoapublic-housecalledtheCoachandHorses;alittlewaybeyondwhich,anotherroadappearedtorunoff.Andhere,thecartstopped.

Sikesdismountedwithgreatprecipitation,holdingOliverbythehandallthewhile;andliftinghimdowndirectly,bestowedafuriouslookuponhim,andrappedtheside-pocketwithhisfist,inasignificantmanner.

'Good-bye,boy,'saidtheman.

'He'ssulky,'repliedSikes,givinghimashake;'he'ssulky.Ayoungdog!

Don'tmindhim.'

'NotI!

'rejoinedtheother,gettingintohiscart.'It'safineday,afterall.'Andhedroveaway.

Sikeswaiteduntilhehadfairlygone;andthen,tellingOliverhemightlookabouthimifhewanted,onceagainledhimonwardonhisjourney.

Theyturnedroundtotheleft,ashortwaypastthepublic-house;andthen,takingaright-handroad,walkedonforalongtime:

passingmanylargegardensandgentlemen'shousesonbothsidesoftheway,andstoppingfornothingbutalittlebeer,untiltheyreachedatown.Hereagainstthewallofahouse,Oliversawwrittenupinprettylargeletters,'Hampton.'Theylingeredabout,inthefields,forsomehours.Atlengththeycamebackintothetown;and,turningintoanoldpublic-housewithadefacedsign-board,orderedsomedinnerbythekitchenfire.

Thekitchenwasanold,low-roofedroom;withagreatbeamacrossthemiddleoftheceiling,andbenches,withhighbackstothem,bythefire;onwhichwereseatedseveralroughmeninsmock-frocks,drinkingandsmoking.TheytooknonoticeofOliver;andverylittleofSikes;and,asSikestookverylittlenoticeofthem,heandhisyoungcomradesatinacornerbythemselves,withoutbeingmuchtroubledbytheircompany.

Theyhadsomecoldmeatfordinner,andsatsolongafterit,whileMr.Sikesindulgedhimselfwiththreeorfourpipes,thatOliverbegantofeelquitecertaintheywerenotgoinganyfurther.Beingmuchtiredwiththewalk,andgettingupsoearly,hedozedalittleatfirst;then,quiteoverpoweredbyfatigueandthefumesofthetobacco,fellasleep.

ItwasquitedarkwhenhewasawakenedbyapushfromSikes.Rousinghimselfsufficientlytositupandlookabouthim,hefoundthatworthyinclosefellowshipandcommunicationwithalabouringman,overapintofale.

'So,you'regoingontoLowerHalliford,areyou?

'inquiredSikes.

'Yes,Iam,'repliedtheman,whoseemedalittletheworse--orbetter,asthecasemightbe--fordrinking;'andnotslowaboutitneither.Myhorsehasn'tgotaloadbehindhimgoingback,ashehadcomingupinthemornin';andhewon'tbelonga-doingofit.Here'slucktohim.Ecod!

he'sagood'un!

'

'Couldyougivemyboyandmealiftasfarasthere?

'demandedSikes,pushingthealetowardshisnewfriend.

'Ifyou'regoingdirectly,Ican,'repliedtheman,lookingoutofthepot.'AreyougoingtoHalliford?

'

'GoingontoShepperton,'repliedSikes.

'I'myourman,asfarasIgo,'repliedtheother.'Isallpaid,Becky?

'

'Yes,theothergentleman'spaid,'repliedthegirl.

'Isay!

'saidtheman,withtipsygravity;'thatwon'tdo,youknow.'

'Whynot?

'rejoinedSikes.'You'rea-goingtoaccommodateus,andwot'stopreventmystandingtreatforapintorso,inreturn?

'

Thestrangerreflecteduponthisargument,withaveryprofoundface;havingdoneso,heseizedSikesbythehand:

anddeclaredhewasarealgoodfellow.TowhichMr.Sikesreplied,hewasjoking;as,ifhehadbeensober,therewouldhavebeenstrongreasontosupposehewas.

Aftertheexchangeofafewmorecompliments,theybadethecompanygood-night,andwentout;thegirlgatheringupthepotsandglassesastheydidso,andloungingouttothedoor,withherhandsfull,toseethepartystart.

Thehorse,whosehealthhadbeendrunkinhisabsence,wasstandingoutside:

readyharnessedtothecart.OliverandSikesgotinwithoutanyfurtherceremony;andthemantowhomhebelonged,havinglingeredforaminuteortwo'tobearhimup,'andtodefythehostlerandtheworldtoproducehisequal,mountedalso.Then,thehostlerwastoldtogivethehorsehishead;and,hisheadbeinggivenhim,hemadeaveryunpleasantuseofit:

tossingitintotheairwithgreatdisdain,andrunningintotheparlourwindowsovertheway;afterperformingthosefeats,andsupportinghimselfforashorttimeonhishind-legs,