Olíver Twist

 

 

A sick woman was found Iying in the street and brought into the workhouse. In a few days she gave birth to a child... a little boy called Oliver Twist. The woman, without a word of whom she was, died just after the child birth. A drunken nurse that stood by the woman took the little boy.

As Oliver had no family, the State gave him to Mrs. Mann who housed a number of orphaned children. It was a part of the workhouse. She took a large portion of the money given to her by the authorities for each child's food so Oliver grew up small and malnourished. Every time he asked for more food, he was locked in a dark room.

“If I stay here, I will die”, he used to think.

One cold and dark night he was in the dark room and he noticed a small window. He climbed

carefully out of it. Soon he was along the quiet street.

     Oliver started to walk and he walked for seven days. Sometimes he begged for food. Most of

the time he was hungry.

     At last, he reached a town near London and met a strange-Iooking boy. The boy took him to

London and to his master: Arthur de Dodger.

     As soon as Oliver met Dodger, he took Twist to another mano It was a very old man who had

a beard and his face was ugly and wrinkled. He had a hat and long dirty red hair.

"Fagin, this is my new mend, Oliver Twisf, the Dodger said.

"Pleased to meet you, Oliver", the old man saído "Come nearer to the fire..

The room was dirty. There were many handkerchiefs hanging on the comer of the room.

They were ali made of silk.

     A boy offered Oliver some soup. While he was drinking that hot soup, Fagin took many

preeious objeets trom a box and watehed one by one carefully.

Another boy called Charles Sattes entered the room with many other handkerehiefs, silver boxes and other things in his poekets. He gave everything to Fagin who watehed everything carefully.

     After a time, Fagin looked at Oliver and noticed he was very interested in ali those objects.

Then Fagin smiled.

"Do you want to make handkerchiefs, too, my boy?, he asked Oliver.

"Ves, sir".

"There is a handkerehíef coming out of my poeket. Try to take it out, Oliver", then he turned

away.

Oliver took the handkerehief trom Fagin's pocket.

     " Have you taken it?                                    .

"Ves, sir", Oliver replied.

"Vou're a elever boy, Oliver. Vou will be as good as the Dodger one day!.

Oliver was pleased, but he didn't understand the old man's words.

 

The Dodger, Charley and the other boys went out every moming. Oliver stayed with Fagin. Sut the little boy had a job, too. He worked on the silk handkerehiefs. Ali the handkerehiefs had letters on them. Oliver had to eut the stitehed letters very carefully.

      For three days, the boys carne back with nothing. Fagin deeided to send Oliver with them on

the fourth day.

The Dodger saw a man reading and he moved near him. The next moment, the man's handkerchief was in the Dodger's hands. The Dodger and Charley ran and hid in the doorway of

                a house.

The man touehed his poeket and tumed round quiekly. He saw Oliver standing behind him. "The boy has got my handkerehief!.

Oliver ran and the man ran after him. In a few moments, Oliver was so afraid that he fell on

the ground. A policeman pushed him trom the ground.

     "Is this the boy?, he asked.

      "Ves, I'm afraid so..

      "No!., said another man who was watching everything, " That's not the boy. I saw what

happened! Another boy took your handkerehief. This boy did nothing..

      The polieeman released Oliver and he fell on the ground again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"This boy is very ill. CalJ me a cab'", said the handkerchief man, "I will take him with me". The Dodger and Charley saw everything. They went back to Fagin's place and told him what

had happened. Fagin was worried because Oliver could say to the people about his gang. If the police knew about him, he could be hanged. He should tind Oliver Twist as soon as possible.

 

Oliver stayed in the handkerchief house many days. The man's name was Mr. Brownlow. While Oliver was there, Mr. Brownlow used to look at a beautiful painting of a young girl at the wall and think, "The boy looks very like her".

      Mr. Brownlow bought Oliver new clothes. He didn't ask Oliver many questions. He liked the

young boy and thought he was honest.

One day, Mr. Brownlow had some books to retum to the bookstalJ. He asked Oliver to take the books and pay the owner of the bookstall. Oliver was happy, because he could help that kind mano

In the way to the bookstall one of Fagin's boys saw Oliver. Soon he was taken back to Fagin. Oliver was very atraid. Fagin took his books and his money as welJ as his new clothes. After that, he hit Oliver hard.

      "Now that you are home, boy, you can go to your bed", Fagin said with a smile.

 

After a few days, Fagin said Oliver he should go out with other two boys. They went to a very

rich house. Oliver knew what was going to happen. It was a robbery.

"Please, let me retum to Fagin", he asked the boys.

One of the boys pointed a gun to his head.

"Enter through that open window. Open the door to uso.

Oliver did what he said. Oliver was atraid of dying. Then, while he was passing through the

window, he decided to cry out in order to wake the people of the house. Two people were at the top of the stairs and Oliver heard a strong bang. He was shot by the people. After a cry, Oliver fainted and the boys took him with them.

Hours later, Oliver opened his eyes. He was Iying by the side of the road. His arm was wet with blood. The pain was strong, but he could walk until a big gate and knock at a door. It was the house that the boys had broken into. He needed help. As soon as the door opened, two

               women appeared.

"Look!", said the older woman "It is the boy who was with the robbers!"

"Yes. He is badly hurt. Let's get him inside the house".

When Oliver was good again, he told his story to the younger woman. Her name was Rose

Maylie. She felt sorry about him and decided he could stay with her.

 

When Fagin knew that the boys had left Oliver Twist along a road he was angry. Minutes later, a young man walked into Fagin's place and asked for Oliver. Fagin told his about the robbery at the house.

     "I carne to you because I wanted the boy to be a thief. I want Oliver Twist to be caught by the

               police. I want him to go to prison. Iam paying you to make him a thief, said the young mano

     "Perhaps he wasn't ready for a real robbery, Monks. But he couldn't steal pockets, too".

     "I hope he isn't dead", said Monks.

 

      Monks went to the orphanage where Oliver lived in. He looked for the drunken nurse and

                offered her some money to take the things she took trom Oliver's mother when she died.

      "Madam... nearly twelve years ago you stole a gold locket".

      "No. I was keeping it for Oliver. But he ran away. If you give me E25, I will give you the

locket" .

      She handed him a bago Monks opened it and took out the gold locket. The name 'Agnes'

was written inside it. He walked to the window and opened it. Below the window was the river.

      Monks put a stone in the bag with the locket. Then he threw the bag into the middle of the

                river. Monks closed the window quickly.

      "Here's your money. Forget this evening and forget me", then he went out quickly.

      Now Monks was happy. He could get rid of the only evidence that could say Oliver Twist was

his brother. Only Fagin knew about it and Monks was sure he would tell nobody.

One of Fagin's boys escaped one night. He was a good boy although he had to steal handkerchiefs to be alive. He went to a rich hotel and asked the porter about a woman called Rose Maylie.

At that moment, a young lady carne down the stairs. The boy ran up to her.

"Oh, please, please, help me! I must see Miss Maylie!"

" I am Miss Maylie. Why do you wish to see me?"

" I am one of Fagin's boys. Do you know him?"

"Yes, I've heard about him. He is a bad man."

"I am very sorry to word for him. If he knows I am here, he will kill me. Do you know a man

called Monks?"

"Monks? No", replied Rose.

"Monks is Oliver's brother!"

"His brother?", Rose repeated in surprise.

"Yes, but Monks hates the child. Monks knows everything about Oliver. He knows he is living

with you and your aunt. He knows you are staying at this hotel. Monks wants to harm Oliver".

      "What can I do?", Rose cried. The young boy had left.

 

      Rose decided to look for Mr. Brownlow. She knew he had helped Oliver before. When she

found him she told ali Oliver's story. Mr. Brownlow just smiled.

      A few days later, a carriage stopped outside Mr. Brownlow's house. Mr. Brownlow got out.

Then two servants took a young man out of the carriage. They led him to the house­

      "Now, young man, you must tell me everyíhing I want to know. If you leave, I will call the

                police" .

      The young man followed Mr. Brownlow into his library. Mr. Brownlow began to speak.

      "Vou call yourself Monks. That is not your real name. Your parents are dead and you have a

younger brother. As a young man, your father was made to get married. The woman was ten

years older than him. Their marriage was never happy. Vou were bom: Some years later, your.

                parents separated".

"How do you know this?"

"Your father was my closest mend. Your mother left the country, taking you with her. Your

father met a young girl called Agnes Fleming. Soon, she was expecting a child. Your father inherited a lot of money. He left England and went to live abroad. He fell iII and died. Nobody could find his will. Your father's money went to you and your mother. Agnes did not get

                anything" .

"And that cannot be changed"

"Vou are wrong.Your father made a will. Vou have read it. Vou and your mother destroyed it'. "Why do you believe this?", Monks asked with a cruel smile.

"Before he carne abroad, your father carne to me. He said ali his story. He gave me a picture

of Agnes. The portrait is on the wall behind you. Your father told me he had made a new will. Half of his money was to go to Agnes and her child. I couldn't find Agnes. Vou found her child and tried to destroy the boy. I have written ali this down. Vou must sign a paper to give half of your father's money to your brother. If you don't, I will go to the police. Vou have to leave the country, too. Do you agree?"

"' agree. I have no choice." Monks said.

 

      When Monks went to America, Mr. Brownlow told the police about Fagin. He was sent to

                prison and hanged a few days later.

      Monks had some problems in America and he died in prison.

      Mr. Brownlow bought a house near the Maylie's house and he took Oliver into his home.

Oliver became his sono