Put the sentences in the right order. 1) Near the fire-place there was a clothes-horse, over which a great number of silk handkerchiefs were hanging

1) Oliver sat ______ to rest ______ the side of the milestone. It was just seventy miles ______ that place to London.

2) _____ some villages, large painted boards were fixed ______, warning all persons who begged would be sent ______ jail.

3) Oliver was very thankful ______ the boy  ______ the nice food.

4) Near the fire-place there was a clothes-horse, ______ which a great number ______ silk handkerchiefs were hanging.

Put the verbs, given in brackets, in the right tense form.

1)Oliver (be) so tired with his walk that soon he (fall) asleep and (forget) his troubles.

2) The boy (throw) open the door of a back-room, and (draw) Oliver in after him.

3) The old man (grin) and (take) Oliver by the hand, then all the boys (shake) both his hands.

4) Soon they (go) to supper, and Oliver (eat) his share.

5) Oliver (feel) himself gently lifted on to one of the sacks and then he (sink) into a deep sleep.

Complete the sentences.

1)Oliver's legs trembled beneath him because …

2) Oliver couldn't walk any longer because …

3) The owners of the inns made the boy go away because …

4) Oliver was very thankful to the boy because …

5) Fagin said that there were so many silk pocket-handkerchiefs because …

What do you think?

1)Why do you think Oliver decided to go to London?

2) Why did Oliver doubt that Jack Dawkins was an honest person?

3) Why did Oliver start thinking about running away?

4) Why do you think the Artful Dodger was so friendly? Why did he take Oliver to their place?

CHAPTER 4

The Funny Old Gentleman and His Hopeful Pupils

It was late next morning when Oliver awoke. There was no other person in the room but Fagin, who was making coffee. Oliver saw him with his half-closed eyes. When the coffee was ready, the old man turned round, looked at Oliver, and called him by his name. Oliver did not answer, and Fagin thought that the boy was asleep. Then Fagin took a small box from under the floor and placed it carefully on the table. His eyes glistened as he took from the box a magnificent gold watch, sparkling with jewels. Then Fagin took out of the box such beautiful rings, bracelets and other articles of jewellery that Oliver had no idea even of their names.

Suddenly the old man's dark eyes fell on Oliver's face. The boy's eyes were fixed on him in mute curiosity. The old man understood he was observed. He closed the lid of the box with a loud crash, and, laying his hand on a bread knife which was on the table, stood furiouslyup.

'What do you watch me for? Why are you awake? What have you seen? Speak out, boy! Quick — quick! For your life.'

'I wasn't able to sleep any longer, sir,' replied Oliver, meekly. 'I am very sorry if I have disturbed you, sir.'

'You were not awake an hour ago?' said Fagin fiercely.

'No! No, indeed!' replied Oliver.

'Are you sure?' cried the old man with a still fiercer look than before.

'Upon my word I was not, sir,' replied Oliver, earnestly. 'I was not, indeed, sir.'

'Very good, my dear!' said the man, abruptly resuming his old manner,and playing with the knife a little, just to show it was a game. 'Of course I know that, my dear. I only tried to frighten you. You're a brave boy. Ha! You're a brave boy, Oliver.' Fagin rubbed his hands with a chuckle, but glanced uneasily at the box.

'Did you see any of these pretty things, my dear?' said the old man, laying his hand upon it after a short pause.

'Yes, sir,' replied Oliver.

'Ah!' said the old gentleman, turning rather pale. 'They — they're mine, Oliver; my little property. All I have to live upon in my old age. The folks call me a miser,my dear. Only a miser; that's all.'

Oliver thought the old gentleman must be a miser to live in such a dirty place, with so many valuable things. But then he thought that perhaps the old gentleman's fondness for the Dodger and the other boys cost him a good deal of money.

'May I get up, sir?' asked Oliver.

'Certainly, my dear, certainly,' replied the old gentleman.

Oliver got up. When he turned his head, the box was gone.

At this moment Dodger entered the room, accompanied by a young friend, whom Oliver saw in the evening. He was introduced to him as Charley Bates. The four sat down to breakfast on the coffee and some hot rolls and ham which the Dodger brought home in his hat.

'Well,' said Fagin, glancing slylyat Oliver, and addressing himself to the Dodger, 'I hope you've been at work this morning, my dears?'

'Oh, yes. We've worked hard,' replied the Dodger.

'Good boys, good boys!' said the old man. 'What have you got, Dodger?'

'A couple of pocket-books,'replied the young gentleman.

'They are not very heavy,' said the old man, after looking at the insides carefully; 'but very neat and nicely made. Very good work, isn't it, Oliver?'

'Yes, sir,' said Oliver. At which Charley Bates started laughing; very much to the amazement of Oliver, who saw nothing to laugh at.

'And what have you got, my dear?' said Fagin to Charley Bates.

'Wipes,'replied Master Bates; at the same time producing four pocket-handkerchiefs.

'Well,' said Fagin, inspecting them closely; 'they're very good ones, very. You haven't marked them well, though, Charley; so we'll have to pick them outwith a needle, and we'll teach Oliver how to do it. Oliver, do you want to learn how to do it? Ha! Ha! Ha!'

'If you please, sir,' said Oliver.

'You'd like to be able to make pocket-handkerchiefs as easy as Charley Bates, wouldn't you, my dear?' said Fagin.

'Very much, indeed, if you teach me, sir,' replied Oliver.

Charley Bates saw something so funny in this that he burst out laughing again.

When the breakfast was cleared away, the merry old gentleman and the two boys played at a very curious game, which was performed in this way. The merry old gentleman placed a snuff-boxin one pocket of his trousers, a note-casein the other, and a watch in his waistcoat pocket, put his spectacles-case and handkerchief in his pockets, buttoned his coat tight round him, and trotted up and down the room with a stick. Sometimes he stopped at the fire-place, and sometimes at the door, like a man who was staring into shop-windows. At such times he looked constantly round him for fear of thieves and he kept slapping all his pockets in turn to see that everything was in its place. He did it in such a very funny and natural way, that Oliver laughed till the tears ran down his face. All this time, the two boys followed him closely about. They were getting out of his sight every time he turned round. The boys did that so quickly that it was impossible to follow their motions. At last, the Dodger ran upon his boot accidentally, while Charley Bates stumbled up against him behind. And in that one moment they took from him, with the most extraordinary rapidity, his snuff-box, note-case, watch, pocket-handkerchief, even the spectacles-case. If the old gentleman felt a hand in any one of his pockets, he cried out where it was; and then the game began all over again.

They were still playing the game when a couple of young ladies came in. One of them was Bet, and the other was Nancy. They were not exactly pretty, perhaps, but they had a great deal of colour in their faces, and looked quite stout and hearty. The visitors stayed for a long time. At length, Fagin gave the young people some money to spend, and the Dodger, Charley Bates, and the two young ladies went away together.

'There, my dear,' said Fagin. 'That's a pleasant life, isn't it? They have gone out for the day.'

'Have they done their work today, sir?' inquired Oliver.

'Yes, they have. And they've done their work very well. Make them your models, my dear. Do everything they want you to do and take their advice in all matters — especially the Dodger's, my dear. He'll be a great man himself, and will make you one too... Is my handkerchief hanging out of my pocket, my dear?' said Fagin, stopping short.

'Yes, sir,' said Oliver.

'See if you can take it out, without my feeling it; as you saw them do, when we were at play this morning.'

Oliver held up the bottom of the pocket with one hand, as the Dodger did, and drew the handkerchief lightly out of it with the other.

'Is it gone?' cried the old gentleman.

'Here it is, sir,' said Oliver, showing it in his hand.

'You're a clever boy, my dear,' said the playful old gentleman, patting Oliver on the head approvingly.'I never saw a sharper lad. Here's a shillingfor you. If you go on, in this way, you'll be the greatest man of the time. And now come here, and I'll show you how to take the marks out of the handkerchiefs.'

Oliver wondered what picking the old gentleman's pocket in play had to do withhis chances of being a great man. But, thinking that the old gentleman, being so much his senior, must know best, he followed him quietly to the table, and was soon deeply involved in his new study.

Helpful Words & Notes

furiouslyadv — яростно, порывисто

fiercelyadv — свирепо

abruptly resuming his old manner— неожиданно вернувшись к своей обычной манере

misern — скряга, скупец

slylyadv — хитро, лукаво

pocket-bookn — бумажник

wipes n — «утиралки»; так на своем жаргоне Чарли Бейтс называл носовые платки

we'll have to pick them out— придется спороть на них метки; в то время на дорогих носовых платках вышивались метки их хозяина

snuff-boxn — табакерка

note-casen — записная книжка

approvinglyadv — одобрительно

shillingn — шиллинг; английская серебряная монета = ¹/₂₀ фунта стерлингов = 12 пенсам

Oliver wondered what picking the old gentleman's pocket in play had to do with— Оливер не понимал, какое отношение шуточная кража носового платка из кармана джентльмена может иметь к

Activities

Answer the questions.

1) Who was there in the room when Oliver awoke?

2) Did Fagin know that Oliver was awake?

3) What did Fagin take from under the floor?

4) What was there in the box?

5) What did Fagin do when he understood that he was observed?

6) What did he say to Oliver about all those valuable things?

7) What did the Dodger and Charley bring?

8) What was wrong with the pocket-handkerchiefs, brought by Charley Bates, and what did they have to do with them?

9) What kind of game did the old gentleman and the boys play?

10) What did the young ladies look like?

11) What did Fagin want to show to Oliver?

12) Under what conditions, according to Fagin, could Oliver become a great man?

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