； I'll eat my hat。 '
The two men sat by the window with a pocket…watch between the m； and waited for O liver's return。
O liver hurried through the streets to the book shop； thinking how lucky he was。 Suddenly the re was a loud scream behind him。 'Oh； my dear brother！ 'Before be could look round； a pair of arms was thrown tightly around his neck。
'Don't！ 'he cried； struggling。 'Let go！ Why are you stopping me？ Who is it？ '
The young woman holding him started to cry loudly。 'I've found him！ Oh！ O liver！ You naughty boy； to make me suffer so much！ Come home immediately； you cruel boy！ 'She burst into tears and several people stopped to stare at what was happening。
'What's the matter？ 'asked one of the watching women。
'He ran away from his parents a month ago； 'The young woman said。 'They're hard…working； respectable people； and he left the m to join a gang of thieves and bad characters； and almost broke his mother's heart。 '
'Go home； you horrible child； 'said another woman。
'Yes—go back to your parents； 'said a third。
'But I haven't got any！ 'replied O liver； greatly alarmed。 'I haven't got a sister； either。 I'm an orphan。 I live in Pentonville。 '
'Listen to him！ Make him come home； 'The young woman said to the crowd； 'or he'll kill his dear mother and father； and break my heart。 '
Suddenly O liver recognized the woman he had seen in Fagin's house。 'It's Nancy！ 'he said； without thinking。
'You see？ 'cried Nancy to the crowd。 'He knows me！ '
Just the n a big man ran out of a beer shop； followed by a white dog。 'What's this？ Young O liver！ Come home to your poor mother； you young devil！ And what books are the se？ You've stolen the m； haven't you？ Give the m to me。 'The man； who was Bill Sikes； seized O liver with one strong hand and hit him on the head with the other。
'That'll do him good！ 'shouted some of the crowd。 'It's the only way to treat boys like him。 '
Bill Sikes held onto O liver's arm。 'Come on； you young thief！ '
Still weak from illness； and terrified by the growling dog； O liver could not resist。 He was taken through the dark narrow streets at great speed。 Sikes and Nancy gave him no chance to escape and O liver had no breath to call out for help。 All too quickly； he was back in Fagin's house； where his old friends were waiting for him。
'Delighted to see you looking so well； my dear； 'Fagin said； bowing politely。 'Why didn't you write； and say you were coming？ We'd have got something warm for supper。 '
The Dodger and Charley Bates roared with laughter； and the Dodger began looking through the books O liver had with him。
'Give the m back！ 'O liver cried。 'Those books belong to the kind old gentleman who took me into his home。 Send him back the books and the money—he'll think I stole the m！ '
'You're right； 'laughed Fagin。 'He will think that！ '
O liver jumped to his feet and ran wildly from the room； shouting for help。 The Dodger and Fagin caught him easily； and brought him back。 The n the old man picked up a long piece of wood。
'So you wanted to get away； my dear； did you？ Wanted to call the police and get help？ We'll cure you of that。 '
He hit O liver hard on the shoulders with the stick。 He was raising it for a second hit when Nancy rushed forward and； seizing the piece of wood； threw it into the fire。
'I won't let you do it； Fagin！ 'she shouted。 'You've got him again。 Isn't that enough？ Now leave him alone。 '
Fagin and Sikes looked at each other； shocked by her reaction。
'You'd better keep quiet； my girl； 'growled Sikes。
'No； I won't！ ' cried the girl wildly。 'Now you've got the boy； you'll turn him into a thief and a liar。 Isn't that enough； without killing him too？ '
She rushed at Fagin and would have hit him if Sikes had not held her arms so tightly that she couldn't move。 She struggled wildly for a while； the n； exhausted； she fainted。 Sikes laid her down in the corner； as surprised as Fagin at her anger。
'She can be really wild when she's angry； 'Sikes said。
Fagin wiped his forehead。 'That's the trouble with women； 'he said； 'but she's a clever girl in her work。 '
The n Charley Bates and the Dodger took away O liver's expensive new suit； gave him some old clothe s； and locked him up in a dark room。 O liver felt tired and ill； and was soon fast asleep。
7 The robbery
A few days later； a visitor arrived in London from O liver's home town。 He was a large； fat man； and very proud of his hat； which showed the world that he was a most important official。 It was； in fact； Mr Bumble the beadle； O liver's old enemy。
Mr Bumble had completed his business in the city； and had just finished a most satisfactory meal in a pub。 He pulled up his chair to the fire； to enjoy his hot gin…and…water in comfort； and opened the newspaper。 The first thing he saw was this notice：
A reward of five pounds is offered for any information leading to the discovery of a young boy； O liver Twist； who was kidnapped from his home in Pentonville last Thursday evening。 I am also very interested in any information about his past。
The re was the n a full description of O liver's clothe s and appearance； and Mr Brown low 's full address。 Mr Bumble rubbed his eyes； read the notice again； and was at the address in less than ten minutes。 He was shown into Mr Brown low 's study； where the old gentleman and his friend Mr Grimwig were sitting。
'Do you know where the poor boy is now？ 'Mr Brown low asked； when the beadle had explained the reason for his visit。
Mr Bumble shook his head。
'Do you know anything good about him？ 'asked Mr
Grimwig； looking closely at Mr Bumble's face。
Mr Bumble shook his head again； very seriously； and turned down the corners of his mouth。
'The n tell us everything you know about him； 'said Mr Brown low impatiently。
Mr Bumble put down his hat； unbuttoned his coat； folded his arms； and sat back in his chair。 He spoke in his most important and official voice； and talked for twenty minutes。 His listeners heard all the details of O liver's illegitimate birth； and how generously he had been treated as a workhouse orphan。 They heard how he had always been an ungrateful and dangerous child； violently attacking another boy； and finally running away from the house where he had been working。
The old gentleman shook his head sadly and gave Mr Bumble the five pounds。 'I would have been happy to give you three times the amount if your story had proved that the boy was good。 '
If Mr Bumble had known this earlier； he might have told a different story； but now it was too late。 So he took the money and left。
Mr Brown low walked up and down his room for several minutes； deep in thought。 He rang the bell for Mrs Bed win； his housekeeper； and told her what he had heard。
'I don't believe it； 'she said； with great certainty。
'I was right； 'said Mr Grimwig with satisfaction。 'You should have listened to what I said。 '
Mr Brown low said angrily； 'Never let me hear the boy's name again。 Never。 Remember that； Mrs Bed win。 '
The re were sad hearts at Mr Brown low 's house that night。
* * *
Meanwhile； in another part of London； O liver remained a prisoner。 Fagin had told O liver how ungrateful he had been to run away。 He had told him that he would have died of hunger without Fagin's kindness。 He went on to tell O liver the story of another young boy； who had gone to the police to tell the m about the gang； but who had finally been hanged one morning for being a thief。 Fagin described the hanging in terrifying detail； and said that he hoped he would never have to tell the police about O liver—and see O liver with a rope around his neck。 O liver felt his blood turn cold。
He remained locked in a room for many days； seeing nobody between early morning and midnight。 He spent his time thinking sadly about his friends in Pentonville。 After a week he was free to wander round the house during the day。 It was a dirty place； full of rats and insects but no other living thing。 All the windows were closed； and covered with wood and metal bars that kept out the light。
One afternoon the Dodger and Charley Bates were at home and They started telling O liver about their lives as thieves。
'Why don't you become one？ 'Charley asked him。 'We all are here—both of us； and Fagin； Sikes； Nancy…all of us。
'I don't want to be； 'replied O liver。 'I wish They'd let me go。
'But it's a good life； 'the Dodger said； taking some coins from his pocket and throwing the m up in the air。 'What does it matter where the money comes from？ 'he said； laughing。
'If you don't steal it； someone else will。 You can be sure of that！ '
Fagin entered at this point； with two young men； and joined in the conversation。 One of The young men had just come out of prison； and the re were many cheerful jokes about his very short hair…cut。 Everybody sat around the fire； talking and laughing for hours Fagin told O liver how good the Dodger was at his job； and what a friendly boy Charley was。 It was； without doubt； an interesting evening for O liver； after so many days locked up alone。
After that evening he was rarely on his own again。 He spent a lot of time with the Dodger and Charley； and often played the hand kerchief game with the m。 At other times Fagin would tell the m all about robberies he had committed in his younger days； telling the stories so well and putting in so many funny details that O liver could not stop laughing； even though he knew it was wrong。
Fagin knew what he was doing。 He had made sure that O liver was so lonely and miserable that he would be desperate for any friends； however criminal。 Slowly and deliberately； Fagin was trying to poison The young boy's mind。
One damp； cold； windy night a few weeks later； Fagin put on his heavy coat and； with the collar pulled up high to hide his face； left his home。 He walked fast through the streets； never losing his way even in the darkest places。 Finally； he reached an evil； narrow street lit only by a single lamp。 He knocked on a door； said something quietly to the person who opened it； the n walked upstairs。
Bill Sikes was sitting by his fire with his dog when Fagin entered。 The room was a small； dark