2 Life in a Workhouse

CHAPTER 2 Life in a Workhouse Despite the many obstacles before him, Oliver Twist survived. He was now ten years old and still in the workhouse. His days were filled with too much work and far too little food. Mrs. Bumble was given a weekly allowance from the town council to feed and dress her charges. She was a very careful woman and was always worried about money. Unfortunately, she was more worried about her personal income than the well-being of

第二章济贫院的生活尽管面临重重困难，奥利弗·特威斯特还是活了下来。 他现在十岁了，还在济贫院里。 他的生活充满了太多的工作和太少的食物。 班布尔太太每周从镇议会那里得到一笔津贴，用来给她的孩子们提供衣食。 她是一个非常谨慎的女人，总是担心钱。 不幸的是，她更担心自己的个人收入，而不是孩子的幸福

the children in her care. Therefore, she kept the majority of the allowance for herself and used the rest to feed the children. In order to make the supply of gruel go farther, Mrs. Bumble watered it down. Even though this meal of thin porridge was not enough to meet the needs of a growing boy, Oliver did grow. He was a small, thin boy with pale blonde hair, but he reached his tenth birthday without too much trouble. His best friend Dick had a much tougher time. Dick was very weak and often sick. Oliver had to help him with his work washing bottles in the factory. In fact, he was so worried about Dick that he sometimes tried to pass him the last bits of gruel in his bowl. His friend always refused. "No, Oliver," Dick said. "You have too little to spare." "But maybe you'll feel better with more

她照顾的孩子们。因此，她把大部分零花钱留给了自己，剩下的用来养活孩子。 为了使稀粥供应得更充足，班布尔太太把粥搀了水。 尽管这顿稀饭不足以满足一个正在成长的男孩的需要，奥利弗还是长高了。 他是一个瘦小的男孩，一头淡金色的头发，但他没有遇到太多麻烦就过了十岁生日。 他最好的朋友迪克的日子要艰难得多。 迪克非常虚弱，经常生病。 奥利弗不得不在工厂里帮他洗瓶子。 事实上，他非常担心迪克，有时甚至想把碗里最后一点稀粥递给他。 他的朋友总是拒绝。 “不，奥利弗，”迪克说。“你的钱太少了。” “但也许多吃点你会感觉好些

food," Oliver replied. "A few tiny drops of gruel won't do me much good," Dick said. "We all need more than that." The room where the boys were fed was a long stone hall. A copper pot stood at one end. The boys walked to the front in a single- file line. They held their wooden bowls up and Mr. Bumble dropped a ladleful of gruel in. The boys sat down at the long tables that filled the hall. They had to wait until everyone was seated. Anyone caught sneaking a bite was punished. The boys held their spoons while bowing their heads for grace. As soon as the signal was given, the boys dug in to their meals. They were done in a matter of seconds. The boys' bowls never needed washing. They polished them with their spoons until they shone again.

奥利弗回答说。“几滴稀粥对我没什么好处，”迪克说。 “我们都需要更多。” 孩子们吃饭的房间是一个长长的石头大厅。 一头立着一个铜壶。 男孩们排成一列纵队走到前面。 他们举起木碗，班布尔先生倒了一勺稀粥进去。 男孩们在满大厅的长桌旁坐下。 他们不得不等到每个人都入座了。 任何偷吃东西被抓到的人都会受到惩罚。 男孩们拿着勺子，低头做祷告。 信号一发出，孩子们就开始狼吞虎咽地吃饭。 它们在几秒钟内就完成了。 男孩们的碗从来不需要洗。 他们用勺子把它们擦得锃亮。

On the night that Oliver's life changed forever, a new boy was sitting at his table. His father was a butcher who could not pay his bills and lost his shop. This new boy was not used to the great hunger of the workhouse. He did not understand that the council had no wish to change. This new boy had a plan. "One of us needs to talk to Mr. Bumble," he said. "We've got to ask for something more to eat." The other boys agreed that action was needed. The new boy held several pieces of straw in one hand. All the boys at the table— except Dick— took turns picking one. Oliver won the contest by drawing the longest straw. All the boys slapped him on the back. Dick, however, looked worried. He thought this might be a bad idea. As soon as everyone was finished eating—

在奥利弗的生活永远改变的那个晚上，一个新男孩坐在他的桌子旁。 他的父亲是一名屠夫，他付不起账单，失去了他的商店。 这个新来的男孩不习惯济贫院的极度饥饿。 他不明白，委员会并不想改变。 这个新来的男孩有一个计划。“我们其中一个得跟班布尔先生谈谈，”他说。 “我们得再要点吃的。” 其他男孩都认为有必要采取行动。 新来的男孩一只手里拿着几根稻草。 除了迪克以外，桌子上所有的男孩都轮流摘一个。 奥利弗抽到最长的稻草，赢得了比赛。 所有的男孩都拍拍他的背。 然而，迪克显得很担心。 他觉得这可能是个坏主意。 大家一吃完饭——

for it did not take long—Oliver rose from the table. He walked down the long row toward Mr. Bumble and the copper pot of gruel. Poor Oliver was shaking with fear. He held his bowl toward Mr. Bumble and quietly said, "Please sir, I want some more." The hall was silent. All of the boys in the long hall watched Oliver in shock. Everyone waited for Mr. Bumble's response. At first he

没过多久，奥立弗就从桌子上站了起来。 他沿着长长的一排向班布尔先生和那壶稀粥走去。 可怜的奥利弗吓得直发抖。 他把碗递给班布尔先生，平静地说：“先生，请再给我来点。” 大厅里静悄悄的。大厅里所有的男孩都震惊地看着奥利弗。 大家都等着班布尔先生的回答。 起初他

looked confused by this small boy. It seemed impossible that someone would ask for something else. The Bumbles and the workhouse board believed they were very generous people. They thought these boys and the other workhouse inmates should be grateful for the little they received. As he slowly realized that Oliver was holding up an empty bowl, Mr. Bumble became angry. "What??!" Mr. Bumble screamed. "Please, sir." Oliver tried to speak more clearly. He tried to sound more forceful and brave. "I want some more." "More??!" Mr. Bumble yelled. "More??" He was furious! How dare this ungrateful boy ask for more! It was impossible to believe any child could have such nerve and greed. "Grab him," Bumble shouted. Two members of the workhouse staff grabbed Oliver by his arms. They carried him from

看起来被这个小男孩弄糊涂了。 似乎不可能有人会要求别的东西。 班布尔一家和济贫院董事会认为他们是非常慷慨的人。 他们认为这些男孩和其他济贫院的囚犯应该对他们得到的一点点东西心存感激。 班布尔先生慢慢意识到奥利弗手里拿的是一只空碗，他生气了。 “什么? ? !”班布尔先生尖叫起来。 “先生,请。”奥利弗试图说得更清楚一些。 他试图让自己的声音听起来更有力、更勇敢。 “我还要一些。”“? ? !”班布尔先生喊道。 “? ?”他气坏了！这个忘恩负义的孩子怎么敢要求更多！很难相信哪个孩子会有这样的胆量和贪婪。 “抓住他。”班布尔喊道。 济贫院的两名工作人员抓住奥利弗的胳膊。 他们把他从