Oliver Asks for More
The room in which the boys were fed was a large stone hall, with a large pot at one end. The warden, helped by two women, served the soup from this pot at meal times. Each boy was allowed one bowl of soup and no more, except on special holidays when he was given another 60 grams of bread. The bowls never needed washing, as the boys cleaned them with their spoons, trying to eat every bit of soup. This never took very long, as the spoons were almost as large as the bowls. When they had cleaned their bowls in this way, they would sit staring at the pot with eager eyes, as if they wanted to eat it. Boys usually have excellent appetites. Oliver Twist and his companions slowly starved for three months until finally, they became quite wild with hunger.
There was one boy who was tall for his age, and was not used to being hungry all the time, as his father had kept a small cook shop. This boy told his friends that he had to have another bowl of soup each day. If he did not, he was afraid that one night he might eat the small young boy who slept next to him. The tall boy had a wild, hungry look in his eye and everyone believed him. The boys had a meeting. They decided that one of them should walk up to the warden after supper that evening and ask for more food. They wrote their names on pieces of paper and picked one out. It was Oliver Twist who was chosen.
The evening arrived and the boys went to their places. The warden stood by the pot with his assistants in a line behind him. The soup was served and disappeared down the boy's throats. The boys whispered to each other, and those next to Oliver nudged him. Oliver, who was desperate with hunger and misery, rose from the table and walked toward the master with his bowl and spoon in his hand.
Frightened by his own courage, he said, “Please sir, I want some more.”
The warden was a fat, healthy man, but his face became very pale. He stared in complete astonishment at the child and held on to the pot for support. Not until at least thirty seconds had passed, was the man able to speak.“What?”he said finally, in a weak voice.
“Please, sir,”replied Oliver,“I want some more.”
No sooner had the boy spoken these words than the warden hit him on the head with the soup spoon. Then he seized Oliver's arms and held him, while he shouted for Mr Bumble.
The managers of the workhouse were having a meeting when Mr Bumble rushed into the room in great excitement. Speaking to the leader of the meeting, he said, “Mr Limbkins, I am sorry, sir! Oliver Twist has asked for more!”
The faces of everyone in the room showed complete astonishment.“For more!”said Mr Limbkins.“Think carefully, Mr Bumble, and answer me clearly. Do I understand that he asked for more, after he had eaten his bowl of soup?”
“He did, sir,”replied Bumble.
“Never have I heard anything like it!”said Mr Limbkins.
“They will hang that boy,”said a gentleman in a white jacket.“I know that they will hang him.”
Nobody disagreed with the gentleman's opinion. A lively discussion took place. Oliver was immediately locked in a room. The next morning a notice was put up on the door of the workhouse, offering a reward to anybody who would employ Oliver Twist.
“I never was more sure of anything in my life,”said the gentleman in the white jacket, as he knocked at the door and read the notice the next morning.
“I never was more sure of anything in my life — that boy will be hanged.”