RELATESWHATOLIVER‘SNEWVISITORSTHOUGHTOFHIM
Withmanyloquaciousassurancesthattheywouldbeagreeablysurprisedintheaspectofthecriminal，thedoctordrewtheyounglady'sarmthroughoneofhis；andofferinghisdisengagedhandtoMrs。Maylie，ledthem，withmuchceremonyandstateliness，upstairs。
‘Now，’saidthedoctor，inawhisper，ashesoftlyturnedthehandleofabedroom-door，‘letushearwhatyouthinkofhim。Hehasnotbeenshavedveryrecently，buthedon'tlookatallferociousnotwithstanding。Stop，though！Letmefirstseethatheisinvisitingorder。’
Steppingbeforethem，helookedintotheroom。Motioningthemtoadvance，heclosedthedoorwhentheyhadentered；andgentlydrewbackthecurtainsofthebed。Uponit，inlieuofthedogged，black-visagedruffiantheyhadexpectedtobehold，therelayamerechild：wornwithpainandexhaustion，andsunkintoadeepsleep。Hiswoundedarm，boundandsplinteredup，wascrosseduponhisbreast；hisheadreclinedupontheotherarm，whichwashalfhiddenbyhislonghair，asitstreamedoverthepillow。
Thehonestgentlemanheldthecurtaininhishand，andlookedon，foraminuteorso，insilence。Whilsthewaswatchingthepatientthus，theyoungerladyglidedsoftlypast，andseatingherselfinachairbythebedside，gatheredOliver'shairfromhisface。Asshestoopedoverhim，hertearsfelluponhisforehead。
Theboystirred，andsmiledinhissleep，asthoughthesemarksofpityandcompassionhadawakenedsomepleasantdreamofaloveandaffectionhehadneverknown。Thus，astrainofgentlemusic，ortheripplingofwaterinasilentplace，ortheodourofaflower，orthementionofafamiliarword，willsometimescallupsuddendimremembrancesofscenesthatneverwere，inthislife；whichvanishlikeabreath；whichsomebriefmemoryofahappierexistence，longgoneby，wouldseemtohaveawakened；whichnovoluntaryexertionofthemindcaneverrecall。
‘Whatcanthismean？’exclaimedtheelderlady。‘Thispoorchildcanneverhavebeenthepupilofrobbers！’
‘Vice，’saidthesurgeon，replacingthecurtain，‘takesupherabodeinmanytemples；andwhocansaythatafairoutsideshellnotenshrineher？’
‘Butatsoearlyanage！’urgedRose。
‘Mydearyounglady，’rejoinedthesurgeon，mournfullyshakinghishead；‘crime，likedeath，isnotconfinedtotheoldandwitheredalone。Theyoungestandfairestaretoooftenitschosenvictims。’
‘But，canyou--oh！canyoureallybelievethatthisdelicateboyhasbeenthevoluntaryassociateoftheworstoutcastsofsociety？’saidRose。
Thesurgeonshookhishead，inamannerwhichintimatedthathefeareditwasverypossible；andobservingthattheymightdisturbthepatient，ledthewayintoanadjoiningapartment。
‘Butevenifhehasbeenwicked，’pursuedRose，‘thinkhowyoungheis；thinkthathemayneverhaveknownamother'slove，orthecomfortofahome；thatill-usageandblows，orthewantofbread，mayhavedrivenhimtoherdwithmenwhohaveforcedhimtoguilt。Aunt，dearaunt，formercy'ssake，thinkofthis，beforeyouletthemdragthissickchildtoaprison，whichinanycasemustbethegraveofallhischancesofamendment。Oh！asyouloveme，andknowthatIhaveneverfeltthewantofparentsinyourgoodnessandaffection，butthatImighthavedoneso，andmighthavebeenequallyhelplessandunprotectedwiththispoorchild，havepityuponhimbeforeitistoolate！’
‘Mydearlove，’saidtheelderlady，asshefoldedtheweepinggirltoherbosom，‘doyouthinkIwouldharmahairofhishead？’
‘Oh，no！’repliedRose，eagerly。
‘No，surely，’saidtheoldlady；‘mydaysaredrawingtotheirclose：andmaymercybeshowntomeasIshowittoothers！WhatcanIdotosavehim，sir？’
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