第一章

CHAPTER I Treats of the place where Oliver Twist was born and of the circumstances attending his birth。

Among other public buildings in a certain town, which for many reasons it will be prudent to refrain from mentioning, and to which I will assign no fictitious name, there is one anciently common to most towns, great or small: to wit, a workhouse; and in this workhouse was born; on a day and date which I need not trouble myself to repeat, inasmuch as it can be of no possible consequence to the reader, in this stage of the business at all events; the item of mortality whose name is prefixed to the head of this chapter.

在某一个小镇，因为很多原因，出于谨慎，本文会避免提及它的名字，我也不会给它取假名。在镇上的公共建筑物之中，这个小镇也像大多数大大小小的城镇那样，有一座古老的建筑：那就是济贫院。这章标题中提到了名字的那个人就出生在这个济贫院里，具体的日期我毋需赘述，因为在事情的这个阶段，这对读者来说并不重要。

For a long time after it was ushered into this world of sorrow and trouble, by the parish surgeon, it remained a matter of considerable doubt whether the child would survive to bear any name at all; in which case it is somewhat more than probable that these memoirs would never have appeared; or, if they had, that being comprised within a couple of pages, they would have possessed the inestimable merit of being the most concise and faithful specimen of biography, extant in the literature of any age or country.

在这孩子由教区的外科医生领到这个满是悲哀和动乱的世界后，很长一段时间里，人们一直有一个很大的疑虑，不知道这孩子能否存活到有个名字的时候。若是这样，这本传记就极有可能永无面世之日了。或者，即使传记面世了，也不过只有几页纸，这却会有一个无法估量的优点，即成为各国各时代现存文献中最简明最忠实的传记范本。

Although I am not disposed to maintain that the being born in a workhouse, is in itself the most fortunate and enviable circumstance that can possibly befall a human being, I do mean to say that in this particular instance, it was the best thing for Oliver Twist that could by possibility have occurred. The fact is, that there was considerable difficulty in inducing Oliver to take upon himself the office of respiration, —a troublesome practice, but one which custom has rendered necessary to our easy existence; and for some time he lay gasping on a little flock mattress, rather unequally poised between this world and the next: the balance being decidedly in favour of the latter. Now, if, during this brief period, Oliver had been surrounded by careful grandmothers, anxious aunts, experienced nurses, and doctors of profound wisdom, he would most inevitably and indubitably have been killed in no time. There being nobody by, however, but a pauper old woman, who was rendered rather misty by an unwonted allowance of beer; and a parish surgeon who did such matters by contract; Oliver and Nature fought out the point between them. The result was, that, after a few struggles, Oliver breathed, sneezed, and proceeded to advertise to the inmates of the workhouse the fact of a new burden having been imposed upon the parish, by setting up as loud a cry as could reasonably have been expected from a male infant who had not been possessed of that very useful appendage, a voice, for a much longer space of time than three minutes and a quarter.

尽管我无意坚持认为，出生在济贫院本身就是降临在一个人身上的最幸运、最令人羡慕的境遇，但我确实想说，在这个特定情况下，对奥利弗•特威斯特来说，这可能是最好的事情了。事实上，要使奥利弗自己承担呼吸的职责都是相当大的难题——呼吸是个麻烦事，习惯却使之成为我们维持最基本的生存必不可少的事情。有一段时间，他躺在一块小棉垫上喘着气，在今生和来世之间徘徊不定：天平明显地向后者倾斜。此刻，在这段短暂的时间里，如果奥利弗身边围着一班小心仔细的奶奶、担心焦虑的婶娘、经验丰富的保姆和学识渊博的医生，他必定不可避免地马上就被弄死了，这一点明确无疑。然而，他周围没有别人，只有一个贫民老太婆，她已经让平常不大容易弄到的啤酒搞得晕晕乎乎了，还有一位按合同处理这类事情的教区外科医生。奥利弗和造化展开了斗争。结果是，几次挣扎之后，奥利弗开始呼吸了，打了个喷嚏，开始向济贫院的同胞们宣告一个事实，即教区又被强加上了一个新的负担。这个宣告是通过一阵啼哭发出的，这啼哭和可以想见的一个男婴该有的哭声一样响亮，而他在之前远远超过三分十五秒的一段时间里，还不曾拥有嗓音这种非常有用的配件。

As Oliver gave this first proof of the free and proper action of his lungs, the patchwork coverlet which was carelessly flung over the iron bedstead, rustled; the pale face of a young woman was raised feebly from the pillow; and a faint voice imperfectly articulated the words, "Let me see the child, and die. "

奥利弗以此初次证明了他的肺部完全正常，运转自如。铁床架上胡乱搭着一张缀满补丁的床单，此刻飒飒地响了起来，一个年轻女子从枕头上无力地抬起她苍白的脸，用微弱的声音含含糊糊地吐出几个字：让我看看孩子再死吧。

The surgeon had been sitting with his face turned towards the fire: giving the palms of his hands a warm and a rub alternately. As the young woman spoke, he rose, and advancing to the bed's head, said, with more kindness than might have been expected of him: "Oh, you must not talk about dying yet. "

外科医生面对炉火坐着：一会儿烤烤手掌，一会儿搓搓手心。听见年轻女子说话，他站起来，走向床头，用出人意料的和善语气说：噢，你可还不能说到死。

"Lor bless her dear heart, no! " interposed the nurse, hastily depositing in her pocket a green glass bottle, the contents of which she had been tasting in a corner with evident satisfaction.

上帝保佑她，她可不能死！护士插话，慌忙把一只绿色玻璃瓶放到衣袋里，她已经在角落里品尝过里面的东西了，显然非常满意。

"Lor bless her dear heart, when she has lived as long as I have, sir, and had thirteen children of her own, and all on 'em dead except two, and them in the wurkus with me, she'll know better than to take on in that way, bless her dear heart! Think what it is to be a mother, there's a dear young lamb do.

上帝保佑她，等她活到我这个岁数，先生，自己有了十三个孩子，死了十一个，只剩下两个活着，跟我一起住在济贫院里，她就会知道犯不着这样了，上帝保佑她！想想怎么当妈吧，可爱的小羊羔在这儿呢。

Apparently this consolatory perspective of a mother's prospects failed in producing its due effect. The patient shook her head, and stretched out her hand towards the child.

显然这番对做母亲的前景展望没有达到应有的慰藉效果。病人摇了摇头，朝孩子伸出手。

The surgeon deposited it in her arms. She imprinted her cold white lips passionately on its forehead; passed her hands over her face; gazed wildly round; shuddered; fell back—and died. They chafed her breast, hands, and temples; but the blood had stopped forever. They talked of hope and comfort. They had been strangers too long.

外科医生把孩子放到她怀里。她深情地用冰冷苍白的双唇吻孩子的额头，然后用手摸了摸自己的脸，失魂落魄地环视周围，一阵战栗，向后一倒——死了。他们摩擦她的胸口、双手和太阳穴，但是她的血液已永远停止了流动。他们说了一些希望和安慰的话。这已经许久没有出现过了。

"It's s all over, Mrs. Thingummy! " said the surgeon at last. "Ah, poor dear, so it is! " said the nurse, picking up the cork of the green bottle, which had fallen out on the pillow, as she stooped to take up the child. "Poor dear! "

一切都结束了，辛格密太太！外科医生最后说。啊，可怜的孩子，就是这样了！护士一边说着，一边捡起她弯腰抱孩子时掉在枕头上的绿瓶子的软木塞。可怜的孩子！

"You needn't mind sending up to me, if the child cries, nurse, " said the surgeon, putting on his gloves with great deliberation. "It's very likely it will be troublesome. Give it a little gruel if it is. " He put on his hat, and, pausing by the bed—side on his way to the door, added, "She was a good—looking girl, too; where did she come from? "

护士，如果孩子哭了，你大可放心差人叫我。医生边说边从容地戴上手套，极有可能这孩子会很烦人。他要闹起来了，就给他喂点稀粥。他戴上帽子朝门口走去，在床边停下，又说：她还真是个漂亮姑娘，她从哪儿来的？

"She was brought here last night, " replied the old woman, "by the overseer's order. She was found lying in the street. She had walked some distance, for her shoes were worn to pieces; but where she came from, or where she was going to, nobody knows.

她是昨晚被送过来的，老太婆回答，是救济委员的吩咐。有人发现她倒在街上。她走了很远的路，鞋子都磨成片了。但是没人知道她是从哪儿来的，要到哪儿去。

The surgeon leaned over the body, and raised the left hand. "The old story, " he said, shaking his head: "no wedding—ring, I see. Ah! Good—night!

外科医生俯下身，抬起死者的左手。老套的故事了，他摇摇头说，没有结婚戒指，我明白了。啊！晚安！

The medical gentleman walked away to dinner; and the nurse, having once more applied herself to the green bottle, sat down on a low chair before the fire, and proceeded to dress the infant.

懂医术的绅士去吃晚饭了，而护士又一次抱着绿瓶子享用了一番，在炉火前的矮椅子上坐下，开始给婴儿穿衣服。

What an excellent example of the power of dress, young Oliver Twist was! Wrapped in the blanket which had hitherto formed his only covering, he might have been the child of a nobleman or a beggar; it would have been hard for the haughtiest stranger to have assigned him his proper station in society. But now that he was enveloped in the old calico robes which had grown yellow in the same service, he was badged and ticketed, and fell into his place at once—a parish child—the orphan of a workhouse—the humble, half—starved drudge—to be cuffed and buffeted through the world—despised by all, and pitied by none.

小奥利弗•特威斯特可真是人靠衣装的出色典范呐！他被包在毯子里，那是迄今为止他唯一的蔽体之物，如此一来他既可能是贵族家的子弟，也可能是乞丐家的孩子。就是最傲慢的陌生人也很难确定他的社会地位。但是现在他给包在了由于多次使用已经变黄了的旧白布袍子里，就已经被打上了标记，贴上了标签，立刻得到了身份——一个教区的孩子——济贫院的孤儿——卑下的半饥半饱的苦力——在世上挨巴掌，吃拳头——所有人轻视，没有人怜悯。

Oliver cried lustily. If he could have known that he was an orphan, left to the tender mercies of church—wardens and overseers, perhaps he would have cried the louder.

奥利弗起劲地哭起来。要是他能意识到自己是个孤儿，命运全仰仗教区委员和救济委员的体贴仁慈，他或许会哭得更大声一些。

CHAPTER II Treats of Oliver Twist's growth, education, and board。