Chapter Seven: A New Home

The next morning it was raining. Olive woke up. His left arm was covered with blood. He got up slowly and tried to wake. He saw the country house and thought, “Perhaps the people in that house can help me.” He knocked at① the door and fell to the ground.

Mr Giles and Mr Brittles opened the door. “A boy!” said Mr Giles.
Then he saw the blood on Oliver’s clothes. “Look! It’s one of the thieves!”
He told the ladies, “Here he is” I shot② him, madam. Do you want to see him?”

“Oh, not now,” said Rose Maylie. She was a beautiful girl of seventeen. She had blue eyes and a kind smile. She lived with her aunt, Mrs Maylie. “Take him upstairs to Mr Giles’ room. Mr Brittles, please go to town and ask Doctor Losberne to come immediately.”

When Dr Losberne arrived he said, “What a terrible thing, thieves in the night! Are you ladies well?”

“Yes, thank you. But please look at the boy upstairs. He’s hurt.”

“Of course,” Doctor Losberne said. He stayed upstairs a long time. Finally he came down and said, “Ladies, please come upstairs with me.”

Rose and Mrs Maylie followed the doctor. They had a big surprise. They did not see a bad criminal in bed. They saw a little boy sleeping. They looked at him in silence. Rose sat down near the bed. Oliver smiled in his sleep.

“This poor boy cannot be a thief,” said Mrs Maylie. “He’s so young!” said Rose with tears in her eyes.
① knocked at: 敲。
② shot: 动词 shoot 的过去式。

In the evening Oliver woke up after a long sleep. He told them the story of his sad life. He also told them about kind Mr Brownlow. He spoke slowly and softly because he was very weak.
He had a high temperature①. He was ill for a very long time. Rose and Mrs Maylie took care of him. They were gentle and kind. Oliver slowly got better. He went for walks with Rose and Mrs Maylie. He listened to Rose playing the piano and singing. He listened to her reading aloud②.
Oliver helped in the garden. After some time a kind old man gave him lessons every day. Three months passed and Oliver was very happy. He loved Rose and Mrs Maylie with all his heart.
“What can I do for you?” Oliver asked Rose and Mrs Maylie. “You were so kind to me when I was ill.”

Rose smiled and said, “We are very happy you are here with us.” Mrs Maylie and Rose took Oliver to their country cottage③. It was a lovely place. There were trees and flowers everywhere. Oliver became strong and healthy.

“The country is very different from the noisy city. I love the country.” Oliver said.

After three months they returned home. One afternoon Oliver sat at his desk near the window. He studied his lessons.

Suddenly, he saw two men at the window. “Oh, no! It’s Fagin and another man!” Oliver thought. Fagin was with a strange man called Monks. Monks was tall and had an angry face. He wore a black coat.

Fagin said to Monks, “That’s the boy.” “Yes, it’s Oliver!” said Monks. Oliver jumped up. The two men ran away. “Fagin! Fagin!” cried Oliver.
① temperature：体温。
② aloud：出声的。
③ country cottage：村舍。

Two servants came into the room and said, “What’s happening here?” “I just saw Fagin and another terrible man,” Oliver said. His face was white. The servants ran out into the garden. They looked for the two men but did not find them.