奥利佛是上流社会一个有钱人家的私生子。他年轻的母亲在教区济贫院里生下他后就辞世了。他在济贫院里过着地狱般的生活。九岁时，他被卖到棺材店做学徒。在遭受了一次毒打后，奥利佛逃往伦敦，在去伦敦的途中又误入贼窝。经历了一系列磨难之后，他身世大白，终于回到了亲人的怀抱。

《雾都孤儿》是狄更斯于1838年出版的写实小说，是他的一部重要的社会问题小说。这部小说以雾都伦敦为背景，讲述一个孤儿悲惨的身世及遭遇：主人公奥利佛是个孤儿，从小在济贫院长大，不知父母是谁。他在济贫院中受了九年的折磨后被送到一个承办丧事的店里当学徒，在那里受到虐待。他忍无可忍，独自逃往伦敦，不幸刚到便被骗误入贼窟，这是一个专事盗窃抢劫的团伙，为首的是老犹太人费金，除了少数头目外，都是些被引入邪路的少年儿童。费金一伙用威胁、利诱、灌输等手段，要把奥利佛变成他们的作案工具。奥利佛历尽无数辛酸，几经波折，被他父亲生前的朋友从贼窟中救出，找到了亲人，得到了遗产，过上了幸福的生活。

Chapter 1 Treats of the place where Oliver Twistwas born; and of the circumstances attending his birth Chapter 2 Treats of Oliver Twists growth， education， and board Chapter 3 Relates how Oliver Twist was very near getting a place， which would not have been a sinecure Chapter 4 Oliver， being offered another place， makes his first entry into public life Chapter 5 Oliver mingles with new associates. Going to a funeral for the first time， he forms an unfavourable notion of his masters business Chapter 6 Oliver， being goaded by the taunts of Noah， rouses into action and rather astonishes him Chapter 7 Oliver continues refractory Chapter 8 Oliver walks to London. He encounters on the road， a strange sort of young gentleman Chapter 9 Containing further particulars concerning the pleasant old gentleman and his hopeful pupils Chapter l0 Oliver becomes better acquainted with the characters of his new associates; and purchases experience at a high price. Being a short but very important chapter in this history Chapter 11 Treats of Mr. Fang， the police magistrate; and furnishes a slight specimen of his mode of administering justice Chapter 12 In which Oliver is taken better care of than he ever was before. And in which the narrative reverts to the merry old gentleman and his youthful friends Chapter 13 Some new acquaintances are introduced to the intelligent reader; connected with whom various pleasant matters are related appertaining to this history Chapter 14 Comprising further particulars of Olivers stay at Mr. Brownlows， with the remarkable prediction which one Mr. Grimwig uttered concerning him when he went out on an errand Chapter 15 Showing how very fond of Oliver Twist the merry old Jew and Miss Nancy were Chapter 16 Relates what became of Oliver Twist， after he had been claimed by Nancy Chapter 17 Olivers destiny， continuing unpropitious， brings a great man to London to injure his reputation Chapter 18 How Oliver passed his time in the improving society of his reputable friends Chapter 19 In which a notable plan is discussed and determined on Chapter 20 Wherein Oliver is delivered over to Mr. William Sikes Chapter 21 The expedition Chapter 22 The burglary Chapter 23 Which contains the substance of a pleasant conversation between Mr. Bumble and a lady; and shows that even a beadle may be susceptible on some points Chapter 24 Treats of a very poor subject. But is a short one; and may be found of some importance in this history Chapter 25 Wherein this history refers to Mr. Fagin and company Chapter 26 In which a mysterious character appears upon the scene; and many things， inseparable from this history， are done and performed Chapter 27 Atones for the unpoliteness of a former chapter; which deserted a lady most unceremoniously Chapter 28 Looks after Oliver， and proceeds with his adventures Chapter 29 Has an introductory account of the inmates of the house to which Oliver resorted Chapter 30 Relates what Olivers new visitors thought of him Chapter 31 Involves a critical position Chapter 32 Of the happy life Oliver began to lead with his kind friends Chapter 33 Wherein the happiness of Oliver and his friends experiences a sudden check Chapter 34 Contains some introductory particulars relative to a young gentleman who now arrives upon the scene; and a new adventure which happened to Oliver Chapter 35 Containing the unsatisfactory result of Olivers adventure; and a conversation of some importance between Harry Maylie and Rose Chapter 36 Is a very short one， and may appear of no great importance in its place. But it should be read， notwithstanding， as a sequel to the last， and a key to one that will follow when its time arrives Chapter 37 In which the reader may perceive a contrast， not uncommon in matrimonial cases Chapter 38 Containing an account of what passed between Mr. and Mrs. Bumble， and Monks， at their nocturnal interview Chapter 39 Introduces some respectable characters with whom the reader is already acquainted， and shows how Monks and the Jew laid their worthy heads together Chapter 40 A strange interview， which is a sequel to the last chapter Chapter 41 Containing fresh discoveries， and showing that surprises， like misfortunes， seldom come alone Chapter 42 An old acquaintance of Olivers， exhibiting decided marks of genius， becomes a public character in the metropolis Chapter 43 Wherein is shown how the Artful Dodger got into trouble Chapter 44 The time arrives for Nancy to redeem her pledge to Rose Maylie. She fails Chapter 45 Noah Claypole is employed by Fagin on a secret mission Chapter 46 The appointment kept Chapter 47 Fatal consequences Chapter 48 The flight of Sikes Chapter 49 Monks and Mr. Browniow at length meet. Their conversation， and the intelligence that interrupt，it Chapter 50 The pursuit and escape Chapter 51 Affording an explanation of more mysteries than one， and comprehending a proposal of marriage， with no word of settlement or pin-money Chapter 52 The Jews last night alive Chapter 53 And last

狄更斯Charles Dickens（1812～1870），1812年生于英国的朴次茅斯。父亲过着没有节制的生活，负债累累。年幼的狄更斯被迫被送进一家皮鞋油店当学徒，饱尝了艰辛。狄更斯16岁时，父亲因债务被关进监狱。从此，他们的生活更为悲惨。工业革命一方面带来了19世纪前期英国大都市的繁荣，另一方面又带来了庶民社会的贫困和对童工的残酷剥削。尖锐的社会矛盾和不公正的社会制度使狄更斯决心改变自己的生活。15岁时，狄更斯在一家律师事务所当抄写员并学习速记，此后，又在报社任新闻记者。在《记事晨报》任记者时，狄更斯开始发表一些具有讽刺和幽默内容的短剧，主要反映伦敦的生活，逐渐有了名气。他了解城市底层人民的生活和风土人情，这些都体现在他热情洋溢的笔端。此后，他在不同的杂志社任编辑、主编和发行人，其间发表了几十部长篇和短篇小说，主要作品有《雾都孤儿》、《圣诞颂歌》、《大卫·科波菲尔》和《远大前程》等。 狄更斯的作品大多取材于与自己的亲身经历或所见所闻相关联的事件。他在书中揭露了济贫院骇人听闻的生活制度，揭开了英国社会底层的可怕秘密，淋漓尽致地描写了社会的黑暗和罪恶。本书起笔便描写了主人公奥利弗生下来便成为孤儿，以及在济贫院度过的悲惨生活。后来，他被迫到殡仪馆做学徒，又因不堪忍受虐待而离家出走。孤身一人来到伦敦后，又落入了窃贼的手中。狄更斯在其作品中大量描写了黑暗的社会现实，对平民阶层寄予了深切的向情，并无情地批判了当时的社会制度。他在小说描写的现实性和人物的个性化方面成绩是突出的。他成为继莎士比亚之后，塑造作品人物数量很多的一个作家。

For many days Oliver remained in the Jews room， picking the marks out of the pocket-handkerchiefs （of which a great number were brought home）， and sometimes taking part in the game already described， which the two boys and the Jew played regularly every morning. At length he began to languish for the fresh air， and took many occasions of earnestly entreating the old gentleman to allow him to go out to work with his two companions. Oliver was rendered the more anxious to be actively employed， by what he had seen of the stern morality of the old gentlemans character. Whenever the Dodger or Charley Bates came home at night empty-handed， he would expatiate with great vehemence on the misery of idle and lazy habits， and would enforce upon them the necessity of an active life by sending them supperless to bed. On one occasion， indeed， he even went so far as to knock them both down a flight of stairs; but this was carrying out his virtuous precepts to an unusual extent. At length one morning Oliver obtained the permission he had so eagerly sought. There had been no handkerchiefs to work upon for two or three days， and the dinners had been rather meagre. Perhaps these were the reasons for the old gentlemans giving his assent; but， whether they were or no， he told Oliver he might go， and placed him under the joint guardianship of Charley Bates and his friend the Dodger. The three boys sallied out; the Dodger with his coatsleeves tucked up， and his hat cocked， as usual; Master Bates sauntering along with his hands in his pockets; and Oliver between them， wondering where they were going， and what branch of manufacture he would be instructed in first.