As  Sowerberry began to measuer the body for a coffin, the man knelt on the floor and cried out, 'She atarved to death, I tell you! That's why she died!' He fell to the floor, and all the children behind him started to cry. Sowerberry and Oliver, their work done, left as fast as the could.

 

They returned the next day with the coffin and four men from the workhouse who were to carry it, The man and the old woman followed the coffin to the church,and waited silently by the grave for the priest to arrive. When at last he came , he hurried through the burial prayers , and as quickly as possible(it was only a job, after all) the coffin was put intothe ground . At this point the husband, who had not moved once during his wife's burial - not even during the long wait for the priest--suddenly fainted to the ground and had to have cold water thrown over him.

 

'So how ede you like it , Oliver?' asked Sowerberry later, as they walked home.

 

'Not very mrch, sir,' Oliver answered trrthfrlly.

 

'You'll get rsed to it , my boy.'

 

Oliver wondered how long that would take, and remained silent all way back to the shop, thinking about everything that he seenand heard.