Oliver twist

by charles dickens (excerpt)

not having a very clearly defined notion of what a live board was, oliver was rather astounded by this intelligence, and was not quite certain whether he ought to laugh or cry. he had no time to think about the matter, however; for mr. bumble gave him a tap on the head, with his cane, to wake him up: and another on the back to make him lively: and bidding him to follow, conducted him into a large white-washed room, where eight or ten fat gentlemen were sitting round a table. at the top of the table, seated in an arm-chair rather higher than the rest, was a particularly fat gentleman with a very round, red face.
. .

"what's your name, boy? " said the gentleman in the high chair.

oliver was frightened at the sight of so many gentlemen, which made him tremble: and the beadle gave him another tap behind, which made him cry. these two causes made him answer in a very low and hesitating voice; whereupon a gentleman in a white waistcoat said he was a fool. which was a capital way of raising his spirits, and putting him quite at his ease.

"boy," said the gentleman in the high chair, "listen to me. you know you're an orphan, i suppose? "

"what's that, sir? " inquired poor oliver.

"the boy is a fool—i thought he was," said the gentleman in the white waistcoat.

. .

the members of this board were very sage, deep, philosophical men; and when they came to turn their attention to the workhouse, they found out at once, what ordinary folks would never have discovered—the poor people liked it! it was a regular place of public entertainment for the poorer classes; a tavern where there was nothing to pay; a public breakfast, dinner, tea, and supper all the year round; a brick and mortar elysium, where it was all play and no work. "oho! " said the board, looking very knowing; "we are the fellows to set this to rights; we'll stop it all, in no time." so, they established the rule, that all poor people should have the alternative (for they would compel nobody, not they), of being starved by a gradual process in the house, or by a quick one out of it."

what tone does the author use in the passage when discussing the board of gentlemen?