Mr Brownlow is introduced when the
Artful Dodger and his companion
Charley Bates pick his pocket and
Oliver Twist is arrested simply for "looking guilty". However, Brownlow soon begins to doubt the boy's guilt because his face resembled that of someone he could not recall. Later, in court, the bookstall keeper proves Oliver's innocence, and after dealing with the extremely agitated magistrate, Mr Fang, Brownlow takes him home, fearing the boy is very ill, which he is. He calls on a doctor, who, after making frequent incorrect guesses about Oliver's condition, simply concludes the boy is recovering from a fever. Brownlow's housekeeper, Mrs Bedwin, is a kind old lady who immediately takes to Oliver upon his arrival. Brownlow is then struck by Oliver's resemblance to the picture of a beautiful lady on the wall (it turns out to be the picture of Agnes Fleming, Oliver's deceased mother). Later, when Grimwig, an old friend of Brownlow's, evaluates the boy and his condition, a boy arrives from the book shop but fails to take some other books that needed to be returned. Oliver volunteers to return them and takes off, much to the chagrin and doubt of Mr Grimwig, who is revealed to be cynical in nature, expecting the boy to return to his old life among the lower class and promises to "eat his head" should the boy return in 10 minutes. A watch is set down and the waiting begins. Later, after Oliver is captured by
Nancy and
Bill Sikes, it is revealed that much later, close to midnight, the two men are still waiting in the dark. The next mention of Brownlow occurs when Mr Bumble rears him after he sees a notice in a newspaper that offers five guineas for any knowledge about Oliver's past or whereabouts; it was a sticky encounter. Mr Bumble at once tells Brownlow that Oliver was born from deplorable lineage and, ever since birth, Oliver has done nothing but display ingratitude and malice. He also mentions Oliver had attacked another boy without provocation and shows Brownlow reports to prove it. Brownlow does not want to believe it at first, but gradually comes to conclusion that Oliver had been playing him for a fool and requests Oliver's name should not be invoked in his household ever again. His housekeeper Mrs Bedwin, however, feels that Oliver was truly a good child and not a criminal. When Oliver is taken in by the Maylies and asks the kind Dr Losberne to take him to Brownlow's home in London only to find the house is "FOR LEASE". The only clue to his whereabouts are from his neighbours mentioning the West Indies, saying he was looking for someone. When Mr Brownlow returns to London, Oliver by chance spots him and can clear his name. Mr Brownlow is very happy about that and takes Oliver in once again, taking part in Nancy's plot to save Oliver from Fagin. At the end of the book, Brownlow officially adopts Oliver as his son. ==Sources==