oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第24章

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ill　and　confined　to　the　crib；　and—”　

“Ah；　Nancy　dear！”　said　Fagin；　looking　up。　

Now；　whether　a　peculiar　contraction　of　the　Jew’s　red　eyebrows；　
and　a　half…closing　of　his　deeply…set　eyes；—warned　Miss　Nancy　that　
she　was　disposed　to　be　too　communicative；　is　not　a　matter　of　much　
importance。　The　fact　is　all　we　need　care　for　here；　and　the　fact　is；　
that　she　suddenly　checked　herself；　and　with　several　gracious　
smiles　upon　Mr；　Sikes；　turned　the　conversation　to　other　matters。　
In　about　ten　minutes’　time；　Mr。　Fagin　was　seized　with　a　fit　of　
coughing；　upon　which　Nancy　pulled　her　shawl　over　her　shoulders；　

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and　declared　it　was　time　to　go。　Mr。　Sikes；　finding　that　he　was　
walking　a　short　part　of　her　way　himself；　expressed　his　intention　of　
accompanying　her；　and　they　went　away　together；　followed；　at　a　
little　distance；　by　the　dog；　who　slunk　out　of　a　back…yard　as　soon　as　
his　master　was　out　of　sight。　

The　Jew　thrust　his　head　out　of　the　room　door　when　Sikes　had　
left　it；　looked　after　him　as　he　walked　up　the　dark　passage；　shook　
his　clenched　fist；　muttered　a　deep　curse；　and　then；　with　a　horrible　
grin；　reseated　himself　at　the　table；　where　he　was　soon　deeply　
absorbed　in　the　interesting　pages　of　the　Hue…and…Cry。　

Meanwhile；　Oliver　Twist；　little　dreaming　that　he　was　within　so　
very　short　a　distance　of　the　merry　old　gentleman；　was　on　his　way　
to　the　bookstall。　When　he　got　into　Clerkenwell；　he　accidentally　
turned　down　a　by…street　which　was　not　exactly　in　his　way：　but　not　
discovering　his　mistake　until　he　had　got　half…way　down　it；　and　
knowing　it　must　lead　in　the　right　direction；　he　did　not　think　it　
worth　while　to　turn　back；　and　so　marched　on；　as　quickly　as　he　
could；　with　the　books　under　his　arm。　

He　was　walking　along；　thinking　how　happy　and　contented　he　
ought　to　feel；　and　how　much　he　would　give　for　only　one　look　at　
poor　little　Dick；　who；　starved　and　beaten；　might　be　weeping　
bitterly　at　that　very　moment；　when　he　was　startled　by　a　young　
woman　screaming　out　very　loud；　“Oh；　my　dear　brother！”　And　he　
had　hardly　looked　up　to　see　what　the　matter　was；　when　he　was　
stopped　by　having　a　pair　of　arms　thrown　right　round　his　neck。　

“Don’t；”　cried　Oliver；　struggling。　“Let　go　of　me。　Who　is　it？　What　
are　you　stopping　me　for？”　

The　only　reply　to　this；　was　a　great　number　of　loud　lamentations　
from　the　young　woman　who　had　embraced　him；　and　who　had　a　

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little　basket　and　a　street　door　key　in　her　hand。　

“Oh；　my　gracious！”　said　the　young　woman。　“I’ve　found　him！　Oh！　
Oliver！　Oliver！　Oh；　you　naughty　boy；　to　make　me　suffer　such　
distress　on　your　account！　Come　home；　dear；　come。　Oh；　I’ve　found　
him。　Thank　gracious　goodness　heavins；　I’ve　found　him！”　With　
these　incoherent　exclamations；　the　young　woman　burst　into　
another　fit　of　crying；　and　got　so　dreadfully　hysterical；　that　a　couple　
of　women　who　came　up　at　the　moment　asked　a　butcher’s　boy　with　
a　shiny　head　of　hair　anointed　with　suet；　who　was　also　looking　on；　
whether　he　didn’t　think　he　had　better　run　for　the　doctor。　To　
which；　the　butcher’s　boy；　who　appeared　of　a　lounging；　not　to　say　
indolent　disposition；　replied　that　he　thought　not。　

“Oh；　no；　no；　never　mind；”　said　the　young　woman；　grasping　
Oliver’s　hand；　“I’m　better　now。　Come　home　directly；　you　cruel　
boy！　Come！”　

“What’s　the　matter；　ma’am？”　inquired　one　of　the　women。　

“Oh；　ma’am；”　replied　the　young　woman；　“he　ran　away；　near　a　
month　ago；　from　his　parents；　who　are　hard…working　and　
respectable　people；　and　went　and　joined　a　set　of　thieves　and　bad　
characters；　and　almost　broke　his　mother’s　heart。”　

“Young　wretch！”　said　the　woman。　

“Go　home；　do；　you　little　brute；”　said　the　other。　

“I’m　not；”　replied　Oliver；　greatly　alarmed。　“I　don’t　know　her。　I　
haven’t　any　sister；　or　father　and　mother　either。　I’m　an　orphan；　I　
live　at　Pentonville。”　

“Only　hear　him；　how　he　braves　it　out！”　cried　the　young　woman。　

“Why；　it’s　Nancy！”　exclaimed　Oliver；　who　now　saw　her　face　for　
the　first　time；　and　started　back；　in　irrepressible　astonishment。　

“You　see　he　knows　me！”　cried　Nancy；　appealing　to　the　

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bystanders。　“He　can’t　help　himself。　Make　him　come　home；　there’s　
good　people；　or　he’ll　kill　his　dear　mother　and　father；　and　break　my　
heart！”　

“What　the　devil’s　this？”　said　a　man；　bursting　out　of　a　beer…shop；　
with　a　white　dog　at　his　heels；　“young　Oliver！　Come　home　to　your　
poor　mother；　you　young　dog！　Come　home　directly。”　

“I　don’t　belong　to　them。　I　don’t　know　them。　Help！　help！”　cried　
Oliver；　struggling　in　the　man’s　powerful　grasp。　

“Help！”　repeated　the　man。　“Yes；　I’ll　help　you；　you　young　rascal！　
What　books　are　these？　You’ve　been　a…stealin’　’em；　have　you？　Give　
’em　here。”　With　these　words；　the　man　tore　the　volumes　from　his　
grasp；　and　struck　him　on　the　head。　

“That’s　right！”　cried　a　looker…on；　from　a　garret　window。　“That’s　
the　only　way　of　bringing　him　to　his　senses！”　

“To　be　sure！”　cried　a　sleepy…faced　carpenter；　casting　an　
approving　look　at　the　garret　window。　

“It’ll　do　him　good！”　said　the　two　women。　

“And　he　shall　have　it；　too！”　rejoined　the　man；　administering　
another　blow；　and　seizing　Oliver　by　the　collar。　“Come　on；　you　
young　villain！　Here；　Bull’s…eye；　mind　him；　boy！　Mind　him！”　

Weak　with　recent　illness；　stupefied　by　the　blows　and　the　
suddenness　of　the　attack；　terrified　by　the　fierce　growling　of　the　
dog；　and　the　brutality　of　the　man；　overpowered　by　the　conviction　
of　the　bystanders　that　he　really　was　the　hardened　little　wretch　he　
was　described　to　be；　what　could　one　poor　child　do！　Darkness　had　
set　in；　it　was　a　low　neighbourhood；　no　help　was　near；　resistance　
was　useless。　In　another　moment；　he　was　dragged　into　a　labyrinth　
of　dark；　narrow　courts；　and　was　forced　along　them　at　a　pace　which　
rendered　the　few　cries　he　dared　to　give　utterance　to；　wholly　

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unintelligible。　It　was　of　little　moment；　indeed；　whether　they　were　
intelligible　or　no；　for　there　was　nobody　to　care　for　them；　had　they　
been　ever　so　plain。　

*****　

The　gas…lamps　were　lighted；　Mrs。　Bedwin　was　waiting　
anxiously　at　the　open　door；—the　servant　had　run　up　the　street　
twenty　times　to　see　if　there　were　any　traces　of　Oliver；　and　still　the　
two　old　gentlemen　sat；　perseveringly；　in　the　dark　parlour；　with　the　
watch　between　them。　

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Chapter　16　

Relates　What　Became　Of　Oliver　Twist；　After　He　Had
Been　Claimed　By　Nancy。


The　narrow　streets　and　courts；　at　length；　terminated　in　a　
large　open　space；　scattered　about　which；　were　pens　for　
beasts；　and　other　indications　of　a　cattle…market。　Sikes　
slackened　his　pace　when　they　reached　this　spot；　the　girl　being　
quite　unable　to　support　any　longer　the　rapid　rate　at　which　they　
had　hitherto　walked。　Turning　to　Oliver；　he　roughly　commanded　
him　to　take　hold　of　Nancy’s　hand。　

“Do　you　hear？”　growled　Sikes；　as　Oliver　hesitated；　and　looked　
round。　

They　were　in　a　dark　corner；　quite　out　of　the　track　of　passengers。　
Oliver　saw；　but　too　plainly；　that　resistance　would　be　of　no　avail。　He　
held　out　his　hand；　which　Nancy　clasped　tight　in　hers。　

“Give　me　the　other；”　said　Sikes；　seizing　Oliver’s　unoccupied　
hand。　“Here；　Bull’s…Eye！”　

The　dog　looked　up；　and　growled。　

“See　here；　boy！”　said　Sikes；　putting　his　other　hand　to　Oliver’s　
throat；　“if　he　speaks　ever　so　soft　a　word；　hold　him！　D’ye　mind！”　

The　dog　growled　again；　and　licking　his　lips；　eyed　Oliver　as　if　he　
were　anxious　to　attach　himself　to　his　windpipe　without　delay。　

“He’s　as　willing　as　a　Christian；　strike　me　blind　if　he　isn’t！”　said　
Sikes；　regarding　the　animal　with　a　kind　of　grim　and　ferocious　
approval。　“Now；　you　know　what　you’ve　got　to　expect；　master；　so　
call　away　as　quick　as　you　like；　the　dog　will　soon　stop　that　game。　

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Get　on；　young　’un！”　

Bull’s…eye　wagged　his　tail　in　acknowledgement　of　this　unusually　
endearing　form　of　speech；　and；　giving　vent　to　another　admonitory　
growl　for　the　benefit　of　Oliver；　led　the　way　onward。　

It　was　Smithfield　that　they　were　crossing；　although　it　might　
have　been　Grosvenor　Square；　for　anything　Oliver　knew　to　the　
contrary。　The　night　was　dark　and　foggy。　The　lights　in　the　shops　
could　scarcely　struggle　through　the　heavy　mist；　which　thickened　
every　moment　and　shrouded　the　streets　and　houses　in　gloom；　
rendering　the　strange　place　still　stranger　in　Oliver’s　eyes；　and　
making　his　uncertainty　the　more　dismal　and　depressing。　

They　had　hurried　on　a　few　paces；　when　a　deep　church…bell　
struck　the　hour。　With　its　first　stroke；　his　two　conductors　stopped；　
and　turned　their　heads　in　the　direction　whence　the　sound　
proceeded。　

“Eight　o’clock；　Bill；”　said　Nancy；　when　the　bell　ceased。　

“What’s　the　good　of　telling　me　that；　I　can　hear　it；　can’t　I！”　
replied　Sikes。　

“I　wonder　whether　they　can　hear　it；”　said　Nancy。　

“Of　course　they　can；”　replied　Sikes。　“It　was　Bartlemy　time　
when　I　was　shopped；　and　there　warn’t　a　penny　trumpet　in　the　fair；　
as　I　couldn’t　hear　the　squeaking　on。　Arter　I　was　locked　up　for　the　
night；　the　row　and　din　outside　made　the　thundering　old　jail　so　
silent；　that　I　could　almost　have　beat　my　brains　out　against　the　iron　
plates　of　the　door。”　

“Poor　fellows！”　said　Nancy；　who　still　had　her　face　turned　
towards　the　quarter　in　which　the　bell　had　sounded。　“Oh；　Bill；　such　
fine　young　chaps　as　them！”　

“Yes；　that’s　all　you　women　think　of；”　answered　Sikes。　“Fine　

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young　chaps！　Well；　they’re　as　good　as　dead；　so　it　don’t　matter　
much。”　

With　this　consolation；　Mr。　Sikes　appeared　to　repress　a　rising　
tendency　to　jealousy？　and；　clasping　Oliver’s　wrist　more　firmly；　told　
him　to　step　out　again。　

“Wait　a　minute！”　said　the　girl；　“I　wouldn’t　hurry　by；　if　it　was　
you　that　was　coming　out　to　be　hung；　the　next　time　eight　o’clock　
struck；　Bill。　I’d　walk　round　and　round　the　place　till　I　dropped；　if　
the　snow　was　on　the　ground；　and　I　haven’t　a　shawl　to　cover　me。”　

“And　what　good　would　that　do？”　inquired　the　unsentimental　
Mr。　Sikes。　“Unless　you　could　pitch　over　a　file　and　twenty　yards　of　
good　stout　rope；　you　might　as　well　be　walking　fifty　mile　off；　or　not　
walking　at　all；　for　all　the　good　it　would　do　me。　Come　on；　and　don’t　
stand　preaching　there。”　

The　girl　burst　into　a　laugh；　drew　her　shawl　more　closely　round　
her；　and　they　walked　away。　But　Oliver　felt　her　hand　tremble；　and；　
looking　up　in　her　face　as　they　passed　a　gas　lamp　saw　that　it　had　
turned　a　deadly　white。　

They　walked　on；　by　little　frequented　and　dirty　ways；　for　a　full　
half…hour；　meeting　very　few　people；　and　those　appearing　from　
their　looks　to　hold　much　the　same　position　in　society　as　Mr。　Sikes　
himself。　At　length　they　turned　into　a　very　filthy　narrow　street；　
nearly　full　of　old…clothes　shops：　the　dog　running　forward；　as　if　
conscious