oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第25章
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himself。 At length they turned into a very filthy narrow street；
nearly full of old…clothes shops： the dog running forward； as if
conscious that there was no further occasion for his keeping on
guard； stopped before the door of a shop that was closed and
apparently untenanted。 The house was in a ruinous condition； and
on the door was nailed a board； intimating that it was to let； which
looked as if it had hung there for many years。
“All right；” cried Sikes； glancing cautiously about。
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Nancy stooped below the shutters； and Oliver heard the sound
of a bell。 They crossed to the opposite side of the street and stood
for a few moments under a lamp。 A noise； as if a sash…window
were gently raised； was heard； and soon afterwards the door softly
opened。 Mr。 Sikes then seized the terrified boy by the collar with
very little ceremony； and all three were quickly inside the house。
The passage was perfectly dark。 They waited； while the person
who had let him in chained and barred the door。
“Anybody here？” inquired Sikes。
“No；” replied a voice； which Oliver thought he had heard
before。
“Is the old ’un here？” asked the robber。
“Yes；” replied the voice； “and precious down in the mouth he
has been。 Won’t he be glad to see you？ Oh； no！” The style of this
reply； as well as the voice which delivered it； seemed familiar to
Oliver’s ears； but it was impossible to distinguish even the form of
the speaker in the darkness。
“Let’s have a glim；” said Sikes； “or we shall go breaking our
necks； or treading on the dog。 Look after your legs if you do！
That’s all。”
“Stand still a moment； and I’ll get you one；” replied the voice
The receding footsteps of the speaker were heard； and； in another
minute； the form of Mr。 John Dawkins； otherwise the Artful
Dodger； appeared。 He bore in his right hand a tallow candle stuck
in the end of a cleft stick。
The young gentleman did not stop to bestow any other mark of
recognition upon Oliver than a humorous grin； but； turning away；
beckoned the visitors to follow him down a flight of stairs。 They
crossed an empty kitchen； and； opening the door of a low； earthy…
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smelling room； which seemed to have been built in a small backyard were received with a shout of laughter。
“Oh； my wig； my wig！” cried Master Charles Bates from whose
lungs the laughter had proceeded； “here he is！ oh cry； here he is！
Oh； Fagin； look at him！ Fagin do look at him！ I can’t bear it； it is
such a jolly game； I can’t bear it。 Hold me； somebody； while I laugh
it out。”
With this irrepressible ebullition of mirth； Master Bates laid
himself flat on the floor； and kicked convulsively for five minutes；
in an ecstasy of facetious joy。 Then jumping to his feet； he
snatched the cleft stick from the Dodger； and； advancing to Oliver；
viewed him round and round； while the Jew； taking off his nightcap； made a great number of low bows to the bewildered boy。 The
Artful； meantime； who was of a rather saturnine disposition； and
seldom gave way to merriment when it interfered with business；
rifled Oliver’s pockets with steady assiduity。
“Look at his togs； Fagin！” said Charley； putting the light so
close to his new jacket as nearly to set him on fire。 “Look at his
togs！ Superfine cloth； and the heavy swell cut！ Oh； my eye； what a
game！ And his books； too！ Nothing but a gentleman； Fagin！”
“Delighted to see you looking so well； my dear；” said the Jew；
bowing with mock humility。 “The Artful shall give you another
suit； my dear； for fear you should spoil that Sunday one。 Why；
didn’t you write； my dear； and say you were coming。 We’d have got
something warm for supper。”
At this； Master Bates roared again； so loud； that Fagin himself
relaxed； and even the Dodger smiled； but as the Artful drew forth
the five…pound note at that instant； it is doubtful whether the sally
or the discovery awakened his merriment。
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“Hallo！ What’s this？” inquired Sikes； stepping forward as the
Jew seized the note。 “That’s mine； Fagin。”
“No； no； my dear；” said the Jew。 “Mine； Bill； mine。 You shall
have the books。”
“If that ain’t mine！” said Bill Sikes； putting on his hat with a
determined air； “mine and Nancy’s； that is； I’ll take the boy back
again。”
The Jew started。 Oliver started too； though from a very
different cause； for he hoped that the dispute might really end in
his being taken back。
“Come！ Hand over； will you？” said Sikes。
“This is hardly fair； Bill； hardly fair； is it； Nancy？” inquired the
Jew。
“Fair； or not fair；” retorted Sikes； “hand over； I tell you！ Do you
think Nancy and me has got nothing else to do with our precious
time but to spend it in scouting arter； and kidnapping； every
young boy as gets grabbed through you？ Give it here； you
avaricious old skeleton； give it here！”
With this gentle remonstrance； Mr。 Sikes plucked the note from
between the Jew’s finger and thumb； and looking the old man
coolly in the face； folded it up small； and tied it in his neckerchief。
“That’s for our share of the trouble；” said Sikes； “and not half
enough； neither。 You may keep the books； if you’re fond of
reading。 If you ain’t； sell ’em。”
“They’re very pretty；” said Charley Bates； who； with sundry
grimaces； had been affecting to read one of the volumes in
question； “beautiful writing； isn’t it； Oliver？” At sight of the
dismayed look with which Oliver regarded his tormentors； Master
Bates； who was blessed with a lively sense of the ludicrous； fell
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into another ecstasy； more boisterous than the first。
“They belong to the old gentleman；” said Oliver； wringing his
hands； “to the good； kind old gentleman who took me into his
house； and had me nursed； when I was near dying of the fever。 Oh；
pray send them back； send him back the books and money。 Keep
me here all my life long； but pray； pray send them back。 He’ll
think I stole them； the old lady—all of them who were so kind to
me—will think I stole them。 Oh； do have mercy upon me； and send
them back！”
With those words； which were uttered with all the energy of
passionate grief； Oliver fell upon his knees at the Jews feet； and
beat his hands together； in perfect desperation。
“The boy’s right；” remarked Fagin； looking covertly round； and
knitting his shaggy eyebrows into a hard knot。 “You’re right；
Oliver； you’re right； they will think you have stolen ’em。 Ha！ ha！”
chuckled the Jew； rubbing his hands； “it couldn’t have happened
better； if we had chosen our time！”
“Of course it couldn’t；” replied Sikes； “I know’d that； directly I
see him coming through Clerkenwell； with the books under his
arm。 It’s all right enough。 They’re soft…hearted psalm…singers； or
they wouldn’t have taken him in at all； and they’ll ask no questions
after him； fear they should be obliged to prosecute； and so get him
lagged。 He’s safe enough。”
Oliver had looked from one to the other； while these words
were being spoken； as if he were bewildered； and could scarcely
understand what passed； but when Bill Sikes concluded； he
jumped suddenly to his feet； and tore wildly from the room；
uttering shrieks for help； which made the bare old house echo to
the roof。
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“Keep back the dog； Bill！” cried Nancy； springing before the
door； and closing it as the Jew and his two pupils darted out in
pursuit。 “Keep back the dog； he’ll tear the boy to pieces。”
“Serve him right！” cried Sikes； struggling to disengage himself
from the girl’s grasp。 “Stand off from me； or I’ll split your head
against the wall。”
“I don’t care for that； Bill； I don’t care for that；” screamed the
girl； struggling violently with the man； “the child shan’t be torn
down by the dog； unless you kill me first。”
“Shan’t he！” said Sikes； setting his teeth。 “I’ll soon do that if you
don’t keep off。”
The housekeeper flung the girl from him to the farther end of
the room； just as the Jew and the two boys returned； dragging
Oliver among them。
“What’s the matter here！” said Fagin； looking round。
“The girl’s gone mad I think；” replied Sikes savagely。
“No； she hasn’t；” said Nancy； pale and breathless from the
scuffle； “no； she hasn’t； Fagin； don’t think it。”
“Then keep quiet； will you？” said the Jew； with a threatening
look。
“No； I won’t do that； neither；” replied Nancy； speaking very
loud。 “Come！ What do you think of that？”
Mr。 Fagin was sufficiently well acquainted with the manners
and customs of that particular species of humanity to which Nancy
belonged； to feel tolerably certain that it would be rather unsafe to
prolong any conversation with her； at present。 With the view of
diverting the attention of the company； he turned to Oliver。
“So you wanted to get away； my dear； did you？” said the Jew；
taking up a jagged and knotted club which lay in a corner of the
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fireplace； “eh？”
Oliver made no reply。 But he watched the Jew’s motions； and
breathed quickly。
“Wanted to get assistance； called for the police； did you？”
sneered the Jew； catching the boy by the arm。 “We’ll cure you of
that； my young master。”
The Jew inflicted a smart blow on Oliver’s shoulders with the
club； and was raising it for a second； when the girl； rushing
forward； wrested it from his hand。 She flung it into the fire； with a
force that brought some of the glowing coal whirling out into the
room。
“I won’t stand by and see it done； Fagin；” cried the girl。 “You’ve
got the boy； and what more would you have？—Let him be—let
him be—or I shall put that mark on some of you； that will bring me
to the gallows before my time。”
The girl stamped her foot violently on the floor as she vented
this threat； and with her lips compressed； and her hands clenched；
looked alternately at the Jew and the other robber： her face quite
colourless from the passion of rage into which she had gradually
worked herself。
“Why； Nancy！” said the Jew； in a soothing tone； after a pause；
during which he and Mr。 Sikes had stared at one another in a
disconcerted manner； “you—you’re more clever than ever tonight。
Ha！ ha！ my dear； you are acting beautifully。”
“Am I！” said the girl。 “Take care I don’t overdo it。 You will be
the worse for it； Fagin； if I do； and so I tell you in good time to
keep clear of me。”
There is something about a roused woman； especially if she add
to all her other strong passions； the fierce impulses of recklessness
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and despair； which few men like to provoke。 The Jew saw that it
would be hopeless to affect any further mistake regarding the
reality of Miss Nancy
