oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第72章

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pat　him　on　the　shoulder。　“It　does　me　good　to　hear　you。”　

“Does　you　good；　does　it！”　cried　Sikes。　“Well；　so　be　it。”　

“Ha！　ha！　ha！”　laughed　Fagin；　as　if　he　were　relieved　by　even　this　
concession。　“You’re　like　yourself　tonight；　Bill！　Quite　like　yourself。”　

“I　don’t　feel　like　myself　when　you　lay　that　withered　old　claw　on　
my　shoulder；　so　take　it　away；”　said　Sikes；　casting　off　the　Jew’s　
hand。　

“It　makes　you　nervous；　Bill—reminds　you　of　being　nabbed；　
does　it？”　said　Fagin；　determined　not　to　be　offended。　

“Reminds　me　of　being　nabbed　by　the　devil；”　returned　Sikes。　
“There　never　was　another　man　with　such　a　face　as　yours；　unless　it　
was　your　father；　and　I　suppose　he　is　singeing　his　grizzled　red　
beard　by　this　time；　unless　you　came　straight　from　the　old　un　
without　any　father　at　all　betwixt　you；　which　I　shouldn’t　wonder　at；　
a　bit。”　

Fagin　offered　no　reply　to　this　compliment；　but；　pulling　Sikes　by　
the　sleeve；　pointed　his　finger　towards　Nancy；　who　had　taken　
advantage　of　the　foregoing　conversation　to　put　on　her　bonnet；　and　
was　now　leaving　the　room。　

“Hallo！”　cried　Sikes。　“Nance。　Where’s　the　gal　going　to　at　this　
time　of　night？”　

“Not　far。”　

“What　answer’s　that？”　returned　Sikes。　“Where　are　you　going？”　

“I　say；　not　far。”　

“And　I　say　where？”　retorted　Sikes。　“Do　you　hear　me？”　

“I　don’t　know　where；”　replied　the　girl。　

“Then　I　do；”　said　Sikes；　more　in　the　spirit　of　obstinacy　than　
because　he　had　any　real　objection　to　the　girl　going　where　she　
listed。　“Nowhere。　Sit　down。”　

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“I’m　not　well。　I　told　you　that　before；”　rejoined　the　girl。　“I　want　a　
breath　of　air。”　

“Put　your　head　out　of　the　winder；”　replied　Sikes。　

“There’s　not　enough　there；”　said　the　girl。　“I　want　it　in　the　
street。”　

“Then　you　won’t　have　it；”　replied　Sikes。　With　which　assurance　
he　rose；　locked　the　door；　took　the　key　out；　and　pulling　her　bonnet　
from　her　head；　flung　it　up　to　the　top　of　an　old　press。　“There；”　said　
the　robber。　“Now　stop　quietly　where　you　are；　will　you？”　

“It’s　not　such　a　matter　as　a　bonnet　would　keep　me；”　said　the　
girl；　turning　very　pale。　“What　do　you　mean；　Bill？　Do　you　know　
what　you’re　doing？”　

“Know　what　I’m—Oh！”　cried　Sikes；　turning　to　Fagin；　“she’s　out　
of　her　senses；　you　know；　or　she　daren’t　talk　to　me　in　that　way。”　

“You’ll　drive　me　on　to　something　desperate；”　muttered　the　girl；　
placing　both　hands　upon　her　breast；　as　though　to　keep　down　by　
force　some　violent　outbreak。　“Let　me　go；　will　you—this　minute—　
this　instant。”　

“No！”　said　Sikes。　

“Tell　him　to　let　me　go；　Fagin。　He　had　better。　It’ll　be　better　for　
him。　Do　you　hear　me？”　cried　Nancy；　stamping　her　foot　upon　the　
ground。　

“Hear　you！”　repeated　Sikes；　turning　round　in　his　chair　to　
confront　her。　“Aye！　And　if　I　hear　you　for　half　a　minute　longer；　the　
dog　shall　have　such　a　grip　on　your　throat　as’ll　tear　some　of　that　
screaming　voice　out。　Wot　has　come　over　you；　you　jade！　Wot　is　it？”　

“Let　me　go；”　said　the　girl；　with　great　earnestness；　then　sitting　
herself　down　on　the　floor；　before　the　door；　she　said；　“Bill；　let　me　
go；　you　don’t　know　what　you　are　doing。　You　don’t；　indeed。　For　

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only　one　hour—do—do！”　

“Cut　my　limbs　off　one　by　one！”　cried　Sikes；　seizing　her　roughly　
by　the　arm；　“if　I　don’t　think　the　gal’s　stark　raving　mad。　Get　up。”　

“Not　till　you　let　me　go—not　till　you　let　me　go；　never—never！”　
screamed　the　girl。　Sikes　looked　on；　for　a　minute；　watching　his　
opportunity；　and　suddenly　pinioning　her　hands　dragged　her；　
struggling　and　wrestling　with　him　by　the　way；　into　a　small　room　
adjoining；　where　he　sat　himself　on　a　bench；　and　thrusting　her　into　
a　chair；　held　her　down　by　force。　She　struggled　and　implored　by　
turns　until　twelve　o’clock　had　struck；　and　then；　wearied　and　
exhausted；　ceased　to　contest　the　point　any　further。　

With　a　caution；　backed　by　many　oaths；　to　make　no　more　efforts　
to　go　out　that　night；　Sikes　left　her　to　recover　at　leisure　and　
rejoined　Fagin。　

“Whew！”　said　the　housebreaker；　wiping　the　perspiration　from　
his　face。　“Wot　a　precious　strange　gal　that　is！”　

“You　may　say　that；　Bill；”　replied　Fagin　thoughtfully。　“You　may　
say　that。”　

“Wot　did　she　take　it　into　her　head　to　go　out　tonight　for；　do　you　
think？”　asked　Sikes。　“Come：　you　should　know　her　better　than　me。　
Wot　does　it　mean？”　

“Obstinacy；　woman’s　obstinacy；　I　suppose；　my　dear。”　

“Well；　I　suppose　it　is；”　growled　Sikes。　“I　thought　I　had　tamed　
her；　but　she’s　as　bad　as　ever。”　

“Worse；”　said　Fagin　thoughtfully。　“I　never　knew　her　like　this；　
for　such　a　little　cause。”　

“Nor　I；”　said　Sikes。　“I　think　she’s　got　a　touch　of　that　fever　in　her　
blood　yet；　and　it　won’t　come　out—eh？”　

“Like　enough。”　

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“I’ll　let　her　a　little　blood；　without　troubling　the　doctor；　if　she’s　
took　that　way　again；”　said　Sikes。　

Fagin　nodded　an　expressive　approval　of　this　mode　of　treatment。　

“She　was　hanging　about　me　all　day；　and　night　too；　when　I　was　
stretched　on　my　back；　and　you；　like　a　black…hearted　wolf　as　you　
are；　kept　yourself　aloof；”　said　Sikes。　“We　was　very　poor　too；　all　the　
time；　and　I　think；　one　way　or　other；　it’s　worried　and　fretted　her；　
and　that　being　shut　up　here　so　long　has　made　her　restless—eh？”　

“That’s　it；　my　dear；”　replied　the　Jew；　in　a　whisper。　“Hush！”　

As　he　uttered　these　words；　the　girl　herself　appeared　and　
resumed　her　former　seat。　Her　eyes　were　swollen　and　red；　she　
rocked　herself　to　and　fro；　tossed　her　head；　and；　after　a　little　time；　
burst　out　laughing。　

“Why；　now　she’s　on　the　other　tack！”　exclaimed　Sikes；　turning　a　
look　of　excessive　surprise　on　his　companion。　

Fagin　nodded　to　him　to　take　no　further　notice　just　then；　and；　in　
a　few　minutes；　the　girl　subsided　into　her　accustomed　demeanour。　
Whispering　Sikes　that　there　was　no　fear　of　her　relapsing；　Fagin　
took　up　his　hat　and　bade　him　good…night。　He　paused　when　he　
reached　the　room　door；　and　looking　round；　asked　if　somebody　
would　light　him　down　the　dark　stairs。　

“Light　him　down；”　said　Sikes；　who　was　filling　his　pipe。　“It’s　a　
pity　he　should　break　his　neck　himself；　and　disappoint　the　sightseers。　Show　him　a　light。”　

Nancy　followed　the　old　man　downstairs；　with　a　candle。　When　
they　reached　the　passage；　he　laid　his　finger　on　his　lips；　and　
drawing　close　to　the　girl；　said；　in　a　whisper：　

“What　is　it；　Nancy；　dear？”　

“What　do　you　mean？”　replied　the　girl；　in　the　same　tone。　

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“The　reason　of　all　this；”　replied　Fagin。　“If　he”—he　pointed　with　
his　skinny　forefinger　up　the　stairs—“is　so　hard　with　you　（he’s　a　
brute；　Nance；　a　brute…beast）；　why　don’t　you—”　

“Well？”　said　the　girl；　as　Fagin　paused；　with　his　mouth　almost　
touching　her　ear；　and　his　eyes　looking　into　hers。　

“No　matter　just　now；”　said　Fagin。　“We’ll　talk　of　this　again。　You　
have　a　friend　in　me；　Nance；　a　staunch　friend。　I　have　the　means　at　
hand；　quiet　and　close。　If　you　want　revenge　on　those　that　treat　you　
like　a　dog—like　a　dog！　worse　than　his　dog；　for　he　humours　him　
sometimes—come　to　me。　I　say；　come　to　me。　He　is　the　mere　hound　
of　a　day；　but　you　know　me　of　old；　Nance。”　

“I　know　you　well；”　replied　the　girl；　without　manifesting　the　
least　emotion。　“Good…night。”　

She　shrank　back；　as　Fagin　offered　to　lay　his　hand　on　hers；　but　
said　good…night　again；　in　a　steady　voice；　and；　answering　his　
parting　look　with　a　nod　of　intelligence；　closed　the　door　between　
them。　

Fagin　walked　towards　his　own　home；　intent　upon　the　thoughts　
that　were　working　within　his　brain。　He　had　conceived　the　idea—　
not　from　what　had　just　passed；　though　that　had　tended　to　confirm　
him；　but　slowly　and　by　degrees—that　Nancy；　wearied　of　the　
housebreaker’s　brutality；　had　conceived　an　attachment　for　some　
new　friend。　Her　altered　manner；　her　repeated　absences　from　
home　alone；　her　comparative　indifference　to　the　interests　of　the　
gang　for　which　she　had　once　been　so　zealous；　and；　added　to　these；　
her　desperate　impatience　to　leave　home　that　night　at　a　particular　
hour；　all　favoured　the　supposition；　and　rendered　it；　to　him　at　least；　
almost　matter　of　certainty。　The　object　of　this　new　liking　was　not　
among　his　myrmidons。　He　would　be　a　valuable　acquisition　with　

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such　an　assistant　as　Nancy；　and　must　（thus　Fagin　argued）　be　
secured　without　delay。　

There　was　another；　and　a　darker；　object　to　be　gained。　Sikes　
knew　too　much；　and　his　ruffian　taunts　had　not　galled　Fagin　the　
less；　because　the　wounds　were　hidden。　The　girl　must　know；　well；　
that　if　she　shook　him　off；　she　could　never　be　safe　from　his　fury；　
and　that　it　would　be　surely　wreaked—to　the　maiming　of　limbs；　or　
perhaps　the　loss　of　life—on　the　object　of　her　more　recent　fancy。　
“With　a　little　persuasion；”　thought　Fagin；　“what　more　likely　than　
that　she　would　consent　to　poison　him？　Women　have　done　such　
things；　and　worse；　to　secure　the　same　object　before　now。　There　
would　be　the　dangerous　villain—the　man　I　hate—gone；　another　
secured　in　his　place；　and　my　influence　over　the　girl；　with　a　
knowledge　of　this　crime　to　back　it；　unlimited。”　

These　things　passed　through　the　mind　of　Fagin；　during　the　
short　time　he　sat　alone；　in　the　housebreaker’s　room；　and　with　
them　uppermost　in　his　thoughts；　he　had　taken　the　opportunity　
afterwards　afforded　him；　of　sounding　the　girl　in　the　broken　hints　
he　threw　out　at　parting。　There　was　no　expression　of　surprise；　no　
assumption　of　an　inability　to　understand　his　meaning。　The　girl　
clearly　comprehended　it。　Her　glance　at　parting　showed　that。　

But　perhaps　she　would　recoil　from　a　plot　to　take　the　life　of　
Sikes；　and　that　was　one　of　the　chief　ends　to　be　attained。　“How；”　
thought　Fagin；　as　he　crept　homewards；　“can　I　increase　my　
influence　with　her？　what　new　power　can　I　acquire？”　

Such　brains　are　fertile　in　expedients。　If；　without　extracting　a　
confession　from　herself；　he　laid　a　watch；　discovered　the　object　of　
her　altered　regard；　and　threatened　to　reveal　the　whole　history　to　
Sikes　（of　whom　she　stood　in　no　common　fear）　unless　she　entered　

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into　his　designs；　could　he　not　secure　her　compliance？”　

“I　can；”　said　Fagin；　almost　aloud。　“She　durst　not　refuse　me　
then。　Not　for　her　life；　not　for　her　life！　I　have　it　all。　The　means　are　
ready；　and　shall　be　set　to　work。　I　shall　have　you　yet！”　

He　cast　back　a　dark　look；　and　a　threatening　motion　of　the　hand；　
towards　the　spot　where　he　had　left　the　bolder　villain；　and　went　on　
his　way；　busying　his　bony　hands　in　the　folds　of　his　tattered　
garment；　which　he　wrenched　tightly　in　his　grasp　as　though　there　
were　a　hated　enemy　crushed　with　every　motion　of　his　fingers。　

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Chapter　45　

Noah　Claypole　Is　Employed　By　Fagin　On　A　Secret
Mission。


The　old　man　was　up；　betimes；　next　morning；　and