oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第22部分
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quite unintelligible if they were recorded here; demanded a glass
of liquor。
“And mind you don’t poison it;” said Mr。 Sikes; laying his hat
upon the table。
This was said in jest; but if the speaker could have seen the evil
leer with which the Jew bit his pale lip as he turns round to the
cupboard; he might have thought the caution not wholly
unnecessary; or the wish (at all events) to improve upon the
distiller’s ingenuity not very far from the old gentleman’s merry
heart。
After swallowing two or three glasses of spirits; Mr。 Sikes
condescended to take some notice of the young gentlemen; which
gracious act led to a conversation; in which the cause and manner
of Oliver’s capture were circumstantially detailed; with such
alterations and improvements on the truth; as to the Dodger
appeared most advisable under the circumstances。
“I’m afraid;” said the Jew; “that he may say something which
will get us into trouble。”
“That’s very likely;” returned Sikes; with a malicious grin。
“You’re blowed upon; Fagin。”
“And I’m afraid; you see;” added the Jew; speaking as if he had
not noticed the interruption; and; regarding the other closely as he
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did so—“I’m afraid that; if the game was up with us; it might be up
with a good many more and that it would come out rather worse
for you than it would for me; my dear。”
The man started; and turned round upon the Jew。 But the old
gentleman’s shoulders were shrugged up to his ears; and his eyes
were vacantly staring on the opposite wall。
There was a long pause。 Every member of the respectable
coterie appeared plunged in his own reflections; not excepting the
dog; who by a certain malicious licking of his lips seemed to be
meditating an attack upon the legs of the first gentleman or lady
he might encounter in the streets when he went out。
“Somebody must find out wot’s been done at the office;” said
Mr。 Sikes; in a much lower tone than he had taken since he came
in。
The Jew nodded assent。
“If he hasn’t peached; and is committed; there’s no fear till he
comes out again;” said Mr。 Sikes; “and then he must be taken care
on。 You must get hold of him somehow。”
Again the Jew nodded。
The prudence of this line of action; indeed; was obvious; but;
unfortunately; there was one very strong objection to it being
adopted。 This was; that the Dodger; and Charley Bates; and Fagin;
and Mr。 William Sikes; happened; one and all; to entertain a
violent and deeply…rooted antipathy to going near a police…office
on any ground or pretext whatever。
How long they might have sat and looked at each other; in a
state of uncertainty not the most pleasant of its kind; it is difficult
to guess。 It is not necessary to make any guesses on the subject;
however; for the sudden entrance of the two young ladies whom
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Oliver had seen on a former occasion; caused the conversation to
flow afresh。
“The very thing!” said the Jew。 “Bet will go; won’t you; my
dear?”
“Wheres?” inquired the young lady。
“Only just up to the office; my dear;” said the Jew coaxingly。
It is due to the young lady to say that she did not positively
affirm that she would not; but that she merely expressed an
emphatic and earnest desire to be “blessed” if she would; a polite
and delicate evasion of the request which shows the young lady to
have been possessed of that natural good…breeding which cannot
bear to inflict upon a fellow…creature; the pain of a direct and
pointed refusal。
The Jew’s countenance fell。 He turned from this young lady;
who was gaily; not to say gorgeously; attired; in a red gown; green
boots; and yellow curl…papers; to the other female。
“Nancy; my dear;” said the Jew; in a soothing manner; “what do
you say?”
“That it won’t do; so it’s no use a…trying it on; Fagin;” replied
Nancy。
“What do you mean by that?” said Mr。 Sikes; looking up in a
surly manner。
“What I say; Bill;” replied the lady collectedly。
“Why; you’re just the very person for it;” reasoned Mr。 Sikes;
“nobody about here knows anything of you。”
“And as I don’t want ’em to; neither;” replied Nancy; in the
same composed manner; “it’s rather more no than yes with me;
Bill。”
“She’ll go; Fagin;” said Sikes。
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“No; she won’t; Fagin;” said Nancy。
“Yes; she will; Fagin;” said Sikes。
And Mr。 Sikes was right。 By dint of alternate threats; promises;
and bribes; the lady in question was ultimately prevailed upon to
undertake the commission。 She was not; indeed; withheld by the
same considerations as her agreeable friend; for; having recently
removed into the neighbourhood of Field Lane from the remote
but genteel suburb of Ratcliffe; she was not under the same
apprehension of being recognised by any of her numerous
acquaintances。
Accordingly; with a clean white apron tied over her gown; and
her curl…papers tucked up under a straw bonnet—both articles of
dress being provided from the Jew’s inexhaustible stock—Miss
Nancy prepared to issue forth on her errand。
“Stop a’ minute; my dear;” said the Jew; producing a little
covered basket。 “Carry that in one hand。 It looks more
respectable; my dear。”
“Give her a door key to carry in her t’other one; Fagin;” said
Sikes; “it looks real and genuine like。”
“Yes; yes; my dear; so it does;” said the Jew; hanging a large
street door key on the forefinger of the young lady’s right hand。
“There; very good! Very good indeed; my dear!” said the Jew;
rubbing his hands。
“Oh; my brother! My poor; dear; sweet; innocent little brother!”
exclaimed Nancy; bursting into tears; and wringing the little
basket and the street door key in an agony of distress。 “What has
become of him! Where have they taken him to! Oh; do have pity;
and tell me what’s been done with the dear boy; gentlemen; do;
gentlemen; if you please; gentlemen!”
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Having uttered these words in a most lamentable and heartbroken tone; to the immeasurable delight of her hearers; Miss
Nancy paused; winked to the company; nodded smilingly round;
and disappeared。
“Ah! she’s a clever girl; my dears;” said the Jew; turning round
to his young friends; and shaking his head gravely; as if in mute
admonition to them to follow the bright example they had just
beheld。
“She’s an honour to her sex;” said Mr。 Sikes; filling his glass;
and smiting the table with his enormous fist。 “Here’s her health;
and wishing they was all like her!”
While these; and many other encomiums; were being passed on
the accomplished Nancy; that young lady made the best of her way
to the police…office; whither; notwithstanding a little natural
timidity consequent upon walking through the streets alone and
unprotected; she arrived in perfect safety shortly afterwards。
Entering by the back way; she tapped softly with the key at one
of the cell doors; and listened。 There was no sound within; so she
coughed and listened again。 Still there was no reply; so she spoke。
“Nolly; dear—” murmured Nancy; in a gentle voice; “Nolly?”
There was nobody inside but a miserable; shoeless criminal;
who had been taken up for playing the flute; and who; the offence
against society having been clearly proved; had been very properly
committed by Mr。 Fang to the house of correction for one month;
with the appropriate and amusing remark that since he had so
much breath to spare; it would be more wholesomely expended on
the treadmill than in a musical instrument。 He made no answer;
being occupied in mentally bewailing the loss of the flute; which
had been confiscated for the use of the county; so Nancy passed on
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to the next cell; and knocked there。
“Well!” cried a faint and feeble voice。
“Is there a little boy here?” inquired Nancy; with a preliminary
sob。
“No;” replied the voice; “God forbid。”
This was a vagrant of sixty…five; who was going to prison for not
playing the flute; or; in other words; for begging in the streets; and
doing nothing for his livelihood。 In the next cell; another man; who
was going to the same prison for hawking tin saucepans without a
licence; thereby doing something for his living; in defiance of the
Stamp…office。
But; as neither of these criminals answered to the name of
Oliver; or knew anything about him; Nancy made straight up to
the bluff officer in the striped waistcoat; and with the most piteous
wailings and lamentations; rendered more piteous by a prompt
and efficient use of the street door key and the little basket;
demanded her own dear brother。
“I haven’t got him; my dear;” said the old man。
“Where is he?” screamed Nancy; in a distracted manner。
“Why; the gentleman’s got him;” replied the officer。
“What gentleman? Oh; gracious heavens! What gentleman?”
exclaimed Nancy。
In reply to this incoherent questioning; the old man informed
the deeply…affected sister that Oliver had been taken ill in the
office; and discharged in consequence of a witness having proved
the robbery to have been committed by another boy; not in
custody; and that the prosecutor had carried him away; in an
insensible condition; to his own residence; of and concerning
which; all the informant knew was; that it was somewhere at
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Pentonville; he having heard that word mentioned in the
directions to the coachman。
In a dreadful state of doubt and uncertainty; the agonised
young woman staggered to the gate; and then; exchanging her
faltering walk for a good; swift; steady run; returned by the most
devious and complicated route she could think of; to the domicile
of the Jew。
Mr。 Bill Sikes no sooner heard the account of the expedition
delivered; than he very