oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第45部分

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by　his　companion’s　unexpected　obstinacy；　and　the　vexation　of　the　
night；　“I　WILL　change　it！　Listen　to　me；　you　drab。　Listen　to　me；　
who　with　six　words；　can　strangle　Sikes　as　surely　as　if　I　had　his　
bull’s　throat　between　my　fingers　now。　If　he　comes　back；　and　leaves　
the　boy　behind　him；　if　he　gets　off　free；　and；　dead　or　alive；　fails　to　
restore　him　to　me；　murder　him　yourself　if　you　would　have　him　
escape　Jack　Ketch。　And　do　it　the　moment　he　sets　foot　in　this　room；　
or　mind　me；　it　will　be　too　late！”　

“What　is　all　this？”　cried　the　girl　involuntarily。　

“What　is　it？”　pursued　Fagin；　mad　with　rage。　“When　the　boy’s　
worth　hundreds　of　pounds　to　me；　am　I　to　lose　what　chance　threw　

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me　in　the　way　of　getting　safely；　through　the　whims　of　a　drunken　
gang　that　I　could　whistle　away　the　lives　of！　And　me　bound；　too；　to　
a　born　devil　that　only　wants　the　will；　and　has　the　power　to；　to—”　
Panting　for　breath；　the　old　man　stammered　for　a　word；　and　in　that　
instant　checked　the　torrent　of　his　wrath；　and　changed　his　whole　
demeanour。　A　moment　before；　his　clenched　hands　had　grasped　
the　air；　his　eyes　had　dilated；　and　his　face　grown　livid　with　passion；　
but　now；　he　shrank　into　a　chair；　and；　cowering　together；　trembled　
with　the　apprehension　of　having　himself　disclosed　some　hidden　
villainy。　After　a　short　silence；　he　ventured　to　look　round　at　his　
companion。　He　appeared　somewhat　reassured；　on　beholding　her　
in　the　same　listless　attitude　from　which　he　had　first　roused　her。　

“Nancy；　dear！”　croaked　the　Jew；　in　his　usual　voice。　“Did　you　
mind　me；　dear？”　

“Don’t　worry　me　now；　Fagin！”　replied　the　girl；　raising　her　head　
languidly。　“If　Bill　has　not　done　it　this　time；　he　will　another。　He　has　
done　many　a　good　job　for　you；　and　will　do　many　more　when　he　
can；　and　when　he　can’t　he　won’t；　so　no　more　about　that。”　

“Regarding　this　boy；　my　dear？”　said　the　Jew；　rubbing　the　
palms　of　his　hands　nervously　together。　

“The　boy　must　take　his　chance　with　the　rest；”　interrupted　
Nancy　hastily；　“and　I　say　again；　I　hope　he　is　dead；　and　out　of　
harm’s　way；　and　out　of　yours—that　is；　if　Bill　comes　to　no　harm。　
And　if　Toby　got　clear　off；　Bill’s　pretty　sure　to　be　safe；　for　Bill’s　
worth　two　of　Toby　any　time。”　

“And　about　what　I　was　saying；　my　dear？”　observed　the　Jew；　
keeping　his　glistening　eye　steadily　upon　her。　

“You　must　say　it　all　over　again；　if　it’s　anything　you　want　me　to　
do；”　rejoined　Nancy；　“and　if　it　is；　you　had　better　wait　till　

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tomorrow。　You　put　me　up　for　a　minute；　but　now　I’m　stupid　again。”　

Fagin　put　several　other　questions；　all　with　the　same　drift　of　
ascertaining　whether　the　girl　had　profited　by　his　unguarded　hints；　
but；　she　answered　them　so　readily；　and　was　withal　so　utterly　
unmoved　by　his　searching　looks　that　his　original　impression　of　her　
being　more　than　a　trifle　in　liquor；　was　confirmed。　Nancy；　indeed；　
was　not　exempt　from　a　failing　which　was　very　common　among　the　
Jew’s　female　pupils；　and　in　which；　in　their　tenderer　years；　they　
were　rather　encouraged　than　checked。　Her　disordered　
appearance；　and　a　wholesale　perfume　of　Geneva　which　pervaded　
the　apartment；　afforded　strong　confirmatory　evidence　of　the　
justice　of　the　Jew’s　supposition；　and　when；　after　indulging　in　the　
temporary　display　of　violence　above　described；　she　subsided；　first　
into　dullness；　and　afterwards　into　a　compound　of　feelings；　under　
the　influence　of　which　she　shed　tears　one　minute；　and　in　the　next　
gave　utterance　to　various　exclamations　of　“Never　say　die！”　and　
divers　calculations　as　to　what　might　be　the　amount　of　the　odds　so　
long　as　a　lady　or　gentleman　was　happy；　Mr。　Fagin；　who　had　had　
considerable　experience　of　such　matters　in　his　time；　saw；　with　
great　satisfaction；　that　she　was　very　far　gone　indeed。　

Having　eased　his　mind　by　this　discovery；　and　having　
accomplished　his　twofold　object　of　imparting　to　the　girl　what　he　
had；　that　night；　heard；　and　of　ascertaining；　with　his　own　eyes；　that　
Sikes　had　not　returned；　Mr。　Fagin　again　turned　his　face　
homeward；　leaving　his　young　friend　asleep；　with　her　head　upon　
the　table。　

It　was　within　an　hour　of　midnight。　The　weather　being　dark；　and　
piercing　cold；　he　had　no　great　temptation　to　loiter。　The　sharp　wind　
that　scoured　the　streets；　seemed　to　have　cleared　them　of　

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passengers；　as　of　dust　and　mud；　for　few　people　were　abroad；　and　
they　were　to　all　appearance　hastening　fast　home。　It　blew　from　the　
right　quarter　for　the　Jew；　however；　and　straight　before　it　he　went；　
trembling；　and　shivering；　as　every　fresh　gust　drove　him　rudely　on　
his　way。　He　had　reached　the　corner　of　his　own　street；　and　was　
already　fumbling　in　his　pocket　for　the　door…key；　when　a　dark　
figure　emerged　from　a　projecting　entrance　which　lay　in　deep　
shadow；　and；　crossing　the　road；　glided　up　to　him　unperceived。　

“Fagin！”　whispered　a　voice　close　to　his　ear。　

“Ah！”　said　the　Jew；　turning　quickly　round；　“is　that—”　

“Yes！”　interrupted　the　stranger。　“I　have　been　lingering　here　
these　two　hours。　Where　the　devil　have　you　been？”　

“On　your　business；　my　dear；”　replied　the　Jew；　glancing　uneasily　
at　his　companion；　and　slackening　his　pace　as　he　spoke。　“On　your　
business　all　night。”　

“Oh；　of　course！”　said　the　stranger；　with　a　sneer。　“Well；　and　
what’s　come　of　it？”　

“Nothing　good；”　said　the　Jew。　

“Nothing　bad；　I　hope？”　said　the　stranger；　stopping　short；　and　
turning　a　startled　look　on　his　companion。　

The　Jew　shook　his　head；　and　was　about　to　reply；　when　the　
stranger；　interrupting　him；　motioned　to　the　house；　before　which　
they　had　by　this　time　arrived；　remarking；　that　he　had　better　say　
what　he　had　got　to　say；　under　cover；　for　his　blood　was　chilled　with　
standing　about　so　long；　and　the　wind　blew　through　him。　

Fagin　looked　as　if　he　could　have　willingly　excused　himself　from　
taking　home　a　visitor　at　that　unseasonable　hour；　and；　indeed；　
muttered　something　about　having　no　fire；　but；　his　companion　
repeating　his　request　in　a　peremptory　manner；　he　unlocked　the　

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door；　and　requested　him　to　close　it　softly；　while　he　got　a　light。　

“It’s　as　dark　as　the　grave；”　said　the　man；　groping　forward　a　few　
steps。　“Make　haste！”　

“Shut　the　door；”　whispered　Fagin　from　the　end　of　the　passage。　
As　he　spoke　it　closed　with　a　loud　noise。　

“That　wasn’t　my　doing；”　said　the　other　man；　feeling　his　way。　
“The　wind　blew　it　to；　or　it　shut　of　its　own　accord；　one　or　the　other。　
Look　sharp　with　the　light；　or　I　shall　knock　my　brains　out　against　
something　in　this　confounded　hole。”　

Fagin　stealthily　descended　the　kitchen　stairs。　After　a　short　
absence；　he　returned　with　a　lighted　candle；　and　the　intelligence　
that　Toby　Crackit　was　asleep　in　the　back　room　below；　and　that　the　
boys　were　in　the　front　one。　Beckoning　the　man　to　follow　him；　he　
led　the　way　upstairs。　

“We　can　say　the　few　words　we’ve　got　to　say　in　here；　my　dear；”　
said　the　Jew；　throwing　open　a　door　on　the　first　floor；　“and　as　there　
are　holes　in　the　shutters；　and　we　never　show　lights　to　our　
neighbours；　we’ll　set　the　candle　on　the　stairs。　There！”　

With　those　words；　the　Jew；　stooping　down；　placed　the　candle　on　
an　upper　flight　of　stairs；　exactly　opposite　to　the　room　door。　This　
done；　he　led　the　way　into　the　apartment；　which　was　destitute　of　all　
movables　save　a　broken　armchair；　and　an　old　couch　or　sofa　
without　covering；　which　stood　behind　the　door。　Upon　this　piece　of　
furniture；　the　stranger　sat　himself　with　the　air　of　a　weary　man；　and　
the　Jew；　drawing　up　the　armchair　opposite；　they　sat　face　to　face。　It　
was　not　quite　dark；　for　the　door　was　partially　open；　and　the　candle　
outside；　threw　a　feeble　reflection　on　the　opposite　wall。　

They　conversed　for　some　time　in　whispers。　Though　nothing　of　
the　conversation　was　distinguishable　beyond　a　few　disjointed　

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words　here　and　there；　a　listener　might　easily　have　perceived　that　
Fagin　appeared　to　be　defending　himself　against　some　remarks　of　
the　stranger；　and　that　the　latter　was　in　a　state　of　considerable　
irritation。　They　might　have　been　talking；　thus；　for　a　quarter　of　an　
hour　or　more；　when　Monks—by　which　name　the　Jew　had　
designated　the　strange　man　several　times　in　the　course　of　their　
colloquy—said；　raising　his　voice　a　little：　

“I　tell　you　again；　it　was　badly　planned。　Why　not　have　kept　him　
here　among　the　rest；　and　made　a　sneaking；　snivelling　pick…pocket　
of　him　at　once？”　

“Only　hear　him！”　exclaimed　the　Jew；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　

“Why；　do　you　mean　to　say　you　couldn’t　have　done　it；　if　you　had　
chosen？”　demanded　Monks　sternly。　“Haven’t　you　done　it；　with　
other　boys；　scores　of　times？　If　you　had　had　patience　for　a　
twelvemonth；　at　most；　couldn’t　you　have　got　him　convicted；　and　
sent　safely　out　of　the　kingdom　perhaps　for　life？”　

“Whose　turn　would　that　have　served；　my　dear？”　inquired　the　
Jew　humbly。　

“Mine；”　replied　Monks。　

“But　not　mine；”　said　the　Jew　submissively。　“He　might　have　
become　of　use　to　me。　When　there　are　two　parties　to　a　bargain；　it　is　
only　reasonable　that　the　interests　of　both　should　be　consulted；　is　it　
not；　my　good　friend？”　

“What　then？”　demanded　Monks。　

“I　saw　it　was　not　easy　to　train　him　to　the　business；”　replied　the　
Jew；　“he　was　not　like　the　other　boys　in　the　same　circumstances。”　

“Curse　him；　no！”　muttered　the　man；　“or　he　would　have　been　a　
thief；　long　ago。”　

“I　had　no　hold　upon　him　to　make　him　worse；”　pursued　the　Jew；　

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anxiously　watching　the　countenance　of　his　companion。　“His　hand　
was　not　in。　I　had　nothing　to　frighten　him　with；　which　we　always　
must　have　in　the　beginning　or　we　labour　in　vain。　What　could　I　do？　
Send　him　out　with　the　Dodger　and　Charley？　We　had　enough　of　
that；　at　first；　my　dear；　I　trembled　for　us　all。”　

“That　was　not　my　doing；”　observed　Monks。　

“No；　no；　my　dear！”　renewed　the　Jew。　“And　I　don’t　q