oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第48部分

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of　the　neighbouring　dogs；　roused　by　the　sound　of　the　alarm…bell；　
resounded　in　every　direction。　

“Stop；　you　white…livered　hound！”　cried　the　robber；　shouting　
after　Toby　Crackit；　who；　making　the　best　use　of　his　long　legs；　was　
already　ahead。　“Stop！”　

The　repetition　of　the　word　brought　Toby　to　a　dead　standstill。　
For　he　was　not　quite　satisfied　that　he　was　beyond　the　range　of　
pistol…shot；　and　Sikes　was　in　no　mood　to　be　played　with。　

“Bear　a　hand　with　the　boy；”　cried　Sikes；　beckoning　furiously　to　
his　confederate。　“Come　back！”　

Toby　made　a　show　of　returning；　but　ventured；　in　a　low　voice；　
broken　for　want　of　breath；　to　intimate　considerable　reluctance　as　
he　came　slowly　along。　

“Quicker！”　cried　Sikes；　laying　the　boy　in　a　dry　ditch　at　his　feet；　

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and　drawing　a　pistol　from　his　pocket。　“Don’t　play　booty　with　me。”　

At　this　moment　the　noise　grew　louder。　Sikes；　again　looking　
round；　could　discern　that　the　men　who　had　given　chase　were　
already　climbing　the　gate　of　the　field　in　which　he　stood；　and　that　a　
couple　of　dogs　were　some　paces　in　advance　of　them。　

“It’s　all　up；　Bill！”　cried　Toby；　“drop　the　kid；　and　show　’em　your　
heels。”　With　this　parting　advice；　Mr。　Crackit；　preferring　the　
chance　of　being　shot　by　his　friend；　to　the　certainty　of　being　taken　
by　his　enemies；　fairly　turned　tail；　and　darted　off　at　full　speed。　Sikes　
clenched　his　teeth；　took　one　look　around；　threw　over　the　prostrate　
form　of　Oliver　the　cape　in　which　he　had　been　hurriedly　muffled；　
ran　along　the　front　of　the　hedge；　as　if　to　distract　the　attention　of　
those　behind；　from　the　spot　where　the　boy　lay；　paused；　for　a　
second；　before　another　hedge　which　met　it　at　right　angles；　and　
whirling　his　pistol　high　in　the　air；　cleared　it　at　a　bound；　and　was　
gone。　

“Ho；　ho；　there！”　cried　a　tremulous　voice　in　the　rear。　“Pincher！　
Neptune！　Come　here；　come　here！”　

The　dogs；　who；　in　common　with　their　masters；　seemed　to　have　
no　particular　relish　for　the　sport　in　which　they　were　engaged；　
readily　answered　to　the　command。　Three　men；　who　had　by　this　
time　advanced　some　distance　into　the　field；　stopped　to　take　
counsel　together。　

“My　advice；　or；　leastways；　I　should　say；　my　orders；　is；”　said　the　
fattest　man　of　the　party；　“that　we　’mediately　go　home　again。”　

“I　am　agreeable　to　anything　which　is　agreeable　to　Mr。　Giles；”　
said　a　shorter　man；　who　was　by　no　means　of　a　slim　figure；　and　who　
was　very　pale　in　the　face；　and　very　polite；　as　frightened　men　
frequently　are。　

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“I　shouldn’t　wish　to　appear　ill…mannered；　gentlemen；”　said　the　
third；　who　had　called　the　dogs　back；　“Mr。　Giles　ought　to　know。”　

“Certainly；”　replied　the　shorter　man；　“and　whatever　Mr。　Giles　
says；　it　isn’t　our　place　to　contradict　him。　No；　no；　I　know　my　
sitiwation！　Thank　my　stars；　I　know　my　sitiwation。”　To　tell　the　
truth；　the　little　man　did　seem　to　know　his　situation；　and　to　know　
perfectly　well　that　it　was　by　no　means　a　desirable　one；　for　his　teeth　
chattered　in　his　head　as　he　spoke。　

“You　are　afraid；　Brittles；”　said　Mr。　Giles。　

“I　ain’t；”　said　Brittles。　

“You　are；”　said　Giles。　

“You’re　a　falsehood；　Mr。　Giles；”　said　Brittles。　

“You’re　a　lie；　Brittles；”　said　Mr。　Giles。　

Now；　these　four　retorts　arose　from　Mr。　Giles’s　taunt；　and　Mr。　
Giles’s　taunt　had　arisen　from　his　indignation　at　having　the　
responsibility　of　going　home　again；　imposed　upon　himself　under　
cover　of　a　compliment。　The　third　man　brought　the　dispute　to　a　
close；　most　philosophically。　

“I’ll　tell　you　what　it　is；　gentlemen；”　said　he；　“we’re　all　afraid。”　

“Speak　for　yourself；　sir；”　said　Mr。　Giles；　who　was　the　palest　of　
the　party。　

“So　I　do；”　replied　the　man。　“It’s　natural　and　proper　to　be　afraid；　
under　such　circumstances。　I　am。”　

“So　am　I；”　said　Brittles；　“only　there’s　no　call　to　tell　a　man　he　is；　
so　bounceably。”　

These　frank　admissions　softened　Mr。　Giles；　who　at　once　owned　
that　he　was　afraid；　upon　which；　they　all　three　faced　about；　and　ran　
back　again　with　the　completest　unanimity；　until　Mr。　Giles　（who　
had　the　shortest　wind　of　the　party；　and　was　encumbered　with　a　

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pitchfork）　most　handsomely　insisted　on　stopping；　to　make　an　
apology　for　his　hastiness　of　speech。　

“But　it’s　wonderful；”　said　Mr。　Giles；　when　he　had　explained；　
“what　a　man　will　do；　when　his　blood　is　up。　I　should　have　
committed　murder—I　know　I　should—if　we’d　caught　one　of　them　
rascals。”　

As　the　other　two　were　impressed　with　a　similar　presentiment；　
and　as　their　blood；　like　his；　had　all　gone　down　again；　some　
speculation　ensued　upon　the　cause　of　this　sudden　change　in　their　
temperament。　

“I　know　what　it　was；”　said　Mr。　Giles；　“it　was　the　gate。”　

“I　shouldn’t　wonder　if　it　was；”　exclaimed　Brittles；　catching　at　
the　idea。　

“You　may　depend　upon　it；”　said　Giles；　“that　that　gate　stopped　
the　flow　of　the　excitement。　I　felt　all　mine　suddenly　going　away；　as　I　
was　climbing　over　it。”　

By　a　remarkable　coincidence；　the　other　two　had　been　visited　
with　the　same　unpleasant　sensation　at　that　precise　moment。　It　was　
quite　obvious；　therefore；　that　it　was　the　gate；　especially　as　there　
was　no　doubt　regarding　the　time　at　which　the　change　had　taken　
place；　because　all　three　remembered　that　they　had　come　in　sight　
of　the　robbers　at　the　instant　of　its　occurrence。　

This　dialogue　was　held　between　the　two　men　who　had　
surprised　the　burglars；　and　a　travelling　tinker　who　had　been　
sleeping　in　an　outhouse；　and　who　had　been　roused；　together　with　
his　two　mongrel　curs；　to　join　the　pursuit。　Mr。　Giles　acted　in　the　
double　capacity　of　butler　and　steward　to　the　old　lady　of　the　
mansion；　Brittles　was　a　lad　of　all　work；　who；　having　entered　her　
service　a　mere　child；　was　treated　as　a　promising　young　boy　still；　

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though　he　was　something　past　thirty。　

Encouraging　each　other　with　such　converse　as　this；　but；　
keeping　very　close　together；　notwithstanding；　and　looking　
furtively　round；　whenever　a　fresh　gust　rattled　through　the　boughs；　
the　three　men　hurried　back　to　a　tree；　behind　which　they　had　left　
their　lantern；　lest　its　light　should　inform　the　thieves　in　what　
direction　to　fire。　Catching　up　the　light；　they　made　the　best　of　their　
way　home；　at　a　good　round　trot；　and　long　after　their　dusky　forms　
had　ceased　to　be　discernible；　the　light　might　have　been　seen　
twinkling　and　dancing　in　the　distance；　like　some　exhalation　of　the　
damp　and　gloomy　atmosphere　through　which　it　was　swiftly　borne。　

The　air　grew　colder；　as　day　came　slowly　on；　and　the　mist　rolled　
along　the　ground　like　a　dense　cloud　of　smoke。　The　grass　was　wet；　
the　pathways；　and　low　places　were　all　mire　and　water；　and　the　
damp　breath　of　an　unwholesome　wind　went　languidly　by；　with　a　
hollow　moaning。　Still；　Oliver　lay　motionless　and　insensible　on　the　
spot　where　Sikes　had　left　him。　

Morning　drew　on　apace。　The　air　became　more　sharp　and　
piercing；　as　its　first　dull　hue—the　death　of　night；　rather　than　the　
birth　of　day—glimmered　faintly　in　the　sky。　The　objects　which　had　
looked　dim　and　terrible　in　the　darkness；　grew　more　and　more　
defined；　and　gradually　resolved　into　their　familiar　shapes。　The　
rain　came　down；　thick　and　fast；　and　pattered　noisily　among　the　
leafless　bushes。　But　Oliver　felt　it　not；　as　it　beat　against　him；　for　he　
still　lay　stretched；　helpless　and　unconscious；　on　his　bed　of　clay。　

At　length；　a　low　cry　of　pain　broke　the　stillness　that　prevailed；　
and　uttering　it；　the　boy　awoke。　His　left　arm；　rudely　bandaged　in　a　
shawl；　hung　heavy　and　useless　at　his　side；　the　bandage　was　
saturated　with　blood。　He　was　so　weak；　that　he　could　scarcely　raise　

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himself　into　a　sitting　posture；　when　he　had　done　so；　he　looked　
feebly　round　for　help；　and　groaned　with　pain。　Trembling　in　every　
joint；　from　cold　and　exhaustion；　he　made　an　effort　to　stand　
upright；　but；　shuddering　from　head　to　foot；　fell　prostrate　on　the　
ground。　

After　a　short　return　of　the　stupor　in　which　he　had　been　so　long　
plunged；　Oliver；　urged　by　a　creeping　sickness　at　his　heart；　which　
seemed　to　warn　him　that　if　he　lay　there；　he　must　surely　die；　got　
upon　his　feet；　and　essayed　to　walk。　His　head　was　dizzy；　and　he　
staggered　to　and　fro　like　a　drunken　man。　But　he　kept　up；　
nevertheless；　and；　with　his　head　drooping　languidly　on　his　breast；　
went　stumbling　onward；　he　knew　not　whither。　

And　now　hosts　of　bewildering　and　confused　ideas　came　
crowding　on　his　mind。　He　seemed　to　be　still　walking　between　
Sikes　and　Crackit；　who　were　angrily　disputing—for　the　very　words　
they　said；　sounded　in　his　ears；　and　when　he　caught　his　own　
attention；　as　it　were；　by　making　some　violent　effort　to　save　himself　
from　falling；　he　found　that　he　was　talking　to　them。　Then；　he　was　
alone　with　Sikes；　plodding　on　as　on　the　previous　day；　and　as　
shadowy　people　passed　them；　he　felt　the　robber’s　grasp　upon　his　
wrist。　Suddenly；　he　started　back　at　the　report　of　firearms；　there　
rose　in　the　air；　loud　cries　and　shouts；　lights　gleamed　before　his　
eyes；　all　was　noise　and　tumult；　as　some　unseen　hand　bore　him　
hurriedly　away。　Through　all　these　rapid　visions；　there　ran　an　
undefined；　uneasy　consciousness　of　pain；　which　wearied　and　
tormented　him　incessantly。　

Thus　he　staggered　on；　creeping　almost　mechanically；　between　
the　bars　of　gates；　or　through　hedge…gaps　as　they　came　in　his　way；　
until　he　reached　a　road。　Here　the　rain　began　to　fall　so　heavily；　that　

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it　roused　him。　

He　looked　about；　and　saw　that　at　no　great　distance　there　was　a　
house；　which　perhaps　he　could　reach。　Pitying　his　condition；　they　
might　have　compassion　on　him；　and　if　they　did　not；　it　would　be　
better；　he　thought；　to　die　near　human　beings；　than　in　the　lonely；　
open　fields。　He　summoned　up　all　his　strength　for　one　last　trial；　and　
bent　his　faltering　steps　towards　it。　As　he　drew　nearer　to　this　house；　
a　feeling　came　over　him　that