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oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第49部分

小说: oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪)) 字数: 每页4000字

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bent his faltering steps towards it。 As he drew nearer to this house; 
a feeling came over him that he had seen it before。 He 
remembered nothing of its details; but the shape and aspect of the 
building seemed familiar to him。 

That garden wall! On the grass inside; he had fallen on his 
knees last night; and prayed the two men’s mercy。 It was the very 
house they had attempted to rob。 

Oliver felt such fear come over him when he recognised the 
place; that; for the instant; he forgot the agony of his wound; and 
thought only of flight。 Flight! He could scarcely stand; and if he 
were in full possession of all the best powers of his slight and 
youthful frame; whither could he fly? He pushed against the 
garden gate; it was unlocked; and swung open on its hinges。 He 
tottered across the lawn; climbed the steps; knocked faintly at the 
door; and; his whole strength failing him; sank down against one 
of the pillars of the little portico。 

It happened that about this time; Mr。 Giles; Brittles; and the 
tinker were recruiting themselves; after the fatigues and terrors of 
the night; with tea and sundries; in the kitchen。 Not that it was Mr。 
Giles’s habit to admit to too great familiarity the humbler servants; 
towards whom it was rather his wont to deport himself with a lofty 
affability; which; while it gratified; could not fail to remind them of 
his superior position in society。 But death; fires; and burglary; 

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make all men equals; so Mr。 Giles sat with his legs stretched out 
before the kitchen fender; leaning his left arm on the table; while; 
with his right; he illustrated a circumstantial and minute account 
of the robbery; to which his hearers (but especially the cook and 
housemaid; who were of the party) listened with breathless 
interest。 

“It was about half…past two;” said Mr。 Giles; “or I wouldn’t 
swear that it mightn’t have been a little nearer three; when I woke 
up; and; turning round in my bed; as it might be so (here Mr。 Giles 
turned round in his chair; and pulled the corner of the table…cloth 
over him to imitate bed…clothes); I fancied I heerd a noise。” 

At this point of the narrative the cook turned pale; and asked 
the housemaid to shut the door; who asked Brittles; who asked the 
tinker; who pretended not to hear。 

“—Heerd a noise;” continued Mr。 Giles。 “I says; at first; ‘This is 
illusion’; and was composing myself off to sleep; when I heerd the 
noise again; distinct。” 

“What sort of a noise?” asked the cook。 

“A kind of a busting noise;” replied Mr。 Giles; looking round 
him。 

“More like the noise of powdering a iron bar on a nutmeg…
grater;” suggested Brittles。 

“It was; when you heerd it; sir;” rejoined Mr。 Giles; “but; at this 
time; it had a busting sound。 I turned down the clothes;” 
continued Giles; rolling back the tablecloth; “sat up in bed; and 
listened。” 

The cook and housemaid simultaneously ejaculated; “Lor!” and 
drew their chairs closer together。 

“I heerd it now; quite apparent;” resumed Mr。 Giles。 

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“‘Somebody;’ I says; ‘is forcing of a door; or window; what’s to be 
done? I’ll call up that poor lad; Brittles; and save him from being 
murdered in his bed; or his throat;’ I says; ‘may be cut; from his 
right ear to his left; without his ever knowing it’。” 

Here; all eyes were turned upon Brittles; who fixed his upon the 
speaker; and stared at him; with his mouth wide open; and his face 
expressive of the most unmitigated horror。 

“I tossed off the clothes;” said Giles; throwing away the tablecloth; and looking very hard at the cook and housemaid; “got softly 
out of bed; drew on a pair of—” 

“Ladies present; Mr。 Giles;” murmured the tinker。 

“Of shoes; sir;” said Giles; turning upon him; and laying great 
emphasis on the word; “seized the loaded pistol that always goes 
upstairs with the plate…basket; and walked on tiptoes to his room。 
‘Brittles;’ I says; when I had woke him; ‘don’t be frightened!’” 

“So you did;” observed Brittles; in a low voice。 

“‘We’re dead men; I think; Brittles;’ I says;” continued Giles; 
“‘but don’t be frightened。’” 

“Was he frightened?” asked the cook。 

“Not a bit of it;” replied Mr。 Giles。 “He was as firm—ah! pretty 
near as firm as I was。” 

“I should have died at once; I’m sure; if it had been me;” 
observed the housemaid。 

“You’re a woman;” retorted Brittles; plucking up a little。 

“Brittles is right;” said Mr。 Giles; nodding his head approvingly; 
“from a woman; nothing else was to be expected。 We; being men; 
took a dark lantern that was standing on Brittles’s hob; and 
groped our way downstairs in the pitch dark—as it might be so。” 

Mr。 Giles had risen from his seat; and taken two steps with his 

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eyes shut; to accompany his description with appropriate action; 
when he started violently; in common with the rest of the 
company; and hurried back to his chair。 The cook and housemaid 
screamed。 

“It was a knock;” said Mr。 Giles; assuming perfect serenity。 
“Open the door; somebody。” 

Nobody moved。 

“It seems a strange sort of a thing; a knock coming at such a 
time in the morning;” said Mr。 Giles; surveying the pale faces 
which surrounded him; and looking very blank himself; “but the 
door must be opened。 Do you hear; somebody?” 

Mr。 Giles; as he spoke; looked at Brittles; but that young man; 
being naturally modest; probably considered himself nobody; and 
so held that the inquiry could not have any application to him; at 
all events; he tendered no reply。 Mr。 Giles directed an appealing 
glance at the tinker; but he had suddenly fallen asleep。 The 
women were out of the question。 

“If Brittles would rather open the door; in the presence of 
witnesses;” said Mr。 Giles; after a short silence; “I am ready to 
make one。” 

“So am I;” said the tinker; waking up; as suddenly as he had 
fallen asleep。 

Brittles capitulated on these terms; and the party being 
somewhat reassured by the discovery (made on throwing open the 
shutters) that it was now broad day; took their way upstairs; with 
the dogs in front; and the two women; who were afraid to stay 
below; bringing up the rear。 By the advice of Mr。 Giles; they all 
talked very loud; to warn any evil…disposed person outside; that 
they were strong in numbers; and by a master…stroke of policy; 

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originating in the brain of the same ingenious gentleman; the 
dogs’ tails were well pinched; in the hall; to make them bark 
savagely。 

These precautions having been taken; Mr。 Giles held on fast by 
the tinker’s arm (to prevent his running away; as he pleasantly 
said); and gave the word of command to open the door。 Brittles 
obeyed; the group; peeping timorously over each other’s 
shoulders; beheld no more formidable object than poor little 
Oliver Twist; speechless and exhausted; who raised his heavy eyes; 
and mutely solicited their compassion。 

“A boy!” exclaimed Mr。 Giles; valiantly pushing the tinker into 
the background。 “What’s the matter with the Eh?—Why— 
Brittles—look here—don’t you know?” 

Brittles; who had got behind the door to open it; no sooner saw 
Oliver; than he uttered a loud cry。 Mr。 Giles; seizing the boy by one 
leg and one arm (fortunately not the broken limb) lugged him 
straight into the hall; and deposited him at full length on the floor 
thereof。 

“Here he is!” bawled Giles; calling; in a state of great 
excitement; up the staircase; “here’s one of the thieves; ma’am! 
Here’s a thief; miss! Wounded; miss! I shot him; miss; and Brittles 
held the light。” 

“In a lantern; miss;” cried Brittles; applying one hand to the 
side of his mouth; so that his voice might travel the better。 

The two women…servants ran upstairs to carry the intelligence 
that Mr。 Giles had captured a robber; and the tinker busied 
himself in endeavouring to restore Oliver; lest he should die before 
he could be hanged。 In the midst of all this noise and commotion 
there was heard a sweet female voice; which quelled it in an 

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instant。 

“Giles!” whispered the voice from the stair…head。 

“I’m here; miss;” replied Mr。 Giles。 “Don’t be frightened; miss; I 
ain’t much injured。 He didn’t make a very desperate resistance; 
miss! I was soon too many for him。” 

“Hush!” replied the young lady; “you frighten my aunt as much 
as the thieves did。 Is the poor creature much hurt?” 

“Wounded desperate; miss;” replied Giles; with indescribable 
complacency。 

“He looks as if he was a…going; miss;” bawled Brittles; in the 
same manner as before。 “Wouldn’t you like to come and look at 
him; miss; in case he should ?” 

“Hush; pray; there’s a good man!” rejoined the lady。 “Wait 
quietly only one instant; while I speak to aunt。” 

With a footstep as soft and gentle as the voice; the speaker 
tripped away。 She soon returned; with the direction that the 
wounded person was to be carried; carefully; upstairs to Mr。 
Giles’s room; and that Brittles was to saddle the pony and betake 
himself instantly to Chertsey; from which place; he was to 
despatch; with all speed; a constable and doctor。 

“But won’t you take one look at him first; miss?” asked Mr。 
Giles; with as much pride as if Oliver were some bird of rare 
plumage; that he had skilfully brought down。 “Not one little peep; 
miss?” 

“Not now; for the world;” replied the young lady。 “Poor fellow! 
Oh! treat him kindly; Giles; for my sake!” 

The old servant looked up at the speaker; as she turned away; 
with a glance as proud and admiring as if she had been his own 
child。 Then; bending over Oliver; he helped to carry him upstairs; 

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with the care and solicitude of a woman。 

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Oliv

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