oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第53部分

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moment　when　he　is　going　to　alarm　the　inmates；　and　so　do　the　very　
thing　that　would　set　him　all　to　rights；　there　rushes　into　the　way；　a　
blundering　dog　of　a　half…bred　butler；　and　shoots　him！　As　if　on　
purpose　to　prevent　his　doing　any　good　for　himself！　Don’t　you　see　
all　this？”　

“I　see　it；　of　course；”　replied　Rose；　smiling　at　the　doctor’s　
impetuosity；　“but　still　I　do　not　see　anything　in　it；　to　criminate　the　
poor　child。”　

“No；”　replied　the　doctor；　“of　course　not！　Bless　the　bright　eyes　of　
your　sex！　They　never　see；　whether　for　good　or　bad；　more　than　one　
side　of　any　question；　and　that　is；　always；　the　one　which　first　
presents　itself　to　them。”　

Having　given　vent　to　this　result　of　experience；　the　doctor　put　
his　hands　into　his　pockets；　and　walked　up　and　down　the　room　with　
even　greater　rapidity　than　before。　

“The　more　I　think　of　it；”　said　the　doctor；　“the　more　I　see　that　it　
will　occasion　endless　trouble　and　difficulty　if　we　put　these　men　in　
possession　of　the　boy’s　real　story。　I　am　certain　it　will　not　be　

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believed；　and　even　if　they　can　do　nothing　to　him　in　the　end；　still　
the　dragging　it　forward；　and　giving　publicity　to　all　the　doubts　that　
will　be　cast　upon　it；　must　interfere；　materially；　with　your　
benevolent　plan　of　rescuing　him　from　misery。”　

“Oh！　what　is　to　be　done？”　cried　Rose。　“Dear；　dear！　why　did　they　
send　for　these　people？”　

“Why；　indeed！”　exclaimed　Mrs。　Maylie。　“I　would　not　have　had　
them　here；　for　the　world。”　

“All　I　know　is；”　said　Mr。　Losberne；　at　last；　sitting　down　with　a　
kind　of　desperate　calmness；　“that　we　must　try　and　carry　it　off　with　
a　bold　face。　The　object　is　a　good　one；　and　that　must　be　our　excuse。　
The　boy　has　strong　symptoms　of　fever　upon　him；　and　is　in　no　
condition　to　be　talked　to　any　more；　that’s　one　comfort。　We　must　
make　the　best　of　it；　and　if　bad　be　the　best；　it　is　no　fault　of　ours。　
Come　in！”　

“Well；　master；”　said　Blathers；　entering　the　room；　followed　by　
his　colleague；　and　making　the　door　fast；　before　he　said　any　more。　
“This　warn’t　a　put…up　thing。”　

“And　what　the　devil’s　a　put…up　thing？”　demanded　the　doctor　
impatiently。　

“We　call　it　a　put…up　robbery；　ladies；”　said　Blathers；　turning　to　
them；　as　if　he　pitied　their　ignorance；　but　had　a　contempt　for　the　
doctor’s；　“when　the　servants　is　in　it。”　

“Nobody　suspected　them；　in　this　case；”　said　Mrs。　Maylie。　

“Wery　likely　not；　ma’am；”　replied　Blathers；　“but　they　might　
have　been　in　it；　for　all　that。”　

“More　likely　on　that　wery　account；”　said　Duff。　

“We　find　it　was　a　town　hand；”　said　Blathers；　continuing　his　
report；　“for　the　style　of　work　is　first…rate。”　

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“Wery　pretty　indeed；　it　is；”　remarked　Duff；　in　an　undertone。　

“There　was　two　of　’em　in　it；”　continued　Blathers；　“and　they　had　
a　boy　with　’em；　that’s　plain　from　the　size　of　the　window。　That’s　all　
to　be　said　at　present。　We’ll　see　this　lad　that　you’ve　got　upstairs　at　
once；　if　you　please。”　

“Perhaps　they　will　take　something　to　drink　first；　Mrs。　Maylie？”　
said　the　doctor；　his　face　brightening；　as　if　some　new　thought　had　
occurred　to　him。　

“Oh！　to　be　sure！”　exclaimed　Rose　eagerly。　“You　shall　have　it　
immediately；　if　you　will。”　

“Why；　thank　you；　miss！”　said　Blathers；　drawing　his　coat…sleeve　
across　his　mouth；　“it’s　dry　work；　this　sort　of　duty。　Anythink　that’s　
handy；　miss；　don’t　put　yourself　out　of　the　way；　on　our　accounts。”　

“What　shall　it　be？”　asked　the　doctor；　following　the　young　lady　
to　the　sideboard。　

“A　little　drop　of　spirits；　master；　if　it’s　all　the　same；”　replied　
Blathers。　“It’s　a　cold　ride　from　London；　ma’am；　and　I　always　find　
that　spirits　comes　home　warmer　to　the　feelings。”　

This　interesting　communication　was　addressed　to　Mrs。　Maylie；　
who　received　it　very　graciously。　While　it　was　being　conveyed　to　
her；　the　doctor　slipped　out　of　the　room。　

“Ah！”　said　Mr。　Blathers；　not　holding　his　wineglass　by　the　stem；　
but　grasping　the　bottom　between　the　thumb　and　forefinger　of　his　
left　hand；　and　placing　it　in　front　of　his　chest；　“I　have　seen　a　good　
many　pieces　of　business　like　this；　in　my　time；　ladies。”　

“That　crack　down　in　the　back　lane　at　Edmonton；　Blathers；”　
said　Mr。　Duff；　assisting　his　colleague’s　memory。　

“That　was　something　in　this　way；　warn’t　it？”　rejoined　Mr。　
Blathers；　“that　was　done　by　Conkey　Chickweed；　that　was。”　

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“You　always　gave　that　to　him；”　replied　Duff。　“It　was　the　Family　
Pet；　I　tell　you。　Conkey　hadn’t　any　more　to　do　with　it　than　I　had。”　

“Get　out！”　retorted　Mr。　Blathers；　“I　know　better。　Do　you　mind　
that　time　when　Conkey　was　robbed　of　his　money；　though？　What　a　
start　that　was！　Better　than　any　novel…book　I　ever　see！”　

“What　was　that？”　inquired　Rose；　anxious　to　encourage　any　
symptoms　of　good…humour　in　the　unwelcome　visitors。　

“It　was　a　robbery；　miss；　that　hardly　anybody　would　have　been　
down　upon；”　said　Blathers。　“This　here　Conkey　Chickweed—”　

“Conkey　means　Nosey；　ma’am；”　interposed　Duff。　

“Of　course　the　lady　knows　that；　don’t　she？”　demanded　Mr。　
Blathers。　“Always　interrupting；　you　are；　partner！　This　here　
Conkey　Chickweed；　miss；　kept　a　public…house　over　Battlebridge　
way；　and　he　had　a　cellar；　where　a　good　many　young　lords　went　to　
see　cock…fighting；　and　badger…drawing；　and　that；　and　a　wery　
intellectual　manner　the　sports　was　conducted　in；　for　I’ve　seen　’em　
often。　He　warn’t　one　of　the　family　at　that　time；　and　one　night　he　
was　robbed　of　three　hundred　and　twenty…seven　guineas　in　a　
canvas　bag；　that　was　stole　out　of　his　bedroom　in　the　dead　of　night；　
by　a　tall　man　with　a　black　patch　over　his　eye；　who　had　concealed　
himself　under　the　bed；　and　after　committing　the　robbery；　jumped　
slap　out　of　window；　which　was　only　a　storey　high。　He　was　wery　
quick　about　it。　But　Conkey　was　quick；　too；　for　he　was　woke　by　the　
noise；　and　darting　out　of　bed；　he　fired　a　blunderbuss　arter　him；　
and　roused　the　neighbourhood。　They　set　up　a　hue…and…cry；　
directly；　and　when　they　came　to　look　about　’em；　found　that　
Conkey　had　hit　the　robber；　for　there　was　traces　of　blood；　all　the　
way　to　some　palings　a　good　distance　off；　and　there　they　lost　’em。　
However；　he　had　made　off　with　the　blunt；　and；　consequently；　the　

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name　of　Mr。　Chickweed；　licensed　witler；　appeared　in　the　Gazette　
among　the　other　bankrupts；　and　all　manner　of　benefits　and　
subscriptions；　and　I　don’t　know　what　all；　was　got　up　for　the　poor　
man；　who　was　in　a　wery　low　state　of　mind　about　his　loss；　and　went　
up　and　down　the　streets；　for　three　or　four　days；　a…pulling　his　hair　
off　in　such　a　desperate　manner　that　many　people　was　afraid　he　
might　be　going　to　make　away　with　himself。　One　day　he　come　up　to　
the　office；　all　in　a　hurry　and　had　a　private　interview　with　the　
magistrate；　who；　after　a　deal　of　talk；　rings　the　bell；　and　orders　Jem　
Spyers　in　（Jem　was　a　active　officer）；　and　tells　him　to　go　and　assist　
Mr。　Chickweed　in　apprehending　the　man　as　robbed　his　house。　‘I　
see　him；　Spyers；’　said　Chickweed；　‘pass　my　house　yesterday　
morning。’　‘Why　didn’t　you　up　and　collar　him！’　says　Spyers。　‘I　was　
so　struck　all　of　a　heap；　that　you　might　have　fractured　my　skull　with　
a　toothpick；’　says　the　poor　man；　‘but　we’re　sure　to　have　him；　for　
between　ten　and　eleven　o’clock　at　night　he　passed　again。’　Spyers　
no　sooner　heard　this；　than　he　put　some　clean　linen　and　a　comb；　in　
his　pocket；　in　case　he　should　have　to　stop　a　day　or　two；　and　away　
he　goes；　and　sets　himself　down；　at　one　of　the　public…house　
windows　behind　the　little　red　curtain　with　his　hat　on；　all　ready　to　
bolt　out；　at　a　moment’s　notice。　He　was　smoking　his　pipe　here；　late　
at　night；　when　all　of　a　sudden　Chickweed　roars　out；　‘Here　he　is！　
Stop　thief！　Murder！’　Jem　Spyers　dashes　out；　and　there　he　sees　
Chickweed；　a…tearing　down　the　street　full　cry。　Away　goes　Spyers；　
on　goes　Chickweed；　round　turns　the　people；　everybody　roars　out；　
‘Thieves！’　and　Chickweed　himself　keeps　on　shouting；　all　the　time；　
like　mad。　Spyers　loses　sight　of　him　a　minute　as　he　turns　a　corner；　
shoots　round；　sees　a　little　crowd；　dives　in；　‘Which　is　the　man？’　‘D—　
me！’　says　Chickweed；　‘I’ve　lost　him　again！’　It　was　a　remarkable　

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occurrence；　but　he　warn’t　to　be　seen　nowhere；　so　they　went　back　
to　the　public…house。　Next　morning　Spyers　took　his　old　place；　and　
looked　out；　from　behind　the　curtain；　for　a　tall　man　with　a　black　
patch　over　his　eyes；　till　his　own　two　eyes　ached　again。　At　last；　he　
couldn’t　help　shutting　’em；　to　ease　’em　a　minute；　and　the　very　
moment　he　did　so；　he　heard　Chickweed　a…roaring　out；　‘Here　he　is！’　
Off　he　starts　once　more；　with　Chickweed　half…way　down　the　street　
ahead　of　him；　and　after　twice　as　long　a　run　as　the　yesterday’s　one；　
the　man’s　lost　again！　This　was　done；　once　or　twice　more；　till　one…
half　the　neighbours　gave　out　that　Mr。　Chickweed　had　been　robbed　
by　the　devil；　who　was　playing　tricks　with　him　arterwards；　and　the　
other　half；　that　poor　Mr。　Chickweed　had　gone　mad　with　grief。”　

“What　did　Jem　Spyers　say？”　inquired　the　doctor；　who　had　
returned　to　the　room　shortly　after　the　commencement　of　the　story。　

“Jem　Spyers；”　resumed　the　officer；　“for　a　long　time　said　
nothing　at　all；　and　listened　to　everything　without　seeming　to；　
which　showed　he　understood　his　business。　But　one　morning；　he　
walked　into　the　bar；　and　taking　out　his　snuff…box；　says；　
‘Chickweed；　I’ve　found　out　who　done　this　here　robbery。’　‘Have　
you？’　said　Chickweed。　‘Oh；　my　dear　Spyers；　only　let　me　have　
wengeance；　and　I　shall　die　contented！　Oh；　my　dear　Spyers；　where　
is　the　villain？’　‘Come！’　said　Spyers；　offering　him　a　pinch　of　snuff；　
‘none　of　that　gammon！　You　did　it　yourself。’　So　he　had；　and　a　good　
bit　of　money　he　had　made　by　it；　too；　and　nobody　would　never　have　
found　it　out；　if　he　hadn’t　been　so　precious　anxious　to　keep　up　
appearances；　that’s　more！”　said　Mr。　Blathers；　putting