oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第74部分

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material　assistance　to　us；　I　should　say　that　he　was　bred　a　lawyer；　
and　quitted　the　bar　in　disgust　because　he　had　only　one　brief　and　a　
motion　of　course；　in　twenty　years；　though　whether　that　is　a　
recommendation　or　not；　you　must　determine　for　yourselves。”　

“I　have　no　objection　to　your　calling　in　your　friend　if　I　may　call　in　
mine；”　said　the　doctor。　

“We　must　put　it　to　the　vote；”　replied　Mr。　Brownlow；　“who　may　
he　be？”　

“That　lady’s　son；　and　this　young　lady’s　very　old　friend；”　said　the　
doctor；　motioning　towards　Mrs。　Maylie；　and　concluding　with　an　
expressive　glance　at　her　niece。　

Rose　blushed　deeply；　but　she　did　not　make　any　audible　
objection　to　this　motion　（possibly　she　felt　in　a　hopeless　minority）；　
and　Harry　Maylie　and　Mr。　Grimwig　were　accordingly　added　to　the　
committee。　

“We　stay　in　town；　of　course；”　said　Mr。　Maylie；　“while　there　
remains　the　slightest　prospect　of　prosecuting　this　inquiry　with　a　
chance　of　success。　I　will　spare　neither　trouble　nor　expense　in　
behalf　of　the　object　in　which　we　are　all　so　deeply　interested；　and　I　
am　content　to　remain　here；　if　it　be　for　twelve　months；　so　long　as　
you　assure　me　that　any　hope　remains。”　

“Good！”　rejoined　Mr。　Brownlow。　“And　as　I　see　on　the　faces　
about　me；　a　disposition　to　inquire　how　it　happened　that　I　was　not　
in　the　way　to　corroborate　Oliver’s　tale；　and　had　so　suddenly　left　
the　kingdom；　let　me　stipulate　that　I　shall　be　asked　no　questions　
until　such　time　as　I　may　deem　it　expedient　to　forestall　them　by　
telling　my　own　story。　Believe　me；　I　make　this　request　with　good　

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reason；　for　I　might　otherwise　excite　hopes　destined　never　to　be　
realised；　and　only　increase　difficulties　and　disappointments　
already　numerous　enough。　Come！　Supper　has　been　announced；　
and　young　Oliver；　who　is　all　alone　in　the　next　room；　will　have　
begun　to　think；　by　this　time；　that　we　have　wearied　of　his　company；　
and　entered　into　some　dark　conspiracy　to　thrust　him　forth　upon　
the　world。”　

With　these　words；　the　old　gentleman　gave　his　hand　to　Mrs。　
Maylie；　and　escorted　her　into　the　supper…room。　Mr。　Losberne　
followed；　leading　Rose；　and　the　council　was；　for　the　present；　
effectually　broken　up。　

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Chapter　42　

An　Old　Acquaintance　Of　Oliver’s；　Exhibiting
Decided　Marks　Of　Genius；　Becomes　A　Public
Character　In　The　Metropolis。


Upon　the　night　when　Nancy；　having　lulled　Mr。　Sikes　to　
sleep；　hurried　on　her　self…imposed　mission　to　Rose　
Maylie；　there　advanced　towards　London；　by　the　Great　
North　Road；　two　persons；　upon　whom　it　is　expedient　that　this　
history　should　bestow　some　attention。　

They　were　a　man　and　a　woman；　or　perhaps　they　would　be　
better　described　as　a　male　and　female；　for　the　former　was　one　of　
those　long…limbed；　knock…kneed；　shambling；　bony　people；　to　whom　
it　is　difficult　to　assign　any　precise　age—looking　as　they　do；　when　
they　are　yet　boys；　like　undergrown　men；　and　when　they　are　almost　
men；　like　overgrown　boys。　The　woman　was　young；　but　of　a　robust　
and　hardy　make；　as　she　need　have　been　to　bear　the　weight　of　the　
heavy　bundle　which　was　strapped　to　her　back。　Her　companion　
was　not　encumbered　with　much　luggage；　as　there　merely　dangled　
from　a　stick　which　he　carried　over　his　shoulder；　a　small　parcel　
wrapped　in　a　common　handkerchief；　and　apparently　light　enough。　
This　circumstance；　added　to　the　length　of　his　legs；　which　were　of　
unusual　extent；　enabled　him　with　much　ease　to　keep　some　half…
dozen　paces　in　advance　of　his　companion；　to　whom　he　occasionally　
turned　with　an　impatient　jerk　of　the　head；　as　if　reproaching　her　
tardiness；　and　urging　her　to　greater　exertion。　

Thus；　they　had　toiled　along　the　dusty　road；　taking　little　heed　of　

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any　object　within　sight；　save　when　they　stepped　aside　to　allow　a　
wider　passage　for　the　mail…coaches　which　were　whirling　out　of　
town；　until　they　passed　through　Highgate　archway；　when　the　
foremost　traveller　stopped　and　called　impatiently　to　his　
companion。　

“Come　on；　can’t　yer？　What　a　lazybones　ye　are；　Charlotte。”　

“It’s　a　heavy　load；　I　can　tell　you；”　said　the　female；　coming　up；　
almost　breathless　with　fatigue。　

“Heavy！　What　are　yer　talking　about！　What　are　yer　made　for？”　
rejoined　the　male　traveller；　changing　his　own　little　bundle　as　he　
spoke；　to　the　other　shoulder。　“Oh；　there　yer　are；　resting　again！　
Well；　if　yer　ain’t　enough　to　tire　anybody’s　patience　out；　I　don’t　
know　what　is！”　

“Is　it　much　farther？”　asked　the　woman；　resting　herself　against　a　
bank；　and　looking　up　with　the　perspiration　streaming　from　her　
face。　

“Much　farther！　Yer　as　good　as　there；”　said　the　long…legged　
tramper；　pointing　out　before　him。　“Look　there！　Those　are　the　
lights　of　London。”　

“They’re　a　good　two　mile　off；　at　least；”　said　the　woman　
despondingly。　

“Never　mind　whether　they’re　two　mile　off；　or　twenty；”　said　
Noah　Claypole；　for　he　it　was；　“but　get　up　and　come　on；　or　I’ll　kick　
yer；　and　so　I　give　yer　notice。”　

As　Noah’s　red　nose　grew　redder　with　anger；　and　as　he　crossed　
the　road　while　speaking；　as　if　fully　prepared　to　put　his　threat　into　
execution；　the　woman　rose　without　any　further　remark；　and　
trudged　onward　by　his　side。　

“Where　do　you　mean　to　stop　for　the　night；　Noah？”　she　asked；　

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after　they　had　walked　a　few　hundred　yards。　

“How　should　I　know？”　replied　Noah；　whose　temper　had　been　
considerably　impaired　by　walking。　

“Near；　I　hope；”　said　Charlotte。　

“No；　not　near；”　replied　Mr。　Claypole。　‘‘There！　Not　near；　so　don’t　
think　it。”　

“Why　not？”　

“When　I　tell　yer　that　I　don’t　mean　to　do　a　thing；　that’s　enough；　
without　any　why　or　because　either；”　replied　Mr。　Claypole；　with　
dignity。　

“Well；　you　needn’t　be　so　cross；”　said　his　companion。　

“A　pretty　thing　it　would　be；　wouldn’t　it；　to　go　and　stop　at　the　
very　first　public…house　outside　the　town；　so　that　Sowerberry；　if　he　
came　up　after　us；　might　poke　in　his　old　nose；　and　have　us　taken　
back　in　a　cart　with　handcuffs　on；”　said　Mr　Claypole；　in　a　jeering　
tone。　“No！　I　shall　go　and　lose　myself　among　the　narrowest　streets　I　
can　find；　and　not　stop　till　we　come　to　the　very　out…of…the…wayest　
house　I　can　set　eyes　on。　’Cod；　yer　may　thank　yer　stars　I’ve　got　a　
head；　for　if　we　hadn’t　gone；　at　first；　the　wrong　road　a　purpose；　and　
come　back　across　country；　yer’d　have　been　locked　up　hard　and　
fast　a　week　ago；　my　lady。　And　serve　yer　right　for　being　a　fool。”　

“I　know　I　ain’t　as　cunning　as　you　are；”　replied　Charlotte；　“but　
don’t　put　all　the　blame　on　me；　and　say　I　should　have　been　locked　
up。　You　would　have　been　if　I　had　been；　anyway。”　

“Yer　took　the　money　from　the　till；　yer　know　yer　did；”　said　Mr。　
Claypole。　

“I　took　it　for　you；　Noah　dear；”　rejoined　Charlotte。　

“Did　I　keep　it？”　asked　Mr。　Claypole。　

“No；　you　trusted　in　me；　and　let　me　carry　it　like　a　dear；　and　so　

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you　are；”　said　the　lady；　chucking　him　under　the　chin；　and　drawing　
her　arm　through　his。　

This　was　indeed　the　case；　but　as　it　was　not　Mr。　Claypole’s　habit　
to　repose　a　blind　and　foolish　confidence　in　anybody；　it　should　be　
observed；　in　justice　to　that　gentleman；　that　he　had　trusted　
Charlotte　to　this　extent；　in　order　that；　if　they　were　pursued；　the　
money　might　be　found　on　her；　which　would　leave　him　an　
opportunity　of　asserting　his　innocence　of　any　theft；　and　would　
greatly　facilitate　his　chances　of　escape。　Of　course；　he　entered　at　
this　juncture　into　no　explanation　of　his　motives；　and　they　walked　
on　very　leisurely　together。　

In　pursuance　of　this　cautious　plan；　Mr。　Claypole　went　on；　
without　halting；　until　he　arrived　at　the　Angel　at　Islington；　where　
he　wisely　judged；　from　the　crowd　of　passengers　and　number　of　
vehicles；　that　London　began　in　earnest。　Just　pausing　to　observe　
which　appeared　the　most　crowded　streets；　and　consequently　the　
most　to　be　avoided；　he　crossed　into　St。　John’s　Road；　and　was　soon　
deep　in　the　obscurity　of　the　intricate　and　dirty　ways；　which；　lying　
between　Gray’s　Inn　Lane　and　Smithfield；　render　that　part　of　the　
town　one　of　the　lowest　and　worst　that　improvement　has　left　in　the　
midst　of　London。　

Through　these　streets；　Noah　Claypole　walked；　dragging　
Charlotte　after　him；　now　stepping　into　the　kennel　to　embrace　at　a　
glance　the　whole　external　character　of　some　small　public…house；　
and　now　jogging　on　again；　as　some　fancied　appearance　induced　
him　to　believe　it　too　public　for　his　purpose。　At　length；　he　stopped　
in　front　of　one；　more　humble　in　appearance　and　more　dirty　than　
any　he　had　yet　seen；　and；　having　crossed　over　and　surveyed　it　
from　the　opposite　pavement；　graciously　announced　his　intention　

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of　putting　up　there；　for　the　night。　

“So　give　us　the　bundle；”　said　Noah；　unstrapping　it　from　the　
woman’s　shoulders；　and　slinging　it　over　his　own；　“and　don’t　yer　
speak；　except　when　yer　spoke　to。　What’s　the　name　of　the　house—th…r—three　what？”　

“Cripples；”　said　Charlotte。　

“Three　Cripples；”　repeated　Noah；　“and　a　very　good　sign　too。　
Now；　then！　Keep　close　at　my　heels；　and　come　along。”　With　these　
injunctions；　he　pushed　the　rattling　door　with　his　shoulder；　and　
entered　the　house；　followed　by　his　companion。　

There　was　nobody　in　the　bar　but　a　young　Jew；　who；　with　his　
two　elbows　on　the　counter；　was　reading　a　dirty　newspaper。　He　
stared　very　hard　at　Noah；　and　Noah　stared　very　hard　at　him。　

If　Noah　had　been　attired　in　his　charity…boy’s　dress；　there　might　
have　been　some　reason　for　the　Jew　opening　his　eyes　so　wide；　but　
as　he　had　discarded　the　coat　and　badge；　and　wore　a　short　smock…
frock　over　his　leathers；　there　seemed　no　particular　reason　for　his　
appearance　exciting　so　much　attention　in　a　public…house。　

“Is　this　the　Three　Cripples？”　asked　Noah。　

“That　is　the　dabe　of　this　’ouse；”　replied　the　Jew。　

“A　gentleman　we　met　on　the　road；　coming　up　from　the　country；　
recommended　us　here；”　said