oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第83部分
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stealthily and in the shade of the wall; in the same manner as he
had descended。
Peeping out; more than once; when he reached the top; to make
sure that he was unobserved; Noah Claypole darted away at his
utmost speed; and made for the Jew’s house as fast as his legs
would carry him。
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Chapter 47
Fatal Consequences。
It was nearly two hours before daybreak; that time which in
the autumn of the year may be truly called the dead of night;
when the streets are silent and deserted; when even sounds
appear to slumber; and profligacy and riot have staggered home to
dream; it was at this still and silent hour; that Fagin sat watching
in his old lair; with face so distorted and pale; and eyes so red and
bloodshot; that he looked less like a man; than like some hideous
phantom; moist from the grave; and worried by an evil spirit。
He sat crouching over a cold hearth; wrapped in an old torn
coverlet; with his face turned towards a wasting candle that stood
upon a table by his side。 His right hand was raised to his lips; and
as; absorbed in thought; he bit his long black nails; he disclosed
among his toothless gums a few such fangs as should have been a
dog’s or rat’s。
Stretched upon a mattress on the floor; lay Noah Claypole; fast
asleep。 Towards him the old man sometimes directed his eyes for
an instant; and then brought them back again to the candle; which
was a long…burnt wick drooping almost double; and hot grease
falling down in clots upon the table; plainly showed that his
thoughts were busy elsewhere。
Indeed they were。 Mortification at the overthrow of his notable
scheme; hatred of the girl who had dared to palter with strangers;
an utter distrust of the sincerity of her refusal to yield him up;
bitter disappointment at the loss of his revenge on Sikes; the fear
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of detection; and ruin; and death; and a fierce and deadly rage
kindled by all; these were the passionate considerations which;
following close upon each other with rapid and ceaseless whirl;
shot through the brain of Fagin; as every evil thought and blackest
purpose lay working at his heart。
He sat without changing his attitude in the least; or appearing
to take the smallest heed of time; until his quick ear seemed to be
attracted by a footstep in the street。
“At last;” he muttered; wiping his dry and fevered mouth。 “At
last!”
The bell rang gently as he spoke。 He crept upstairs to the door;
and presently returned accompanied by a man muffled to the
chin; who carried a bundle under one arm。 Sitting down and
throwing back his outer coat; the man displayed the burly frame of
Sikes。
“There!” he said; laying the bundle on the table。 “Take care of
that; and do the most you can with it。 It’s been trouble enough to
get: I thought I should have been here three hours ago。”
Fagin laid his hand upon the bundle; and locking it in the
cupboard; sat down again without speaking。 But he did not take
his eyes off the robber; for an instant; during this action; and now
that they sat over against each other; face to face; he looked fixedly
at him; with his lips quivering so violently; and his face so altered
by the emotions which had mastered him; that the housebreaker
involuntarily drew back his chair; and surveyed him with a look of
real affright。
“Wot now?” cried Sikes。 “Wot do you look at a man so for?”
Fagin raised his right hand; and shook his trembling forefinger
in the air; but his passion was so great; that the power of speech
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was for the moment gone。
“Damme!” said Sikes; feeling in his breast with a look of alarm。
“He’s gone mad。 I must look to myself here。”
“No; no;” rejoined Fagin; finding his voice。 “It’s not—You’re not
the person; Bill。 I’ve no—no fault to find with you。”
“Oh; you haven’t; haven’t you?” said Sikes; looking sternly at
him; and ostentatiously passing a pistol into a more convenient
pocket。 “That’s lucky—for one of us。 Which one that is; don’t
matter。”
“I’ve got that to tell you; Bill;” said Fagin; drawing his chair
nearer; “will make you worse than me。”
“Aye?” returned the robber; with an incredulous air。 “Tell
away! Look sharp; or Nance will think I’m lost。”
“Lost!” cried Fagin。 “She has pretty well settled that; in her
own mind; already。”
Sikes looked with an aspect of great perplexity into the Jew’s
face; and reading no satisfactory explanation of the riddle there;
clenched his coat collar in his huge hand and shook him soundly。
“Speak; will you!” he said; “or if you won’t; it shall be for want
of breath。 Open your mouth and say wot you’ve got to say in plain
words Out with it; you thundering old cur; out with it!”
“Suppose that lad that’s lying there—” Fagin began。
Sikes turned round to where Noah was sleeping; as if he had
not previously observed him。 “Well?” he said; resuming his former
position。
“Suppose that lad;” pursued Fagin; “was to peach—to blow
upon us all—first seeking out the right folks for the purpose; and
then having a meeting with ’em in the street to paint our
likenesses; describe every mark that they might know us by; and
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the crib where we might be most easily taken。 Suppose he was to
do all this; and besides to blow upon a plant we’ve all been in;
more or less—of his own fancy; not grabbed; trapped; tried; ear…
wigged by the parson and brought to it on bread and water—but
of his own fancy; to please his own taste; stealing out at nights to
find those most interested against us; and peaching to them。 Do
you hear me?” cried the Jew; his eyes flashing with rage。
“Suppose he did all this; what then?”
“What then!” replied Sikes; with a tremendous oath。 “If he was
left alive till I came; I’d grind his skull under the iron heel of my
boot into as many grains as there are hairs upon his head。”
“What if I did it!” cried Fagin; almost in a yell。 “I; that know so
much; and could hang so many besides myself!”
“I don’t know;” replied Sikes; clenching his teeth; and turning
white at the mere suggestion。 “I’d do something in the jail that ’ud
get me put in irons; and if I was tried along with you; I’d fall upon
you with them in the open court; and beat your brains out afore
the people。 I should have such strength;” muttered the robber;
poising his brawny arm; “that I could smash your head as if a
loaded wagon had gone over it。”
“You would?”
“Would I!” said the housebreaker。 “Try me。”
“If it was Charley; or the Dodger; or Bet; or—”
“I don’t care who;” replied Sikes impatiently。 “Whoever it was;
I’d serve them the same。”
Fagin looked hard at the robber; and; motioning him to be
silent; stooped over the bed upon the floor; and shook the sleeper
to rouse him。 Sikes leaned forward in his chair; looking on with his
hands upon his knees; as if wondering much what all this
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questioning and preparation was to end in。
“Bolter; Bolter! Poor lad!” said Fagin; looking up with an
expression of devilish anticipation; and speaking slowly and with
marked emphasis。 “He’s tired—tired with watching for her so
long—watching for her; Bill。”
“Wot d’ye mean?” asked Sikes; drawing back。
Fagin made no answer; but bending over the sleeper again;
hauled him into a sitting posture。 When his assumed name had
been repeated several time; Noah rubbed his eyes; and; giving a
heavy yawn; looked sleepily about him。
“Tell me that again—once again; just for him to hear;” said the
Jew; pointing to Sikes as he spoke。
“Tell yer what?” asked the sleepy Noah; shaking himself
pettishly。
“That about—NANCY;” said Fagin; clutching Sikes by the
wrist; as if to prevent his leaving the house before he had heard
enough。 “You followed her?”
“Yes。”
“To London Bridge?”
“Yes。”
“Where she met two people?”
“So she did。”
“A gentleman and a lady that she had gone to of her own accord
before; who asked her to give up all her pals; and Monks first;
which she did—and to describe him; which she did—and to tell
her what house it was that we meet at; and go to; which she did—
and where it could be best watched from; which she did—and
what time the people went there; which she did。 She did all this。
She told it all every word without a threat; without a murmur—
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she did—did she not?” cried Fagin; half…mad with fury。
“All right;” replied Noah; scratching his head。 “That’s just what
it was!”
“What did they say about last Sunday?”
“About last Sunday!” replied Noah; considering。 “Why; I told
yer that before。”
“Again。 Tell it again!” cried Fagin; tightening his grasp on
Sikes; and brandishing his other hand aloft; as the foam flew from
his lips。
“They asked her;” said Noah; who; as he grew more wakeful;
seemed to have a dawning perception who Sikes was—“they
asked her why she didn’t come last Sunday; as she promised。 She
said she couldn’t。”
“Why—why? Tell him that。”
“Because she was forcibly kept at home by Bill; the man she
had told them of before;” replied Noah。
“What more of him?” cried Fagin。 “What more of the man she
had told them of before? Tell him that; tell him that。”
“Why; that she couldn’t very easily get out of doors unless he
knew where she was going to;” said Noah; “and so the first time
she went to see the lady; she—ha! ha! ha! it made me laugh when
she said it; that it did— she gave him a drink of laudanum。”
“Hell’s fire!” cried Sikes; breaking fiercely from Fagin。 “Let me
go!” Flinging the old man from him; he rushed from the room; and
darted; wildly and furiously; up the stairs。
“Bill; Bill!” cried Fagin; following