oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第85部分

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the　dog；　limping　and　lame　from　the　unaccustomed　exercise；　
turned　down　the　hill　by　the　church　of　the　quiet　village；　and　
plodding　along　the　little　street；　crept　into　a　small　public…house；　
whose　scanty　light　had　guided　them　to　the　spot。　There　was　a　fire　
in　the　taproom；　and　some　country　labourers　were　drinking　before　

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it。　They　made　room　for　the　stranger；　but　he　sat　down　in　the　
farthest　corner；　and　ate　and　drank　alone；　or　rather　with　his　dog；　to　
whom　he　cast　a　morsel　of　food　from　time　to　time。　

The　conversation　of　the　men　assembled　here；　turned　upon　the　
neighbouring　land；　and　farmers；　and　when　those　topics　were　
exhausted；　upon　the　age　of　some　old　man　who　had　been　buried　on　
the　previous　Sunday；　the　young　men　present　considering　him　very　
old；　and　the　old　men　present　declaring　him　to　have　been　quite　
young—not　older；　one　white…haired　grandfather　said；　than　he　
was—with　ten　or　fifteen　year　of　life　in　him　at　least　if　he　had　taken　
care；　if　he　had　taken　care。　

There　was　nothing　to　attract　attention；　or　excite　alarm　in　this。　
The　robber；　after　paying　his　reckoning；　sat　silent　and　unnoticed　in　
the　corner；　and　had　almost　dropped　asleep；　when　he　was　half…
awakened　by　the　noisy　entrance　of　a　newcomer。　

This　was　an　antic　fellow；　half…pedlar　and　half…mountebank；　who　
travelled　about　the　country　on　foot　to　vend　hones；　strops；　razors；　
wash…balls；　harness…paste；　medicine　for　dogs—and　horses；　cheap　
perfumery；　cosmetics；　and　such　like　wares；　which　he　carried　in　a　
case　slung　to　his　back。　His　entrance　was　the　signal　for　various　
homely　jokes　with　the　countrymen；　which　slackened　not　until　he　
had　made　his　supper；　and　opened　his　box　of　treasures；　when　he　
ingeniously　contrived　to　unite　business　with　amusement。　

“And　what　be　that　stoof？　Good　to　eat；　Harry？”　asked　a　grinning　
countryman；　pointing　to　some　composition…cakes　in　one　corner。　

“This；”　said　the　fellow；　producing　one—“this　is　the　infallible　
and　invaluable　composition　for　removing　all　sorts　of　stain；　rust；　
dirt；　mildew；　spick；　speck；　spot；　or　spatter；　from　silk；　satin；　linen；　
cambric；　cloth；　crape；　stuff；　carpet；　merino；　muslin；　bombazeen；　or　

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woollen　stuff。　Wine…stains；　fruit…stains；　beer…stains；　water…stains；　
paint…stains；　pitch…stains；　any　stains；　all　come　out　at　one　rub　with　
the　infallible　and　invaluable　composition。　If　a　lady　stains　her　
honour；　she　has　only　need　to　swallow　one　cake　and　she’s　cured　at　
once—for　it’s　poison。　If　a　gentleman　wants　to　prove　this；　he　has　
only　need　to　bolt　one　little　square；　and　he　has　put　it　beyond　
question—for　it’s　quite　as　satisfactory　as　a　pistol…bullet；　and　a　
great　deal　nastier　in　the　flavour；　consequently　the　more　credit　in　
taking　it。　One　penny　a　square。　With　all　these　virtues；　one　penny　a　
square！”　

There　were　two　buyers　directly；　and　more　of　the　listeners　
plainly　hesitated。　The　vendor　observing　this；　increased　in　
loquacity。　

“It’s　all　bought　up　as　fast　as　it　can　be　made；”　said　the　fellow。　
“There　are　fourteen　water…mills；　six　steam…engines；　and　a　galvanic　
battery；　always　a…working　upon　it；　and　they　can’t　make　it　fast　
enough；　though　the　men　work　so　hard　that　they　die　off；　and　the　
widows　is　pensioned　directly；　with　twenty　pound　a　year　for　each　of　
the　children；　and　a　premium　of　fifty　for　twins。　One　penny　a　
square！　Two　halfpence　is　all　the　same；　and　four　farthings　is　
received　with　joy。　One　penny　a　square！　Wine…stains；　fruit…stains；　
beer…stains；　water…stains；　paint…stains；　pitch…stains；　mud…stains；　
blood…stains！　Here　is　a　stain　upon　the　hat　of　a　gentleman　in　
company；　that　I’ll　take　clean　out；　before　he　can　order　me　a　pint　of　
ale。”　

“Ah！”　cried　Sikes；　starting　up。　“Give　that　back。”　

“I’ll　take　it　clean　out；　sir；”　replied　the　man；　winking　to　the　
company；　“before　you　can　come　across　the　room　to　get　it。　
Gentlemen　all；　observe　the　dark　stain　upon　this　gentleman’s　hat；　

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no　wider　than　a　shilling；　but　thicker　than　a　half…crown。　Whether　it　
is　a　wine…stain；　fruit…stain；　beer…stain；　water…stain；　paint…stain；　
pitch…stain；　mud…stain；　or　blood…stain。”　

The　man　got　no　further；　for　Sikes　with　a　hideous　imprecation　
overthrew　the　table；　and　tearing　the　hat　from　him；　burst　out　of　the　
house。　

With　the　same　perversity　of　feeling　and　irresolution　that　has　
fastened　upon　him；　despite　himself；　all　day；　the　murderer；　finding　
that　he　was　not　followed；　and　that　they　most　probably　considered　
him　some　drunken；　sullen　fellow；　turned　back　up　the　town；　and　
getting　out　of　the　glare　of　the　lamps　of　a　stagecoach　that　was　
standing　in　the　street；　was　walking　past；　when　he　recognised　the　
mail　from　London；　and　saw　that　it　was　standing　at　the　little　post…
office。　He　almost　knew　what　was　to　come；　but　he　crossed　over；　and　
listened。　

The　guard　was　standing　at　the　door；　waiting　for　the　letter…bag。　
A　man；　dressed　like　a　gamekeeper；　came　up　at　the　moment；　and　
he　handed　him　a　basket　which　lay　ready　on　the　pavement。　

“That’s　for　your　people；”　said　the　guard。　“Now；　look　alive　in　
there；　will　you。　Damn　that　’ere　bag；　it　warn’t　ready　night　afore　last；　
this　won’t　do；　you　know！”　

“Anything　new　up　in　town；　Ben？”　asked　the　gamekeeper；　
drawing　back　to　the　window…shutters；　the　better　to　admire　the　
horses。　

“No；　nothing　that　I　knows　on；”　replied　the　man；　pulling　on　his　
gloves。　“Corn’s　up　a　little。　I　heerd　talk　of　a　murder；　too；　down　
Spitalfields　way；　but　I　don’t　reckon　much　upon　it。”　

“Oh；　that’s　quite　true；”　said　a　gentleman　inside；　who　was　
looking　out　of　the　window。　“And　a　dreadful　murder　it　was。”　

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“Was　it；　sir？”　rejoined　the　guard；　touching　his　hat。　“Man　or　
woman；　pray；　sir？”　

“A　woman；”　replied　the　gentleman。　“It　is　supposed—”　

“Now；　Ben；”　replied　the　coachman　impatiently。　

“Damn　that　’ere　bag；”　said　the　guard；　“are　you　gone　to　sleep　in　
there？”　

“Coming！”　cried　the　office　keeper；　running　out。　

“Coming；”　growled　the　guard。　“Ah；　and　so’s　the　young　‘ooman　
of　property　that’s　going　to　take　a　fancy　to　me；　but　I　don’t　know　
when。　Here；　give　hold。　All　ri…right！”　

The　horn　sounded　a　few　cheerful　notes；　and　the　coach　was　
gone。　

Sikes　remained　standing　in　the　street；　apparently　unmoved　by　
what　he　had　just　heard；　and　agitated　by　no　stronger　feeling　than　a　
doubt　where　to　go。　At　length　he　went　back　again；　and　took　the　
road　which　leads　from　Hatfield　to　St。　Albans。　

He　went　on　doggedly；　but　as　he　left　the　town　behind　him；　and　
plunged　into　the　solitude　and　darkness　of　the　road；　he　felt　a　dread　
and　awe　creeping　upon　him　which　shook　him　to　the　core。　Every　
object　before　him；　substance　or　shadow；　still　or　moving；　took　the　
semblance　of　some　fearful　thing；　but　these　fears　were　nothing　
compared　to　the　sense　that　haunted　him　of　that　morning’s　ghastly　
figure　following　at　his　heels。　He　could　trace　its　shadow　in　the　
gloom；　supply　the　smallest　item　of　the　outline；　and　note　how　stiff　
and　solemn　it　seemed　to　stalk　along。　He　could　hear　its　garments　
rustling　in　the　leaves；　and　every　breath　of　wind　came　laden　with　
that　last　low　cry。　If　he　stopped　it　did　the　same。　If　he　ran；　it　
followed—not　running　too；　that　would　have　been　a　relief；　but　like　a　
corpse　endowed　with　the　mere　machinery　of　life；　and　borne　on　one　

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slow　melancholy　wind　that　never　rose　or　fell。　

At　times　he　turned；　with　desperate　determination；　resolved　to　
beat　this　phantom　off；　though　it　should　look　him　dead；　but　the　hair　
rose　on　his　head；　and　his　blood　stood　still；　for　it　had　turned　with　
him　and　was　behind　him　then。　He　had　kept　it　before　him　that　
morning；　but　it　was　behind　now—　always。　He　leaned　his　back　
against　a　bank；　and　felt　that　it　stood　above　him；　visibly　out　against　
the　cold　night…sky。　He　threw　himself　upon　the　road—on　his　back　
upon　the　road。　At　his　head　it　stood；　silent；　erect；　and　still—a　living　
gravestone；　with　its　epitaph　in　blood。　

Let　no　man　talk　of　murderers　escaping　justice；　and　hint　that　
Providence　must　sleep。　There　were　twenty　score　of　violent　deaths　
in　one　long　minute　of　that　agony　of　fear。　

There　was　a　shed　in　a　field　he　passed；　that　offered　shelter　for　
the　night。　Before　the　door；　were　three　tall　poplar…trees；　which　
made　it　very　dark　within；　and　the　wind　moaned　through　them　
with　a　dismal　wail。　He　could　not　walk　on；　till　daylight　came　again；　
and　here　he　stretched　himself　close　to　the　wall—to　undergo　new　
torture。　

For　now；　a　vision　came　before　him；　as　constant　and　more　
terrible　than　that　from　which　he　had　escaped。　Those　widely…
staring　eyes；　so　lustreless　and　so　glassy；　that　he　had　better　borne　
to　see　them　than　think　upon　them；　appeared　in　the　midst　of　the　
darkness—light　in　themselves；　but　giving　light　to　nothing。　There　
were　but　two；　but　they　were　everywhere。　If　he　shut　out　the　sight；　
there　came　the　room　with　every　well…known　object—some；　indeed；　
that　he　would　have　forgotten；　if　he　had　gone　over　its　contents　from　
memory—each　in　its　accustomed　place。　The　body　was　in　its　place；　
and　its　eyes　were　as　he　saw　them　when　he　stole　away。　He　got　up；　

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and　rushed　into　the　field　without。　The　figure　was　behind　him。　He　
re…entered　the　shed；　and　shrank　down　once　more。　The　eyes　were　
there；　before　he　had　laid　himself　along。　

And　here　he　remained；　in　such　terror　as　none　but　he　can　know；　
trembling　in　every　limb；　and　the　cold　sweat　starting　from　every　
pore；　when　suddenly　there　arose　upon　the　night…wind　the　noise　of　
distant　shouting；　and　the　roar　of　voices　mingled　in　alarm　and　
wonder。　Any　sound　of　men　in　that　lonely　place；　even　though　it　
conveyed　a　real　cause　of　alarm；　was　something　to　him。　He　
regained　his　strength　and　energy　at　the　prospect　of　personal　
danger；　and；　springing　to　his　feet；　rushed　into　the　open　air。　

The　broad　sky　seemed　on　fire。　Rising　into　the　air　with　showers　
of　sparks；　and　rolling　one　above　the　other；　were