八喜电子书 > 经管其他电子书 > oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪)) >

第85部分

oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第85部分

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

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



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 

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics 


Oliver Twist 513 

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 

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics 


Oliver Twist 514 

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; 

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics 


Oliver Twist 515 

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。” 

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics 


Oliver Twist 516 

“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 

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics 


Oliver Twist 517 

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; 

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics 


Oliver Twist 518 

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

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的