雾都孤儿-第16章

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　‘Why　not？’

　‘Because　I　couldn’t　betray　the　m．They’ve　been　loyal　to　me，and　I’ll　stay　loyal　to　the　m．’

　‘The　n　just　tell　us　how　we　can　get　Monks，and　I　promisen　one　of　your　friends　will　be　harmed，’said　Mr　　Brown　low　．

　‘And　Monks　will　never　know　how　you　found　out　about　him？’she　asked．

　‘We　promise，’said　Rose　gently．

Nancy　the　n　told　the　m，in　so　low　a　voice　that　the　listenerround　the　corner　could　hardly　hear　her，where　Monks　often　went　for　a　drink，and　what　he　looked　like．She　finished　by　saying，　‘On　his　throat，high　up，the　re　is—’

　‘A　bright　red　mark？’asked　Mr　　Brown　low　．

　‘Do　you　know　him？’asked　Nancy　in　surprise．

　‘I　think　I　do．’Mr　　Brown　low　　murmured　to　himself，　‘It　must　be　　him！’The　n　more　　loudly，he　said　to　Nancy，　‘Thank　you　for　everything　you’ve　told　us．But　now…how　can　you　go　back　to　the　se　people？Come　with　us　now，tonight．We　canarr　ange　for　you　to　be　hidden　from　the　m　all　forever，if　you　want　us　to．’

The　girl　shook　her　head．　‘I’m　chained　to　him，bad　as　Theyare．I’ve　gone　too　far　to　change　my　life　now．’She　looked　nervously　over　her　shoulder．　‘I　can　feel　those　dreadful　terrors　again…visions　of　blood　and　death．I　must　go　home．’

Mr　　Brown　low　　and　Rose　could　not　persuade　her　to　change　her　mind　Sadly，They　turned　to　leave，and　when　They　had　gone，Nancy　fell　to　the　ground　in　a　storm　of　tears．Meanwhile，Noah　Claypole，amazed　by　all　that　he　had　heard，crept　up　the　steps　and　ran　for　Fagin’s　house　as　fast　as　his　legs　could　carry　him．Some　hours　later，nearly　two　hours　before　dawn，Noah　laya　sleep　in　Fagin’s　house．But　Fagin　sat　silently　by　a　dead　fire，staring　at　the　flame　of　a　candle　on　tne　table　beside　him．With　his　pale，wrinkled　face　and　his　red，staring　eyes，he　looked　like　a　devil　out　of　hell．Hatred　ran　like　poison　through　hisevery　thought．Hatred　for　the　girl　who　had　dared　to　talk　to　strangers，who　had　ruined　his　plan　to　get　rid　of　Sikes．He　did　not　believe　her　promise　not　to　betray　him，and　he　feared　that　he　would　now　be　caught，and　hung．

Just　before　dawn　Sikes　entered　the　room，carrying　a　bundle　which　contained　the　results　of　his　night’s　work．Fagin　took　what　Sikes　gave　him，the　n　stared　at　the　robber　for　a　long　time　with　out　speaking．

　‘Why　are　you　looking　at　me　like　that？’asked　Sikes，uneasy　at　the　old　man’s　strange　expression．

Fagin　raised　his　hand　，but　his　passion　was　so　great　that　hecould　not　speak．

　‘Say　something，will　you！’shouted　Sikes，placing　his　huge　hand　　on　Fagin’s　collar　and　shaking　him　in　his　anger　and　fear．

　‘Open　your　mouth　and　say　what　you’ve　got　to　say！’

Eventually　Fagin　found　his　voice．　‘Bill，what　would　you　do　if　one　of　the　gang　went　out　at　night　and　told　someone　all　about　us，and　what　we’d　done？What　would　you　do　to　him？’

　‘I’d　smash　his　head　into　little　pieces，’said　the　robber，swearing　violently．

　‘And　what　if　it　was　me，who　knows　so　much　about　all　ofus，and　could　put　us　all　in　prison　and　get　us　all　hanged？’whispered　Fagin，his　eyes　flashing　with　hate．

　‘I’d　beat　your　brains　out　in　public．Even　in　the　law…court，I’d　run　over　and　kill　you　with　my　bare　hand　s，’said　Sikes，showing　his　teeth　in　his　anger．　‘I　don’t　care　who　it　was，that’s　what　I’d　do．’

Fagin　woke　Noah．　‘Tell　Bill　what　you　told　me，what　you　saw，what　she　did．Tell　him！’

Noah　rubbed　the　sleep　from　his　eyes　and　told　Sikes　every　thing　His　face　white　with　passion，Sikes　listened　to　the　end，the　n，swearing　furioustly，he　rushed　from　the　room　and　down　the　stairs．

　‘Bill！’Fagin　called　after　him．　‘You　won’t　be…too　violent？’

Sikes　made　no　reply，but，pulling　open　the　door，ran　out　into　the　silent　streets．He　did　not　turn　his　head　to　right　or　left，but　looked　straight　in　front　of　him　with　wild　determination．He　ran　at　great　speed，his　eyes　on　fire，his　teeth　tight　together，and　did　not　pause　until　he　reached　his　own　door．He　ran　up　to　his　room，entered　and　locked　the　door，put　a　table　against　it，the　n　woke　Nancy．

　‘Bill！’she　said，pleased　to　see　him．But　when　she　saw　his　expression，the　colour　went　out　of　her　face．　‘What’s　the　matter？’she　said　in　alarm．

　‘You　know　what．’Sikes　took　out　his　gun，but　realizing，even　in　　his　madness，that　a　shot　might　be　heard，he　beat　her　twice　across　the　face　with　it　as　hard　as　he　could．She　fell，with　low　cry　of　pain　and　terror，almost　blinded　by　the　blood　that　flowed　from　the　cut　on　her　forehead．The　murderer　staggered　to　a　corner，seized　a　heavy　stick　and　struck　her　down．



　



13　　The　end　of　the　gang

　　

The　sun　burst　upon　the　crowded　city　in　all　its　brightness．It　lit　up　every　corner　of　London，the　great　houses　of　the　rich，and　the　miserable　homes　of　the　poor．Its　hone　everywhere，even　into　the　room　where　the　murdered　woman　lay．The　horror　of　that　scene　was　even　more　dreadful　in　the　clear　morning　light．

Sikes　sat　the　re，unable　to　move，looking　at　the　body．He　had　thrown　the　blood…covered　stick　into　the　fire，the　n　washed　himself　and　his　clothe　s．He　had　cut　out　the　bits　of　his　clothes　that　were　stained　and　burnt　the　m　too，but　the　re　were　still　bloodstains　all　over　the　floor．Even　the　dog’s　feet　were　bloody．

Finally，he　forced　himself　to　leave　the　room，pulling　the　dog　out　with　him　and　locking　the　door　behind　him．He　walked　rapidly　north，towards　High　gate，the　n　on　to　Hampstead．On　the　open　land　of　Hampstead　Heath，away　from　people　and　houses，he　found　a　place　in　a　field　where　he　could　sleep　with　out　being　　disturbed．

But　before　long　he　was　up　again　and　running．This　time　heran　back　towards　London　for　a　while．The　n　he　turned　and　went　north　again，sometimes　walking，sometimes　running，with　no　clear　purpose　in　his　mind．Eventually，he　felt　hungry，and　changed　direction　towards　Hendon，a　quiet　place　away　from　the　crowds，where　he　could　buy　food．But　even　the　children　and　chickens　the　re　seemed　to　look　at　him　with　suspicion．So　he　turned　back　towards　Hampstead　Heath　again，without　having　eaten，uncertain　where　to　go．

At　last　he　turned　north　again，his　dog　still　running　at　his　heels，and　set　off　to　a　village　just　outside　London．He　stopped　at　a　small，quiet　pub　and　bought　a　meal，the　n　went　on　again．It　was　now　dark　and　as　he　continued　walking，he　felt　as　if　Nancy　were　following　him，her　shadow　on　the　road，her　last　low　cry　in　the　wind．If　he　stopped，the　ghostly　figure　did　the　same．If　he　ran，it　ran　too，moving　stiffly，like　a　corpse．Sometimes　he　turned，determined　to　drive　the　ghost　away，but　his　blood　ran　cold　with　terror．Every　time　he　turned，the　ghost　turned　too，and　was　still　behind　him．

Finally，he　found　another　field　where　he　could　hide．He　lay　down，unable　to　sleep，his　mind　filled　with　visions　of　the　dead　girl．Her　wide，dead　eyes　stared　at　him，watching　him　through　a　curtain　of　blood．

Suddenly　he　heard　shouting　in　the　distance．He　jumped　to　his　feet　and　saw　that　the　sky　seemed　on　fire．Sheets　of　flame　shot　into　the　air，driving　clouds　of　smoke　in　his　direction．He　heard　an　alarm　bell，and　more　shouts　of　‘Fire！’Running　with　his　dog　across　the　fields，he　joined　the　crowds　of　men　and　women　fighting　the　fire．He　could　forget　his　own　terror　in　this　new　danger，and　he　worked　all　night　with　the　crowd，shouting，running　and　working　togethe　r　to　stop　the　flames　destroying　more　buildings．

In　the　morning　the　mad　excitement　was　over，and　the　dreadful　memory　of　his　crime　returned…more　terrifying　than　ever．In　desperation，he　decided　to　go　back　to　London．

　‘At　least　the　re’ll　be　somebody　I　can　speak　to，’he　thought　to　himself．　‘And　it’s　a　better　hiding…place　than　out　here　in　the　country．I’ll　hide　the　re　for　a　week，get　some　money　out　of　Fagin，the　n　escape　to　France．’

Suddenly　he　remembered　the　dog…people　would　be　looking　for　his　dog　as　well　as　himself．He　decided　to　drown　the　animal．But　the　dog　smelt　the　man’s　fear，and　turned　and　ran　away　from　him　faster　than　it　had　ever　run　in　its　life．　‘You　have　a　choice，Mr　Monks，’said　Mr　　Brown　low　．　‘You　have　been　kidnapped　and　brought　here　to　my　house．You　can　either　tell　me　what　I　want　to　know，or　I’ll　have　you　arrested，instantly，for　fraud　and　robbery．It’s　your　choice．And　you　must　dec