oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第106章

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。