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oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第16章

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

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he felt that pride swelling in his heart which would have kept 
down a shriek to the last; though they had roasted him alive。 But 
now; when there were none to see or hear him; he fell upon his 
knees on the floor; and; hiding his face in his hands; wept such 
tears as—God send for the credit of our nature—few so young may 
ever have cause to pour out before Him! 

For a long time; Oliver remained motionless in this attitude。 
The candle was burning low in the socket when he rose to his feet。 
Having gazed curiously round him and listened intently; he gently 
undid the fastenings of the door; and looked abroad。 

It was a cold; dark night。 The stars seemed; to the boy’s eyes; 
farther from the earth than he had ever seen them before; there 
was no wind; and the sombre shadows thrown by the trees upon 
the ground; looked sepulchral and death…like; from being so still。 
He softly reclosed the door。 Having availed himself of the expiring 
light of the candle to tie up in a handkerchief the few articles of 
wearing apparel he had; sat himself down upon a bench; to wait 
for morning。 

With the first ray of light that struggled through the crevices in 
the shutters; Oliver arose; and again unbarred the door。 One timid 
look around—one moment’s pause of hesitation—he had closed it 
behind him; and was in the open street。 

He looked to the right and to the left; uncertain whither to fly。 
He remembered to have seen the wagons; as they went out; toiling 

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics 


Oliver Twist 

up the hill。 He took the same route; and; arriving at a footpath 
across the fields; which he knew; after some distance; led out again 
into the road; struck into it; and walked quickly on。 

Along the same footpath; Oliver well remembered he had 
trotted beside Mr。 Bumble; when he first carried him to the 
workhouse from the farm。 His way lay directly in front of the 
cottage。 His heart beat quickly when he bethought himself of this; 
and he half…resolved to turn back。 He had come a long way though; 
and should lose a great deal of time by doing so。 Besides; it was so 
early that there was very little fear of his being seen; so he walked 
on。 

He reached the house。 There was no appearance of its inmates 
stirring at that early hour。 Oliver stopped; and peeped into the 
garden。 A child was weeding one of the little beds; as he stopped; 
he raised his pale face and disclosed the features of one of his 
former companions。 Oliver felt glad to see him; before he went; 
for; though younger than himself; he had been his little friend and 
playmate。 They had been beaten; and starved; and shut up 
together; many and many a time。 

“Hush; Dick!” said Oliver; as the boy ran to the gate; and thrust 
his thin arm between the rails to greet him。 “Is any one up?” 

“Nobody but me;” replied the child。 

“You mustn’t say you saw me; Dick;” said Oliver。 “I am running 
away。 They beat and ill…use me; Dick; and I am going to seek my 
fortune; some long way off。 I don’t know where。 How pale you 
are!” 

“I heard the doctor tell them I was dying;” replied the child; 
with a faint smile。 “I am very glad to see you; dear; but don’t stop; 
don’t stop!” 

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics 


Oliver Twist 

“Yes; yes; I will; to say good…bye to you;” replied Oliver。 “I shall 
see you again; Dick。 I know I shall! You will be well and happy!” 

“I hope so;” replied the child。 “After I am dead; but not before。 I 
know the doctor must be right; Oliver; because I dream so much of 
heaven; and angels; and kind faces that I never see when I am 
awake。 Kiss me;” said the child; climbing up the low gate; and 
flinging his little arms round Oliver’s neck。 “Good…bye; dear! God 
bless you!” 

The blessing was from a young child’s lips; but it was the first 
that Oliver had ever heard invoked upon his head; and through 
the struggles and sufferings; and troubles and changes; of his after 
life; he never once forgot it。 

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics 


Oliver Twist 

Chapter 8 

Oliver Walks To London—He Encounters On The
Road A Strange Sort Of Young Gentleman。


O liver reached the stile; at which the by…path terminated; 
and once more gained the high…road。 It was eight o’clock 
now。 Though he was nearly five miles away from the 
town; he ran; and hid behind the hedges; by turns; till noon; 
fearing that he might be pursued and overtaken。 Then he sat 
down to rest by the side of the milestone; and began to think; for 
the first time; where he had better go and try to live。 

The stone by which he was seated; bore; in large characters; an 
intimation that it was just seventy miles from that spot to London。 
The name awakened a new train of ideas in the boy’s mind。 
London!—that great large place!—nobody—not even Mr。 
Bumble—could ever find him there! He had often heard the old 
men in the workhouse; too; say that no lad of spirit need want in 
London; and that there were ways of living in that vast city; which 
those who had been bred up in country parts had no idea of。 It was 
the very place for a homeless boy; who must die in the streets 
unless some one helped him。 As these things passed through his 
thoughts; he jumped upon his feet; and again walked forward。 

He had diminished the distance between himself and London 
by full four miles more; before he recollected how much he must 
undergo ere he could hope to reach his place of destination。 As 
this consideration forced itself upon him; he slackened his pace a 
little; and meditated upon his means of getting there。 He had a 

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics 


Oliver Twist 

crust of bread; a coarse shirt; and two pairs of stockings; in his 
bundle。 He had a penny too—a gift of Sowerberry’s after some 
funeral in which he had acquitted himself more than ordinarily 
well—in his pocket。 “A clean shirt;” thought Oliver; “is a very 
comfortable thing; very; and so are two pairs of darned stockings; 
and so is a penny; but they are small helps to a sixty…five miles’ 
walk in wintertime。” But Oliver’s thoughts; like those of most 
other people; although they were extremely ready and active to 
point out his difficulties; were wholly at a loss to suggest any 
feasible mode of surmounting them; so; after a good deal of 
thinking to no particular purpose; he changed his little bundle 
over to the other shoulder; and trudged on。 

Oliver walked twenty miles that day; and all that time tasted 
nothing but the crust of dry bread; and a few draughts of water; 
which he begged at the cottage doors by the roadside。 When the 
night came; he turned into a meadow; and; creeping close under a 
hay…rick; determined to lie there; till morning。 He felt frightened at 
first; for the wind moaned dismally over the empty fields; and he 
was cold and hungry; and more alone than he had ever felt before。 
Being very tired with his walk; however; he soon fell asleep and 
forgot his troubles。 

He felt cold and stiff; when he got up next morning; and so 
hungry that he was obliged to exchange the penny for a small loaf; 
in the very first village through which he passed。 He had walked 
no more than twelve miles; when night closed in again。 His feet 
were sore; and his legs so weak that they trembled beneath him。 
Another night passed in the bleak; damp air; made him worse; 
when he set forward on his journey next morning; he could hardly 
crawl along。 

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics 


Oliver Twist 

He waited at the bottom of a steep hill till a stage…coach came 
up; and then begged of the outside passengers; but there were 
very few who took any notice of him; and even those told him to 
wait till they got to the top of the hill and then let them see how far 
he could run for a halfpenny。 Poor Oliver tried to keep up with the 
coach a little way; but was unable to do it; by reason of his fatigue 
and sore feet。 When the outsiders saw this; they put their 
halfpence back into their pockets again; declaring that he was an 
idle young dog; and didn’t deserve anything; and the coach rattled 
away and left only 

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