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第28章

oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第28章

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

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and tell me what’s been done with the dear boy; gentlemen; do; 
gentlemen; if you please; gentlemen!” 

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Oliver Twist 132 

Having uttered these words in a most lamentable and heartbroken tone; to the immeasurable delight of her hearers; Miss 
Nancy paused; winked to the company; nodded smilingly round; 
and disappeared。 

“Ah! she’s a clever girl; my dears;” said the Jew; turning round 
to his young friends; and shaking his head gravely; as if in mute 
admonition to them to follow the bright example they had just 
beheld。 

“She’s an honour to her sex;” said Mr。 Sikes; filling his glass; 
and smiting the table with his enormous fist。 “Here’s her health; 
and wishing they was all like her!” 

While these; and many other encomiums; were being passed on 
the accomplished Nancy; that young lady made the best of her way 
to the police…office; whither; notwithstanding a little natural 
timidity consequent upon walking through the streets alone and 
unprotected; she arrived in perfect safety shortly afterwards。 

Entering by the back way; she tapped softly with the key at one 
of the cell doors; and listened。 There was no sound within; so she 
coughed and listened again。 Still there was no reply; so she spoke。 

“Nolly; dear—” murmured Nancy; in a gentle voice; “Nolly?” 

There was nobody inside but a miserable; shoeless criminal; 
who had been taken up for playing the flute; and who; the offence 
against society having been clearly proved; had been very properly 
committed by Mr。 Fang to the house of correction for one month; 
with the appropriate and amusing remark that since he had so 
much breath to spare; it would be more wholesomely expended on 
the treadmill than in a musical instrument。 He made no answer; 
being occupied in mentally bewailing the loss of the flute; which 
had been confiscated for the use of the county; so Nancy passed on 

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Oliver Twist 133 

to the next cell; and knocked there。 

“Well!” cried a faint and feeble voice。 

“Is there a little boy here?” inquired Nancy; with a preliminary 
sob。 

“No;” replied the voice; “God forbid。” 

This was a vagrant of sixty…five; who was going to prison for not 
playing the flute; or; in other words; for begging in the streets; and 
doing nothing for his livelihood。 In the next cell; another man; who 
was going to the same prison for hawking tin saucepans without a 
licence; thereby doing something for his living; in defiance of the 
Stamp…office。 

But; as neither of these criminals answered to the name of 
Oliver; or knew anything about him; Nancy made straight up to 
the bluff officer in the striped waistcoat; and with the most piteous 
wailings and lamentations; rendered more piteous by a prompt 
and efficient use of the street door key and the little basket; 
demanded her own dear brother。 

“I haven’t got him; my dear;” said the old man。 

“Where is he?” screamed Nancy; in a distracted manner。 

“Why; the gentleman’s got him;” replied the officer。 

“What gentleman? Oh; gracious heavens! What gentleman?” 
exclaimed Nancy。 

In reply to this incoherent questioning; the old man informed 
the deeply…affected sister that Oliver had been taken ill in the 
office; and discharged in consequence of a witness having proved 
the robbery to have been committed by another boy; not in 
custody; and that the prosecutor had carried him away; in an 
insensible condition; to his own residence; of and concerning 
which; all the informant knew was; that it was somewhere at 

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Oliver Twist 134 

Pentonville; he having heard that word mentioned in the 
directions to the coachman。 

In a dreadful state of doubt and uncertainty; the agonised 
young woman staggered to the gate; and then; exchanging her 
faltering walk for a good; swift; steady run; returned by the most 
devious and complicated route she could think of; to the domicile 
of the Jew。 

Mr。 Bill Sikes no sooner heard the account of the expedition 
delivered; than he very hastily called up the white dog; and putting 
on his hat; expeditiously departed; without devoting any time to 
the formality of wishing the company good…morning。 

“We must know where he is; my dears; he must be found;” said 
the Jew; greatly excited。 “Charley; do nothing but skulk about; till 
you bring home some news of him! Nancy; my dear; I must have 
him found。 I trust to you; my dear—to you and the Artful for 
everything! Stay; stay;” added the Jew; unlocking a drawer with a 
shaking hand; “there’s money; my dears。 I shall shut up his shop 
tonight。 You’ll know where to find me! Don’t stop here a minute。 
Not an instant; my dears!” 

With these words; he pushed them from the room: and carefully 
double…locking and barring the door behind them; drew from its 
place of concealment the box which he had unintentionally 
disclosed to Oliver。 Then; he hastily proceeded to dispose the 
watches and jewellery beneath his clothing。 

A rap at the door startled him in this occupation。 “Who’s 
there?” he cried; in a shrill tone。 

“Me!” replied the voice of the Dodger; through the keyhole。 

“What now?” cried the Jew impatiently。 

“Is he to be kidnapped to the other ken; Nancy says?” inquired 

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Oliver Twist 135 

the Dodger。 

“Yes;” replied the Jew; “wherever she lays hands on him。 Find 
him; find him out; that’s all! I shall know what to do next; never 
fear。” 

The boy murmured a reply of intelligence; and hurried 
downstairs after his companions。 

“He has not peached so far;” said the Jew as he pursued his 
occupation。 “If he means to blab us among his new friends; we 
may stop his mouth yet。” 

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Oliver Twist 136 

Chapter 14 

Comprising Further Particulars Of Oliver’s Stay At
Mr。 Brownlow’s; With The Remarkable Prediction
Which One Mr。 Grimwig Uttered Concerning Him;
When He Went Out On An Errand。


O liver soon recovering from the fainting fit into which Mr。 
Brownlow’s abrupt exclamation had thrown him the 
subject of the picture was carefully avoided; both by the 
old gentleman and Mrs。 Bedwin; in the conversation that ensued; 
which indeed bore no reference to Oliver’s history or prospects 
but was confined to such topics as might amuse without exciting 
him。 He was still too weak to get up to breakfast; but; when he 
came down into the housekeeper’s room next day; his first act was 
to cast an eager glance at the wall; in the hope of again looking on 
the face of the beautiful lady。 His expectations were disappointed; 
however; for the picture had been removed。 

“Ah!” said the housekeeper; watching the direction of Oliver’s 
eyes。 “It is gone; you see。” 

“I see it is; ma’am;” replied Oliver。 “Why have they taken it 
away?” 

“It has been taken down; child; because Mr。 Brownlow said; 
that as it seemed to worry you; perhaps it might prevent your 
getting well; you know;” rejoined the old lady。 

“Oh; no; indeed。 It didn’t worry me; ma’am;” said Oliver。 “I 
liked to see it。 I quite loved it。” 

“Well; well!” said the old lady good…humouredly; “you get well 

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Oliver Twist 137 

as fast as ever you can; dear; and it shall be hung up again。 There! 
I promise you that! Now; let us talk about something else。” 

This was all the information Oliver would obtain about the 
picture at that time。 As the old lady had been so kind to him in his 
illness; he endeavoured to think no more of the subject just then; 
so he listened attentively to a great many stories she told him; 
about an amiable and handsome daughter of hers; who was 
married to an amiable and handsome man; and lived in the 
country; and about a son; who was clerk to a merchant in the West 
Indies; and who was; also; such a good young man; and wrote such 
dutiful letters home four times a year; that it brought the tears into 
her eyes to talk about them。 When the old lady had expatiated; a 
long 

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