oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第34章

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himself。　At　length　they　turned　into　a　very　filthy　narrow　street；　
nearly　full　of　old…clothes　shops：　the　dog　running　forward；　as　if　
conscious　that　there　was　no　further　occasion　for　his　keeping　on　
guard；　stopped　before　the　door　of　a　shop　that　was　closed　and　
apparently　untenanted。　The　house　was　in　a　ruinous　condition；　and　
on　the　door　was　nailed　a　board；　intimating　that　it　was　to　let；　which　
looked　as　if　it　had　hung　there　for　many　years。　

“All　right；”　cried　Sikes；　glancing　cautiously　about。　

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Nancy　stooped　below　the　shutters；　and　Oliver　heard　the　sound　
of　a　bell。　They　crossed　to　the　opposite　side　of　the　street　and　stood　
for　a　few　moments　under　a　lamp。　A　noise；　as　if　a　sash…window　
were　gently　raised；　was　heard；　and　soon　afterwards　the　door　softly　
opened。　Mr。　Sikes　then　seized　the　terrified　boy　by　the　collar　with　
very　little　ceremony；　and　all　three　were　quickly　inside　the　house。　

The　passage　was　perfectly　dark。　They　waited；　while　the　person　
who　had　let　him　in　chained　and　barred　the　door。　

“Anybody　here？”　inquired　Sikes。　

“No；”　replied　a　voice；　which　Oliver　thought　he　had　heard　
before。　

“Is　the　old　’un　here？”　asked　the　robber。　

“Yes；”　replied　the　voice；　“and　precious　down　in　the　mouth　he　
has　been。　Won’t　he　be　glad　to　see　you？　Oh；　no！”　The　style　of　this　
reply；　as　well　as　the　voice　which　delivered　it；　seemed　familiar　to　
Oliver’s　ears；　but　it　was　impossible　to　distinguish　even　the　form　of　
the　speaker　in　the　darkness。　

“Let’s　have　a　glim；”　said　Sikes；　“or　we　shall　go　breaking　our　
necks；　or　treading　on　the　dog。　Look　after　your　legs　if　you　do！　
That’s　all。”　

“Stand　still　a　moment；　and　I’ll　get　you　one；”　replied　the　voice　
The　receding　footsteps　of　the　speaker　were　heard；　and；　in　another　
minute；　the　form　of　Mr。　John　Dawkins；　otherwise　the　Artful　
Dodger；　appeared。　He　bore　in　his　right　hand　a　tallow　candle　stuck　
in　the　end　of　a　cleft　stick。　

The　young　gentleman　did　not　stop　to　bestow　any　other　mark　of　
recognition　upon　Oliver　than　a　humorous　grin；　but；　turning　away；　
beckoned　the　visitors　to　follow　him　down　a　flight　of　stairs。　They　
crossed　an　empty　kitchen；　and；　opening　the　door　of　a　low；　earthy…

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smelling　room；　which　seemed　to　have　been　built　in　a　small　backyard　were　received　with　a　shout　of　laughter。　

“Oh；　my　wig；　my　wig！”　cried　Master　Charles　Bates　from　whose　
lungs　the　laughter　had　proceeded；　“here　he　is！　oh　cry；　here　he　is！　
Oh；　Fagin；　look　at　him！　Fagin　do　look　at　him！　I　can’t　bear　it；　it　is　
such　a　jolly　game；　I　can’t　bear　it。　Hold　me；　somebody；　while　I　laugh　
it　out。”　

With　this　irrepressible　ebullition　of　mirth；　Master　Bates　laid　
himself　flat　on　the　floor；　and　kicked　convulsively　for　five　minutes；　
in　an　ecstasy　of　facetious　joy。　Then　jumping　to　his　feet；　he　
snatched　the　cleft　stick　from　the　Dodger；　and；　advancing　to　Oliver；　
viewed　him　round　and　round；　while　the　Jew；　taking　off　his　nightcap；　made　a　great　number　of　low　bows　to　the　bewildered　boy。　The　
Artful；　meantime；　who　was　of　a　rather　saturnine　disposition；　and　
seldom　gave　way　to　merriment　when　it　interfered　with　business；　
rifled　Oliver’s　pockets　with　steady　assiduity。　

“Look　at　his　togs；　Fagin！”　said　Charley；　putting　the　light　so　
close　to　his　new　jacket　as　nearly　to　set　him　on　fire。　“Look　at　his　
togs！　Superfine　cloth；　and　the　heavy　swell　cut！　Oh；　my　eye；　what　a　
game！　And　his　books；　too！　Nothing　but　a　gentleman；　Fagin！”　

“Delighted　to　see　you　looking　so　well；　my　dear；”　said　the　Jew；　
bowing　with　mock　humility。　“The　Artful　shall　give　you　another　
suit；　my　dear；　for　fear　you　should　spoil　that　Sunday　one。　Why；　
didn’t　you　write；　my　dear；　and　say　you　were　coming。　We’d　have　got　
something　warm　for　supper。”　

At　this；　Master　Bates　roared　again；　so　loud；　that　Fagin　himself　
relaxed；　and　even　the　Dodger　smiled；　but　as　the　Artful　drew　forth　
the　five…pound　note　at　that　instant；　it　is　doubtful　whether　the　sally　
or　the　discovery　awakened　his　merriment。　

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“Hallo！　What’s　this？”　inquired　Sikes；　stepping　forward　as　the　
Jew　seized　the　note。　“That’s　mine；　Fagin。”　

“No；　no；　my　dear；”　said　the　Jew。　“Mine；　Bill；　mine。　You　shall　
have　the　books。”　

“If　that　ain’t　mine！”　said　Bill　Sikes；　putting　on　his　hat　with　a　
determined　air；　“mine　and　Nancy’s；　that　is；　I’ll　take　the　boy　back　
again。”　

The　Jew　started。　Oliver　started　too；　though　from　a　very　
different　cause；　for　he　hoped　that　the　dispute　might　really　end　in　
his　being　taken　back。　

“Come！　Hand　over；　will　you？”　said　Sikes。　

“This　is　hardly　fair；　Bill；　hardly　fair；　is　it；　Nancy？”　inquired　the　
Jew。　

“Fair；　or　not　fair；”　retorted　Sikes；　“hand　over；　I　tell　you！　Do　you　
think　Nancy　and　me　has　got　nothing　else　to　do　with　our　precious　
time　but　to　spend　it　in　scouting　arter；　and　kidnapping；　every　
young　boy　as　gets　grabbed　through　you？　Give　it　here；　you　
avaricious　old　skeleton；　give　it　here！”　

With　this　gentle　remonstrance；　Mr。　Sikes　plucked　the　note　from　
between　the　Jew’s　finger　and　thumb；　and　looking　the　old　man　
coolly　in　the　face；　folded　it　up　small；　and　tied　it　in　his　neckerchief。　

“That’s　for　our　share　of　the　trouble；”　said　Sikes；　“and　not　half　
enough；　neither。　You　may　keep　the　books；　if　you’re　fond　of　
reading。　If　you　ain’t；　sell　’em。”　

“They’re　very　pretty；”　said　Charley　Bates；　who；　with　sundry　
grimaces；　had　been　affecting　to　read　one　of　the　volumes　in　
question；　“beautiful　writing；　isn’t　it；　Oliver？”　At　sight　of　the　
dismayed　look　with　which　Oliver　regarded　his　tormentors；　Master　
Bates；　who　was　blessed　with　a　lively　sense　of　the　ludicrous；　fell　

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into　another　ecstasy；　more　boisterous　than　the　first。　

“They　belong　to　the　old　gentleman；”　said　Oliver；　wringing　his　
hands；　“to　the　good；　kind　old　gentleman　who　took　me　into　his　
house；　and　had　me　nursed；　when　I　was　near　dying　of　the　fever。　Oh；　
pray　send　them　back；　send　him　back　the　books　and　money。　Keep　
me　here　all　my　life　long；　but　pray；　pray　send　them　back。　He’ll　
think　I　stole　them；　the　old　lady—all　of　them　who　were　so　kind　to　
me—will　think　I　stole　them。　Oh；　do　have　mercy　upon　me；　and　send　
them　back！”　

With　those　words；　which　were　uttered　with　all　the　energy　of　
passionate　grief；　Oliver　fell　upon　his　knees　at　the　Jews　feet；　and　
beat　his　hands　together；　in　perfect　desperation。　

“The　boy’s　right；”　remarked　Fagin；　looking　covertly　round；　and　
knitting　his　shaggy　eyebrows　into　a　hard　knot。　“You’re　right；　
Oliver；　you’re　right；　they　will　think　you　have　stolen　’em。　Ha！　ha！”　
chuckled　the　Jew；　rubbing　his　hands；　“it　couldn’t　have　happened　
better；　if　we　had　chosen　our　time！”　

“Of　course　it　couldn’t；”　replied　Sikes；　“I　know’d　that；　directly　I　
see　him　coming　through　Clerkenwell；　with　the　books　under　his　
arm。　It’s　all　right　enough。　They’re　soft…hearted　psalm…singers；　or　
they　wouldn’t　have　taken　him　in　at　all；　and　they’ll　ask　no　questions　
after　him；　fear　they　should　be　obliged　to　prosecute；　and　so　get　him　
lagged。　He’s　safe　enough。”　

Oliver　had　looked　from　one　to　the　other；　while　these　words　
were　being　spoken；　as　if　he　were　bewildered；　and　could　scarcely　
understand　what　passed；　but　when　Bill　Sikes　concluded；　he　
jumped　suddenly　to　his　feet；　and　tore　wildly　from　the　room；　
uttering　shrieks　for　help；　which　made　the　bare　old　house　echo　to　
the　roof。　

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“Keep　back　the　dog；　Bill！”　cried　Nancy；　springing　before　the　
door；　and　closing　it　as　the　Jew　and　his　two　pupils　darted　out　in　
pursuit。　“Keep　back　the　dog；　he’ll　tear　the　boy　to　pieces。”　

“Serve　him　right！”　cried　Sikes；　struggling　to　disengage　himself　
from　the　girl’s　grasp。　“Stand　off　from　me；　or　I’ll　split　your　head　
against　the　wall。”　

“I　don’t　care　for　that；　Bill；　I　don’t　care　for　that；”　screamed　the　
girl；　struggling　violently　with　the　man；　“the　child　shan’t　be　torn　
down　by　the　dog；　unless　you　kill　me　fir