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第35章

oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第35章

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

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girl; struggling violently with the man; “the child shan’t be torn 
down by the dog; unless you kill me first。” 

“Shan’t he!” said Sikes; setting his teeth。 “I’ll soon do that if you 
don’t keep off。” 

The housekeeper flung the girl from him to the farther end of 
the room; just as the Jew and the two boys returned; dragging 
Oliver among them。 

“What’s the matter here!” said Fagin; looking round。 

“The girl’s gone mad I think;” replied Sikes savagely。 

“No; she hasn’t;” said Nancy; pale and breathless from the 
scuffle; “no; she hasn’t; Fagin; don’t think it。” 

“Then keep quiet; will you?” said the Jew; with a threatening 
look。 

“No; I won’t do that; neither;” replied Nancy; speaking very 
loud。 “Come! What do you think of that?” 

Mr。 Fagin was sufficiently well acquainted with the manners 
and customs of that particular species of humanity to which Nancy 
belonged; to feel tolerably certain that it would be rather unsafe to 
prolong any conversation with her; at present。 With the view of 
diverting the attention of the company; he turned to Oliver。 

“So you wanted to get away; my dear; did you?” said the Jew; 
taking up a jagged and knotted club which lay in a corner of the 

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Oliver Twist 167 

fireplace; “eh?” 

Oliver made no reply。 But he watched the Jew’s motions; and 
breathed quickly。 

“Wanted to get assistance; called for the police; did you?” 
sneered the Jew; catching the boy by the arm。 “We’ll cure you of 
that; my young master。” 

The Jew inflicted a smart blow on Oliver’s shoulders with the 
club; and was raising it for a second; when the girl; rushing 
forward; wrested it from his hand。 She flung it into the fire; with a 
force that brought some of the glowing coal whirling out into the 
room。 

“I won’t stand by and see it done; Fagin;” cried the girl。 “You’ve 
got the boy; and what more would you have?—Let him be—let 
him be—or I shall put that mark on some of you; that will bring me 
to the gallows before my time。” 

The girl stamped her foot violently on the floor as she vented 
this threat; and with her lips compressed; and her hands clenched; 
looked alternately at the Jew and the other robber: her face quite 
colourless from the passion of rage into which she had gradually 
worked herself。 

“Why; Nancy!” said the Jew; in a soothing tone; after a pause; 
during which he and Mr。 Sikes had stared at one another in a 
disconcerted manner; “you—you’re more clever than ever tonight。 
Ha! ha! my dear; you are acting beautifully。” 

“Am I!” said the girl。 “Take care I don’t overdo it。 You will be 
the worse for it; Fagin; if I do; and so I tell you in good time to 
keep clear of me。” 

There is something about a roused woman; especially if she add 
to all her other strong passions; the fierce impulses of recklessness 

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Oliver Twist 168 

and despair; which few men like to provoke。 The Jew saw that it 
would be hopeless to affect any further mistake regarding the 
reality of Miss Nancy’s rage; and; shrinking involuntarily back a 
few paces; cast a glance; half…imploring and half…cowardly at Sikes; 
as if to hint that he was the fittest person to pursue the dialogue。 

Mr。 Sikes; thus mutely appealed to; and possibly feeling his 
personal pride and influence interested in the immediate 
reduction of Miss Nancy to reason; gave utterance to about a 
couple of score of curses and threats; the rapid production of 
which reflected great credit on the fertility of his invention。 As 
they produced no visible effect on the object against whom they 
were discharged; however; he resorted to more tangible 
arguments。 

“What do you mean by this?” said Sikes; backing the inquiry 
with a very common imprecation concerning the most beautiful of 
human features; which; if it were heard above; only once out of 
every fifty thousand times that it is uttered below; would render 
blindness as common a disorder as measles: “what do you mean 
by it? Burn my body! Do you know who you are; and what you 
are?” 

“Oh; yes; I know all about it;” replied the girl; laughing 
hysterically; and shaking her head from side to side; with a poor 
assumption of indifference。 

“Well; then; keep quiet;” rejoined Sikes; with a growl like that 
he was accustomed to use when addressing his dog; “or I’ll quiet 
you for a good long time to come。” 

The girl laughed again; even less composedly than before; and; 
darting a hasty look at Sikes; turned her face aside; and bit her lip 
till the blood came。 

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Oliver Twist 169 

“You’re a nice one;” added Sikes; as he surveyed her with a 
contemptuous air; “to take up the humane and genteel side! A 
pretty subject for the child; as you call him; to make a friend of!” 

“God Almighty help me; I am!” cried the girl passionately; “and 
I wish I had been struck dead in the street or had changed places 
with them we passed so near tonight; before I had lent a hand in 
bringing him here。 He’s a thief; a liar; a devil; all that’s bad; from 
this night forth。 Isn’t that enough for the old wretch; without 
blows?” 

“Come; come; Sikes;” said the Jew; appealing to him in a 
remonstratory tone; and motioning towards the boys; who were 
eagerly attentive to all that passed; “we must have civil words— 
civil words; Bill。” 

“Civil words!” cried the girl; whose passion was frightful to see。 
“Civil words; you villain! Yes; you deserve ’em from me。 I thieved 
for you when I was a child not half as old as this!” pointing to 
Oliver。 “I have been in the same trade; and in the same service; for 
twelve years since。 Don’t you know it? Speak out! Don’t you know 
it?” 

“Well; well;” replied the Jew; with an attempt at pacification 
“and; if you have; it’s your living!” 

“Aye; it is!” returned the girl; not speaking; but pouring out the 
words in one continuous and vehement scream。 “It is my living; 
and the cold; wet; dirty streets are my home; and you’re the 
wretch that drove me to them long ago; and that’ll keep me there; 
day and night; day and night; till I die!” 

“I shall do you a mischief!” interposed the Jew; goaded by these 
reproaches; “a mischief worse than that; if you say much more!” 

The girl said nothing; but; tearing her hair and dress in a 

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Oliver Twist 170 

transport of frenzy; made such a rush at the Jew as would 
probably have left signal marks of her revenge upon him; had not 
her wrists been seized by Sikes at the right moment; upon which; 
she made a few ineffectual struggles; and fainted。 “She’s all right 
now;” said Sikes; laying her down in a corner。 “She’s uncommon 
strong in the arms; when she’s up in this way。” 

The Jew wiped his forehead and smiled; as if it were a relief to 
have the disturbance over; but neither he; nor Sikes nor the dog; 
nor the boys; seemed to consider it in any other light than a 
common occurrence incidental to business。 

“It’s the worst of having to do with women;” said the Jew; 
replacing his club; “but they’re clever and we can’t get on; in our 
line; without ’em。 Charley; show Oliver to bed。” 

“I suppose he’d better not wear his best clothes tomorrow; 
Fagin; had he?” inquired Charley Bates。 

“Certainly not;” replied the Jew; reciprocating the grin with 
which Charley put the question。 

Master Bates; apparently much delighted with his commission; 
took the cleft stick; and led Oliver into an adjacent kitchen; where 
there were two or three of the beds on which he had slept before; 
and here; with many uncontrollable bursts of laughter; he 
produced the identical old suit of clothes which Oliver had so 
much congratulated himself upon leaving off at Mr。 Brownlow’s; 
and the accidental display of which; to Fagin; by the Jew who 
purchased them; had been the very first clue received of his 
whereabouts。 

“Pull off the smart ones;” said Charles; “and I’ll give ’em to 
Fagin to take care

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