oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第54章

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The　Jew　motioned　to　the　Dodger　to　place　what　eatables　there　
were；　upon　the　table；　and；　seating　himself　opposite　the　
housebreaker；　waited　his　leisure。　

To　judge　from　appearances；　Toby　was　by　no　means　in　a　hurry　
to　open　the　conversation。　At　first；　the　Jew　contented　himself　with　
patiently　watching　his　countenance；　as　if　to　gain　from　its　
expression　some　clue　to　the　intelligence　he　brought；　but　in　vain。　
He　looked　tired　and　worn；　but　there　was　the　same　complacent　
repose　upon　his　features　that　they　always　wore；　and　through　dirt；　
and　beard；　and　whisker；　there　still　shone；　unimpaired；　the　self…
satisfied　smirk　of　flash　Toby　Crackit。　Then；　the　Jew；　in　an　agony　of　
impatience；　watched　every　morsel　he　put　into　his　mouth；　pacing　
up　and　down　the　room；　meanwhile；　in　irrepressible　excitement。　It　
was　all　of　no　use。　Toby　continued　to　eat　with　the　utmost　outward　
indifference；　until　he　could　eat　no　more；　then；　ordering　the　Dodger　
out；　he　closed　the　door；　mixed　a　glass　of　spirit…and…water；　and　
composed　himself　for　talking。　

“First　and　foremost；　Faguey—”　said　Toby。　

“Yes；　yes！”　interposed　the　Jew；　drawing　up　his　chair。　

Mr。　Crackit　stopped　to　take　a　draught　of　spirits…and…water；　and　
to　declare　that　the　gin　was　excellent；　then　placing　his　feet　against　
the　low　mantelpiece；　so　as　to　bring　his　boots　to　about　the　level　of　
his　eye；　he　quietly　resumed：　“First　and　foremost；　Faguey；”　said　the　

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housebreaker；　“how’s　Bill？”　

“What！”　screamed　the　Jew；　starting　from　his　seat。　

“Why；　you　don’t　mean　to　say—”　began　Toby；　turning　pale。　

“Mean！”　cried　the　Jew；　stamping　furiously　on　the　ground。　
“Where　are　they？　Sikes　and　the　boy？　Where　are　they？”　Where　
have　they　been？　Where　are　they　hiding？　Why　have　they　not　been　
here？”　

“The　crack　failed；”　said　Toby；　faintly。　

“I　know　it；”　replied　the　Jew；　tearing　a　newspaper　from　his　
pocket　and　pointing　to　it。　“What　more？”　

“They　fired　and　hit　the　boy。　We　cut　over　the　fields　at　the　back；　
with　him　between　us—straight　as　the　crow　flies—through　hedge　
and　ditch。　They　gave　chase。　Damme！　the　whole　country　was　
awake；　and　the　dogs　upon　us。”　

“The　boy？”　gasped　the　Jew。　

“Bill　had　him　on　his　back；　and　scudded　like　the　wind。　We　
stopped　to　take　him　between　us；　his　head　hung　down；　and　he　was　
cold。　They　were　close　upon　our　heels；　every　man　for　himself；　and　
each　from　the　gallows！　We　parted　company；　and　left　the　youngster　
lying　in　a　ditch。　Alive　or　dead；　that’s　all　I　know　about　him。”　

The　Jew　stopped　to　hear　no　more；　but；　uttering　a　loud　yell；　and　
twining　his　hands　in　his　hair；　rushed　from　the　room；　and　from　the　
house。　

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Chapter　26　

In　Which　A　Mysterious　Character　Appears　Upon
The　Scene；　And　Many　Things；　Inseparable　From
This　History；　Are　Done　And　Performed。


The　old　man　had　gained　the　street　corner；　before　he　began　
to　recover　the　effect　of　Toby　Crackit’s　intelligence。　He　had　
relaxed　nothing　of　his　unusual　speed；　but　was　still　
pressing　onward；　in　the　same　wild　and　disordered　manner；　when　
the　sudden　dashing　past　of　a　carriage；　and　a　boisterous　cry　from　
the　foot　passengers；　who　saw　his　danger；　drove　him　back　upon　the　
pavement。　Avoiding；　as　much　as　possible；　all　the　main　streets；　and　
skulking　only　through　the　byways　and　alleys；　he　at　length　emerged　
on　Snow　Hill。　Here　he　walked　even　faster　than　before；　nor　did　he　
linger　until　he　had　again　turned　into　a　court；　when；　as　if　conscious　
that　he　was　now　in　his　proper　element；　he　fell　into　his　usual　
shuffling　pace；　and　seemed　to　breathe　more　freely。　

Near　to　the　spot　on　which　Snow　Hill　and　Holborn　Hill　meet；　
there　opens；　upon　the　right　hand　as　you　come　out　of　the　city；　a　
narrow　and　dismal　alley；　leading　to　Saffron　Hill。　In　its　filthy　shops　
are　exposed　for　sale　huge　bunches　of　second…hand　silk　
handkerchiefs；　of　all　sizes　and　patterns；　for　here　reside　the　traders　
who　purchase　them　from　pick…pockets。　Hundreds　of　these　
handkerchiefs　hang　dangling　from　pegs　outside　the　windows　or　
flaunting　from　the　door…posts—and　the　shelves；　within；　are　piled　
with　them。　Confined　as　the　limits　of　Field　Lane　are；　it　has　its　
barber；　its　coffee…shop；　its　beer…shop；　and　its　fried…fish　warehouse。　

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It　is　a　commercial　colony　of　itself—the　emporium　of　petty　larceny；　
visited　at　early　morning；　and　setting…in　of　dusk；　by　silent　
merchants；　who　traffic　in　dark　back…parlours；　and　who　go　as　
strangely　as　they　come。　Here；　the　clothesman；　the　shoe…vamper；　
and　the　rag…merchant；　display　their　goods；　as　signboards　to　the　
petty　thief；　here；　stores　of　old　iron　and　bones；　and　heaps　of　
mildewy　fragments　of　woollen…stuff　and　linen；　rust　and　rot　in　the　
grimy　cellars。　

It　was　into　this　place　that　the　Jew　turned。　He　was　well　known　to　
the　sallow　denizens　of　the　lane；　for　such　of　them　as　were　on　the　
look…out　to　buy　or　sell；　nodded；　familiarly；　as　he　passed　along。　He　
replied　to　their　salutations　in　the　same　way；　but　bestowed　no　
closer　recognition　until　he　reached　the　farther　end　of　the　alley；　
when　he　stopped；　to　address　a　salesman　of　small　stature；　who　had　
squeezed　as　much　of　his　person　into　a　child’s　chair　as　the　chair　
would　hold；　and　was　smoking　a　pipe　at　his　warehouse　door。　

“Why；　the　sight　of　you；　Mr。　Fagin；　would　cure　the　hoptalmy！”　
said　this　respectable　trader；　in　acknowledgement　of　the　Jew’s　
inquiry　after　his　health。　

“The　neighbourhood　was　a　little　too　hot；　Lively；”　said　Fagin；　
elevating　his　eyebrows；　and　crossing　his　hands　upon　his　shoulders。　

“Well；　I’ve　heerd　that　complaint　of　it；　once　or　twice　before；”　
replied　the　trader；　“but　it　soon　cools　down　again；　don’t　you　find　it　
so？’　Fagin　nodded　in　the　affirmative。　Pointing　in　the　direction　of　
Saffron　Hill；　he　inquired　whether　any　one　was　up　yonder　tonight。　

“At　the　Cripples？”　inquired　the　man。　

The　Jew　nodded。　

“Let　me　see；”　pursued　the　merchant；　reflecting。　“Yes；　there’s　
some　half…dozen　of　’em　gone　in；　that　I　knows。　I　don’t　think　your　

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friend’s　there。”　

“Sikes　is　not；　I　suppose？”　inquired　the　Jew；　with　a　disappointed　
countenance。　

“Non　istwentus；　as　the　lawyers　say；”　replied　the　little　man；　
shaking　his　head；　and　looking　amazingly　sly。　“Have　you　got　
anything　in　my　line　tonight？”　

“Nothing　tonight；”　said　the　Jew；　turning　away。　

“Are　you　going　up　to　the　Cripples；　Fagin？”　cried　the　little　man；　
calling　after　him。　“Stop！　I　don’t　mind　if　I　have　a　drop　there　with　
you！”　

But　as　the　Jew；　looking　back；　waved　his　hand　to　intimate　that　
he　preferred　being　alone；　and；　moreover；　as　the　little　man　could　
not　very　easily　disengage　himself　from　the　chair；　the　sign　of　the　
Cripples　was；　for　a　time；　bereft　of　the　advantage　of　Mr。　Lively’s　
presence。　By　the　time　he　had　got　upon　his　legs；　the　Jew　had　
disappeared；　so　Mr。　Lively；　after　ineffectually　standing　on　tiptoe；　
in　the　hope　of　catching　sight　of　him；　again　forced　himself　into　the　
little　chair；　and；　exchanging　a　shake　of　the　head　with　a　lady　in　the　
opposite　shop；　in　which　doubt　and　mistrust　were　plainly　mingled；　
resumed　his　pipe　with　a　grave　demeanour。　

The　Three　Cripples；　or　rather　the　Cripples；　which　was　the　sign　
by　which　the　establishment　was　familiarly　known　to　its　patrons；　
was　the　public…house　in　which　Mr。　Sikes　and　his　dog　have　already　
figured。　Merely　making　a　sign　to　a　man　at　the　bar；　Fagin　walked　
straight　upstairs；　and　opening　the　door　of　a　room；　and　softly　
insinuating　himself　into　the　chamber；　looked　anxiously　about；　
shading　his　eyes　with　his　hand；　as　if　in　search　of　some　particular　
person。　

The　room　was　illuminated　by　two　gas…lights；　the　glare　of　which　

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was　prevented　by　the　barred　shutters；　and　closely…drawn　curtains　
of　faded　red；　from　being　visible　outside。　The　ceiling　was　
blackened；　to　prevent　its　colour　from　being　injured　by　the　flaring　
of　the　lamps；　and　the　place　was　so　full　of　dense　tobacco　smoke；　
th