oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第76章

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or　four　miles。　There　was　the　village　in　the　hollow　on　the　left；　but；　
in　order　to　gain　that；　after　pursuing　the　track　Oliver　had　pointed　
out；　the　men　must　have　made　a　circuit　of　open　ground；　which　it　
was　impossible　they　could　have　accomplished　in　so　short　a　time。　A　
thick　wood　skirted　the　meadowland　in　another　direction；　but　they　
could　not　have　gained　that　covert　for　the　same　reason。　

“It　must　have　been　a　dream；　Oliver；”　said　Harry　Maylie。　

“Oh；　no；　indeed；　sir；”　replied　Oliver；　shuddering　at　the　very　
recollection　of　the　old　wretch’s　countenance；　“I　saw　him　too　
plainly　for　that。　I　saw　them　both；　as　plainly　as　I　see　you　now。”　

“Who　was　the　other？”　inquired　Harry　and　Mr。　Losberne；　
together。　

“The　very　same　man　I　told　you　of；　who　came　so　suddenly　upon　
me　at　the　inn；”　said　Oliver。　“We　had　our　eyes　fixed　full　upon　each　
other；　and　I　could　swear　to　him。”　

“They　took　this　way？”　demanded　Harry；　“are　you　sure？”　

“As　I　am　that　the　men　were　at　the　window；”　replied　Oliver；　
pointing　down；　as　he　spoke；　to　the　hedge　which　divided　the　

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cottage　garden　from　the　meadow。　“The　tall　man　leaped　over；　just　
there；　and　the　Jew；　running　a　few　paces　to　the　right；　crept　through　
that　gap。”　

The　two　gentlemen　watched　Oliver’s　earnest　face；　as　he　spoke；　
and　looking　from　him　to　each　other；　seemed　to　feel　satisfied　of　the　
accuracy　of　what　he　said。　Still；　in　no　direction　were　there　any　
appearances　of　the　trampling　of　men　in　hurried　flight。　The　grass　
was　long；　but　it　was　trodden　down　nowhere；　save　where　their　own　
feet　had　crushed　it。　The　sides　and　brinks　of　the　dishes　were　of　
damp　clay；　but　in　no　one　place　could　they　discern　the　print　of　
men’s　shoes；　or　the　slightest　mark　which　would　indicate　that　any　
feet　had　pressed　the　ground　for　hours　before。　

“This　is　strange！”　said　Harry。　

“Strange？”　echoed　the　doctor。　“Blathers　and　Duff；　themselves；　
could　make　nothing　of　it。”　

Notwithstanding　the　evidently　useless　nature　of　their　search；　
they　did　not　desist　until　the　coming　on　of　night　rendered　its　
further　prosecution　hopeless；　and　even　then；　they　gave　it　up　with　
reluctance。　Giles　was　despatched　to　the　different　ale…houses　in　the　
village；　furnished　with　the　best　description　Oliver　could　give　of　the　
appearance　and　dress　of　the　strangers。　Of　these；　the　Jew　was；　at　all　
events；　sufficiently　remarkable　to　be　remembered；　supposing　he　
had　been　seen　drinking；　or　loitering　about；　but　Giles　returned　
without　any　intelligence；　calculated　to　dispel　or　lessen　the　
mystery。　

On　the　next　day；　fresh　search　was　made；　and　the　inquiries　
renewed；　but　with　no　better　success。　On　the　day　following；　Oliver　
and　Mr。　Maylie　repaired　to　the　market…town；　in　the　hope　of　seeing　
or　hearing　something　of　the　men　there；　but　this　effort　was　equally　

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fruitless。　After　a　few　days；　the　affair　began　to　be　forgotten；　as　most　
affairs　are；　when　wonder；　having　no　fresh　food　to　support　it；　dies　
away　of　itself。　

Meanwhile；　Rose　was　rapidly　recovering。　She　had　left　her　
room；　was　able　to　go　out；　and　mixing　once　more　with　the　family；　
carried　joy　into　the　hearts　of　all。　

But；　although　this　happy　change　had　a　visible　effect　on　the　little　
circle；　and　although　cheerful　voices　and　merry　laughter　were　once　
more　heard　in　the　cottage；　there　was　at　times；　an　unwonted　
restraint　upon　some　there；　even　upon　Rose　herself；　which　Oliver　
could　not　fail　to　remark。　Mr。　Maylie　and　her　son　were　often　
closeted　together　for　a　long　time；　and　more　than　once　Rose　
appeared　with　traces　of　tears　upon　her　face。　After　Mr。　Losberne　
had　fixed　a　day　for　his　departure　to　Chertsey；　these　symptoms　
increased；　and　it　became　evident　that　something　was　in　progress　
which　affected　the　peace　of　the　young　lady；　and　of　somebody　else　
besides。　

At　length；　one　morning；　when　Rose　was　alone　in　the　breakfast…
parlour；　Harry　Maylie　entered；　and；　with　some　hesitation；　begged　
permission　to　speak　with　her　for　a　few　moments。　

“A　few—a　very　few—will　suffice；　Rose；”　said　the　young　man；　
drawing　his　chair　towards　her。　“What　I　shall　have　to　say；　has　
already　presented　itself　to　your　mind；　the　most　cherished　hopes　of　
my　heart　are　not　unknown　to　you；　though　from　my　lips　you　have　
not　yet　heard　them　stated。”　

Rose　had　been　very　pale　from　the　moment　of　his　entrance；　but　
that　might　have　been　the　effect　of　her　recent　illness。　She　merely　
bowed；　and　bending　over　some　plants　that　stood　near；　waited　in　
silence　for　him　to　proceed。　ought　to　have　left　here；　before；”　said　

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Harry。　

“You　should；　indeed；”　replied　Rose。　“Forgive　me　for　saying　so；　
but　I　wish　you　had。”　

“I　was　brought　here；　by　the　most　dreadful　and　agonising　of　all　
apprehensions；”　said　the　young　man：　“the　fear　of　losing　the　one　
dear　being　on　whom　my　every　wish　and　hope　are　fixed。　You　had　
been　dying；　trembling　between　earth　and　heaven。　We　know　that　
when　the　young；　the　beautiful；　and　good；　are　visited　with　sickness；　
their　pure　spirits　insensibly　turn　towards　their　bright　home　of　
lasting　rest；　we　know；　Heaven　help　us；　that　the　best　and　fairest　of　
our　kind；　too　often　fade　in　blooming。”　

There　were　tears　in　the　eyes　of　the　gentle　girl；　as　these　words　
were　spoken；　and　when　one　fell　upon　the　flower　over　which　she　
bent；　and　glistened　brightly　in　its　cup；　making　it　more　beautiful；　it　
seemed　as　though　the　out…pouring　of　her　fresh　young　heart；　
claimed　kindred　naturally；　with　the　loveliest　things　in　nature。　

“A　creature；”　continued　the　young　man　passionately；　“a　
creature　as　fair　and　innocent　of　guile　as　one　of　God’s　own　angels；　
fluttered　between　life　and　death。　Oh；　who　could　hope；　when　the　
distant　world　to　which　she　was　akin；　half…opened　to　her　view；　that　
she　would　return　to　the　sorrow　and　calamity　of　this；　Rose；　Rose；　to　
know　that　you　were　passing　away　like　some　soft　shadow；　which　a　
light　from　above　casts　upon　the　earth；　to　have　no　hope　that　you　
would　be　spared　to　those　who　linger　here；　hardly　to　know　a　reason　
why　you　should　be；　to　feel　that　you　belonged　to　that　bright　sphere　
whither　so　many　of　the　fairest　and　the　best　have　winged　their　early　
flight；　and　yet　to　pray；　amid　all　these　consolations；　that　you　might　
be　restored　to　those　who　loved　you—these　were　distractions　
almost　too　great　to　bear。　They　were　mine；　by　day　and　night；　and　

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with　them；　came　such　a　rushing　torrent　of　fears；　and　
apprehensions；　and　selfish　regrets；　lest　you　should　die；　and　never　
know　how　devotedly　I　loved　you；　as　almost　bore　down　sense　and　
reason　in　its　course。　You　recovered。　Day　by　day；　and　almost　hour　
by　hour；　some　drop　of　health　came　back；　and　mingling　with　the　
spent　and　feeble　stream　of　life　which　circulated　languidly　within　
you；　swelled　it　again　to　a　high　and　rushing　tide。　I　have　watched　
you　change　almost　from　death　to　life；　with　eyes　that　turned　blind　
with　their　eagerness　and　deep　affection。　Do　not　tell　me　that　you　
wish　I　had　lost　this；　for　it　has　softened　my　heart　to　all　mankind。”　

“I　did　not　mean　that；”　said　Rose；　weeping；　“I　only　wish　you　had　
left　here；　that　you　might　have　turned　to　high　and　noble　pursuits　
again；　to　pursuits　well　worthy　of　you。”　

“There　is　no　pursuit　more　worthy　of　me；　more　worthy　of　the　
highest　nature　that　exists；　than　the　struggle　to　win　such　a　heart　as　
yours；”　said　the　young　man；　taking　her　hand。　“Rose；　my　own　dear　
Rose！　For　years—for　years—I　have　loved　you；　hoping　to　win　my　
way　to　fame；　and　then　come　proudly　home　and　tell　you　it　had　been　
pursued　only　for　you　to　share；　thinking；　in　my　day…dreams；　how　I　
would　remind　you；　in　that　happy　moment；　of　the　many　silent　
tokens　I　had　given　of　a　boy’s　attachment；　and　claim　your　hand；　as　
in　redemption　of　some　old；　mute　contract　that　had　been　sealed　
between　us！　That　time　has　not　arrived；　but　here；　with　no　fame　
won；　and　no　young　vision　realised；　I　offer　you　the　heart　so　long　
your　own；　and　stake　my　all　upon　the　words　with　which　you　greet　
the　off