oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第82章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



“You　think　women　never　can　keep　secrets；　I　suppose？”　said　the　
matron；　interposing；　and　returning；　as　she　spoke；　the　searching　
look　of　Monks。　

“I　know　they　will　always　keep　one　till　it’s　found　out；”　said　
Monks。　

“And　what　may　that　be？”　asked　the　matron。　

“The　loss　of　their　own　name；”　replied　Monks。　“So；　by　the　same　
rule；　if　a　woman’s　a　party　to　a　secret　that　might　hang　or　transport　
her；　I’m　not　afraid　of　her　telling　it　to　anybody；　not　I！　Do　you　
understand；　mistress？”　

“No；”　rejoined　the　matron；　slightly　colouring　as　she　spoke。　

“Of　course　you　don’t！”　said　Monks。　“How　should　you？”　

Bestowing　something　half…way　between　a　smile　and　a　frown　
upon　his　two　companions；　and　again　beckoning　them　to　follow　
him；　the　man　hastened　across　the　apartment；　which　was　of　
considerable　extent；　but　low　in　the　roof。　He　was　preparing　to　
ascend　a　steep　staircase；　or　rather　ladder；　leading　to　another　floor　
of　warehouses　above；　when　a　bright　flash　of　lightning　streamed　
down　the　aperture；　and　a　peal　of　thunder　followed；　which　shook　
the　crazy　building　to　its　centre。　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


Oliver　Twist　396　

“Hear　it！”　he　cried；　shrinking　back。　“Hear　it！　Rolling　and　
crashing　on　as　if　it　echoed　through　a　thousand　caverns　where　the　
devils　were　hiding　from　it。　I　hate　the　sound！”　He　remained　silent　
for　a　few　moments；　and　then；　removing　his　hands　suddenly　from　
his　face；　showed；　to　the　unspeakable　discomposure　of　Mr。　Bumble；　
that　it　was　much　distorted；　and　discoloured。　

“These　fits　come　over　me；　now　and　then；”　said　Monks；　
observing　his　alarm；　“and　thunder　sometimes　brings　them　on。　
Don’t　mind　me　now；　it’s　all　over　for　this　once。”　

Thus　speaking；　he　led　the　way　up　the　ladder；　and　hastily　closing　
the　window…shutter　of　the　room　into　which　it　led；　lowered　a　
lantern　which　hung　at　the　end　of　a　rope　and　pulley　passed　through　
one　of　the　heavy　beams　in　the　ceiling；　and　which　cast　a　dim　light　
upon　an　old　table　and　three　chairs　that　were　placed　beneath　it。　

“Now；”　said　Monks；　when　they　had　all　three　seated　themselves；　
“the　sooner　we　come　to　our　business；　the　better　for　all。　The　
woman　knows　what　it　is；　does　she？”　

The　question　was　addressed　to　Bumble；　but　his　wife　anticipated　
his　reply；　by　intimating　that　she　was　perfectly　acquainted　with　it。　

“He　is　right　in　saying　that　you　were　with　this　hag　the　night　she　
died；　and　that　she　told　you　something—”　

“About　the　mother　of　the　boy　you　named；”　replied　the　matron；　
interrupting　him。　“Yes。”　

“The　first　question　is；　of　what　nature　was　her　communication？”　
said　Monks。　

“That’s　the　second；”　observed　the　woman；　with　much　
deliberation。　“The　first　is；　what　may　the　communication　be　
worth？”　

“Who　the　devil　can　tell　that；　without　knowing　of　what　kind　it　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


Oliver　Twist　397　

is？”　asked　Monks。　

“Nobody　better　than　you；　I　am　persuaded；”　answered　Mrs。　
Bumble；　who　did　not　want　for　spirit；　as　her　yoke…fellow　could　
abundantly　testify。　

“Humph！”　said　Monks　significantly；　and　with　a　look　of　eager　
inquiry；　“there　may　be　money’s　worth　to　get；　eh？”　

“Perhaps　there　may；”　was　the　composed　reply。　

“Something　that　was　taken　from　her；”　said　Monks。　“Something　
that　she　wore。　Something　that—”　

“You　had　better　bid；”　interrupted　Mrs。　Bumble。　“I　have　heard　
enough；　already；　to　assure　me　that　you　are　the　man　I　ought　to　talk　
to。”　

Mr。　Bumble；　who　had　not　yet　been　admitted　by　his　better　half　
into　any　greater　share　of　the　secret　than　he　had　originally　
possessed；　listened　to　this　dialogue　with　outstretched　neck　and　
distended　eyes；　which　he　directed　towards　his　wife　and　Monks；　by　
turns；　in　undisguised　astonishment—increased；　if　possible；　when　
the　latter　sternly　demanded　what　sum　was　required　for　the　
disclosure。　

“What’s　it　worth　to　you？”　asked　the　woman；　as　collectedly　as　
before。　

“It　may　be　nothing；　it　may　be　twenty　pounds；”　replied　Monks。　
“Speak　out；　and　let　me　know　which。”　

“Add　five　pounds　to　the　sum　you　have　named；　give　me　five…andtwenty　pounds　in　gold；”　said　the　woman；　“and　I’ll　tell　you　all　I　
know。　Not　before。”　

“Five…and…twenty　pounds！”　exclaimed　Monks；　drawing　back。　

“I　spoke　as　plainly　as　I　could；”　replied　Mrs。　Bumble。　“It’s　not　a　
large　sum；　either。”　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


Oliver　Twist　398　

“Not　a　large　sum　for　a　paltry　secret；　that　may　be　nothing　when　
it’s　told！”　cried　Monks　impatiently；　“and　which　has　been　lying　
dead　for　twelve　years　past　or　more！”　

“Such　matters　keep　well；　and；　like　good　wine；　often　double　their　
value　in　course　of　time；”　answered　the　matron；　still　preserving　the　
resolute　indifference　she　had　assumed。　“As　to　lying　dead；　there　
are　those　who　will　lie　dead　for　twelve　thousand　years　to　come；　or　
twelve　million；　for　anything　you　or　I　know；　who　will　tell　strange　
tales　at　last！”　

“What　if　I　pay　it　for　nothing？”　asked　Monks　hesitatingly。　

“You　can　easily　take　it　away　again；”　replied　the　matron。　“I　am　
but　a　woman；　alone　here；　and　unprotected。”　

“Not　alone；　my　dear；　nor　unprotected　neither；”　submitted　Mr。　
Bumble；　in　a　voice　tremulous　with　fear；　“I　am　here；　my　dear。　And　
besides；”　said　Mr。　Bumble；　his　teeth　chattering　as　he　spoke；　“Mr。　
Monks　is　too　much　of　a　gentleman　to　attempt　any　violence　on　
porochial　persons。　Mr。　Monks　is　aware　that　I　am　not　a　young　man；　
my　dear；　and　also　that　I　am　a　little　run　to　seed；　as　I　may　say；　but　he　
has　heerd—I　say　I　have　no　doubt　Mr。　Monks　has　heerd；　my　dear—　
that　I　am　a　very　determined　officer；　with　very　uncommon　
strength；　if　I’m　once　roused。　I　only　want　a　little　rousing；　that’s　all。”　

As　Mr。　Bumble　spoke；　he　made　a　melancholy　feint　of　grasping　
his　lantern　with　fierce　determination；　and　plainly　showed；　by　the　
alarmed　expression　of　every　feature；　that　he　did　want　a　little　
rousing；　and　not　a　little；　prior　to　making　any　very　warlike　
demonstration—unless；　indeed；　against　paupers；　or　other　person　
or　persons　trained　down　for　the　purpose。　

“You　are　a　fool；”　said　Mrs。　Bumble；　in　reply；　“and　had　better　
hold　your　tongue。”　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


Oliver　Twist　399　

“He　had　better　have　cut　it　out；　before　he　came；　if　he　can’t　speak　
in　a　lower　tone；”　said　Monks　grimly。　“So！　He’s　your　husband；　eh？”　

“He　my　husband！”　tittered　the　matron；　parrying　the　question。　

“I　thought　as　much；　when　you　came　in；”　rejoined　Monks；　
marking　the　angry　glance　which　the　lady　darted　at　her　spouse　as　
she　spoke。　“So　much　the　better；　I　have　less　hesitation　in　dealing　
with　two　people；　when　I　find　that　there’s　only　one　will　between　
them。　I’m　in　earnest。　See　here！”　He　thrust　his　hand　into　a　side…
pocket；　and；　producing　a　canvas　bag；　told　out　twenty…five　
sovereigns　on　the　table；　and　pushed　them　over　to　the　woman。　

“Now；”　he　said；　“gather　them　up；　and　when　this　cursed　peal　of　
thunder；　which　I　feel　is　coming　up　to　break　over　the　house…top；　is　
gone；　let’s　hear　your　story。”　

The　thunder；　which　seemed　in　fact　much　nearer　and　to　shiver　
and　break　almost　over　their　heads；　having　subsided；　Monks；　
raising　his　face　from　the　table；　bent　forward　to　listen　to　what　the　
woman　should　say。　The　faces　of　the　three　nearly　touched；　as　the　
two　men　leaned　over　the　small　table　in　their　eagerness　to　hear；　
and　the　woman　also　leaned　forward　to　render　her　whisper　audible。　
The　sickly　rays　of　the　suspended　lantern　falling　directly　upon　
them；　aggravated　the　paleness　and　anxiety　of　their　countenances；　
which；　encircled　by　the　deepest　gloom　and　darkness；　looked　
ghastly　in　the　extreme。　

“When　this　woman；　that　we　called　old　Sally；　died；”　the　matron　
began；　“she　and　I　were　alone。”　

“Was　there　no　one　by？”　asked　Monks；　in　the　same　hollow　
whisper；　“no　sick　wretch　or　idiot　in　some　other　bed？　No　one　who　
could　hear；　and　might；　by　possibility；　understand？”　

“Not　a　soul；”　replied　the　woman；　“we　were　alone。　I　stood　alone　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


Oliver　Twist　400　

beside　the　body　when　death　came　over　it。”　

“Good；”　said　Monks；　regarding　her　attent