oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第18部分

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was　staring　with　all　his　might　into　shop…windows。　At　such　times；　
he　would　look　constantly　round　him；　for　fear　of　thieves；　and　would　
keep　slapping　all　his　pockets　in　turn；　to　see　that　he　hadn’t　lost　
anything；　in　such　a　very　funny　and　natural　manner；　that　Oliver　

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Oliver　Twist　

laughed　till　the　tears　ran　down　his　face。　All　this　time；　the　two　boys　
followed　him　closely　about；　getting　out　of　his　sight；　so　nimbly；　
every　time　he　turned　round　that　it　was　impossible　to　follow　their　
motions。　At　last；　the　Dodger　trod　upon　his　toes；　or　ran　upon　his　
boot　accidentally；　while　Charley　Bates　stumbled　up　against　him　
behind；　and　in　that　one　moment　they　took　from　him；　with　the　most　
extraordinary　rapidity；　snuff…box；　note…case；　watch…guard；　chain；　
shirt…pin；　pocket…handkerchief—even　the　spectacle…case。　If　the　old　
gentleman　felt　a　hand　in　any　of　his　pockets；　he　cried　out　where　it　
was；　and　then　the　game　began　all　over　again。　

When　this　game　had　been　played　a　great　many　times；　a　couple　
of　young　ladies　called　to　see　the　young　gentlemen；　one　of　whom　
was　named　Bet；　and　the　other　Nancy。　They　wore　a　good　deal　of　
hair；　not　very　neatly　turned　up　behind；　and　were　rather　untidy　
about　the　shoes　and　stockings。　They　were　not　exactly　pretty；　
perhaps；　but　they　had　a　great　deal　of　colour　in　their　faces；　and　
looked　quite　stout　and　hearty。　Being　remarkably　free　and　
agreeable　in　their　manners；　Oliver　thought　them　very　nice　girls　
indeed。　As　there　is　no　doubt　they　were。　

These　visitors　stopped　a　long　time。　Spirits　were　produced；　in　
consequence　of　one　of　the　young　ladies　complaining　of　a　coldness　
in　her　inside；　and　the　conversation　took　a　very　convivial　and　
improving　turn。　At　length；　Charley　Bates　expressed　his　opinion　
that　it　was　time　to　pad　the　hoof。　This；　it　occurred　to　Oliver；　must　
be　French　for　going　out；　for；　directly　afterwards；　the　Dodger；　and　
Charley；　and　the　two　young　ladies；　went　away　together；　having　
been　kindly　furnished　by　the　amiable　old　Jew　with　money　to　
spend。　

“There；　my　dear；”　said　Fagin。　“That’s　a　pleasant　life；　isn’t　it？　

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They　have　gone　out　for　the　day。”　

“Have　they　done　work；　sir？”　inquired　Oliver。　

“Yes；”　said　the　Jew；　“that　is；　unless　they　should　unexpectedly　
come　across　any；　when　they　are　out；　and　they　won’t　neglect　it；　if　
they　do；　my　dear；　depend　upon　it。　Make　’em　your　models；　my　dear。　
Make　’em　your　models；”　tapping　the　fire…shovel　on　the　hearth　to　
add　force　to　his　words；　“do　everything　they　bid　you；　and　take　their　
advice　in　all　manners—especially　the　Dodger’s；　my　dear。　He’ll　be　a　
great　man　himself；　and　will　make　you　one；　too；　if　you　take　pattern　
by　him。—Is　my　handkerchief　hanging　out　of　my　pocket；　my　dear？”　
said　the　Jew；　stopping　short。　

“Yes；　sir；”　said　Oliver。　

“See　if　you　can　take　it　out；　without　my　feeling　it；　as　you　saw　
them　do；　when　we　were　at　play　this　morning。”　

Oliver　held　up　the　bottom　of　the　pocket　with　one　hand；　as　he　
had　seen　the　Dodger　hold　it；　and　drew　the　handkerchief　lightly　out　
of　it　with　the　other。　

“Is　it　gone？”　cried　the　Jew。　

“Here　it　is；　sir；”　said　Oliver；　showing　it　in　his　hand。　

“You’re　a　clever　boy；　my　dear；”　said　the　playful　old　gentleman；　
patting　Oliver　on　the　head　approvingly。　“I　never　saw　a　sharper　lad。　
Here’s　a　shilling　for　you。　If　you　go　on；　in　this　way；　you’ll　be　the　
greatest　man　of　the　time。　And　now　come　here；　and　I’ll　show　you　
how　to　take　the　marks　out　of　the　handkerchiefs。”　

Oliver　wondered　what　picking　the　old　gentleman’s　pocket　in　
play　had　to　do　with　his　chances　of　being　a　great　man。　But；　thinking　
that　the　Jew；　being　so　much　his　senior；　must　know　best；　he　
followed　him　quietly　to　the　table；　and　was　soon　deeply　involved　in　
his　new　study。　

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Chapter　10　

Oliver　Becomes　Better　Acquainted　With　The
Characters　Of　His　New　Associates；　And　Purchases
Experience　At　A　High　Price—Being　A　Short　But
Very　Important　Chapter　In　This　History


For　many　days；　Oliver　remained　in　the　Jew’s　room；　picking　
the　marks　out　of　the　pocket…handkerchiefs　（of　which　a　
great　number　were　brought　home）；　and　sometimes　taking　
part　in　the　game　already　described；　which　the　two　boys　and　the　
Jew　played；　regularly；　every　morning。　At　length；　he　began　to　
languish　for　fresh　air；　and　took　many　occasions　of　earnestly　
entreating　the　old　gentleman　to　allow　him　to　go　out　to　work；　with　
his　two　companions。　

Oliver　was　rendered　the　more　anxious　to　be　actively　employed；　
by　what　he　had　seen　of　the　stern　morality　of　the　old　gentleman’s　
character。　Whenever　the　Dodger　or　Charley　Bates　came　home　at　
night；　empty…handed；　he　would　expatiate　with　great　vehemence　on　
the　misery　of　idle　and　lazy　habits；　and　would　enforce　upon　them　
the　necessity　of　an　active　life；　by　sending　them　supperless　to　bed。　
On　one　occasion；　indeed；　he　even　went　so　far　as　to　knock　them　
both　down　a　flight　of　stairs；　but　this　was　carrying　out　his　virtuous　
precepts　to　an　unusual　extent。　

At　length；　one　morning；　Oliver　obtained　the　permission　he　had　
so　eagerly　sought。　There　had　been　no　handkerchiefs　to　work　upon；　
for　two　or　three　days；　and　the　dinners　had　been　rather　meagre。　
Perhaps　these　were　reasons　for　the　old　gentleman’s　giving　his　

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Oliver　Twist　

assent；　but；　whether　they　were　or　no；　he　told　Oliver　he　might　go；　
and　placed　him　under　the　joint　guardianship　of　Charley　Bates；　and　
his　friend　the　Dodger。　

The　three　boys　sallied　out；　the　Dodger　with　his　coat　sleeves　
tucked　up；　and　his　hat　cocked；　as　usual；　Master　Bates　sauntering　
along　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　and　Oliver　between　them；　
wondering　where　they　were　going；　and　what　branch　of　
manufacture　he　would　be　instructed　in；　first。　

The　pace　at　which　they　went；　was　such　a　very　lazy；　ill…looking　
saunter；　that　Oliver　soon　began　to　think　his　companions　were　
going　to　deceive　the　old　gentleman；　by　not　going　to　work　at　all。　
The　Dodger　had　a　vicious　propensity；　too；　of　pulling　the　caps　from　
the　heads　of　small　boys　and　tossing　them　down　areas；　while　
Charley　Bates　exhibited　some　very　loose　notions　concerning　the　
rights　of　property；　by　pilfering　divers　apples　and　onions　from　the　
stalls　at　the　kennel　sides；　and　thrusting　them　into　pockets　which　
were　so　surprisingly　capacious；　that　they　seemed　to　undermine　his　
whole　suit　of　clothes　in　every　direction。　These　things　looked　so　
bad；　that　Oliver　was　on　the　point　of　declaring　his　intention　of　
seeking　his　way　back；　in　the　best　way　he　could；　when　his　thoughts　
were　suddenly　directed　into　another　channel；　by　a　very　mysterious　
change　of　behaviour　on　the　part　of　the　Dodger。　

They　were　just　emerging　from　a　narrow　court　not　far　from　the　
open　square　in　Clerkenwell；　which　is　yet　called；　by　some　strange　
perversion　of　terms。　“The　Green；”　when　the　Dodger　made　a　
sudden　stop；　and；　laying　his　finger　on　his　lip；　drew　his　companions　
back　again；　with　the　greatest　caution　and　circumspection。　

“What’s　the　matter？”　demanded　Oliver。　

“Hush！”　replied　the　Dodger。　“Do　you　see　that　old　cove　at　the　

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book…stall？”　

“The　old　gentleman　over　the　way？”　said　Oliver。　“Yes；　I　see　
him。”　

“He’ll　do；”　said　the　Dodger。　

“A　prime　plant；”　observed　Master　Charley　Bates。　

Oliver　looked　from　one　to　the　other；　with　the　greatest　surprise；　
but　he　was　not　permitted　to　make　any　inquiries；　for　the　two　boys　
walked　stealthily　across　the　road；　and　slunk　close　behind　the　old　
gentleman　towards　whom　his　attention　had　been　directed。　Oliver　
walked　a　few　paces　after　them；　and；　not　knowing　whether　to　
advance　or　retire；　stood　looking　on　in　silent　amazement。　

The　old　gentleman　was　a　very　respectable…looking　personage；　
with　a　powdered　head　and　gold　spectacles。　He　was　dressed　in　a　
bottle…green　coat　with　a　black　velvet　collar；　wore　white　trousers；　
and　carried　a　smart　bamboo　cane　under　his　arm。　He　had　taken　up　
a　book　from　the　stall；　and　there　he　stood；　reading　away；　as　hard　as　
if　he　were　in　his　elbow…chair；　in　his　own　study。　It　is　very　possible　
that　he　fancied　himself　there；　indeed；　for　it　was　plain；　from　his　
abstraction；　that　he　saw　not　the　bookstall；　nor　the　street；　nor　the　
boys；　nor；　in　short；　anything　but　the　book　itself；　which　he　was　
reading　straight　through；　turning　over　the　leaf　when　he　got　to　the　
bottom　of　a　page；　beginning　at　the　top　line　of　the　next　one；　and　
going　regularly　on；　with　the　greatest　interest　and　eagerness。　

What　was　Oliver’s　horror　and　alarm　as　he　stood　a　few　paces　off；　
looking　on　with　his　eyelids　as　wide　open　as　they　would　possibly　go；　
to　see　the　Dodger　plunge　his　hand　into　the　old　gentleman’s　pocket；　
and　draw　from　thence　a　handkerchief！　To　see　him　hand　the　same　
to　Charley　Bates；　and　finally　to　behold　them；　both；　running　away　
round　the　corner　at　full　speed！　

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In　an　instant　the　whole　mystery　of　the　handkerchiefs；　and　the　
watches；　and　the　jewels；　and　the　Jew；　rushed　upon　the　boy’s　mind。