oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第24部分

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outside　for；　as　if　you　was　ashamed　of　your　master！　Come　in！”　

The　man　who　growled　out　these　words；　was　a　stoutly…built　
fellow　about　five…and…thirty；　in　a　black　velveteen　coat；　very　soiled　
drab　breeches；　lace…up　half…boots　and　grey　cotton　stockings；　which　
inclosed　a　bulky　pair　of　legs；　with　large；　swelling　calves—the　kind　
of　legs；　which；　in　such　costume；　always　look　in　an　unfinished　and　
incomplete　state　without　a　set　of　fetters　to　garnish　them。　He　had　a　
brown　hat　on　his　head；　and　a　dirty　belcher　handkerchief　round　his　
neck；　with　the　long；　frayed　ends　of　which　he　smeared　the　beer　
from　his　face　as　he　spoke。　He　disclosed；　when　he　had　done　so；　a　
broad；　heavy　countenance　with　a　beard　of　three　days’　growth；　and　
two　scowling　eyes；　one　of　which　displayed　various　parti…coloured　

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symptoms　of　having　been　recently　damaged　by　a　blow。　

“Come　in；　d’ye　hear？”　growled　this　engaging　ruffian。　

A　white；　shaggy　dog；　with　his　face　scratched　and　torn　in　twenty　
different　places；　skulked　into　the　room。　

“Why　didn’t　you　come　in　afore？”　said　the　man。　“You’re　getting　
too　proud　to　own　me　afore　company；　are　you？　Lie　down！”　

This　command　was　accompanied　with　a　kick；　which　sent　the　
animal　to　the　other　end　of　the　room。　He　appeared　well　used　to　it；　
however；　for　he　coiled　himself　up　in　a　corner　very　quietly；　without　
uttering　a　sound；　and；　winking　his　very　ill…looking　eyes　twenty　
times　in　a　minute；　appeared　to　occupy　himself　in　taking　a　survey　
of　the　apartment。　

“What　are　you　up　to？　Ill…treating　the　boys；　you　covetous；　
avaricious；　in…sa…ti…a…ble　old　fence？”　said　the　man；　seating　himself　
deliberately。　“I　wonder　they　don’t　murder　you！　I　would　if　I　was　
them。　If　I’d　been　your　’prentice；　I’d　have　done　it　long　ago；　and—　
no；　I　couldn’t　have　sold　you　afterwards；　for　you’re　fit　for　nothing　
but　keeping　as　a　curiosity　of　ugliness　in　a　glass　bottle；　and　I　
suppose　they　don’t　blow　glass　bottles　large　enough。”　

“Hush！　hush！　Mr。　Sikes；”　said　the　Jew；　trembling；　“don’t　speak　
so　loud。”　

“None　of　your　mistering；”　replied　the　ruffian；　“you　always　
mean　mischief　when　you　come　that。　You　know　my　name：　out　with　
it！　I　shan’t　disgrace　it　when　the　time　comes。”　

“Well；　well；　then—Bill　Sikes；”　said　the　Jew；　with　abject　
humility。　“You　seem　out　of　humour；　Bill。”　

“Perhaps　I　am；”　replied　Sikes；　“I　should　think　you　was　rather　
out　of　sorts；　too；　unless　you　mean　as　little　harm　when　you　throw　
pewter　pots　about；　as　you　do　when　you　blab　and—”　

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“Are　you　mad？”　said　the　Jew；　catching　the　man　by　the　sleeve；　
and　pointing　towards　the　boys。　

Mr。　Sikes　contented　himself　with　tying　an　imaginary　knot　
under　his　left　ear；　and　jerking　his　head　over　on　the　right　shoulder；　
a　piece　of　dumb　show　which　the　Jew　appeared　to　understand　
perfectly。　He　then；　in　cant　terms；　with　which　his　whole　
conversation　v。　as　plentifully　besprinkled；　but　which　would　be　
quite　unintelligible　if　they　were　recorded　here；　demanded　a　glass　
of　liquor。　

“And　mind　you　don’t　poison　it；”　said　Mr。　Sikes；　laying　his　hat　
upon　the　table。　

This　was　said　in　jest；　but　if　the　speaker　could　have　seen　the　evil　
leer　with　which　the　Jew　bit　his　pale　lip　as　he　turns　round　to　the　
cupboard；　he　might　have　thought　the　caution　not　wholly　
unnecessary；　or　the　wish　（at　all　events）　to　improve　upon　the　
distiller’s　ingenuity　not　very　far　from　the　old　gentleman’s　merry　
heart。　

After　swallowing　two　or　three　glasses　of　spirits；　Mr。　Sikes　
condescended　to　take　some　notice　of　the　young　gentlemen；　which　
gracious　act　led　to　a　conversation；　in　which　the　cause　and　manner　
of　Oliver’s　capture　were　circumstantially　detailed；　with　such　
alterations　and　improvements　on　the　truth；　as　to　the　Dodger　
appeared　most　advisable　under　the　circumstances。　

“I’m　afraid；”　said　the　Jew；　“that　he　may　say　something　which　
will　get　us　into　trouble。”　

“That’s　very　likely；”　returned　Sikes；　with　a　malicious　grin。　
“You’re　blowed　upon；　Fagin。”　

“And　I’m　afraid；　you　see；”　added　the　Jew；　speaking　as　if　he　had　
not　noticed　the　interruption；　and；　regarding　the　other　closely　as　he　

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did　so—“I’m　afraid　that；　if　the　game　was　up　with　us；　it　might　be　up　
with　a　good　many　more　and　that　it　would　come　out　rather　worse　
for　you　than　it　would　for　me；　my　dear。”　

The　man　started；　and　turned　round　upon　the　Jew。　But　the　old　
gentleman’s　shoulders　were　shrugged　up　to　his　ears；　and　his　eyes　
were　vacantly　staring　on　the　opposite　wall。　

There　was　a　long　pause。　Every　member　of　the　respectable　
coterie　appeared　plunged　in　his　own　reflections；　not　excepting　the　
dog；　who　by　a　certain　malicious　licking　of　his　lips　seemed　to　be　
meditating　an　attack　upon　the　legs　of　the　first　gentleman　or　lady　
he　might　encounter　in　the　streets　when　he　went　out。　

“Somebody　must　find　out　wot’s　been　done　at　the　office；”　said　
Mr。　Sikes；　in　a　much　lower　tone　than　he　had　taken　since　he　came　
in。　

The　Jew　nodded　assent。　

“If　he　hasn’t　peached；　and　is　committed；　there’s　no　fear　till　he　
comes　out　again；”　said　Mr。　Sikes；　“and　then　he　must　be　taken　care　
on。　You　must　get　hold　of　him　somehow。”　

Again　the　Jew　nodded。　

The　prudence　of　this　line　of　action；　indeed；　was　obvious；　but；　
unfortunately；　there　was　one　very　strong　objection　to　it　being　
adopted。　This　was；　that　the　Dodger；　and　Charley　Bates；　and　Fagin；　
and　Mr。　William　Sikes；　happened；　one　and　all；　to　entertain　a　
violent　and　deeply…rooted　antipathy　to　going　near　a　police…office　
on　any　ground　or　pretext　whatever。　

How　long　they　might　have　sat　and　looked　at　each　other；　in　a　
state　of　uncertainty　not　the　most　pleasant　of　its　kind；　it　is　difficult　
to　guess。　It　is　not　necessary　to　make　any　guesses　on　the　subject；　
however；　for　the　sudden　entrance　of　the　two　young　ladies　whom　

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Oliver　had　seen　on　a　former　occasion；　caused　the　conversation　to　
flow　afresh。　

“The　very　thing！”　said　the　Jew。　“Bet　will　go；　won’t　you；　my　
dear？”　

“Wheres？”　inquired　the　young　lady。　

“Only　just　up　to　the　office；　my　dear；”　said　the　Jew　coaxingly。　

It　is　due　to　the　young　lady　to　say　that　she　did　not　positively　
affirm　that　she　would　not；　but　that　she　merely　expressed　an　
emphatic　and　earnest　desire　to　be　“blessed”　if　she　would；　a　polite　
and　delicate　evasion　of　the　request　which　shows　the　young　lady　to　
have　been　possessed　of　that　natural　good…breeding　which　cannot　
bear　to　inflict　upon　a　fellow…creature；　the　pain　of　a　direct　and　
pointed　refusal。　

The　Jew’s　countenance　fell。　He　turned　from　this　young　lady；　
who　was　gaily；　not　to　say　gorgeously；　attired；　in　a　red　gown；　green　
boots；　and　yellow　curl…papers；　to　the　other　female。　

“Nancy；　my　dear；”　said　the　Jew；　in　a　soothing　manner；　“what　do　
you　say？”　

“That　it　won’t　do；　so　it’s　no　use　a…trying　it　on；　Fagin；”　replied　
Nancy。　

“What　do　you　mean　by　that？”　said　Mr。　Sikes；　looking　up　in　a　
surly　manner。　

“What　I　say；　Bill；”　replied　the　lady　collectedly。　

“Why；　you’re　just　the　very　person　for　it；”　reasoned　Mr。　Sikes；　
“nobody　about　here　knows　anything　of　you。”　

“And　as　I　don’t　want　’em　to；　neither；”　replied　Nancy；　in　the　
same　composed　manner；　“it’s　rather　more　no　than　yes　with　me；　
Bill。”　

“She’ll　go；　Fagin；”　said　Sikes。　

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“No；　she　won’t；　Fagin；”　said　Nancy。　

“Yes；　she　will；　Fagin；”　said　Sikes。　

And　Mr。　Sikes　was　right。　By　dint　of　alternate　threats；　promises；　
and　bribes；　the　lady　in　question　was　ultimately　prevailed　upon　to　
undertake　the　commission。　She　was　not；　indeed；　withheld　by　the　
same　considerations　as　her　agreeable　friend；　for；　having　recently　
removed　into　the　neighbourhood　of　Field　Lane　from　the　remote　
but　genteel　suburb　of　Ratcliffe；　she　was　not　under　the　same　
apprehension　of　being　recognised　by　any　of　her　numerous　
acquaintances。　

Accordingly；　with　a　clean　white　apron　tied　over　her　gown；　and　
her　curl…papers　tucked　up　under　a　straw　bonnet—both　articles　of　
dress　being　provided　from　the　Jew’s　inexhaustible　stock—Miss　
Nancy　prepared　to　issue　forth　on　her　errand。　

“Stop　a’　minute；　my　dear；”　said　the　Jew；　producing　a　little　
covered　basket。　“Carry　that　in　one　hand。　It　looks　more　
respectable；　my　dear。”　

“Give　her　a　door　key　to　carry　in　her　t’other　one；　Fagin；”　said　
Sikes；　“it　looks　real　and　genuine　like。”　

“Yes；　yes；　my　dear；　so　it　does；”　said　the　Jew；　hanging　a　large　
street　door　key　on　the　forefinger　of　the　young　lady’s　right　hand。　
“There；　very　good！　Very　good　indeed；　my　dear！”　said　the　Jew；　
rubbing　his　hands。　

“Oh；　my　brother！　My　poor；　dear；　sweet；　innocent　little　brother！”　
exclaimed　Nancy；　bursting　into　tears；　and　wringing　the　little　
basket　and　the　street　door　key　in　an　agony　of　distress。　“What　has　
become　of　him！　Where　have　they　taken　him　to！　Oh；　do　have　pity；　
and　tell　me　what’s　been　done　with　the　dear　boy；　gentlemen；　do；　
gentlemen；　if　yo