oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第25部分

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and　tell　me　what’s　been　done　with　the　dear　boy；　gentlemen；　do；　
gentlemen；　if　you　please；　gentlemen！”　

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Having　uttered　these　words　in　a　most　lamentable　and　heartbroken　tone；　to　the　immeasurable　delight　of　her　hearers；　Miss　
Nancy　paused；　winked　to　the　company；　nodded　smilingly　round；　
and　disappeared。　

“Ah！　she’s　a　clever　girl；　my　dears；”　said　the　Jew；　turning　round　
to　his　young　friends；　and　shaking　his　head　gravely；　as　if　in　mute　
admonition　to　them　to　follow　the　bright　example　they　had　just　
beheld。　

“She’s　an　honour　to　her　sex；”　said　Mr。　Sikes；　filling　his　glass；　
and　smiting　the　table　with　his　enormous　fist。　“Here’s　her　health；　
and　wishing　they　was　all　like　her！”　

While　these；　and　many　other　encomiums；　were　being　passed　on　
the　accomplished　Nancy；　that　young　lady　made　the　best　of　her　way　
to　the　police…office；　whither；　notwithstanding　a　little　natural　
timidity　consequent　upon　walking　through　the　streets　alone　and　
unprotected；　she　arrived　in　perfect　safety　shortly　afterwards。　

Entering　by　the　back　way；　she　tapped　softly　with　the　key　at　one　
of　the　cell　doors；　and　listened。　There　was　no　sound　within；　so　she　
coughed　and　listened　again。　Still　there　was　no　reply；　so　she　spoke。　

“Nolly；　dear—”　murmured　Nancy；　in　a　gentle　voice；　“Nolly？”　

There　was　nobody　inside　but　a　miserable；　shoeless　criminal；　
who　had　been　taken　up　for　playing　the　flute；　and　who；　the　offence　
against　society　having　been　clearly　proved；　had　been　very　properly　
committed　by　Mr。　Fang　to　the　house　of　correction　for　one　month；　
with　the　appropriate　and　amusing　remark　that　since　he　had　so　
much　breath　to　spare；　it　would　be　more　wholesomely　expended　on　
the　treadmill　than　in　a　musical　instrument。　He　made　no　answer；　
being　occupied　in　mentally　bewailing　the　loss　of　the　flute；　which　
had　been　confiscated　for　the　use　of　the　county；　so　Nancy　passed　on　

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to　the　next　cell；　and　knocked　there。　

“Well！”　cried　a　faint　and　feeble　voice。　

“Is　there　a　little　boy　here？”　inquired　Nancy；　with　a　preliminary　
sob。　

“No；”　replied　the　voice；　“God　forbid。”　

This　was　a　vagrant　of　sixty…five；　who　was　going　to　prison　for　not　
playing　the　flute；　or；　in　other　words；　for　begging　in　the　streets；　and　
doing　nothing　for　his　livelihood。　In　the　next　cell；　another　man；　who　
was　going　to　the　same　prison　for　hawking　tin　saucepans　without　a　
licence；　thereby　doing　something　for　his　living；　in　defiance　of　the　
Stamp…office。　

But；　as　neither　of　these　criminals　answered　to　the　name　of　
Oliver；　or　knew　anything　about　him；　Nancy　made　straight　up　to　
the　bluff　officer　in　the　striped　waistcoat；　and　with　the　most　piteous　
wailings　and　lamentations；　rendered　more　piteous　by　a　prompt　
and　efficient　use　of　the　street　door　key　and　the　little　basket；　
demanded　her　own　dear　brother。　

“I　haven’t　got　him；　my　dear；”　said　the　old　man。　

“Where　is　he？”　screamed　Nancy；　in　a　distracted　manner。　

“Why；　the　gentleman’s　got　him；”　replied　the　officer。　

“What　gentleman？　Oh；　gracious　heavens！　What　gentleman？”　
exclaimed　Nancy。　

In　reply　to　this　incoherent　questioning；　the　old　man　informed　
the　deeply…affected　sister　that　Oliver　had　been　taken　ill　in　the　
office；　and　discharged　in　consequence　of　a　witness　having　proved　
the　robbery　to　have　been　committed　by　another　boy；　not　in　
custody；　and　that　the　prosecutor　had　carried　him　away；　in　an　
insensible　condition；　to　his　own　residence；　of　and　concerning　
which；　all　the　informant　knew　was；　that　it　was　somewhere　at　

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Pentonville；　he　having　heard　that　word　mentioned　in　the　
directions　to　the　coachman。　

In　a　dreadful　state　of　doubt　and　uncertainty；　the　agonised　
young　woman　staggered　to　the　gate；　and　then；　exchanging　her　
faltering　walk　for　a　good；　swift；　steady　run；　returned　by　the　most　
devious　and　complicated　route　she　could　think　of；　to　the　domicile　
of　the　Jew。　

Mr。　Bill　Sikes　no　sooner　heard　the　account　of　the　expedition　
delivered；　than　he　very　hastily　called　up　the　white　dog；　and　putting　
on　his　hat；　expeditiously　departed；　without　devoting　any　time　to　
the　formality　of　wishing　the　company　good…morning。　

“We　must　know　where　he　is；　my　dears；　he　must　be　found；”　said　
the　Jew；　greatly　excited。　“Charley；　do　nothing　but　skulk　about；　till　
you　bring　home　some　news　of　him！　Nancy；　my　dear；　I　must　have　
him　found。　I　trust　to　you；　my　dear—to　you　and　the　Artful　for　
everything！　Stay；　stay；”　added　the　Jew；　unlocking　a　drawer　with　a　
shaking　hand；　“there’s　money；　my　dears。　I　shall　shut　up　his　shop　
tonight。　You’ll　know　where　to　find　me！　Don’t　stop　here　a　minute。　
Not　an　instant；　my　dears！”　

With　these　words；　he　pushed　them　from　the　room：　and　carefully　
double…locking　and　barring　the　door　behind　them；　drew　from　its　
place　of　concealment　the　box　which　he　had　unintentionally　
disclosed　to　Oliver。　Then；　he　hastily　proceeded　to　dispose　the　
watches　and　jewellery　beneath　his　clothing。　

A　rap　at　the　door　startled　him　in　this　occupation。　“Who’s　
there？”　he　cried；　in　a　shrill　tone。　

“Me！”　replied　the　voice　of　the　Dodger；　through　the　keyhole。　

“What　now？”　cried　the　Jew　impatiently。　

“Is　he　to　be　kidnapped　to　the　other　ken；　Nancy　says？”　inquired　

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the　Dodger。　

“Yes；”　replied　the　Jew；　“wherever　she　lays　hands　on　him。　Find　
him；　find　him　out；　that’s　all！　I　shall　know　what　to　do　next；　never　
fear。”　

The　boy　murmured　a　reply　of　intelligence；　and　hurried　
downstairs　after　his　companions。　

“He　has　not　peached　so　far；”　said　the　Jew　as　he　pursued　his　
occupation。　“If　he　means　to　blab　us　among　his　new　friends；　we　
may　stop　his　mouth　yet。”　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


Oliver　Twist　136　

Chapter　14　

Comprising　Further　Particulars　Of　Oliver’s　Stay　At
Mr。　Brownlow’s；　With　The　Remarkable　Prediction
Which　One　Mr。　Grimwig　Uttered　Concerning　Him；
When　He　Went　Out　On　An　Errand。


O　liver　soon　recovering　from　the　fainting　fit　into　which　Mr。　
Brownlow’s　abrupt　exclamation　had　thrown　him　the　
subject　of　the　picture　was　carefully　avoided；　both　by　the　
old　gentleman　and　Mrs。　Bedwin；　in　the　conversation　that　ensued；　
which　indeed　bore　no　reference　to　Oliver’s　history　or　prospects　
but　was　confined　to　such　topics　as　might　amuse　without　exciting　
him。　He　was　still　too　weak　to　get　up　to　breakfast；　but；　when　he　
came　down　into　the　housekeeper’s　room　next　day；　his　first　act　was　
to　cast　an　eager　glance　at　the　wall；　in　the　hope　of　again　looking　on　
the　face　of　the　beautiful　lady。　His　expectations　were　disappointed；　
however；　for　the　picture　had　been　removed。　

“Ah！”　said　the　housekeeper；　watching　the　direction　of　Oliver’s　
eyes。　“It　is　gone；　you　see。”　

“I　see　it　is；　ma’am；”　replied　Oliver。　“Why　have　they　taken　it　
away？”　

“It　has　been　taken　down；　child；　because　Mr。　Brownlow　said；　
that　as　it　seemed　to　worry　you；　perhaps　it　might　prevent　your　
getting　well；　you　know；”　rejoined　the　old　lady。　

“Oh；　no；　indeed。　It　didn’t　worry　me；　ma’am；”　said　Oliver。　“I　
liked　to　see　it。　I　quite　loved　it。”　

“Well；　well！”　said　the　old　lady　good…humouredly；　“you　get　well　

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as　fast　as　ever　you　can；　dear；　and　it　shall　be　hung　up　again。　There！　
I　promise　you　that！　Now；　let　us　talk　about　something　else。”　

This　was　all　the　information　Oliver　would　obtain　about　the　
picture　at　that　time。　As　the　old　lady　had　been　so　kind　to　him　in　his　
illness；　he　endeavoured　to　think　no　more　of　the　subject　just　then；　
so　he　listened　attentively　to　a　great　many　stories　she　told　him；　
about　an　amiable　and　handsome　daughter　of　hers；　who　was　
married　to　an　amiable　and　handsome　man；　and　lived　in　the　
country；　and　about　a　son；　who　was　clerk　to　a　merchant　in　the　West　
Indies；　and　who　was；　also；　such　a　good　young　man；　and　wrote　such　
dutiful　letters　home　four　times　a　year；　that　it　brought　the　tears　into　
her　eyes　to　talk　about　them。　When　the　old　lady　had　expatiated；　a　
long　time；　on　the　excellences　of　her　children；　and　the　merits　of　her　
kind　good　husband　besides；　who　had　been　dead　and　gone；　poor　
dear　soul！　just　six…and…twenty　years；　it　was　time　to　have　tea。　After　
tea　she　began　to　teach　Oliver　cribbage；　which　he　learned　as　
quickly　as　she　could　teach；　and　at　which　game　they　played；　with　
great　interest　and　gravity；　until　it　was　time　for　the　invalid　to　have　
some　warm　wine…and…water；　with　a　slice　of　dry　toast；　and　then　to　
go　cosily　to　bed。　

These　were　happy　days；　those　of　Oliver’s　recovery。　Everything　
was　so　quiet；　and　neat；　and　orderly；　everybody　so　kind　and　gentle；　
that　after　the　noise　and　turbulence　in　the　midst　of　which　he　had　
always　lived；　it　seemed　like　heaven　itself。　He　was　no　sooner　strong　
enough　to　put　his　clothes　on；　properly；　than　Mr。　Brownlow　caused　
a　complete　new　suit；　and　a　new　cap；　and　a　new　pair　of　shoes；　to　be　
provided　for　him。　As　Oliver　was　told　that　he　might　do　what　he　
liked　with　the　old　clothes；　he　gave　them　to　a　servant　who　had　bee