雾都孤儿-第14章

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　‘Why？’asked　Rose．

　‘He　saw　my　shadow　on　the　wall　as　I　listened，and　I　had　to　escape．I　didn’t　see　him　again　until　last　night．’

　‘And　what　happened　the　n？’

　‘I　listened　at　the　door　again．And　I　heard　Monks　say　this：“So　the　only　proof　of　the　boy’s　identity　is　at　the　bottom　of　the　river，and　the　old　woman　who　received　it　is　dead．”He　and　　Fagin　laughed．The　n　Monks　said　that　he　had　all　O　liver’　s　money　safely　now，but　how　funny　it　would　be　if　the　boy　went　to　prison　for　stealing，after　his　father’s　unfair　will．’

　‘What　is　all　　this？’asked　　Rose．

　‘It’s　the　truth，lady．The　n　Monks　said　he　couldn’t　have　　O　liver　killed　because　suspicion　would　point　to　himself．Bu　the　‘d　try　for　the　rest　of　his　life　to　harm　the　boy　if　he　could．The　n　Monks　laughed　again　about　the　money　O　liver　should　have　got　from　his　father’s　will．“My　young　brother　O　liver　will　n　ever　see　that　money！”he　said．’

　‘His　brother！’exclaimed　Rose．

　‘Those　were　his　words，’said　Nancy，looking　round　uneasily，as　if　she　still　expected　to　see　Sikes．　‘And　the　n　hetalked　about　how　amazed　you　would　be　if　you　knew　who

O　liver　really　was．

　‘And　this　man　was　serious？’

　‘His　voice　was　full　of　anger　and　hatred．I　know　many　people　who　do　worse　things，but　I’d　rather　listen　to　all　of　the　m　than　to　this　man　Monks．But　I　must　get　back　now，or　people　will　wonder　where　I’ve　been．’

　‘Back！How　can　you　go　back　to　such　a　life？’asked　Rose．　‘You’ve　told　me　all　this．Now　I　can　help　you　by　letting　you　stay　　somewhere　　safe．’

　‘No．Perhaps　it’s　hard　for　you　to　believe，but　the　re’s　one　man，the　most　dangerous　of　the　m　all，that　I　can　never　leave．You’re　the　first　person　who’s　ever　spoken　to　me　so　kindly…but　it’s　too　late．’

　‘It’s　never　too　late！’

　‘It　is！’cried　the　girl．　‘I　can’t　leave　him　now．And　if　I　tell　anyone　about　this　man，he’ll　die．’

　‘But　　how　can　I　find　you　again，when　we　want　to　investigate　this　mystery　further？’

　‘I’ll　meet　you　secretly，if　you　promise　not　to　watch　or　follow　me，’said　Nancy．　‘And　if　you　promise　just　one　more　thing…not　to　do　anything　to　hurt　the　man　I　can　never　leave．’

　‘I　promise．’

　‘Every　Sunday　night，between　eleven　and　twelve，I　will　walk　on　London　Bridge　if　I　am　alive．Meet　me　the　re　if　youwant　more　information．’

As　Nancy　said　the　se　words，she　left　the　room　and　ran　down　the　stairs　and　out　into　the　street　once　more．Rose　was　left　alone，her　thoughts　in　great　confusion，as　she　wondered　desperately　what　to　do　and　who　to　ask　for　advice．

The　next　morning，O　liver，who　had　been　out　walking，ranin　to　Rose’s　room　at　the　hotel．He　was　breathless　with　excitement．

　‘I　can’t　believe　what　I’ve　seen！Now　you’ll　all　know　that　I’ve　told　you　the　truth！’he　shouted．

　‘I　know　you’ve　always　told　us　the　truth…but　what　are　you　talking　about？’asked　Rose．

I’ve　seen　Mr　　Brown　low　，the　kind　man　who　was　so　good　tome．

　‘Where？’

　‘Going　into　a　house，’said　O　liver，crying　with　joy．　‘I’ve　got　the　address　here．’

　‘Quick，’said　Rose．　‘Call　a　coach．I’ll　take　you　there　immediately．’

The　idea　came　to　Rose　that　perhaps　Mr　　Brown　low　　would　advise　her．She　had　been　afraid　to　tell　Nancy’s　story　to　Dr　Losberne，since　the　good　doctor　was　very　excitable　and　often　acted　　with　　more　　enthusiasm　　than　　wisdom．

In　less　than　five　minutes　They　were　in　the　coach　on　their　way　to　the　address．Rose　went　in　first　to　talk　to　Mr　　Brown　low　alone．She　was　taken　into　his　study，and　polite　greetings　were　exchanged．When　They　were　seated　again，Rose　said，

　‘This　will　surprose　you　very　much，but　you　were　once　very　kind　to　a　dear　friend　of　mine，and　I’m　sure　you　will　be　interested　to　hear　news　of　him．’

　‘Really？May　I　ask　you　his　name？’

　‘O　liver　Twist．’

Mr　　Brown　low　　said　nothing　for　a　few　seconds，but　simply　stared　　at　　　Rose．Finally　　　he　　　moved　　　his　　　chair　　　nearer　　　to　　　her　　　and　said　with　great　feeling，　‘I　once　thought　that　he　was　a　liar　and　a　thief．If　you　have　evidence　to　show　me　I　was　wrong，please　tell　　me　　at　　once．’

　‘I　know　him　to　be　a　child　with　a　warm　heart，’said　Rose．

　‘And　despite　the　hardships　of　his　life，he’s　a　better　person　than　almost　anyone　I　know．’

　‘I　looked　for　him　everywhere，’said　Mr　　Brown　low　，　‘but　I　　could　never　find　him．I　could　never　quite　believe　that　he　really　did　intend　to　rob　me．’

Rose　told　him　everything　that　had　happened　to　O　liver　since　the　n．She　finished　by　saying，　‘And　his　only　sorrow，for　some　months，has　been　that　he　could　not　find　you，his　former　friend．’

　‘Thank　God！’said　Mr　　Brown　low　．　‘This　is　great　happiness　to　me，great　happiness．But　why　haven’t　you　brought　him　with　you，Miss　May　lie？’

　‘He’s　waiting　in　a　coach　at　the　door，’replied　Rose．

Mr　Brown　low　hurried　out　of　the　room，down　the　stairs　and　into　the　coach　without　another　word．In　a　minute　he　had　returned　with　O　liver．　‘How　well　he　looks！’he　said．　‘New　clothe　s，the　same　sweet　face，but　not　so　pale；the　same　eyes，but　　not　　so　　sad．’

They　talked　with　great　joy　for　some　time．The　n　Mr　Brown　low　sent　for　Mrs　Bed　win，the　old　housekeeper．She　came　in　quietly　and　waited　for　her　orders．

　‘You　get　blinder　every　day，’said　Mr　　Brown　low　　impatiently．

　‘People’s　eyes，at　my　time　of　life，don’t　improve　with　age，’replied　the　old　lady．

　‘The　n　put　on　your　glasses．’

As　she　searched　for　the　m　in　her　pocket，O　liver　could　not　wait　any　　longer　and　ran　into　her　arms．

　‘Dear　God！’she　said．　‘It’s　my　innocent　boy！’

　‘My　dear　old　nurse！’cried　O　liver．

　‘I　knew　he　would　come　back，’said　the　old　lady，holding　him　in　her　arms．　‘How　well　he’s　dressed…how　well　he　looks　again！’She　laughed　and　cried　at　the　same　time，and　could　not　let　O　liver　go．

While　O　liver　talked　to　Mrs　Bed　win，Rose　asked　Mr　Brown　low　　if　she　could　speak　to　him　privately．He　led　her　in　to　another　room，and　the　re　　listened，with　a　good　deal　of　amaze　ment，to　Rose’s　account　of　her　extraordinary　conversation　with　Nancy．Between　the　m，They　decided　that　Mrs　May　lie　and　Dr　Losberne　should　be　told，and　that　Mr　Brown　low　　would　come　to　the　hotel　that　evening　for　a　discussion．For　the　moment，nothing　would　be　said　to　O　liver　himself．

That　evening　at　the　hotel　O　liver’s　four　friends　met　as　arranged．Dr　Losberne，of　course，was　full　of　immediate　plans　to　rush　round　London　arresting　all　the　gang　and　hanging　the　mat　once．Mr　　Brown　low　，fortunately，was　able　to　persuade　him　to　abandon　this　wild　idea．

　‘The　n　what’s　to　be　done？’cried　the　doctor　impatiently．

　‘First，’said　Mr　　Brown　low　　calmly，　‘we　must　discover　who　he　inheritance　that　should　have　been　his．’

　‘Yes，yes，’said　　the　doctor，nodding　　in　agreement．　‘But　how　shall　we　achieve　the　se　aims？’

　‘We　　must　find　　this　　man　　Monks，’said　Mr　　Brown　low　．　‘Nancy　will　not　betray　the　man　who　is　special　to　her，but　she　will　surely　agree　to　tell　us　how　or　where　to　find　Monks．Then　we　must　find　a　way　to　force　Monks　to　talk．We　must　be　both　cautious　and　clever．After　all，we　have　no　proof　against　him，and　if　we　cannot　make　him　talk，this　mystery　will　never　be　solved．But　we’ll　have　to　wait　five　days　until　Sunday　before　we　can　meet　Nancy　on　London　Bridge．Until　the　n，we　can　do　nothing．’



　



12　　Nancy　keeps　an　appointment

　　

On　exactly　the　same　night　as　Nancy　had　met　Rose　May　lie，two　people　from　O　liver’s　home　town　were　making　their　way　towards　London．Their　progress　was　slow，since　they　travelled　on　foot，and　in　addition，the　girl　was　carrying　a　heavy　bag　on　her　back．The　young　man　carried　nothing．From　time　to　time　he　turned　to　shout　at　the　girl　behind　　him．　‘Hurry　up！What　a　　lazy　creature　you　are，Charlotte！I’ll　come　and　give　you　a　kick　if　you　don’t　move　faster！’

The　young　man　was　Noah　Claypole，who　had　made　O　liver’s　life　so　miserable　at　Mr　Sowerberry’s　house．He　was　now　taller　and　uglier　but　otherwise　little　changed．He　and　Charlotte　had　grown　tired　of　the　undertaking　business　and　had　set　off　to　London　to　start　a　new　life…with　all　the　money　from　Mr　So　wer　berry’s　shop　in　their　pockets．

Eventua