oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第112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！


with　the　lower　part　of　his　face　buried　in　a　handkerchief；　and　
another　tied　over　his　head　under　his　hat。　He　drew　them　softly　off。　
Blanched　face；　sunken　eyes；　hollow　cheeks；　beard　of　three　days’　
growth；　wasted　flesh；　short；　thick　breath；　it　was　the　very　ghost　of　
Sikes。　

He　laid　his　hand　upon　a　chair　which　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　
room；　but　shuddering　as　he　was　about　to　drop　into　it；　and　seeming　
to　glance　over　his　shoulder；　dragged　it　back　close　to　the　wall—as　
close　as　it　would　go—　ground　it　against　it—and　sat　down。　

Not　a　word　had　been　exchanged。　He　looked　from　one　to　another　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


Oliver　Twist　542　

in　silence。　If　an　eye　were　furtively　raised　and　met　his；　it　was　
instantly　averted。　Then　his　hollow　voice　broke　silence；　they　all　
three　started。　They　seemed　never　to　have　heard　its　tones　before。　

“How　came　that　dog　here？”　

“Alone。　Three　hours　ago。”　

“Tonight’s　paper　says　that　Fagin’s　took。　Is　it　true；　or　a　lie？　

“True。”　

They　were　silent　again。　

“Damn　you　all！”　said　Sikes；　passing　his　hand　across　his　
forehead。　“Have　you　nothing　to　say　to　me？”　

There　was　an　uneasy　movement　among　them；　but　nobody　
spoke。　

“You　that　keep　this　house；”　said　Sikes；　turning　his　face　to　
Crackit；　“do　you　mean　to　sell　me；　or　to　let　me　lie　here　till　the　hunt　
is　over？”　

“You　may　stop　here；　if　you　think　it　safe；”　returned　the　person　
addressed；　after　some　hesitation。　

Sikes　carried　his　eyes　slowly　up　the　wall　behind　him；　rather　
trying　to　turn　his　head　than　actually　doing　it；　and　said；　“Is—it—the　
body—is　it　buried？”　

They　shook　their　heads。　

“Why　isn’t　it？”　he　retorted；　with　the　same　glance　behind　him。　
“Wot　do　they　keep　such　ugly　things　above　the　ground　for？—Who’s　
that　knocking？”　

Crackit　intimated；　by　a　motion　of　his　hand　as　he　left　the　room；　
that　there　was　nothing　to　fear；　and　directly　came　back　with　
Charley　Bates　behind　him。　Sikes　sat　opposite　the　door；　so　that　the　
moment　the’　boy　entered　the　room　he　encountered　his　figure。　

“Toby；”　said　the　boy；　falling　back；　as　Sikes　turned　his　eyes　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


Oliver　Twist　543　

towards　him；　“why　didn’t　you　tell　me　this　downstairs？”　

There　had　been　something　so　tremendous　in　the　shrinking　off　
of　the　three；　that　the　wretched　man　was　willing　to　propitiate　even　
this　lad。　Accordingly　he　nodded；　and　made　as　though　he　would　
shake　hands　with　him。　

“Let　me　go　into　some　other　room；”　said　the　boy；　retreating　still　
farther。　

“Charley！”　said　Sikes；　stepping　forward；　“don’t　you—don’t　you　
know　me？”　

“Don’t　come　near　me；”　answered　the　boy；　still　retreating；　and　
looking；　with　horror　in　his　eyes；　upon　the　murderer’s　face。　“You　
monster！”　

The　man　stopped　half…way；　and　they　looked　at　each　other；　but　
Sikes’s　eyes　sank　gradually　to　the　ground。　

“Witness　you　three；”　cried　the　boy；　shaking　his　clenched　fist；　
and　becoming　more　and　more　excited　as　he　spoke。　“Witness　you　
three—I’m　not　afraid　of　him—if　they　come　here　after　him　I’ll　give　
him　up；　I　will。　I　tell　you　at　once。　He　may　kill　me　for　it　if　he　likes；　or　
if　he　dares；　but　if　I　am　here　I’ll　give　him　up。　I’d　give　him　up　if　he　
was　to　be　boiled　alive。　Murder！　Help！　If　there’s　the　pluck　of　a　man　
among　you　three；　you’ll　help　me。　Murder！　Help！　Down　with　him！”　

Pouring　out　these　cries；　and　accompanying　them　with　violent　
gesticulation；　the　boy　actually　threw　himself；　single…handed；　upon　
the　strong　man；　and　in　the　intensity　of　his　energy　and　the　
suddenness　of　his　surprise；　brought　him　heavily　to　the　ground。　

The　three　spectators　seemed　quite　stupefied。　They　offered　no　
interference；　and　the　boy　and　man　rolled　on　the　ground　together；　
the　former；　heedless　of　the　blows　that　showered　upon　him；　
wrenching　his　hands　tighter　and　tighter　in　the　garments　about　the　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


Oliver　Twist　544　

murderer’s　breast；　and　never　ceasing　to　call　for　help　with　all　his　
might。　

The　contest；　however；　was　too　unequal　to　last　long。　Sikes　had　
him　down；　and　his　knee　was　on　his　throat；　when　Crackit　pulled　
him　back　with　a　look　of　alarm；　and　pointed　to　the　window。　There　
were　lights　gleaming　below；　voices　in　loud　and　earnest　
conversation；　the　tramp　of　hurried　footsteps—endless　they　seemed　
in　number—crossing　the　nearest　wooden　bridge。　One　man　on　
horseback　seemed　to　be　among　the　crowd；　for　there　was　the　noise　
of　hoofs　rattling　on　the　uneven　pavement。　The　gleam　of　lights　
increased；　the　footsteps　came　more　thickly　and　noisily　on。　Then　
came　a　loud　knocking　at　the　door；　and　then　a　hoarse　murmur　from　
such　a　multitude　of　angry　voices　as　would　have　made　the　boldest　
quail。　

“Help！”　shrieked　the　boy；　in　a　voice　that　rent　the　air。　“He’s　
here！　Break　down　the　door！”　

“In　the　king’s　name；”　cried　the　voices　without；　and　the　hoarse　
cry　arose　again；　but　louder。　

“Break　down　the　door！”　screamed　the　boy。　“I　tell　you　they’ll　
never　open　it。　Run　straight　to　the　room　where　the　light　is。　Break　
down　the　door！”　

Strokes；　thick　and　heavy；　rattled　upon　the　door　and　lower　
window…shutters　as　he　ceased　to　speak；　and　a　loud　huzzah　burst　
from　the　crowd；　giving　the　listener；　for　the　first　time；　some　
adequate　idea　of　its　immense　extent。　

“Open　the　door　of　some　place　where　I　can　lock　this　screeching　
hell…babe；”　cried　Sikes　fiercely；　running　to　and　fro；　and　dragging　
the　boy；　now；　as　easily　as　if　he　were　an　empty　sack。　“That　door。　
Quick！”　He　flung　him　in；　bolted　it；　and　turned　the　key。　“Is　the　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


Oliver　Twist　545　

downstairs　door　fast？”　

“Double…locked　and　chained；”　replied　Crackit；　who；　with　the　
other　two　men；　still　remained　quite　helpless　and　bewildered。　

“The　panels—are　they　strong？”　

“Lined　with　sheet…iron。”　

“And　the　windows　too？”　

“Yes；　and　the　windows。”　

“Damn　you！”　cried　the　desperate　ruffian；　throwing　up　the　sash　
and　menacing　the　crowd。　“Do　your　worst！　I’ll　cheat　you　yet！”　

Of　all　the　terrific　yells　that　ever　fell　on　mortal　ears；　none　could　
exceed　the　cry　of　the　infuriated　throng。　Some　shouted　to　those　
who　were　nearest　to　set　the　house　on　fire；　others　roared　to　the　
officers　to　shoot　him　dead。　Among　them　all；　none　showed　such　
fury　as　the　man　on　horseback；　who；　throwing　himself　out　of　the　
saddle；　and　bursting　through　the　crowd　as　if　he　were　parting　
water；　cried；　beneath　the　window；　in　a　voice　that　rose　above　all　
others；　“Twenty　guineas　to　the　man　who　brings　a　ladder！”　

The　nearest　voices　took　up　the　cry；　and　hundreds　echoed　it。　
Some　called　for　ladders；　some　for　sledge…hammers；　some　ran　with　
torches　to　and　fro　as　if　to　seek　them；　and　still　came　back　and　
roared　again；　some　spent　their　breath　in　impotent　curses　and　
execrations；　some　pressed　forward　with　the　ecstasy　of　madmen；　
and　thus　impeded　the　progress　of　those　below；　some　among　the　
boldest　attempted　to　climb　up　by　the　water…spout　and　crevices　in　
the　wall；　and　all　waved　to　and　fro；　in　the　darkness　beneath；　like　a　
field　of　corn　moved　by　an　angry　wind；　and　joined　from　time　to　time　
in　one　loud　furious　roar。　

“The　tide；”　cried　the　murderer；　as　he　staggered　back　into　the　
room；　and　shut　the　faces　out—“the　tide　was　in　as　I　came　up。　Give　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


Oliver　Twist　546　

me　a　rope；　a　long　rope。　They’re　all　in　front。　I　may　drop　into　the　
Folly　Ditch；　and　clear　off　that　way。　Give　me　a　rope；　or　I　shall　do　
three　more　murders　and　kill　myself。”　

The　panic…stricken　men　pointed　to　where　such　articles　were　
kept；　the　murderer；　hastily　selecting　the　longest　and　strongest　
cord；　hurried　up　to　the　house…top。　

All　the　windows　in　the　rear　of　the　house　had　been　long　ago　
bricked　up；　except　one　small　trap　in　the　room　where　the　boy　was　
locked；　and　that　was　too　small　even　for　the　passage　of　his　body。　
But；　from　this　aperture；　he　had　never　ceased　to　call　on　those　
without　to　guard　the　back；　and　thus；　when　the　murderer　emerged　
at　last　on　the　house…top　by　the　door　in　the　roof；　a　loud　shout　
proclaimed　the　fact　to　those　in　front；　who　immediately　began　to　
pour　ro