oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第32章

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struck　and　blasphemed；　and　the　struggle　was　reaching　a　most　
critical　point　for　one　or　other；　when　the　door　suddenly　opening；　
the　dog　darted　out；　leaving　Bill　Sikes　with　the　poker　and　the　clasp…
knife　in　his　hands。　

There　must　always　be　two　parties　to　a　quarrel；　says　the　old　
adage。　Mr。　Sikes；　being　disappointed　of　the　dog’s　participation；　at　
once　transferred　his　share　in　the　quarrel　to　the　newcomer。　

“What　the　devil　do　you　come　in　between　me　and　my　dog　for？”　
said　Sikes；　with　a　fierce　gesture。　

“I　didn’t　know；　my　dear；　I　didn’t　know；”　replied　Fagin　humbly；　

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for　the　Jew　was　the　newcomer。　

“Didn’t　know；　you　white…livered　thief！”　growled　Sikes。　
“Couldn’t　you　hear　the　noise？”　

“Not　a　sound　of　it；　as　I’m　a　living　man；　Bill；”　replied　the　Jew。　

“Oh；　no！　You　hear　nothing；　you　don’t；”　retorted　Sikes；　with　a　
fierce　sneer。　“Sneaking　in　and　out；　so　as　nobody　hears　how　you　
come　or　go！　I　wish　you　had　been　the　dog；　Fagin；　half　a　minute　
ago。”　

“Why？”　inquired　the　Jew；　with　a　forced　smile。　

“’Cause　the　government；　as　cares　for　the　lives　of　such　men　as　
you；　as　haven’t　half　the　pluck　of　curs；　lets　a　man　kill　a　dog　how　he　
likes；”　replied　Sikes；　shutting　up　the　knife　with　a　very　expressive　
look；　“that’s　why。”　

The　Jew　rubbed　his　hands；　and；　sitting　down　at　the　table；　
affected　to　laugh　at　the　pleasantry　of　his　friend。　He　was　obviously　
very　ill　at　ease；　however。”　

“Grin　away；”　said　Sikes；　replacing　the　poker；　and　surveying　
him　with　savage　contempt；　“grin　away。　You’ll　never　have　the　
laugh　at　me；　though；　unless　it’s　behind　a　night…cap。　I’ve　got　the　
upper　hand　over　you；　Fagin；　and　d　me　I’ll　keep　it。　There！　If　I　go；　
you　go；　so　take　care　of　me。”　

“Well；　well；　my　dear；”　said　the　Jew。　I　know　all　that；　we—we—　
have　a　mutual　interest；　Bill—a　mutual　interest。”　

“Humph；”　said　Sikes；　as　if　he　thought　the　interest　lay　rather　
more　on　the　Jew’s　side　than　on　his。　“Well；　what　have　you　got　to　say　
to　me？”　

“It’s　all　passed　safe　through　the　melting…pot；”　replied　Fagin；　
“and　this　is　your　share。　It’s　rather　more　than　it　ought　to　be　my　
dear；　but　as　I　know　you’ll　do　me　a　good　turn　another　time；　and—”　

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“Stow　that　gammon；”　interposed　the　robber　impatiently。　
“Where　is　it？　Hand　over！”　

“Yes；　yes；　Bill；　give　me　time；　give　me　time；”　replied　the　Jew　
soothingly　“Here　it　is！　All　safe！”　As　he　spoke　he　drew　forth　an　old　
cotton　handkerchief　from　his　breast；　and　untying　a　large　knot　in　
one　corner；　produced　a　small　brown　paper　packet。　Sikes；　
snatching　it　from　him；　hastily　opened　it；　and　proceeded　to　count　
the　sovereigns　it　contained。　

“This　is　all；　is　it？”　inquired　Sikes。　

“All；”　replied　the　Jew。　

“You　haven’t　opened　the　parcel　and　swallowed　one　or　two　as　
you　come　along；　have　you？”　inquired　Sikes　suspiciously　“Don’t　
put　on　an　injured　look　at　the　question；　you’ve　done　it　many　a　time。　
Jerk　the　tinkler。”　

These　words；　in　plain　English；　conveyed　an　injunction　to　ring　
the　bell。　It　was　answered　by　another　Jew；　younger　than　Fagin；　but　
nearly　as　vile　and　repulsive　in　appearance。　

Bill　Sikes　merely　pointed　to　the　empty　measure。　The　Jew；　
perfectly　understanding　the　hint；　retired　to　fill　it；　previously　
exchanging　a　remarkable　look　with　Fagin；　who　raised　his　eyes　for　
an　instant；　as　if　in　expectation　of　it；　and　shook　his　head　in　reply；　so　
slightly　that　the　action　would　have　been　almost　imperceptible　to　
an　observant　third　person。　It　was　lost　upon　Sikes；　who　was　
stooping　at　the　moment　to　tie　the　boot…lace　which　the　dog　had　
torn。　Possibly　if　he　had　observed　the　brief　interchange　of　signals；　
he　might　have　thought　that　it　boded　no　good　to　him。　

“Is　anybody　here；　Barney？”　inquired　Fagin；　speaking；　now　that　
Sikes　was　looking　on；　without　raising　his　eyes　from　the　ground。　

“Dot　a　shoul；”　replied　Barney；　whose　words；　whether　they　

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came　from　the　heart　or　not；　made　their　way　through　the　nose。　

“Nobody？”　inquired　Fagin；　in　a　tone　of　surprise；　which　perhaps　
might　mean　that　Barney　was　at　liberty　to　tell　the　truth。　

“Dobody　but　Biss　Dadsy；”　replied　Barney。　

“Nancy！”　exclaimed　Sikes。　“Where？　Strike　me　blind；　if　I　don’t　
honour　that　’ere　girl；　for　her　native　talents。”　

“She’s　bid　havid　a　plate　of　boiled　beef　id　the　bar；”　replied　
Barney。　

“Send　her　here；”　said　Sikes；　pouring　out　a　glass　of　liquor。　
“Send　her　here。”　

Barney　looked　timidly　at　Fagin；　as　if　for　permission；　the　Jew　
remaining　silent；　and　not　lifting　his　eyes　from　the　ground；　he　
retired；　and　presently　returned；　ushering　in　Nancy；　who　was　
decorated　with　the　bonnet；　apron；　basket；　and　street　door　key；　
complete。　

“You　are　on　the　scent；　are　you；　Nancy？”　inquired　Sikes；　
proffering　the　glass。　

“Yes；　I　am；　Bill；”　replied　the　young　lady；　disposing　of　its　
contents；　“and　tired　enough　of　it　I　am；　too。　The　young　brat’s　been　
ill　and　confined　to　the　crib；　and—”　

“Ah；　Nancy　dear！”　said　Fagin；　looking　up。　

Now；　whether　a　peculiar　contraction　of　the　Jew’s　red　eyebrows；　
and　a　half…closing　of　his　deeply…set　eyes；—warned　Miss　Nancy　that　
she　was　disposed　to　be　too　communicative；　is　not　a　matter　of　much　
importance。　The　fact　is　all　we　need　care　for　here；　and　the　fact　is；　
that　she　suddenly　checked　herself；　and　with　several　gracious　
smiles　upon　Mr；　Sikes；　turned　the　conversation　to　other　matters。　
In　about　ten　minutes’　time；　Mr。　Fagin　was　seized　with　a　fit　of　
coughing；　upon　which　Nancy　pulled　her　shawl　over　her　shoulders；　

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and　declared　it　was　time　to　go。　Mr。　Sikes；　finding　that　he　was　
walking　a　short　part　of　her　way　himself；　expressed　his　intention　of　
accompanying　her；　and　they　went　away　together；　followed；　at　a　
little　distance；　by　the　dog；　who　slunk　out　of　a　back…yard　as　soon　as　
his　master　was　out　of　sight。　

The　Jew　thrust　his　head　out　of　the　room　door　when　Sikes　had　
left　it；　looked　after　him　as　he　walked　up　the　dark　passage；　shook　
his　clenched　fist；　muttered　a　deep　curse；　and　then；　with　a　horrible　
grin；　reseated　himself　at　the　table；　where　he　was　soon　deeply　
absorbed　in　the　interesting　pages　of　the　Hue…and…Cry。　

Meanwhile；　Oliver　Twist；　little　dreaming　that　he　was　within　so　
very　short　a　distance　of　the　merry　old　gentleman；　was　on　his　way　
to　the　bookstall。　When　he　got　into　Clerkenwell；　he　accidentally　
turned　down　a　by…street　which　was　not　exactly　in　his　way：　but　not　
discovering　his　mistake　until　he　had　got　half…way　down　it；　and　
knowing　it　must　lead　in　the　right　direction；　he　did　not　think　it　
worth　while　to　turn　back；　and　so　marched　on；　as　quickly　as　he　
could；　with　the　books　under　his　arm。　

He　was　walking　along；　thinking　how　happy　and　contented　he　
ought　to　feel；　and　how　much　he　would　give　for　only　one　look　at　
poor　little　Dick；　who；　starved　and　beaten；　might　be　weeping　
bitterly　at　that　very　moment；　when　he　was　startled　by　a　young　
woman　screaming　out　very　loud；　“Oh；　my　dear　brother！”　And　he　
had　hardly　looked　up　to　see　what　the　matter　was；　when　he　was　
stopped　by　having　a　pair　of　arms　thrown　right　round　his　neck。　

“Don’t；”　cried　Oliver；　struggling。　“Let　go　of　me。　Who　is　it？　What　
are　you　stopping　me　for？”　

The　only　reply　to　this；　was　a　great　number　of　loud　lamentations　
from　the　young　woman　who　had　embraced　him；　and　who　had　a　

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little　basket　and　a　street　door　key　in　her　hand。　

“Oh；　my　gracious！”　said　the　young　woman。　“I’ve　found　him！　Oh！　
Oliver！　Oliver！　Oh；　you　naughty　boy；　to　make　me　suffer　such　
distress　on　your　account！　Come　home；　dear；　come。　Oh；　I’ve　found　
him。　Thank　gracious　goodness　heavins；　I’ve　found　him！”　With　
these　incoherent　exclamations；　the　young　woman　burst　into　
another　fit　of　crying；　and　got　so　dreadfully　hysterical；　that　a　couple　
of　women　who　came　up　at　the　moment　asked　a　butcher’s　boy　with　
a　shiny　head　of　hair　anointed　with　suet；　who　was　also　looking　on；