oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第35章

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girl；　struggling　violently　with　the　man；　“the　child　shan’t　be　torn　
down　by　the　dog；　unless　you　kill　me　first。”　

“Shan’t　he！”　said　Sikes；　setting　his　teeth。　“I’ll　soon　do　that　if　you　
don’t　keep　off。”　

The　housekeeper　flung　the　girl　from　him　to　the　farther　end　of　
the　room；　just　as　the　Jew　and　the　two　boys　returned；　dragging　
Oliver　among　them。　

“What’s　the　matter　here！”　said　Fagin；　looking　round。　

“The　girl’s　gone　mad　I　think；”　replied　Sikes　savagely。　

“No；　she　hasn’t；”　said　Nancy；　pale　and　breathless　from　the　
scuffle；　“no；　she　hasn’t；　Fagin；　don’t　think　it。”　

“Then　keep　quiet；　will　you？”　said　the　Jew；　with　a　threatening　
look。　

“No；　I　won’t　do　that；　neither；”　replied　Nancy；　speaking　very　
loud。　“Come！　What　do　you　think　of　that？”　

Mr。　Fagin　was　sufficiently　well　acquainted　with　the　manners　
and　customs　of　that　particular　species　of　humanity　to　which　Nancy　
belonged；　to　feel　tolerably　certain　that　it　would　be　rather　unsafe　to　
prolong　any　conversation　with　her；　at　present。　With　the　view　of　
diverting　the　attention　of　the　company；　he　turned　to　Oliver。　

“So　you　wanted　to　get　away；　my　dear；　did　you？”　said　the　Jew；　
taking　up　a　jagged　and　knotted　club　which　lay　in　a　corner　of　the　

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fireplace；　“eh？”　

Oliver　made　no　reply。　But　he　watched　the　Jew’s　motions；　and　
breathed　quickly。　

“Wanted　to　get　assistance；　called　for　the　police；　did　you？”　
sneered　the　Jew；　catching　the　boy　by　the　arm。　“We’ll　cure　you　of　
that；　my　young　master。”　

The　Jew　inflicted　a　smart　blow　on　Oliver’s　shoulders　with　the　
club；　and　was　raising　it　for　a　second；　when　the　girl；　rushing　
forward；　wrested　it　from　his　hand。　She　flung　it　into　the　fire；　with　a　
force　that　brought　some　of　the　glowing　coal　whirling　out　into　the　
room。　

“I　won’t　stand　by　and　see　it　done；　Fagin；”　cried　the　girl。　“You’ve　
got　the　boy；　and　what　more　would　you　have？—Let　him　be—let　
him　be—or　I　shall　put　that　mark　on　some　of　you；　that　will　bring　me　
to　the　gallows　before　my　time。”　

The　girl　stamped　her　foot　violently　on　the　floor　as　she　vented　
this　threat；　and　with　her　lips　compressed；　and　her　hands　clenched；　
looked　alternately　at　the　Jew　and　the　other　robber：　her　face　quite　
colourless　from　the　passion　of　rage　into　which　she　had　gradually　
worked　herself。　

“Why；　Nancy！”　said　the　Jew；　in　a　soothing　tone；　after　a　pause；　
during　which　he　and　Mr。　Sikes　had　stared　at　one　another　in　a　
disconcerted　manner；　“you—you’re　more　clever　than　ever　tonight。　
Ha！　ha！　my　dear；　you　are　acting　beautifully。”　

“Am　I！”　said　the　girl。　“Take　care　I　don’t　overdo　it。　You　will　be　
the　worse　for　it；　Fagin；　if　I　do；　and　so　I　tell　you　in　good　time　to　
keep　clear　of　me。”　

There　is　something　about　a　roused　woman；　especially　if　she　add　
to　all　her　other　strong　passions；　the　fierce　impulses　of　recklessness　

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and　despair；　which　few　men　like　to　provoke。　The　Jew　saw　that　it　
would　be　hopeless　to　affect　any　further　mistake　regarding　the　
reality　of　Miss　Nancy’s　rage；　and；　shrinking　involuntarily　back　a　
few　paces；　cast　a　glance；　half…imploring　and　half…cowardly　at　Sikes；　
as　if　to　hint　that　he　was　the　fittest　person　to　pursue　the　dialogue。　

Mr。　Sikes；　thus　mutely　appealed　to；　and　possibly　feeling　his　
personal　pride　and　influence　interested　in　the　immediate　
reduction　of　Miss　Nancy　to　reason；　gave　utterance　to　about　a　
couple　of　score　of　curses　and　threats；　the　rapid　production　of　
which　reflected　great　credit　on　the　fertility　of　his　invention。　As　
they　produced　no　visible　effect　on　the　object　against　whom　they　
were　discharged；　however；　he　resorted　to　more　tangible　
arguments。　

“What　do　you　mean　by　this？”　said　Sikes；　backing　the　inquiry　
with　a　very　common　imprecation　concerning　the　most　beautiful　of　
human　features；　which；　if　it　were　heard　above；　only　once　out　of　
every　fifty　thousand　times　that　it　is　uttered　below；　would　render　
blindness　as　common　a　disorder　as　measles：　“what　do　you　mean　
by　it？　Burn　my　body！　Do　you　know　who　you　are；　and　what　you　
are？”　

“Oh；　yes；　I　know　all　about　it；”　replied　the　girl；　laughing　
hysterically；　and　shaking　her　head　from　side　to　side；　with　a　poor　
assumption　of　indifference。　

“Well；　then；　keep　quiet；”　rejoined　Sikes；　with　a　growl　like　that　
he　was　accustomed　to　use　when　addressing　his　dog；　“or　I’ll　quiet　
you　for　a　good　long　time　to　come。”　

The　girl　laughed　again；　even　less　composedly　than　before；　and；　
darting　a　hasty　look　at　Sikes；　turned　her　face　aside；　and　bit　her　lip　
till　the　blood　came。　

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“You’re　a　nice　one；”　added　Sikes；　as　he　surveyed　her　with　a　
contemptuous　air；　“to　take　up　the　humane　and　genteel　side！　A　
pretty　subject　for　the　child；　as　you　call　him；　to　make　a　friend　of！”　

“God　Almighty　help　me；　I　am！”　cried　the　girl　passionately；　“and　
I　wish　I　had　been　struck　dead　in　the　street　or　had　changed　places　
with　them　we　passed　so　near　tonight；　before　I　had　lent　a　hand　in　
bringing　him　here。　He’s　a　thief；　a　liar；　a　devil；　all　that’s　bad；　from　
this　night　forth。　Isn’t　that　enough　for　the　old　wretch；　without　
blows？”　

“Come；　come；　Sikes；”　said　the　Jew；　appealing　to　him　in　a　
remonstratory　tone；　and　motioning　towards　the　boys；　who　were　
eagerly　attentive　to　all　that　passed；　“we　must　have　civil　words—　
civil　words；　Bill。”　

“Civil　words！”　cried　the　girl；　whose　passion　was　frightful　to　see。　
“Civil　words；　you　villain！　Yes；　you　deserve　’em　from　me。　I　thieved　
for　you　when　I　was　a　child　not　half　as　old　as　this！”　pointing　to　
Oliver。　“I　have　been　in　the　same　trade；　and　in　the　same　service；　for　
twelve　years　since。　Don’t　you　know　it？　Speak　out！　Don’t　you　know　
it？”　

“Well；　well；”　replied　the　Jew；　with　an　attempt　at　pacification　
“and；　if　you　have；　it’s　your　living！”　

“Aye；　it　is！”　returned　the　girl；　not　speaking；　but　pouring　out　the　
words　in　one　continuous　and　vehement　scream。　“It　is　my　living；　
and　the　cold；　wet；　dirty　streets　are　my　home；　and　you’re　the　
wretch　that　drove　me　to　them　long　ago；　and　that’ll　keep　me　there；　
day　and　night；　day　and　night；　till　I　die！”　

“I　shall　do　you　a　mischief！”　interposed　the　Jew；　goaded　by　these　
reproaches；　“a　mischief　worse　than　that；　if　you　say　much　more！”　

The　girl　said　nothing；　but；　tearing　her　hair　and　dress　in　a　

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transport　of　frenzy；　made　such　a　rush　at　the　Jew　as　would　
probably　have　left　signal　marks　of　her　revenge　upon　him；　had　not　
her　wrists　been　seized　by　Sikes　at　the　right　moment；　upon　which；　
she　made　a　few　ineffectual　struggles；　and　fainted。　“She’s　all　right　
now；”　said　Sikes；　laying　her　down　in　a　corner。　“She’s　uncommon　
strong　in　the　arms；　when　she’s　up　in　this　way。”　

The　Jew　wiped　his　forehead　and　smiled；　as　if　it　were　a　relief　to　
have　the　disturbance　over；　but　neither　he；　nor　Sikes　nor　the　dog；　
nor　the　boys；　seemed　to　consider　it　in　any　other　light　than　a　
common　occurrence　incidental　to　business。　

“It’s　the　worst　of　having　to　do　with　women；”　said　the　Jew；　
replacing　his　club；　“but　they’re　clever　and　we　can’t　get　on；　in　our　
line；　without　’em。　Charley；　show　Oliver　to　bed。”　

“I　suppose　he’d　better　not　wear　his　best　clothes　tomorrow；　
Fagin；　had　he？”　inquired　Charley　Bates。　

“Certainly　not；”　replied　the　Jew；　reciprocating　the　grin　with　
which　Charley　put　the　question。　

Master　Bates；　apparently　much　delighted　with　his　commission；　
took　the　cleft　stick；　and　led　Oliver　into　an　adjacent　kitchen；　where　
there　were　two　or　three　of　the　beds　on　which　he　had　slept　before；　
and　here；　with　many　uncontrollable　bursts　of　laughter；　he　
produced　the　identical　old　suit　of　clothes　which　Oliver　had　so　
much　congratulated　himself　upon　leaving　off　at　Mr。　Brownlow’s；　
and　the　accidental　display　of　which；　to　Fagin；　by　the　Jew　who　
purchased　them；　had　been　the　very　first　clue　received　of　his　
whereabouts。　

“Pull　off　the　smart　ones；”　said　Charles；　“and　I’ll　give　’em　to　
Fagin　to　take　care