oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第46章

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pushing；　driving；　beating；　whooping　and　yelling；　the　hideous　and　

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discordant　din　that　resounded　from　every　corner　of　the　market；　
and　the　unwashed；　unshaven；　squalid；　and　dirty　figures　constantly　
running　to　and　fro；　and　bursting　in　and　out　of　the　throng；　
rendered　it　a　stunning　and　bewildering　scene；　which　quite　
confounded　the　senses。　

Mr。　Sikes；　dragging　Oliver　after　him；　elbowed　his　way　through　
the　thickest　of　the　crowd；　and　bestowed　very　little　attention　on　the　
numerous　sights　and　sounds；　which　so　astonished　the　boy。　He　
nodded；　twice　or　thrice；　to　a　passing　friend；　and；　resisting　as　many　
invitations　to　take　a　morning　dram；　pressed　steadily　onward；　until　
they　were　clear　of　the　turmoil；　and　had　made　their　way　through　
Hosier　Lane　into　Holborn。　

“No；　young　’un！”　said　Sikes；　looking　up　at　the　clock　of　St。　
Andrew’s　Church；　“hard　upon　seven！　you　must　step　out。　Come；　
don’t　lag　beyind　already；　Lazylegs！”　

Mr。　Sikes　accompanied　this　speech　with　a　jerk　at　his　little　
companion’s　wrist；　Oliver；　quickening　his　pace　into　a　kind　of　trot；　
between　a　fast　walk　and　a　run；　kept　up　with　the　rapid　strides　of　
the　housebreaker　as　well　as　he　could。　

They　held　their　course　at　this　rate；　until　they　had　passed　Hyde　
Park　corner；　and　were　on　their　way　to　Kensington；　when　Sikes　
relaxed　his　pace；　until　an　empty　cart；　which　was　at　some　little　
distance　behind；　came　up。　Seeing　“Hounslow”　written　on　it；　he　
asked　the　driver；　with　as　much　civility　as　he　could　assume。　if　he　
would　give　them　a　lift　as　far　as　Isleworth。　

“Jump　up；”　said　the　man。　“Is　that　your　boy？”　

“Yes；　he’s　my　boy；”　replied　Sikes；　looking　hard　at　Oliver；　and　
putting　his　hand　abstractedly　into　the　pocket　where　the　pistol　was。　

“Your　father　walks　rather　too　quick　for　you；　don’t　he；　my　man？”　

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inquired　the　driver；　seeing　that　Oliver　was　out　of　breath。　

“Not　a　bit　of　it；”　replied　Sikes；　interposing。　“He’s　used　to　it。　
Here；　take　hold　of　my　hand；　Ned。　In　with　you！”　

Thus　addressing　Oliver；　he　helped　him　into　the　cart；　and　the　
driver；　pointing　to　a　heap　of　sacks；　told　him　to　lie　down　there；　and　
rest　himself。　

As　they　passed　the　different　mile…stones。　Oliver　wondered；　
more　and　more；　where　his　companion　meant　to　take　him。　
Kensington；　Hammersmith；　Chiswick；　Kew　Bridge；　Brentford；　
were　all　passed；　and　yet　they　went　on　as　steadily　as　if　they　had　
only　just　begun　their　journey。　At　length　they　came　to　a　public…
house　called　the　Coach　and　Horses：　a　little　way　beyond　which　
another　road　appeared　to　turn　off。　And　here；　the　cart　stopped。　

Sikes　dismounted　with　great　precipitation；　holding　Oliver　by　
the　hand　all　the　while；　and　lifting　him　down　directly；　bestowed　a　
furious　look　upon　him；　and　rapped　the　side…pocket　with　his　fist；　in　
a　significant　manner。　

“Good…bye；　boy；”　said　the　man。　

“He’s　sulky；”　replied　Sikes；　giving　him　a　shake；　“he’s　sulky。　A　
young　dog！　Don’t　mind　him。”　

“Not　I！”　rejoined　the　other；　getting　into　his　cart。　“It’s　a　fine　day　
after　all。”　And　he　drove　away。　

Sikes　waited　until　he　had　fairly　gone；　and　then；　telling　Oliver　he　
might　look　about　him　if　he　wanted；　once　again　led　him　onward　on　
his　journey。　

They　turned　round　to　the　left；　a　short　way　past　the　public…
house；　and　then；　taking　a　right…hand　road；　walked　on　for　a　long　
time；　passing　many　large　gardens　and　gentlemen’s　houses　on　both　
sides　of　the　way；　and　stopping　for　nothing　but　a　little　beer；　until　

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they　reached　a　town。　Here　against　the　wall　of　a　house；　Oliver　saw　
written　up　in　pretty　large　letters　“Hampton。”　They　lingered　about；　
in　the　fields；　for　some　hours。　At　length；　they　came　back　into　the　
town；　and；　turning　into　an　old　public…house　with　a　defaced　
signboard；　ordered　some　dinner　by　the　kitchen　fire。　

The　kitchen　was　an　old；　low…roofed　room；　with　a　great　beam　
across　the　middle　of　the　ceiling；　and　benches；　with　high　backs　to　
them；　by　the　fire；　on　which　were　seated　several　rough　men　in　
smock…frocks；　drinking　and　smoking。　They　took　no　notice　of　
Oliver；　and　very　little　of　Sikes；　and；　as　Sikes　took　very　little　notice　
of　them；　he　and　his　young　comrade　sat　in　a　corner　by　themselves；　
without　being　much　troubled　by　their　company。　

They　had　some　cold　meat　for　dinner；　and　sat　so　long　after　it；　
while　Mr。　Sikes　indulged　himself　with　three　or　four　pipes；　that　
Oliver　began　to　feel　quite　certain　they　were　not　going　any　farther。　
Being　much　tired　with　the　walk；　and　getting　up　so　early；　he　dozed　
a　little　at　first；　then；　quite　overpowered　by　fatigue　and　the　fumes　of　
the　tobacco；　fell　asleep。　

It　was　quite　dark　when　he　was　awakened　by　a　push　from　Sikes。　
Rousing　himself　sufficiently　to　sit　up　and　look　about　him；　he　found　
that　worthy　in　close　fellowship　and　communication　with　a　
labouring　man；　over　a　pint　of　ale。　

“So；　you’re　going　on　to　Lower　Halliford；　are　you？”　inquired　
Sikes。　

“Yes；　I　am；”　replied　the　man；　who　seemed　a　little　the　worse—or　
better；　as　the　case　might　be—for　drinking；　“and　not　slow　about　it　
neither。　My　horse　hasn’t　got　a　load　behind　him　going　back；　as　he　
had　coming　up　in　the　mornin’；　and　he　won’t　be　long　a…doing　of　it。　
Here’s　luck　to　him！　Ecod！　he’s　a　good　un。”　

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“Could　you　give　my　boy　and　me　a　lift　as　far　as　there？”　
demanded　Sikes；　pushing　the　ale　towards　his　new　friend。　

“If　you’re　going　directly；　I　can；”　replied　the　man；　looking　out　of　
the　pot。　“Are　you　going　to　Halliford？”　

“Going　on　to　Shepperton；”　replied　Sikes。　

“I’m　your　man；　as　far　I　go；”　replied　the　other。　“Is　all　paid；　
Becky？”　

“Yes；　the　other　gentleman’s　paid；”　replied　the　girl。　

“I　say！”　said　the　man；　with　tipsy　gravity；　“that　won’t　do；　you　
know。”　

“Why　not？”　rejoined　Sikes。　“You’re　a…going　to　accommodate　us；　
and　wot’s　to　prevent　my　standing　treat　for　a　pint　or　so；　in　return？”　

The　stranger　reflected　upon　this　argument；　with　a　very　
profound　face；　and　having　done　so；　seized　Sikes　by　the　hand；　and　
declared　he　was　a　real　good　fellow。　To　which　Mr。　Sikes　replied；　he　
was　joking；　as；　if　he　had　been　sober；　there　would　have　been　strong　
reason　to　suppose　he　was。　

After　the　exchange　of　a　few　more　compliments；　they　bade　the　
company　good…night；　and　went　out；　the　girl　gathering　up　the　pots　
and　glasses　as　they　did　so；　and　lounging　out　to　the　door；　with　her　
hands　full；　to　see　the　party　start。　

The　horse；　whose　health　had　been　drunk　in　his　absence；　was　
standing　outside；　ready　harnessed　to　the　cart。　Oliver　and　Sikes　got　
in　without　any　further　ceremony；　and　the　man　to　whom　he　
belonged；　having　lingered　for　a　minute　or　two　to　bear　him　up；”　
and　to　defy　the　hostler　and　the　world　to　produce　his　equal；　
mounted　also。　Then；　the　hostler　was　told　to　give　the　horse　his　
head；　and；　his　head　being　given　to　him；　he　made　a　very　unpleasant　
use　of　it；　tossing　it　into　the　air　with　great　disdain；　and　running　into　

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the　parlour　windows　over　the　way；　after　performing　those　feats；　
and　supporting　himself　for　a　short　time　on　his　hind　legs；　he　started　
off　at　great　speed；　and　rattled　out　of　the　town　right　gallantly。　

The　night　was　very　dark。　A　damp　mist　rose　from　the　river　and　
the　marshy　ground　about；　and　spread　itself　over　the　dreary　fields。　
It　was　piercing　cold；　too；　all　was　gloomy　and　black。　Not　a　word　was　
spoken；　for　the　driver　had　grown　sleepy；　and　Sikes　was　in　no　
mood　to　lead　him　into　conversation。　Oliver　sat　huddled　together；　
in　a　corner　of　the　cart；　bewildered　with　alarm　and　apprehension；　
and　figuring　strange　objects　in　the　gaunt　trees；　whose　branches　
waved　grimly　to　and　fro；　as　if　in　some　fantastic　joy　at　the　
desolation　of　the　scene。　

As　they　passed　Sunbury　Church；　the　clock　struck　seven。　There　
was　a　light　in　the　ferry…house　window　opposite；　which　streamed　
across　the　road；　and　threw　into　more　sombre　shadow　a　dark　yew…
tree　with　graves　beneath　it。　There　was　a