oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第48章

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“You　loaded　them　yourself。”　
“All　right！”　replied　Toby；　stowing　them　away。　“The　
persuaders？”　
“I’ve　got　’em；”　replied　Sikes。”　
“Crape；　keys；　centre…bits；　darkies—nothing　forgotten？”　

inquired　Toby；　fastening　a　small　crowbar　to　a　loop　inside　the　skirt　
of　his　coat。　

“All　right；”　rejoined　his　companion。　“Bring　them　bits　of　timber；　

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Barney。　That’s　the　time　of　day。”　

With　these　words；　he　took　a　thick　stick　from　Barney’s　hands；　
who；　having　delivered　another　to　Toby；　busied　himself　in　fastening　
Oliver’s　cape。　

“Now　then！”　said　Sikes；　holding　out　his　hand。　

Oliver；　who　was　completely　stupefied　by　the　unwonted　exercise；　
and　the　air；　and　the　drink　which　had　been　forced　upon　him；　put　
his　hand　mechanically　into　that　which　Sikes　extended　for　the　
purpose。　

“Take　his　other　hand；　Toby；”　said　Sikes。　“Look　out；　Barney。”　

The　man　went　to　the　door；　and　returned　to　announce　that　all　
was　quiet。　The　two　robbers　issued　forth；　with　Oliver　between　
them。　Barney；　having　made　all　fast；　rolled　himself　up　as　before；　
and　was　soon　asleep　again。　

It　was　now　intensely　dark。　The　fog　was　much　heavier　than　it　
had　been　in　the　early　part　of　the　night；　and　the　atmosphere　was　so　
damp；　that；　although　no　rain　fell；　Oliver’s　hair　and　eyebrows；　
within　a　few　minutes　after　leaving　the　house；　had　become　stiff　
with　the　half…frozen　moisture　that　was　floating　about。　They　
crossed　the　bridge；　and　kept　on　towards　the　lights　which　he　had　
seen　before。　They　were　at　no　great　distance　off；　and；　as　they　
walked　pretty　briskly；　they　soon　arrived　at　Chertsey。　

“Slap　through　the　town；”　whispered　Sikes；　“there’ll　be　nobody　
in　the　way；　tonight；　to　see　us。”　

Toby　acquiesced；　and　they　hurried　through　the　main　street　of　
the　little　town；　which　at　that　late　hour　was　wholly　deserted。　A　dim　
light　shone　at　intervals　from　some　bedroom　window；　and　the　
hoarse　barking　of　dogs　occasionally　broke　the　silence　of　the　night。　
But　there　was　nobody　abroad。　They　had　cleared　the　town；　as　the　

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church　bell　struck　two。　

Quickening　their　pace；　they　turned　up　a　road　upon　the　left　
hand。　After　walking　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　they　stopped　before　
a　detached　house　surrounded　by　a　wall；　to　the　top　of　which；　Toby　
Crackit；　scarcely　pausing　to　take　breath；　climbed　in　a　twinkling。　

“The　boy　next；”　said　Toby。　“Hoist　him　up；　I’ll　catch　hold　of　
him。”　

Before　Oliver　had　time　to　look　round；　Sikes　had　caught　him　
under　the　arms；　and　in　three　or　four　seconds　he　and　Toby　were　
lying　on　the　grass　on　the　other　side。　Sikes　followed　directly。　And　
they　stole　cautiously　towards　the　house。　

And　now；　for　the　first　time；　Oliver；　well…nigh　mad　with　grief　and　
terror；　saw　that　housebreaking　and　robbery；　if　not　murder；　were　
the　objects　of　the　expedition。　He　clasped　his　hands　together；　and　
involuntarily　uttered　a　subdued　exclamation　of　horror。　A　mist　
came　before　his　eyes；　the　cold　sweat　stood　upon　his　ashy　face；　his　
limbs　failed　him；　and　he　sank　upon　his　knees。　

“Get　up！”　murmured　Sikes；　trembling　with　rage；　and　drawing　
the　pistol　from　his　pocket；　“get　up；　or　I’ll　strew　your　brains　upon　
the　grass。”　

“Oh！　for　God’s　sake　let　me　go！”　cried　Oliver；　“let　me　run　away　
and　die　in　the　fields。　I　will　never　come　near　London；　never；　never！　
Oh！　pray　have　mercy　on　me；　and　do　not　make　me　steal。　For　the　
love　of　all　the　bright　angels　that　rest　in　heaven；　have　mercy　upon　
me！”　

The　man　to　whom　this　appeal　was　made；　swore　a　dreadful　oath；　
and　had　cocked　the　pistol；　when　Toby；　striking　it　from　his　grasp；　
placed　his　hand　upon　the　boy’s　mouth；　and　dragged　him　to　the　
house。　

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“Hush！”　cried　the　man；　“it　won’t　answer　here。　Say　another　
word；　and　I’ll　do　your　business　myself　with　a　crack　on　the　head。　
That　makes　no　noise；　and　is　quite　as　certain；　and　more　genteel。　
Here；　Bill；　wrench　the　shutter　open。　He’s　game　enough　now；　I’ll　
engage。　I’ve　seen　older　hands　of　his　age　took　the　same　way；　for　a　
minute　or　two；　on　a　cold　night。”　

Sikes；　invoking　terrific　imprecations　upon　Fagin’s　head　for　
sending　Oliver　on　such　an　errand；　plied　the　crowbar　vigorously；　
but　with　little　noise。　After　some　delay；　and　some　assistance　from　
Toby；　the　shutter　to　which　he　had　referred；　swung　open　on　its　
hinges。　

It　was　a　little　lattice　window；　about　five　feet　and　a　half　above　the　
ground；　at　the　back　of　the　house；　which　belonged　to　a　scullery；　or　
small　brewing…place；　at　the　end　of　the　passage。　The　aperture　was　
so　small；　that　the　inmates　had　probably　not　thought　it　worth　while　
to　defend　it　more　securely；　but　it　was　large　enough　to　admit　a　boy　
of　Oliver’s　size　nevertheless。　A　very　brief　exercise　of　Mr。　Sikes’s　
art　sufficed　to　overcome　the　fastening　of　the　lattice；　and　it　soon　
stood　wide　open　also。　

“Now　listen；　you　young　limb；”　whispered　Sikes；　drawing　a　dark　
lamp　from　his　pocket；　and　throwing　the　glare　full　on　Oliver’s　face；　
“I’m　a…going　to　put　you　through　there。　Take　this　light；　go　softly　up　
the　steps　straight　afore　you；　and　along　the　little　hall；　to　the　street　
door；　unfasten　it；　and　let　us　in。”　

“There’s　a　bolt　at　the　top；　you　won’t　be　able　to　reach；”　
interposed　Toby。　“Stand　upon　one　of　the　hall　chairs。　There　are　
three　there；　Bill；　with　a　jolly　large　blue　unicorn　and　gold　pitchfork　
on　’em；　which　is　the　old　lady’s　arms。”　

“Keep　quiet；　can’t　you？”　replied　Sikes；　with　a　threatening　look。　

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“The　room　door　is　open；　is　it？”　

“Wide；”　replied　Toby；　after　peeping　into　to　satisfy　himself。　
“That　game　of　that　is；　that　they　always　leave　it　open　with　a　catch；　
so　that　the　dog；　who’s　got　a　bed　in　here；　may　walk　up　and　down　
the　passage　when　he　feels　wakeful。　Ha！　ha！　Barney　‘ticed　him　
away　tonight。　So　neat！”　

Although　Mr。　Crackit　spoke　in　a　scarcely　audible　whisper；　and　
laughed　without　noise；　Sikes　imperiously　commanded　him　to　be　
silent；　and　to　get　to　work。　Toby　complied；　by　first　producing　his　
lantern；　and　placing　it　on　the　ground；　and　then　by　planting　himself　
firmly　with　his　head　against　the　wall　beneath　the　window；　and　his　
hands　upon　his　knees；　so　as　to　make　a　step　of　his　back。　This　was　
no　sooner　done；　than　Sikes；　mounting　upon　him；　put　Oliver　gently　
through　the　window　with　his　feet　first；　and；　without　leaving　hold　of　
his　collar；　planted　him　safely　on　the　floor　inside。　

“Take　this　lantern；”　said　Sikes；　looking　into　the　room。　“You　see　
the　stairs　afore　you？”　

Oliver；　more　dead　than　alive；　gasped　out；　“Yes。”　Sikes；　pointing　
to　the　street　door　with　the　pistol　barrel；　briefly　advised　him　to　take　
notice　that　he　was　within　shot　all　the　way；　and　that　if　he　faltered；　
he　would　fall　dead　that　instant。　

“It’s　done　in　a　minute；”　said　Sikes；　in　the　same　low　whisper。　
“Directly　I　leave　go　of　you；　do　your　work。　Hark！”　

“What’s　that？”　whispered　the　other　man。　

They　listened　intently。　

“Nothing；”　said　Sikes；　releasing　his　hold　of　Oliver。　“Now！”　

In　the　short　time　he　had　had　to　collect　his　senses；　the　boy　had　
firmly　resolved　that；　whether　he　died　in　the　attempt　or　not；　he　
would　make　one　effort　to　dart　upstairs　from　the　hall；　and　alarm　

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the　family。　Filled　with　this　idea；　he　advanced　at　once；　but　

stealthily。　

“Come　back！”　suddenly　cried　Sikes　aloud。　“Back！　back！”　

Scared　by　the　sudden　breaking　of　the　dead　stillness　of　the　
place；　and　by　a　loud　cry　which　followed　it；　Oliver　let　his　lantern　
fall；　and　knew　not　whether　to　advance　or　fly。　

The　cry　was　repeated—a　light　appeared—a　vision　of　two　
terrified；　half…dressed　men　at　the　top　of　the　stairs　swam　before　his　
eyes—a　flash—a　loud　noise—a　smoke—a　crash　somewhere；　but　
where　he　knew　not—and　he　staggered　back。　

Sikes　had　disappeared　for　an　instant；　but　he　was　up　again；　and　
had　him　by　the　collar　before　the　smoke　had　cleared　away。　He　fired　
his　own　pistol　after　the　men；　who　were　already　retre