oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第55章

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of　the　lamps；　and　the　place　was　so　full　of　dense　tobacco　smoke；　
that　at　first　it　was　scarcely　possible　to　discern　anything　more。　By　
degrees；　however；　as　some　of　it　cleared　away　through　the　open　
door；　an　assemblage　of　heads；　as　confused　as　the　noises　that　
greeted　the　ear；　might　be　made　out；　and；　as　the　eye　grew　more　
accustomed　to　the　scene；　the　spectator　gradually　became　aware　of　
the　presence　of　a　numerous　company；　male　and　female；　crowded　
round　a　long　table；　at　the　upper　end　of　which；　sat　a　chairman　with　
a　hammer　of　office　in　his　hand；　while　a　professional　gentleman；　
with　a　bluish　nose；　and　his　face　tied　up　for　the　benefit　of　a　
toothache；　presided　at　a　jingling　piano　in　a　remote　corner。　

As　Fagin　stepped　softly　in；　the　professional　gentleman；　running　
over　the　keys　by　way　of　prelude；　occasioned　a　general　cry　of　order　
for　a　song；　which；　having　subsided；　a　young　lady　proceeded　to　
entertain　the　company　with　a　ballad　in　four　verses；　between　each　
of　which　the　accompanist　played　the　melody　all　through；　as　loud　
as　he　could。　When　this　was　over；　the　chairman　gave　a　sentiment；　
after　which；　the　professional　gentleman　on　the　chairman’s　right　
and　left　volunteered　a　duet；　and　sang　it；　with　great　applause。　

It　was　curious　to　observe　some　faces　which　stood　out　
prominently　from　among　the　group。　There　was　the　chairman　
himself　（the　landlord　of　the　house）；　a　coarse；　rough；　heavy…built　
fellow；　who；　while　the　songs　were　proceeding；　rolled　his　eyes　
hither　and　thither；　and；　seeming　to　give　himself　up　to　joviality；　had　
an　eye　for　everything　that　was　done；　and　an　ear　for　everything　that　
was　said—and　sharp　ones；　too。　Near　him　were　the　singers；　

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receiving；　with　professional　indifference；　the　compliments　of　the　
company；　and　applying　themselves；　in　turn；　to　a　dozen　proffered　
glasses　of　spirits…and…water；　tendered　by　their　more　boisterous　
admirers；　whose　countenances；　expressive　of　almost　every　vice　in　
almost　every　grade；　irresistibly　attracted　the　attention；　by　their　
very　repulsiveness。　Cunning；　ferocity；　and　drunkenness　in　all　its　
stages；　were　there；　in　their　strongest　aspects；　and　women；　some　
with　the　last　lingering　tinge　of　their　early　freshness　almost　fading　
as　you　looked；　others　with　every　mark　and　stamp　of　their　sex　
utterly　beaten　out；　and　presenting　but　one　loathsome　blank　of　
profligacy　and　crime—some　mere　girls；　others　but　young　women；　
and　none　past　the　prime　of　life—formed　the　darkest　and　saddest　
portion　of　this　dreary　picture。　

Fagin；　troubled　by　no　grave　emotions；　looked　eagerly　from　face　
to　face　while　these　proceedings　were　in　progress；　but　apparently　
without　meeting　that　of　which　he　was　in　search。　Succeeding；　at　
length；　in　catching　the　eye　of　the　man　who　occupied　the　chair；　he　
beckoned　to　him　slightly；　and　left　the　room；　as　quietly　as　he　had　
entered　it。　

“What　can　I　do　for　you；　Mr。　Fagin？”　inquired　the　man。　as　he　
followed　him　out　to　the　landing。　“Won’t　you　join　us？　They’ll　be　
delighted；　every　one　of　’em。”　

The　Jew　shook　his　head　impatiently；　and　said　in　a　whisper；　“Is　
he　here？”　

“No；”　replied　the　man。　

“And　no　news　of　Barney？”　inquired　Fagin。　

“None；”　replied　the　landlord　of　the　Cripples；　for　it　was　he。　“He　
won’t　stir　till　it’s　all　safe。　Depend　on　it；　they’re　on　the　scent　down　
there；　and　that　if　he　moved；　he’d　blow　upon　the　thing　at　once。　He’s　

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all　right　enough　Barney　is；　else　I　should　have　heard　of　him。　I’ll　
pound　it；　that　Barney’s　managing　properly。　Let　him　alone　for　
that。”　

“Will　he　be　here　tonight？”　asked　the　Jew；　laying　the　same　
emphasis　on　the　pronoun　as　before。　

“Monks；　do　you　mean？”　inquired　the　landlord；　hesitating。　

“Hush！”　said　the　Jew。　“Yes。”　

“Certain；”　replied　the　man；　drawing　a　gold　watch　from　his　fob；　
“I　expected　him　here　before　now。　If　you’ll　wait　ten　minutes；　he’ll　
be—”　

“No；　no；”　said　the　Jew　hastily；　as　though；　however　desirous　he　
might　be　to　see　the　person　in　question；　he　was　nevertheless　
relieved　by　his　absence。　“Tell　him　I　came　here　to　see　him；　and　that　
he　must　come　to　me　tonight。　No；　say　tomorrow。　As　he　is　not　here；　
tomorrow　will　be　time　enough。”　

“Good！”　said　the　man。　“Nothing　more？”　

“Not　a　word　now；”　said　the　Jew；　descending　the　stairs。—“I　say；”　
said　the　other；　looking　over　the　rails；　and　speaking　in　a　hoarse　
whisper；　“what　a　time　this　would　be　for　a　sell！　I’ve　got　Phil　Barker　
here；　so　drunk；　that　a　boy　might　take　him。　

“Aha！　But　it’s　not　Phil　Barker’s　time；”　said　the　Jew；　looking　up。　
“Phil　has　something　more　to　do；　before　we　can　afford　to　part　with　
him；　so　go　back　to　the　company；　my　dear；　and　tell　them　to　lead　
merry　lives—while　they　last。　Ha！　ha！　ha！”　

The　landlord　reciprocated　the　old　man’s　laugh；　and　returned　to　
his　guests。　The　Jew　was　no　sooner　alone；　than　his　countenance　
resumed　its　former　expression　of　anxiety　and　thought。　After　a　
brief　reflection；　he　called　a　hack　cabriolet；　and　bade　the　man　drive　
towards　Bethnal　Green。　He　dismissed　him　within　some　quarter　of　

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a　mile　of　Mr。　Sikes’s　residence；　and　performed　the　short　
remainder　of　the　distance；　on　foot。　

“Now；”　muttered　the　Jew；　as　he　knocked　at　the　door；　“if　there　is　
any　deep　play　here；　I　shall　have　it　out　of　you；　my　girl；　cunning　as　
you　are。”　

She　was　in　her　room；　the　woman　said。　Fagin　crept　softly　
upstairs；　and　entered　it　without　any　previous　ceremony。　The　girl　
was　alone；　lying　with　her　head　upon　the　table；　and　her　hair　
straggling　over　it。　“She　has　been　drinking；”　thought　the　Jew　
coolly；　“or　perhaps　she　is　only　miserable。”　

The　old　man　turned　to　close　the　door；　as　he　made　this　
reflection；　the　noise　thus　occasioned　roused　the　girl。　She　eyed　his　
crafty　face　narrowly；　as　she　inquired　whether　there　was　any　news；　
and　as　she　listened　to　his　recital　of　Toby　Crackit’s　story。　When　it　
was　concluded；　she　sank　into　her　former　attitude；　but　spoke　not　a　
word。　She　pushed　the　candle　impatiently　away；　and　once　or　twice　
as　she　feverishly　changed　her　position；　shuffled　her　feet　upon　the　
ground；　but　this　was　During　the　silence；　the　Jew　looked　restlessly　
about　the　room；　as　if　to　assure　himself　that　there　were　no　
appearances　of　Sikes　having　covertly　returned。　Apparently　
satisfied　with　his　inspection；　he　coughed　twice　or　thrice；　and　made　
as　many　efforts　to　open　a　conversation；　but　the　girl　heeded　him　no　
more　than　if　he　had　been　made　of　stone。　At　length　he　made　
another　attempt；　and　rubbing　his　hands　together；　said；　in　his　most　
conciliatory　tone。　

“And　where　should　you　think　Bill　was　now；　my　dear？”　

The　girl　moaned　out　some　half…intelligible　reply；　that　she　could　
not　tell；　and　seemed；　from　the　smothered　noise　that　escaped　her；　
to　be　crying。　

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“And　the　boy；　too；”　said　the　Jew；　straining　his　eyes　to　catch　a　
glimpse　of　her　face。　“Poor　leetle　child！　Left　in　a　ditch；　Nance；　only　
think！”　

“The　child；”　said　the　girl；　suddenly　looking　up；　“is　better　where　
he　is；　than　among　us；　and　if　no　harm　comes　to　Bill　from　it；　I　hope　
he　lies　dead　in　the　ditch；　and　that　his　young　bones　may　rot　there。”　

“What！”　cried　the　Jew；　in　amazement。　

“Ay；　I　do；”　returned　the　girl；　meeting　his　gaze。　“I　shall　be　glad　
to　have　him　away　from　my　eyes；　and　to　know　that　the　worst　is　
over。　I　can’t　bear　to　have　him　about　me。　The　sight　of　him　turns　me　
against　myself；　and　all　of　you。”　

“Pooh！”　said　the　Jew　scornfully。　“You’re　drunk。”　

“Am　I？”　cried　the　girl　bitterly。　“It’s　no　fault　of　yours；　if　I　am　not！　
You’d　never　have　me　anything　else；　if　you　had　your　will；　except　
now—the　humour　doesn’t　suit　you；　doesn’t　it？”　

“No！”　rejoined　the　Jew　furiously。　“It　does　not。”　

“Change　it；　then！”　responded　the　girl；　with　a　laugh。　

“Change　it！”　exclaimed　the　Jew；　exasperated　beyond　all　bounds　
by　his　companion’s　unexpected　obstinacy；　and　the　vexation　of　the　
night；　“I　WILL　change　it！　Listen　to　me；　you　drab