oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第64章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


a　favourable　opportunity　for　doing　so；　as　the　present。”　

“You　are　as　great　a　boy　as　poor　Brittles　himself；”　returned　
Rose；　blushing。　

“Well；”　said　the　doctor；　laughing　heartily；　“that　is　no　very　
difficult　matter。　But　to　return　to　this　boy。　The　great　point　of　our　
agreement　is　yet　to　come。　He　will　wake　in　an　hour　or　so；　I　dare　say；　
and　although　I　have　told　that　thick…headed　constable…fellow　
downstairs　that　he　mustn’t　be　moved　or　spoken　to；　on　peril　of　his　
life；　I　think　we　may　converse　with　him　without　danger。　Now　I　
make　this　stipulation—that　I　shall　examine　him　in　your　presence；　
and　that；　if；　from　what　he　says；　we　judge；　and　I　can　show　to　the　
satisfaction　of　your　cool　reason；　that　he　is　a　real　and　thorough　bad　
one　（which　is　more　than　possible）；　he　shall　be　left　to　his　fate；　
without　any　further　interference　on　my　part；　at　all　events。”　

“Oh；　no；　aunt！”　entreated　Rose。　

“Oh；　yes；　aunt！”　said　the　doctor。　“Is　it　a　bargain？”　

“He　cannot　be　hardened　in　vice；”　said　Rose；　“it　is　impossible。　

“Very　good；”　retorted　the　doctor；　“then　so　much　the　more　
reason　for　acceding　to　my　proposition。”　

Finally　the　treaty　was　entered　into；　and　the　parties　thereunto　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


Oliver　Twist　310　

sat　down　to　wait；　with　some　impatience；　until　Oliver　should　awake。　

The　patience　of　the　two　ladies　was　destined　to　undergo　a　longer　
trial　than　Mr。　Losberne　had　led　them　to　expect；　for　hour　after　hour　
passed　on；　and　still　Oliver　slumbered　heavily。　It　was　evening；　
indeed；　before　the　kind…hearted　doctor　brought　them　the　
intelligence；　that　he　was　at　length　sufficiently　restored　to　be　
spoken　to。　The　boy　was　very　ill；　he　said；　and　weak　from　the　loss　of　
blood；　but　his　mind　was　so　troubled　with　anxiety　to　disclose　
something；　that　he　deemed　it　better　to　give　him　the　opportunity；　
than　to　insist　upon　his　remaining　quiet　until　next　morning；　which　
he　should　otherwise　have　done。　

The　conference　was　a　long　one。　Oliver　told　them　all　his　simple　
history；　and　was　often　compelled　to　stop；　by　pain　and　want　of　
strength。　It　was　a　solemn　thing　to　hear；　in　the　darkened　room；　the　
feeble　voice　of　the　sick　child　recounting　a　weary　catalogue　of　evils　
and　calamities　which　hard　men　had　brought　upon　him。　Oh！　if　
when　we　oppress　and　grind　our　fellow…creatures；　we　bestowed　but　
one　thought　on　the　dark　evidences　of　human　error；　which；　like　
dense　and　heavy　clouds；　are　rising；　slowly　it　is　true；　but　not　less　
surely；　to　Heaven；　to　pour　their　after…vengeance　on　our　heads；　if　
we　heard　but　one　instant；　in　imagination；　the　deep　testimony　of　
dead　men’s　voices；　which　no　power　can　stifle；　and　no　pride　shut　
out；　where　would　be　the　injury　and　injustice；　the　suffering　misery；　
cruelty；　and　wrong；　that　each　day’s　life　brings　with　it！　

Oliver’s　pillow　was　smoothed　by　gentle　hands　that　night；　and　
loveliness　and　virtue　watched　him　as　he　slept。　He　felt　calm　and　
happy；　and　could　have　died　without　a　murmur。　

The　momentous　interview　was　no　sooner　concluded；　and　Oliver　
composed　to　rest　again；　than　the　doctor；　after　wiping　his　eyes；　and　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


Oliver　Twist　311　

condemning　them　for　being　weak　all　at　once；　betook　himself　
downstairs　to　open　upon　Mr。　Giles。　And　finding　nobody　about　the　
parlours；　it　occurred　to　him；　that　he　could　perhaps　originate　the　
proceedings　with　better　effect　in　the　kitchen；　so　into　the　kitchen　
he　went。　

There　were　assembled；　in　that　lower　house　of　the　domestic　
parliament；　the　women…servants；　Mr。　Brittles；　Mr。　Giles；　the　tinker　
（who　had　received　a　special　invitation　to　regale　himself　for　the　
remainder　of　the　day；　in　consideration　of　his　services）；　and　the　
constable。　The　latter　gentleman　had　a　large　staff；　a　large　head；　
large　features；　and　large　half…boots；　and　he　looked　as　if　he　had　
been　taking　a　proportionate　allowance　of　ale—as　indeed　he　had。　

The　adventures　of　the　previous　night　were　still　under　
discussion；　for　Mr。　Giles　was　expatiating　upon　his　presence　of　
mind；　when　the　doctor　entered；　Mr。　Brittles；　with　a　mug　of　ale　in　
his　hand；　was　corroborating　everything；　before　his　superior　said　it。　

“Sit　still！”　said　the　doctor；　waving　his　hand。　

“Thank　you；　sir；”　said　Mr。　Giles。　“Missis　wished　some　ale　to　be　
given　out；　sir；　and　as　I　felt　no　ways　inclined　for　my　own　little　room；　
sir；　and　was　disposed　for　company；　I　am　taking　mine　among　’em　
here。”　

Brittles　headed　a　low　murmur；　by　which　the　ladies　and　
gentlemen　generally　were　understood　to　express　the　gratification　
they　derived　from　Mr。　Giles’s　condescension。　Mr。　Giles　looked　
round　with　a　patronising　air；　as　much　as　to　say　that　so　long　as　they　
behaved　properly；　he　would　never　desert　them。　

“How　is　the　patient　tonight；　sir？”　asked　Giles。　

“So…so；”　returned　the　doctor。　“I　am　afraid　you　have　got　yourself　
into　a　scrape　there；　Mr。　Giles。”　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


Oliver　Twist　312　

“I　hope　you　don’t　mean　to　say；　sir；”　said　Mr。　Giles；　trembling；　
“that　he’s　going　to　die。　If　I　thought　it；　I　should　never　be　happy　
again。　I　wouldn’t　cut　a　boy　off—no；　not　even　Brittles　here—not　for　
all　the　plate　in　the　county；　sir。”　

“That’s　not　the　point；”　said　the　doctor　mysteriously。　“Mr。　Giles；　
are　you　a　Protestant？”　

“Yes；　sir；　I　hope　so；”　faltered　Mr。　Giles；　who　had　turned　very　
pale。　

“And　what　are　you；　boy？”　said　the　doctor；　turning　sharply　upon　
Brittles。　

“Lord　bless　me；　sir！”　replied　Brittles；　starting　violently；　“I’m—　
the　same　as　Mr。　Giles；　sir。”　

“Then　tell　me　this；”　said　the　doctor；　“both　of　you—both　of　you！　
Are　you　going　to　take　upon　yourselves　to　swear　that　that　boy　
upstairs　is　the　boy　that　was　put　through　the　little　window　last　
night？　Out　with　it！　Come！　We　are　prepared　for　you！”　

The　doctor；　who　was　universally　considered　one　of　the　best…
tempered　creatures　on　earth；　made　this　demand　in　such　a　
dreadful　tone　of　anger；　that　Giles　and　Brittles；　who　were　
considerably　muddled　by　ale　and　excitement；　stared　at　each　other　
in　a　state　of　stupefaction。　

“Pay　attention　to　the　reply；　constable；　will　you？”　said　the　
doctor；　shaking　his　forefinger　with　great　solemnity　of　manner；　and　
tapping　the　bridge　of　his　nose　with　it；　to　bespeak　the　exercise　of　
that　worthy’s　utmost　acuteness。　“Something　may　come　of　this　
before　long。”　

The　constable　looked　as　wise　as　he　could；　and　took　up　his　staff　
of　office；　which　had　been　reclining　indolently　in　the　chimney…
corner。　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


Oliver　Twist　313　

“It’s　a　simple　question　of　identity；　you　will　observe；”　said　the　
doctor。　

“That’s　what　it　is；　sir；”　replied　the　constable；　coughing　with　a　
great　violence；　for　he　had　finished　his　ale　in　a　hurry；　and　some　of　it　
had　gone　the　wrong　way。　

“Here’s　a　house　broken　into；”　said　the　doctor；　“and　a　couple　of　
men　catch　one　moment’s　glimpse　of　a　boy；　in　the　midst　of　
gunpowder…smoke；　and　in　all　the　distraction　of　alarm　and　
darkness。　Here’s　a　boy　comes　to　that　very　same　house；　next　
morning；　and　because　he　happens　to　have　his　arm　tied　up；　these　
men　lay　violent　hands　upon　him—by　doing　which；　they　place　his　
life　in　great　danger—and　swear　he　is　the　thief。　Now；　the　question　
is；　whether　these　men　are　justified　by　the　fact；　if　not；　in　what　
situation　do　they　place　themselves？”　

The　constable　nodded　profoundly。　He　said；　if　that　wasn’t　law；　
he　would　be　glad　to　know　what　was。　

“I　ask　you　again；”　thundered　the　doctor；　“are　you；　on　your　
solemn　oaths；　able　to　identify　that　boy？”　

Brittles　looked　doubtfully　at　Mr。　Giles；　Mr。　Giles　looked　
doubtfully　at　Brittles；　the　constable　put　his　hand　behind　his　ear；　to　
catch　the　reply；　the　two　women　and　the　tinker　leaned　forward　to　
listen；　the　doctor　glanced　keenly　around；　when　a　ring　was　heard　at　
the　gate；　and　at　the　same　moment；　the　sound　of　wheels。　

“It’s　the　runners！”　cried　Brittles；　to　all　appearance　much　
relieved。　

“The　what？”　exclaimed　the　doctor；　aghast　in　his　turn。　

“The　Bow　Street　officers；　sir；”　replied　Brittles；　taking　up　a　
candle；　“me　and　Mr。　Giles　sent　for　’em　this　morning。”