oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第84章

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darkness　outside。　

They　were　no　sooner　gone；　than　Monks；　who　appeared　to　
entertain　an　invincible　repugnance　to　being　left　alone；　called　to　a　
boy　who　had　been　hidden　somewhere　below。　Bidding　him　go　first；　
and　bear　the　light；　he　returned　to　the　chamber　he　had　just　quitted。　

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Chapter　39　

Introduces　Some　Respectable　Characters　With
Whom　The　Reader　Is　Already　Acquainted；　And
Shows　How　Monks　And　The　Jew　Laid　Their　Worthy
Heads　Together


O　n　the　evening　following　that　upon　which　the　three　
worthies　mentioned　in　the　last　chapter；　disposed　of　their　
little　matter　of　business　as　therein　narrated；　Mr。　William　
Sikes；　awakening　from　a　nap；　drowsily　growled　forth　an　inquiry　
what　time　of　night　it　was。　

The　room　in　which　Mr。　Sikes　propounded　this　question；　was　
not　one　of　those　he　had　tenanted；　previous　to　the　Chertsey　
expedition；　although　it　was　in　the　same　quarter　of　the　town；　and　
was　situated　at　no　great　distance　from　his　former　lodgings。　It　was　
not；　in　appearance；　so　desirable　a　habitation　as　his　old　quarters；　
being　a　mean　and　badly…furnished　apartment；　of　very　limited　size；　
lighted　only　by　one　small　window　in　the　shelving　roof；　and　
abutting　on　a　close　and　dirty　lane。　Nor　were　there　wanting　other　
indications　of　the　good　gentleman’s　having　gone　down　in　the　
world　of　late；　for　a　great　scarcity　of　furniture　and　total　absence　of　
comfort；　together　with　the　disappearance　of　all　such　small　
movables　as　spare　clothes　and　linen；　bespoke　a　state　of　extreme　
poverty；　while　the　meagre　and　attenuated　condition　of　Mr。　Sikes　
himself　would　have　fully　confirmed　these　symptoms；　if　they　had　
stood　in　any　need　of　corroboration。　

The　housebreaker　was　lying　on　the　bed；　wrapped　in　his　white　

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waistcoat；　by　way　of　dressing…gown；　and　displaying　a　set　of　
features　in　no　degree　improved　by　the　cadaverous　hue　of　illness；　
and　the　addition　of　a　soiled　night…cap；　and　a　stiff；　black　beard　of　a　
week’s　growth。　The　dog　sat　at　the　bedside；　now　eyeing　his　master　
with　a　wistful　look；　and　now　pricking　his　ears；　and　uttering　a　low　
growl　as　some　noise　in　the　street；　or　in　the　lower　part　of　the　house；　
attracted　his　attention。　Seated　by　the　window；　busily　engaged　in　
patching　an　old　waistcoat　which　formed　a　portion　of　the　robber’s　
ordinary　dress；　was　a　female；　so　pale　and　reduced　with　watching　
and　privation；　that　there　would　have　been　considerable　difficulty　
in　recognising　her　as　the　same　Nancy　who　has　already　figured　in　
this　tale；　but　for　the　voice　in　which　she　replied　to　Mr。　Sikes’s　
question。　

“Not　long　gone　seven；”　said　the　girl。　“How　do　you　feel　tonight；　
Bill？”　

“As　weak　as　water；”　replied　Mr。　Sikes；　with　an　imprecation　on　
his　eyes　and　limbs。　“Here；　lend　us　a　hand；　and　let　me　get　off　this　
thundering　bed　anyhow。”　

This　had　not　improved　Mr。　Sikes’s　temper；　for；　as　the　girl　raised　
him　up　and　led　him　to　a　chair；　he　muttered　various　curses　on　her　
awkwardness；　and　struck　her。　

“Whining；　are　you？”　said　Sikes。　“Come！　Don’t　stand　snivelling　
there。　If　you　can’t　do　anything　better　than　that；　cut　off　altogether。　
D’ye　hear　me？”　

“I　hear　you；”　replied　the　girl；　turning　her　face　aside；　and　forcing　
a　laugh。　“What　fancy　have　you　got　in　your　head　now？”　

“Oh！　you’ve　thought　better　of　it；　have　you？”　growled　Sikes；　
marking　the　tear　which　trembled　in　her　eye。　“All　the　better　for　
you；　you　have。”　

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“Why；　you　don’t　mean　to　say；　you’d　be　hard　upon　me　tonight；　
Bill；”　said　the　girl；　laying　her　hand　upon　his　shoulder。　

“No！”　cried　Sikes。　“Why　not？”　

“Such　a　number　of　nights；”　said　the　girl；　with　a　touch　of　
woman’s　tenderness；　which　communicated　something　like　
sweetness　of　tone；　even　to　her　voice—“such　a　number　of　nights　as　
I’ve　been　patient　with　you；　nursing　and　caring　for　you；　as　if　you　
had　been　a　child；　and　this　the　first　that　I’ve　seen　you　like　yourself；　
you　wouldn’t　have　served　me　as　you　did　just　now；　if　you’d　thought　
of　that；　would　you？　Come；　come；　say　you　wouldn’t。”　

“Well；　then；”　rejoined　Mr。　Sikes。　“I　wouldn’t。　Why；　damme；　
now；　the　girl’s　whining　again！”　

“It’s　nothing；”　said　the　girl；　throwing　herself　into　a　chair。　“Don’t　
you　seem　to　mind　me。　It’ll　soon　be　over。”　

“What’ll　be　over？”　demanded　Mr。　Sikes；　in　a　savage　voice。　
“What　foolery　are　you　up　to；　now；　again？　Get　up　and　bustle　about；　
and　don’t　come　over　me　with　your　woman’s　nonsense。”　

At　any　other　time；　this　remonstrance；　and　the　tone　in　which　it　
was　delivered；　would　have　had　the　desired　effect；　but　the　girl　
being　really　weak　and　exhausted；　dropped　her　head　over　the　back　
of　the　chair；　and　fainted；　before　Mr。　Sikes　could　get　out　a　few　of　
the　appropriate　oaths　with　which；　on　similar　occasions；　he　was　
accustomed　to　garnish　his　threats。　Not　knowing；　very　well；　what　to　
do；　in　this　uncommon　emergency—for　Miss　Nancy’s　hysterics　
were　usually　of　that　violent　kind　which　the　patient　fights　and　
struggles　out　of；　without　much　assistance—Mr。　Sikes　tried　a　little　
blasphemy；　and　finding　that　mode　of　treatment　wholly　ineffectual；　
called　for　assistance。　

“What’s　the　matter　here；　my　dear？”　said　Fagin；　looking　in。　

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“Lend　a　hand　to　the　girl；　can’t　you？”　replied　Sikes　impatiently。　
“Don’t　stand　chattering　and　grinning　at　me！”　

With　an　exclamation　of　surprise；　Fagin　hastened　to　the　girl’s　
assistance；　while　Mr。　John　Dawkins　（otherwise　the　artful　Dodger）；　
who　had　followed　his　venerable　friend　into　the　room；　hastily　
deposited　on　the　floor　a　bundle　with　which　he　was　laden；　and　
snatching　a　bottle　from　the　grasp　of　Master　Charles　Bates　who　
came　close　at　his　heels；　uncorked　it　in　a　twinkling　with　his　teeth；　
and　poured　a　portion　of　its　contents　down　the　patient’s　throat；　
previously　taking　a　taste；　himself；　to　prevent　mistakes。　

“Give　her　a　whiff　of　fresh　air　with　the　bellows；　Charley；”　said　
Mr。　Dawkins；　“and　you　slap　her　hands；　Fagin；　while　Bill　undoes　
the　petticuts。”　

These　united　restoratives；　administered　with　great　energy；　
especially　that　department　consigned　to　Master　Bates；　who　
appeared　to　consider　his　share　in　the　proceedings；　a　piece　of　
unexampled　pleasantry；　were　not　long　in　producing　the　desired　
effect。　The　girl　gradually　recovered　her　senses；　and；　staggering　to　
a　chair　by　the　bedside；　hid　her　face　upon　the　pillow；　leaving　Mr。　
Sikes　to　confront　the　newcomers；　in　some　astonishment　at　their　
unlooked…for　appearance。　

“Why；　what　evil　wind　has　blowed　you　here？”　he　asked　Fagin。　

“No　evil　wind　at　all；　my　dear；　for　evil　winds　blow　nobody　any　
good；　and　I’ve　brought　something　good　with　me；　that　you’ll　be　glad　
to　see。　Dodger；　my　dear；　open　the　bundle；　and　give　Bill　the　little　
trifles　that　we　spent　all　our　money　on；　this　morning。　

In　compliance　with　Mr。　Fagin’s　request；　the　Artful　untied　his　
bundle；　which　was　of　large　size；　and　formed　of　an　old　tablecloth；　
and　handed　the　articles　it　contained；　one　by　one；　to　Charley　Bates；　

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who　placed　them　on　the　table；　with　various　encomiums　on　their　
rarity　and　excellence。　

“Sitch　a　rabbit…pie；　Bill；”　exclaimed　that　young　gentleman；　
disclosing　to　view　a　huge　pasty；　“sitch　delicate　creeturs；　with　sitch　
tender　limbs；　Bill；　that　the　wery　bones　melt　in　your　mouth；　and　
there’s　no　occasion　to　pick　’em；　half　a　pound　of　seven…andsixpenny　green；　so　precious　strong　that　if　you　mix　it　with　biling　
water；　it’ll　go　nigh　to　blow　the　lid　of　the　tea…pot　off；　a　pound　and　a　
half　of　moist　sugar　that　the　niggers　didn’t　work　at　all　at；　before　
they　got　it　up　to　sitch　a　pitch　of　goodness—oh　no！　Two　halfquartern　brans；　pound　of　best　fresh；　piece　of　double　Glo’ster；　and；　
to　wind　up　all；　some　of　the　richest　sort　you　ever　lushed！”　

Uttering　this　last　panegyric；　Master　Bates　produced；　from　one　
of　his　extensive　pockets；　a　full…sized　wine　bottle；　carefully　corked；　
while　Mr。　Dawkins；　at　the　same　instant；　p