oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第87章

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“Matter！”　replied　the　girl。　“Nothing。　What　do　you　look　at　me　so　
hard　for？”　

“What　foolery　is　this？”　demanded　Sikes；　grasping　her　by　the　
arm；　and　shaking　her　roughly。　“What　is　it？　What　do　you　mean？　
What　are　you　thinking　of？”　

“Of　many　things；　Bill；”　replied　the　girl；　shivering；　and　as　she　did　
so；　pressing　her　hands　upon　her　eyes。　“But；　Lord！　What　odds　in　
that？”　

The　tone　of　forced　gaiety　in　which　the　last　words　were　spoken；　
seemed　to　produce　a　deeper　impression　on　Sikes　than　the　wild　
and　rigid　look　which　had　preceded　them。　

“I　tell　you　wot　it　is；”　said　Sikes；　“if　you　haven’t　caught　the　fever；　
and　got　it　comin’　on；　now；　there’s　something　more　than　usual　in　

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the　wind；　and　something　dangerous；　too。　You’re　not　a…going　to　No；　

damme！　you　wouldn’t　do　that！”　

“Do　what？”　asked　the　girl。　

“There　ain’t；”　said　Sikes；　fixing　his　eyes　upon　her；　and　
muttering　the　words　to　himself—“there　ain’t　a　stauncher…hearted　
gal　going；　or　I’d　have　cut　her　throat　three　months　ago。　She’s　got　
the　fever　coming　on；　that’s　it。”　

Fortifying　himself　with　this　assurance；　Sikes　drained　the　glass　
to　the　bottom；　and　then；　with　many　grumbling　oaths；　called　for　his　
physic。　The　girl　jumped　up；　with　great　alacrity；　poured　it　quickly　
out；　but　with　her　back　towards　him；　and　held　the　vessel　to　his　lips；　
while　he　drank　off　the　contents。　

“Now；”　said　the　robber；　“come　and　sit　aside　of　me；　and　put　on　
your　own　face；　or　I’ll　alter　it　so；　that　you　won’t　know　it　again　when　
you　do　want　it。”　

The　girl　obeyed。　Sikes；　locking　her　hand　in　his；　fell　back　upon　
the　pillow；　turning　his　eyes　upon　her　face。　They　closed；　opened　
again；　closed　once　more；　again　opened。　He　shifted　his　position　
restlessly；　and；　after　dozing　again；　and　again；　for　two　or　three　
minutes；　and　as　often　springing　up　with　a　look　of　terror；　and　
gazing　vacantly　about　him；　was　suddenly　stricken；　as　it　were；　
while　in　the　very　attitude　of　rising；　into　a　deep　and　heavy　sleep。　
The　grasp　of　his　hand　relaxed；　the　upraised　arm　fell　languidly　by　
his　side；　and　he　lay　like　one　in　a　profound　trance。　

“The　laudanum　has　taken　effect　at　last；”　murmured　the　girl；　as　
she　rose　from　the　bedside。　“I　may　be　too　late；　even　now。”　

She　hastily　dressed　herself　in　her　bonnet　and　shawl；　looking　
fearfully　round；　from　time　to　time；　as　if；　despite　the　sleeping　
draught；　she　expected　every　moment　to　feel　the　pressure　of　Sikes’　

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heavy　hand　upon　her　shoulders；　then　stooping　softly　over　the　bed；　
she　kissed　the　robber’s　lips；　and　then　opening　and　closing　the　
room　door　with　noiseless　touch；　hurried　from　the　house。　

A　watchman　was　crying　half…past　nine；　down　a　dark　passage　
through　which　she　had　to　pass；　in　gaining　the　main　thoroughfare。　

“Has　it　long　gone　the　half…hour？”　asked　the　girl。　

“It’ll　strike　the　hour　in　another　quarter；”　said　the　man；　raising　
the　lantern　to　her　face。　

“And　I　cannot　get　there　in　less　than　an　hour　or　more；”　muttered　
Nancy；　brushing　swiftly　past　him；　and　gliding　rapidly　down　the　
street。　

Many　of　the　shops　were　already　closing　in　the　back　lanes　and　
avenues　through　which　she　tracked　her　way；　in　making　from　
Spitalfields　towards　the　west　end　of　London。　The　clock　struck　ten；　
increasing　her　impatience。　She　tore　along　the　narrow　pavement；　
elbowing　the　passengers　from　side　to　side；　and　darting　almost　
under　the　horses’　heads；　crossed　crowded　streets；　where　clusters　
of　persons　were　eagerly　watching　their　opportunity　to　do　the　like。　

“‘The　woman　is　mad！”　said　the　people；　turning　to　look　after　her　
as　she　rushed　away。　

When　she　reached　the　more　wealthy　quarter　of　the　town；　the　
streets　were　comparatively　deserted；　and　here　her　headlong　
progress　excited　a　still　greater　curiosity　in　the　stragglers　whom　
she　hurried　past。　Some　quickened　their　pace　behind；　as　though　to　
see　whither　she　was　hastening　at　such　an　unusual　rate；　and　a　few　
made　head　upon　her；　and　looked　back；　surprised　at　her　
undiminished　speed；　but　they　fell　off　one　by　one；　and　when　she　
neared　her　place　of　destination；　she　was　alone。　

It　was　a　family　hotel　in　a　quiet　but　handsome　street　near　Hyde　

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Park。　As　the　brilliant　light　of　the　lamp　which　burned　before　its　
door；　guided　her　to　the　spot；　the　clock　struck　eleven。　She　had　
loitered　for　a　few　paces　as　though　irresolute；　and　making　up　her　
mind　to　advance；　but　the　sound　determined　her；　and　she　stepped　
into　the　hall。　The　porter’s　seat　was　vacant。　She　looked　round　with　
an　air　of　incertitude；　and　advanced　towards　the　stairs。　

“Now；　young　woman！”　said　a　smartly…dressed　female；　looking　
out　from　a　door　behind　her；　“who　do　you　want　here　？”　

“A　lady　who　is　stopping　in　this　house；”　answered　the　girl。　

“A　lady！”　was　the　reply；　accompanied　with　a　scornful　look。　
“What　lady？”　

“Miss　Maylie；”　said　Nancy。　

The　young　woman；　who　had　by　this　time　noted　her　appearance；　
replied　only　by　a　look　of　virtuous　disdain；　and　summoned　a　man　to　
answer　her。　To　him；　Nancy　repeated　her　request。　

“What　name　am　I　to　say？”　asked　the　waiter。　

“It’s　of　no　use　saying　any；”　replied　Nancy。　

“Nor　business？”　said　the　man。　

“No；　nor　that　neither；”　rejoined　the　girl。　“I　must　see　the　lady。”　

“Come！”　said　the　man；　pushing　her　towards　the　door。　“None　of　
this。　Take　yourself　off。”　

“I　shall　be　carried　out；　if　I　go！”　said　the　girl　violently；　“and　I　can　
make　that　a　job　that　two　of　you　won’t　like　to　do。　Isn’t　there　
anybody　here；”　she　said；　looking　round；　“that　will　see　a　simple　
message　carried　for　a　poor　wretch　like　me？”　

This　appeal　produced　an　effect　on　a　good…tempered…faced　man…
cook；　who　with　some　other　of　the　servants　was　looking　on；　and　
who　stepped　forward　to　interfere。　

“Take　it　up　for　her；　Joe；　can’t　you？”　said　this　person。　

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“What’s　the　good？”　replied　the　man。　“You　don’t　suppose　the　
young　lady　will　see　such　as　her；　do　you？”　

This　allusion　to　Nancy’s　doubtful　character；　raised　a　vast　
quantity　of　chaste　wrath　in　the　bosoms　of　four　housemaids；　who　
remarked；　with　great　fervour；　that　the　creature　was　a　disgrace　to　
her　sex；　and　strongly　advocated　her　being　thrown；　ruthlessly；　into　
the　kennel。　

“Do　what　you　like　with　me；”　said　the　girl；　turning　to　the　men　
again；　“but　do　what　I　ask　you　first；　and　I　ask　you　to　give　this　
message　for　God　Almighty’s　sake。”　

The　soft…hearted　cook　added　his　intercession；　and　the　result　
was　that　the　man　who　had　first　appeared　undertook　its　delivery。　

“What’s　it　to　be？”　said　the　man；　with　one　foot　on　the　stairs。　

“That　a　young　woman　earnestly　asks　to　speak　to　Miss　Maylie　
alone；”　said　Nancy；　“and　that　if　the　lady　will　only　hear　the　first　
word　she　has　to　say；　she　will　know　whether　to　hear　her　business；　
or　to　have　her　turned　out　of　doors　as　an　impostor。”　

“I　say；”　said　the　man；　“you’re　coming　it　strong！”　

“You　give　the　message；”　said　the　girl　firmly；　“and　let　me　hear　
the　answer。”　

The　man　ran　upstairs。　Nancy　remained；　pale　and　almost　
breathless；　listening　with　quivering　lip　to　the　very　audible　
expressions　of　scorn；　of　which　the　chaste　housemaids　were　very　
prolific；　and　of　which　they　became　still　more　so；　when　the　man　
returned；　and　said　the　young　woman　was　to　walk　upstairs。　

“It’s　no　good　being　proper　in　this　world；”　said　the　first　
housemaid。　

“Brass　can　do　better　than　the　gold　what　has　stood　the　fire；”　said　
the　second。　

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The　third　contented　herself　with　wondering　“what　ladies　was　
made　of；”　and　the　fourth　took　the　first　in　a　quartet　of　“Shameful！”　
with　which　the　Dianas　concluded。　

Regardless　of　all　this；　for　she　had　weightier　matters　at　heart；　
Nancy　followed　the　man；　with　trembling　limbs；　to　a　small　
antechamber；　lighted　by　a　lamp　from　the　ceiling。　Here　he　left　her；　
and　retired。　

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