oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第98章

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numerous　and　’spectable　circle　of　acquaintance　as’ll　make　them　
beaks　wish　they’d　never　been　born；　or　that　they’d　got　their　
footmen　to　hang　’em　up　to　their　own　hat…pegs；　afore　they　let　’em　
come　out　this　morning　to　try　it　on　upon　me。　It’ll—”　

“There！　He’s　fully　committed！”　interposed　the　clerk。　“Take　him　
away。”　

“Come　on；”　said　the　jailer。　

“Oh；　ah！　I’ll　come　on；”　replied　the　Dodger；　brushing　his　hat　
with　the　palm　of　his　hand。　“Ah！　（to　the　Bench）　it’s　no　use　your　
looking　frightened；　I　won’t　show　you　no　mercy；　not　a　ha’porth　of　it。　
You’ll　pay　for　this；　my　fine　fellers。　I　wouldn’t　be　you　for　something！　
I　wouldn’t　go　free；　now；　if　you　was　to　fall　down　on　your　knees　and　
ask　me。　Here；　carry　me　off　to　prison！　Take　me　away！”　

With　these　last　words；　the　Dodger　suffered　himself　to　be　led　off　
by　the　collar；　threatening；　till　he　got　into　the　yard；　to　make　a　
parliamentary　business　of　it；　and　then　grinning　in　the　officer’s　
face；　with　great　glee　and　self…approval。　

Having　seen　him　locked　up　by　himself　in　a　little　cell；　Noah　
made　the　best　of　his　way　back　to　where　he　had　left　Master　Bates。　
After　waiting　here　some　time；　he　was　joined　by　that　young　

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gentleman；　who　had　prudently　abstained　from　showing　himself　
until　he　had　looked　carefully　abroad　from　a　snug　retreat；　and　
ascertained　that　his　new　friend　had　not　been　followed　by　any　
impertinent　person。　

The　two　hastened　back　together；　to　bear　to　Mr。　Fagin　the　
animating　news　that　the　Dodger　was　doing　full　justice　to　his　
bringing…up；　and　establishing　for　himself　a　glorious　reputation。　

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Chapter　44　

The　Time　Arrives　For　Nancy　To　Redeem　Her
Pledge　To　Rose　Maylie—She　Fails。


Adept　as　she　was；　in　all　the　arts　of　cunning　and　
dissimulation；　the　girl　Nancy　could　not　wholly　conceal　the　
effect　which　the　knowledge　of　the　step　she　had　taken；　
worked　upon　her　mind。　She　remembered　that　both　the　crafty　Jew　
and　the　brutal　Sikes　had　confided　to　her　schemes；　which　had　been　
hidden　from　all　others；　in　the　full　confidence　that　she　was　
trustworthy　and　beyond　the　reach　of　their　suspicion。　Vile　as　those　
schemes　were；　desperate　as　were　their　originators；　and　bitter　as　
were　her　feelings　towards　Fagin；　who　had　led　her；　step　by　step；　
deeper　and　deeper　down　into　an　abyss　of　crime　and　misery；　
whence　was　no　escape；　still；　there　were　times　when；　even　towards　
him；　she　felt　some　relenting；　lest　her　disclosure　should　bring　him　
within　the　iron　grasp　he　had　so　long　eluded；　and　he　should　fall　at　
last—richly　as　he　merited　such　a　fate—by　her　hand。　

But　these　were　the　mere　wanderings　of　a　mind　unable　wholly　to　
detach　itself　from　old　companions　and　associations　though　
enabled　to　fix　itself　steadily　on　one　object；　and　resolved　not　to　be　
turned　aside　by　any　consideration。　Her　fears　for　Sikes　would　have　
been　more　powerful　inducements　to　recoil　while　there　was　yet　
time；　but　she　had　stipulated　that　her　secret　should　be　rigidly　kept；　
she　had　dropped　no　clue　which　could　lead　to　his　discovery；　she　
had　refused；　even　for　his　sake；　a　refuge　from　all　the　guilt　and　
wretchedness　that　encompassed　her—and　what　more　could　she　

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do！　She　was　resolved。　

Though　all　her　mental　struggles　terminated　in　this　conclusion；　
they　forced　themselves　upon　her；　again　and　again；　and　left　their　
traces　too。　She　grew　pale　and　thin；　even　within　a　few　days。　At　
times；　she　took　no　heed　of　what　was　passing　before　her；　or　no　part　
in　conversations　where　once　she　would　have　been　the　loudest。　At　
other　times；　she　laughed　without　merriment；　and　was　noisy　
without　cause　or　meaning。　At　others—often　within　a　moment　
afterwards—she　sat　silent　and　dejected；　brooding　with　her　head　
upon　her　hands；　while　the　very　effort　by　which　she　roused　herself；　
told；　more　forcibly　than　even　these　indications；　that　she　was　ill　at　
ease；　and　that　her　thoughts　were　occupied　with　matters　very　
different　and　distant　from　those　in　course　of　discussion　by　her　
companions。　

It　was　Sunday　night；　and　the　bell　of　the　nearest　church　struck　
the　hour。　Sikes　and　the　Jew　were　talking；　but　they　paused　to　
listen。　The　girl　looked　up　from　the　low　seat　on　which　she　
crouched；　and　listened　too。　Eleven。　

“An　hour　this　side　of　midnight；”　said　Sikes；　raising　the　blind　to　
look　out　and　returning　to　his　seat。　“Dark　and　heavy　it　is　too。　A　
good　night　for　business　this。”　

“Ah！”　replied　Fagin。　“What　a　pity；　Bill；　my　dear；　that　there’s　
none　quite　ready　to　be　done。”　

“You’re　right　for　once；”　replied　Sikes　gruffly。　“It　is　a　pity；　for　
I’m　in　the　humour　too。”　

Fagin　sighed；　and　shook　his　head　despondingly。　

“We　must　make　up　for　lost　time　when　we’ve　got　things　into　a　
good　train。　That’s　all　I　know；”　said　Sikes。　

“That’s　the　way　to　talk；　my　dear；”　replied　Fagin；　venturing　to　

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pat　him　on　the　shoulder。　“It　does　me　good　to　hear　you。”　

“Does　you　good；　does　it！”　cried　Sikes。　“Well；　so　be　it。”　

“Ha！　ha！　ha！”　laughed　Fagin；　as　if　he　were　relieved　by　even　this　
concession。　“You’re　like　yourself　tonight；　Bill！　Quite　like　yourself。”　

“I　don’t　feel　like　myself　when　you　lay　that　withered　old　claw　on　
my　shoulder；　so　take　it　away；”　said　Sikes；　casting　off　the　Jew’s　
hand。　

“It　makes　you　nervous；　Bill—reminds　you　of　being　nabbed；　
does　it？”　said　Fagin；　determined　not　to　be　offended。　

“Reminds　me　of　being　nabbed　by　the　devil；”　returned　Sikes。　
“There　never　was　another　man　with　such　a　face　as　yours；　unless　it　
was　your　father；　and　I　suppose　he　is　singeing　his　grizzled　red　
beard　by　this　time；　unless　you　came　straight　from　the　old　un　
without　any　father　at　all　betwixt　you；　which　I　shouldn’t　wonder　at；　
a　bit。”　

Fagin　offered　no　reply　to　this　compliment；　but；　pulling　Sikes　by　
the　sleeve；　pointed　his　finger　towards　Nancy；　who　had　taken　
advantage　of　the　foregoing　conversation　to　put　on　her　bonnet；　and　
was　now　leaving　the　room。　

“Hallo！”　cried　Sikes。　“Nance。　Where’s　the　gal　going　to　at　this　
time　of　night？”　

“Not　far。”　

“What　answer’s　that？”　returned　Sikes。　“Where　are　you　going？”　

“I　say；　not　far。”　

“And　I　say　where？”　retorted　Sikes。　“Do　you　hear　me？”　

“I　don’t　know　where；”　replied　the　girl。　

“Then　I　do；”　said　Sikes；　more　in　the　spirit　of　obstinacy　than　
because　he　had　any　real　objection　to　the　girl　going　where　she　
listed。　“Nowhere。　Sit　down。”　

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“I’m　not　well。　I　told　you　that　before；”　rejoined　the　girl。　“I　want　a　
breath　of　air。”　

“Put　your　head　out　of　the　winder；”　replied　Sikes。　

“There’s　not　enough　there；”　said　the　girl。　“I　want　it　in　the　
street。”　

“Then　you　won’t　have　it；”　replied　Sikes。　With　which　assurance　
he　rose；　locked　the　door；　took　the　key　out；　and　pulling　her　bonnet　
from　her　head；　flung　it　up　to　the　top　of　an　old　press。　“There；”　said　
the　robber。　“Now　stop　quietly　where　you　are；　will　you？”　

“It’s　not　such　a　matter　as　a　bonnet　would　keep　me；”　said　the　
girl；　turning　very　pale。　“What　do　you　mean；　Bill？　Do　you　know　
what　you’re　doing？”　

“Know　what　I’m—Oh！”　cried　Sikes；　turning　to　Fagin；　“she’s　out　
of　her　senses；　you　know；　or　she　daren’t　talk　to　me　in　that　way。”　

“You’ll　drive　me　on　to　something　desperate；”　muttered　the　girl；　
placing　both　hands　upon　her　breast；　as　though　to　keep　down　by　
force　some　violent　outbreak。　“Let　me　go；　will　you—this　minute—　
this　instant。”　

“No！”　said　Sikes。　

“Tell　him　to　let　me　go；　Fagin。　He　had　better。　It’ll　be　better　for　
him。　Do　you　hear　me？”　cried　Nancy；　stamping　her　foot　upon　the　
ground。　

“Hear　you！”　repeated　Sikes；　turning　round　in　his　chair　to　
confront　her。　“Aye！　And　if　I　hear　you　for　half　a　minute　longer；　the　
dog　shall　have　such　a　grip　on　your　throat　as’ll　tear　some　of　that　
screaming　voice　out。　Wot　has　come　over　you；　you　jade！　Wot　is　it？”　

“Let　me　go；”　said　the　girl；　with　great　earnestness；　then