oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第53节

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“I　didn’t　mean　to　do　it！”　said　Noah；　blubbering。　“She’s　always　a…
kissing　of　me；　whether　I　like　it；　or　not。”　

“Oh；　Noah；”　cried　Charlotte　reproachfully。　

“Yer　are；　yer　know　yer　are！”　retorted　Noah。　“She’s　always　adoin’　of　it。　Mr。　Bumble；　sir；　she　chucks　me　under　the　chin；　please；　
sir；　and　makes　all　manner　of　love！”　

“Silence！”　cried　Mr。　Bumble　sternly。　“Take　yourself　downstairs；　
ma’am。　Noah；　you　shut　up　the　shop；　say　another　word　till　your　
master　comes　home；　at　your　peril；　and；　when　he　does　come　home；　
tell　him　that　Mr。　Bumble　said　he　was　to　send　a　old　woman’s　shell　
after　breakfast　tomorrow　morning。　Do　you　hear；　sir？　Kissing！”　
cried　Mr。　Bumble；　holding　up　his　hands。　“The　sin　and　wickedness　
of　the　lower　orders　in　this　porochial　district　is　frightful！　If　
Parliament　don’t　take　their　abominable　courses　under　
consideration；　this　country’s　ruined；　and　the　character　of　the　

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peasantry　gone　for　ever！”　With　these　words；　the　beadle　strode；　
with　a　lofty　and　gloomy　air；　from　the　undertaker’s　premises。　

And　now　that　we　have　accompanied　him　so　far　on　his　road　
home；　and　have　made　all　necessary　preparations　for　the　old　
woman’s　funeral；　let　us　set　on　foot　a　few　inquiries　after　young　
Oliver　Twist；　and　ascertain　whether　he　be　still　lying　in　the　ditch　
where　Toby　Crackit　left　him。　

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Chapter　28　

Looks　After　Oliver；　And　Proceeds　With　His
Adventures。


“W　olves　tear　your　throats！”　muttered　Sikes；　grinding　
his　teeth。　“I　wish　I　was　among　some　of　you；　you’d　
howl　the　hoarser　for　it。”　

As　Sikes　growled　forth　this　imprecation；　with　the　most　
desperate　ferocity　that　his　desperate　nature　was　capable　of；　he　
rested　the　body　of　the　wounded　boy　across　his　bended　knee；　and　
turned　his　head；　for　an　instant；　to　look　back　at　his　pursuers。　

There　was　little　to　be　made　out；　in　the　mist　and　darkness；　but　
the　loud　shouting　of　men　vibrated　through　the　air；　and　the　barking　
of　the　neighbouring　dogs；　roused　by　the　sound　of　the　alarm…bell；　
resounded　in　every　direction。　

“Stop；　you　white…livered　hound！”　cried　the　robber；　shouting　
after　Toby　Crackit；　who；　making　the　best　use　of　his　long　legs；　was　
already　ahead。　“Stop！”　

The　repetition　of　the　word　brought　Toby　to　a　dead　standstill。　
For　he　was　not　quite　satisfied　that　he　was　beyond　the　range　of　
pistol…shot；　and　Sikes　was　in　no　mood　to　be　played　with。　

“Bear　a　hand　with　the　boy；”　cried　Sikes；　beckoning　furiously　to　
his　confederate。　“Come　back！”　

Toby　made　a　show　of　returning；　but　ventured；　in　a　low　voice；　
broken　for　want　of　breath；　to　intimate　considerable　reluctance　as　
he　came　slowly　along。　

“Quicker！”　cried　Sikes；　laying　the　boy　in　a　dry　ditch　at　his　feet；　

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and　drawing　a　pistol　from　his　pocket。　“Don’t　play　booty　with　me。”　

At　this　moment　the　noise　grew　louder。　Sikes；　again　looking　
round；　could　discern　that　the　men　who　had　given　chase　were　
already　climbing　the　gate　of　the　field　in　which　he　stood；　and　that　a　
couple　of　dogs　were　some　paces　in　advance　of　them。　

“It’s　all　up；　Bill！”　cried　Toby；　“drop　the　kid；　and　show　’em　your　
heels。”　With　this　parting　advice；　Mr。　Crackit；　preferring　the　
chance　of　being　shot　by　his　friend；　to　the　certainty　of　being　taken　
by　his　enemies；　fairly　turned　tail；　and　darted　off　at　full　speed。　Sikes　
clenched　his　teeth；　took　one　look　around；　threw　over　the　prostrate　
form　of　Oliver　the　cape　in　which　he　had　been　hurriedly　muffled；　
ran　along　the　front　of　the　hedge；　as　if　to　distract　the　attention　of　
those　behind；　from　the　spot　where　the　boy　lay；　paused；　for　a　
second；　before　another　hedge　which　met　it　at　right　angles；　and　
whirling　his　pistol　high　in　the　air；　cleared　it　at　a　bound；　and　was　
gone。　

“Ho；　ho；　there！”　cried　a　tremulous　voice　in　the　rear。　“Pincher！　
Neptune！　Come　here；　come　here！”　

The　dogs；　who；　in　common　with　their　masters；　seemed　to　have　
no　particular　relish　for　the　sport　in　which　they　were　engaged；　
readily　answered　to　the　command。　Three　men；　who　had　by　this　
time　advanced　some　distance　into　the　field；　stopped　to　take　
counsel　together。　

“My　advice；　or；　leastways；　I　should　say；　my　orders；　is；”　said　the　
fattest　man　of　the　party；　“that　we　’mediately　go　home　again。”　

“I　am　agreeable　to　anything　which　is　agreeable　to　Mr。　Giles；”　
said　a　shorter　man；　who　was　by　no　means　of　a　slim　figure；　and　who　
was　very　pale　in　the　face；　and　very　polite；　as　frightened　men　
frequently　are。　

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“I　shouldn’t　wish　to　appear　ill…mannered；　gentlemen；”　said　the　
third；　who　had　called　the　dogs　back；　“Mr。　Giles　ought　to　know。”　

“Certainly；”　replied　the　shorter　man；　“and　whatever　Mr。　Giles　
says；　it　isn’t　our　place　to　contradict　him。　No；　no；　I　know　my　
sitiwation！　Thank　my　stars；　I　know　my　sitiwation。”　To　tell　the　
truth；　the　little　man　did　seem　to　know　his　situation；　and　to　know　
perfectly　well　that　it　was　by　no　means　a　desirable　one；　for　his　teeth　
chattered　in　his　head　as　he　spoke。　

“You　are　afraid；　Brittles；”　said　Mr。　Giles。　

“I　ain’t；”　said　Brittles。　

“You　are；”　said　Giles。　

“You’re　a　falsehood；　Mr。　Giles；”　said　Brittles。　

“You’re　a　lie；　Brittles；”　said　Mr。　Giles。　

Now；　these　four　retorts　arose　from　Mr。　Giles’s　taunt；　and　Mr。　
Giles’s　taunt　had　arisen　from　his　indignation　at　having　the　
responsibility　of　going　home　again；　imposed　upon　himself　under　
cover　of　a　compliment。　The　third　man　brought　the　dispute　to　a　
close；　most　philosophically。　

“I’ll　tell　you　what　it　is；　gentlemen；”　said　he；　“we’re　all　afraid。”　

“Speak　for　yourself；　sir；”　said　Mr。　Giles；　who　was　the　palest　of　
the　party。　

“So　I　do；”　replied　the　man。　“It’s　natural　and　proper　to　be　afraid；　
under　such　circumstances。　I　am。”　

“So　am　I；”　said　Brittles；　“only　there’s　no　call　to　tell　a　man　he　is；　
so　bounceably。”　

These　frank　admissions　softened　Mr。　Giles；　who　at　once　owned　
that　he　was　afraid；　upon　which；　they　all　three　faced　about；　and　ran　
back　again　with　the　completest　unanimity；　until　Mr。　Giles　（who　
had　the　shortest　wind　of　the　party；　and　was　encumbered　with　a　

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pitchfork）　most　handsomely　insisted　on　stopping；　to　make　an　
apology　for　his　hastiness　of　speech。　

“But　it’s　wonderful；”　said　Mr。　Giles；　when　he　had　explained；　
“what　a　man　will　do；　when　his　blood　is　up。　I　should　have　
committed　murder—I　know　I　should—if　we’d　caught　one　of　them　
rascals。”　

As　the　other　two　were　impressed　with　a　similar　presentiment；　
and　as　their　blood；　like　his；　had　all　gone　down　again；　some　
speculation　ensued　upon　the　cause　of　this　sudden　change　in　their　
temperament。　

“I　know　what　it　was；”　said　Mr。　Giles；　“it　was　the　gate。”　

“I　shouldn’t　wonder　if　it　was；”　exclaimed　Brittles；　catching　at　
the　idea。　

“You　may　depend　upon　it；”　said　Giles；　“that　that　gate　stopped　
the　flow　of　the　excitement。　I　felt　all　mine　suddenly　going　away；　as　I　
was　climbing　over　it。”　

By　a　remarkable　coincidence；　the　other　two　had　been　visited　
with　the　same　unpleasant　sensation　at　that　precise　moment。　It　was　
quite　obvious；　therefore；　that　it　was　the　gate；　especially　as　there　
was　no　doubt　regarding　the　time　at　which　the　change　had　taken　
place；　because　all　three　remembered　that　they　had　come　in　sight　
of　the　robbers　at　the　instant　of　its　occurrence。　

This　dialogue　was　held　between　the　two　men　who　had　
surprised　the　burglars；　and　a　travelling　tinker　who　had　been　
sleeping　in　an　outhouse；　and　who　had　been　roused；　together　with　
his　two　mongrel　curs；　to　join　the　pursuit。　Mr。　Giles　acted　in　the　
double　capacity　of　butler　and　steward　to　the　old　lady　of　the　
mansion；　Brittles　was　a　lad　of　all　work；　who；　having　entered　her　
service　a　mere　child；　was　treated　as　a　promising　young　boy　still；　

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though　he　was　something　past　thirty。　

Encouraging　each　other　with　such　converse　as　this；　but；　
keeping　very　close　together；　notwithstanding；　and　looking　
furtively　round；　whenever　a　fresh　gust　rattled　through　the　boughs；　
the　three　men　hurried　back　to　a　tree；　behind　which　they　had　left　
their　lantern；　lest　its　light　should　inform　the　thieves　in　what　
direction　to　fire。　Catching　up　the　light；　they　made　the　best　of　their　
way　home；　at　a　good　round　trot；　and　long　after　their　dusky　forms　
had　ceased　to　be　discernible；　the　light　might　have　been　seen　
twinkling　and　dancing　in　the　distance；　like　some　exhalation　of　the　
damp　and　gloomy　atmosphere　through　which　it　was　swiftly　borne。　

The　air　grew　colder；　as　day　came　slowly　on；　and　the　mist　rolled　
along　the　ground　like　a　dense　cloud　of　smoke。　The　grass　was　wet；　
the　pathways；　and　low　places　were　all　mire　and　water；　and　the　
damp　breath　of　an　unwholesome　wind　went　languidly　by；　with　a　
hollow　moaning。　Still；　Oliver　lay　motionless　and　insensible　on　the　
spot　where　Sikes　had　left　him。　

Morning　drew　on　apace。　The　air　became　more　sharp　and　
pier