oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第55节

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make　one。”　

“So　am　I；”　said　the　tinker；　waking　up；　as　suddenly　as　he　had　
fallen　asleep。　

Brittles　capitulated　on　these　terms；　and　the　party　being　
somewhat　reassured　by　the　discovery　（made　on　throwing　open　the　
shutters）　that　it　was　now　broad　day；　took　their　way　upstairs；　with　
the　dogs　in　front；　and　the　two　women；　who　were　afraid　to　stay　
below；　bringing　up　the　rear。　By　the　advice　of　Mr。　Giles；　they　all　
talked　very　loud；　to　warn　any　evil…disposed　person　outside；　that　
they　were　strong　in　numbers；　and　by　a　master…stroke　of　policy；　

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originating　in　the　brain　of　the　same　ingenious　gentleman；　the　
dogs’　tails　were　well　pinched；　in　the　hall；　to　make　them　bark　
savagely。　

These　precautions　having　been　taken；　Mr。　Giles　held　on　fast　by　
the　tinker’s　arm　（to　prevent　his　running　away；　as　he　pleasantly　
said）；　and　gave　the　word　of　command　to　open　the　door。　Brittles　
obeyed；　the　group；　peeping　timorously　over　each　other’s　
shoulders；　beheld　no　more　formidable　object　than　poor　little　
Oliver　Twist；　speechless　and　exhausted；　who　raised　his　heavy　eyes；　
and　mutely　solicited　their　compassion。　

“A　boy！”　exclaimed　Mr。　Giles；　valiantly　pushing　the　tinker　into　
the　background。　“What’s　the　matter　with　the　Eh？—Why—　
Brittles—look　here—don’t　you　know？”　

Brittles；　who　had　got　behind　the　door　to　open　it；　no　sooner　saw　
Oliver；　than　he　uttered　a　loud　cry。　Mr。　Giles；　seizing　the　boy　by　one　
leg　and　one　arm　（fortunately　not　the　broken　limb）　lugged　him　
straight　into　the　hall；　and　deposited　him　at　full　length　on　the　floor　
thereof。　

“Here　he　is！”　bawled　Giles；　calling；　in　a　state　of　great　
excitement；　up　the　staircase；　“here’s　one　of　the　thieves；　ma’am！　
Here’s　a　thief；　miss！　Wounded；　miss！　I　shot　him；　miss；　and　Brittles　
held　the　light。”　

“In　a　lantern；　miss；”　cried　Brittles；　applying　one　hand　to　the　
side　of　his　mouth；　so　that　his　voice　might　travel　the　better。　

The　two　women…servants　ran　upstairs　to　carry　the　intelligence　
that　Mr。　Giles　had　captured　a　robber；　and　the　tinker　busied　
himself　in　endeavouring　to　restore　Oliver；　lest　he　should　die　before　
he　could　be　hanged。　In　the　midst　of　all　this　noise　and　commotion　
there　was　heard　a　sweet　female　voice；　which　quelled　it　in　an　

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instant。　

“Giles！”　whispered　the　voice　from　the　stair…head。　

“I’m　here；　miss；”　replied　Mr。　Giles。　“Don’t　be　frightened；　miss；　I　
ain’t　much　injured。　He　didn’t　make　a　very　desperate　resistance；　
miss！　I　was　soon　too　many　for　him。”　

“Hush！”　replied　the　young　lady；　“you　frighten　my　aunt　as　much　
as　the　thieves　did。　Is　the　poor　creature　much　hurt？”　

“Wounded　desperate；　miss；”　replied　Giles；　with　indescribable　
complacency。　

“He　looks　as　if　he　was　a…going；　miss；”　bawled　Brittles；　in　the　
same　manner　as　before。　“Wouldn’t　you　like　to　come　and　look　at　
him；　miss；　in　case　he　should　？”　

“Hush；　pray；　there’s　a　good　man！”　rejoined　the　lady。　“Wait　
quietly　only　one　instant；　while　I　speak　to　aunt。”　

With　a　footstep　as　soft　and　gentle　as　the　voice；　the　speaker　
tripped　away。　She　soon　returned；　with　the　direction　that　the　
wounded　person　was　to　be　carried；　carefully；　upstairs　to　Mr。　
Giles’s　room；　and　that　Brittles　was　to　saddle　the　pony　and　betake　
himself　instantly　to　Chertsey；　from　which　place；　he　was　to　
despatch；　with　all　speed；　a　constable　and　doctor。　

“But　won’t　you　take　one　look　at　him　first；　miss？”　asked　Mr。　
Giles；　with　as　much　pride　as　if　Oliver　were　some　bird　of　rare　
plumage；　that　he　had　skilfully　brought　down。　“Not　one　little　peep；　
miss？”　

“Not　now；　for　the　world；”　replied　the　young　lady。　“Poor　fellow！　
Oh！　treat　him　kindly；　Giles；　for　my　sake！”　

The　old　servant　looked　up　at　the　speaker；　as　she　turned　away；　
with　a　glance　as　proud　and　admiring　as　if　she　had　been　his　own　
child。　Then；　bending　over　Oliver；　he　helped　to　carry　him　upstairs；　

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with　the　care　and　solicitude　of　a　woman。　

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Chapter　29　

Has　An　Introductory　Account　Of　The　Inmates　Of
The　House；　To　Which　Oliver　Resorted。


In　a　handsome　room；　though　its　furniture　had　rather　the　air　of　
old…fashioned　comfort；　than　of　modern　elegance；　there　sat　two　
ladies　at　a　well…spread　breakfast…table。　Mr。　Giles；　dressed　with　
scrupulous　care　in　a　full　suit　of　black；　was　in　attendance　upon　
them。　He　had　taken　his　station　some　halfway　between　the　
sideboard　and　the　breakfast…table；　and；　with　his　body　drawn　up　to　
its　full　height；　his　head　thrown　back；　and　inclined　the　merest　trifle　
on　one　side；　his　left　leg　advanced；　and　his　right　hand　thrust　into　
his　waistcoat；　while　his　left　hung　down　by　his　side；　grasping　a　
waiter；　looked　like　one　who　laboured　under　a　very　agreeable　sense　
of　his　own　merits　and　importance。　

Of　the　two　ladies；　one　was　well　advanced　in　years；　but　the　high…
backed　oaken　chair　in　which　she　sat；　was　not　more　upright　than　
she。　Dressed　with　the　utmost　nicety　and　precision；　in　a　quaint　
mixture　of　bygone　costume；　with　some　slight　concessions　to　the　
prevailing　taste；　which　rather　served　to　point　the　old　style　
pleasantly　than　to　impair　its　effect；　she　sat；　in　a　stately　manner；　
with　her　hands　folded　on　the　table　before　her。　Her　eyes　（and　age　
had　dimmed　but　little　of　their　brightness）　were　attentively　fixed　
upon　her　young　companion。　

The　younger　lady　was　in　the　lovely　bloom　and　springtime　of　
womanhood；　at　that　age；　when；　if　ever　angels　be　for　God’s　good　
purposes　enthroned　in　mortal　forms；　they　may　be；　without　

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impiety；　supposed　to　abide　in　such　as　hers。　

She　was　not　past　seventeen。　Cast　in　so　slight　and　exquisite　a　
mould；　so　mild　and　gentle；　so　pure　and　beautiful；　that　earth　
seemed　not　her　element；　not　its　rough　creatures　her　fit　
companions。　The　very　intelligence　that　shone　in　her　deep…blue　
eye；　and　was　stamped　upon　her　noble　head；　seemed　scarcely　of　
her　age；　or　of　the　world；　and　yet　the　changing　expression　of　
sweetness　and　good…humour；　the　thousand　lights　that　played　
about　the　face；　and　left　no　shadow　there；　above　all；　the　smile；　the　
cheerful；　happy　smile；　were　made　for　home　and　fireside　peace　and　
happiness。　

She　was　busily　engaged　in　the　little　offices　of　the　table。　
Chancing　to　raise　her　eyes　as　the　elder　lady　was　regarding　her；　she　
playfully　put　back　her　hair；　which　was　simply　braided　on　her　
forehead；　and　threw　into　her　beaming　look；　such　an　expression　of　
affection　and　artless　loveliness；　that　blessed　spirits　might　have　
smiled　to　look　upon　her。　

“And　Brittles　has　been　gone　upwards　of　an　hour；　has　he？”　
asked　the　old　lady；　after　a　pause。　

“An　hour　and　twelve　minutes；　ma’am；”　replied　Mr。　Giles；　
referring　to　a　silver　watch；　which　he　drew　forth　by　a　black　ribbon。　

“He　is　always　slow；”　remarked　the　old　lady。　

“Brittles　always　was　a　slow　boy；　ma’am；”　replied　the　attendant。　
And　seeing；　by　the　bye；　that　Brittles　had　been　a　slow　boy　for　
upwards　of　thirty　years；　there　appeared　no　great　probability　of　his　
ever　being　a　fast　one。　

“He　gets　worse　instead　of　better；　I　think；”　said　the　elder　lady。　

“It　is　very　inexcusable　in　him　if　he　stops　to　play　with　any　other　
boys；”　said　the　young　lady；　smiling。　

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Mr。　Giles　was　apparently　considering　the　propriety　of　indulging　
in　a　respectful　smile　himself；　when　a　gig　drove　up　to　the　garden　
gate；　out　of　which　there　jumped　a　fat　gentleman；　who　ran　straight　
up　to　the　door；　and　who；　getting　quickly　into　the　house　by　some　
mysterious　process；　burst　into　the　room；　and　nearly　overturned　
Mr。　Giles　and　the　breakfast…table　together。　

“I　never　heard　of　such　a　thing！”　exclaimed　the　fat　gentleman。　
“My　dear　Mrs。　Maylie—bless　my　soul—in　the　silence　of　night；　
too—I　never　heard　of　such　a　thing！”　

With　these　expressions　of　condolence；　the　fat　gentleman　shook　
hands　with　both　ladies；　and　drawing　up　a　chair；　inquired　how　they　
found　themselves。　

“You　ought　to　be　dead；　positively　dead　with　the　fright；”　said　the　
fat　gentleman。　“Why　didn’t　you　send？　Bless　me；　my　man　should　
have　come　in　a　minute；　and　so　would　I；　and　my　assistant　would　
have　been　delighted；　or　anybody；　I’m　sure；　under　such　
circumstances。　Dear；　dear！　So　unexpected！　In　the　silence　of　night；　
too！”　

The　doctor　seemed　especially　troubled　by　the　fact　of　the　
robbery　having　been　unexpected；　and　attempted　in　the　night…time；　
as　if　it　were　the　established　custom　of　gentlemen　in　the　housebreaking　way　to　transact　business　at　noon；　and　to　make　an　
appointment；　by　post；　a　day　or　two　previous。　

“And　you；　Miss　Rose；”　said　the　doctor；　turning　to　the　young　
lady；　“I”　

“Oh！　very　much　so；　indeed；”　said　Rose；　interrupting　him；　“but　
there　is　a　poor　creature　upstairs；　whom　aunt　wishes　you　to　see。”　

“Ah！　to　be　sure；”　replied　the　doctor；　“so　there　is。　That　was　your　
handiwork；　Giles；　I　understand。”　

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Mr。