oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第78节
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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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Chapter 40
A Strange Interview； Which Is A Sequel To The
Last Chapter。
The girl’s life had been squandered in the streets； and
among the most noisome of the stews and dens of London；
but there was something of the woman’s original nature
left in her still； and when she heard a light step approaching the
door opposite to that by which she had entered； and thought of the
wide contrast which the small room would in another moment
contain； she felt burdened with the sense of her own deep shame；
and shrank as though she could scarcely bear the presence of her
with whom she had sought this interview。
But struggling with these better feelings was pride—the vice of
the lowest and most debased creatures no less than of the high
and self…assured。 The miserable companion of thieves and
ruffians； the fallen outcast of low haunts； the associate of the
scourings of the jails and hulks； living within the shadow of the
gallows itself—even this degraded being felt too proud to betray a
feeble gleam of the womanly feeling which she thought a
weakness； but which alone connected her with that humanity； of
which her wasting life had obliterated so many； many traces when
a very child。
She raised her eyes sufficiently to observe that the figure which
presented itself was that of a slight and beautiful girl； then；
bending them on the ground； she tossed her head with affected
carelessness as she said：
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“It’s a hard matter to get to see you； lady。 If I had taken offence；
and gone away； as many would have done； you’d have been sorry
for it one day； and not without reason either。”
“I am very sorry if any one has behaved harshly to you；” replied
Rose。 “Do not think of that。 Tell me why you wished to see me。 I
am the person you inquired for。”
The kind tone of this answer； the sweet voice； the gentle
manner； the absence of any accent of haughtiness or displeasure；
took the girl completely by surprise； and she burst into tears。
“Oh； lady； lady！” she said； clasping her hands passionately
before her face； “if there was more like you； there would be fewer
like me—there would—there would！”
“Sit down；” said Rose earnestly。 “If you are in poverty or
affliction I shall be truly glad to relieve you if I can—I shall indeed。
Sit down。”
“Let me stand； lady；” said the girl； still weeping； “and do not
speak to me so kindly till you know me better。 It is growing late。
Is—is—that door shut？”
“Yes；” said Rose； recoiling a few steps； as if to be nearer
assistance in case she should require it。 “Why？”
“Because；” said the girl； “I am about to put my life； and the
lives of others in your hands。 I am the girl that dragged little Oliver
back to old Fagin’s on the night he went out from the house in
Pentonville。”
“You！” said Rose Maylie。
“I； lady！” replied the girl。 “I am the infamous creature you have
heard of； that lives among the thieves； and that never； from the
first moment I can recollect； my eyes and senses opening on
London streets； have known any better life； or kinder words than
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they have given me； so help me God！ Do not mind shrinking
openly from me； lady。 I am younger than you would think； to look
at me； but I am well used to it。 The poorest women fall back； as I
make my way along the crowded pavement。”
“What dreadful things are these！” said Rose； involuntarily
falling from her strange companion。
“Thank Heaven upon your knees； dear lady；” cried the girl；
“that you had friends to care for and keep you in your childhood；
and that you were never in the midst of cold and hunger； and riot
and drunkenness； and—and— something worse than all—as I
have been from my cradle。 I may use the word； for the alley and
the gutter were mine； as they will be my death…bed。”
“I pity you！” said Rose； in a broken voice。 “It wrings my heart to
hear you！”
“Heaven bless you for your goodness！” rejoined the girl。 “If you
knew what I am sometimes； you would pity me indeed。 But I have
stolen away from those who would surely murder me； if they knew
I had been here； to tell you what I have overheard。 Do you know a
man named Monks？”
“No；” said Rose。
“He knows you；” replied the girl； “and knew you were here； for
it was by hearing him tell the place that I found you out。”
“I never heard the name；” said Rose。
“Then he goes by some other amongst you；” rejoined the girl；
“which I more than thought before。 Some time ago； and soon after
Oliver was put into your house on the night of the robbery； I—
suspecting this man—listened to a conversation held between him
and Fagin in the dark。 I found out； from what I heard； that
Monks—the man I asked you about； you know—”
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“Yes；” said Rose； “I understand。”
“That Monks；” pursued the girl； “had seen him accidentally
with two of our boys on the day we first lost him； and had known
him directly to be the same child that he was watching for； though
I couldn’t make out why。 A bargain was struck with Fagin； that if
Oliver was got back he should have a certain sum； and he was to
have more for making him a thief； which this Monks wanted for
some purpose of his own。”
“For what purpose？” asked Rose。
“He caught sight of my shadow on the wall as I listened； in the
hope of finding out；” said the girl； “and there are not many people
besides me that could have got out of their way in time to escape
discovery。 But I did； and I saw him no more till last night。”
“And what occurred then？”
“I’ll tell you； lady。 Last night he came again。 Again they went
upstairs； and I； wrapping myself up so that my shadow should not
betray me； again listened at the door。 The first words I heard
Monks say were these： ‘So the only proofs of the boy’s identity
