oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第99节

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person　he　may　be　to　play　cards　with　at　conweniency）　
circumstanced　as　you　are。”　

“Especially；　when　the　exclusive　young　man　has　got　a　friend　
stopping　with　him；　that’s　arrived　sooner　than　was　expected　from　
foreign　parts；　and　is　too　modest　to　want　to　be　presented　to　the　
judges　on　his　return；”　added　Mr。　Kags。　

There　was　a　short　silence；　after　which　Toby　Crackit；　seeming　to　
abandon　as　hopeless　any　further　effort　to　maintain　his　usual　devil…
may…care　swagger；　turned　to　Chitling；　and　said：　

“When　was　Fagin　took；　then？”　

“Just　at　dinner…time—two　o’clock　this　afternoon。　Charley　and　I　
made　our　lucky　up　the　wash’us　chimney；　and　Bolter　got　into　the　
empty　water…butt；　head　downwards；　but　his　legs　were　so　precious　
long　that　they　stuck　out　at　the　top；　and　so　they　took　him　too。”　

“And　Bet！”　

“Poor　Bet！　She　went　to　see　the　body；　to　speak　to　who　it　was；”　
replied　Chitling；　his　countenance　falling　more　and　more；　“and　
went　off　mad；　screaming　and　raving；　and　beating　her　head　against　
the　boards；　so　they　put　a　strait…weskut　on　her　and　took　her　to　the　
hospital—and　there　she　is。”　

“Wot’s　come　of　young　Bates？”　demanded　Kags。　

“He　hung　about；　not　to　come　over　here　afore　dark；　but　he’ll　be　
here　soon；”　replied　Chitling。　“There’s　nowhere　else　to　go　to　now；　
for　the　people　at　the　Cripples　are　all　in　custody；　and　the　bar　of　the　
ken—I　went　up　there　and　see　it　with　my　own　eyes—is　filled　with　
traps。”　

“This　is　a　smash；”　observed　Toby；　biting　his　lips。　“There’s　more　

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than　one　will　go　with　this。”　

“The　sessions　are　on；”　said　Kags；　“if　they　get　the　inquest　over；　
and　Bolter　turns　king’s　evidence—as　of　course　he　will；　from　what　
he’s　said　already—they　can　prove　Fagin　an　accessory　before　the　
fact；　and　get　the　trial　on　on　Friday；　and　he’ll　swing　in　six　days　from　
this；　by　G—！”　

“You　should　have　heard　the　people　groan；”　said　Chitling；　“the　
officers　fought　like　devils；　or　they’d　have　torn　him　away。　He　was　
down　once；　but—they　made　a　ring　round　him；　and　fought　their　
way　along。　You　should　have　seen　how　he　looked　about　him；　all　
muddy　and　bleeding；　and　clung　to　them　as　if　they　were　his　dearest　
friends。　I　can　see　’em　now；　not　able　to　stand　upright　with　the　
pressing　of　the　mob；　and　dragging　him　along　amongst　’em；　I　can　
see　the　people　jumping　up；　one　behind　another；　and　snarling　with　
their　teeth　and　making　at　him；　I　can　see　the　blood　upon　his　hair　
and　beard；　and　hear　the　cries　with　which　the　women　worked　
themselves　into　the　centre　of　the　crowd　at　the　street　corner；　and　
swore　they’d　tear　his　heart　out！”　

The　horror…stricken　witness　of　this　scene　pressed　his　hands　
upon　his　ears；　and　with　his　eyes　closed　got　up　and　paced　violently　
to　and　fro；　like　one　distracted。　

While　he　was　thus　engaged；　and　the　two　men　sat　by　in　silence　
with　their　eyes　fixed　upon　the　floor；　a　pattering　noise　was　heard　
upon　the　stairs；　and　Sikes’s　dog　bounded　into　the　room。　They　ran　
to　the　window；　downstairs；　and　into　the　street。　The　dog　had　
jumped　in　at　an　open　window；　he　made　no　attempt　to　follow　them；　
nor　was　his　master　to　be　seen。　

“What’s　the　meaning　of　this？”　said　Toby；　when　they　had　
returned。　“He　can’t　be　coming　here。　I—I—hope　not。”　

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“If　he　was　coming　here；　he’d　have　come　with　the　dog；”　said　
Kags　stooping　down　to　examine　the　animal；　who　lay　panting　on　
the　floor。　“Here！　give　us　some　water　for　him；　he　has　run　himself　
faint。”　

“He’s　drunk　it　all　up；　every　drop；”　said　Chitling；　after　watching　
the　dog　some　time　in　silence。　“Covered　with　mud—lame—halfblind—he　must　have　come　a　long　way。”　

“Where　can　he　have　come　from！”　exclaimed　Toby。　“He’s　been　
to　the　other　kens；　of　course；　and　finding　them　filled　with　strangers；　
come　on　here；　where　he’s　been　many　a　time　and　often。　But　where　
can　he　have　come　from　first；　and　how　comes　he　here　alone　without　
the　other！”　

“He—”（none　of　them　called　the　murderer　by　his　old　name）—　
“he　can’t　have　made　away　with　himself。　What　do　you　think？”　said　
Chitling。　

Toby　shook　his　head。　

“If　he　had；”　said　Kags；　“the　dog　’ud　want　to　lead　us　away　to　
where　he　did　it。　No。　I　think　he’s　got　out　of　the　country；　and　left　the　
dog　behind。　He　must　have　given　him　the　slip　somehow；　or　he　
wouldn’t　be　so　easy。”　

This　solution；　appearing　the　most　probable　one；　was　adopted　as　
the　right；　the　dog；　creeping　under　a　chair；　coiled　himself　up　to　
sleep；　without　more　notice　from　anybody。　

It　being　now　dark；　the　shutter　was　closed；　and　a　candle　lighted　
and　placed　upon　the　table。　The　terrible　events　of　the　last　two　days；　
had　made　a　deep　impression　on　all　three；　increased　by　the　danger　
and　uncertainty　of　their　own　position。　They　drew　their　chairs　close　
together；　starting　at　every　sound。　They　spoke　little；　and　that　in　
whispers；　and　were　as　silent　and　awe…stricken　as　if　the　remains　of　

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the　murdered　woman　lay　in　the　next　room。　

They　had　sat　thus；　some　time；　when　suddenly　was　heard　a　
hurried　knocking　at　the　door　below。　

“Young　Bates；”　said　Kags；　looking　angrily　round；　to　check　the　
fear　he　felt　himself。　

The　knocking　came　again。　No；　it　wasn’t　he。　He　never　knocked　
like　that。　

Crackit　went　to　the　window；　and；　shaking　all　over；　drew　in　his　
head。　There　was　no　need　to　tell　them　who　it　was；　his　pale　face　was　
enough。　The　dog　too　was　on　the　alert　in　an　instant；　and　ran　
whining　to　the　door。　

“We　must　let　him　in；”　he　said；　taking　up　the　candle。　

“Isn’t　there　any　help　for　it？”　asked　the　other　man；　in　a　hoarse　
voice。　

“None。　He　must　come　in。”　

“Don’t　leave　us　in　the　dark；”　said　Kags；　taking　down　a　candle　
from　the　chimney…piece；　and　lighting　it；　with　such　a　trembling　
hand　that　the　knocking　was　twice　repeated　before　he　had　finished。　

Crackit　went　down　to　the　door；　and　returned　followed　by　a　man　
with　the　lower　part　of　his　face　buried　in　a　handkerchief；　and　
another　tied　over　his　head　under　his　hat。　He　drew　them　softly　off。　
Blanched　face；　sunken　eyes；　hollow　cheeks；　beard　of　three　days’　
growth；　wasted　flesh；　short；　thick　breath；　it　was　the　very　ghost　of　
Sikes。　

He　laid　his　hand　upon　a　chair　which　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　
room；　but　shuddering　as　he　was　about　to　drop　into　it；　and　seeming　
to　glance　over　his　shoulder；　dragged　it　back　close　to　the　wall—as　
close　as　it　would　go—　ground　it　against　it—and　sat　down。　

Not　a　word　had　been　exchanged。　He　looked　from　one　to　another　

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in　silence。　If　an　eye　were　furtively　raised　and　met　his；　it　was　
instantly　averted。　Then　his　hollow　voice　broke　silence；　they　all　
three　started。　They　seemed　never　to　have　heard　its　tones　before。　

“How　came　that　dog　here？”　

“Alone。　Three　hours　ago。”　

“Tonight’s　paper　says　that　Fagin’s　took。　Is　it　true；　or　a　lie？　

“True。”　

They　were　silent　again。　

“Damn　you　all！”　said　Sikes；　passing　his　hand　across　his　
forehead。　“Have　you　nothing　to　say　to　me？”　

There　was　an　uneasy　movement　among　them；　but　nobody　
spoke。　

“You　that　keep　this　house；”　said　Sikes；　turning　his　face　to　
Crackit；　“do　you　mean　to　sell　me；　or　to　let　me　lie　here　till　the　hunt　
is　over？”　

“You　may　stop　here；　if　you　think　it　safe；”　returned　the　person　
addressed；　after　some　hesitation。　

Sikes　carried　his　eyes　slowly　up　the　wall　behind　him；　rather　
trying　to　turn　his　head　than　actually　doing　it；　and　said；　“Is—it—the　
body—is　it　buried？”　

They　shook　their　heads。　

“Why　isn’t　it？”　he　retorted；　with　the　same　glance　behind　him。　
“Wot　do　they　keep　such　ugly　things　above　the　ground　for？—Who’s　
that　knocking？”　

Crackit　intimated；　by　a　motion　of　his　hand　as　he　left　the　room；　
that　there　was　nothing　to　fear；　and　directly　came　back　with　
Charley　Bates　behind　him。　Sikes　sat　opposite　the　door；　so　that　the　
moment　the’　boy　entered　the　room　he　encountered　his　figure。　

“Toby；”　said　the　boy；　falling　back；　as　Sikes　turned　his　eyes　

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towards　him；　“why　didn’t　you　tell　me　this　downstairs？”　

There　had　been　something　so　tremendous　in　the　shrinking　off　
of　the　three；　that　the　wretched　man　was　willing　to　propitiate　even　
this　lad。　Accordingly　he　nodded；　and　made　as　though　he　would　
shake　hands　with　him。　

“Let　me　go　into　some　other　room；”　said　the　boy；　retreating　still　
farther。　

“Charley！”　said　Sikes；　stepping　forward；　“don’t　you—don’t　you　
know　me？”　

“Don’t　come　near　me；”　answered　the　boy；　still　retreating；　and　
looking；　with　horror　in　his　eyes；　upon　the　murderer’s　face。　“You　
monster！”　

The　man　stopped　half…way；　and　they　looked　at　each　other；　but　
Sikes’s　eyes　sank　gradually　to　the　ground。　

“Witness　you　three；”　cried　the　boy；　shaking　his　clenched　fist；　
and　becoming　more　and　more　excited　as　he　spoke。　“Witness　you　
three—I’m　not　afraid　of　him—if　they　come　here　after　him　I’ll　give　
him　up；　I　will。　I　tell　you　at　once。　He　may　kill　me　for　it　if　he　likes；