按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist 435
“What makes you look so hurried？” asked Rose； advancing to
meet him。
“I hardly know how； I feel as if I should be choked；” replied the
boy。 “Oh； dear！ To think that I should see him at last； and you
should be able to know that I have told you all the truth！”
“I never thought you had told us anything but the truth；” said
Rose； soothing him。 “But what is this？—of whom do you speak？”
“I have seen the gentleman；” replied Oliver； scarcely able to
articulate； “the gentleman who was so good to me—Mr。 Brownlow；
that we have so often talked about。”
“Where？” asked Rose。
“Getting out of a coach；” replied Oliver； shedding tears of
delight； “and going into a house。 I didn’t speak to him—I couldn’t
speak to him； for he didn’t see me； and I trembled so； that I was
not able to go up to him。 But Giles asked； for me； whether he lived
there； and they said he did。 Look here；” said Oliver； opening a
scrap of paper； “here it is； here’s where he lives—I’m going there
directly！ Oh； dear me； dear me！ What shall I do when I come to see
him and hear him speak again！”
With her attention not a little distracted by these and a great
many other incoherent exclamations of joy； Rose read the address；
which was Craven Street； in the Strand； and very soon determined
upon turning the discovery to account。
“Quick！” she said； “tell them to fetch a hackney…coach； and be
ready to go with me。 I will take you there directly； without a
moment’s loss of time。 I will only tell my aunt that we are going
out for an hour； and be ready as soon as you are。”
Oliver needed no prompting to despatch； and in little more than
five minutes they were on their way to Craven Street。 When they
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist 436
arrived there； Rose left Oliver in the coach； under pretence of
preparing the old gentleman to receive him； and sending up her
card by the servant； requested to see Mr。 Brownlow on very
pressing business。 The servant soon returned； to beg that she
would walk upstairs； and following him into an upper room； Miss
Maylie was presented to an elderly gentleman of benevolent
appearance； in a bottle…green coat。 At no great distance from
whom； was seated another old gentleman； in nankeen breeches
and gaiters； who did not look particularly benevolent； and who
was sitting with his hands clasped on the top of a thick stick； and
his chin propped thereupon。
“Dear me；” said the gentleman in the bottle…green coat； hastily
rising with great politeness； “I beg your pardon； young lady—I
imagined it was some importunate person who—I beg you will
excuse me。 Be seated； pray。”
“Mr。 Brownlow； I believe； sir？” said Rose； glancing from the
other gentleman to the one who had spoken。
“That is my name；” said the old gentleman。 “This is my friend；
Mr。 Grimwig。 Grimwig； will you leave us for a few minutes？”
“I believe；” interposed Miss Maylie； “that at this period of our
interview； I need not give the gentleman the trouble of going away。
If I am correctly informed； he is cognisant of the business on
which I wish to speak to you。”
Mr。 Brownlow inclined his head。 Mr。 Grimwig； who had made
one very stiff bow； and risen from his chair； made another very
stiff bow； and dropped into it again。
“I shall surprise you very much； I have no doubt；” said Rose；
naturally embarrassed； “but you once showed great benevolence
and goodness to a very dear young friend of mine； and I am sure
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist 437
you will take an interest in hearing of him again。”
“Indeed！” said Mr。 Brownlow。
“Oliver Twist you knew him as；” replied Rose。
The words no sooner escaped her lips； than Mr。 Grimwig； who
had been affecting to dip into a large book that lay on the table；
upset it with a great crash； and falling back in his chair；
discharged from his features every expression but one of
unmitigated wonder； and indulged in a prolonged and vacant
stare； then； as if ashamed of having betrayed so much emotion； he
jerked himself； as it were； by a convulsion into his former attitude；
and looking out straight before him emitted a long； deep whistle；
which seemed； at last； not to be discharged on empty air； but to die
away in the innermost recesses of his stomach。
Mr。 Brownlow was no less surprised； although his astonishment
was not expressed in the same eccentric manner。 He drew his
chair nearer to Miss Maylie’s； and said：
“Do me the favour； my dear young lady； to leave entirely out of
the question that goodness and benevolence of which you speak；
and of which nobody else knows anything； and if you have it in
your power to produce any evidence which will alter the
unfavourable opinion I was once induced to entertain of that poor
child； in Heaven’s name put me in possession of it。”
“A bad one！ I’ll eat my head if he is not a bad one；” growled Mr。
Grimwig； speaking by some ventriloquial power； without moving a
muscle of his face。
“He is a child of a noble nature and a warm heart；” said Rose；
colouring； “and that Power which has thought fit to try him
beyond his years； has planted in his breast affections and feelings
which would do honour to many who have numbered his days six
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist 438
times over。”
“I’m only sixty…one；” said Mr。 Grimwig； with the same rigid
face。 “And； as the devil’s in it if this Oliver is not twelve years old
at least； I don’t see the application of that remark。”
“Do not heed my friend； Miss Maylie；” said Mr。 Brownlow； “he
does not mean what he says。”
“Yes； he does；” growled Mr。 Grimwig。
“No； he does not；” said Mr。 Brownlow； obviously rising in wrath
as he spoke。
“He’ll eat his head； if he doesn’t；” growled Mr。 Grimwig。
“He would deserve to have it knocked off； if he does；” said Mr。
Brownlow。
“And he’d uncommonly like to see any man offer to do it；”
responded Mr。 Grimwig； knocking his stick upon the floor。
Having gone thus far； the two old gentleman severally took
snuff； and afterwards shook hands； according to their invariable
custom。
“Now； Miss Maylie；” said Mr。 Brownlow； “to return to the
subject in which your humanity is so much interested。 Will you let
me know what intelligence you have of this poor child； allowing
me to premise that I exhausted every means in my power of
discovering him； and that since I have been absent from this
country； my first impression that he had imposed upon me； and
had been persuaded by his former associates to rob me； has been
considerably shaken。”
Rose； who had had time to collect her thoughts； at once related；
in a few natural words； all that had befallen Oliver since he left Mr。
Brownlow’s house； reserving Nancy’s information for that
gentleman’s private ear； and concluding with the assurance that
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist 439
his only sorrow； for some months past； had been