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！
when he heard the sound of footsteps； and directly afterwards of
voices almost close to his ear。
He drew himself straight upright against the wall； and； scarcely
breathing； listened attentively。
“This is far enough；” said a voice； which was evidently that of a
gentleman。 “I will not suffer the young lady to go any further。
Many people would have distrusted you too much to have come
even so far； but you see I am willing to humour you。”
“To humour me！” cried the voice of the girl whom he had
followed。 “You’re considerate； indeed； sir。 To humour me！ Well；
well； it’s no matter。”
“Why； for what；” said the gentleman in a kinder tone； “for what
purpose can you have brought us to this strange place？ Why not
have let me speak to you； above there； where it is light； and there
is something stirring； instead of bringing us to this dark and
dismal hole？”
“I told you before；” replied Nancy； “that I was afraid to speak to
you there。 I don’t know why it is；” said the girl； shuddering； “but I
have such a fear and dread upon me tonight that I can hardly
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist 492
stand。”
“A fear of what？” asked the gentleman； who seemed to pity her。
“I scarcely know what；” replied the girl。 “I wish I did。 Horrible
thoughts of death； and shrouds with blood upon them； and a fear
that has made me burn as if I was on fire； have been upon me all
day。 I was reading a book tonight； to wile the time away； and the
same things came into the print。”
“Imagination；” said the gentleman； soothing her。
“No imagination；” replied the girl； in a hoarse voice。 “I’ll swear
I saw ‘coffin’ written in every page of the book in large black
letters—aye； and they carried one close to me； in the streets
tonight。”
“There is nothing unusual in that；” said the gentleman。 “They
have passed me often。”
“Real ones；” rejoined the girl。 “This was not。”
There was something so uncommon in her manner； that the
flesh of the concealed listener crept as he heard the girl utter these
words； and the blood chilled within him。 He had never
experienced a greater relief than in hearing the sweet voice of the
young lady as she begged her to be calm； and not allow herself to
become the prey of such fearful fancies。
“Speak to her kindly；” said the young lady to her companion。
“Poor creature！ She seems to need it。”
“Your haughty religious people would have held their heads up
to see me as I am tonight； and preached of flames and vengeance；”
cried the girl。 “Oh； dear lady； why ar’n’t those who claim to be
God’s own folks as gentle and as kind to us poor wretches as you；
who； having youth； and beauty； and all that they have lost； might
be a little proud instead of so much humbler。”
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist 493
“Ah！” said the gentleman。 “A Turk turns his face； after washing
it well； to the east； when he says his prayers； these good people；
after giving their faces such a rub against the world as to take the
smiles off； turn with no less regularity to the darkest side of
heaven。 Between the Mussulman and the Pharisee； commend me
to the first。”
These words appeared to be addressed to the young lady； and
were perhaps uttered with the view of affording Nancy time to
recover herself。 The gentleman； shortly afterwards； addressed
himself to her。
“You were not here last Sunday night；” he said。
“I couldn’t come；” replied Nancy； “I was kept by force。”
“By whom？”
“Him that I told the young lady of before。”
“You were not suspected of holding any communication with
anybody on the subject which has brought us here tonight； I
hope？” asked the old gentleman。
“No；” replied the girl； shaking her head。 “It’s not very easy for
me to leave him unless he knows why； I couldn’t have seen the
lady when I did； but that I gave him a drink of laudanum before I
came away。”
“Did he awake before you returned？” inquired the gentleman。
“No； and neither he nor any of them suspect me。”
“Good；” said the gentleman。 “Now listen to me。”
“I am ready；” replied the girl； as he paused for a moment。
“This young lady；” the gentleman began； “has communicated to
me； and to some other friends who can be safely trusted； what you
told her nearly a fortnight since。 I confess to you that I had doubts；
at first； whether you were to be implicitly relied upon； but now I
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist 494
firmly believe you are。”
“I am；” replied the girl earnestly。
“I repeat that I firmly believe it。 To prove to you that I am
disposed to trust you； I tell you without reserve； that we propose to
extort the secret； whatever it may be； from the fears of this man
Monks。 But if—if—” said the gentleman； “he cannot be secured；
or； if secured； cannot be acted upon as we wish； you must deliver
up the Jew。”
“Fagin；” cried the girl； recoiling。
“That man must be delivered up by you；” said the gentleman。
“I will not do it！ I will never do it！” replied the girl。 “Devil that
he is； and worse than devil as he has been to me； I will never do
that。”
“You will not？” said the gentleman； who seemed fully prepared
for this answer。
“Never！” returned the girl。
“Tell me why？”
“For one reason；” rejoined the girl firmly—“for one reason； that
the lady knows and will stand by me in； I know she will； for I have
her promise； and for this other reason； besides； that； bad life as he
has led； I have led a bad life too； there are many of us who have
kept the same courses together； and I’ll not turn upon them； who
might—any of them—have turned upon me but didn’t； bad as they
are。”
“Then；” said the gentleman quickly； as if this had been the
point that he had been aiming to attain； “put Monks into my
hands； and leave him to me to deal with。”
“What if he turned against the others？”
“I promise you that in that case； if the truth is forced from him；
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist 495
there the matter will rest； there must be circumstances in Oliver’s
little history which it would be painful to drag before the public
eye； and if the truth is once elicited； they shall go scot…free。”
“And if it is not？” suggested the girl。
“Then；” pursued the gentleman； “this Fagin shall not be
brought to justice without your consent。 In such a case I could
show you reasons； I think； which would induce you to yield it。”
“Have I the lady’s promise for that？” asked the girl。
“You have；” replied Rose。 “My true and faithful pledge。”
“Monks would never learn how you know what you do？” said
the girl； after a short pause。
“Never；” replied the gentleman。 “The intelligence should be so
brought to bear upon him； that he could never even guess。”
“I have been a liar； and among liars from a little child；” said the
girl； after another interval of silence； “but I will take your words。”
After receiving an assurance from both；