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！
that can possibly be conceived—it was enough to show the old
man that he had been observed。 He closed the lid of the box with a
loud crash； and； laying his hand on a bread…knife which was on the
table； started furiously up。 He trembled very much though； for；
even in his terror； Oliver could see that the knife quivered in the
air。
“What’s that？” said the Jew。 “What do you watch me for？ Why
are you awake？ What have you seen？ Speak out； boy！ Quick—
quick！ for your life！”
“I wasn’t able to sleep any longer； sir；” replied Oliver meekly。 “I
am very sorry if I have disturbed you； sir。”
“You were not awake an hour ago？” said the Jew； scowling
fiercely on the boy。
“No！ No； indeed！” replied Oliver。
“Are you sure？” cried the Jew； with a still fiercer look than
before； and a threatening attitude。
“Upon my word I was not； sir；” replied Oliver earnestly。 “I was
not； indeed； sir。”
“Tush； tush； my dear！” said the Jew； abruptly resuming his old
manner； and playing with the knife a little； before he laid it down；
as if to induce the belief that he had caught it up； in mere sport。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist
“Of course I know that； my dear。 I only tried to frighten you。
You’re a brave boy。 Ha！ ha！ you’re a brave boy； Oliver！” The Jew
rubbed his hands with a chuckle； but glanced uneasily at the box；
notwithstanding。
“Did you see any of these pretty things； my dear？” said the Jew；
laying his hand upon it after a short pause。
“Yes； sir；” replied Oliver。
‘‘Ah！” said the Jew； turning rather pale。 “They—they’re mine；
Oliver； my little property。 All I have to live upon； in my old age。
The folks call me a miser； my dear。 Only a miser； that’s all。”
Oliver thought the old gentleman must be a decided miser to
live in such a dirty place； with so many watches； but； thinking that
perhaps his fondness for the Dodger and the other boys cost him a
good deal of money； he only cast a deferential look at the Jew； and
asked if he might get up。
“Certainly； my dear； certainly；” replied the old gentleman。
“Stay。 There’s a pitcher of water in the corner by the door。
Bring it here： and I’ll give you a basin to wash in； my dear。”
Oliver got up； walked across the room； and stooped for an
instant to raise the pitcher。 When he turned his head； the box was
gone。
He had scarcely washed himself； and made everything tidy； by
emptying the basin out of the window； agreeable to the Jew’s
directions； when the Dodger returned； accompanied by a very
sprightly young friend； whom Oliver had seen smoking on the
previous night； and who was now formally introduced to him as
Charley Bates。 The four sat down； to breakfast； on the coffee； and
some hot rolls and ham which the Dodger had brought home in
the crown of his hat。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist
“Well；” said the Jew； glancing slyly at Oliver； and addressing
himself to the Dodger； “I hope you’ve been at work this morning；
my dears？”
“Hard；” replied the Dodger。
“As nails；” added Charley Bates。
“Good boys； good boys！” said the Jew。 “What have you got；
Dodger？”
“A couple of pocket…books；” replied that young gentleman。
“Lined？” inquired the Jew； with eagerness。
“Pretty well；” replied the Dodger； producing two pocket…books；
one green； and the other red。
“Not so heavy as they might be；” said the Jew； after looking at
the insides carefully； “but very neat and nicely made。 Ingenious
workman； ain’t he； Oliver？”
“Very； indeed； sir；” said Oliver。 At which Mr。 Charles Bates
laughed uproariously； very much to the amazement of Oliver； who
saw nothing to laugh at； in anything that had passed。
“And what have you got； my dear？” said Fagin to Charley
Bates。
“Wipes；” replied Master Bates； at the same time producing four
pocket…handkerchiefs。
“Well；” said the Jew； inspecting them closely； “they’re very
good ones—very。 You haven’t marked them well； though； Charley；
so the marks shall be picked out with a needle； and we’ll teach
Oliver how to do it。 Shall us； Oliver； eh？ Ha！ ha！ ha！”
“If you please； sir；” said Oliver。
“You’d like to be able to make pocket…handkerchiefs as easy as
Charley Bates； wouldn’t you； my dear？” said the Jew。
“Very much； indeed； if you’ll teach me； sir；” replied Oliver。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist
Master Bates saw something so exquisitely ludicrous in this
reply； that he burst into another laugh； which laugh； meeting the
coffee he was drinking； and carrying it down some wrong channel；
very nearly terminated in his premature suffocation。
“He is so jolly green！” said Charley when he recovered； as an
apology to the company for his unpolite behaviour。
The Dodger said nothing； but he smoothed Oliver’s hair over
his eyes； and said he’d know better； by and by； upon which the old
gentleman； observing Oliver’s colour mounting； changed the
subject by asking whether there had been much of a crowd at the
execution that morning。 This made him wonder more and more；
for it was plain from the replies of the two boys that they had both
been there； and Oliver naturally wondered how they could
possibly have found time to be so very industrious。
When the breakfast was cleared away； the merry old gentleman
and the two boys played at a very curious and uncommon game；
which was performed in this way。 The merry old gentleman；
placing a snuff…box in one pocket of his trousers； a note…case in the
other； and a watch in his waistcoat pocket； with a guard…chain
round his neck； and sticking a mock diamond pin in his shirt；
buttoned his coat tightly round him； and putting his spectacle…case
and handkerchief in his pockets； trotted up and down the room
with a stick； in imitation of the manner in which old gentlemen
walk about the streets any hour in the day。 Sometimes he stopped
at the fireplace； and sometimes at the door； making believe that he
was staring with all his might into shop…windows。 At such times；
he would look constantly round him； for fear of thieves； and would
keep slapping all his pockets in turn； to see that he hadn’t lost
anything； in such a very funny and natural manner； that Oliver
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist
laughed till the tears ran down his face。 All this time； the two boys
followed him closely about； getting out of his sight； so nimbly；
every time he turned round that it was impossible to follow their
motions。 At last； the Dodger trod upon his toes； or ran upon his
boot accidentally； while Charley Bates stumbled up against him
behind； and in that one moment they took from him； with the most
extraordinary rapidity； snuff…box； note…case； watch…guard； chain；
shirt…pin； pocket…handkerchief—even the spectacle…case。 If the old
gentleman felt a hand in any of his pockets； he cried out where it
was； and then the game began all over again。
When this game had been played a great many times； a couple
of young ladies called to see the yo