Oliver Twist 雾都孤儿 - Chapter 22
时间：2016-02-18 05:12:08
（单词翻译:单击）
'Hallo!' cried a loud, hoarse1 voice, as soon as they set foot in the passage. 'Don't make such a row,' said Sikes, bolting the door.
'A glim, Barney, a glim! Show the gentleman in, Barney; wake up first, if convenient.' The speaker appeared to throw a boot-jack, or some such article, at the person he addressed, to rouse him from his slumbers3:
for the noise of a wooden body, falling violently, was heard; and then an indistinct muttering, as of a man between sleep and awake. 'Do you hear?' cried the same voice.
'There's Bill Sikes in the passage with nobody to do the civil to him; and you sleeping there, as if you took laudanum with your meals, and nothing stronger.
Are you any fresher now, or do you want the iron candlestick to wake you thoroughly4?' A pair of slipshod feet shuffled5, hastily, across the bare floor of the room, as this interrogatory was put; and there issued, from a door on the right hand; first, a feeble candle:
and next, the form of the same individual who has been heretofore described as labouring under the infirmity of speaking through his nose, and officiating as waiter at the public-house on Saffron Hill. 'Bister Sikes!' exclaimed Barney, with real or counterfeit6 joy; 'cub7 id, sir; cub id.' 'Here! you get on first,' said Sikes, putting Oliver in front of him.
'Quicker! or I shall tread upon your heels.' Muttering a curse upon his tardiness8, Sikes pushed Oliver before him; and they entered a low dark room with a smoky fire, two or three broken chairs, a table, and a very old couch:
on which, with his legs much higher than his head, a man was reposing9 at full length, smoking a long clay pipe.
He was dressed in a smartly-cut snuff-coloured coat, with large brass10 buttons; an orange neckerchief; a coarse, staring, shawl-pattern waistcoat; and drab breeches.
Mr. Crackit (for he it was) had no very great quantity of hair, either upon his head or face; but what he had, was of a reddish dye, and tortured into long corkscrew curls, through which he occasionally thrust some very dirty fingers, ornamented11 with large common rings.
He was a trifle above the middle size, and apparently12 rather weak in the legs; but this circumstance by no means detracted from his own admiration13 of his top-boots, which he contemplated14, in their elevated situation, with lively satisfaction. 'Bill, my boy!' said this figure, turning his head towards the door, 'I'm glad to see you.
I was almost afraid you'd given it up:
in which case I should have made a personal wentur.
Hallo!' Uttering this exclamation15 in a tone of great surprise, as his eyes rested on Oliver, Mr. Toby Crackit brought himself into a sitting posture16, and demanded who that was. 'The boy.
Only the boy!' replied Sikes, drawing a chair towards the fire. 'Wud of Bister Fagid's lads,' exclaimed Barney, with a grin. 'Fagin's, eh!' exclaimed Toby, looking at Oliver.
His mug is a fortin' to him.' 'There--there's enough of that,' interposed Sikes, impatiently; and stooping over his recumbant friend, he whispered a few words in his ear:
at which Mr. Crackit laughed immensely, and honoured Oliver with a long stare of astonishment20. 'Now,' said Sikes, as he resumed his seat, 'if you'll give us something to eat and drink while we're waiting, you'll put some heart in us; or in me, at all events.
Sit down by the fire, younker, and rest yourself; for you'll have to go out with us again to-night, though not very far off.' Oliver looked at Sikes, in mute and timid wonder; and drawing a stool to the fire, sat with his aching head upon his hands, scarecely knowing where he was, or what was passing around him. 'Here,' said Toby, as the young Jew placed some fragments of food, and a bottle upon the table,
'Success to the crack!'
He rose to honour the toast; and, carefully depositing his empty pipe in a corner, advanced to the table, filled a glass with spirits, and drank off its contents.
Mr. Sikes did the same. 'A drain for the boy,' said Toby, half-filling a wine-glass. 'Down with it, innocence21.' 'Indeed,' said Oliver, looking piteously up into the man's face; 'indeed, I--' 'Down with it!' echoed Toby.
'Do you think I don't know what's good for you?
Tell him to drink it, Bill.' 'He had better!' said Sikes clapping his hand upon his pocket. 'Burn my body, if he isn't more trouble than a whole family of Dodgers22.
Drink it, you perwerse imp19; drink it!' Frightened by the menacing gestures of the two men, Oliver hastily swallowed the contents of the glass, and immediately fell into a violent fit of coughing:
which delighted Toby Crackit and Barney, and even drew a smile from the surly Mr. Sikes. This done, and Sikes having satisfied his appetite (Oliver could eat nothing but a small crust of bread which they made him swallow), the two men laid themselves down on chairs for a short nap.
Oliver retained his stool by the fire; Barney wrapped in a blanket, stretched himself on the floor:
close outside the fender. They slept, or appeared to sleep, for some time; nobody stirring but Barney, who rose once or twice to throw coals on the fire. Oliver fell into a heavy doze23:
imagining himself straying along the gloomy lanes, or wandering about the dark churchyard, or retracing24 some one or other of the scenes of the past day:
when he was roused by Toby Crackit jumping up and declaring it was half-past one. In an instant, the other two were on their legs, and all were actively25 engaged in busy preparation.
Sikes and his companion enveloped26 their necks and chins in large dark shawls, and drew on their great-coats; Barney, opening a cupboard, brought forth27 several articles, which he hastily crammed28 into the pockets. 'Barkers for me, Barney,' said Toby Crackit. 'Here they are,' replied Barney, producing a pair of pistols. 'You loaded them yourself.' 'All right!' replied Toby, stowing them away.
'The persuaders?' 'I've got 'em,' replied Sikes. 'Crape, keys, centre-bits, darkies--nothing forgotten?' inquired Toby:
fastening a small crowbar to a loop inside the skirt of his coat. 'All right,' rejoined his companion.
'Bring them bits of timber, Barney.
That's the time of day.' With these words, he took a thick stick from Barney's hands, who, having delivered another to Toby, busied himself in fastening on Oliver's cape29. 'Now then!' said Sikes, holding out his hand. Oliver:
who was completely stupified by the unwonted exercise, and the air, and the drink which had been forced upon him:
put his hand mechanically into that which Sikes extended for the purpose. 'Take his other hand, Toby,' said Sikes.
'Look out, Barney.' The man went to the door, and returned to announce that all was quiet.
The two robbers issued forth with Oliver between them. Barney, having made all fast, rolled himself up as before, and was soon asleep again. It was now intensely dark.
The fog was much heavier than it had been in the early part of the night; and the atmosphere was so damp, that, although no rain fell, Oliver's hair and eyebrows30, within a few minutes after leaving the house, had become stiff with the half-frozen moisture that was floating about.
They crossed the bridge, and kept on towards the lights which he had seen before.
They were at no great distance off; and, as they walked pretty briskly, they soon arrived at Chertsey. 'Slap through the town,' whispered Sikes; 'there'll be nobody in the way, to-night, to see us.' Toby acquiesced31; and they hurried through the main street of the little town, which at that late hour was wholly deserted32.
A dim light shone at intervals33 from some bed-room window; and the hoarse barking of dogs occasionally broke the silence of the night.
But there was nobody abroad.
They had cleared the town, as the church-bell struck two. Quickening their pace, they turned up a road upon the left hand. After walking about a quarter of a mile, they stopped before a detached house surrounded by a wall:
to the top of which, Toby Crackit, scarcely pausing to take breath, climbed in a twinkling. 'The boy next,' said Toby.
'Hoist34 him up; I'll catch hold of him.' Before Oliver had time to look round, Sikes had caught him under the arms; and in three or four seconds he and Toby were lying on the grass on the other side.
Sikes followed directly.
And they stole cautiously towards the house. And now, for the first time, Oliver, well-nigh mad with grief and terror, saw that housebreaking and robbery, if not murder, were the objects of the expedition.
A mist came before his eyes; the cold sweat stood upon his ashy face; his limbs failed him; and he sank upon his knees. 'Get up!' murmured Sikes, trembling with rage, and drawing the pistol from his pocket; 'Get up, or I'll strew36 your brains upon the grass.' 'Oh! for God's sake let me go!' cried Oliver; 'let me run away and die in the fields.
I will never come near London; never, never!
Oh! pray have mercy on me, and do not make me steal.
For the love of all the bright Angels that rest in Heaven, have mercy upon me!' The man to whom this appeal was made, swore a dreadful oath, and had cocked the pistol, when Toby, striking it from his grasp, placed his hand upon the boy's mouth, and dragged him to the house. 'Hush37!' cried the man; 'it won't answer here.
Say another word, and I'll do your business myself with a crack on the head.
That makes no noise, and is quite as certain, and more genteel.
He's game enough now, I'll engage.
I've seen older hands of his age took the same way, for a minute or two, on a cold night.' Sikes, invoking40 terrific imprecations upon Fagin's head for sending Oliver on such an errand, plied17 the crowbar vigorously, but with little noise.
After some delay, and some assistance from Toby, the shutter to which he had referred, swung open on its hinges. It was a little lattice window, about five feet and a half above the ground, at the back of the house:
which belonged to a scullery, or small brewing-place, at the end of the passage.
The aperture41 was so small, that the inmates42 had probably not thought it worth while to defend it more securely; but it was large enough to admit a boy of Oliver's size, nevertheless.
A very brief exercise of Mr. Sike's art, sufficed to overcome the fastening of the lattice; and it soon stood wide open also. 'Now listen, you young limb,' whispered Sikes, drawing a dark lantern from his pocket, and throwing the glare full on Oliver's face; 'I'm a going to put you through there.
Take this light; go softly up the steps straight afore you, and along the little hall, to the street door; unfasten it, and let us in.' 'There's a bolt at the top, you won't be able to reach,' interposed Toby. 'Stand upon one of the hall chairs.
which is the old lady's arms.' 'Keep quiet, can't you?' replied Sikes, with a threatening look. 'The room-door is open, is it?' 'Wide,' replied Toby, after peeping in to satisfy himself. 'The game of that is, that they always leave it open with a catch, so that the dog, who's got a bed in here, may walk up and down the passage when he feels wakeful.
Ha! ha! Barney 'ticed him away to-night.
So neat!' Although Mr. Crackit spoke44 in a scarcely audible whisper, and laughed without noise, Sikes imperiously commanded him to be silent, and to get to work.
Toby complied, by first producing his lantern, and placing it on the ground; then by planting himself firmly with his head against the wall beneath the window, and his hands upon his knees, so as to make a step of his back. This was no sooner done, than Sikes, mounting upon him, put Oiver gently through the window with his feet first; and, without leaving hold of his collar, planted him safely on the floor inside. 'Take this lantern,' said Sikes, looking into the room.
Sikes, pointing to the street-door with the pistol-barrel, briefly46 advised him to take notice that he was within shot all the way; and that if he faltered47, he would fall dead that instant. 'It's done in a minute,' said Sikes, in the same low whisper. 'Directly I leave go of you, do your work.
Hark!' 'What's that?' whispered the other man. They listened intently. 'Nothing,' said Sikes, releasing his hold of Oliver.
'Now!' In the short time he had had to collect his senses, the boy had firmly resolved that, whether he died in the attempt or not, he would make one effort to dart48 upstairs from the hall, and alarm the family.
Filled with this idea, he advanced at once, but stealthily. 'Come back!' suddenly cried Sikes aloud.
'Back! back!' Scared by the sudden breaking of the dead stillness of the place, and by a loud cry which followed it, Oliver let his lantern fall, and knew not whether to advance or fly. The cry was repeated--a light appeared--a vision of two terrified half-dressed men at the top of the stairs swam before his eyes--a flash--a loud noise--a smoke--a crash somewhere, but where he knew not,--and he staggered back. Sikes had disappeared for an instant; but he was up again, and had him by the collar before the smoke had cleared away.
He fired his own pistol after the men, who were already retreating; and dragged the boy up. 'Clasp your arm tighter,' said Sikes, as he drew him through the window.
'Give me a shawl here.
They've hit him.
Quick!
How the boy bleeds!' Then came the loud ringing of a bell, mingled49 with the noise of fire-arms, and the shouts of men, and the sensation of being carried over uneven50 ground at a rapid pace.
And then, the noises grew confused in the distance; and a cold deadly feeling crept over the boy's heart; and he saw or heard no more.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
hoarse
|
|
| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
pal
|
|
| n.朋友，伙伴，同志；vi.结为友 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
slumbers
|
|
| 睡眠，安眠( slumber的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
thoroughly
|
|
| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
shuffled
|
|
| v.洗（纸牌）( shuffle的过去式和过去分词 )；拖着脚步走；粗心地做；摆脱尘世的烦恼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
counterfeit
|
|
| vt.伪造，仿造；adj.伪造的，假冒的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
cub
|
|
| n.幼兽，年轻无经验的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
tardiness
|
|
| n.缓慢；迟延；拖拉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
reposing
|
|
| v.将（手臂等）靠在某人（某物）上( repose的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
brass
|
|
| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
ornamented
|
|
| adj.花式字体的v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
apparently
|
|
| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
admiration
|
|
| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
contemplated
|
|
| adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
exclamation
|
|
| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
posture
|
|
| n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
plied
|
|
| v.使用（工具）( ply的过去式和过去分词 )；经常供应（食物、饮料）；固定往来；经营生意 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
chapels
|
|
| n.小教堂， （医院、监狱等的）附属礼拜堂( chapel的名词复数 )；（在小教堂和附属礼拜堂举行的）礼拜仪式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
imp
|
|
| n.顽童 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
astonishment
|
|
| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
innocence
|
|
| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
dodgers
|
|
| n.躲闪者，欺瞒者( dodger的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
doze
|
|
| v.打瞌睡；n.打盹，假寐 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
retracing
|
|
| v.折回( retrace的现在分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
actively
|
|
| adv.积极地，勤奋地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
enveloped
|
|
| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
crammed
|
|
| adj.塞满的，挤满的；大口地吃；快速贪婪地吃v.把…塞满；填入；临时抱佛脚( cram的过去式) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
cape
|
|
| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
eyebrows
|
|
| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
acquiesced
|
|
| v.默认，默许( acquiesce的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
deserted
|
|
| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
intervals
|
|
| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
hoist
|
|
| n.升高，起重机，推动；v.升起，升高，举起 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
subdued
|
|
| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
strew
|
|
| vt.撒；使散落；撒在…上，散布于 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
hush
|
|
| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
wrench
|
|
| v.猛拧；挣脱；使扭伤；n.扳手；痛苦，难受 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
shutter
|
|
| n.百叶窗；(照相机)快门；关闭装置 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
invoking
|
|
| v.援引( invoke的现在分词 )；行使（权利等）；祈求救助；恳求 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
aperture
|
|
| n.孔，隙，窄的缺口 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
inmates
|
|
| n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
unicorn
|
|
| n.(传说中的)独角兽 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
spoke
|
|
| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
gasped
|
|
| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
briefly
|
|
| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
faltered
|
|
| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
dart
|
|
| v.猛冲，投掷；n.飞镖，猛冲 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
mingled
|
|
| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
uneven
|
|
| adj.不平坦的，不规则的，不均匀的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
©2005-2010英文阅读网