151看书网【151kanshu.com】第一时间更新《雾都孤儿(中英文对照)》最新章节。
THETIMEARRIVESFORNANCYTOREDEEMHERPLEDGETOROSEMAYLIE。SHEFAILS。
Adeptasshewas,inalltheartsofcunninganddissimulation,thegirlNancycouldnotwhollyconcealtheeffectwhichtheknowledgeofthestepshehadtaken,wroughtuponhermind。SherememberedthatboththecraftyJewandthebrutalSikeshadconfidedtoherschemes,whichhadbeenhiddenfromallothers:inthefullconfidencethatshewastrustworthyandbeyondthereachoftheirsuspicion。Vileasthoseschemeswere,desperateasweretheiroriginators,andbitteraswereherfeelingstowardsFagin,whohadledher,stepbystep,deeperanddeeperdownintoanabyssofcrimeandmisery,whencewasnoescape;still,thereweretimeswhen,eventowardshim,shefeltsomerelenting,lestherdisclosureshouldbringhimwithintheirongrasphehadsolongeluded,andheshouldfallatlast--richlyashemeritedsuchafate--byherhand。
But,thesewerethemerewanderingsofamindunablewhollytodetachitselffromoldcompanionsandassociations,thoughenabledtofixitselfsteadilyononeobject,andresolvednottobeturnedasidebyanyconsideration。HerfearsforSikeswouldhavebeenmorepowerfulinducementstorecoilwhiletherewasyettime;butshehadstipulatedthathersecretshouldberigidlykept,shehaddroppednocluewhichcouldleadtohisdiscovery,shehadrefused,evenforhissake,arefugefromalltheguiltandwretchednessthatencompassesher--andwhatmorecouldshedo!Shewasresolved。
Thoughallhermentalstrugglesterminatedinthisconclusion,theyforcedthemselvesuponher,againandagain,andlefttheirtracestoo。Shegrewpaleandthin,evenwithinafewdays。Attimes,shetooknoheedofwhatwaspassingbeforeher,ornopartinconversationswhereonce,shewouldhavebeentheloudest。Atothertimes,shelaughedwithoutmerriment,andwasnoisywithoutamomentafterwards--shesatsilentanddejected,broodingwithherheaduponherhands,whiletheveryeffortbywhichsherousedherself,told,moreforciblythaneventheseindications,thatshewasillatease,andthatherthoughtswereoccupiedwithmattersverydifferentanddistantfromthoseinthecourseofdiscussionbyhercompanions。
ItwasSundaynight,andthebellofthenearestchurchstruckthehour。SikesandtheJewweretalking,buttheypausedtolisten。Thegirllookedupfromthelowseatonwhichshecrouched,andlistenedtoo。Eleven。
‘Anhourthissideofmidnight,’saidSikes,raisingtheblindtolookoutandreturningtohisseat。‘Darkandheavyitistoo。Agoodnightforbusinessthis。’
‘Ah!’repliedFagin。‘Whatapity,Bill,mydear,thatthere'snonequitereadytobedone。’
‘You'rerightforonce,’repliedSikesgruffly。‘Itisapity,forI'minthehumourtoo。’
Faginsighed,andshookhisheaddespondingly。
‘Wemustmakeupforlosttimewhenwe'vegotthingsintoagoodtrain。That'sallIknow,’saidSikes。
‘That'sthewaytotalk,mydear,’repliedFagin,venturingtopathimontheshoulder。‘Itdoesmegoodtohearyou。’
‘Doesyougood,doesit!’criedSikes。‘Well,sobeit。’
‘Ha!ha!ha!’laughedFagin,asifhewererelievedbyeventhisconcession。‘You'relikeyourselfto-night,Bill。Quitelikeyourself。’
‘Idon'tfeellikemyselfwhenyoulaythatwitheredoldclawonmyshoulder,sotakeitaway,’saidSikes,castingofftheJew'shand。
‘Itmakeyounervous,Bill,--remindsyouofbeingnabbed,doesit?’saidFagin,determinednottobeoffended。
‘Remindsmeofbeingnabbedbythedevil,’returnedSikes。‘Thereneverwasanothermanwithsuchafaceasyours,unlessitwasyourfather,andIsuppose_he_issingeinghisgrizzledredbeardbythistime,unlessyoucamestraightfromtheold’unwithoutanyfatheratallbetwixtyou;whichIshouldn'twonderat,abit。‘
Faginofferednoreplytothiscompliment:but,pullingSikesbythesleeve,pointedhisfingertowardsNancy,whohadtakenadvantageoftheforegoingconversationtoputonherbonnet,andwasnowleavingtheroom。
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