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oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第58章

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the mat; as coolly as if he lived there。 

“Just send somebody out to relieve my mate; will you; young 
man?” said the officer; “he’s in the gig; a…minding the prad。 Have 
you got a coach ’us here; that you could put it up in; for five or ten 
minutes?” 

Brittles replying in the affirmative; and pointing out the 
building; the portly man stepped back to the garden gate; and 
helped his companion to put up the gig; while Brittles lighted 
them; in a state of great admiration。 This done; they returned to 
the house; and; being shown into a parlour; took off their 
greatcoats and hats; and showed like what they were。 

The man who had knocked at the door was a stout personage of 
middle height; aged about fifty; with shiny black hair; cropped 
pretty close; half…whiskers; a round face; and sharp eyes。 The 
other was a red…headed; bony man; in top…boots; with a rather ill…
favoured countenance; and a turned…up sinister…looking nose。 

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“Tell your governor that Blathers and Duff is here; will you?” 
said the stouter man; smoothing down his hair; and laying a pair of 
handcuffs on the table。 “Oh! Good…evening; master。 Can I have a 
word or two with you in private; if you please?” 

This was addressed to Mr。 Losberne; who now made his 
appearance; that gentleman; motioning Brittles to retire; brought 
in the two ladies; and shut the door。 

“This is the lady of the house;” said Mr。 Losberne; motioning 
towards Mrs。 Maylie。 

Mr。 Blathers made a bow。 Being desired to sit down; he put his 
hat on the floor; and taking a chair; motioned Duff to do the same。 
The latter gentleman; who did not appear quite so much 
accustomed to good society; or quite so much at his ease in it—one 
of the two—seated himself; after undergoing several muscular 
affections of the limbs; and forced the head of his stick into his 
mouth; with some embarrassment。 

“Now; with regard to this here robbery; master;” said Blathers。 
“What are the circumstances?” 

Mr。 Losberne; who appeared desirous of gaining time; 
recounted them at great length; and with much circumlocution。 
Messrs。 Blathers and Duff looked very knowing meanwhile; and 
occasionally exchanged a nod。 

“I can’t say; for certain; till I see the work; of course;” said 
Blathers; “but my opinion at once is—I don’t mind committing 
myself to that extent—that this wasn’t done by a yokel; eh; Duff?” 

“Certainly not;” replied Duff。 

“And; translating the word yokel for the benefit of the ladies; I 
apprehend your meaning to be; that this attempt was not made by 
a countryman?” said Mr。 Losberne; with a smile。 

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“That’s it; master;” replied Blathers。 “This is all about the 
robbery; is it?” 

“All;” replied the doctor。 

“Now; what is this; about this here boy that the servants are a…
talking on?” said Blathers。 

“Nothing at all;” replied the doctor。 “One of the frightened 
servants chose to take it into his head; that he had something to do 
with this attempt to break into the house; but it’s nonsense—sheer 
absurdity。” 

“Very easy disposed of; if it is;” remarked Duff。 

“What he says is quite correct;” observed Blathers; nodding his 
head in a confirmatory way; and playing carelessly with the 
handcuffs; as if they were a pair of castanets。 “Who is the boy? 
What account does he give of himself? Where did he come from? 
He didn’t drop out of the clouds; did he; master?” 

“Of course not;” replied the doctor; with a nervous glance at the 
two ladies。 “I know his whole history; but we can talk about that 
presently。 You would like; first; to see the place where the thieves 
made their attempt; I suppose!” 

“Certainly;” rejoined Mr。 Blathers。 “We had better inspect the 
premises first; and examine the servants afterwards。 That’s the 
usual way of doing business。” 

Lights were then procured; and Messrs。 Blathers and Duff; 
attended by the native constable; Brittles; Giles; and everybody 
else in short; went into the little room at the end of the passage 
and looked out at the window; and afterwards went round by way 
of the lawn; and looked in at the window; and after that; had a 
candle handed out to inspect the shutter with; and after that; a 
lantern to trace the footsteps with; and after that; a pitchfork to 

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poke the bushes with。 This done; amidst the breathless interest of 
all beholders they came in again; and Mr。 Giles and Brittles were 
put through a melodramatic representation of their share in the 
previous night’s adventures; which they performed some six times 
over; contradicting each other; in not more than one important 
respect; the first time; and in not more than a dozen the last。 This 
consummation being arrived at; Blathers and Duff cleared the 
room; and held a long council together; compared with which; for 
secrecy and solemnity; a consultation of great doctors on the 
knottiest point in medicine; would be mere child’s play。 

Meanwhile; the doctor walked up and down the next room in a 
very uneasy state; and Mrs。 Maylie and Rose looked on; with 
anxious faces。 

“Upon my word;” he said; making a halt; after a great number 
of very rapid turns; “I hardly know what to do。” 

“Surely;” said Rose; “the poor child’s story; faithfully repeated 
to these men; will be sufficient to exonerate him。” 

“I doubt it; my dear young lady;” said the doctor; shaking his 
head。 “I don’t think it would exonerate him; either with them; or 
with legal functionaries of a higher grade。 What is he; after all; 
they would say? A runaway。 Judged by mere worldly 
considerations and probabilities; his story is a very doubtful one。” 

“You believe it; surely?” interrupted Rose。 

“I believe it; strange as it is; and perhaps I may be an old fool 
for doing so;” rejoined the doctor; “but I don’t think it is exactly 
the tale for a practised police…officer; nevertheless。” 

“Why not?” demanded Rose。 

“Because; my pretty cross…examiner;” replied the doctor; 
“because; viewed with their eyes; there are many ugly points 

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about it; he can only prove the parts that look ill; and none of those 
that look well。 Confound the fellows; they will have the why and 
the wherefore; and will take nothing for granted。 On his own 
showing; you see; he has been the companion of thieves for some 
time past; he had been carried to a police…office; on a charge of 
picking a gentleman’s pocket; he has been taken away; forcibly; 
from that gentleman’s house; to a place which he cannot describe 
or point out; and of the situation Of which he has not the remotest 
idea。 He is brought down to Chertsey; by men who seem to have 
taken a violent fancy to him; whether he will or no; and is put 
through a window to rob a house; and then; just at the very 
moment when he is going to alarm the inmates; and so do the very 
thing that would set him all to rights; there rushes into the way; a 
blundering dog of a half…bred butler; and shoots him! As if on 
purpose to prevent his doing any good for himself! Don’t you see 
all this?” 

“I see it; of course;” replied Rose; smiling at the doctor’s 
impetuosity; “but still I do not see anything in it; to criminate the 
poor child。” 

“No;” replied the doctor; “of course not! Bless the bright eyes of 
your sex! They never see; whether for good or bad; more than one 
side of any question; and that is; always; the one which first 
presents itself to them。” 

Having given vent to this result of experience; the doctor put 
his hands into his pockets; and walked up and down the room with 
even greater rapidity than before。 

“The more I think of it;” said the doctor; “the more I see that it 
will occasion endless trouble and difficulty if we put these men in 
possession of the boy’s real story。 I am certain it will not be 

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believed; and even if they can do nothing to him in the end; still 
the dragging it forward; and giving publicity to all the doubts that 
will be cast upon it; must interfere; materially; with your 
benevolent plan of rescuing him from misery。” 

“Oh! what is to be done?” cried Rose。 “Dear; dear! why did they 
send for these people?” 

“Why; indeed!” exclaimed Mrs。 Maylie。 “I would not have had 
them here; for the world。” 

“All I know is;” said Mr。 Losberne; at last; sitting down with a 
kind of desperate calmness; “that we must try and carry it off with 
a bold face。 The object is a good one; and that must be our excuse。 
The boy has strong symptoms of fever upon him; and is in no 
condition to be talked to any more; that’s one comfort。 We must 
make the best of it; and if bad be the best; it is no fault of ours。 
Come in!” 

“Well; master;” said Blathers; entering the room; followed by 
his colleague; and making the door fast; before he said any more。 
“This warn’t a put…up th
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