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oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第91章

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“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; 

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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; that she might safely do 
so; she proceeded in a voice so low that it was often difficult for the 
listener to discover even the import of what she said; to describe; 
by name and situation; the public…house whence she had been 
followed that night。 From the manner in which she occasionally 
paused; it appeared as if the gentleman were making some hasty 
notes of the information she communicated。 When she had 
thoroughly explained the localities of the place; the best position 
from which to watch it without exciting observation; and the night 
and hour on which Monks was most in the habit of frequenting it; 
she seemed to consider for a few moments; for the purpose of 
recalling his features and appearance more forcibly to her 
recollection。 

“He is tall;” said the girl; “and a strongly…made man; but not 

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stout; he has a lurking walk; and as he walks; constantly looks over 
his shoulder; first on one side; and then on the other。 Don’t forget 
that; for his eyes are sunk in his head so much deeper than any 
other man’s; that you might almost tell him by that alone。 His face 
is dark; like his hair and eyes; and; although he can’t be more than 
six or eight…and…twenty; withered and haggard。 His lips are often 
discoloured and disfigured with the marks of teeth; for he has 
desperate fits; and sometimes even bites his hands and covers 
them with wounds。—Why did you start?” said the girl; stopping 
suddenly。 

The gentleman replied; in a hurried manner; that he was not 
conscious of having done so; and begged her to proceed。 

“Part of this;” said the girl; “I’ve drawn out from other people at 
the house I tell you of; for I have only seen him twice; and both 
times he was covered up in a large cloak。 I think that’s all I can 
give you to know him by。 Stay; though;” she added。 “Upon his 
throat; so high that you can see a part of it below his neckerchief 
when he turns his face; there is—” 

“A broad red mark; like a burn or scald?” cried the gentleman。 

“How’s this?” said the girl。 “You know him!” 

The young lady uttered a cry of surprise; and for a few 
moments they were so still that the listener could distinctly hear 
them breathe。 

“I think I do;” said the gentleman; breaking silence。 “I should 
by your description。 We shall see。 Many people are singularly like 
each other。 It may not be the same。” 

As he expressed himself to this effect; with assumed 
carelessness; he took a step or two nearer the concealed spy; as 
the latter could tell from the distinctness with which he heard him 

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mutter; “It must be he!” 

“Now;” he said; returning; so it seemed by the sound; to the 
spot where he had stood before; “you have given us most valuable 
assistance; young woman; and I wish you to be the better for it。 
What can I do to serve you?” 

“Nothing;” replied Nancy。 

“You will not persist in saying that;” rejoined the gentleman; 
with a voice and emphasis of kindness that might have touched a 
much harder and more obdurate heart。 “Think now。 Tell me。” 

“Nothing; sir;” rejoined the girl; weeping。 “You can do nothing 
to help me。 I am past all hope; indeed。” 

“You put yourself beyond its pale;” said the gentleman。 “The 
past has been a dreary waste with you; of youthful energies 
misspent; and such priceless treasures lavished; as the Creator 
bestows but once and never grants again; but; for the future; you 
may hope。 I do not say that it is in our power to offer you peace of 
heart and mind; for that must come as you seek it; but a quiet 
asylum; either in England; or; if you fear to remain here; in some 
foreign country; it is not only within the compass of our ability but 
our most anxious wish to secure you。 Before the dawn of morning; 
before this river wakes to the first glimpse of daylight; you shall be 
placed as entirely beyond the reach of your former associates; and 
leave as utter an absence of all trace behind you; as if you were to 
disappear from the earth this moment。 Come! I would not have 
you go back to exchange one word with any old companion or take 
one look at any old haunt; or breathe the very air which is 
pestilence and death to you。 Quit them all; while there is time and 
opportunity!” 

“She will be persuaded now;” cried the young lady。 “She 

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hesitates; I am sure。” 

“I fear not; my dear;” said the gentleman。 

“No; sir; I do not;” replied the girl; after a short struggle。 “I am 
chained to my old life。 I loathe and hate it now; but I cannot leave 
it。 I must have gone too far to turn back—and yet I don’t know; for 
if you had spoken to me so; some time ago; I should have laughed 
it off。 But;” she said; looking hastily round; “this fear comes over 
me again。 I must go home。” 

“Home!” repeated the young lady; with great stress upon the 
word。 

“Home; lady;” rejoined the girl。 “To such a home as I have 
raised for myself with the work of my whole life。 Let us part。 I shall 
be watched or seen。 Go! Go! If I have done you any service; all I 
ask is; that you leave me; and let me go my way alone。” 

“It is useless;” said the gentleman; with a sigh。 “We 
compromise her safety; perhaps; by staying here。 We may have 
detained her longer than she expected already。” 

“Yes; yes;” urged the girl。 “You have。” 

“What;” cried the young lady; “can be the end of this poor 
creature’s life!” 

“What!” repeated the girl。 “Look before you; lady。 Look at that 
dark water。 How many times do you read of such as I who spring 
into the tide; and leave no living thing; to care for; or bewail them。 
It may be years hence; or it may be only months; but I shall come 
to that at last。” 

“Do not speak thus; pray;” returned the young lady; sobbing。 

“It will never reach your ears; dear lady; and God forbid such 
horrors should!” replied the girl。 “Good…night; good…night!” 

The gentleman turned away。 

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“This purse;” cried the young lady。 “Take it for my sake; that 
you may have some resource in an hour of need and trouble。” 

“No!” replied the girl。 “I have not done this for money。 Let me 
have that to think of。 And yet—give me something that you have 
worn—I should like to have something—no; no; not a ring—your 
gloves or handkerchief—anything that I can keep; as having 
belonged to you; sweet lady。 There。 Bless you! God bless you。 
Good…night; good…night!” 

The violent agitation of the girl; and the apprehension of some 
discovery which would subject her to ill…usage and violence; 
seemed to determine the gentleman to leave her; as she requested。 
The sound of retreating footsteps were audible and the voices 
ceased。 

The two figures of the young lady and her companion soon 
afterwards appeared upo
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