Chapter 20 (第1/3页)

WHEREINOLVERISDELIVEREDOVERTOMR。WILLIAMSIKES

WhenOliverawokeinthemorning，hewasagooddealsurprisedtofindthatanewpairofshoes，withstrongthicksoles，hadbeenplacedathisbedside；andthathisoldshoeshadbeenremoved。Atfirst，hewaspleasedwiththediscovery：hopingthatitmightbetheforerunnerofhisrelease；butsuchthoughtswerequicklydispelled，onhissittingdowntobreakfastalongwiththeJew，whotoldhim，inatoneandmannerwhichincreasedhisalarm，thathewastobetakentotheresidenceofBillSikesthatnight。

‘To--to--stopthere，sir？’askedOliver，anxiously。

‘No，no，mydear。Nottostopthere，’repliedtheJew。‘Weshouldn'tliketoloseyou。Don'tbeafraid，Oliver，youshallcomebacktousagain。Ha！ha！ha！Wewon'tbesocruelastosendyouaway，mydear。Ohno，no！’

Theoldman，whowasstoopingoverthefiretoastingapieceofbread，lookedroundashebanteredOliverthus；andchuckledasiftoshowthatheknewhewouldstillbeverygladtogetawayifhecould。

‘Isuppose，’saidtheJew，fixinghiseyesonOliver，‘youwanttoknowwhatyou'regoingtoBill'sfor---eh，mydear？’

Olivercoloured，involuntarily，tofindthattheoldthiefhadbeenreadinghisthoughts；butboldlysaid，Yes，hedidwanttoknow。

‘Why，doyouthink？’inquiredFagin，parryingthequestion。

‘IndeedIdon'tknow，sir，’repliedOliver。

‘Bah！’saidtheJew，turningawaywithadisappointedcountenancefromacloseperusaloftheboy'sface。‘WaittillBilltellsyou，then。’

TheJewseemedmuchvexedbyOliver'snotexpressinganygreatercuriosityonthesubject；butthetruthis，that，althoughOliverfeltveryanxious，hewastoomuchconfusedbytheearnestcunningofFagin'slooks，andhisownspeculations，tomakeanyfurtherinquiriesjustthen。Hehadnootheropportunity：fortheJewremainedverysurlyandsilenttillnight：whenhepreparedtogoabroad。

‘Youmayburnacandle，’saidtheJew，puttingoneuponthetable。‘Andhere'sabookforyoutoread，tilltheycometofetchyou。Good-night！’

‘Good-night！’repliedOliver，softly。

TheJewwalkedtothedoor：lookingoverhisshoulderattheboyashewent。Suddenlystopping，hecalledhimbyhisname。

Oliverlookedup；theJew，pointingtothecandle，motionedhimtolightit。Hedidso；and，asheplacedthecandlestickuponthetable，sawthattheJewwasgazingfixedlyathim，withloweringandcontractedbrows，fromthedarkendoftheroom。

‘Takeheed，Oliver！takeheed！’saidtheoldman，shakinghisrighthandbeforehiminawarningmanner。‘He'saroughman，andthinksnothingofbloodwhenhisownisup。Whateverfallsout，saynothing；anddowhathebidsyou。Mind！’Placingastrongemphasisonthelastword，hesufferedhisfeaturesgraduallytoresolvethemselvesintoaghastlygrin，and，noddinghishead，lefttheroom。

Oliverleanedhisheaduponhishandwhentheoldmandisappeared，andpondered，withatremblingheart，onthewordshehadjustheard。ThemorehethoughtoftheJew'sadmonition，themorehewasatalosstodivineitsrealpurposeandmeaning。

HecouldthinkofnobadobjecttobeattainedbysendinghimtoSikes，whichwouldnotbeequallywellansweredbyhisremainingwithFagin；andaftermeditatingforalongtime，concludedthathehadbeenselectedtoperformsomeordinarymenialofficesforthehousebreaker，untilanotherboy，bettersuitedforhispurposecouldbeengaged。Hewastoowellaccustomedtosuffering，andhadsufferedtoomuchwherehewas，tobewailtheprospectofchangeveryseverely。Heremainedlostinthoughtforsomeminutes；andthen，withaheavysigh，snuffedthecandle，and，takingupthebookwhichtheJewhadleftwithhim，begantoread。

Heturnedovertheleaves。Carelesslyatfirst；but，lightingonapassagewhichattractedhisattention，hesoonbecameintentuponthevolume。Itwasahistoryofthelivesandtrialsofgreatcriminals；andthepagesweresoiledandthumbedwithuse。Here，hereadofdreadfulcrimesthatmadethebloodruncold；ofsecretmurdersthathadbeencommittedbythelonelywayside；ofbodieshiddenfromtheeyeofmanindeeppitsandwells：whichwouldnotkeepthemdown，deepastheywere，buthadyieldedthemupatlast，aftermanyyears，andsomaddenedthemurdererswiththesight，thatintheirhorrortheyhadconfessedtheirguilt，andyelledforthegibbettoendtheiragony。Here，too，hereadofmenwho，lyingintheirbedsatdeadofnight，hadbeentempted（sotheysaid）andledon，bytheirownbadthoughts，tosuchdreadfulbloodshedasitmadethefleshcreep，andthelimbsquail，tothinkof。Theterribledescriptionsweresorealandvivid，thatthesallowpagesseemedtoturnredwithgore；andthewordsuponthem，tobesoundedinhisears，asiftheywerewhispered，inhollowmurmurs，bythespiritsofthedead。

Inaparoxysmoffear，theboyclosedthebook，andthrustitfromhim。Then，fallinguponhisknees，heprayedHeaventosparehimfromsuchdeeds；andrathertowillthatheshoulddieatonce，thanbereservedforcrimes，sofearfulandappalling。Bydegrees，hegrewmorecalm，andbesought，inalowandbrokenvoice，thathemightberescuedfromhispresentdangers；andthatifanyaidweretoberaisedupforapooroutcastboywhohadneverknowntheloveoffriendsorkindred，itmightcometohimnow，when，desolateanddeserted，hestoodaloneinthemidstofwickednessandguilt。

Hehadconcludedhisprayer，butstillremainedwithhisheadburiedinhishands，whenarustlingnoisearousedhim。

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