Chapter 28（1 / 2）

天才一秒记住【阅读阁】地址：yueduge.cc

LOOKSAFTEROLIVER，ANDPROCEEDSWITHHISADVENTURES

‘Wolvestearyourthroats！’mutteredSikes，grindinghisteeth。‘IwishIwasamongsomeofyou；you'dhowlthehoarserforit。’

AsSikesgrowledforththisimprecation，withthemostdesperateferocitythathisdesperatenaturewascapableof，herestedthebodyofthewoundedboyacrosshisbendedknee；andturnedhishead，foraninstant，tolookbackathispursuers。

Therewaslittletobemadeout，inthemistanddarkness；buttheloudshoutingofmenvibratedthroughtheair，andthebarkingoftheneighbouringdogs，rousedbythesoundofthealarmbell，resoundedineverydirection。

‘Stop，youwhite-liveredhound！’criedtherobber，shoutingafterTobyCrackit，who，makingthebestuseofhislonglegs，wasalreadyahead。‘Stop！’

Therepetitionoftheword，broughtTobytoadeadstand-still。Forhewasnotquitesatisfiedthathewasbeyondtherangeofpistol-shot；andSikeswasinnomoodtobeplayedwith。

‘Bearahandwiththeboy，’criedSikes，beckoningfuriouslytohisconfederate。‘Comeback！’

Tobymadeashowofreturning；butventured，inalowvoice，brokenforwantofbreath，tointimateconsiderablereluctanceashecameslowlyalong。

‘Quicker！’criedSikes，layingtheboyinadryditchathisfeet，anddrawingapistolfromhispocket。‘Don'tplaybootywithme。’

Atthismomentthenoisegrewlouder。Sikes，againlookinground，coulddiscernthatthemenwhohadgivenchasewerealreadyclimbingthegateofthefieldinwhichhestood；andthatacoupleofdogsweresomepacesinadvanceofthem。

‘It'sallup，Bill！’criedToby；‘dropthekid，andshow’emyourheels。‘Withthispartingadvice，Mr。Crackit，preferringthechanceofbeingshotbyhisfriend，tothecertaintyofbeingtakenbyhisenemies，fairlyturnedtail，anddartedoffatfullspeed。Sikesclenchedhisteeth；tookonelookaround；threwovertheprostrateformofOliver，thecapeinwhichhehadbeenhurriedlymuffled；ranalongthefrontofthehedge，asiftodistracttheattentionofthosebehind，fromthespotwheretheboylay；paused，forasecond，beforeanotherhedgewhichmetitatrightangles；andwhirlinghispistolhighintotheair，cleareditatabound，andwasgone。

‘Ho，ho，there！’criedatremulousvoiceintherear。‘Pincher！Neptune！Comehere，comehere！’

Thedogs，who，incommonwiththeirmasters，seemedtohavenoparticularrelishforthesportinwhichtheywereengaged，readilyansweredtothecommand。Threemen，whohadbythistimeadvancedsomedistanceintothefield，stoppedtotakecounseltogether。

‘Myadvice，or，leastways，Ishouldsay，my_orders_，is，’saidthefattestmanoftheparty，‘thatwe’mediatelygohomeagain。‘

‘IamagreeabletoanythingwhichisagreeabletoMr。Giles，’saidashorterman；whowasbynomeansofaslimfigure，andwhowasverypaleintheface，andverypolite：asfrightenedmenfrequentlyare。

‘Ishouldn'twishtoappearill-mannered，gentlemen，’saidthethird，whohadcalledthedogsback，‘Mr。Gilesoughttoknow。’

‘Certainly，’repliedtheshorterman；‘andwhateverMr。Gilessays，itisn'tourplacetocontradicthim。No，no，Iknowmysitiwation！Thankmystars，Iknowmysitiwation。’Totellthetruth，thelittleman_did_seemtoknowhissituation，andtoknowperfectlywellthatitwasbynomeansadesirableone；forhisteethchatteredinhisheadashespoke。

‘Youareafraid，Brittles，’saidMr。Giles。

‘Ian't，’saidBrittles。

‘Youare，’saidGiles。

‘You'reafalsehood，Mr。Giles，’saidBrittles。

‘You'realie，Brittles，’saidMr。Giles。

Now，thesefourretortsarosefromMr。Giles'staunt；andMr。Giles'staunthadarisenfromhisindignationathavingtheresponsibilityofgoinghomeagain，imposeduponhimselfundercoverofacompliment。Thethirdmanbroughtthedisputetoaclose，mostphilosophically。

‘I'lltellyouwhatitis，gentlemen，’saidhe，‘we'reallafraid。’

‘Speakforyourself，sir，’saidMr。Giles，whowasthepalestoftheparty。