《雾都孤儿(中英文对照)》转载请注明来源:阅读阁yueduge.cc
FATALCONSEQUENCES
Itwasnearlytwohoursbeforeday-break;thattimewhichintheautumnoftheyear,maybetrulycalledthedeadofnight;whenthestreetsaresilentanddeserted;whenevensoundsappeartoslumber,andprofligacyandriothavestaggeredhometodream;itwasatthisstillandsilenthour,thatFaginsatwatchinginhisoldlair,withfacesodistortedandpale,andeyessoredandblood-shot,thathelookedlesslikeaman,thanlikesomehideousphantom,moistfromthegrave,andworriedbyanevilspirit。
Hesatcrouchingoveracoldhearth,wrappedinanoldtorncoverlet,withhisfaceturnedtowardsawastingcandlethatstooduponatablebyhisside。Hisrighthandwasraisedtohislips,andas,absorbedinthought,hehithislongblacknails,hedisclosedamonghistoothlessgumsafewsuchfangsasshouldhavebeenadog'sorrat's。
Stretcheduponamattressonthefloor,layNoahClaypole,fastasleep。Towardshimtheoldmansometimesdirectedhiseyesforaninstant,andthenbroughtthembackagaintothecandle;whichwithalong-burntwickdroopingalmostdouble,andhotgreasefallingdowninclotsuponthetable,plainlyshowedthathisthoughtswerebusyelsewhere。
Indeedtheywere。Mortificationattheoverthrowofhisnotablescheme;hatredofthegirlwhohaddaredtopalterwithstrangers;andutterdistrustofthesincerityofherrefusaltoyieldhimup;bitterdisappointmentatthelossofhisrevengeonSikes;thefearofdetection,andruin,anddeath;andafierceanddeadlyragekindledbyall;thesewerethepassionateconsiderationswhich,followingcloseuponeachotherwithrapidandceaselesswhirl,shotthroughthebrainofFagin,aseveryevilthoughtandblackestpurposelayworkingathisheart。
Hesatwithoutchanginghisattitudeintheleast,orappearingtotakethesmallestheedoftime,untilhisquickearseemedtobeattractedbyafootstepinthestreet。
‘Atlast,’hemuttered,wipinghisdryandfeveredmouth。‘Atlast!’
Thebellranggentlyashespoke。Hecreptupstairstothedoor,andpresentlyreturnedaccompaniedbyamanmuffledtothechin,whocarriedabundleunderonearm。Sittingdownandthrowingbackhisoutercoat,themandisplayedtheburlyframeofSikes。
‘There!’hesaid,layingthebundleonthetable。‘Takecareofthat,anddothemostyoucanwithit。It'sbeentroubleenoughtoget;IthoughtIshouldhavebeenhere,threehoursago。’
Faginlaidhishanduponthebundle,andlockingitinthecupboard,satdownagainwithoutspeaking。Buthedidnottakehiseyesofftherobber,foraninstant,duringthisaction;andnowthattheysatoveragainsteachother,facetoface,helookedfixedlyathim,withhislipsquiveringsoviolently,andhisfacesoalteredbytheemotionswhichhadmasteredhim,thatthehousebreakerinvoluntarilydrewbackhischair,andsurveyedhimwithalookofrealaffright。
‘Wotnow?’criedSikes。‘Wotdoyoulookatamansofor?’
Faginraisedhisrighthand,andshookhistremblingforefingerintheair;buthispassionwassogreat,thatthepowerofspeechwasforthemomentgone。
‘Damme!’saidSikes,feelinginhisbreastwithalookofalarm。‘He'sgonemad。Imustlooktomyselfhere。’
‘No,no,’rejoinedFagin,findinghisvoice。‘It'snot--you'renottheperson,Bill。I'veno--nofaulttofindwithyou。’
‘Oh,youhaven't,haven'tyou?’saidSikes,lookingsternlyathim,andostentatiouslypassingapistolintoamoreconvenientpocket。‘That'slucky--foroneofus。Whichonethatis,don'tmatter。’
‘I'vegotthattotellyou,Bill,’saidFagin,drawinghischairnearer,‘willmakeyouworsethanme。’
‘Aye?’returnedtherobberwithanincredulousair。‘Tellaway!Looksharp,orNancewillthinkI'mlost。’
‘Lost!’criedFagin。‘Shehasprettywellsettledthat,inherownmind,already。’
SikeslookedwithanaspectofgreatperplexityintotheJew'sface,andreadingnosatisfactoryexplanationoftheriddlethere,clenchedhiscoatcollarinhishugehandandshookhimsoundly。
‘Speak,willyou!’hesaid;‘orifyoudon't,itshallbeforwantofbreath。Openyourmouthandsaywotyou'vegottosayinplainwords。Outwithit,youthunderingoldcur,outwithit!’
‘Supposethatladthat'slayingthere--’Faginbegan。
SikesturnedroundtowhereNoahwassleeping,asifhehadnotpreviouslyobservedhim。‘Well!’hesaid,resuminghisformerposition。
‘Supposethatlad,’pursuedFagin,‘wastopeach--toblowuponusall--firstseekingouttherightfolksforthepurpose,andthenhavingameetingwith’eminthestreettopaintourlikenesses,describeeverymarkthattheymightknowusby,andthecribwherewemightbemosteasilytaken。Supposehewastodoallthis,andbesidestoblowuponaplantwe'veallbeenin,moreorless--ofhisownfancy;notgrabbed,trapped,tried,earwiggedbytheparsonandbroughttoitonbreadandwater,--butofhisownfancy;topleasehisowntaste;stealingoutatnightstofindthosemostinterestedagainstus,andpeachingtothem。Doyouhearme?‘criedtheJew,hiseyesflashingwithrage。’Supposehedidallthis,whatthen?‘
‘Whatthen!’repliedSikes;withatremendousoath。‘IfhewasleftalivetillIcame,I'dgrindhisskullundertheironheelofmybootintoasmanygrainsastherearehairsuponhishead。’
‘WhatifIdidit!’criedFaginalmostinayell。‘I,thatknowssomuch,andcouldhangsomanybesidesmyself!’
‘Idon'tknow,’repliedSikes,clenchinghisteethandturningwhiteatthemeresuggestion。‘I'ddosomethinginthejailthat’udgetmeputinirons;andifIwastriedalongwithyou,I'dfalluponyouwiththemintheopencourt,andbeatyourbrainsoutaforethepeople。Ishouldhavesuchstrength,‘mutteredtherobber,poisinghisbrawnyarm,’thatIcouldsmashyourheadasifaloadedwaggonhadgoneoverit。‘
‘Youwould?’
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