天才一秒记住【阅读阁】地址：yueduge.cc
THEFLIGHTOFSIKES
Ofallbaddeedsthat，undercoverofthedarkness，hadbeencommittedwithinwideLondon'sboundssincenighthungoverit，thatwastheworst。Ofallthehorrorsthatrosewithanillscentuponthemorningair，thatwasthefoulestandmostcruel。
Thesun--thebrightsun，thatbringsback，notlightalone，butnewlife，andhope，andfreshnesstoman--burstuponthecrowdedcityinclearandradiantglory。Throughcostly-colouredglassandpaper-mendedwindow，throughcathedraldomeandrottencrevice，itsheditsequalray。Itlighteduptheroomwherethemurderedwomanlay。Itdid。Hetriedtoshutitout，butitwouldstreamin。Ifthesighthadbeenaghastlyoneinthedullmorning，whatwasit，now，inallthatbrilliantlight！
Hehadnotmoved；hehadbeenafraidtostir。Therehadbeenamoanandmotionofthehand；and，withterroraddedtorage，hehadstruckandstruckagain。Oncehethrewarugoverit；butitwasworsetofancytheeyes，andimaginethemmovingtowardshim，thantoseethemglaringupward，asifwatchingthereflectionofthepoolofgorethatquiveredanddancedinthesunlightontheceiling。Hehadpluckeditoffagain。Andtherewasthebody--merefleshandblood，nomore--butsuchflesh，andsomuchblood！
Hestruckalight，kindledafire，andthrusttheclubintoit。Therewashairupontheend，whichblazedandshrunkintoalightcinder，and，caughtbytheair，whirledupthechimney。Eventhatfrightenedhim，sturdyashewas；butheheldtheweapontillitbroke，andthenpileditonthecoalstoburnaway，andsmoulderintoashes。Hewashedhimself，andrubbedhisclothes；therewerespotsthatwouldnotberemoved，buthecutthepiecesout，andburntthem。Howthosestainsweredispersedabouttheroom！Theveryfeetofthedogwerebloody。
Allthistimehehad，neveronce，turnedhisbackuponthecorpse；no，notforamoment。Suchpreparationscompleted，hemoved，backward，towardsthedoor：draggingthedogwithhim，lestheshouldsoilhisfeetanewandcarryoutnewevidenceofthecrimeintothestreets。Heshutthedoorsoftly，lockedit，tookthekey，andleftthehouse。
Hecrossedover，andglancedupatthewindow，tobesurethatnothingwasvisiblefromtheoutside。Therewasthecurtainstilldrawn，whichshewouldhaveopenedtoadmitthelightsheneversawagain。Itlaynearlyunderthere。_He_knewthat。God，howthesunpoureddownupontheveryspot！
Theglancewasinstantaneous。Itwasarelieftohavegotfreeoftheroom。Hewhistledonthedog，andwalkedrapidlyaway。
HewentthroughIslington；strodeupthehillatHighgateonwhichstandsthestoneinhonourofWhittington；turneddowntoHighgateHill，unsteadyofpurpose，anduncertainwheretogo；struckofftotherightagain，almostassoonashebegantodescendit；andtakingthefoot-pathacrossthefields，skirtedCaenWood，andsocameonHampsteadHeath。TraversingthehollowbytheValeofHeath，hemountedtheoppositebank，andcrossingtheroadwhichjoinsthevillagesofHampsteadandHighgate，madealongtheremainingportionoftheheathtothefieldsatNorthEnd，inoneofwhichhelaidhimselfdownunderahedge，andslept。
Soonhewasupagain，andaway，--notfarintothecountry，butbacktowardsLondonbythehigh-road--thenbackagain--thenoveranotherpartofthesamegroundashealreadytraversed--thenwanderingupanddowninfields，andlyingonditches‘brinkstorest，andstartinguptomakeforsomeotherspot，anddothesame，andrambleonagain。
Wherecouldhego，thatwasnearandnottoopublic，togetsomemeatanddrink？Hendon。Thatwasagoodplace，notfaroff，andoutofmostpeople'sway。Thitherhedirectedhissteps，--runningsometimes，andsometimes，withastrangeperversity，loiteringatasnail'space，orstoppingaltogetherandidlybreakingthehedgeswithastick。Butwhenhegotthere，allthepeoplehemet--theverychildrenatthedoors--seemedtoviewhimwithsuspicion。Backheturnedagain，withoutthecouragetopurchasebitordrop，thoughhehadtastednofoodformanyhours；andoncemorehelingeredontheHeath，uncertainwheretogo。
Hewanderedovermilesandmilesofground，andstillcamebacktotheoldplace。Morningandnoonhadpassed，andthedaywasonthewane，andstillherambledtoandfro，andupanddown，androundandround，andstilllingeredaboutthesamespot。Atlasthegotaway，andshapedhiscourseforHatfield。
Itwasnineo'clockatnight，whentheman，quitetiredout，andthedog，limpingandlamefromtheunaccustomedexercise，turneddownthehillbythechurchofthequietvillage，andploddingalongthelittlestreet，creptintoasmallpublic-house，whosescantylighthadguidedthemtothespot。Therewasafireinthetap-room，andsomecountry-labourersweredrinkingbeforeit。
Theymaderoomforthestranger，buthesatdowninthefurthestcorner，andateanddrankalone，orratherwithhisdog：towhomhecastamorseloffoodfromtimetotime。
Theconversationofthemenassembledhere，turnedupontheneighbouringland，andfarmers；andwhenthosetopicswereexhausted，upontheageofsomeoldmanwhohadbeenburiedonthepreviousSunday；theyoungmenpresentconsideringhimveryold，andtheoldmenpresentdeclaringhimtohavebeenquiteyoung--notolder，onewhite-hairedgrandfathersaid，thanhewas--withtenorfifteenyearoflifeinhimatleast--ifhehadtakencare；ifhehadtakencare。
Therewasnothingtoattractattention，orexcitealarminthis。Therobber，afterpayinghisreckoning，satsilentandunnoticedinhiscorner，andhadalmostdroppedasleep，whenhewashalfwakenedbythenoisyentranceofanewcomer。
Thiswasananticfellow，halfpedlarandhalfmountebank，whotravelledaboutthecountryonfoottovendhones，strops，razors，washballs，harness-paste，medicinefordogsandhorses，cheapperfumery，cosmetics，andsuch-likewares，whichhecarriedinacaseslungtohisback。Hisentrancewasthesignalforvarioushomelyjokeswiththecountrymen，whichslackenednotuntilhehadmadehissupper，andopenedhisboxoftreasures，whenheingeniouslycontrivedtounitebusinesswithamusement。
‘Andwhatbethatstoof？Goodtoeat，Harry？’askedagrinningcountryman，pointingtosomecomposition-cakesinonecorner。
‘This，’saidthefellow，producingone，‘thisistheinfallibleandinvaluablecompositionforremovingallsortsofstain，rust，dirt，mildew，spick，speck，spot，orspatter，fromsilk，satin，linen，cambric，cloth，crape，stuff，carpet，merino，muslin，bombazeen，orwoollenstuff。Wine-stains，fruit-stains，beer-stains，water-stains，paint-stains，pitch-stains，anystains，allcomeoutatonerubwiththeinfallibleandinvaluablecomposition。Ifaladystainsherhonour，shehasonlyneedtoswallowonecakeandshe'scuredatonce--forit'spoison。Ifagentlemanwantstoprovethis，hehasonlyneedtoboltonelittlesquare，andhehasputitbeyondquestion--forit'squiteassatisfactoryasapistol-bullet，andagreatdealnastierintheflavour，consequentlythemorecreditintakingit。Onepennyasquare。Withallthesevirtues，onepennyasquare！’
Thereweretwobuyersdirectly，andmoreofthelistenersplainlyhesitated。Thevendorobservingthis，increasedinloquacity。
‘It'sallboughtupasfastasitcanbemade，’saidthefellow。‘Therearefourteenwater-mills，sixsteam-engines，andagalvanicbattery，alwaysa-workinguponit，andtheycan'tmakeitfastenough，thoughthemenworksohardthattheydieoff，andthewidowsispensioneddirectly，withtwentypounda-yearforeachofthechildren，andapremiumoffiftyfortwins。Onepennyasquare！Twohalf-penceisallthesame，andfourfarthingsisreceivedwithjoy。Onepennyasquare！Wine-stains，fruit-stains，beer-stains，water-stains，paint-stains，pitch-stains，mud-stains，blood-stains！Hereisastainuponthehatofagentlemanincompany，thatI'lltakecleanout，beforehecanordermeapintofale。’
‘Hah！’criedSikesstartingup。‘Givethatback。’
‘I'lltakeitcleanout，sir，’repliedtheman，winkingtothecompany，‘beforeyoucancomeacrosstheroomtogetit。Gentlemenall，observethedarkstainuponthisgentleman'shat，nowiderthanashilling，butthickerthanahalf-crown。Whetheritisawine-stain，fruit-stain，beer-stain，water-stain，paint-stain，pitch-stain，mud-stain，orblood-stain--’
Themangotnofurther，forSikeswithahideousimprecationoverthrewthetable，andtearingthehatfromhim，burstoutofthehouse。
Withthesameperversityoffeelingandirresolutionthathadfasteneduponhim，despitehimself，allday，themurderer，findingthathewasnotfollowed，andthattheymostprobablyconsideredhimsomedrunkensullenfellow，turnedbackupthetown，andgettingoutoftheglareofthelampsofastage-coachthatwasstandinginthestreet，waswalkingpast，whenherecognisedthemailfromLondon，andsawthatitwasstandingatthelittlepost-office。Healmostknewwhatwastocome；buthecrossedover，andlistened。
Theguardwasstandingatthedoor，waitingfortheletter-bag。Aman，dressedlikeagame-keeper，cameupatthemoment，andhehandedhimabasketwhichlayreadyonthepavement。
‘That'sforyourpeople，’saidtheguard。‘Now，lookaliveinthere，willyou。Damnthat’erebag，itwarn'treadynightaforelast；thiswon'tdo，youknow！‘
‘Anythingnewupintown，Ben？’askedthegame-keeper，drawingbacktothewindow-shutters，thebettertoadmirethehorses。
‘No，nothingthatIknowson，’repliedtheman，pullingonhisgloves。‘Corn'supalittle。Iheerdtalkofamurder，too，downSpitalfieldsway，butIdon'treckonmuchuponit。’
‘Oh，that'squitetrue，’saidagentlemaninside，whowaslookingoutofthewindow。‘Andadreadfulmurderitwas。’
‘Wasit，sir？’rejoinedtheguard，touchinghishat。‘Manorwoman，pray，sir？’
‘Awoman，’repliedthegentleman。‘Itissupposed--’
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