《雾都孤儿(中英文对照)》转载请注明来源:阅读阁yueduge.cc
FAGIN‘SLASTNIGHTALIVE
Thecourtwaspaved,fromfloortoroof,withhumanfaces。Inquisitiveandeagereyespeeredfromeveryinchofspace。Fromtherailbeforethedock,awayintothesharpestangleofthesmallestcornerinthegalleries,alllookswerefixedupononeman--Fagin。Beforehimandbehind:above,below,ontherightandontheleft:heseemedtostandsurroundedbyafirmament,allbrightwithgleamingeyes。
Hestoodthere,inallthisglareoflivinglight,withonehandrestingonthewoodenslabbeforehim,theotherheldtohisear,andhisheadthrustforwardtoenablehimtocatchwithgreaterdistinctnesseverywordthatfellfromthepresidingjudge,whowasdeliveringhischargetothejury。Attimes,heturnedhiseyessharplyuponthemtoobservetheeffectoftheslightestfeatherweightinhisfavour;andwhenthepointsagainsthimwerestatedwithterribledistinctness,lookedtowardshiscounsel,inmuteappealthathewould,eventhen,urgesomethinginhisbehalf。Beyondthesemanifestationsofanxiety,hestirrednothandorfoot。Hehadscarcelymovedsincethetrialbegan;andnowthatthejudgeceasedtospeak,hestillremainedinthesamestrainedattitudeofcloseattention,withhisgazebentonhim,asthoughhelistenedstill。
Aslightbustleinthecourt,recalledhimtohimself。Lookinground,hesawthatthejurymanhadturnedtogether,toconsidertheirverdict。Ashiseyeswanderedtothegallery,hecouldseethepeoplerisingaboveeachothertoseehisface:somehastilyapplyingtheirglassestotheireyes:andotherswhisperingtheirneighbourswithlooksexpressiveofabhorrence。Afewtherewere,whoseemedunmindfulofhim,andlookedonlytothejury,inimpatientwonderhowtheycoulddelay。Butinnooneface--notevenamongthewomen,ofwhomthereweremanythere--couldhereadthefaintestsympathywithhimself,oranyfeelingbutoneofall-absorbinginterestthatheshouldbecondemned。
Ashesawallthisinonebewilderedglance,thedeathlikestillnesscameagain,andlookingbackhesawthatthejurymenhadturnedtowardsthejudge。Hush!
Theyonlysoughtpermissiontoretire。
Helooked,wistfully,intotheirfaces,onebyonewhentheypassedout,asthoughtoseewhichwaythegreaternumberleant;butthatwasfruitless。Thejailertouchedhimontheshoulder。Hefollowedmechanicallytotheendofthedock,andsatdownonachair。Themanpointeditout,orhewouldnothaveseenit。
Helookedupintothegalleryagain。Someofthepeoplewereeating,andsomefanningthemselveswithhandkerchiefs;forthecrowdedplacewasveryhot。Therewasoneyoungmansketchinghisfaceinalittlenote-book。Hewonderedwhetheritwaslike,andlookedonwhentheartistbrokehispencil-point,andmadeanotherwithhisknife,asanyidlespectatormighthavedone。
Inthesameway,whenheturnedhiseyestowardsthejudge,hismindbegantobusyitselfwiththefashionofhisdress,andwhatitcost,andhowheputiton。Therewasanoldfatgentlemanonthebench,too,whohadgoneout,somehalfanhourbefore,andnowcomeback。Hewonderedwithinhimselfwhetherthismanhadbeentogethisdinner,whathehadhad,andwherehehadhadit;andpursuedthistrainofcarelessthoughtuntilsomenewobjectcaughthiseyeandrousedanother。
Notthat,allthistime,hismindwas,foraninstant,freefromoneoppressiveoverwhelmingsenseofthegravethatopenedathisfeet;itwaseverpresenttohim,butinavagueandgeneralway,andhecouldnotfixhisthoughtsuponit。Thus,evenwhilehetrembled,andturnedburninghotattheideaofspeedydeath,hefelltocountingtheironspikesbeforehim,andwonderinghowtheheadofonehadbeenbrokenoff,andwhethertheywouldmendit,orleaveitasitwas。Then,hethoughtofallthehorrorsofthegallowsandthescaffold--andstoppedtowatchamansprinklingthefloortocoolit--andthenwentontothinkagain。
Atlengththerewasacryofsilence,andabreathlesslookfromalltowardsthedoor。Thejuryreturned,andpassedhimclose。Hecouldgleannothingfromtheirfaces;theymightaswellhavebeenofstone。Perfectstillnessensued--notarustle--notabreath--Guilty。
Thebuildingrangwithatremendousshout,andanother,andanother,andthenitechoedloudgroans,thatgatheredstrengthastheyswelledout,likeangrythunder。Itwasapealofjoyfromthepopulaceoutside,greetingthenewsthathewoulddieonMonday。
Thenoisesubsided,andhewasaskedifhehadanythingtosaywhysentenceofdeathshouldnotbepasseduponhim。Hehadresumedhislisteningattitude,andlookedintentlyathisquestionerwhilethedemandwasmade;butitwastwicerepeatedbeforeheseemedtohearit,andthenheonlymutteredthathewasanoldman--anoldman--andso,droppingintoawhisper,wassilentagain。
Thejudgeassumedtheblackcap,andtheprisonerstillstoodwiththesameairandgesture。Awomaninthegallery,utteredsomeexclamation,calledforthbythisdreadsolemnity;helookedhastilyupasifangryattheinterruption,andbentforwardyetmoreattentively。Theaddresswassolemnandimpressive;thesentencefearfultohear。Buthestood,likeamarblefigure,withoutthemotionofanerve。Hishaggardfacewasstillthrustforward,hisunder-jawhangingdown,andhiseyesstaringoutbeforehim,whenthejailerputhishanduponhisarm,andbeckonedhimaway。Hegazedstupidlyabouthimforaninstant,andobeyed。
Theyledhimthroughapavedroomunderthecourt,wheresomeprisonerswerewaitingtilltheirturnscame,andothersweretalkingtotheirfriends,whocrowdedroundagratewhichlookedintotheopenyard。Therewasnobodytheretospeakto_him_;but,ashepassed,theprisonersfellbacktorenderhimmorevisibletothepeoplewhowereclingingtothebars:andtheyassailedhimwithopprobriousnames,andscreechedandhissed。Heshookhisfist,andwouldhavespatuponthem;buthisconductorshurriedhimon,throughagloomypassagelightedbyafewdimlamps,intotheinterioroftheprison。
Here,hewassearched,thathemightnothaveabouthimthemeansofanticipatingthelaw;thisceremonyperformed,theyledhimtooneofthecondemnedcells,andlefthimthere--alone。
Hesatdownonastonebenchoppositethedoor,whichservedforseatandbedstead;andcastinghisblood-shoteyesupontheground,triedtocollecthisthoughts。Afterawhile,hebegantorememberafewdisjointedfragmentsofwhatthejudgehadsaid:thoughithadseemedtohim,atthetime,thathecouldnothearaword。Thesegraduallyfellintotheirproperplaces,andbydegreessuggestedmore:sothatinalittletimehehadthewhole,almostasitwasdelivered。Tobehangedbytheneck,tillhewasdead--thatwastheend。Tobehangedbythenecktillhewasdead。
Asitcameonverydark,hebegantothinkofallthemenhehadknownwhohaddieduponthescaffold;someofthemthroughhismeans。Theyroseup,insuchquicksuccession,thathecouldhardlycountthem。Hehadseensomeofthemdie,--andhadjokedtoo,becausetheydiedwithprayersupontheirlips。Withwhatarattlingnoisethedropwentdown;andhowsuddenlytheychanged,fromstrongandvigorousmentodanglingheapsofclothes!
Someofthemmighthaveinhabitedthatverycell--satuponthatveryspot。Itwasverydark;whydidn'ttheybringalight?Thecellhadbeenbuiltformanyyears。Scoresofmenmusthavepassedtheirlasthoursthere。Itwaslikesittinginavaultstrewnwithdeadbodies--thecap,thenoose,thepinionedarms,thefacesthatheknew,evenbeneaththathideousveil。--Light,light!
Atlength,whenhishandswererawwithbeatingagainsttheheavydoorandwalls,twomenappeared:onebearingacandle,whichhethrustintoanironcandlestickfixedagainstthewall:theotherdragginginamattressonwhichtopassthenight;fortheprisonerwastobeleftalonenomore。
Thencamethenight--dark,dismal,silentnight。Otherwatchersaregladtohearthischurch-clockstrike,fortheytelloflifeandcomingday。Tohimtheybroughtdespair。Theboomofeveryironbellcameladenwiththeone,deep,hollowsound--Death。Whatavailedthenoiseandbustleofcheerfulmorning,whichpenetratedeventhere,tohim?Itwasanotherformofknell,withmockeryaddedtothewarning。
Thedaypassedoff。Day?Therewasnoday;itwasgoneassoonascome--andnightcameonagain;nightsolong,andyetsoshort;longinitsdreadfulsilence,andshortinitsfleetinghours。Atonetimeheravedandblasphemed;andatanotherhowledandtorehishair。Venerablemenofhisownpersuasionhadcometopraybesidehim,buthehaddriventhemawaywithcurses。Theyrenewedtheircharitableefforts,andhebeatthemoff。
Saturdaynight。Hehadonlyonenightmoretolive。Andashethoughtofthis,thedaybroke--Sunday。
Itwasnotuntilthenightofthislastawfulday,thatawitheringsenseofhishelpless,desperatestatecameinitsfullintensityuponhisblightedsoul;notthathehadeverheldanydefinedorpositivehopeofmercy,butthathehadneverbeenabletoconsidermorethanthedimprobabilityofdyingsosoon。Hehadspokenlittletoeitherofthetwomen,whorelievedeachotherintheirattendanceuponhim;andthey,fortheirparts,madenoefforttorousehisattention。Hehadsatthere,awake,butdreaming。Now,hestartedup,everyminute,andwithgaspingmouthandburningskin,hurriedtoandfro,insuchaparoxysmoffearandwraththateventhey--usedtosuchsights--recoiledfromhimwithhorror。Hegrewsoterrible,atlast,inallthetorturesofhisevilconscience,thatonemancouldnotbeartositthere,eyeinghimalone;andsothetwokeptwatchtogether。
Hecowereddownuponhisstonebed,andthoughtofthepast。Hehadbeenwoundedwithsomemissilesfromthecrowdonthedayofhiscapture,andhisheadwasbandagedwithalinencloth。Hisredhairhungdownuponhisbloodlessface;hisbeardwastorn,andtwistedintoknots;hiseyesshonewithaterriblelight;hisunwashedfleshcrackledwiththefeverthatburnthimup。Eight--nine--then。Ifitwasnotatricktofrightenhim,andthoseweretherealhourstreadingoneachother'sheels,wherewouldhebe,whentheycameroundagain!Eleven!Anotherstruck,beforethevoiceoftheprevioushourhadceasedtovibrate。Ateight,hewouldbetheonlymournerinhisownfuneraltrain;ateleven-
ThosedreadfulwallsofNewgate,whichhavehiddensomuchmiseryandsuchunspeakableanguish,notonlyfromtheeyes,but,toooften,andtoolong,fromthethoughts,ofmen,neverheldsodreadaspectacleasthat。Thefewwholingeredastheypassed,andwonderedwhatthemanwasdoingwhowastobehangedto-morrow,wouldhavesleptbutillthatnight,iftheycouldhaveseenhim。
Fromearlyintheeveninguntilnearlymidnight,littlegroupsoftwoandthreepresentedthemselvesatthelodge-gate,andinquired,withanxiousfaces,whetheranyreprievehadbeenreceived。Thesebeingansweredinthenegative,communicatedthewelcomeintelligencetoclustersinthestreet,whopointedouttooneanotherthedoorfromwhichhemustcomeout,andshowedwherethescaffoldwouldbebuilt,and,walkingwithunwillingstepsaway,turnedbacktoconjureupthescene。Bydegreestheyfelloff,onebyone;and,foranhour,inthedeadofnight,thestreetwaslefttosolitudeanddarkness。
Thespacebeforetheprisonwascleared,andafewstrongbarriers,paintedblack,hadbeenalreadythrownacrosstheroadtobreakthepressureoftheexpectedcrowd,whenMr。BrownlowandOliverappearedatthewicket,andpresentedanorderofadmissiontotheprisoner,signedbyoneofthesheriffs。Theywereimmediatelyadmittedintothelodge。
‘Istheyounggentlemantocometoo,sir?’saidthemanwhosedutyitwastoconductthem。‘It'snotasightforchildren,sir。’
‘Itisnotindeed,myfriend,’rejoinedMr。Brownlow;‘butmybusinesswiththismanisintimatelyconnectedwithhim;andasthischildhasseenhiminthefullcareerofhissuccessandvillainy,Ithinkitaswell--evenatthecostofsomepainandfear--thatheshouldseehimnow。’
Thesefewwordshadbeensaidapart,soastobeinaudibletoOliver。Themantouchedhishat;andglancingatOliverwithsomecuriousity,openedanothergate,oppositetothatbywhichtheyhadentered,andledthemon,throughdarkandwindingways,towardsthecells。
‘This,’saidtheman,stoppinginagloomypassagewhereacoupleofworkmenweremakingsomepreparationsinprofoundsilence--‘thisistheplacehepassesthrough。Ifyoustepthisway,youcanseethedoorhegoesoutat。’
Heledthemintoastonekitchen,fittedwithcoppersfordressingtheprisonfood,andpointedtoadoor。Therewasanopengratingaboveit,throughwhichcamethesoundofmen'svoices,mingledwiththenoiseofhammering,andthethrowingdownofboards。Therewereputtingupthescaffold。
Fromthisplace,theypassedthroughseveralstronggates,openedbyotherturnkeysfromtheinnerside;and,havingenteredanopenyard,ascendedaflightofnarrowsteps,andcameintoapassagewitharowofstrongdoorsonthelefthand。Motioningthemtoremainwheretheywere,theturnkeyknockedatoneofthesewithhisbunchofkeys。Thetwoattendants,afteralittlewhispering,cameoutintothepassage,stretchingthemselvesasifgladofthetemporaryrelief,andmotionedthevisitorstofollowthejailerintothecell。Theydidso。
Thecondemnedcriminalwasseatedonhisbed,rockinghimselffromsidetoside,withacountenancemorelikethatofasnaredbeastthanthefaceofaman。Hismindwasevidentlywanderingtohisoldlife,forhecontinuedtomutter,withoutappearingconsciousoftheirpresenceotherwisethanasapartofhisvision。
‘Goodboy,Charley--welldone--’hemumbled。‘Oliver,too,ha!ha!ha!Olivertoo--quitethegentlemannow--quitethe--takethatboyawaytobed!’
ThejailertookthedisengagedhandofOliver;and,whisperinghimnottobealarmed,lookedonwithoutspeaking。
‘Takehimawaytobed!’criedFagin。‘Doyouhearme,someofyou?Hehasbeenthe--the--somehowthecauseofallthis。It'sworththemoneytobringhimuptoit--Bolter'sthroat,Bill;nevermindthegirl--Bolter'sthroatasdeepasyoucancut。Sawhisheadoff!’
更多内容加载中...请稍候...
本站只支持手机浏览器访问,若您看到此段落,代表章节内容加载失败,请关闭浏览器的阅读模式、畅读模式、小说模式,以及关闭广告屏蔽功能,或复制网址到其他浏览器阅读!
英查尔斯狄更斯提示您:看后求收藏(阅读阁yueduge.cc),接着再看更方便。若浏览器显示没有新章节了,请尝试点击右上角↗️或右下角↘️的菜单,退出阅读模式即可,谢谢!