Chapter 50 (第1/2页)

要读小说【yaoduxs.com】第一时间更新《雾都孤儿（中英文对照）》最新章节。

THEPURSUITANDESCAPE

NeartothatpartoftheThamesonwhichthechurchatRotherhitheabuts，wherethebuildingsonthebanksaredirtiestandthevesselsontheriverblackestwiththedustofcolliersandthesmokeofclose-builtlow-roofedhouses，thereexiststhefilthiest，thestrangest，themostextraordinaryofthemanylocalitiesthatarehiddeninLondon，whollyunknown，evenbyname，tothegreatmassofitsinhabitants。

Toreachthisplace，thevisitorhastopenetratethroughamazeofclose，narrow，andmuddystreets，throngedbytheroughestandpoorestofwatersidepeople，anddevotedtothetraffictheymaybesupposedtooccasion。Thecheapestandleastdelicateprovisionsareheapedintheshops；thecoarsestandcommonestarticlesofwearingappareldangleatthesalesman'sdoor，andstreamfromthehouse-parapetandwindows。Jostlingwithunemployedlabourersofthelowestclass，ballast-heavers，coal-whippers，brazenwomen，raggedchildren，andtheraffandrefuseoftheriver，hemakeshiswaywithdifficultyalong，assailedbyoffensivesightsandsmellsfromthenarrowalleyswhichbranchoffontherightandleft，anddeafenedbytheclashofponderouswaggonsthatbeargreatpilesofmerchandisefromthestacksofwarehousesthatrisefromeverycorner。Arriving，atlength，instreetsremoterandless-frequentedthanthosethroughwhichhehaspassed，hewalksbeneathtotteringhouse-frontsprojectingoverthepavement，dismantledwallsthatseemtototterashepasses，chimneyshalfcrushedhalfhesitatingtofall，windowsguardedbyrustyironbarsthattimeanddirthavealmosteatenaway，everyimaginablesignofdesolationandneglect。

Insuchaneighborhood，beyondDockheadintheBoroughofSouthwark，standsJacob'sIsland，surroundedbyamuddyditch，sixoreightfeetdeepandfifteenortwentywidewhenthetideisin，oncecalledMillPond，butknowninthedaysofthisstoryasFollyDitch。ItisacreekorinletfromtheThames，andcanalwaysbefilledathighwaterbyopeningthesluicesattheLeadMillsfromwhichittookitsoldname。Atsuchtimes，astranger，lookingfromoneofthewoodenbridgesthrownacrossitatMillLane，willseetheinhabitantsofthehousesoneithersideloweringfromtheirbackdoorsandwindows，buckets，pails，domesticutensilsofallkinds，inwhichtohaulthewaterup；andwhenhiseyeisturnedfromtheseoperationstothehousesthemselves，hisutmostastonishmentwillbeexcitedbythescenebeforehim。Crazywoodengalleriescommontothebacksofhalfadozenhouses，withholesfromwhichtolookupontheslimebeneath；windows，brokenandpatched，withpolesthrustout，onwhichtodrythelinenthatisneverthere；roomssosmall，sofilthy，soconfined，thattheairwouldseemtootaintedevenforthedirtandsqualorwhichtheyshelter；woodenchambersthrustingthemselvesoutabovethemud，andthreateningtofallintoit--assomehavedone；dirt-besmearedwallsanddecayingfoundations；everyrepulsivelineamentofpoverty，everyloathsomeindicationoffilth，rot，andgarbage；alltheseornamentthebanksofFollyDitch。

InJacob'sIsland，thewarehousesarerooflessandempty；thewallsarecrumblingdown；thewindowsarewindowsnomore；thedoorsarefallingintothestreets；thechimneysareblackened，buttheyyieldnosmoke。Thirtyorfortyyearsago，beforelossesandchancerysuitscameuponit，itwasathrivingplace；butnowitisadesolateislandindeed。Thehouseshavenoowners；theyarebrokenopen，andentereduponbythosewhohavethecourage；andtheretheylive，andtheretheydie。Theymusthavepowerfulmotivesforasecretresidence，orbereducedtoadestituteconditionindeed，whoseekarefugeinJacob'sIsland。

Inanupperroomofoneofthesehouses--adetachedhouseoffairsize，ruinousinotherrespects，butstronglydefendedatdoorandwindow：ofwhichhousethebackcommandedtheditchinmanneralreadydescribed--therewereassembledthreemen，who，regardingeachothereverynowandthenwithlooksexpressiveofperplexityandexpectation，satforsometimeinprofoundandgloomysilence。OneofthesewasTobyCrackit，anotherMr。Chitling，andthethirdarobberoffiftyyears，whosenosehadbeenalmostbeatenin，insomeoldscuffle，andwhosefaceboreafrightfulscarwhichmightprobablybetracedtothesameoccasion。Thismanwasareturnedtransport，andhisnamewasKags。

‘Iwish，’saidTobyturningtoMr。Chitling，‘thatyouhadpickedoutsomeothercribwhenthetwooldonesgottoowarm，andhadnotcomehere，myfinefeller。’

‘Whydidn'tyou，blunder-head！’saidKags。

‘Well，Ithoughtyou'dhavebeenalittlemoregladtoseemethanthis，’repliedMr。Chitling，withamelancholyair。

‘Why，look'e，younggentleman，’saidToby，‘whenamankeepshimselfsoveryex-clusiveasIhavedone，andbythatmeanshasasnughouseoverhisheadwithnobodyapryingandsmellingaboutit，it'sratherastartlingthingtohavethehonourofawisitfromayounggentleman（howeverrespectableandpleasantapersonhemaybetoplaycardswithatconweniency）circumstancedasyouare。’

‘Especially，whentheexclusiveyoungmanhasgotafriendstoppingwithhim，that'sarrivedsoonerthanwasexpectedfromforeignparts，andistoomodesttowanttobepresentedtotheJudgesonhisreturn，’addedMr。Kags。

Therewasashortsilence，afterwhichTobyCrackit，seemingtoabandonashopelessanyfurtherefforttomaintainhisusualdevil-may-careswagger，turnedtoChitlingandsaid，

‘WhenwasFagintookthen？’

‘Justatdinner-time--twoo'clockthisafternoon。CharleyandImadeourluckyupthewash-uschimney，andBoltergotintotheemptywater-butt，headdownwards；buthislegsweresopreciouslongthattheystuckoutatthetop，andsotheytookhimtoo。’

‘AndBet？’

‘PoorBet！ShewenttoseetheBody，tospeaktowhoitwas，’repliedChitling，hiscountenancefallingmoreandmore，‘andwentoffmad，screamingandraving，andbeatingherheadagainsttheboards；sotheyputastrait-weskutonherandtookhertothehospital--andtheresheis。’

‘Wot'scomeofyoungBates？’demandedKags。

‘Hehungabout，nottocomeoverhereaforedark，buthe'llbeheresoon，’repliedChitling。‘There'snowhereelsetogotonow，forthepeopleattheCripplesareallincustody，andthebaroftheken--Iwentupthereandseeitwithmyowneyes--isfilledwithtraps。’

‘Thisisasmash，’observedToby，bitinghislips。‘There'smorethanonewillgowiththis。’

‘Thesessionsareon，’saidKags：‘iftheygettheinquestover，andBolterturnsKing'sevidence：asofcoursehewill，fromwhathe'ssaidalready：theycanproveFaginanaccessorybeforethefact，andgetthetrialononFriday，andhe'llswinginsixdaysfromthis，byG--！’

‘Youshouldhaveheardthepeoplegroan，’saidChitling；‘theofficersfoughtlikedevils，orthey'dhavetornhimaway。Hewasdownonce，buttheymadearingroundhim，andfoughttheirwayalong。Youshouldhaveseenhowhelookedabouthim，allmuddyandbleeding，andclungtothemasiftheywerehisdearestfriends。Icansee’emnow，notabletostanduprightwiththepressingofthemob，anddragginhimalongamongst‘em；Icanseethepeoplejumpingup，onebehindanother，andsnarlingwiththeirteethandmakingathim；Icanseetheblooduponhishairandbeard，andhearthecrieswithwhichthewomenworkedthemselvesintothecentreofthecrowdatthestreetcorner，andsworethey'dtearhisheartout！’

Thehorror-strickenwitnessofthisscenepressedhishandsuponhisears，andwithhiseyesclosedgotupandpacedviolentlytoandfro，likeonedistracted。

Whilehewasthusengaged，andthetwomensatbyinsilencewiththeireyesfixeduponthefloor，apatteringnoisewashearduponthestairs，andSikes'sdogboundedintotheroom。Theyrantothewindow，downstairs，andintothestreet。Thedoghadjumpedinatanopenwindow；hemadenoattempttofollowthem，norwashismastertobeseen。

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