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4 Oliver in London
第四章 奥利弗在伦敦

For some reason the Dodger did not want to enter London during daylight, so it was nearly eleven o’clock at night when they got near the centre.
不知出于什么原因,“机灵鬼”不想在白天进入伦敦,因此当他们接近市中心时,已将近夜里十一点了。

Oliver had never seen a dirtier or more miserable place.
奥利弗从未见过比这更脏乱、更凄惨的地方。

The streets in this district were narrow and muddy, and there were terrible smells everywhere.
这个街区的街道狭窄泥泞,到处弥漫着难闻的气味。

Children wandered around even at this time of night, in and out of the many shops, playing and screaming.
即便是在这样的深夜,孩子们仍在许多店铺间进进出出,四处游荡,嬉闹尖叫。

The pubs were full of people fighting, and big, evil-looking men stood in doorways or at dark corners.
酒馆里满是打架斗殴的人,门口和黑暗的角落里站着身材魁梧、面相凶恶的男人。

Oliver almost wanted to run away, but just then the Dodger pushed open a door and pulled Oliver into a dark hall.
奥利弗几乎想转身逃跑,但就在这时,“机灵鬼”推开一扇门,把奥利弗拉进了一个黑暗的门厅。

‘Who’s there?’ a voice cried out.
“谁在那儿?”一个声音喊道。

‘It’s me,’ said the Dodger. The faint light of a candle appeared in the hall.
“是我。”“机灵鬼”说。门厅里亮起了一丝微弱的烛光。

‘Who’s the other one?’
“另一个是谁?”

‘A new friend.’
“一个新朋友。”

They went up some dark and broken stairs.
他们走上了一段昏暗破损的楼梯。

Oliver could hardly see where he was going, but the Dodger seemed to know the way, and helped Oliver up.
奥利弗几乎看不清脚下的路,但“机灵鬼”似乎轻车熟路,扶着奥利弗往上走。

They entered a room with walls that were black with age and dirt.
他们走进一个房间,墙壁因年久失修和污垢堆积而变得漆黑。

In front of the fire was a table with a candle stuck into a bottle of beer, and an old man, with a horribly ugly face and red hair, stood next to the fire cooking.
炉火前摆着一张桌子,上面插着一根蜡烛,烛台是一个啤酒瓶;炉边站着一个正在做饭的老人,他长着一头红发,面容丑陋得可怕。

He was wearing a dirty old coat and seemed to divide his attention between his cooking and a number of silk handkerchieves, which were hanging near the fire.
他穿着一件肮脏的旧外套,注意力似乎在烹饪和挂在炉火旁的一堆丝绸手帕之间来回切换。

There were several rough beds in the room.
房间里有几张简陋的床铺。

Four or five boys, about the same age as the Artful Dodger, sat round the table, smoking and drinking like middle-aged men.
四五个和“机灵鬼”年纪相仿的男孩围坐在桌旁,像中年人一样抽烟喝酒。

They all looked up when the Dodger and Oliver entered.
当“机灵鬼”和奥利弗进来时,他们都抬起头来。

‘This is him, Fagin,’ the Dodger said to the old man. ‘My friend Oliver Twist.’
“这就是他,费金,”“机灵鬼”对老人说,“我的朋友奥利弗·特威斯特。”

Fagin smiled and shook Oliver’s hand.
费金微笑着握了握奥利弗的手。

Then all the young gentlemen came up to him and shook both his hands very hard, especially the hand which held his few possessions.
接着,所有的“小绅士”们都走上前来,用力摇晃他的双手,尤其是那只拿着他仅有几件物品的手。

One of the boys was particularly kind. He even put his hands in Oliver’s pockets so that Oliver would not have to empty them himself when he went to bed.
其中一个男孩格外“热心”,他甚至把手伸进奥利弗的口袋里,这样奥利弗睡觉时就不必自己掏空口袋了。

The boys would probably have been even more helpful, but Fagin hit them on their heads and shoulders until they left Oliver alone.
这些男孩本来可能还会更加“乐于助人”,但费金敲打了他们的头和肩膀,直到他们不再纠缠奥利弗为止。

‘We’re very glad to see you, Oliver,’ said Fagin. ‘I see you’re staring at the handkerchieves, my dear. Aren’t there a lot? We’ve just taken them all out to wash them, that’s all! Ha! Ha! Ha!’
“见到你很高兴,奥利弗,”费金说,“亲爱的,我看你一直盯着那些手帕。是不是很多?我们只是把它们拿出来洗洗而已!哈哈!”

This seemed to be a joke, as the old gentleman and all his young friends gave loud shouts of laughter.
这似乎是个笑话,因为这位老先生和他所有的年轻朋友们都放声大笑起来。

Then supper began. Oliver ate his share of the food and was then given a glass of gin-and-water.
接着晚饭开始了。奥利弗吃了分给他的那份食物,然后被递了一杯掺水的杜松子酒。

Fagin told him to drink it fast. Immediately afterwards, Oliver felt himself lifted onto one of the beds and he sank into a deep sleep.
费金让他快点喝下去。紧接着,奥利弗感到自己被抬到了一张床上,随即陷入了沉睡。

When he woke, it was late morning. Fagin was the only other person in the room, and he was boiling coffee in a pan.
当他醒来时,已是上午晚些时候。房间里只有费金一个人,他正用平底锅煮咖啡。

When the coffee was done, he turned towards Oliver and looked closely at the boy.
咖啡煮好后,他转向奥利弗,仔细打量着这个男孩。

Oliver was only just awake and his eyes were half-closed, so he seemed to be still fast asleep.
奥利弗刚刚醒来,眼睛半睁半闭,看起来像是还在熟睡。

Fagin then locked the door and from a hidden hole in the floor, he took out a small box, which he placed carefully on the table.
费金随后锁上门,从地板上一个隐蔽的洞里取出一个小盒子,小心翼翼地放在桌上。

His eyes shone as he opened it and took out a gold watch covered in jewels.
当他打开盒子,取出一块镶满宝石的金表时,他的眼睛闪闪发光。

‘Aah!’ he said to himself. ‘What fine men they were! Loyal to the end. They never told the priest where the jewels were. Nor about old Fagin. Not even at the very end. And why should they? It was already too late. It wouldn’t have stopped the rope going round their necks!’
“啊!”他自言自语道,“多么好的人啊!至死忠诚。他们从未告诉牧师珠宝藏在哪里,也没有供出老费金。哪怕到了最后一刻也没有。可他们为什么要说呢?已经太迟了。说出来也挡不住套在他们脖子上的绞索!”

Fagin took out at least six more watches, as well as rings and bracelets and many other valuable pieces of jewellery.
费金又拿出了至少六块表,还有戒指、手镯以及许多其他贵重首饰。

He looked at them with pleasure, then replaced them. ‘What a good thing hanging is!’ he murmured. ‘Dead men can never talk, or betray old friends!’
他满心欢喜地看着这些东西,然后把它们放了回去。“绞刑真是个好东西!”他喃喃自语,“死人永远不会开口说话,也不会出卖老朋友!”

At that moment he looked up and saw Oliver watching him. He closed the lid of the box with a loud crash, and picked up a bread knife from the table. ‘Why are you watching me? What have you seen? Tell me — quick!’
就在这时,他抬起头,发现奥利弗正看着他。他“啪”地一声合上盒盖,从桌上抓起一把切面包的刀。“你为什么盯着我?你看到了什么?快告诉我!”

‘I couldn’t sleep any longer, sir,’ said Oliver, terrified. ‘I’m very sorry.’
“先生,我睡不着了,”奥利弗惊恐地说,“非常抱歉。”

‘You weren’t awake an hour ago?’ Fagin asked fiercely, still holding the knife.
“你一个小时前还没醒吗?”费金恶狠狠地问道,手里依然紧握着刀。

‘I promise I wasn’t, sir,’ replied Oliver.
“我发誓我没有,先生。”奥利弗回答。

‘Don’t worry, my dear,’ Fagin said, putting down the knife and becoming once again the kind old gentleman. He laughed. ‘I only tried to frighten you, my dear. You’re a brave boy, Oliver! And did you see any of the pretty things?’
“别担心,亲爱的,”费金放下刀,又变回了那个慈祥的老先生。他笑着说,“我只是想吓唬吓唬你,亲爱的。你是个勇敢的孩子,奥利弗!那你看到那些漂亮的小玩意儿了吗?”

‘Yes, sir.’
“看到了,先生。”

‘Ah,’ said Fagin, turning rather pale. ‘They — they’re mine, Oliver. All I have, in my old age.’
“啊,”费金脸色变得有些苍白,“它们——它们是我的,奥利弗。是我这把年纪全部的家当了。”

Oliver wondered why the old man lived in such an old, dirty place, when he had so many watches, but then he thought that it must cost Fagin a lot of money to look after the Dodger and the other boys. So he said nothing, and got up and washed. When he turned towards Fagin, the box had disappeared.
奥利弗心想,既然老人有这么多手表,为什么还要住在这么破旧肮脏的地方?但他转念一想,照顾“机灵鬼”和其他男孩肯定要花费费金不少钱。于是他什么也没说,起身去洗漱了。当他转过身看向费金时,那个盒子已经不见了。

Soon the Dodger entered with a cheerful young man named Charley Bates.
不久,“机灵鬼”带着一个名叫查理·贝茨的快乐小伙子走了进来。

‘Have you been at work this morning?’ Fagin asked the Dodger.
“你们今天上午干活了吗?”费金问“机灵鬼”。

‘Hard at work,’ answered the Dodger.
“干得很卖力。”“机灵鬼”答道。

‘Good boys, good boys!’ said Fagin. ‘What have you got?’
“好孩子,真是好孩子!”费金说,“弄到了什么?”

‘A couple of pocket-books and some handkerchieves.’
“几个钱包和一些手帕。”

‘Good workers, aren’t they, Oliver?’ said the old man.
“他们是很能干的工人,对吧,奥利弗?”老人说道。

‘Very good,’ said Oliver. The others all started laughing, though Oliver saw nothing funny in his answer. Fagin inspected the handkerchieves and told the two boys that they were extremely well made and that he was very pleased with their work.
“非常能干。”奥利弗说。其他人都笑了起来,尽管奥利弗并不觉得自己的回答有什么好笑的。费金检查了手帕,告诉两个男孩这些手帕做工极好,他对他们的工作非常满意。

After breakfast they played a very strange game. The cheerful old man put a watch in his jacket pocket, with a guard-chain round his neck, and a notebook and a handkerchief in his trouser pocket. Then he went up and down the room holding a walking stick, just like the old gentlemen who walked in the streets. Sometimes he stopped at fireplace, and sometimes at the door, pretending to stare with great interest into shop windows. He would then constantly look round, as if afraid of thieves, touching all his pockets in such a natural and funny way that Oliver laughed until tears ran down his face. All the time, the two boys followed Fagin everywhere, and every time he turned round, they moved out of his sight so quickly that it was impossible follow their movements.
早饭后,他们玩了一个非常奇怪的游戏。这位快乐的老人在夹克口袋里放了一块表,脖子上挂着表链,裤兜里装了一个笔记本和一条手帕。然后他拄着一根手杖在房间里走来走去,就像街上散步的老绅士一样。他有时停在壁炉前,有时停在门口,假装饶有兴致地盯着商店橱窗看。他还不时地四处张望,仿佛害怕小偷,并用一种极其自然又滑稽的动作摸索所有的口袋,逗得奥利弗笑出了眼泪。与此同时,两个男孩一直跟在费金身后,每当他转身时,他们就迅速闪到他的视线之外,动作快得让人根本无法看清。

Finally, the Dodger bumped into him accidentally from behind, and at that moment both boys took from him, very quickly, his watch, guard-chain, handkerchief, and notebook. If the old man felt a hand in any of his pockets he cried out, and then the game began again.
最后,“机灵鬼”假装不小心从后面撞了他一下,就在那一瞬间,两个男孩飞快地从他身上摸走了手表、表链、手帕和笔记本。如果老人感觉到口袋里有手,他就会大叫一声,然后游戏重新开始。

Later, the boys went out again to do some more work. When they had gone, Fagin turned to Oliver. ‘Take my advice, my dear,’ he said. ‘Make them your models. Especially the Dodger. He’ll be a great man himself, and will make you one too, if you copy him. Is my handkerchief hanging out of my pocket, my dear?’
后来,男孩们又出去“干活”了。他们走后,费金转向奥利弗。“听我的劝告,亲爱的,”他说,“把他们当作你的榜样。尤其是‘机灵鬼’。他自己将来会成为了不起的人物,如果你模仿他,你也会成为了不起的人物。我的手帕是不是露在口袋外面了,亲爱的?”

‘Yes, sir,’ said Oliver.
“是的,先生。”奥利弗说。

‘See if you can take it out, without my feeling it. Just as you saw them doing it when we were playing.’
“看看你能不能在我毫无察觉的情况下把它拿走。就像刚才玩游戏时你看到他们做的那样。”

Oliver held up the bottom of the pocket with one hand, as he had seen the Dodger hold it, and pulled the handkerchief lightly out of it with the other.
奥利弗像他看到“机灵鬼”那样,用一只手托起口袋底部,另一只手轻轻地把手帕抽了出来。

‘Has it gone?’ asked Fagin.
“拿走了吗?”费金问。

‘Here it is, sir,’ said Oliver, showing it in his hand.
“在这儿呢,先生。”奥利弗举起手中的手帕说道。

‘You’re a clever boy, my dear,’ said the old gentleman, putting his hand on Oliver’s head. ‘I’ve never seen a quicker boy. If you go on like this, you’ll be the greatest man in London. Now come here and I’ll show you how to take the marks out of handkerchieves.’
“你真是个聪明的孩子,亲爱的,”老先生摸着奥利弗的头说,“我从没见过手脚这么麻利的孩子。照这样下去,你会成为伦敦最了不起的人物。现在过来,我教你怎么去掉手帕上的标记。”

Oliver wondered what the connection was between playing at stealing from the old gentleman’s pocket and becoming a great man. But he followed him quietly to the table and was soon deeply involved in his new study.
奥利弗不明白从老先生口袋里偷东西的游戏和成为了不起的人物之间有什么联系。但他还是安静地跟着费金来到桌前,很快就全神贯注地投入到了这项新“学业”中。

Oliver remained in Fagin’s room for many days, picking the marks and names out of the handkerchieves and sometimes playing the same game as before. One evening two young ladies came to visit, and a very cheerful party followed. Oliver thought they were very nice, friendly girls.
奥利弗在费金的房间里待了许多天,拆除手帕上的标记和名字,有时还像以前一样玩那个游戏。一天晚上,两位年轻女士来访,随后大家举行了一场非常欢乐的聚会。奥利弗觉得她们是非常友善的好姑娘。

The Dodger and Charley Bates went out to work every day, but sometimes came home with no handkerchieves, and Fagin would get very angry. Once he even knocked them both down the stairs and sent them to bed with no dinner because they had returned with nothing.
“机灵鬼”和查理·贝茨每天都出去“工作”,但有时空手而归,没带回任何手帕,费金就会大发雷霆。有一次,他甚至把他们俩推下楼梯,还不给他们吃晚饭就赶去睡觉,只因为他们一无所获。

At last, the morning came when Oliver was allowed to go out to work with the two other boys. There had been no handkerchieves for him to work on for several days and there was not very much to eat for dinner. The three boys set out, but they walked so slowly that Oliver thought they were not going to work at all. Then suddenly the Dodger stopped and put his finger to his lips.
终于有一天早上,奥利弗获准和另外两个男孩一起出去“工作”。他已经好几天没有手帕可以拆了,晚饭也没什么吃的。三个男孩出发了,但他们走得很慢,奥利弗以为他们根本不打算去干活。突然,“机灵鬼”停下来,把手指放在嘴唇上示意噤声。

‘What’s the matter?’ demanded Oliver.
“怎么了?”奥利弗问道。

‘Be quiet!’ replied the Dodger. ‘Do you see that old man outside the bookshop? He’s the one.’
“嘘!”“机灵鬼”回答,“看到书店外的那个老先生了吗?就是他。”

Oliver looked from the Dodger to Charley Bates with great surprise and confusion, but he had been told not to ask questions. The two boys walked quickly and secretly across the road towards the old gentleman. Oliver followed behind them, watching in silent amazement.
奥利弗惊讶而困惑地看着“机灵鬼”和查理·贝茨,但他被告知不许提问。两个男孩迅速而隐秘地穿过马路,朝那位老先生走去。奥利弗跟在他们后面,默默地看着,心中充满了惊愕。

The old gentleman looked quite rich; he wore gold glasses, white trousers, and had an expensive walking stick under his arm. He had picked up a book and was standing there, reading it with great concentration — just as if he were in his own armchair at home. Oliver, his eyes wide with horror and alarm, watched as the Dodger put his hand in the old gentleman’s pocket, took out a handkerchief, and handed it to Charley Bates. Then the two of them ran round the corner as fast as they could.
这位老先生看起来很富有;他戴着金边眼镜,穿着白色长裤,腋下夹着一根昂贵的手杖。他拿起一本书站在那里,聚精会神地读着——就好像坐在自家的扶手椅上一样。奥利弗瞪大了眼睛,满脸恐惧与惊慌,眼睁睁看着“机灵鬼”把手伸进老先生的口袋,掏出一条手帕递给查理·贝茨。然后两人以最快的速度跑过街角逃之夭夭。

Suddenly, the whole mystery of the handkerchieves, and the watches, and the jewels, and Fagin, became clear. Oliver stood for a moment in terror, blood rushing through him until he felt he was on fire. Then, confused and frightened, he started to run. At the same time, the old gentleman, putting his hand to his pocket and realizing his handkerchief was missing, turned round. He saw Oliver running away, so he naturally thought Oliver was the thief. With loud cries of ‘Stop thief!’, he ran after Oliver with the book still in his hand.
突然间,关于手帕、手表、珠宝以及费金的所有谜团都真相大白了。奥利弗惊恐地站了一会儿,血液在体内奔涌,感觉浑身像着了火一样。随后,他在慌乱与恐惧中拔腿就跑。与此同时,老先生把手伸进口袋,发现手帕不见了,便转过身来。他看见奥利弗正在逃跑,自然以为他就是小偷。他大声喊着“抓小偷!”,手里还拿着书就追了上去。

The old gentleman was not the only one who started shouting. The Dodger and Charley Bates, not wanting to attract attention to themselves by running down the street, had stopped round the first corner. When they realized what was happening, they also shouted ‘Stop thief!’ and joined in the chase like good citizens.
开始喊叫的不止老先生一人。“机灵鬼”和查理·贝茨不想因为在街上奔跑而引起注意,便在第一个拐角处停了下来。当他们意识到发生了什么时,也跟着大喊“抓小偷!”,像守法公民一样加入了追捕行列。

The cry of ‘Stop thief!’ always causes great excitement. Everybody in the street stopped what they were doing and began to shout themselves. Many joined in the chase with enthusiasm and soon there was a big crowd running after Oliver.
“抓小偷”的喊声总能引起极大的骚动。街上的每个人都停下了手中的事,跟着喊了起来。许多人热情高涨地加入追捕,很快就有了一大群人追着奥利弗跑。

Finally, they caught the exhausted boy. He fell down on the pavement and the crowd gathered round him.
最终,他们抓住了筋疲力尽的男孩。他摔倒在人行道上,人群围了上来。

‘Is this the boy?’ they asked the old gentleman.
“是这个男孩吗?”他们问老先生。

‘Yes,’ he answered, leaning over Oliver. ‘But I’m afraid he’s hurt himself.’
“是的,”他俯身看着奥利弗回答道,“恐怕他把自己弄伤了。”

‘I did that,’ said a huge young man proudly. ‘And I hurt my hand doing it.’ The old gentleman looked at him with an expression of dislike.
“是我把他打倒的,”一个魁梧的年轻人自豪地说,“我还为此伤了手呢。”老先生厌恶地看了他一眼。

Oliver lay on the ground, covered with mud and dust and bleeding from the mouth, and looked wildly at all the faces surrounding him. At that moment a policeman arrived and took Oliver by the collar. ‘Come on, get up,’ he said roughly.
奥利弗躺在地上,满身泥土灰尘,嘴角流着血,惊恐地看着周围的一张张面孔。这时一名警察赶到,揪住奥利弗的衣领。“快点,站起来,”他粗暴地说道。

‘It wasn’t me, sir,’ said Oliver, looking round. ‘It was two other boys. They’re here somewhere.’
“不是我,先生,”奥利弗环顾四周说道,“是另外两个男孩。他们就在这附近。”

‘Oh no, they aren’t,’ replied the policeman. In fact, he was right, as the Dodger and Charley had quietly disappeared as soon as the crowd had caught Oliver. ‘Come on, get up!’
“哦不,他们不在。”警察回答。事实上他说得没错,因为人群抓住奥利弗的那一刻,“机灵鬼”和查理早就悄悄溜走了。“快点,起来!”

‘Don’t hurt him,’ said the old gentleman.
“别伤着他。”老先生说。

‘I won’t,’ said the policeman, tearing Oliver’s jacket half off his back as he lifted him up.
“我不会的。”警察说着,一把将奥利弗提了起来,差点把他的夹克从背上扯下来。

The three of them started walking, followed by the excited crowd.
三人开始往前走,身后跟着一群兴奋围观的人群。


yewandou

一个人要有坚强的毅力,否则他将一事无成

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