7 The robbery
第七章 抢劫
A few days later, a visitor arrived in London from Oliver’s home town.
几天后，一位访客从奥利弗的家乡来到了伦敦。
He was a large, fat man, and very proud of his hat, which showed the world that he was a most important official.
他是个大块头的胖子，对自己的帽子引以为豪，那顶帽子向世人昭示着他是一位极其重要的官员。
It was, in fact, Mr Bumble the beadle, Oliver’s old enemy.
事实上，此人正是教区干事班布尔先生，奥利弗的老对头。
Mr Bumble had completed his business in the city, and had just finished a most satisfactory meal in a pub.
班布尔先生办完了城里的事，刚在一家酒馆里享用了一顿极为满意的饭菜。
He pulled up his chair to the fire, to enjoy his hot gin-and-water in comfort, and opened the newspaper.
他把椅子拉到壁炉前，舒舒服服地喝着热杜松子酒兑水，然后打开了报纸。
The first thing he saw was this notice:
他首先看到的是一则告示：
A reward of five pounds is offered for any information leading to the discovery of a young boy, Oliver Twist, who was kidnapped from his home in Pentonville last Thursday evening.
凡提供线索帮助找到上周四晚从彭顿维尔家中被拐走的男孩奥利弗·特威斯特者，赏金五英镑。
I am also very interested in any information about his past.
我也非常渴望了解有关他过往身世的任何信息。
There was then a full description of Oliver’s clothes and appearance, and Mr Brownlow’s full address.
告示下方详细描述了奥利弗的衣着和外貌，并附有布朗洛先生的完整地址。
Mr Bumble rubbed his eyes, read the notice again, and was at the address in less than ten minutes.
班布尔先生揉了揉眼睛，又读了一遍告示，不到十分钟便赶到了那个地址。
He was shown into Mr Brownlow’s study, where the old gentleman and his friend Mr Grimwig were sitting.
他被领进布朗洛先生的书房，老先生和他的朋友格里姆威格先生正坐在那里。
‘Do you know where the poor boy is now?’ Mr Brownlow asked, when the beadle had explained the reason for his visit.
当干事说明了来意后，布朗洛先生问道：“你知道那可怜的孩子现在在哪儿吗？”
Mr Bumble shook his head.
班布尔先生摇了摇头。
‘Do you know anything good about him?’ asked Mr Grimwig, looking closely at Mr Bumble’s face.
“你知道他有什么优点吗？”格里姆威格先生紧盯着班布尔的脸问道。
Mr Bumble shook his head again, very seriously, and turned down the corners of his mouth.
班布尔先生再次非常严肃地摇了摇头，撇了撇嘴。
‘Then tell us everything you know about him,’ said Mr Brownlow impatiently.
“那就把你所知道的关于他的一切都告诉我们吧，”布朗洛先生不耐烦地说。
Mr Bumble put down his hat, unbuttoned his coat, folded arms, and sat back in his chair.
班布尔先生放下帽子，解开外套扣子，双臂交叉抱在胸前，向后靠在椅背上。
He spoke in his most important and official voice, and talked for twenty minutes.
他用最庄重、最官方的腔调讲了二十分钟。
His listeners heard all the details of Oliver’s illegitimate birth, and how generously he had been treated as a workhouse orphan.
听众们听到了奥利弗私生子出身的所有细节，以及他作为济贫院孤儿受到了多么“宽厚”的待遇。
They heard how he had always been an ungrateful and dangerous child, violently attacking another boy, and finally running away from the house where he had been working.
他们听到这孩子一直是个忘恩负义、危险至极的家伙，曾暴力袭击另一个男孩，最后还从做工的人家逃跑了。
The old gentleman shook his head sadly and gave Mr Bumble the five pounds.
老先生悲伤地摇了摇头，给了班布尔先生五英镑。
‘I would have been happy to give you three times the amount — if your story had proved that the boy was good.’
“如果你的话能证明这孩子是个好孩子，我乐意给你三倍的钱。”
If Mr Bumble had known this earlier, he might have told a different story, but now it was too late.
如果班布尔先生早点知道这一点，他或许会讲一套完全不同的说辞，但现在为时已晚。
So he took the money and left.
于是他拿了钱离开了。
Mr Brownlow walked up and down his room for several minutes, deep in thought.
布朗洛先生在房间里踱步了好几分钟，陷入沉思。
He rang the bell for Mrs Bedwin, his housekeeper, and told her what he had heard.
他按铃叫来管家贝德温太太，把刚才听到的话告诉了她。
‘I don’t believe it,’ she said, with great certainty.
“我不相信，”她语气坚定地说。
‘I was right,’ said Mr Grimwig with satisfaction. ‘You should have listened to what I said.’
“我说对了吧，”格里姆威格先生得意地说，“你当初就该听我的。”
Mr Brownlow said angrily, ‘Never let me hear the boy’s name again. Never. Remember that, Mrs Bedwin.’
布朗洛先生愤怒地说：“别再让我听到那孩子的名字。永远别让我再听到。记住了吗，贝德温太太。”
There were sad hearts at Mr Brownlow’s house that night.
那天晚上，布朗洛先生家里笼罩在一片悲伤之中。
Meanwhile, in another part of London, Oliver remained a prisoner.
与此同时，在伦敦的另一端，奥利弗依然是个囚徒。
Fagin had told Oliver how ungrateful he had been to run away.
费金告诉奥利弗，他逃跑是多么忘恩负义的行为。
He had told him that he would have died of hunger without Fagin’s kindness.
他说要不是费金大发慈悲，奥利弗早就饿死了。
He went on to tell Oliver the story of another young boy, who had gone to the police to tell them about the gang, but who had finally been hanged one morning for being a thief.
接着他又给奥利弗讲了另一个小男孩的故事，那孩子曾去警察局告发团伙，结果某天早上还是因为偷窃被绞死了。
Fagin described the hanging in terrifying detail, and said that he hoped he would never have to tell the police about Oliver — and see Oliver with a rope around his neck.
费金绘声绘色地描述了绞刑的恐怖细节，并说他希望永远不必向警察告发奥利弗——也不愿看到奥利弗脖子上套着绳索的样子。
Oliver felt his blood turn cold.
奥利弗感到浑身的血液都凝固了。
He remained locked in a room for many days, seeing nobody between early morning and midnight.
他被锁在房间里好多天，从清晨到午夜见不到任何人。
He spent his time thinking sadly about his friends in Pentonville.
他只能在悲伤中思念彭顿维尔的朋友们来打发时间。
After a week he was free to wander round the house during the day.
一周后，他白天可以在房子里自由走动了。
It was a dirty place, full of rats and insects but no other living thing.
那是个肮脏的地方，到处是老鼠和虫子，再无其他活物。
All the windows were closed, and covered with wood and metal bars that kept out the light.
所有的窗户都关着，钉满了木板和铁条，遮住了光线。
One afternoon the Dodger and Charley Bates were at home and they started telling Oliver about their lives as thieves.
一天下午，“机灵鬼”和查利·贝茨在家，他们开始跟奥利弗讲起他们的窃贼生涯。
‘Why don’t you become one?’ Charley asked him. ‘We all are here — both of us, and Fagin, Sikes, Nancy… all of us.’
“你为什么不也干这一行呢？”查利问他，“我们这儿所有人都是——我俩、费金、赛克斯、南希……全都是。”
‘I don’t want to be,’ replied Oliver. ‘I wish they’d let me go.’
“我不想当小偷，”奥利弗回答，“我希望他们能放我走。”
‘But it’s a good life,’ the Dodger said, taking some coins from his pocket and throwing them up in the air.
“但这日子过得不错啊，”“机灵鬼”说着，从口袋里掏出几枚硬币抛向空中。
‘What does it matter where the money comes from?’ he said, laughing. ‘If you don’t steal it, someone else will. You can be sure of that!’
“钱从哪儿来的有什么关系？”他笑着说，“你不偷，别人也会偷。这点你放心！”
Fagin entered at this point, with two young men, and joined in the conversation.
这时费金带着两个年轻人走了进来，加入了谈话。
One of the young men had just come out of prison, and there were many cheerful jokes about his very short hair-cut.
其中一个年轻人刚出狱，大家拿他极短的头发开了不少欢快的玩笑。
Everybody sat around the fire, talking and laughing for hours.
大家围坐在火炉旁，有说有笑地聊了好几个小时。
Fagin told Oliver how good the Dodger was at his job, and what a friendly boy Charley was.
费金告诉奥利弗，“机灵鬼”干活有多棒，查利这孩子有多友善。
It was, without doubt, an interesting evening for Oliver, after so many days locked up alone.
在被独自关押了那么多天之后，这对奥利弗来说无疑是个有趣的夜晚。
After that evening he was rarely on his own again.
从那晚以后，他很少再独自一人了。
He spent a lot of time with the Dodger and Charley, and often played the handkerchief game with them.
他和“机灵鬼”、查利待在一起的时间很多，还经常和他们玩偷手帕的游戏。
At other times Fagin would tell them all about robberies he had committed in his younger days, telling the stories so well and putting in so many funny details that Oliver could not stop laughing, even though he knew it was wrong.
有时费金会讲他年轻时犯下的抢劫案，故事讲得精彩绝伦，添加了许多滑稽的细节，引得奥利弗忍不住大笑，尽管他知道这是不对的。
Fagin knew what he was doing.
费金很清楚自己在做什么。
He had made sure that Oliver was so lonely and miserable that he would be desperate for any friends, however criminal.
他确保奥利弗感到极度孤独和痛苦，从而不顾对方是否是罪犯，都会迫切渴望结交任何朋友。
Slowly and deliberately, Fagin was trying to poison the young boy’s mind.
费金正缓慢而蓄意地毒害这个年幼男孩的心灵。
One damp, cold, windy night a few weeks later, Fagin put on his heavy coat and, with the collar pulled up high to hide his face, left his home.
几周后一个潮湿、寒冷且刮风的夜晚，费金穿上厚重的大衣，把衣领高高竖起遮住脸，离开了住处。
He walked fast through the streets, never losing his way even in the darkest places.
他在街道上快步穿行，即使在最黑暗的地方也从未迷路。
Finally, he reached an evil, narrow street lit only by a single lamp.
最后，他来到一条阴暗狭窄的街道，只有一盏灯照明。
He knocked on a door, said something quietly to the person who opened it, then walked upstairs.
他敲了敲门，对开门的人低声说了几句，然后上了楼。
Bill Sikes was sitting by his fire with his dog when Fagin entered.
费金进去时，比尔·赛克斯正和他的狗一起坐在火炉旁。
The room was a small, dark place with almost no furniture.
房间狭小昏暗，几乎没有家具。
Nancy was there, too, and Fagin glanced at her uneasily.
南希也在，费金不安地瞥了她一眼。
He had not seen her since she had attacked him to stop him hitting Oliver.
自从她为了阻止他殴打奥利弗而对他动手之后，他就没见过她。
However, she seemed to have forgotten all about it, because she told him to pull up a chair and warm himself by the fire.
不过，她似乎已经把那件事全忘了，因为她让他拉把椅子到火炉边暖暖身子。
‘I’m ready for business,’ Bill Sikes said, looking at Fagin suspiciously. ‘Say what you have to say, Fagin.’
“我准备好谈正事了，”比尔·赛克斯怀疑地看着费金说，“有话直说吧，费金。”
‘It’s about the robbery at Chertsey, Bill,’ answered Fagin. ‘Some lovely silver in that house down there!’
“是关于彻特西的那桩抢劫案，比尔，”费金答道，“那栋房子里有些漂亮的银器！”
‘I know, I know,’ Sikes said. ‘I was down there two nights ago to have a look at the house. But it’s locked like a prison at night, all except one part.’
“我知道，我知道，”赛克斯说，“两天前我去那儿踩过点。但那房子晚上锁得像监狱一样严实，只有一个地方例外。”
‘Where’s that?’ asked Fagin, bending his head forwards, his eyes staring excitedly at Sikes.
“在哪儿？”费金探着头问，眼睛兴奋地盯着赛克斯。
‘Do you think I’m stupid? I’m not telling you! Anyway, what we need is a boy.’
“你以为我傻吗？我才不告诉你！总之，我们需要一个小男孩。”
‘So there’s a small place where only a boy can enter the house?’ asked Fagin.
“这么说有个小口子只有小男孩才能钻进去？”费金问。
‘Maybe. But we need a boy.’
“也许吧。但我们需要一个小男孩。”
There was silence for a time, while Fagin thought.
费金思考了一会儿，屋里一片寂静。
Then he made a sign to Sikes to tell Nancy to leave the room.
然后他示意赛克斯让南希离开房间。
‘Don’t worry,’ Sikes said. ‘You can trust her — she won’t talk. Isn’t that right?’
“别担心，”赛克斯说，“你可以信任她——她不会乱说的。对吧？”
‘Of course it’s right,’ answered the young woman, taking a large drink from the bottle on the table, and laughing. ‘Anyway, Fagin, I know your idea is for Oliver to do the job.’
“当然对，”年轻女子喝了一大口桌上的酒，笑着说，“反正费金，我知道你是想让奥利弗去干这票。”
‘You’re a clever girl,’ said Fagin, smiling evilly. ‘That’s exactly what I had in mind. Listen, Bill — the boy’s been training for a few weeks, and it’s time he did some work. He’s the smallest one, anyway.’
“你是个聪明的姑娘，”费金邪恶地笑着说，“这正是我的打算。听着，比尔——这孩子已经训练了几周，是时候让他干点活了。而且他个头最小。”
‘Is he safe?’ asked Sikes. ‘Because if he tries any tricks on me, I’ll kill him!’
“他靠得住吗？”赛克斯问，“因为如果他敢跟我耍花招，我就宰了他！”
‘He’ll be ours for life, if he feels he’s one of us. And this job will make him feel like that,’ said Fagin eagerly. ‘The boy looks so innocent he’s perfect. And we’ve got to include him in some crime as soon as we can. Otherwise, if he escapes now, he can tell the police about us and stay free himself.’
“只要他觉得自己是我们中的一员，他就会一辈子跟着我们。而这桩活儿正好能让他有这种归属感，”费金急切地说，“这孩子看起来天真无邪，简直完美。我们必须尽快让他参与犯罪。否则，如果他现在逃跑，就会向警察告发我们，而他自己却能逍遥法外。”
So it was decided that Oliver would help Sikes with the robbery in two days’ time.
于是决定两天后由奥利弗协助赛克斯实施抢劫。
The plan was discussed in great detail and all the arrangements made.
他们详细讨论了计划并做好了一切安排。
By then, Sikes was very drunk, and Fagin got up to leave.
此时赛克斯已经醉得不轻，费金起身准备离开。
As he put on his coat, he stared hard at Nancy, frowning a little.
穿外套时，他紧紧盯着南希，微微皱眉。
No, he was sure he could trust her; she was loyal.
不，他确信可以信任她；她是忠诚的。
The next night, Oliver was alone in Fagin’s house when Nancy entered.
第二天晚上，奥利弗独自在费金的屋子里，这时南希走了进来。
She was so nervous and white-faced that Oliver asked her if she was ill.
她脸色苍白，神情紧张，奥利弗不禁问她是不是病了。
‘God forgive me!’ she said, beating her hands together. ‘I never thought I would do this!’
“上帝饶恕我吧！”她双手互击着说，“我从没想过自己会做这种事！”
‘Has anything happened?’ asked the boy. ‘What is it?’
“发生什么事了吗？”男孩问，“怎么了？”
She sat with her back to him, and hid her face with her hands.
她背对着他坐下，用双手捂住了脸。
After a while she said, ‘I don’t know why I feel so strange sometimes. Come on, Oliver — are you ready? You have to come with me to Bill’s house.’
过了一会儿她说：“我不知道为什么有时感觉这么奇怪。来吧，奥利弗——准备好了吗？你得跟我去比尔家。”
‘Why?’
“为什么？”
‘Oh — nothing important.’
“哦——没什么要紧事。”
Oliver did not believe her, but he thought that at last this might be an opportunity to escape.
奥利弗不相信她，但他觉得这终于可能是个逃跑的机会。
So he said, rather too quickly, ‘I’m ready.’ Nancy guessed what he was thinking.
于是他答应得有点太快了：“我准备好了。”南希猜到了他的心思。
‘Oliver,’ she said, ‘this is not the time to escape. I’ve saved you once, and I will again, but if anything happens tonight, it might mean my death.’ She said this so seriously that Oliver decided it must be true. He was quiet while they walked quickly through the streets to Sikes’ house.
“奥利弗，”她说，“现在不是逃跑的时候。我已经救过你一次，以后还会再救你，但如果今晚出了岔子，可能就意味着我的死期。”她说得如此严肃，奥利弗断定这一定是真的。在他们快步穿过街道前往赛克斯家的路上，他一直保持着沉默。
Inside his room, Sikes sat Oliver down on a chair. ‘Did he come quietly?’ he asked Nancy.
在房间里，赛克斯让奥利弗坐在椅子上。“他乖乖来了吗？”他问南希。
‘Quiet as a mouse.’
“安静得像只老鼠。”
‘Glad to hear it,’ said Sikes. ‘Now listen to me, boy.’ He put a gun against Oliver’s head. ‘If you say one word when you’re outside with me, I’ll shoot you. Understand?’
“很高兴听你这么说，”赛克斯说，“现在听好了，小子。”他把枪抵在奥利弗的头上，“如果你在外面敢多说一个字，我就崩了你。明白吗？”
Oliver nodded, trying hard not to tremble.
奥利弗点点头，极力克制着不让身体发抖。
Sikes and Oliver started out at five o’clock in the morning, while it was still dark.
凌晨五点，天还没亮，赛克斯和奥利弗就出发了。
They crossed from one side of London to the other.
他们横穿了整个伦敦。
At first the streets were empty, then shops began to open and people started going to work.
起初街道上空无一人，随后店铺陆续开门，人们也开始上班。
Gradually, the noise and traffic increased, and as they passed through the meat market at Smithfield, Oliver was amazed by the sight and smells of so many animals, and by the huge crowds of people, all pushing and swearing and shouting.
渐渐地，喧嚣和车流多了起来，当他们穿过史密斯菲尔德肉市场时，奥利弗被眼前众多的牲畜及其气味，以及推搡、咒骂、叫喊着的庞大人群惊呆了。
But Bill Sikes marched on without stopping.
但比尔·赛克斯毫不停留地继续大步前行。
Later in the day they were given a lift in a horse and cart from west London out into the country.
当天晚些时候，他们搭上了一辆马车，从伦敦西区去往乡下。
Night fell, and after walking a few more miles down country roads, they finally arrived at an old house standing alone by a river.
夜幕降临，沿着乡间小路又走了几英里后，他们终于来到河边一座孤零零的老房子前。
It was dark and seemed to be empty. They went inside without knocking.
房子黑漆漆的，似乎空无一人。他们没敲门就进去了。
Inside were two other men, who, at Sikes’ command, produced food and drink for him and the boy.
里面还有两个男人，在赛克斯的吩咐下，为他俩端上了吃喝。
Then Sikes told Oliver to get some sleep as they would be going out again later that night.
然后赛克斯让奥利弗睡一觉，因为当晚深夜还要再次出动。
Oliver still had no idea of the purpose of this expedition, but his head ached with tiredness and he soon fell asleep.
奥利弗仍然不知道此行的目的，但他头痛欲裂、疲惫不堪，很快就睡着了。
At half past one the men got up and checked their equipment, gathering several sticks as well.
一点半，男人们起床检查装备，还收集了几根棍子。
Sikes and the man called Toby left the house together, with Oliver walking between them.
赛克斯和一个叫托比的男人一起离开房子，奥利弗走在他们中间。
There was now a thick fog and the night was very still as they hurried through the deserted streets of the nearby town.
此时浓雾弥漫，夜晚异常寂静，他们匆匆穿过附近小镇空旷的街道。
Out in the country again, they walked down several small roads until finally they stopped at a house surrounded by a high wall.
回到乡间后，他们沿着几条小路走去，最终停在一座被高墙环绕的房子前。
As quick as lightning, Toby climbed up and pulled Oliver after him.
托比闪电般爬上墙头，把奥利弗也拉了上去。
Inside the garden, they crept towards the house, and now, for the first time, Oliver realized in horror that the purpose of the expedition was robbery, and maybe even murder.
进入花园后，他们蹑手蹑脚地向房子靠近，直到这时奥利弗才惊恐地意识到，此行的目的是抢劫，甚至可能是谋杀。
Bill Sikes broke open a small window at the back of the house, then shone his light into Oliver’s face.
比尔·赛克斯撬开房子后面的一扇小窗，然后用灯光照向奥利弗的脸。
‘Now listen. I’m going to put you through here. Go straight through into the hall and on to the front door, and let us in. And if you don’t, you can be sure I’ll shoot you.’
“听好了。我要把你从这里塞进去。直接穿过大厅走到前门，给我们开门。如果你敢不从，小心我毙了你。”
Oliver, stupid with terror, was lifted through the window into the house.
奥利弗吓得呆若木鸡，被从窗户塞进了屋里。
Desperately, he decided to try to run upstairs and warn the family.
绝望之下，他决定试着跑上楼去警告这家人。
He began to creep forwards.
他开始向前匍匐爬行。
Suddenly, there was a loud noise from the hall.
突然，大厅里传来一声巨响。
‘Come back!’ shouted Sikes. ‘Back! Back!’
“回来！”赛克斯吼道，“回来！快回来！”
Oliver stood still, frozen with fear.
奥利弗一动不动地站着，吓得僵住了。
A light appeared, then two men on the stairs, then a sudden bright flash, and a loud bang.
一道光亮出现，楼梯上现出两个人影，紧接着是一道刺眼的闪光和一声巨响。
Oliver staggered back.
奥利弗踉跄后退。
Sikes seized the boy’s collar through the window and pulled him back out into the garden.
赛克斯隔着窗户抓住男孩的衣领，把他拽回了花园。
‘They’ve hit him!’ shouted Sikes. ‘He’s bleeding.’
“他们打中他了！”赛克斯喊道，“他流血了。”
A bell rang loudly, above the noise of more gunshots and the shouts of men.
在更多的枪声和人们的喊叫声中，一阵刺耳的铃声响起。
Oliver felt himself being carried across rough ground, and then he saw and heard no more.
奥利弗感觉自己被抱着穿过崎岖的地面，随后便再也看不见、听不见任何东西了。
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