06-02-雾都孤儿 [25]
to return some books to a bookseller, and to send some money for new books that he had already collected. Mr Grimwig suggested that O liver should go. 'He'll be sure to deliver everything safely, 'he said with a smile.
'Yes, please let me take the m, 'said O liver, delighted to be of use.
Mr Brown low hesitated, but Mr Grimwig's smile had annoyed him. 'Very well, 'he said. 'Here are the books, O liver, and a five-pound note. The bookseller will give you ten shillings change. '
'I won't be ten minutes, 'replied O liver eagerly, and he ran out into the street.
'So you expect him to come back, do you
'enquired Mr Grimwig.
'Yes, I do, 'said Mr Brown low , smiling confidently. 'Don't you
'
'No, He has a new suit of clothe s, some valuable books, and a five-pound note in his pocket. He'll join his old friends the thieves, and laugh at you. If he comes back, I'll eat my hat. '
The two men sat by the window with a pocket-watch between the m, and waited for O liver's return.
O liver hurried through the streets to the book shop, thinking how lucky he was. Suddenly the re was a loud scream behind him. 'Oh, my dear brother! 'Before be could look round, a pair of arms was thrown tightly around his neck.
'Don't! 'he cried, struggling. 'Let go! Why are you stopping me
Who is it
'
The young woman holding him started to cry loudly. 'I've found him! Oh! O liver! You naughty boy, to make me suffer so much! Come home immediately, you cruel boy! 'She burst into tears and several people stopped to stare at what was happening.
'What's the matter
'asked one of the watching women.
'He ran away from his parents a month ago, 'The young woman said. 'They're hard-working, respectable people, and he left the m to join a gang of thieves and bad characters, and almost broke his mother's heart. '
'Go home, you horrible child, 'said another woman.
'Yes—go back to your parents, 'said a third.
'But I haven't got any! 'replied O liver, greatly alarmed. 'I haven't got a sister, either. I'm an orphan. I live in Pentonville. '
'Listen to him! Make him come home, 'The young woman said to the crowd, 'or he'll kill his dear mother and father, and break my heart. '
Suddenly O liver recognized the woman he had seen in Fagin's house. 'It's Nancy! 'he said, without thinking.
'You see
'cried Nancy to the crowd. 'He knows me! '
Just the n a big man ran out of a beer shop, followed by a white dog. 'What's this
Young O liver! Come home to your poor mother, you young devil! And what books are the se
You've stolen the m, haven't you
Give the m to me. 'The man, who was Bill Sikes, seized O liver with one strong hand and hit him on the head with the other.
'That'll do him good! 'shouted some of the crowd. 'It's the only way to treat boys like him. '
Bill Sikes held onto O liver's arm. 'Come on, you young thief! '
Still weak from illness, and terrified by the growling dog, O liver could not resist. He was taken through the dark narrow streets at great speed. Sikes and Nancy gave him no chance to escape and O liver had no breath to call out for help. All too quickly, he was back in Fagin's house, where his old friends were waiting for him.
'Delighted to see you looking so well, my dear, 'Fagin said, bowing politely. 'Why didn't you write, and say you were coming
We'd have got something warm for supper. '
The Dodger and Charley Bates roared with laughter, and the Dodger began looking through the books O liver had with him.
'Give the m back! 'O liver cried. 'Those books belong to the kind old gentleman who took me into his home. Send him back the books and the money—he'll think I stole the m! '
'You're right, 'laughed Fagin. 'He will think that! '
O liver jumped to his feet and ran wildly from the room, shouting for help. The Dodger and Fagin caught him easily, and brought him back. The n the old man picked up a long piece of wood.
'So you wanted to get away, my dear,
'Yes, please let me take the m, 'said O liver, delighted to be of use.
Mr Brown low hesitated, but Mr Grimwig's smile had annoyed him. 'Very well, 'he said. 'Here are the books, O liver, and a five-pound note. The bookseller will give you ten shillings change. '
'I won't be ten minutes, 'replied O liver eagerly, and he ran out into the street.
'So you expect him to come back, do you
'enquired Mr Grimwig.
'Yes, I do, 'said Mr Brown low , smiling confidently. 'Don't you
'
'No, He has a new suit of clothe s, some valuable books, and a five-pound note in his pocket. He'll join his old friends the thieves, and laugh at you. If he comes back, I'll eat my hat. '
The two men sat by the window with a pocket-watch between the m, and waited for O liver's return.
O liver hurried through the streets to the book shop, thinking how lucky he was. Suddenly the re was a loud scream behind him. 'Oh, my dear brother! 'Before be could look round, a pair of arms was thrown tightly around his neck.
'Don't! 'he cried, struggling. 'Let go! Why are you stopping me
Who is it
'
The young woman holding him started to cry loudly. 'I've found him! Oh! O liver! You naughty boy, to make me suffer so much! Come home immediately, you cruel boy! 'She burst into tears and several people stopped to stare at what was happening.
'What's the matter
'asked one of the watching women.
'He ran away from his parents a month ago, 'The young woman said. 'They're hard-working, respectable people, and he left the m to join a gang of thieves and bad characters, and almost broke his mother's heart. '
'Go home, you horrible child, 'said another woman.
'Yes—go back to your parents, 'said a third.
'But I haven't got any! 'replied O liver, greatly alarmed. 'I haven't got a sister, either. I'm an orphan. I live in Pentonville. '
'Listen to him! Make him come home, 'The young woman said to the crowd, 'or he'll kill his dear mother and father, and break my heart. '
Suddenly O liver recognized the woman he had seen in Fagin's house. 'It's Nancy! 'he said, without thinking.
'You see
'cried Nancy to the crowd. 'He knows me! '
Just the n a big man ran out of a beer shop, followed by a white dog. 'What's this
Young O liver! Come home to your poor mother, you young devil! And what books are the se
You've stolen the m, haven't you
Give the m to me. 'The man, who was Bill Sikes, seized O liver with one strong hand and hit him on the head with the other.
'That'll do him good! 'shouted some of the crowd. 'It's the only way to treat boys like him. '
Bill Sikes held onto O liver's arm. 'Come on, you young thief! '
Still weak from illness, and terrified by the growling dog, O liver could not resist. He was taken through the dark narrow streets at great speed. Sikes and Nancy gave him no chance to escape and O liver had no breath to call out for help. All too quickly, he was back in Fagin's house, where his old friends were waiting for him.
'Delighted to see you looking so well, my dear, 'Fagin said, bowing politely. 'Why didn't you write, and say you were coming
We'd have got something warm for supper. '
The Dodger and Charley Bates roared with laughter, and the Dodger began looking through the books O liver had with him.
'Give the m back! 'O liver cried. 'Those books belong to the kind old gentleman who took me into his home. Send him back the books and the money—he'll think I stole the m! '
'You're right, 'laughed Fagin. 'He will think that! '
O liver jumped to his feet and ran wildly from the room, shouting for help. The Dodger and Fagin caught him easily, and brought him back. The n the old man picked up a long piece of wood.
'So you wanted to get away, my dear,