06-02-雾都孤儿 [51]
ago．No，you must have the fever coming on，that's it．Now，give me some of my medicine．'
Nancy quickly poured out his medicine with her back to him．He took it，and after turning restlessly for some time，heeventually fell into a deep，heavy sleep．
'The drug's taken effect at last，'Nancy said to herself as she rose from her position beside the bed． 'I hope I'm not too late．'
Quickly，she put on her coat and hat，looking round fearfully as if she expected at any moment to feel Sikes' heavy hand on her shoulder．She kissed the robber's lips softly，then ran from the house without a sound．
She hurried in the direction of west London，pushing past people on the pavement，and running across crowded streets with out looking．
'The woman is mad！'said the people，turning to look ather as she rushed past the m．
She came to a wealthier part of the town where the street swere quieter，and before long she had reached her destination．It was a family hotel in a quiet street near Hyde Park．The clock struck eleven as she entered．
The man at the desk looked at her and asked， 'What do you want here？'
'I want to see Miss May lie．'
The man looked at The young woman with strong disapproval． 'She won't want to see someone like you．Come on，get out．'
'Let me see her-or two of you will have to throw me out！'said Nancy violently．
The man looked at her again，and decided it would be easierto do as she asked．He led her upstairs to Rose's room．
Nancy entered with a brave face but with fear in her heart．
'Please sit down and tell me why you wish to see me，'said Rose May lie，looking with some surprise at this poor，rough girl from the streets．Rose's manner was so kind and sincere，and so unexpected，that Nancy burst into tears．
When she had recovered a little，she asked， 'Is the door shut？'
'Yes，'answered Rose，a little nervously． 'But why？'
'Because I am about to put my life，and the lives of others，in your hand s．I am the girl that kidnapped little O liver and took him back to old Fagin's house on the night O liver was going to the bookseller．'
'You！'said Rose．
'Yes，it was me．I am that wicked creature you have hear dab out．I've no friends except thieves and robbers．I've lived on the streets since I was a child，cold，hungry，among people who are always drunk and fighting．And that's where I'll die，too．'
'I pity you！'said Rose in a broken voice．
'But I'll tell you why I'm here．Do you know a man called Monks？'
'No，'answered Rose．
'He knows you．I heard him tell Fagin that you were at this hotel．Maybe he's changed his name．Soon after O liver was put into your house on the night of the robbery，I listened insecret to a conversation between Monks and Fagin in the dark．And I heard Monks say that he'd seen O liver in the street，and that he knew at once O liver was the child he was looking for，although I couldn't hear why．Monks the n agreed to pay Fagin some money if he could find O liver again，and more money if he could turn the poor boy into a thief．'
'Why？'asked Rose．
'He saw my shadow on the wall as I listened，and I had to escape．I didn't see him again until last night．'
'And what happened the n？'
'I listened at the door again．And I heard Monks say this：“So the only proof of the boy's identity is at the bottom of the river，and the old woman who received it is dead．”He and Fagin laughed．The n Monks said that he had all O liver' s money safely now，but how funny it would be if the boy went to prison for stealing，after his father's unfair will．'
'What is all this？'asked Rose．
'It's the truth，lady．The n Monks said he couldn't have O liver killed because suspicion would point to himself．Bu the 'd try for the rest of his life to harm the boy if he could．The n Monks laughed again about
Nancy quickly poured out his medicine with her back to him．He took it，and after turning restlessly for some time，heeventually fell into a deep，heavy sleep．
'The drug's taken effect at last，'Nancy said to herself as she rose from her position beside the bed． 'I hope I'm not too late．'
Quickly，she put on her coat and hat，looking round fearfully as if she expected at any moment to feel Sikes' heavy hand on her shoulder．She kissed the robber's lips softly，then ran from the house without a sound．
She hurried in the direction of west London，pushing past people on the pavement，and running across crowded streets with out looking．
'The woman is mad！'said the people，turning to look ather as she rushed past the m．
She came to a wealthier part of the town where the street swere quieter，and before long she had reached her destination．It was a family hotel in a quiet street near Hyde Park．The clock struck eleven as she entered．
The man at the desk looked at her and asked， 'What do you want here？'
'I want to see Miss May lie．'
The man looked at The young woman with strong disapproval． 'She won't want to see someone like you．Come on，get out．'
'Let me see her-or two of you will have to throw me out！'said Nancy violently．
The man looked at her again，and decided it would be easierto do as she asked．He led her upstairs to Rose's room．
Nancy entered with a brave face but with fear in her heart．
'Please sit down and tell me why you wish to see me，'said Rose May lie，looking with some surprise at this poor，rough girl from the streets．Rose's manner was so kind and sincere，and so unexpected，that Nancy burst into tears．
When she had recovered a little，she asked， 'Is the door shut？'
'Yes，'answered Rose，a little nervously． 'But why？'
'Because I am about to put my life，and the lives of others，in your hand s．I am the girl that kidnapped little O liver and took him back to old Fagin's house on the night O liver was going to the bookseller．'
'You！'said Rose．
'Yes，it was me．I am that wicked creature you have hear dab out．I've no friends except thieves and robbers．I've lived on the streets since I was a child，cold，hungry，among people who are always drunk and fighting．And that's where I'll die，too．'
'I pity you！'said Rose in a broken voice．
'But I'll tell you why I'm here．Do you know a man called Monks？'
'No，'answered Rose．
'He knows you．I heard him tell Fagin that you were at this hotel．Maybe he's changed his name．Soon after O liver was put into your house on the night of the robbery，I listened insecret to a conversation between Monks and Fagin in the dark．And I heard Monks say that he'd seen O liver in the street，and that he knew at once O liver was the child he was looking for，although I couldn't hear why．Monks the n agreed to pay Fagin some money if he could find O liver again，and more money if he could turn the poor boy into a thief．'
'Why？'asked Rose．
'He saw my shadow on the wall as I listened，and I had to escape．I didn't see him again until last night．'
'And what happened the n？'
'I listened at the door again．And I heard Monks say this：“So the only proof of the boy's identity is at the bottom of the river，and the old woman who received it is dead．”He and Fagin laughed．The n Monks said that he had all O liver' s money safely now，but how funny it would be if the boy went to prison for stealing，after his father's unfair will．'
'What is all this？'asked Rose．
'It's the truth，lady．The n Monks said he couldn't have O liver killed because suspicion would point to himself．Bu the 'd try for the rest of his life to harm the boy if he could．The n Monks laughed again about