牛津书虫系列 雾都孤儿 Chapter8

8 After the robbery
8 盗窃案之后
The night was bitterly cold. A sharp wind whipped the fallen snow up into the air and blew it into every hole and corner. It was a night for the homeless to lie down and die; and for luckier people to sit close to their fires and thank God They were at home.
那是个极其寒冷的夜晚。凛冽的寒风将落在地面上的雪卷向空中，又吹进每一个洞穴和角落。这是个让流浪街头无家可归的人躺下来死亡的夜晚。而那些能偎坐在火炉旁的人则感谢上帝让他们有家可待，他们是更幸运的人。
In the workhouse where Oliver was born, Mrs Corney -the widow in charge- was making tea by her fire. When she heard a knock at her door, she frowned and called out sharply, 'Come in. ' The frown, however, was quickly changed to a sweet smile when she saw Mr Bumble enter.
在奥利弗出生的济贫院里，科尼太太——一个负责管事的寡妇——在炉火旁煮着茶，忽听有人敲门。她皱起了眉头并大声喊着：“进来。”她看见走进来的人是班布尔先生，紧皱的眉头顿时变成了甜甜的微笑。
'Hard weather, Mr Bumble, 'said the widow.
“这鬼天气，班布尔先生。”寡妇说。
'Yes, indeed, ma'am, ' replied the beadle. 'We've had to give out to the poor people in this town great quantities of bread and cheese today, and They' re still complaining. Why, one man even came back and demanded some free fire-wood! What does he want that for? People are never satisfied. Give the m one thing today, and tomorrow They'll ask for something else! '
“一点不假，太太。”执事应着，“我们今天不得不把大量的面包和奶酪发放给镇子上的穷人，可他们仍在抱怨。哼，竟然有一个人回来，要一些免费的木柴!他要这个干什么?人们从来没有满足的时候，今天给了这个，明天他们还会要那个!”
Mrs Corney agreed that it was very shocking. They discussed some workhouse business togethe r, and the n Mr Bumble looked hopefully at the teapot. Mrs Corney offered him some tea. Instantly, Mr Bumble sat down by the fire and gave the widow such a warm smile that her face turned a delicate pink. She passed Mr Bumble the tea-cup, and as he took it, he managed to give her hand a little stroke. 'You're a kind-hearted woman, Mrs Corney, 'said the beadle.
科尼太太点着头，说这是叫人很吃惊的。他们一起商量了一些济贫院的事，然后班布尔先生满怀希望地看着茶壶。科尼太太请他喝茶，立刻，班布尔先生在靠近炉火的地方坐了下来，并热情地向她笑了一笑。这使她的脸微微发红，娇艳无比。她把茶杯递给班布尔先生时，他接过茶杯，顺势抚摸了一下她的手。“你真是个好心的女人，科尼太太。”执事说。
'Oh, Mr Bumble! 'said the widow, smiling shyly. For a while the re was a friendly silence between the m, the n Mr Bumble moved his chair closer to the widow's. Mrs Corney, of course, did not notice this, but when the beadle's arm began to slide around her waist, she felt she must make a small protest.
“噢，班布尔先生!”这寡妇含着害羞的微笑说。他们友好地默默相对了一会儿，班布尔先生将他的椅子挪了挪，更靠近科尼太太了。她当然没注意到这一行动。但是，在执事轻轻地将胳膊搂在了她的腰上时，她觉得她必须稍加抗议了。
Encouraged by this response, Mr Bumble immediately gave her a kiss, but at this interesting moment the re was a sudden knock at the door. Mr Bumble jumped to his feet and went to the other end of the room.
这一反应使班布尔先生胆子更大了，他马上亲了她一下，但就在这有趣的一刹那，响起了一阵敲门声。班布尔先生立即跳起身来，走到了屋子的另一头。
'Please, Mrs Corney, ' said a voice outside. 'Old Sally is going fast. '
“科尼太太，快，”门外有人喊着，“老萨莉快要死了。”
'Well, what can I do to help her? 'asked Mrs Corney angrily.
“那么，我能帮她什么忙呢?”科尼太太生气地说。
'Nothing, ma'am, replied the old woman outside. But she says she has something to tell you, which you must hear. She won't die quietly till you come. '
“什么忙也帮不了，太太。”外面的老妇说，“可她说，她有话要跟你说，你非得听不可，在你去之前她是不会安安静静死去的。”
Complaining loudly, Mrs Corney asked Mr Bumble to wait until she came back. The n she followed the old woman up the stairs.
科尼太太大声地抱怨着，请班布尔先生在她回来之前先别离开。随后，她跟着老妇上楼去了。
Old Sally lay in bed in a freezing cold room. The fire was so small and mean that it gave no warmth at all.
老萨莉躺在一张床上，屋子冷得像个冰窖。炉里的火又小又弱，没有一点热气。
Mrs Corney bent over the bed, and the dying woman opened her eyes. 'Come closer, 'she murmured. 'Let me whisper in your ear. ' She held onto Mrs Corney's arm and pulled her down towards her 'In this same room I once helped a pretty young woman who came in with cut and bleeding feet, who gave birth to a boy and the n died. '
科尼太太站在床边俯下身。床上垂死的女人睁开眼睛。“靠近点。”她小声说。“让我悄悄对着你的耳朵说。”她紧紧拉住科尼太太的胳膊，使她俯身靠近自己。“就在这间屋子里，我曾帮助过一个漂亮的年轻女人。她进来时，两只脚伤痕累累，血迹斑斑，她在这儿生下了一个男孩就死了。”
'Well? ' asked Mrs Corney impatiently.
“后来呢?”科尼太太急切地追问道。
'I robbed her. She was hardly dead before I stole it! '
“我偷了她的东西。是在她还没有最后断气的时候偷的!”
'Stole what? '
“偷了什么东西?”
'It! The only thing she had. It was gold. It could have saved her life! '
“那个东西!她身上仅有的一件东西。是金子的。这东西本可以救她的命!”
'Gold? Who was this mother? Tell me! '
“金子的?这女人是谁?快告诉我!”
'She told me to look after it when she died. ' The old woman's mind was getting confused. 'She trusted me, poor girl, and I stole it. '
“她说，她死后让我收藏好这东西。”这老妇的脑子开始糊涂了，说话颠三倒四。“这可怜的姑娘，她相信我，可我却拿了她的东西。”
'Quick, tell me or it may be too late! ' said Mrs Corney greedily. ' What was it, and what was the boy's name? '
“快说，要不然来不及了!”科尼太太贪婪地说。“那是个什么东西，生下的男孩叫什么名字?”
The old woman could hardly speak.'Oliver. The gold I stole was—'
这老妇说话已经非常困难了。“奥利弗。我拿的金子是……”
'Yes, yes! What? '
“嗯，嗯，什么?”
The old woman fell back onto the bed, dead.
这老妇向后一仰，倒在床上死了。
Mrs Corney hurried back to her room, where Mr Bumble was still admiring her furniture and counting her silver tea-spoons. They sat down again by the fire, and soon Mr Bumble's arm returned to its previous position round Mrs Corney's waist. It was not long before he asked her to marry him, and the widow happily accepted him. While They drank to celebrate the arrangement, Mrs Corney told Mr Bumble about old Sally's death, and the unknown gold object which she had stolen from the dead body of The young woman.
科尼太太连忙返回了自己的房间，班布尔先生仍在这儿用羡慕的眼光欣赏着她屋里的家什，数着喝茶用的银勺。他们俩又重新坐在了火炉旁，班布尔的一只胳膊又回到原处，搂住了科尼太太的腰。没多久，班布尔先生就开始向那寡妇求婚，她高兴地答应了。他们举杯祝贺这一安排，这时，科尼太太将老萨莉的死和她从死去的年轻女人身上偷了不知名的金货的事一起告诉了班布尔先生。
After many expressions of undying love, Mr Bumble finally left the room and returned home, with bright visions of his future.
说了许多永不变心的殷勤话之后，班布尔先生怀着关于自己将来的美好梦想离开了这间屋子，回到了自己的家。
While the se events were happening in the workhouse, the Artful Dodger and Charley Bates were playing cards in Fagin's house. The Dodger, as usual, was winning easily; somehow, he always seemed to know exactly what cards the other players had in their hand s. Suddenly the re was a faint ring on the bell downstairs, and Toby came in-the man who had gone with Bill Sikes and Oliver to rob the house in Chertsey. Fagin jumped to his feet.
在这些事发生于济贫院里时，插翅神偷和查理·贝茨正在费金的家里打着牌。和往常一样，神偷轻松地赢了对家。不知怎么回事，好像他每次都确切地知道对家手里有什么牌似的。突然，楼下传来一阵轻轻的门铃声，走进来的是托比——是和比尔·赛克斯、奥利弗一起去切特赛那所房子盗窃的那个人。费金跳了起来。
'Where are They? ' he screamed. 'Sikes and the boy! Where are They hiding? '
“他们呢?”他尖叫着，“赛克斯和那个孩子!他们躲在哪儿?”
'We failed, ' said the robber.
“我们没得手，”窃贼说。
' What happened? '
“出了什么差错?”
'They fired and hit the boy. We ran away with Oliver between us, and They chased us with dogs. '
“他们开枪打伤了那孩子，我们俩架着奥利弗拼命逃了出来。他们带着狗追我们。”
'And the boy? What about the boy? 'gasped Fagin.
“那孩子怎么样了?他现在在哪儿?”费金喘着气问。
'His head was hanging down, and he was cold. We needed to go faster so we left him in a field, alive or dead That's all I know about him. '
“他耷拉着头，浑身发冷，因为我们得赶紧逃离那儿，所以不得不将他丢下，不管是死是活。关于这孩子我只知道这些。”
Fagin did not wait to hear any more. He gave an angry scream, ran out of the house and hurried through the streets until he reached Bill Sikes' house. As he climbed the stairs, he thought, 'Well, Nancy, if the re' s anything going on here, I'll find out about it-however clever you are. '
费金没有等着再听下去。他愤怒地尖叫着，冲出了屋子，匆匆地穿过几条街道，一直跑到比尔·赛克斯的家。他边上楼边琢磨着：“好啊，南希，如果这里面有什么花招，我会搞清楚的——无论你有多聪明，也瞒不过我。”
Nancy was alone upstairs in her room, her head on the table.
南希一个人待在楼上她的房间里，头歪在桌子上。
'She's been drinking again, 'thought Fagin. As he closed the door, she woke up. He told her what had happened during the robbery; she said nothing and her head returned to the table. 'And where do you think the boy is now, my dear? 'Fagin asked her, trying hard to see her face. 'Poor little child! Left alone like that.'
“她又喝醉了。”费金想。在他关门时，她醒来了。他把盗窃失败的事跟她说了，她没吱声，头又歪在了桌子上。“亲爱的，你觉得这孩子现在会在哪儿?”费金问道，力图从她脸上看出点什么。“可怜的孩子!就这样被丢下不管了。”
Nancy looked up. 'I hope the child's dead. The n he'd be happier than any of us. '
南希朝他翻了一眼。“我倒希望这孩子已经死了，死了反倒比我们任何人都痛快。”
'What! 'said Fagin, in amazement.
“什么?”费金惊叫着。
'It's better like that. The sight of the boy turns me against myself, and all of you. '
“那样更好些。我一看见这孩子就痛恨我自己，也痛恨你们所有人。”
'You're drunk. Fagin suddenly lost his temper. 'The boy's worth a fortune to me-and now a drunken gang has lost him. And if Sikes doesn't return that boy to me, dead or alive, I'll tell the police about him and I'll get Sikes hanged. Just remember that! '
“你又喝醉了。”费金突然生起气来。“这孩子对于我是无价之宝——现在你们这帮酒鬼把他丢了。如果赛克斯不把这孩子还给我，不管是死是活，我会去警察局告他的，我会把他送上绞刑架的。记着!”
When Fagin left her, Nancy was already back in a drunken sleep, her head lying on the table once more. Fagin went out into the blackness of the night and walked home. He had reached the corner of his street and was searching in his pocket for his key, when a dark figure came out of the shadows and crossed the road towards him.
费金说完走开时，南希又醉醺醺地回到了梦乡，她的头再一次倒在了桌子上。费金出了门，在茫茫黑夜之中往家里走去。他走到家门口的拐角处，把手伸进衣袋里摸索着找钥匙，这时，从黑暗处出来一个人影，过了马路朝他走来。
I've been waiting here for two hours, Fagin. ' said the stranger. 'Where have you been? '
“费金，我在这儿整整等了你两个小时，你跑到哪儿去了?”这个陌生人说。
'On your business, my dear, ' said Fagin, glancing at him uneasily.
“为你办事去了，亲爱的。”费金说着，不安地瞥了他一眼。
'We'd better talk inside. '
“我们最好进去说话。”
The door closed behind the m and They crept quietly up to the top floor in order not to wake the sleeping boys downstairs. They sat in a dark room, the only light coming from a candle burning in the passage outside.
门在他们身后紧紧地关上了。他们轻轻地上了顶楼，生怕吵醒睡在楼下的孩子们。他们坐在黑屋子里，只有一丝烛光从通道里透进来。
The stranger's name was Monks, and he was in an evil mood.
这个陌生人叫蒙克斯，他现在情绪很坏。
He listened to Fagin for a while, frowning heavily. 'It was badly planned, he said angrily. 'Couldn't you have made the boy into an ordinary thief, and the n got him arrested and sent out of the country for the rest of his life? '
他紧皱眉头听着费金说了一会儿，然后气愤地说：“你们的计划糟透了，你难道就不能把他训练成普通的小贼，然后让警察局抓了去流放到国外去终此一生吗?”
'But he isn't like the other boys here, ' Fagin said. 'I had nothing to frighten him with. Anyway, I've already helped you. After he was caught by the police, stealing from the book shop, I got Nancy to get him back. And the n she felt sorry for him. '
“可是他跟这儿其他孩子不一样，”费金说，“我已经没什么可以用来吓唬他的了。反正，我已经帮过你了。他上次在书店偷东西被警察抓了去，是我让南希把他找回来的，可后来南希也觉得对不起他。”
'Kill her! ' Monks said impatiently.
“杀了她!”蒙克斯不耐烦地说。
'We can't afford to do that kind of thing, ' said Fagin. 'But I can turn the boy into an ordinary thief now. And the n Nancy will harden her heart against him. I know how women are. But if he's already dead—'
“那么干我们经受不起。”费金说，“不过，我现在能使这孩子成为一个普通的盗贼，南希也会对他慢慢心狠起来的，我懂女人的心。但要是他已经死了……”
'That's not my fault! ' said Monks quickly. 'I always said to you- do anything you want to him, but don't kill him. I wouldn't have been able to forget it, if you had. '
“那不是我的过错!”蒙克斯赶紧说。“我一直跟你说——你怎么着都行，就是别弄死他。如果你真杀了他，我是不会忘了这件事的。”
Suddenly he jumped to his feet, staring at the wall opposite the door. 'What's that? 'he whispered, terrified.
他猛地站了起来，紧盯对着门的一堵墙看着。“那是什么?”他惊恐地小声说。
'What? Where? ' cried Fagin.
“什么?在哪儿?”费金叫道。
'The shadow! I saw the shadow of a woman pass along that wall! '
“影子!我看见一个女人的影子从这墙上一闪而过!”
White-faced, They both ran from the room into the passage. The candle threw long shadows down the stairs, but the re was no one the re. They listened. Only silence filled the house.
他们俩脸色发白，一起从屋里来到了通道。蜡烛的火苗在楼梯上投下了一条长长的黑影，可那里没有一个人。他们倾听着，屋里仍是一片寂静。
'It was your imagination, ' said Fagin, softly.
“是你的幻觉。”费金轻声地说。
'I swear I saw it! replied Monks. They searched all the upstairs rooms. They were empty, and as quiet as death. Monks grew calmer, and eventually left the house at one o'clock in the morning.
“我发誓我看见了!”蒙克斯说。他们查看了楼上每一个房间，结果都是空的，像死一样寂静。蒙克斯稍微镇静了一点，凌晨一点钟他离开了这所房子。
The chase down at Chertsey the previous night had not lasted long. The re was a lot of noise of men shouting and dogs barking, as the servants from the house pursued the robbers across the fields. But Sikes and Toby wasted no time. They dropped Oliver's unconscious body in a field, and disappeared into the fog and the darkness in different directions. The three pursuers lost enthusiasm for the chase and agreed among themselves that it was much too dangerous to continue. They returned to the house, keeping close together and trying to look brave.
前一天夜里切特赛的追捕并没有持续多长时间。这幢房子的仆人跑过了田野，追赶着盗贼，喊叫的人声中夹杂着一阵阵狗叫声。但赛克斯和托比毫不浪费时间，他们将失去知觉的奥利弗扔在了野地里，便沿着不同的方向消失在雾茫茫的黑夜之中了。三个仆人追赶了一阵便失去了热情。他们认为再追下去将会很危险，便返回房子，尽量待在一起，装出很勇敢的样子。
Morning came, but Oliver still lay in the field as if dead. It began to rain heavily, and after a while Oliver opened his eyes. His left arm was covered in blood and hurting badly. He felt so weak he could hardly stand, but he knew that if he stayed where he was, he would die. Gasping with pain, he forced himself to his feet and with slow, shaky steps, began to walk. He had no idea where he was going, and moved forward mechanically, as though in a dream.
天亮了，奥利弗仍像死了一样躺在荒郊野地里。天下起了大雨，一会儿，奥利弗睁开了眼睛。他的左胳膊上全是血，而且痛得厉害。他虚弱得几乎站不起来，但他明白，如果就待在这里，他会死去的。由于疼痛，他倒吸着凉气，强迫自己站了起来，迈着缓慢的步子，摇摇晃晃地朝前走去。他不知道自己是在走向哪里，只是机械地向前移动着脚步，好像在梦境中一样。
After a while his feet found a road, and he looked round and saw a house in the distance. He decided he would rather die near human beings than in a cold field, so he turned his steps towards the house. As he came nearer, he realized that the house was familiar and he felt faint with terror. But where else could he go? With a last effort, he crawled up the path and knocked on the door, the n fell exhausted on the step.
过了一段时间，他到了小路上，四处张望着，发现不远处有所房子。他下定决心，就是死也要死在有人的地方，决不能死在这冰冷荒凉的野地里。于是他转过身，朝这房子走去。来到近处时，他竟发觉这房子很面熟，他恐惧得一阵眩晕。可他离开这儿还能去哪儿呢?他使尽了最后一点余力，爬过小径，拉响了门铃，便筋疲力尽地瘫倒在台阶上。
It was now mid-morning. Inside the house the men servants were still describing the night's adventures to the cook and the servant girl, who gasped with appreciative horror at every exciting moment. They were all enjoying themselves very much- when the re came a knock at the door. Pale with fright, They all stared at each other. Nobody was keen to answer the knock, so eventually They all went, including the dogs. Very cautiously, They opened the door, and saw nothing more alarming than poor Oliver, curled up in a sad little heap on the step.
现在已是大上午的了。这房子里的男仆们仍在向厨娘和一位女佣描述着昨夜的冒险经历。厨娘和女佣倒抽着冷气，对当时的每一个惊险的场面表现出赞赏和恐惧。他们正说得乐不可支——这时门铃响了。他们互相看着，脸色吓得发白。没人想去开门，最后他们一起走向门口，连几条狗都去了。他们小心翼翼地打开门，只见可怜的奥利弗蜷缩成一团倒在门口的台阶上，此外没有更可怕的事。
The n one of the men gave a shout, seized the boy by a leg and pulled him into the hall. 'Here he is! ' he cried excitedly. 'Here's the thief! I shot him last night! '
其中的一个男人大喊了一声，抓住奥利弗的一条腿就把他拖进了大厅。“就是他!”那人兴奋地大叫着，“他就是那个贼!昨天晚上是我开枪打中他的!”
A young lady appeared at the top of the stairs. 'What's going on here? Quiet, please! Is this poor boy very hurt? '
这时，楼梯口出现了一个年轻的女人。“出了什么事?请安静点!这个可怜的孩子伤得很重吗?”
'Very, 'said the servant, proudly.
“不轻，”男仆得意地说。
'The n one of you go to town as fast as you can and fetch a policeman and Dr Losberne. The rest of you, help to carry the boy upstairs and put him to bed. Treat him kindly, I beg you. '
“那么，你们赶快去一个人到镇子上找警察来，并把罗斯伯恩医生请来，其他的人帮着把这孩子抬到楼上，放在床上。好好照看他，我求求你们了。”