oliver twist(雾都孤儿(孤星血泪))-第58节

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the　mat；　as　coolly　as　if　he　lived　there。　

“Just　send　somebody　out　to　relieve　my　mate；　will　you；　young　
man？”　said　the　officer；　“he’s　in　the　gig；　a…minding　the　prad。　Have　
you　got　a　coach　’us　here；　that　you　could　put　it　up　in；　for　five　or　ten　
minutes？”　

Brittles　replying　in　the　affirmative；　and　pointing　out　the　
building；　the　portly　man　stepped　back　to　the　garden　gate；　and　
helped　his　companion　to　put　up　the　gig；　while　Brittles　lighted　
them；　in　a　state　of　great　admiration。　This　done；　they　returned　to　
the　house；　and；　being　shown　into　a　parlour；　took　off　their　
greatcoats　and　hats；　and　showed　like　what　they　were。　

The　man　who　had　knocked　at　the　door　was　a　stout　personage　of　
middle　height；　aged　about　fifty；　with　shiny　black　hair；　cropped　
pretty　close；　half…whiskers；　a　round　face；　and　sharp　eyes。　The　
other　was　a　red…headed；　bony　man；　in　top…boots；　with　a　rather　ill…
favoured　countenance；　and　a　turned…up　sinister…looking　nose。　

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“Tell　your　governor　that　Blathers　and　Duff　is　here；　will　you？”　
said　the　stouter　man；　smoothing　down　his　hair；　and　laying　a　pair　of　
handcuffs　on　the　table。　“Oh！　Good…evening；　master。　Can　I　have　a　
word　or　two　with　you　in　private；　if　you　please？”　

This　was　addressed　to　Mr。　Losberne；　who　now　made　his　
appearance；　that　gentleman；　motioning　Brittles　to　retire；　brought　
in　the　two　ladies；　and　shut　the　door。　

“This　is　the　lady　of　the　house；”　said　Mr。　Losberne；　motioning　
towards　Mrs。　Maylie。　

Mr。　Blathers　made　a　bow。　Being　desired　to　sit　down；　he　put　his　
hat　on　the　floor；　and　taking　a　chair；　motioned　Duff　to　do　the　same。　
The　latter　gentleman；　who　did　not　appear　quite　so　much　
accustomed　to　good　society；　or　quite　so　much　at　his　ease　in　it—one　
of　the　two—seated　himself；　after　undergoing　several　muscular　
affections　of　the　limbs；　and　forced　the　head　of　his　stick　into　his　
mouth；　with　some　embarrassment。　

“Now；　with　regard　to　this　here　robbery；　master；”　said　Blathers。　
“What　are　the　circumstances？”　

Mr。　Losberne；　who　appeared　desirous　of　gaining　time；　
recounted　them　at　great　length；　and　with　much　circumlocution。　
Messrs。　Blathers　and　Duff　looked　very　knowing　meanwhile；　and　
occasionally　exchanged　a　nod。　

“I　can’t　say；　for　certain；　till　I　see　the　work；　of　course；”　said　
Blathers；　“but　my　opinion　at　once　is—I　don’t　mind　committing　
myself　to　that　extent—that　this　wasn’t　done　by　a　yokel；　eh；　Duff？”　

“Certainly　not；”　replied　Duff。　

“And；　translating　the　word　yokel　for　the　benefit　of　the　ladies；　I　
apprehend　your　meaning　to　be；　that　this　attempt　was　not　made　by　
a　countryman？”　said　Mr。　Losberne；　with　a　smile。　

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“That’s　it；　master；”　replied　Blathers。　“This　is　all　about　the　
robbery；　is　it？”　

“All；”　replied　the　doctor。　

“Now；　what　is　this；　about　this　here　boy　that　the　servants　are　a…
talking　on？”　said　Blathers。　

“Nothing　at　all；”　replied　the　doctor。　“One　of　the　frightened　
servants　chose　to　take　it　into　his　head；　that　he　had　something　to　do　
with　this　attempt　to　break　into　the　house；　but　it’s　nonsense—sheer　
absurdity。”　

“Very　easy　disposed　of；　if　it　is；”　remarked　Duff。　

“What　he　says　is　quite　correct；”　observed　Blathers；　nodding　his　
head　in　a　confirmatory　way；　and　playing　carelessly　with　the　
handcuffs；　as　if　they　were　a　pair　of　castanets。　“Who　is　the　boy？　
What　account　does　he　give　of　himself？　Where　did　he　come　from？　
He　didn’t　drop　out　of　the　clouds；　did　he；　master？”　

“Of　course　not；”　replied　the　doctor；　with　a　nervous　glance　at　the　
two　ladies。　“I　know　his　whole　history；　but　we　can　talk　about　that　
presently。　You　would　like；　first；　to　see　the　place　where　the　thieves　
made　their　attempt；　I　suppose！”　

“Certainly；”　rejoined　Mr。　Blathers。　“We　had　better　inspect　the　
premises　first；　and　examine　the　servants　afterwards。　That’s　the　
usual　way　of　doing　business。”　

Lights　were　then　procured；　and　Messrs。　Blathers　and　Duff；　
attended　by　the　native　constable；　Brittles；　Giles；　and　everybody　
else　in　short；　went　into　the　little　room　at　the　end　of　the　passage　
and　looked　out　at　the　window；　and　afterwards　went　round　by　way　
of　the　lawn；　and　looked　in　at　the　window；　and　after　that；　had　a　
candle　handed　out　to　inspect　the　shutter　with；　and　after　that；　a　
lantern　to　trace　the　footsteps　with；　and　after　that；　a　pitchfork　to　

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poke　the　bushes　with。　This　done；　amidst　the　breathless　interest　of　
all　beholders　they　came　in　again；　and　Mr。　Giles　and　Brittles　were　
put　through　a　melodramatic　representation　of　their　share　in　the　
previous　night’s　adventures；　which　they　performed　some　six　times　
over；　contradicting　each　other；　in　not　more　than　one　important　
respect；　the　first　time；　and　in　not　more　than　a　dozen　the　last。　This　
consummation　being　arrived　at；　Blathers　and　Duff　cleared　the　
room；　and　held　a　long　council　together；　compared　with　which；　for　
secrecy　and　solemnity；　a　consultation　of　great　doctors　on　the　
knottiest　point　in　medicine；　would　be　mere　child’s　play。　

Meanwhile；　the　doctor　walked　up　and　down　the　next　room　in　a　
very　uneasy　state；　and　Mrs。　Maylie　and　Rose　looked　on；　with　
anxious　faces。　

“Upon　my　word；”　he　said；　making　a　halt；　after　a　great　number　
of　very　rapid　turns；　“I　hardly　know　what　to　do。”　

“Surely；”　said　Rose；　“the　poor　child’s　story；　faithfully　repeated　
to　these　men；　will　be　sufficient　to　exonerate　him。”　

“I　doubt　it；　my　dear　young　lady；”　said　the　doctor；　shaking　his　
head。　“I　don’t　think　it　would　exonerate　him；　either　with　them；　or　
with　legal　functionaries　of　a　higher　grade。　What　is　he；　after　all；　
they　would　say？　A　runaway。　Judged　by　mere　worldly　
considerations　and　probabilities；　his　story　is　a　very　doubtful　one。”　

“You　believe　it；　surely？”　interrupted　Rose。　

“I　believe　it；　strange　as　it　is；　and　perhaps　I　may　be　an　old　fool　
for　doing　so；”　rejoined　the　doctor；　“but　I　don’t　think　it　is　exactly　
the　tale　for　a　practised　police…officer；　nevertheless。”　

“Why　not？”　demanded　Rose。　

“Because；　my　pretty　cross…examiner；”　replied　the　doctor；　
“because；　viewed　with　their　eyes；　there　are　many　ugly　points　

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about　it；　he　can　only　prove　the　parts　that　look　ill；　and　none　of　those　
that　look　well。　Confound　the　fellows；　they　will　have　the　why　and　
the　wherefore；　and　will　take　nothing　for　granted。　On　his　own　
showing；　you　see；　he　has　been　the　companion　of　thieves　for　some　
time　past；　he　had　been　carried　to　a　police…office；　on　a　charge　of　
picking　a　gentleman’s　pocket；　he　has　been　taken　away；　forcibly；　
from　that　gentleman’s　house；　to　a　place　which　he　cannot　describe　
or　point　out；　and　of　the　situation　Of　which　he　has　not　the　remotest　
idea。　He　is　brought　down　to　Chertsey；　by　men　who　seem　to　have　
taken　a　violent　fancy　to　him；　whether　he　will　or　no；　and　is　put　
through　a　window　to　rob　a　house；　and　then；　just　at　the　very　
moment　when　he　is　going　to　alarm　the　inmates；　and　so　do　the　very　
thing　that　would　set　him　all　to　rights；　there　rushes　into　the　way；　a　
blundering　dog　of　a　half…bred　butler；　and　shoots　him！　As　if　on　
purpose　to　prevent　his　doing　any　good　for　himself！　Don’t　you　see　
all　this？”　

“I　see　it；　of　course；”　replied　Rose；　smiling　at　the　doctor’s　
impetuosity；　“but　still　I　do　not　see　anything　in　it；　to　criminate　the　
poor　child。”　

“No；”　replied　the　doctor；　“of　course　not！　Bless　the　bright　eyes　of　
your　sex！　They　never　see；　whether　for　good　or　bad；　more　than　one　
side　of　any　question；　and　that　is；　always；　the　one　which　first　
presents　itself　to　them。”　

Having　given　vent　to　this　result　of　experience；　the　doctor　put　
his　hands　into　his　pockets；　and　walked　up　and　down　the　room　with　
even　greater　rapidity　than　before。　

“The　more　I　think　of　it；”　said　the　doctor；　“the　more　I　see　that　it　
will　occasion　endless　trouble　and　difficulty　if　we　put　these　men　in　
possession　of　the　boy’s　real　story。　I　am　certain　it　will　not　be　

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believed；　and　even　if　they　can　do　nothing　to　him　in　the　end；　still　
the　dragging　it　forward；　and　giving　publicity　to　all　the　doubts　that　
will　be　cast　upon　it；　must　interfere；　materially；　with　your　
benevolent　plan　of　rescuing　him　from　misery。”　

“Oh！　what　is　to　be　done？”　cried　Rose。　“Dear；　dear！　why　did　they　
send　for　these　people？”　

“Why；　indeed！”　exclaimed　Mrs。　Maylie。　“I　would　not　have　had　
them　here；　for　the　world。”　

“All　I　know　is；”　said　Mr。　Losberne；　at　last；　sitting　down　with　a　
kind　of　desperate　calmness；　“that　we　must　try　and　carry　it　off　with　
a　bold　face。　The　object　is　a　good　one；　and　that　must　be　our　excuse。　
The　boy　has　strong　symptoms　of　fever　upon　him；　and　is　in　no　
condition　to　be　talked　to　any　more；　that’s　one　comfort。　We　must　
make　the　best　of　it；　and　if　bad　be　the　best；　it　is　no　fault　of　ours。　
Come　in！”　

“Well；　master；”　said　Blathers；　entering　the　room；　followed　by　
his　colleague；　and　making　the　door　fast；　before　he　said　any　more。　
“This　warn’t　a　put…up　th