Chapter 9 (第1/3页)

天才一秒记住【安琪小说】地址：anqixs.cc

CONTAININGFURTHERPARTICULARSCONCERNINGTHEPLEASANTOLDGENTLEMAN，ANDHISHOPEFULPUPILS

ItwaslatenextmorningwhenOliverawoke，fromasound，longsleep。TherewasnootherpersonintheroombuttheoldJew，whowasboilingsomecoffeeinasaucepanforbreakfast，andwhistlingsoftlytohimselfashestirreditroundandround，withanironspoon。Hewouldstopeverynowandthentolistenwhentherewastheleastnoisebelow：andwhenhehadsatistifiedhimself，hewouldgoonwhistlingandstirringagain，asbefore。

AlthoughOliverhadrousedhimselffromsleep，hewasnotthoroughlyawake。Thereisadrowsystate，betweensleepingandwaking，whenyoudreammoreinfiveminuteswithyoureyeshalfopen，andyourselfhalfconsciousofeverythingthatispassingaroundyou，thanyouwouldinfivenightswithyoureyesfastclosed，andyoursenseswraptinperfectunconsciousness。Atsuchtime，amortalknowsjustenoughofwhathismindisdoing，toformsomeglimmeringconceptionofitsmightypowers，itsboundingfromearthandspurningtimeandspace，whenfreedfromtherestraintofitscorporealassociate。

Oliverwaspreciselyinthiscondition。HesawtheJewwithhishalf-closedeyes；heardhislowwhistling；andrecognisedthesoundofthespoongratingagainstthesaucepan'ssides：andyettheself-samesenseswerementallyengaged，atthesametime，inbusyactionwithalmosteverybodyhehadeverknown。

Whenthecoffeewasdone，theJewdrewthesaucepantothehob。Standing，theninanirresoluteattitudeforafewminutes，asifhedidnotwellknowhowtoemployhimself，heturnedroundandlookedatOliver，andcalledhimbyhisname。Hedidnotanswer，andwastoallappearancesasleep。

Aftersatisfyinghimselfuponthishead，theJewsteppedgentlytothedoor：whichhefastened。Hethendrewforth：asitseemedtoOliver，fromsometrapinthefloor：asmallbox，whichheplacedcarefullyonthetable。Hiseyesglistenedasheraisedthelid，andlookedin。Dragginganoldchairtothetable，hesatdown；andtookfromitamagnificentgoldwatch，sparklingwithjewels。

‘Aha！’saidtheJew，shrugginguphisshoulders，anddistortingeveryfeaturewithahideousgrin。‘Cleverdogs！Cleverdogs！Staunchtothelast！Nevertoldtheoldparsonwheretheywere。NeverpoacheduponoldFagin！Andwhyshouldthey？Itwouldn'thaveloosenedtheknot，orkeptthedropup，aminutelonger。No，no，no！Finefellows！Finefellows！’

Withthese，andothermutteredreflectionsofthelikenature，theJewoncemoredepositedthewatchinitsplaceofsafety。Atleasthalfadozenmorewereseverallydrawnforthfromthesamebox，andsurveyedwithequalpleasure；besidesrings，brooches，bracelets，andotherarticlesofjewellery，ofsuchmagnificentmaterials，andcostlyworkmanship，thatOliverhadnoidea，evenoftheirnames。

Havingreplacedthesetrinkets，theJewtookoutanother：sosmallthatitlayinthepalmofhishand。Thereseemedtobesomeveryminuteinscriptiononit；fortheJewlaiditflatuponthetable，andshadingitwithhishand，poredoverit，longandearnestly。Atlengthheputitdown，asifdespairingofsuccess；and，leaningbackinhischair，muttered：

‘Whatafinethingcapitalpunishmentis！Deadmenneverrepent；deadmenneverbringawkwardstoriestolight。Ah，it'safinethingforthetrade！Fiveof’emstrungupinarow，andnonelefttoplaybooty，orturnwhite-livered！‘

AstheJewutteredthesewords，hisbrightdarkeyes，whichhadbeenstaringvacantlybeforehim，fellonOliver'sface；theboy'seyeswerefixedonhisinmutecuriousity；andalthoughtherecognitionwasonlyforaninstant--forthebriefestspaceoftimethatcanpossiblybeconceived--itwasenoughtoshowtheoldmanthathehadbeenobserved。

Heclosedthelidoftheboxwithaloudcrash；and，layinghishandonabreadknifewhichwasonthetable，startedfuriouslyup。Hetrembledverymuchthough；for，eveninhisterror，Olivercouldseethattheknifequiveredintheair。

‘What'sthat？’saidtheJew。‘Whatdoyouwatchmefor？Whyareyouawake？Whathaveyouseen？Speakout，boy！Quick--quick！foryourlife。

‘Iwasn'tabletosleepanylonger，sir，’repliedOliver，meekly。‘IamverysorryifIhavedisturbedyou，sir。’

‘Youwerenotawakeanhourago？’saidtheJew，scowlingfiercelyontheboy。

‘No！No，indeed！’repliedOliver。

‘Areyousure？’criedtheJew：withastillfiercerlookthanbefore：andathreateningattitude。

‘UponmywordIwasnot，sir，’repliedOliver，earnestly。‘Iwasnot，indeed，sir。’

‘Tush，tush，mydear！’saidtheJew，abruptlyresuminghisoldmanner，andplayingwiththeknifealittle，beforehelaiditdown；asiftoinducethebeliefthathehadcaughtitup，inmeresport。‘OfcourseIknowthat，mydear。Ionlytriedtofrightenyou。You'reabraveboy。Ha！ha！you'reabraveboy，Oliver。’TheJewrubbedhishandswithachuckle，butglanceduneasilyatthebox，notwithstanding。

本章未完，请点击下一章继续阅读！若浏览器显示没有新章节了，请尝试点击右上角↗️或右下角↘️的菜单，退出阅读模式即可，谢谢！