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“这究竟是怎么回事？”露丝越听越糊涂。 'The truth, lady, though it comes from my lips,' replied the girl. 'Then, he said, with oaths common enough in my ears, but strange to yours, that if he could gratify his hatred by taking the boy's life without bringing his own neck in danger, he would; but, as he couldn't, he'd be upon the watch to meet him at every turn in life; and if he took advantage of his birth and history, he might harm him yet. "In short, Fagin," he says, "Jew as you are, you never laid such snares as I'll contrive for my young brother, Oliver."' “完全是事实，小姐，尽管是出自我的日中，”姑娘回答，“--当时，他一个劲地骂，我听上去挺平常的，你肯定没有听到过，他说，一方面要取那孩子的命，另一方面他自己又不必冒上绞刑架的危险，他才能消心头之恨。可是因为做不到，他必须盯住奥立弗生活中的每一个转折关头，只要利用一下那孩子的身世和经历，还有机会收拾他。‘说简单点，费金，’他说，‘你虽然是犹太人，可还从来没有布置过像我替我的小兄弟奥立弗设下的这种圈套呢。”’ 'His brother!' exclaimed Rose. “他的兄弟！”露丝叫了起来。 'Those were his words,' said Nancy, glancing uneasily round, as she had scarcely ceased to do, since she began to speak, for a vision of Sikes haunted her perpetually. 'And more. When he spoke of you and the other lady, and said it seemed contrived by Heaven, or the devil, against him, that Oliver should come into your hands, he laughed, and said there was some comfort in that too, for how many thousands and hundreds of thousands of pounds would you not give, if you had them, to know who your two-legged spaniel was.' “那是他说的，”南希说着，提心吊胆地看了看四周，从开始说话起，赛克斯的影子就在她的眼前时隐时现，害得她不停地四顾张望。“还有呢。他提到你和另外一位女士的时候说，简直就是上帝或者说魔鬼有心跟他过不去，奥立弗才落到你们手中。他哈哈大笑，说这事也有几分乐趣，你们为了弄清楚你们那只两条腿的哈巴狗是谁，就是出几千镑几万镑，你们也是肯的，只要你们有。” 'You do not mean,' said Rose, turning very pale, 'to tell me that this was said in earnest?' “你该不是说，”露丝的脸色变得一片煞白，“这话当真？” 
“他说得咬牙切齿，怒气冲天，再认真不过了，”姑娘摇了摇头，回答道，“他仇恨心一上来，从不开玩笑。我认识许多人，干的事情还要坏，可我宁愿听他们讲个十回八回，也不愿意听那个孟可司讲一回。天晚了，我还得赶回家去，别让人家疑心我为这事出来过。我得马上回去。” 'But what can I do?' said Rose. 'To what use can I turn this communication without you? Back! Why do you wish to return to companions you paint in such terrible colors? If you repeat this information to a gentleman whom I can summon in an instant from the next room, you can be consigned to some place of safety without half an hour's delay.' “可我能做些什么呢？”露丝说，“你走了，我怎么根据这个消息采取措施呢？回来，回来，既然你把同伴描绘得那样可怕，那你干吗还要回那儿去？我马上可以把隔壁一位先生叫来，只要你把这个消息再对他讲一遍，要不了半个小时你就能够转到某一个安全的地方去了。” 'I wish to go back,' said the girl. 'I must go back, because--how can I tell such things to an innocent lady like you?--because among the men I have told you of, there is one: the most desperate among them all; that I can't leave: no, not even to be saved from the life I am leading now.' “干吗回去？”姑娘说，“我必须回去，因为--这种事我怎么对你这样纯洁的小姐说呢？--在我向你讲到的那些人中间有一个，他们当中最无法无天的一个，我离不开他--是的，哪怕能够摆脱我现在过的这种生活，我也离不开他。” 'Your having interfered in this dear boy's behalf before,' said Rose; 'your coming here, at so great a risk, to tell me what you have heard; your manner, which convinces me of the truth of what you say; your evident contrition, and sense of shame; all lead me to believe that you might yet be reclaimed. Oh!' said the earnest girl, folding her hands as the tears coursed down her face, 'do not turn a deaf ear to the entreaties of one of your own sex; the first--the first, I do believe, who ever appealed to you in the voice of pity and compassion. Do hear my words, and let me save you yet, for better things.' “你曾经保护过这可爱的孩子，”露丝说道，“为了把你听来的话告诉我，你冒着这么大的危险来到这里，你的态度打动了我，我相信你说的都是事实。你的悔恨和羞愧感都是明摆着的，这一切无不使我相信，你完全可以重新作人。啊！”热心的露丝姑娘双手合在一起，泪水顺着面颊不住地往下淌。“我也是一个女子，不要对我的恳求充耳不闻。我是第一个--我敢肯定，我是第一个向你表示同情的人。听听我的话，让我来挽救你，你还可以做一些有益的事情。” 'Lady,' cried the girl, sinking on her knees, 'dear, sweet, angel lady, you ARE the first that ever blessed me with such words as these, and if I had heard them years ago, they might have turned me from a life of sin and sorrow; but it is too late, it is too late!' “小姐，”姑娘双膝跪下，哭喊着，“可亲可爱的天使小姐，你是头一个用这样的话为我祝福的人，我要是几年以前听到这些话，或许还可以摆脱罪孽而又不幸的生活。可现在太晚了--太晚了。” 
“仟悔和赎罪永远也不会嫌晚。”露丝说道。 'It is,' cried the girl, writhing in agony of her mind; 'I cannot leave him now! I could not be his death.' “太晚了，”姑娘的内心痛苦不堪，哭着说，“我现在不能丢下他。我不愿意叫他去送死。” 'Why should you be?' asked Rose. “那怎么会呢？”露丝问。 'Nothing could save him,' cried the girl. 'If I told others what I have told you, and led to their being taken, he would be sure to die. He is the boldest, and has been so cruel!' “他没得救了，”姑娘大声说，“如果我把对你讲的话告诉别人，让他们都给抓起来，他必死无疑。他是最大胆的一个，又那样残忍。” 'Is it possible,' cried Rose, 'that for such a man as this, you can resign every future hope, and the certainty of immediate rescue? It is madness.' “为了这样一个人，”露丝嚷了起来，“你怎么能舍弃未来的一切希望，舍弃近在眼前的获救机会呢？你这是在发疯。” 
“我不明白是怎么回事，”姑娘回答，“我只知道本来就是这样，不光我一个人，还有成百上千个和我一样堕落的苦命人也是这样。我必须回去。我不知道这是不是上帝在惩罚我犯下的罪过，但就是受尽痛苦、虐待，我也要回到他那儿去，而且我相信，哪怕知道自己最终会死在他手里，我也要回去。” 'What am I to do?' said Rose. 'I should not let you depart from me thus.' “我该怎么办呢？”露丝说道，“我不应该让你就这样离开我。” 'You should, lady, and I know you will,' rejoined the girl, rising. 'You will not stop my going because I have trusted in your goodness, and forced no promise from you, as I might have done.' “你应该，小姐，我知道你会让我走的，”姑娘站起来，回答说，“你不会不让我走，因为我相信你的好心，我也没有逼你答应我，尽管我本来可以那样做。” 'Of what use, then, is the communication you have made?' said Rose. 'This mystery must be investigated, or how will its disclosure to me, benefit Oliver, whom you are anxious to serve?' “那，你带来这个消息又有什么用？”露丝说道，“其中的秘密必须调查清楚，你一心要搭救奥立弗，才把事情透露给我，我怎么才能帮助他呢？” 'You must have some kind gentleman about you that will hear it as a secret, and advise you what to do,' rejoined the girl. “你身边准有一位好心的绅士，他听到这件事能保守秘密，并且建议你该怎么办。”姑娘回答。 
“可到了必要的时候我上哪儿找你呢？”露丝问道，“我不想打听那些个可怕的人住在什么地方，可你往后能不能在哪一个固定的时间在什么地方散步或者是经过呢？” 'Will you promise me that you will have my secret strictly kept, and come alone, or with the only other person that knows it; and that I shall not be watched or followed?' asked the girl. “你能不能答应我，你一定严守秘密，你一个人，或者是跟唯一知道这事的人一块儿来，并且我不会受到监视、盯梢什么的？” 'I promise you solemnly,' answered Rose. “我向你郑重保证。” 'Every Sunday night, from eleven until the clock strikes twelve,' said the girl without hesitation, 'I will walk on London Bridge if I am alive.' “每个礼拜天的晚上，从十一点到敲十二点之间，”姑娘毫不迟疑地说，“只要我还活着，准在伦敦桥上散步。” 'Stay another moment,' interposed Rose, as the girl moved hurriedly towards the door. 'Think once again on your own condition, and the opportunity you have of escaping from it. You have a claim on me: not only as the voluntary bearer of this intelligence, but as a woman lost almost beyond redemption. Will you return to this gang of robbers, and to this man, when a word can save you? What fascination is it that can take you back, and make you cling to wickedness and misery? Oh! is there no chord in your heart that I can touch! Is there nothing left, to which I can appeal against this terrible infatuation!' “等一下，”露丝见姑娘急步朝房门走去，赶紧说道，“再考虑考虑你自己的处境，这是你摆脱这种处境的机会。你可以向我提出要求，不单单是因为你主动带来了这个消息，而且因为你作为一个女子，几乎已经到了山穷水尽的地步：明明一句话就可以使你得救，你难道还是要回到那帮强盗那儿去，回到那个人那儿去吗？这是一种什么魔力，居然可以把你拉回去，重新投入邪恶与苦难的深渊？噢！你心里就没有一根弦是我能够触动的吗？难道没有留下一点良知让我可以激发起来，打破这种可怕的痴情？”
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