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“钱包啦，女人家的提袋啦，住宅啦，邮车啦，银行啦。”克雷波尔先生喝啤酒喝得性起，说道。 'But you can't do all that, dear,' said Charlotte. “可这么些事，你也办不了呀，亲爱的。”夏洛蒂说道。 'I shall look out to get into company with them as can,' replied Noah. 'They'll be able to make us useful some way or another. Why, you yourself are worth fifty women; I never see such a precious sly and deceitful creetur as yer can be when I let yer.' “我要找能办事的人合伙干，”诺亚回答，“他们有法子派给咱这样那样用处的。嗨，你自己就抵得上五十个娘们。只要我把你放出去，绝对找不到像你这样花言巧语诡计多端的人。” 'Lor, how nice it is to hear yer say so!' exclaimed Charlotte, imprinting a kiss upon his ugly face. “天啦，听你这么说人家才叫开心呢！”夏洛蒂大叫起来，在他那张丑脸上印了一吻。 'There, that'll do: don't yer be too affectionate, in case I'm cross with yer,' said Noah, disengaging himself with great gravity. 'I should like to be the captain of some band, and have the whopping of 'em, and follering 'em about, unbeknown to themselves. That would suit me, if there was good profit; and if we could only get in with some gentleman of this sort, I say it would be cheap at that twenty-pound note you've got,--especially as we don't very well know how to get rid of it ourselves.' “唉唉，够了够了，你别过分亲热，免得我跟你发火，”诺亚说着，狠命挣脱开来。“我想当某一伙人的首领，让他们都乖乖听我的，还要到处跟着他们，连他们自个儿都不知道。这才合我的心思，只要油水大就行。咱们只要结交几位这类的绅士，我说，就是花掉你弄到的那张二十英镑的票据也划得来--再说了，我们自个也不大清楚怎么出手。” 
这一番见解抒发已毕，克雷波尔先生摆出一副莫测高深的样子，对着啤酒缸观察了一阵，又使劲摇了摇缸子里的啤酒，朝夏洛蒂点点头，算是给她面子，他呷了一口啤酒，看上去精神振作了许多。他正盘算着再来一口，却停住了，房门突然打开，一个陌生人走了进来。 The stranger was Mr. Fagin. And very amiable he looked, and a very low bow he made, as he advanced, and setting himself down at the nearest table, ordered something to drink of the grinning Barney. 陌生人就是费金先生。他走上前来，样子非常和气，深深地鞠了一躬，在最近的一张餐桌上坐下来，向咧着嘴直笑的巴尼要了一点饮料。 'A pleasant night, sir, but cool for the time of year,' said Fagin, rubbing his hands. 'From the country, I see, sir?' “先生，好一个可爱的夜晚，只是就节令而言嫌冷了点，”费金搓着双手，说道。“我看得出，是从乡下来的吧，先生？” 'How do yer see that?' asked Noah Claypole. “你怎么看出来的？”诺亚·克雷波尔问道。 'We have not so much dust as that in London,' replied Fagin, pointing from Noah's shoes to those of his companion, and from them to the two bundles. “我们伦敦没那么多尘土。”老犹太指了指诺亚和他那位同伴的鞋，又指了指那两个包袱。 
“你这人真有眼力，”诺亚说道，“哈哈！你听听，夏洛蒂。” 'Why, one need be sharp in this town, my dear,' replied the Jew, sinking his voice to a confidential whisper; 'and that's the truth.' “是啊，一个人呆在伦敦城还真得有点眼力才行，亲爱的，”老犹太压低声音，推心置腹地打起耳语来。“那可假不了。” Fagin followed up this remark by striking the side of his nose with his right forefinger,--a gesture which Noah attempted to imitate, though not with complete success, in consequence of his own nose not being large enough for the purpose. However, Mr. Fagin seemed to interpret the endeavour as expressing a perfect coincidence with his opinion, and put about the liquor which Barney reappeared with, in a very friendly manner. 费金说过这句话，用右手食指敲了敲鼻翼--诺亚存心要模仿一下这个动作，可是因为他的鼻子不够大，模仿得不算成功。不过，费金先生似乎将诺亚的这番努力看成是完全赞同他的见解的一种表示，他态度非常亲切，将巴尼端上来的酒敬给对方。 'Good stuff that,' observed Mr. Claypole, smacking his lips. “真是好酒。”克雷波尔先生咂了咂嘴，说道。 'Dear!' said Fagin. 'A man need be always emptying a till, or a pocket, or a woman's reticule, or a house, or a mail-coach, or a bank, if he drinks it regularly.' “嗳呀呀。”费金说道，“一个男子汉要想成天有这个酒喝，就得不断把钱柜里的钱，或者钱包，或者女人的提袋，或者住宅、邮车、银行倒腾个精光。” 
克雷波尔先生猛一听见从他自己的高论中摘引出来的片段，顿时瘫倒在椅子上，他面如死灰，极度恐惧地看看老犹太，又看看夏洛蒂。 'Don't mind me, my dear,' said Fagin, drawing his chair closer. 'Ha! ha! it was lucky it was only me that heard you by chance. It was very lucky it was only me.' “用不着担心，亲爱的，”费金说着，把椅子挪近了一些。“哈哈。真是运气，只有我一个人偶然听见你在说话，幸好只有我一个人。” 'I didn't take it,' stammered Noah, no longer stretching out his legs like an independent gentleman, but coiling them up as well as he could under his chair; 'it was all her doing; yer've got it now, Charlotte, yer know yer have.' “不是我拿的，”诺亚不再像一位信心十足的绅士那样将两条腿伸得长长的，而是尽可能缩回到椅子底下，结结巴巴地说。“全是她干的。钱在你身上，夏洛蒂，你知道钱在你那儿。” 'No matter who's got it, or who did it, my dear,' replied Fagin, glancing, nevertheless, with a hawk's eye at the girl and the two bundles. 'I'm in that way myself, and I like you for it.' “钱在谁身上，或者说是谁干的，都没有关系，亲爱的。”费金回答道，眼睛却像鹰隼一样扫了一眼那个姑娘和两个包袱。“我本人就是干这行的，就为这个我喜欢你们。” 'In what way?' asked Mr. Claypole, a little recovering. “哪一行？”克雷波尔先生略微回过神来，问道。 
“正经买卖，”费金回答，“店里这几个人也一样。你们算是找了个正着，这地方再安全不过了。全城没有一个地方比瘤子店更保险的，就是说，那要看我是不是高兴了，我对你和这位小娘子挺喜欢，所以才说那句话，你们尽管放心。” Noah Claypole's mind might have been at ease after this assurance, but his body certainly was not; for he shuffled and writhed about, into various uncouth positions: eyeing his new friend meanwhile with mingled fear and suspicion. 有了这一番保证，诺亚·克雷波尔的心可能已经放下了，但他的身体总觉得不自在，他扭来扭去，变换成各种粗俗不雅的姿势，同时用交织着恐惧和猜疑的眼神望着新结识的朋友。 'I'll tell you more,' said Fagin, after he had reassured the girl, by dint of friendly nods and muttered encouragements. 'I have got a friend that I think can gratify your darling wish, and put you in the right way, where you can take whatever department of the business you think will suit you best at first, and be taught all the others.' “我还可以告诉你，”费金友好地连连点头，又嘟嘟哝哝地说了几句鼓励的话，让夏洛蒂定下心来，随后说道。“我有个朋友，恐怕能够满足你朝思暮想的心愿，帮助你走上正道，在他那里，你一开始就可以挑选这一行里你认为最适合的一个部门，还可以把其余的都学会。” 'Yer speak as if yer were in earnest,' replied Noah. “你说话倒像是当真的。”诺亚答道。 'What advantage would it be to me to be anything else?' inquired Fagin, shrugging his shoulders. 'Here! Let me have a word with you outside.' “不当真对我有什么好处？”费金耸耸肩膀，问道。“过来！我同你上外边说句话。” 
“没有必要挪地方嘛，怪麻烦的，”诺亚说着，缓缓地重新把腿伸了出去。“让她乘这功夫把行李搬上楼去。夏洛蒂，留心那些个包袱。” This mandate, which had been delivered with great majesty, was obeyed without the slightest demur; and Charlotte made the best of her way off with the packages while Noah held the door open and watched her out. 这一道命令下达得威风凛凛，又毫无异议地得到了执行。夏洛蒂见诺亚拉开房门，等着她出去，赶紧拿起包裹走开。 'She's kept tolerably well under, ain't she?' he asked as he resumed his seat: in the tone of a keeper who had tamed some wild animal. “她训练得还不错，是吗？”他边问边坐回老地方，口气活像是个驯服了某种野兽的饲养员。 'Quite perfect,' rejoined Fagin, clapping him on the shoulder. 'You're a genius, my dear.' “太棒了，”费金拍了拍他的肩膀，答道。“你真是一位天才，亲爱的。” 'Why, I suppose if I wasn't, I shouldn't be here,' replied Noah. 'But, I say, she'll be back if yer lose time.' “那还用说，我如果不是天才的话，就不会在这儿了，”诺亚回答，“可我还是得说，你别浪费时间，她就要回来了。” 
“那你认为如何呢？”费金说道，“你要是喜欢我朋友，跟他合伙岂不更好？” 'Is he in a good way of business; that's where it is!' responded Noah, winking one of his little eyes. “他做的买卖到底好不好，问题在这里。”诺亚眨巴着两只小眼睛中的一只，应声说道。
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