名著·雾都孤儿 - 第117节


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  “我说,”波尔特回答,“你就别支着我去冒险,或者派我上你那个什么轻罪法庭了吧。那种事对我不合适,不合适,我先跟你说一声。”

   'That's not the smallest danger in it--not the very smallest,' said the Jew; 'it's only to dodge a woman.'

  “这事一点危险也没有--连最小最小的危险也没有,”老犹太说,“不就是和个女人玩玩捉迷藏。”

   'An old woman?' demanded Mr. Bolter.

  “是个老婆子?”波尔特先生问道。

   'A young one,' replied Fagin.

  “年轻的。”费金回答。

   'I can do that pretty well, I know,' said Bolter. 'I was a regular cunning sneak when I was at school. What am I to dodge her for? Not to--'

  “这可是我的拿手好戏,我有数。”波尔特说道,“我在学校里就是公认的告密老手。我干吗要盯她的梢?要不要--”

  “什么事也不用做,只要告诉我,她去了什么地方,碰见谁来着,如果可能的话,她说了些什么。如果是在街上,就把那条街记住,如果是一户人家,就记住那家人,把你探听到的情况统统给我带回来。”

   'What'll yer give me?' asked Noah, setting down his cup, and looking his employer, eagerly, in the face.

  “你付我多少钱?”诺亚放下杯子,眼睛紧盯着自己的雇主。

   'If you do it well, a pound, my dear. One pound,' said Fagin, wishing to interest him in the scent as much as possible. 'And that's what I never gave yet, for any job of work where there wasn't valuable consideration to be gained.'

  “只要你干得好,我付你一个英镑,亲爱的,一英镑。”费金说道,一心指望尽量把他的兴趣引过来。“为了办一件也没什么油水的事,我还从来没给过这个数呢。”

   'Who is she?' inquired Noah.

  “她是什么人?”诺亚问道。

   'One of us.'

  “我们的人。”

  “哦哟。”诺亚把鼻子一皱,嚷道,“你疑心她了吧,是不?”

   'She had found out some new friends, my dear, and I must know who they are,' replied Fagin.

  “她交了些个新朋友,亲爱的,我必须弄清楚他们是什么人。”费金回答。

   'I see,' said Noah. 'Just to have the pleasure of knowing them, if they're respectable people, eh? Ha! ha! ha! I'm your man.'

  “明白了,”诺亚说道,“纯粹是为了了解他们,看他们是不是正派人,啊?哈哈哈!愿为阁下效劳。”

   'I knew you would be,' cried Fagin, eleated by the success of his proposal.

  “我知道你会的。”费金见自己的计划成功了,大为高兴,不由得大叫起来。

   'Of course, of course,' replied Noah. 'Where is she? Where am I to wait for her? Where am I to go?'

  “当然,当然,”诺亚回答,“她在什么地方?我上哪儿等她?我得上哪儿去?”

  “那些事,亲爱的,你就听我的好了。我会在适当的时候把她交待给你,”费金说道,“你做好准备,其余的事交给我来办。”

   That night, and the next, and the next again, the spy sat booted and equipped in his carter's dress: ready to turn out at a word from Fagin. Six nights passed--six long weary nights--and on each, Fagin came home with a disappointed face, and briefly intimated that it was not yet time. On the seventh, he returned earlier, and with an exultation he could not conceal. It was Sunday.

  当天夜里,以及第二天,第三天的晚上,这名密探坐在家里,他穿好靴子,浑身车夫打扮,只等费金一声令下立刻出动。六个晚上过去了--六个漫长难熬的夜晚--每天夜里,费金回来的时候都带着一脸的沮丧,说一句时候未到。第七天夜里,他回来得早一些,满脸掩饰不住的狂喜。这天是星期天。

   'She goes abroad to-night,' said Fagin, 'and on the right errand, I'm sure; for she has been alone all day, and the man she is afraid of will not be back much before daybreak. Come with me. Quick!'

  “今天晚上她出来了,”费金说道,“肯定是同一件差使,错不了。她整天只身一人,而她害怕的那个人天亮前是回不来的了。跟我来。快!”

   Noah started up without saying a word; for the Jew was in a state of such intense excitement that it infected him. They left the house stealthily, and hurrying through a labyrinth of streets, arrived at length before a public-house, which Noah recognised as the same in which he had slept, on the night of his arrival in London.

  诺亚二话不说,拔腿就走,因为老犹太处于极度兴奋的状态,连他也受到感染。两人蹑手蹑脚地离开住所,匆匆穿过一大片错综复杂的街巷,最后来到一家客店门前,诺亚认出来了,这就是自己初到伦敦住过一晚的那家客店。

   It was past eleven o'clock, and the door was closed. It opened softly on its hinges as Fagin gave a low whistle. They entered, without noise; and the door was closed behind them.

  已经十一点过了,店门关闭着。费金轻轻吹了一声口哨,门缓缓打开,他们悄没声地走进去,门又在他们身后关上了。

  费金和替他们开门的那个年轻的犹太人简直连低声说话也不敢,两人打了几句哑语,向诺亚指了一下那块玻璃,打着手势要他爬上去,看清隔壁房间里那个人。

   'Is that the woman?' he asked, scarcely above his breath.

  “是不是那个女的?”他问,声音几乎和呼吸一样轻。

   Fagin nodded yes.

  费金点头称是。

   'I can't see her face well,' whispered Noah. 'She is looking down, and the candle is behind her.

  “我看不清她的脸,”诺亚低声说道,“她埋着头,蜡烛又在她身子后边。”

   'Stay there,' whispered Fagin. He signed to Barney, who withdrew. In an instant, the lad entered the room adjoining, and, under pretence of snuffing the candle, moved it in the required position, and, speaking to the girl, caused her to raise her face.

  “呆着别动。”费金打着耳语,朝巴尼做了个手势,那人退了出去。转眼间,小伙子走进了隔壁房间,以剪烛花为幌子,将蜡烛移到所需要的位置,一边与那姑娘搭讪,有意引她扬起脸来。

  “这下我瞧见她了。”暗探叫道。

   'Plainly?'

  “看清楚了?”

   'I should know her among a thousand.'

  “一千个人里边我也认得出她。”

   He hastily descended, as the room-door opened, and the girl came out. Fagin drew him behind a small partition which was curtained off, and they held their breaths as she passed within a few feet of their place of concealment, and emerged by the door at which they had entered.

  房门开了,姑娘走了出来,他赶紧退下去。费金拽着他躲到一块挂着帘子的小隔板后边,两个人屏住呼吸,姑娘从离他们的藏身之处只有几步的地方走过去,又从他们进来的那道门出去了。

   'Hist!' cried the lad who held the door. 'Dow.'

  “嘘!”小伙子打开门,叫道,“是时候了。”

  诺亚与费金交换了一个眼色,便冲了出去。

   'To the left,' whispered the lad; 'take the left had, and keep od the other side.'

  “往左,”小伙子低声说道,“向左拐弯,走马路对面。”

   He did so; and, by the light of the lamps, saw the girl's retreating figure, already at some distance before him. He advanced as near as he considered prudent, and kept on the opposite side of the street, the better to observe her motions. She looked nervously round, twice or thrice, and once stopped to let two men who were following close behind her, pass on. She seemed to gather courage as she advanced, and to walk with a steadier and firmer step. The spy preserved the same relative distance between them, and followed: with his eye upon her.

  他照着做了,借着路灯认出了姑娘渐渐远去的身影,她已经走了一段距离。诺亚在他认为不失谨慎的限度内尽量靠近对方,一直走在街的对面,这样更便于观察她的举动。姑娘紧张地接连回头看去,还停下来了一次,让两个紧紧跟在她身后的男人走过去。看来她一边走一边在替自己鼓劲,步子变得更沉稳更坚定了。那个包打听一直与她保持着这样的距离,目光盯在她身上,尾随在后。

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名著·雾都孤儿 - 第117节