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从黄昏直到差不多午夜，人们三两成群来到接待室门口，神色焦虑地打听有没有接到什么缓期执行的命令。得到的回答是否定的，他们又将这个大快人心的消息传给了大街上一簇簇的人群，大家比比划划，相互议论，说他肯定会从那道门里出来，绞刑台会搭在那里，然后恋恋不舍地走开，还不断回头，想像着那个场面。人们渐渐散去。在深夜的一个小时里，街道留给了幽静与黑暗。 The space before the prison was cleared, and a few strong barriers, painted black, had been already thrown across the road to break the pressure of the expected crowd, when Mr. Brownlow and Oliver appeared at the wicket, and presented an order of admission to the prisoner, signed by one of the sheriffs. They were immediately admitted into the lodge. 监狱前边的空场已经清理出来，几道结实的黑漆栅栏横架在马路上，用来抵挡预期的人群的挤压。这时，布朗罗先生和奥立弗出现在木栅入口，他们出示了由一位司法长官签署的准予探访犯人的指令，便立刻被让进了接待室。 'Is the young gentleman to come too, sir?' said the man whose duty it was to conduct them. 'It's not a sight for children, sir.' “这位小绅士也一块儿去吗，先生？”负责替他们引路的警察说道。“这种情形不适合小孩子看，先生。” 'It is not indeed, my friend,' rejoined Mr. Brownlow; 'but my business with this man is intimately connected with him; and as this child has seen him in the full career of his success and villainy, I think it as well--even at the cost of some pain and fear--that he should see him now.' “的确不适合，朋友，”布朗罗先生回答，“但我与这个人的事情同他密切相关。并且，在这个人得意忘形、为非作歹达到顶峰的时候，这孩子见过他，所以我认为不妨--即使需要忍受一定程度的痛苦和惧怕也是值得的--眼下他应该去见见他。” These few words had been said apart, so as to be inaudible to Oliver. The man touched his hat; and glancing at Oliver with some curiousity, opened another gate, opposite to that by which they had entered, and led them on, through dark and winding ways, towards the cells. 这番话是在旁边说的，为的是不让奥立弗听见。警察举手敬了一个礼，又颇为好奇地看了奥立弗一眼，打开与他们进来的那道门相对的另一道门，带着他们穿过阴暗曲折的通道，往牢房走去。 
“这儿，”狱警在一个黑洞洞的走廊里停下来，有两名工人正一声不吭地在走廊里做某些准备工作。警察说道--“这就是他上路的地方，如果您走这一边，还可以看见他出去经过的门。” He led them into a stone kitchen, fitted with coppers for dressing the prison food, and pointed to a door. There was an open grating above it, throught which came the sound of men's voices, mingled with the noise of hammering, and the throwing down of boards. There were putting up the scaffold. 狱警领着他俩来到一间石板铺地的厨房，里边安放着好几口为犯人做饭的铜锅，他朝一道门指了指。门的上方有一个敞开的格子窗，窗外传来七嘴八舌的说话声，其中还混杂着榔头起落和木板掉在地上的响声。人们正在搭绞刑架。 From this place, they passed through several strong gates, opened by other turnkeys from the inner side; and, having entered an open yard, ascended a flight of narrow steps, and came into a passage with a row of strong doors on the left hand. Motioning them to remain where they were, the turnkey knocked at one of these with his bunch of keys. The two attendants, after a little whispering, came out into the passage, stretching themselves as if glad of the temporary relief, and motioned the visitors to follow the jailer into the cell. They did so. 他们朝前走去，穿过一道道由别的狱警从里边打开的坚固的牢门，走进一个大院，登上狭窄的阶梯，进入走廊，走廊左侧又是一排坚固的牢门。狱警示意他们在原地等一等，自己用一串钥匙敲了敲其中的一道门。两名看守小声嘀咕了几句，才来到门外走廊里，他们伸伸懒腰，似乎对这一轮临时的换班感到很高兴，然后示意两位探视人跟着那名警察进牢房里去。布朗罗先生和奥立弗走了进去。 The condemned criminal was seated on his bed, rocking himself from side to side, with a countenance more like that of a snared beast than the face of a man. His mind was evidently wandering to his old life, for he continued to mutter, without appearing conscious of their presence otherwise than as a part of his vision. 死刑犯坐在床上，身子晃来晃去，脸上的表情不大像人，倒像是一头落入陷阱的野兽。他的心思显然正在昔时的生活中游荡，嘴里不停地喃喃自语，除了把他们的到来当作幻觉的一部分而外，什么也没有意识到。 'Good boy, Charley--well done--' he mumbled. 'Oliver, too, ha! ha! ha! Oliver too--quite the gentleman now--quite the--take that boy away to bed!' “好小子，查理--干得漂亮，”他嘴里咕噜着，“还有奥立弗，哈哈哈！还有奥立弗--整个是一位上等人了--整个是--把那小子带去睡觉。” 
狱警拉起奥立弗空着的那只手，低声嘱咐他不要惊慌，自己一言不发地在一旁静观。 'Take him away to bed!' cried Fagin. 'Do you hear me, some of you? He has been the--the--somehow the cause of all this. It's worth the money to bring him up to it--Bolter's throat, Bill; never mind the girl--Bolter's throat as deep as you can cut. Saw his head off!' “带他睡觉去！”费金高声嚷道，“你们听见没有，你们几个？他就是--就是--所有这些事情的起因。花钱把他养大还真值得--割断波尔特的喉咙，比尔。别理那丫头--波尔特的脖子你尽量往深里割。干脆把他脑袋锯下来。” 'Fagin,' said the jailer. “费金。”狱警开口了。 'That's me!' cried the Jew, falling instantly, into the attitude of listening he had assumed upon his trial. 'An old man, my Lord; a very old, old man!' “在！”顷刻间，老犹太又恢复了受审时那副凝神谛听的姿势，大声说道，“我年纪大了，大人，一个很老的老头儿。” 'Here,' said the turnkey, laying his hand upon his breast to keep him down. 'Here's somebody wants to see you, to ask you some questions, I suppose. Fagin, Fagin! Are you a man?' “喂，”狱警把手搁在费金胸口上，要他坐着别动，说道，“有人来看你，恐怕要问你几个问题。费金，费金。你是人不是？” 
“我就要永世不作人了，”他抬起头来回答，脸上看不到一点人类的表情，唯有愤怒和恐惧，“把他们全都揍死。他们有什么权利宰我？” As he spoke he caught sight of Oliver and Mr. Brownlow. Shrinking to the furthest corner of the seat, he demanded to know what they wanted there. 说话间，他一眼看见了奥立弗与布朗罗先生。他退缩到石凳上最远的角落，一边问他们上这儿来想要知道什么。 'Steady,' said the turnkey, still holding him down. 'Now, sir, tell him what you want. Quick, if you please, for he grows worse as the time gets on.' “别着急，”狱警仍旧按住他说道，“请吧，先生，你想说什么就告诉他好了。请快一点，时间越往后拖，他情况越糟糕。” 'You have some papers,' said Mr. Brownlow advancing, 'which were placed in your hands, for better security, by a man called Monks.' “你手头有几份文件，”布朗罗先生上前说道，“是一个叫孟可司的人为了保险交给你的。” 'It's all a lie together,' replied Fagin. 'I haven't one--not one.' “这完全是胡说八道，”费金回答，“我没有文件--一份也没有。” 
“看在上帝的分上，”布朗罗先生严肃地说，“眼下就别说那个了，死亡正在步步迈逼，还是告诉我文件在什么地方。你知道赛克斯已经送了命，孟可司也招认了，别指望再捞到点什么，那些文件在哪儿？” 'Oliver,' cried Fagin, beckoning to him. 'Here, here! Let me whisper to you.' “奥立弗，”费金挥了挥手，嚷嚷着，“过来，这儿来。让我小声告诉你。” 'I am not afraid,' said Oliver in a low voice, as he relinquished Mr. Brownlow's hand. “我不怕。”奥立弗松开布朗罗先生的手，低声说了一句。 'The papers,' said Fagin, drawing Oliver towards him, 'are in a canvas bag, in a hole a little way up the chimney in the top front-room. I want to talk to you, my dear. I want to talk to you.' “文件，”费金将奥立弗拉到身边，说道，“放在一个帆布包里，在烟囱上边一点点，那儿有个窟窿，就是最前边那间屋子。我想和你聊聊，亲爱的。我想和你聊聊。” 'Yes, yes,' returned Oliver. 'Let me say a prayer. Do! Let me say one prayer. Say only one, upon your knees, with me, and we will talk till morning.' “好的，好的，”奥立弗答道，“我来念一段祷告。来吧。我念一段祷告。只念一段，你跪在我身边，我们可以一直聊到早晨。” 
“我们到外头去，到外头去，”费金推着孩子往门口走去，眼睛越过他的头顶视而不见地张望着，答道，“就说我已经睡觉了--他们会相信你的。只要你答应我，准能把我弄出去。快呀，快！” 'Oh! God forgive this wretched man!' cried the boy with a burst of tears. “噢！上帝保佑这个不幸的人吧！”奥立弗放声大哭起来。 'That's right, that's right,' said Fagin. 'That'll help us on. This door first. If I shake and tremble, as we pass the gallows, don't you mind, but hurry on. Now, now, now!' “好咧，好咧，”费金说道，“这样对我们有好处。这道门顶要紧。经过绞刑架的时候，我要是摇摇晃晃，浑身哆嗦，你别介意，赶紧走就是了。快，快，快！” 'Have you nothing else to ask him, sir?' inquired the turnkey. “先生，您没别的事情问他了吧？”狱警问道。 'No other question,' replied Mr. Brownlow. 'If I hoped we could recall him to a sense of his position--' “没有别的问题了，”布朗罗先生回答，“我本来以为能够促使他看清自己的处境--” 
“事情无可挽回了，先生，”狱警摇摇头，口答，“您最好别管他。”
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