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“布拉瑟斯,在埃德蒙顿附近小巷里的那起打劫就是啊。”达福先生努力帮助同事回忆。 'That was something in this way, warn't it?' rejoined Mr. Blathers; 'that was done by Conkey Chickweed, that was.' “跟这一回有点像,不是吗?”布拉瑟斯先生应声说道,“那一回是大烟囱契科韦德干的,是他干的。” 'You always gave that to him' replied Duff. 'It was the Family Pet, I tell you. Conkey hadn't any more to do with it than I had.' “你老是算到他头上,”达福回答,“那是高手佩特干的,我告诉你吧,大烟囱和我一样,跟这事没一点关系。” 'Get out!' retorted Mr. Blathers; 'I know better. Do you mind that time when Conkey was robbed of his money, though? What a start that was! Better than any novel-book _I_ ever see!' “滚你的!”布拉瑟斯先生骂道,“你懂什么。你还记得那一回大烟囱的钱给人抢走的事情吗?可真是惊人啊。比我看过的哪一本小说书都精彩。” 'What was that?' inquired Rose: anxious to encourage any symptoms of good-humour in the unwelcome visitors. “怎么回事?”露丝迫不及待地问,只要这两位不受欢迎的客人露出心情愉快的任何迹象,她都会加以鼓励。 
“那是一次抢劫,小姐,几乎没有人搞得清楚,”布拉瑟斯说道,“有一个叫大烟囱契科韦德的--” 'Conkey means Nosey, ma'am,' interposed Duff. “大烟囱就是大鼻子的意思,小姐。”达福插嘴说。 'Of course the lady knows that, don't she?' demanded Mr. Blathers. 'Always interrupting, you are, partner! This here Conkey Chickweed, miss, kept a public-house over Battlebridge way, and he had a cellar, where a good many young lords went to see cock-fighting, and badger-drawing, and that; and a wery intellectural manner the sports was conducted in, for I've seen 'em off'en. He warn't one of the family, at that time; and one night he was robbed of three hundred and twenty-seven guineas in a canvas bag, that was stole out of his bedrrom in the dead of night, by a tall man with a black patch over his eye, who had concealed himself under the bed, and after committing the robbery, jumped slap out of window: which was only a story high. “小姐当然知道,不是吗?”布拉瑟斯质问道,“你干吗老是打岔,伙计。有个叫大烟囱契科韦德的,小姐,在决战桥那边开了一家酒馆。他有一间地下室,好些个年纪轻轻的公子哥儿都喜欢上那儿去,看看斗鸡、捕獾什么的。我见得多了,安排这些消遣得花不少脑筋。当时,他还没加入哪个堂口。一天夜里,他放在一只帆布袋子里的三百二十七畿尼被人抢了,深更半夜被一个蒙着黑眼罩的高个子从他卧室里偷走了,那个人藏在他床底下,得手之后就腾地一下跳出了窗口,窗口只有一层楼高。 He was wery quick about it. But Conkey was quick, too; for he fired a blunderbuss arter him, and roused the neighbourhood. They set up a hue-and-cry, directly, and when they came to look about 'em, found that Conkey had hit the robber; for there was traces of blood, all the way to some palings a good distance off; and there they lost 'em. However, he had made off with the blunt; and, consequently, the name of Mr. Chickweed, licensed witler, appeared in the Gazette among the other bankrupts; and all manner of benefits and subscriptions, and I don't know what all, was got up for the poor man, who was in a wery low state of mind about his loss, and went up and down the streets, for three or four days, a pulling his hair off in such a desperate manner that many people was afraid he might be going to make away with himself. One day he came up to the office, all in a hurry, and had a private interview with the magistrate, who, after a deal of talk, rings the bell, and orders Jem Spyers in (Jem was a active officer), and tells him to go and assist Mr. Chickweed in apprehending the man as robbed his house. 他那一手非常利落,不过大烟囱也挺利落,他听到响声醒了,跳下床来,用大口径短枪照他就是一枪,惊动了邻居。他们当下就嚷起有喊来啦,到各处看了看,发现大烟囱打中了那个强盗,一路上都是血迹,直到老远老远的一道篱笆,到那儿就看不到了。不管怎么说,他已经带着现钞跑掉了。结果,执证酒商契科韦德先生的大名,跟别的破产者一块儿出现在公报上边了,五花八门的救济啊,年金啊,我也不清楚到底有多少,都替这可怜人办好了。他这次丢了钱,情绪非常消沉,在街上转悠了三四天,拼命扯自个儿的头发,好些人都害怕他会去寻短见。有一天,他慌慌张张跑到局里来了,和治安推事关起门来谈了好一阵,之后,治安推事摇摇铃,把杰姆。斯拜士叫进去了(杰姆是一个干练的警官),吩咐他协助契科韦德先生捉拿打劫他家的那个人。 "I see him, Spyers," said Chickweed, "pass my house yesterday morning," "Why didn't you up, and collar him!" says Spyers. "I was so struck all of a heap, that you might have fractured my skull with a toothpick," says the poor man; "but we're sure to have him; for between ten and eleven o'clock at night he passed again." Spyers no sooner heard this, than he put some clean linen and a comb, in his pocket, in case he should have to stop a day or two; and away he goes, and sets himself down at one of the public-house windows behind the little red curtain, with his hat on, all ready to bolt out, at a moment's notice. He was smoking his pipe here, late at night, when all of a sudden Chickweed roars out, "Here he is! Stop thief! Murder!" ‘我看见他了,斯拜土,’契科韦德说,‘他昨天上午从我家门前走过。’‘那你干吗不上去逮住他?’斯拜士说。‘我吓成了一摊泥,你用一根牙签也能把我脑袋打得稀烂,’那可怜的家伙说,‘可咱们准能抓住他。因为晚上十点到十一点之间,他又走过去了。’斯拜士一听这话,往衣袋里放了张干净的亚麻布和一把梳子,就走了,说不定他得呆上一天两天呢。他藏在那家酒馆一块小小的红窗帘后边,连帽子都没脱,只要打声招呼,马上就可以冲上去。夜深了,他正在那儿吸他的烟斗,突然之间契科韦德吼起来了:‘在这儿呢!抓贼啊!杀人啦!’ 
杰姆·斯拜士冲出去,看见契科韦德一路喊叫,顺着那条街没命地跑。斯拜士也追了上去。契科韦德一直跑,人们围上去,人人都在吆喝‘抓贼啊!’契科韦德自个儿一个劲地喊,像疯了一样。斯拜士刚转过一个街角,却看不见他人影了,赶紧转过去吧,看见那儿有一堆人,就一头扎了进去:‘哪一个是贼?’‘我他妈的。’契科韦德说,‘我又让他给跑了。’这事还真怪,可哪儿也看不见人,他们就回酒馆去了。第二天早上,斯拜土来到老地方,从窗帘后边往外瞧,就为了找一个蒙着黑眼罩的高个子男人,他自个儿连眼睛都看疼了。到后来,他只好合上眼睛,好放松一会儿。就在那一瞬间,他听到契科韦德大叫起来:‘他在这儿呢!’他又一次冲上去,契科韦德已经跑出半条街去了,跑了昨天的两倍那么远,那人又不见了。就这么又折腾了一两回,有一半的邻居认为,打劫契科韦德先生的是魔鬼,魔鬼后来又一直逗他玩来着,另一半邻居说,可怜的契科韦德先生因为伤心已经发疯了。” 'What did Jem Spyers say?' inquired the doctor; who had returned to the room shortly after the commencement of the story. “杰姆·斯拜士怎么说呢?”大夫问道,故事刚开始讲,他就回房间里来了。 'Jem Spyers,' resumed the officer, 'for a long time said nothing at all, and listened to everything without seeming to, which showed he understood his business. But, one morning, he walked into the bar, and taking out his snuffbox, says "Chickweed, I've found out who done this here robbery." "Have you?" said Chickweed. "Oh, my dear Spyers, only let me have wengeance, and I shall die contented! Oh, my dear Spyers, where is the villain!" "Come!" said Spyers, offering him a pinch of snuff, "none of that gammon! You did it yourself." So he had; and a good bit of money he had made by it, too; and nobody would never have found it out, if he hadn't been so precious anxious to keep up appearances!' said Mr. Blathers, putting down his wine-glass, and clinking the handcuffs together. “杰姆·斯拜士,”警官继续说道,“很长一段时间他什么都不谈,留心听着所有的动静,只是别人看不出来,这证明他对自己的本行很精通。但是,有一天早上,他走进酒吧,掏出他的鼻烟盒说:‘契科韦德,我查出这次抢钱的人了。’‘是吗,’契科韦德说,‘呃,我亲爱的斯拜士,只要能让我报仇,就是死了我也心甘情愿。噢,我亲爱的斯拜士,那个坏蛋在哪儿?’‘喏,’斯拜上说着,问他来不来一撮鼻烟,‘别来这一套了。这事是你自己干的。’确实是他干的,就是凭这一手,他弄到不少钱。要不是他演戏演过头了,谁也休想查出来,那是另一回事。”布拉瑟斯说着,放下酒杯,一边不住地把手铐弄得了当直响。 'Very curious, indeed,' observed the doctor. 'Now, if you please, you can walk upstairs.' “太妙了,真的,”大夫直抒己见,“现在,如果你们二位方便的话,可以上楼去了。” 'If YOU please, sir,' returned Mr. Blathers. Closely following Mr. Losberne, the two officers ascended to Oliver's bedroom; Mr. Giles preceding the party, with a lighted candle. “只要你方便,先生。”布拉瑟斯反唇相讥。两位警探寸步不离,跟着罗斯伯力先生上楼,朝奥立弗的卧室走去,凯尔司先生擎着一支蜡烛走在众人前边。 
奥立弗一直在打盹儿,但看上去病情还在恶化,热度比刚露面的时候还要高。大夫扶着他在床上支撑起来,坐了分把钟。他注视着两个陌生人,一点也不明白又要发生什么事--说实在的,他似乎连自己是在什么地方,发生了什么事都想不起来了。 'This,' said Mr. Losberne, speaking softly, but with great vehemence notwithstanding, 'this is the lad, who, being accidently wounded by a spring-gun in some boyish trespass on Mr. What-d' ye-call-him's grounds, at the back here, comes to the house for assistance this morning, and is immediately laid hold of and maltreated, by that ingenious gentleman with the candle in his hand: who has placed his life in considerable danger, as I can professionally certify.' “这个孩子,”罗斯伯力先生温和而又饱含热情地说道,“这个孩子因为顽皮,闯进这后边的庭院,就是那个叫什么来着的先生家的庭院,偶然之中被弹簧枪打伤了,今天早晨来到这户人家求助,反倒立刻被扣留下来,并遭到那位手举蜡烛的绅士虐待,他还真会异想天开。身为医生,我可以证明,那位绅士已经将孩子的生命置于极度的危险之中。” Messrs. Blathers and Duff looked at Mr. Giles, as he was thus recommended to their notice. The bewildered butler gazed from them towards Oliver, and from Oliver towards Mr. Losberne, with a most ludicrous mixture of fear and perplexity. 听了对凯尔司先生的这一番介绍,布拉瑟斯先生和达福先生目不转睛地盯着凯尔司。莫名其妙的领班呆呆地望着两位警探,随后将目光转向奥立弗,又从奥立弗身上移向罗斯伯力先生,那种惊慌与困惑兼而有之的表情真是可笑极了。 'You don't mean to deny that, I suppose?' said the doctor, laying Oliver gently down again. “你恐怕并不打算否认这一点吧?”大夫说着,轻轻地把奥立弗重新安顿好。
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