英语听力：雾都孤儿 04. Oliver in London听力原文
4 Oliver in LondonFor some reason the Dodger did not want to enter London
during daylight，so it was nearly eleven o’clock at night
when they got near the centre. Oliver had never seen a
dirtier or more miserable place. The streets in this district
were narrow and muddy， and there were terrible smells
everywhere. Children wandered around even at this time of
night，in and out of the many shops，playing and screaming．
The pubs were full of people fighting，and big，evil－looking
men stood in doorways or at dark corners． Oliver almost
wanted to run away， but just then the Dodger pushed open a
door and pulled Oliver into a dark hall.
‘Who’s there？’ a voice cried out．
‘It’s me，’ said the Dodger． The faint light of a candle
appeared in the hall．
‘Who’s the other one？’
‘A new friend. '
They went up some dark and broken stairs．Oliver could hardly
see where he was going，but the Dodger seemed to know the way
， and helped Oliver up. They entered a room with walls that
were black with age and dirt．In front of the fire was a
table with a candle stuck into a bottle of beer， and an old
man， with a horribly ugly face and red hair， stood next to
the fire cooking. He was wearing a dirty old coat and seemed
to divide his attention between his cooking and a number of
silk handkerchieves， which were hanging near the fire．The
re were several rough beds in the room．Four or five boys，
about the same age as the Artful Dodger， sat round the table
， smoking and drinking like middle-aged men．They all looked
up when the Dodger and Oliver entered．
‘This is him，Fagin，’ the Dodger said to the old man． ‘
My friend Oliver Twist．’
Fagin smiled and shook Oliver’s hand．Then all The young
gentlemen came up to him and shook both his hands very hard，
especially the hand which held his few possessions. One of
the boys was particularly kind．He even put his hands in O
liver’s pockets so that Oliver would not have to empty them
himself when he went to bed．The boys would probably have
been even more helpful， but Fagin hit them on their heads
and shoulders until They left Oliver alone．
‘We’re very glad to see you，Oliver，’said Fagin. ‘I
see you’re staring at the handkerchieves， my dear．Aren’t
there a lot？We’ve just taken them all out to wash them，
that’s all！Ha！ Ha！ Ha！’
This seemed to be a joke， as the old gentleman and all his
young friends gave loud shouts of laughter. Then supper
began. Oliver ate his share of the food and was then given a
glass of gin-and-water．Fagin told him to drink it fast．
Immediately afterwards，Oliver felt himself lifted onto one
of the beds and he sank into a deep sleep．
When he woke，it was late morning．Fagin was the only other
person in the room， and he was boiling coffee in a pan．When
the coffee was done，he turned towards Oliver and looked
closely at the boy．Oliver was only just awake and his eyes
were half－closed， so he seemed to be still fast asleep.
Fagin then locked the door and from a hidden hole in the
floor，he took out a small box， which he placed carefully on
the table． His eyes shone as he opened it and took out a
gold watch covered in jewels.
‘Aah！’ he said to himself． ‘What fine men They
were！Loyal to the end. They never told the priest where the
jewels were． Nor about old Fagin．Not even at the very end．
And why should They？ It was already too late．It wouldn’t
have stopped the rope going round their necks！’
Fagin took out at least six more watches， as well as rings
and bracelets and many other valuable pieces of jewellery．
He looked at them with pleasure， then replaced them. ‘
What a good thing hanging is！’he murmured． ‘Dead men can
never talk，or betray old friends！’
At that moment he looked up and saw Oliver watching him．He
closed the lid of the box with a loud crash，and picked up a
bread knife from the table． ‘Why are you watching me？ What
have you seen？ Tell me－quick！’
‘I couldn’t sleep any longer，sir，’said
Oliver,terrified. ‘I’m very sorry．’
‘You weren’t awake an hour ago？’Fagin asked fiercely，
still holding the knife.
‘I promise I was n’t， sir，’ replied O liver．
‘Don’t worry， my dear，’ Fagin said， putting down the
knife and becoming once again the kind old gentleman． He
laughed． ‘I only tried to frighten you，my dear. You’re a
brave boy，Oliver！ And did you see any of the pretty things
？’
‘Yes， sir. ‘
‘Ah，’ said Fagin， turning rather pale． ‘They-They’re
mine， Oliver．All I have，in my old age．’
Oliver wondered why the old man lived in such an old， dirty
place，when he had so many watches， but then he thought that
it must cost Fagin a lot of money to look after the Dodger
and the other boys．So he said nothing，and got up and washed
．When he turned towards Fagin， the box had disappeared．
Soon the Dodger entered with a cheerful young man named
Charley Bates．
‘Have youbeen at work this morning？’Fagin asked the
Dodger．
‘Hard at work，’answered the Dodger．
‘Good boys，good boys！’said Fagin． ‘What have you got？
’
‘A couple of pocket－books and some handkerchieves．’
‘Good workers， aren’t They， Oliver？’said the old man．
‘Very good，’ said O liver． The others all started
laughing，though Oliver saw nothing funny in his answer.
Fagin inspected the handkerchieves and told the two boys that
They were extremely well made and that he was very pleased
with their work.
After breakfast They played a very strange game. The cheerful
old man put a watch in his jacket pocket， with a guard-chain
round his neck，and a notebook and a handkerchief in his
trouser pocket．Then he went up and down the room holding a
walking stick，just like the old gentlemen who walked in the
streets. Sometimes he stopped at the fireplace， and
sometimes at the door， pretending to stare with great
interest into shop windows．He would then constantly look
round， as if afraid of thieves， touching all his pockets in
such a natural and funny way that Oliver laughed until tears
ran down his face．All the time， the two boys followed Fagin
everywhere，and every time he turned round， They moved out
of his sight so quickly that it was impossible to follow
their movements. Finally， the Dodger bumped into him accidentally from behind
， and at that moment both boys took from him，very quickly，
his watch， guard－chain，handkerchief，and notebook．If the
old man felt a hand in any of his pockets he cried out， and
then the game began again.
Later， the boys went out again to do some more work. When
They had gone，Fagin turned to Oliver．‘Take my advice，
my dear，’he said． ‘Make them your models. Especially the
Dodger． He’ll be a great man himself， and will make you
one too, if you copy him. Is my handkerchief hanging out of
my pocket, my dear? '
'Yes, sir, 'said Oliver.
'See if you can take it out, without my feeling it. Just as
you saw them doing it when we were playing. '
Oliver held up the bottom of the pocket with one hand, as he
had seen the Dodger hold it, and pulled the handkerchief
lightly out of it with the other.
'Has it gone? 'asked Fagin.
'Here it is, sir, 'said Oliver, showing it in his hand.
'You're a clever boy, my dear, 'said the old gentleman,
putting his hand on Oliver's head. I've never seen a quicker
boy. If you go on like this, you'll be the greatest man in
London. Now come here and I'll show you how to take the marks
out of handkerchieves. '
Oliver wondered what the connection was between playing at
stealing from the old gentleman's pocket and becoming a great
man. But he followed him quietly to the table and was soon
deeply involved in his new study.
Oliver remained in Fagin's room for many days, picking the
marks and names out of the handkerchieves and sometimes
playing the same game as before. One evening two young ladies
came to visit, and a very cheerful party followed. Oliver
thought They were very nice, friendly girls.
The Dodger and Charley Bates went out to work every day, but
sometimes came home with no handkerchieves, and Fagin would
get very angry. Once he even knocked them both down the
stairs and sent them to bed with no dinner because they had
returned with nothing.
At last, the morning came when Oliver was allowed to go out
to work with the two other boys There had been no
handkerchieves for him to work on for several days and there
was not very much to eat for dinner. The three boys set out,
but they walked so slowly that Oliver thought They were not
going to work at all. Then suddenly the Dodger stopped and
put his finger to his lips.
'What's the matter? 'demanded O liver.
'Be quiet! 'replied the Dodger. 'Do you see that old man
outside the book shop? He's the one. '
Oliver looked from the Dodger to Charley Bates with great
surprise and confusion, but he had been told not to ask
questions. The two boys walked quickly and secretly across
the road towards the old gentleman. Oliver followed behind
them, watching in silent amazement.
The old gentleman looked quite rich; he wore gold glasses,
white trousers, and had an expensive walking stick under his
arm. He had picked up a book and was standing there, reading
it with great concentration—just as if he were in his own
armchair at home. Oliver, his eyes wide with horror and
alarm, watched as the Dodger put his hand in the old
gentleman's pocket, took out a hand kerchief, and handed it
to Charley Bates. Then the two of them ran round the corner
as fast as They could.
Suddenly, the whole mystery of the handkerchieves, and the
watches, and the jewels, and Fagin, became clear. Oliver
stood for a moment in terror, blood rushing through him until
he felt he was on fire. Then, confused and frightened, he
started to run. At the same time, the old gentleman, putting
his hand to his pocket and realizing his hand kerchief was
missing, turned round. He saw Oliver running away, so he
naturally thought Oliver was the thief. With loud cries of
'Stop thief! ', he ran after Oliver with the book still in
his hand .
The old gentleman was not the only one who started shouting.
The Dodger and Charley Bates, not wanting to attract
attention to themselves by running down the street, had
stopped round the first corner. When They realized what was
happening, They also shouted' Stop thief! 'and joined in the
chase like good citizens.
The cry of 'Stop thief! 'always causes great excitement.
Everybody in the street stopped what they were doing and
began to shout themselves. Many joined in the chase with
enthusiasm and soon there was a big crowd running after
Oliver.
Finally, They caught the exhausted boy. He fell down on the
pavement and the crowd gathered round him.
'Is this the boy? 'They asked the old gentleman.
'Yes, 'he answered, leaning over Oliver. 'But I'm afraid he's
hurt himself. '
'I did that, 'said a huge young man proudly. 'And I hurt my
hand doing it. 'The old gentleman looked at him with an
expression of dislike.
Oliver lay on the ground, covered with mud and dust and
bleeding from the mouth, and looked wildly at all the faces
surrounding him. At that moment a policeman arrived and took
Oliver by the collar. 'Come on, get up, 'he said roughly.
'It wasn't me, sir, 'said Oliver, looking round. 'It was two
other boys. They're here somewhere. '
'Oh no, They aren't, 'replied the policeman. In fact, he was
right, as the Dodger and Charley had quietly disappeared as
soon as the crowd had caught Oliver. 'Come on, get up! '
'Don't hurt him, 'said the old gentleman.
'I won't,' said the policeman, tearing Oliver's jacket half
off his back as he lifted him up.
The three of them started walking, followed by the excited
crowd.
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