登陆注册
5199200000062

第62章

Oliver saw that she was very pale, and gently inquired if she were ill. The girl threw herself into a chair, with her back towards him: and wrung her hands; but made no reply.

'God forgive me!' she cried after a while, 'I never thought of this.'

'Has anything happened?' asked Oliver. 'Can I help you? I will if I can. I will, indeed.'

She rocked herself to and fro; caught her throat; and, uttering a gurgling sound, gasped for breath.

'Nancy!' cried Oliver, 'What is it?'

The girl beat her hands upon her knees, and her feet upon the ground; and, suddenly stopping, drew her shawl close round her:

and shivered with cold.

Oliver stirred the fire. Drawing her chair close to it, she sat there, for a little time, without speaking; but at length she raised her head, and looked round.

'I don't know what comes over me sometimes,' said she, affecting to busy herself in arranging her dress; 'it's this damp dirty room, I think. Now, Nolly, dear, are you ready?'

'Am I to go with you?' asked Oliver.

'Yes. I have come from Bill,' replied the girl. 'You are to go with me.'

'What for?' asked Oliver, recoiling.

'What for?' echoed the girl, raising her eyes, and averting them again, the moment they encountered the boy's face. 'Oh! For no harm.'

'I don't believe it,' said Oliver: who had watched her closely.

'Have it your own way,' rejoined the girl, affecting to laugh.

'For no good, then.'

Oliver could see that he had some power over the girl's better feelings, and, for an instant, thought of appealing to her compassion for his helpless state. But, then, the thought darted across his mind that it was barely eleven o'clock; and that many people were still in the streets: of whom surely some might be found to give credence to his tale. As the reflection occured to him, he stepped forward: and said, somewhat hastily, that he was ready.

Neither his brief consideration, nor its purport, was lost on his companion. She eyed him narrowly, while he spoke; and cast upon him a look of intelligence which sufficiently showed that she guessed what had been passing in his thoughts.

'Hush!' said the girl, stooping over him, and pointing to the door as she looked cautiously round. 'You can't help yourself. Ihave tried hard for you, but all to no purpose. You are hedged round and round. If ever you are to get loose from here, this is not the time.'

Struck by the energy of her manner, Oliver looked up in her face with great surprise. She seemed to speak the truth; her countenance was white and agitated; and she trembled with very earnestness.

'I have saved you from being ill-used once, and I will again, and I do now,' continued the girl aloud; 'for those who would have fetched you, if I had not, would have been far more rough than me. I have promised for your being quiet and silent; if you are not, you will only do harm to yourself and me too, and perhaps be my death. See here! I have borne all this for you already, as true as God sees me show it.'

She pointed, hastily, to some livid bruises on her neck and arms;and continued, with great rapidity:

'Remember this! And don't let me suffer more for you, just now.

If I could help you, I would; but I have not the power. They don't mean to harm you; whatever they make you do, is no fault of yours. Hush! Every word from you is a blow for me. Give me your hand. Make haste! Your hand!

She caught the hand which Oliver instinctively placed in hers, and, blowing out the light, drew him after her up the stairs. The door was opened, quickly, by some one shrouded in the darkness, and was as quickly closed, when they had passed out. Ahackney-cabriolet was in waiting; with the same vehemence which she had exhibited in addressing Oliver, the girl pulled him in with her, and drew the curtains close. The driver wanted no directions, but lashed his horse into full speed, without the delay of an instant.

The girl still held Oliver fast by the hand, and continued to pour into his ear, the warnings and assurances she had already imparted. All was so quick and hurried, that he had scarcely time to recollect where he was, or how he came there, when to carriage stopped at the house to which the Jew's steps had been directed on the previous evening.

For one brief moment, Oliver cast a hurried glance along the empty street, and a cry for help hung upon his lips. But the girl's voice was in his ear, beseeching him in such tones of agony to remember her, that he had not the heart to utter it.

While he hesitated, the opportunity was gone; he was already in the house, and the door was shut.

'This way,' said the girl, releasing her hold for the first time.

'Bill!'

'Hallo!' replied Sikes: appearing at the head of the stairs, with a candle. 'Oh! That's the time of day. Come on!'

This was a very strong expression of approbation, an uncommonly hearty welcome, from a person of Mr. Sikes' temperament. Nancy, appearing much gratified thereby, saluted him cordially.

'Bull's-eye's gone home with Tom,' observed Sikes, as he lighted them up. 'He'd have been in the way.'

'That's right,' rejoined Nancy.

'So you've got the kid,' said Sikes when they had all reached the room: closing the door as he spoke.

'Yes, here he is,' replied Nancy.

同类推荐
  • 清平山堂话本

    清平山堂话本

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 书生初见

    书生初见

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 秋星阁诗话

    秋星阁诗话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 善谋上

    善谋上

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说末罗王经

    佛说末罗王经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 快穿:总裁夫人就是我

    快穿:总裁夫人就是我

    论如何成为总裁夫人?唐尘表示首先你要装得了白莲,耍得了心机,然后关键时刻被扑倒!什么?你最讨厌白莲花?那你没戏了,滚吧!唐尘,一无业游民!无奈下选择了进入时空管理有限公司,然后开始了狗血的快穿人生!本想着此工作虽危险但好歹工资高啊,谁知入坑后才发现她总是被无限拖欠工资!再然后,她就直接升为总裁夫人了!唐尘:“对,没错,总裁夫人就是我!为什么?别问我,我也想知道!”
  • 为世界开一朵花

    为世界开一朵花

    有这样18位女子,她们身处不同时期,来自不同国家,她们有着精彩纷呈、波澜壮阔的人生,她们是全世界最耀眼的18位女神,她们是女作家、女演员、女音乐家、女画家、女舞蹈家、女政治家……萨冈、香奈儿、波伏娃、赫本、杜拉斯、弗里达、戴安娜、琵雅芙、阿加莎、邓肯、贝隆夫人……她们都有着令人羡慕的传奇人生,都是各自时代里的璀璨符号,但当剥去一层层神秘光环后,她们也有着同你我一样的心酸和脆弱、焦虑和无奈。每个女神都活得不容易,在人生困境中的用心经营锻造了她们独一无二的质感。看别人的故事,品自己的生活。愿你我能从这些顶级女神的身上,领悟某些人生真谛,活成自己期待的模样,做一个自信、独立而快乐的质感女人。
  • 我有一间大网吧

    我有一间大网吧

    当电脑里的游戏能够提现到现实世界后,万界的土著们瞬间就疯狂了!某皇帝:肝!朕的大萌没钱,但朕有的是肝!苍穹在呼唤着朕!某皇帝:氪!往死里氪!朕的大送有的是钱!游戏道法在呼唤着朕!来自某灵气复苏世界的人们在面对外敌入侵时:QQ炫舞大军,结阵上buff!那个星妈你别给我拿电刀无尽,出香炉救赎啊!!
  • 唐朝第一明星经纪

    唐朝第一明星经纪

    男主李凤年是生于21世纪的一个普通的演艺圈经纪人,一个偶然的机会,穿越到了唐朝,最后误打误撞成了当时最著名的李龟年三兄弟的经纪人,把自己变成了唐朝第一明星经纪。
  • 意思

    意思

    这是一本写给光阴的书。轻缓而清淡的细节,清澈而质朴的情感,组成了系列关于时间流淌过乡村生活的故事。乡村生活,是中国大多数人的共同记忆。作者在这样的记忆里,叙述的不仅是故事,更是一种生活秩序、情感秩序。秩序里那种规律性的东西,随着乡村的消失,迁移到当下人的生活中重新建立了起来。以眺望远方的方式,守望已逝的乡愁。作者文笔清丽,叙述视角巧妙,故事中蕴含着清灵的哲思。
  • 最佳影星

    最佳影星

    新书《拼搏年代》已发布我要躺在钞票堆里打滚!我要做好莱坞巨星!群:323320648。
  • 迷宫

    迷宫

    那场火是4月5日凌晨烧起来的,刚好是清明节。后来有几家媒体报道,起火原因是祭奠引起的意外。但也有传言,火是四季牛肉店老板故意放的,目的是为了骗取一笔数目可观的保费。持这种观点的人,还信誓旦旦说,公安部门对那个名叫康全礼的四川人进行过调查,只是结论不得而知。火灾发生后,引起了多家媒体关注。在失火前两天,古城刚刚发生了一起轰动全国的导游伤人事件。很多人认为,二者有着某种微妙的联系,如果深入挖掘下去,很可能会有更多发现。以下是《古城早报》在第一时间对火灾发布的一则简报:今日凌晨4点10分左右,云南丽江市古城区束河街道龙泉社区发生火灾。
  • 至尊侍女

    至尊侍女

    女人会仙术,谁都挡不住!一朝穿越到青楼,改头换面,身份很尴尬!我被卖了一万亿?肉体偿还?黑墓涯遇险,激情始动。一切刚刚开始~~~~大陆女人地位低微,我偏要逆世而行,立于男人之上。打破这诅咒,创造属于我的不败传奇。终有一天,当纵横千载无双,男人?我会让你们俯首称臣!这是一段属于柳芙宁的专属神话
  • 妙一斋医学正印种子编

    妙一斋医学正印种子编

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 战神王爷狂宠倾城医妃

    战神王爷狂宠倾城医妃

    夏依依是一名军医、特种兵。在一次对抗境外恐怖分子时牺牲,当她醒来的时候发现自己穿越到了东朔国,成为了护国公府的嫡小姐。被庶妹陷害,夏依依被迫嫁给了如阎王般残暴冷血的还残疾重病的轩王,在大婚当日居然不露面,拿一只公鸡代替与依依拜堂,还当夜就将依依迁入偏冷的后院。此处不留爷自有留爷处,依依出了王府,爱情事业风生水起,此时轩王想起来吃醋了,想重得美人归?门都没有,不,连窗户都没有,本姑娘做得了手术,上得了战场,本姑娘瞧不上你。某人说“本王保证后院只有你一个女主人”。多年以后,看着整个后宫就那么一个嚣张跋扈的女人整日颐指气使的时候,后悔也来不及了。