IN WHICH A NOTABLE PLAN IS DISCUSSED AND DETERMINED ON
在此处讨论并确定一个显著的计划。

It was a chill, damp, windy night, when the Jew: —
当这位犹太人穿上他的大衣，紧紧地裹住他干皱的身体，把衣领拉到耳朵上，完全遮住了他脸的下半部分，这是一个寒冷、潮湿、多风的夜晚。 —

buttoning his great-coat tight round his shrivelled body, and pulling the collar up over his ears so as completely to obscure the lower part of his face: —
当男孩们确认一切安全后，他在台阶上停顿了一下，直到他们渐行渐远，不再听到他们的脚步声时，他就匆匆走下了街道。 —

emerged from his den. He paused on the step as the door was locked and chained behind him; —
当套上锁链时，这位犹太人停下来一会儿； —

and having listened while the boys made all secure, and until their retreating footsteps were no longer audible, slunk down the street as quickly as he could.
他在一瞬间停在街角；

The house to which Oliver had been conveyed, was in the neighborhood of Whitechapel. —
奥利弗被带到的房子在怀特教堂附近； —

The Jew stopped for an instant at the corner of the street; —
犹太人尽可能快地沿着街道溜走。 —

and, glancing suspiciously round, crossed the road, and struck off in the direction of the Spitalfields.
他怀着怀疑的眼光四处张望了一下，便穿过马路，朝着斯皮塔尔菲尔兹的方向走去。

The mud lay thick upon the stones, and a black mist hung over the streets; —
泥浆厚厚地覆盖在石头上，黑雾笼罩着街道； —

the rain fell sluggishly down, and everything felt cold and clammy to the touch. —
雨水慢慢地落下，一切触摸起来都冷冷湿湿的。 —

It seemed just the night when it befitted such a being as the Jew to be abroad. —
正是这样的夜晚，像犹太人这样的人物最适合外出。 —

As he glided stealthily along, creeping beneath the shelter of the walls and doorways, the hideous old man seemed like some loathsome reptile, engendered in the slime and darkness through which he moved: —
当老人偷偷溜过，躲在墙壁和门廊下时，他看起来像一种令人恶心的爬虫，是在他所行进的泥泞和黑暗中繁殖的； —

crawling forth, by night, in search of some rich offal for a meal.
在夜间爬出来，寻找一顿丰盛的食物。

He kept on his course, through many winding and narrow ways, until he reached Bethnal Green; —
他一直保持着这样的方向，穿过许多弯曲而狭窄的小巷，直到到达贝斯纳尔格林； —

then, turning suddenly off to the left, he soon became involved in a maze of the mean and dirty streets which abound in that close and densely-populated quarter.
然后，突然转向左侧，很快就陷入了这个拥挤且人口密集的区域中那些肮脏的街道的迷宫之中。

The Jew was evidently too familiar with the ground he traversed to be at all bewildered, either by the darkness of the night, or the intricacies of the way. —
犹太人显然对自己走过的路太熟悉，以至于无论是黑夜的黑暗还是路途的错综复杂都没有让他感到困惑。 —

He hurried through several alleys and streets, and at length turned into one, lighted only by a single lamp at the farther end. —
他匆匆穿过几条小巷和街道，最后转入一条只有远端有一盏灯的街道。 —

At the door of a house in this street, he knocked; —
他敲响了这条街上一幢房子的门； —

having exchanged a few muttered words with the person who opened it, he walked upstairs.
和打开门的人交换了几句咕哝的话后，他就走上了楼。

A dog growled as he touched the handle of a room-door; and a man’s voice demanded who was there.
当他触摸到一个房间门把手时，一条狗嗥叫了起来；一个男人的声音要求问是谁。

‘Only me, Bill; only me, my dear,’ said the Jew looking in.
‘只是我，比尔；只是我，亲爱的，’ 犹太人看着说。

‘Bring in your body then,’ said Sikes. ‘Lie down, you stupid brute! —
‘那就进来吧，’ 赛克斯说。’躺下，你这笨蛋！’ —

Don’t you know the devil when he’s got a great-coat on?’
当恶魔穿上大衣时，你难道不认识他吗？

Apparently, the dog had been somewhat deceived by Mr. Fagin’s outer garment; —
显然，这只狗被费金先生的外套所欺骗； —

for as the Jew unbuttoned it, and threw it over the back of a chair, he retired to the corner from which he had risen: —
因为当犹太人解开它，把它扔到椅子上时，他退到了他起身的角落； —

wagging his tail as he went, to show that he was as well satisfied as it was in his nature to be.
摇着尾巴走开，以显示他对此感到满意，这是他的天性；

‘Well!’ said Sikes.
“好吧！” 赛克斯说；

‘Well, my dear,’ replied the Jew.–‘Ah! Nancy.’
“好吧，亲爱的，”犹太人回答。”啊，南希。”

The latter recognition was uttered with just enough of embarrassment to imply a doubt of its reception; —
后一种认可带着足够的尴尬被说出来，暗示着对接受的怀疑； —

for Mr. Fagin and his young friend had not met, since she had interfered in behalf of Oliver. —
因为费金先生和他的年轻朋友自从她为奥利弗干涉以来就没有见过面； —

All doubts upon the subject, if he had any, were speedily removed by the young lady’s behaviour. —
如果他有任何疑问，这个问题很快就被这位年轻女士的行为消除了； —

She took her feet off the fender, pushed back her chair, and bade Fagin draw up his, without saying more about it: —
她把脚从炉架上拿下来，把椅子推开，并命令费金把他的椅子拉过来，而不再多说什么； —

for it was a cold night, and no mistake.
因为这是个寒冷的夜晚，毫无疑问；

‘It is cold, Nancy dear,’ said the Jew, as he warmed his skinny hands over the fire. —
“冷，南希亲爱的，”犹太人说，他在火上暖着他瘦削的手； —

‘It seems to go right through one,’ added the old man, touching his side.
“它似乎会穿透一个人，”老人补充说，摸了摸自己的一侧；

‘It must be a piercer, if it finds its way through your heart,’ said Mr. Sikes. ‘Give him something to drink, Nancy. Burn my body, make haste! —
“如果它找到通往你的心脏的路，那么它一定会是一个穿刺者，” 赛克斯先生说。”给他点喝的，南希。天哪，快点！ —

It’s enough to turn a man ill, to see his lean old carcase shivering in that way, like a ugly ghost just rose from the grave.’
看到他那样颤抖，好像一个丑陋的幽灵刚从坟墓中升起，足以让一个人病倒。”

Nancy quickly brought a bottle from a cupboard, in which there were many: —
南希迅速从橱柜里拿出一瓶，其中装满了许多。 —

which, to judge from the diversity of their appearance, were filled with several kinds of liquids. —
根据它们外表的多样性来判断，里面装着几种不同的液体。 —

Sikes pouring out a glass of brandy, bade the Jew drink it off.
赛克斯倒了一杯白兰地，吩咐犹太人将其一饮而尽。

‘Quite enough, quite, thankye, Bill,’ replied the Jew, putting down the glass after just setting his lips to it.
“还足够，谢谢，比尔”，犹太人回答道，把杯子放下来，刚刚抿了一口。

‘What! You’re afraid of our getting the better of you, are you?’ —
“什么！你怕我们占了上风吗？” 赛克斯问道，盯着犹太人。 —

inquired Sikes, fixing his eyes on the Jew. ‘Ugh!’
“呸！”犹太人用嘲讽的声音说。

With a hoarse grunt of contempt, Mr. Sikes seized the glass, and threw the remainder of its contents into the ashes: —
在对着炉灰扔下空杯子之后，赛克斯发出了一声沙哑的嗓音。 —

as a preparatory ceremony to filling it again for himself: —
作为为自己重新倒满酒的准备仪式，他抓起杯子，又朝里面注满酒。 —

which he did at once.
赛克斯一口气喝完了第二杯。

The Jew glanced round the room, as his companion tossed down the second glassful; —
当他的同伴倒下第二杯时，犹太人环顾了一下房间。 —

not in curiousity, for he had seen it often before; —
不是出于好奇，因为他以前经常看到这个情景； —

but in a restless and suspicious manner habitual to him. —
而是出于他的习惯性的不安和猜疑。 —

It was a meanly furnished apartment, with nothing but the contents of the closet to induce the belief that its occupier was anything but a working man; —
这是一个简陋的住所，只有壁柜里的东西才能让人相信这里的居住者不是一个普通的工人。 —

and with no more suspicious articles displayed to view than two or three heavy bludgeons which stood in a corner, and a ‘life-preserver’ that hung over the chimney-piece.
房间里摆放的东西也只有两三根厚重的警棍和挂在壁炉架上的“救生器”之类的看似可疑的物品。

‘There,’ said Sikes, smacking his lips. ‘Now I’m ready.’
“好了，”赛克斯啪地吧唇，“现在我准备好了。”

‘For business?’ inquired the Jew.
“做生意？”犹太人问。

‘For business,’ replied Sikes; ‘so say what you’ve got to say.’
“做生意，”赛克斯回答道，“那你要说的就说吧。”

‘About the crib at Chertsey, Bill?’ said the Jew, drawing his chair forward, and speaking in a very low voice.
“关于切尔特西的窝点，比尔？”犹太人拉过椅子，声音很低地说道。

‘Yes. Wot about it?’ inquired Sikes.
‘是的。关你什么事?‘西克斯问道。

‘Ah! you know what I mean, my dear,’ said the Jew. ‘He knows what I mean, Nancy; don’t he?’
‘啊！你知道我指的是什么，亲爱的,‘犹太人说。’他知道我指的是什么，南希；是吧？

‘No, he don’t,’ sneered Mr. Sikes. ‘Or he won’t, and that’s the same thing. —
‘不，他不知道，’西克斯讥笑道。’或者他不愿意知道，这没什么两样。 —

Speak out, and call things by their right names; —
说出来，老实说; —

don’t sit there, winking and blinking, and talking to me in hints, as if you warn’t the very first that thought about the robbery. Wot d’ye mean?’
不要坐在那里，眨巴眼睛，对我含沙射影地说话，好像你不是第一个想到抢劫的人一样。你到底是什么意思?’

‘Hush, Bill, hush!’ said the Jew, who had in vain attempted to stop this burst of indignation; —
‘嘘，比尔，嘘!‘犹太人劝解道。’有人会听到我们说话的，亲爱的。有人会听到我们说话的。’ —

‘somebody will hear us, my dear. Somebody will hear us.’
‘让他们听到!‘西克斯说，’我才不在乎呢。’

‘Let ‘em hear!’ said Sikes; ‘I don’t care.’ —
但是西克斯确实在乎，所以反思之后，在说这些话时降低了声音，变得更加冷静。 —

But as Mr. Sikes DID care, on reflection, he dropped his voice as he said the words, and grew calmer.
‘好了，好了,‘犹太人哄着说。’那只是我的谨慎，仅此而已。

‘There, there,’ said the Jew, coaxingly. ‘It was only my caution, nothing more. —
亲爱的，关于切特西的那个金库，比尔，什么时候进行呢，嗯？什么时候进行呢？ —

Now, my dear, about that crib at Chertsey; when is it to be done, Bill, eh? When is it to be done? —
那些银器啊，亲爱的，那些银器！’犹太人说着，摩挲着手，眉毛高高地扬起，兴奋地期待着。 —

Such plate, my dear, such plate!’ said the Jew: —
‘一点也不，’西克斯冷冷地回答。 —

rubbing his hands, and elevating his eyebrows in a rapture of anticipation.
‘完全不考虑了!‘犹太人重重地靠在椅子上。

‘Not at all,’ replied Sikes coldly.
‘不要在尔冷地回答。

‘Not to be done at all!’ echoed the Jew, leaning back in his chair.
‘不要在尔冷地回答。1’西克斯冷冷地回答。

‘No, not at all,’ rejoined Sikes. ‘At least it can’t be a put-up job, as we expected.’
‘不，一点也不，’赛克斯回答道。‘至少这不可能是一场预设好的计划，正如我们所预料的。’

‘Then it hasn’t been properly gone about,’ said the Jew, turning pale with anger. ‘Don’t tell me!’
‘那么这件事没做到位，’犹太人发怒地脸色变得苍白说道。‘别跟我说！’

‘But I will tell you,’ retorted Sikes. ‘Who are you that’s not to be told? —
‘但我就要告诉你，’赛克斯回驳道。‘你算什么，竟说不能告诉你？ —

I tell you that Toby Crackit has been hanging about the place for a fortnight, and he can’t get one of the servants in line.’
我告诉你，托比·克拉基特已经在那里晃悠了有两个星期，还是搞不定一个仆人。’

‘Do you mean to tell me, Bill,’ said the Jew: softening as the other grew heated: —
‘你是不是打算告诉我，比尔，’犹太人在另一人发怒时缓和起来说道： —

‘that neither of the two men in the house can be got over?’
‘那家里的两个男人都搞不定？’

‘Yes, I do mean to tell you so,’ replied Sikes. ‘The old lady has had ‘em these twenty years; —
‘是的，我就是打算告诉你，’赛克斯回答道。‘老太太手中掌管他们这二十年了； —

and if you were to give ‘em five hundred pound, they wouldn’t be in it.’
即使你给他们五百镑，他们也不肯合作。’

‘But do you mean to say, my dear,’ remonstrated the Jew, ‘that the women can’t be got over?’
‘但是，亲爱的，你是不是要说女人们也无法搞定？’

‘Not a bit of it,’ replied Sikes.
‘一点也不，’赛克斯回答道。

‘Not by flash Toby Crackit?’ said the Jew incredulously. ‘Think what women are, Bill,’
‘甚至闪光的托比·克拉基特都无法搞定？’犹太人难以置信的说道。‘想想女人们是什么样子，比尔，’

‘No; not even by flash Toby Crackit,’ replied Sikes. ‘He says he’s worn sham whiskers, and a canary waistcoat, the whole blessed time he’s been loitering down there, and it’s all of no use.’
‘不，就连闪光的托比·克拉基特也不行，’赛克斯回答道。‘他说他整整待在那儿的时候戴着假胡须，穿着黄色马甲，完全没有用处。’

‘He should have tried mustachios and a pair of military trousers, my dear,’ said the Jew.
‘亲爱的，他应该试试胡子和一条军裤，’犹太人说道。

‘So he did,’ rejoined Sikes, ‘and they warn’t of no more use than the other plant.’
‘他也试过了，’赛克斯回答道，‘也和其他打扮一样毫无用处。’

The Jew looked blank at this information. —
犹太人听到这个信息后表情一片茫然。 —

After ruminating for some minutes with his chin sunk on his breast, he raised his head and said, with a deep sigh, that if flash Toby Crackit reported aright, he feared the game was up.
在下巴沉在胸前反思了几分钟之后，他抬起头，深深地叹了一口气，说如果闪电托比·克拉基特所说属实，他担心游戏完了。

‘And yet,’ said the old man, dropping his hands on his knees, ‘it’s a sad thing, my dear, to lose so much when we had set our hearts upon it.’
“然而”，老人低头放在膝盖上说，“亲爱的，这样失去太多真是个悲哀的事情，我们本来寄托了太多希望。”

‘So it is,’ said Mr. Sikes. ‘Worse luck!’
“是的”，赛克斯先生说，“真倒霉！”

A long silence ensued; during which the Jew was plunged in deep thought, with his face wrinkled into an expression of villainy perfectly demoniacal. —
长时间的沉默发生了；犹太人深陷于沉思之中，他的脸皱成了一个完全邪恶的恶魔般表情。 —

Sikes eyed him furtively from time to time. —
赛克斯偷偷地时不时地盯着他。 —

Nancy, apparently fearful of irritating the housebreaker, sat with her eyes fixed upon the fire, as if she had been deaf to all that passed.
南希似乎害怕激怒那个入室盗贼，坐在那里，眼睛盯着火，仿佛对一切都视而不见。

‘Fagin,’ said Sikes, abruptly breaking the stillness that prevailed; —
“费金”，赛克斯突然打破了沉默状态， —

‘is it worth fifty shiners extra, if it’s safely done from the outside?’
“如果从外面安全地完成，值得花50个金币额外吗？”

‘Yes,’ said the Jew, as suddenly rousing himself.
“是的”，犹太人说，突然振作起来。

‘Is it a bargain?’ inquired Sikes.
“成交吗？”赛克斯问。

‘Yes, my dear, yes,’ rejoined the Jew; his eyes glistening, and every muscle in his face working, with the excitement that the inquiry had awakened.
“是的，亲爱的，是的”，犹太人回答；他的眼睛闪闪发光，脸上每根肌肉都因为这个问题引发的激动而活跃。

‘Then,’ said Sikes, thrusting aside the Jew’s hand, with some disdain, ‘let it come off as soon as you like. —
“那么”，赛克斯说着，带着一些轻蔑地推开了犹太人的手，“你想什么时候就开始吧。 —

Toby and me were over the garden-wall the night afore last, sounding the panels of the door and shutters. —
托比和我前晚越过花园墙，试探门和百叶窗的板块。 —

The crib’s barred up at night like a jail; —
那个小屋晚上像监狱一样被封锁起来； —

but there’s one part we can crack, safe and softly.’
但是有一部分我们可以安全、轻轻地撬开。”

‘Which is that, Bill?’ asked the Jew eagerly.
“那是哪个，比尔？” 犹太人急切地问道。

‘Why,’ whispered Sikes, ‘as you cross the lawn–’
“为什么，”赛克斯低声说，“当你穿过草坪的时候–”

‘Yes?’ said the Jew, bending his head forward, with his eyes almost starting out of it.
“是吗？” 犹太人弯下腰，几乎要瞪出眼珠。

‘Umph!’ cried Sikes, stopping short, as the girl, scarcely moving her head, looked suddenly round, and pointed for an instant to the Jew’s face. —
“哼！” 赛克斯停下脚步，就在女孩几乎不转头的时候，突然指着犹太人的脸。 —

‘Never mind which part it is. You can’t do it without me, I know; —
“不管是哪一部分。我知道，没有我你不能做到; —

but it’s best to be on the safe side when one deals with you.’
当与你打交道时，最好保险一些。”

‘As you like, my dear, as you like’ replied the Jew. ‘Is there no help wanted, but yours and Toby’s?’
“你喜欢怎样，亲爱的，你喜欢怎样。” 犹太人回答。

‘None,’ said Sikes. ‘Cept a centre-bit and a boy. —
“不需要任何帮助，只有你和托比吗？” 赛克斯说。 —

The first we’ve both got; the second you must find us.’
“没有，” 犹太人说，“除了一个中心钻头和一个男孩。

‘A boy!’ exclaimed the Jew. ‘Oh! then it’s a panel, eh?’
“一个男孩！” 犹太人惊呼。“哦！那么是一个面板，对吧？”

‘Never mind wot it is!’ replied Sikes. ‘I want a boy, and he musn’t be a big ‘un. Lord!’ —
“不管是什么！” 赛克斯回答。“我需要一个男孩，而且他不能太大。天哪！” —

said Mr. Sikes, reflectively, ‘if I’d only got that young boy of Ned, the chimbley-sweeper’s! —
赛克斯说，反思着，“如果我只有那个养得精巧的威廉，烟囱清扫工网的小男孩！ —

He kept him small on purpose, and let him out by the job. But the father gets lagged; —
他特意让他保持幼小，按活干活。但父亲被抓了； —

and then the Juvenile Delinquent Society comes, and takes the boy away from a trade where he was earning money, teaches him to read and write, and in time makes a ‘prentice of him. —
然后青少年罪犯协会来了，把男孩从一个能赚钱的行业带走，教他读写，最终让他当学徒。 —

And so they go on,’ said Mr. Sikes, his wrath rising with the recollection of his wrongs, ‘so they go on; —
于是他们继续，” 赛克斯说，回忆起自己的冤屈时怒火上涌，“所以他们继续。” —

and, if they’d got money enough (which it’s a Providence they haven’t,) we shouldn’t have half a dozen boys left in the whole trade, in a year or two.’
“我应该说没有！”回答这位年轻女士。

‘No more we should,’ acquiesced the Jew, who had been considering during this speech, and had only caught the last sentence. ‘Bill!’
‘你不想要啤酒,‘南希冷静地回答。

‘What now?’ inquired Sikes.
‘不要胡说,‘女孩冷静地回答。

The Jew nodded his head towards Nancy, who was still gazing at the fire; —
‘你不需要啤酒,‘说着南希,双臂交叉,很平静地坐着。 —

and intimated, by a sign, that he would have her told to leave the room. —
‘我告诉你我需要！’回答了赛克斯。 —

Sikes shrugged his shoulders impatiently, as if he thought the precaution unnecessary; —
但是赛克斯还是照做了, 从娜西那里请求她给他拿一壶啤酒。 —

but complied, nevertheless, by requesting Miss Nancy to fetch him a jug of beer.
‘耍花招，’ 女孩冷静的说, ‘请继续，费金. 我知道他要说什么，比尔；他用不着理会我.’

‘You don’t want any beer,’ said Nancy, folding her arms, and retaining her seat very composedly.
‘你不想喝啤酒,‘说着南希, 双手交叉, 保持着镇静的坐姿。

‘I tell you I do!’ replied Sikes.
赛克斯耸耸肩, 仿佛认为这种预防措施是不必要的；

‘Nonsense,’ rejoined the girl coolly, ‘Go on, Fagin. I know what he’s going to say, Bill; —
“胡说八道,“女孩冷漠地回答。 ‘继续，费金。我知道他接下来要说什么，比尔； 他用不着理会我。’ —

he needn’t mind me.’
犹太人还在犹豫。 赛克斯出乎意料地从一个到另一个之间看。

The Jew still hesitated. Sikes looked from one to the other in some surprise.
‘是的, 你不介意这个老女人, 对吗, 菲金?’ 他最终问道。

‘Why, you don’t mind the old girl, do you, Fagin?’ he asked at length. —
菲金点了点头，示意南希，她还在凝视着火焰； —

‘You’ve known her long enough to trust her, or the Devil’s in it. She ain’t one to blab. Are you Nancy?’
并通过一个手势表示，请告诉她离开房间。

‘I should think not!’ replied the young lady: —
‘要啤酒,’ 南希把双臂交叉, 并保持着座位。 —

drawing her chair up to the table, and putting her elbows upon it.
将她的椅子拉到桌子旁，把手肘搁在上面。

‘No, no, my dear, I know you’re not,’ said the Jew; ‘but–’ and again the old man paused.
“不，不，亲爱的，我知道你不是的，”犹太人说道，“但是——”这位老人再次停顿了一下。

‘But wot?’ inquired Sikes.
“但是什么？”赛克斯问道。

‘I didn’t know whether she mightn’t p’r’aps be out of sorts, you know, my dear, as she was the other night,’ replied the Jew.
“我不确定她是不是有点不舒服，你知道的，亲爱的，就像她那天晚上一样。”犹太人回答说。

At this confession, Miss Nancy burst into a loud laugh; —
在听到这番自白后，南希大声笑起来； —

and, swallowing a glass of brandy, shook her head with an air of defiance, and burst into sundry exclamations of ‘Keep the game a-going!’ —
她喝了一口白兰地，摇着头，带着一种挑衅的神态，发出了一连串的呼喊：“继续游戏！” —

‘Never say die!’ and the like. These seemed to have the effect of re-assuring both gentlemen; —
“永不放弃！”等等。这些话似乎让两位绅士都感到安心； —

for the Jew nodded his head with a satisfied air, and resumed his seat: —
因为犹太人满意地点了点头，重新坐下了； —

as did Mr. Sikes likewise.
同样，赛克斯先生也是如此。

‘Now, Fagin,’ said Nancy with a laugh. ‘Tell Bill at once, about Oliver!’
“现在，费金，”南希笑着说，“马上告诉比尔有关奥利弗的事！”

‘Ha! you’re a clever one, my dear: the sharpest girl I ever saw!’ —
“哈！你真是个聪明的人，亲爱的：我见过的最机智的女孩！”犹太人拍着她的脖子说道。“我确实是要说奥利弗的事。哈！哈！哈！” —

said the Jew, patting her on the neck. ‘It WAS about Oliver I was going to speak, sure enough. Ha! ha! ha!’
“他是你的菜，亲爱的，”犹太人用嘶哑的耳语回答道；

‘What about him?’ demanded Sikes.
轻轻地摆动着他的鼻子旁边，可怕地咧着嘴笑。

‘He’s the boy for you, my dear,’ replied the Jew in a hoarse whisper; —
赛克斯问道：“他有什么问题？” —

laying his finger on the side of his nose, and grinning frightfully.
“他就是你的那个孩子，亲爱的，”犹太人说道，一边拍着她的脖子。“我确实要谈的就是奥利弗。哈！哈！哈！”

‘He!’ exclaimed. Sikes.
“喂！”赛克斯呼了一声。

‘Have him, Bill!’ said Nancy. ‘I would, if I was in your place. —
“抓住他，比尔！”南希说。“如果我在你的位置，我会这样做的。 —

He mayn’t be so much up, as any of the others; —
他可能没有其他人那样精明； —

but that’s not what you want, if he’s only to open a door for you. —
但如果他只是为你开个门，那就不是你想要的。 —

Depend upon it he’s a safe one, Bill.’
相信我，比尔，他是个可靠的人。”

‘I know he is,’ rejoined Fagin. ‘He’s been in good training these last few weeks, and it’s time he began to work for his bread. —
“我知道的，”费金回答。“这几个星期来，他接受了良好的训练，是时候开始为自己谋生了。 —

Besides, the others are all too big.’
此外，其他人都太大了。”

‘Well, he is just the size I want,’ said Mr. Sikes, ruminating.
“嗯，他正是我想要的尺寸。”赛克斯先生沉思着说。

‘And will do everything you want, Bill, my dear,’ interposed the Jew; —
“比尔，亲爱的，他会按你的要求做一切。”犹太人插话说； —

‘he can’t help himself. That is, if you frighten him enough.’
“他控制不了自己。如果你能吓唬得够大人，就行。”

‘Frighten him!’ echoed Sikes. ‘It’ll be no sham frightening, mind you. —
“吓唬他！”赛克斯反复道。“这可不是假吓唬，你要记住。 —

If there’s anything queer about him when we once get into the work; in for a penny, in for a pound. —
一旦我们开始行动，如果发现他有什么异常；一举一动都要小心。 —

You won’t see him alive again, Fagin. Think of that, before you send him. Mark my words!’ —
费金，在你派他之前要考虑清楚。记住我的话！” —

said the robber, poising a crowbar, which he had drawn from under the bedstead.
强盗说着，把一根撬棍拿起来，这是从床底下拿出来的。

‘I’ve thought of it all,’ said the Jew with energy. —
“我都考虑到了，”犹太人精力充沛地说道。 —

‘I’ve–I’ve had my eye upon him, my dears, close–close. Once let him feel that he is one of us; —
我–我一直密切留意他，亲爱的，紧紧地。让他感觉他就是我们中的一个； —

once fill his mind with the idea that he has been a thief; and he’s ours! Ours for his life. Oho! —
一旦他的思想被填满了他是个小偷的想法；他就是我们的！我们一辈子的人。哦！ —

It couldn’t have come about better! The old man crossed his arms upon his breast; —
这件事发展得再完美不过了！那老头把胳膊交叉放在胸前； —

and, drawing his head and shoulders into a heap, literally hugged himself for joy.
把头和肩膀缩在一堆里，实际上由于喜悦而抱住自己。

‘Ours!’ said Sikes. ‘Yours, you mean.’
‘我们的！’赛克斯说。‘你的，你是说的。’

‘Perhaps I do, my dear,’ said the Jew, with a shrill chuckle. ‘Mine, if you like, Bill.’
‘也许是吧，亲爱的，’犹太人用尖锐的笑声说。‘如果你愿意，是我的，比尔。’

‘And wot,’ said Sikes, scowling fiercely on his agreeable friend, ‘wot makes you take so much pains about one chalk-faced kid, when you know there are fifty boys snoozing about Common Garden every night, as you might pick and choose from?’
‘你为什么对一个白面孩子如此爱不释手？当你知道每晚贫困花园都有五十个孩子在四处溜达，你随便挑选不就行了？’赛克斯凶狠地瞪着他那个惬意的朋友说。

‘Because they’re of no use to me, my dear,’ replied the Jew, with some confusion, ‘not worth the taking. —
‘因为他们对我没用，亲爱的，’犹太人有些困惑地回答说，‘不值得采取。 —

Their looks convict ‘em when they get into trouble, and I lose ‘em all. —
他们一旦惹麻烦，他们的外表就会使他们自己入罪，然后我会失去他们。 —

With this boy, properly managed, my dears, I could do what I couldn’t with twenty of them. —
这个男孩，如果管理得当，亲爱的，我可以做到我不能做的事情，即使有二十个他们。 —

Besides,’ said the Jew, recovering his self-possession, ‘he has us now if he could only give us leg-bail again; —
况且，’犹太人说，恢复了自我控制，‘如果他再能逃脱，他和我们会处在同一条船上。 —

and he must be in the same boat with us. Never mind how he came there; —
他必须跟我们一样。不管他是怎么到那里的； —

it’s quite enough for my power over him that he was in a robbery; that’s all I want. —
对他我的控制足够了，只要他参与了一次抢劫；这就是我想要的。 —

Now, how much better this is, than being obliged to put the poor leetle boy out of the way–which would be dangerous, and we should lose by it besides.’
现在，这比不得不把那个可怜的小男孩抛弃，这对我们既危险又损失的情况好得多。

‘When is it to be done?’ asked Nancy, stopping some turbulent exclamation on the part of Mr. Sikes, expressive of the disgust with which he received Fagin’s affectation of humanity.
‘什么时候去做？’南希问，阻止了赛克斯先生表达他对法金假装人道主义的厌恶的汹涌感叹。

‘Ah, to be sure,’ said the Jew; ‘when is it to be done, Bill?’
‘啊，当然了，’犹太人说道；’比尔，什么时候搞定？’

‘I planned with Toby, the night arter to-morrow,’ rejoined Sikes in a surly voice, ‘if he heerd nothing from me to the contrairy.’
‘我和托比商定，后天晚上行动，’赛克斯以板着脸说道，’如果他没有接到我的反馈消息。’

‘Good,’ said the Jew; ‘there’s no moon.’
‘很好，’犹太人说；’那天晚上月色正好。’

‘No,’ rejoined Sikes.
‘对，’赛克斯回答。

‘It’s all arranged about bringing off the swag, is it?’ asked the Jew.
‘行劫的计划都安排好了吗？’犹太人问道。

Sikes nodded.
赛克斯点了点头。

‘And about–’
‘还有关于–’

‘Oh, ah, it’s all planned,’ rejoined Sikes, interrupting him. ‘Never mind particulars. —
’哦，啊，计划都已经准备好了，’赛克斯打断他的话。’别管细节。 —

You’d better bring the boy here to-morrow night. I shall get off the stone an hour arter daybreak. —
你最好明天晚上把小子带到这里。我在天亮一个小时后离开。 —

Then you hold your tongue, and keep the melting-pot ready, and that’s all you’ll have to do.’
然后你闭嘴，准备好熔炉，那就是你唯一需要做的事情了。’

After some discussion, in which all three took an active part, it was decided that Nancy should repair to the Jew’s next evening when the night had set in, and bring Oliver away with her; —
在一番讨论之后，所有三个人都积极参与，决定了，当夜幕降临时，南希将去犹太人那里，带走奥利弗。 —

Fagin craftily observing, that, if he evinced any disinclination to the task, he would be more willing to accompany the girl who had so recently interfered in his behalf, than anybody else. —
费金狡猾地观察到，如果奥利弗表现出任何不情愿的迹象，他会更愿意跟随那个曾最近干预过他的女孩。 —

It was also solemnly arranged that poor Oliver should, for the purposes of the contemplated expedition, be unreservedly consigned to the care and custody of Mr. William Sikes; —
还庄严地规定，可怜的奥利弗应该在拟议中的远征期间，无保留地交给威廉·赛克斯先生保管； —

and further, that the said Sikes should deal with him as he thought fit; —
并进一步规定，说赛克斯可以自行处理他； —

and should not be held responsible by the Jew for any mischance or evil that might be necessary to visit him: —
并且，犹太人不负责任赛克斯对他可能造成的任何祸事或不幸。 —

it being understood that, to render the compact in this respect binding, any representations made by Mr. Sikes on his return should be required to be confirmed and corroborated, in all important particulars, by the testimony of flash Toby Crackit.
约定了这一点，认识到为了使这一约定在这方面成为约束力，赛克斯氏的任何陈述在他回来后应该要求由弗拉什托比·克拉基特的证词在所有重要方面得到确认和证实。

These preliminaries adjusted, Mr. Sikes proceeded to drink brandy at a furious rate, and to flourish the crowbar in an alarming manner; —
确定了这些准备工作后，赛克斯先生开始疯狂地喝白兰地，并以一种令人担心的方式挥舞撬杠; —

yelling forth, at the same time, most unmusical snatches of song, mingled with wild execrations. —
同时大声喊叫，夹杂着最不和谐的段落歌曲，混合着狂野的咒骂声。 —

At length, in a fit of professional enthusiasm, he insisted upon producing his box of housebreaking tools: —
最终，在一阵职业热情中，他坚持要拿出他的破门工具箱： —

which he had no sooner stumbled in with, and opened for the purpose of explaining the nature and properties of the various implements it contained, and the peculiar beauties of their construction, than he fell over the box upon the floor, and went to sleep where he fell.
他不久就带进来，并打开以解释里面包含的各种工具的性质和特性，以及它们构造上的独特之处，但他刚打开工具箱，就在地上摔倒了，并在那里睡着了。

‘Good-night, Nancy,’ said the Jew, muffling himself up as before.
‘再见，南希，’犹太人说，像之前那样把自己裹得严严实实。

‘Good-night.’
‘再见。’

Their eyes met, and the Jew scrutinised her, narrowly. There was no flinching about the girl. —
他们的目光交汇，犹太人仔细地审视着她。女孩没有退缩。 —

She was as true and earnest in the matter as Toby Crackit himself could be.
她与托比·克拉基特本人一样真诚和认真。

The Jew again bade her good-night, and, bestowing a sly kick upon the prostrate form of Mr. Sikes while her back was turned, groped downstairs.
犹太人再次向她道晚安，并在她背过身时对躺倒在地上的赛克斯先生狠狠地踢了一脚，然后摸索着下楼。

‘Always the way!’ muttered the Jew to himself as he turned homeward. —
‘永远都是这样！’犹太人自言自语地转身回家。 —

‘The worst of these women is, that a very little thing serves to call up some long-forgotten feeling; —
‘这些女人最糟糕的地方是，一件很小的事情就足以唤起一些很久以前被遗忘的感情; —

and, the best of them is, that it never lasts. Ha! ha! —
而她们最好的地方是，那种感情永远不会持续。哈！哈！ —

The man against the child, for a bag of gold!’
一个人与一个孩子，为了一袋金子！’

Beguiling the time with these pleasant reflections, Mr. Fagin wended his way, through mud and mire, to his gloomy abode: —
消遣着这些愉快的思考，费金先生通过泥泞和淤泥，走向他阴暗的住所。 —

where the Dodger was sitting up, impatiently awaiting his return.
多杰纳坐在那里，不耐烦地等待着他的返回。

‘Is Oliver a-bed? I want to speak to him,’ was his first remark as they descended the stairs.
‘奥利弗睡了吗？我想和他说话，’ 他们下楼时他的第一句话。

‘Hours ago,’ replied the Dodger, throwing open a door. ‘Here he is!’
‘几个小时前，’ 多杰纳回答，打开一扇门。 ‘他在这里！’

The boy was lying, fast asleep, on a rude bed upon the floor; —
这个男孩躺在地板上一个简陋的床上，熟睡着； —

so pale with anxiety, and sadness, and the closeness of his prison, that he looked like death; —
如此苍白，满是焦虑和悲伤，以及囚禁的密闭空间，看上去像死神； —

not death as it shows in shroud and coffin, but in the guise it wears when life has just departed; —
不是以裹尸布和棺材的形象出现的死神，而是生命刚刚离去时它所穿戴的模样； —

when a young and gentle spirit has, but an instant, fled to Heaven, and the gross air of the world has not had time to breathe upon the changing dust it hallowed.
当一个年轻温柔的灵魂刚刚飞往天堂时，这种急速的逃离地球污秽气息的模样。

‘Not now,’ said the Jew, turning softly away. ‘To-morrow. To-morrow.’
‘现在不行，’ 犹太人轻声说着，转身走开。 ‘明天。明天。’