11 Nancy makes a visit 
¡¡  
¡¡¡¡On the evening after the Bumbles' little business meeting£¬Mr Bill Sikes£¬waking from a sleep£¬called out to ask the time£® 
¡¡¡¡The room he was lying in was very small and dirty£®It was a different room from the one he had occupied before the Chertsey expedition£¬but it was in the same poor part of London£®The re were so few possessions or comforts in the room that it was clear Mr Sikes had met hard times£®He himself was thin and pale from illness£¬and was lying on the bed£¬wrapped in an old coat£®The white dog lay on the floor next to him£® 
¡¡¡¡Seated by the window was Nancy£¬repairing Sikes' old jacket£®She£¬too£¬was thin and pale£®At Sikes' voice she raised her head from her work£® 'Not long past seven£¬'she said£® 'How do you feel now£¬Bill£¿' 
¡¡¡¡'As weak as water£®Help me get up£¬will you£¿' 
¡¡¡¡As Nancy helped him out of bed£¬Sikes swore and cursed a ther clumsiness£®Illness had not improved his temper£® 
¡¡¡¡'You would n't speak like that if you knew how kindly I've nursed you the se last few days£¬'said Nancy£® 'So many nights£¬I've looked after you£®'She sat down in a chair£¬exhausted£® 
¡¡¡¡'Get up£¡'shouted Sikes£® 'What's wrong with you£¿' 
¡¡¡¡But Nancy was unable to get up£®Her head fell back against the chair and she fainted£® 
¡¡¡¡Sikes swore and cursed again£¬but Nancy remained unconscious£® 
¡¡¡¡'What's the matter here£¿'asked a voice from the door£¬and Fagin£¬followed by the Artful Dodger and Charley Bates£¬entered the room£®When They saw Nancy£¬They hurried to help her£®Charley rubbed her hand s and the Dodger gave her a drink from the bottle he carried£®Gradually£¬Nancy recovered her senses£® 
¡¡¡¡Sikes the n turned to Fagin£® 'What are you here for£¿'he asked roughly£® 'You haven't been here for weeks-all the time I was ill£®I haven't two coins to rub together£®Why didn't you help me£¿You treat me worse than a dog£¡' 
¡¡¡¡'Don't be bad-tempered£¬my dear£¬'said Fagin calmly£® 'I haven't forgotten you£¬Bill£®' 
¡¡¡¡'Well£¬what about some money£¬the n£¿I've done enough work for you recently-what about some money£¿' 
¡¡¡¡'I haven't a single coin with me£¬my dear£¬'said Fagin£® 
¡¡¡¡'The n go and get some-you've got lots at home£®No£¬I don't trust you£®Nancy can go back with you to your house and fetch some money£®I'll stay here and sleep£®' 
¡¡¡¡After a good deal of arguing£¬Fagin managed to reduce the amount Sikes was demanding from five pounds to three pounds£®He went back to his house with Nancy and the boys£® 
¡¡¡¡When They were inside£¬Fagin told the girl£¬ 'I'll just goupstairs and fetch the cash for Bill£¬my dear£®The re's little money in this business£¬Nancy£¬little money and no thanks- but I'm fond of seeing The young people around me£®' 
¡¡¡¡Suddenly the re was a man's voice at the front door£®As soon as Nancy heard it£¬she sat up in her chair£® 
¡¡¡¡'That's the man I was expecting earlier£¬'said Fagin£® 'Don't worry£®He'll only be ten minutes£®' 
¡¡¡¡The man entered the room£®It was Monks£®When he saw Nancy£¬he moved back£¬as if he had expected no one but Fagin£® 
¡¡¡¡'It's all right£¬only one of my young people£¬'Fagin said to him£® 'Did you see him£¿' 
¡¡¡¡'Yes£¬'answered Monks£® 
¡¡¡¡'Any news£¿' 
¡¡¡¡'Good news£¬'said Monks with a smile£® 'Let me have a word with you£®'He and Fagin went upstairs to talk privately£® 
¡¡¡¡As soon as They had left the room£¬Nancy took off her shoes and crept silently up the stairs to listen in the passage-as she had done once before£®She was gone for a quarter of an hour£¬the n£¬like a ghost£¬she reappeared in the downstairs room and sat down£®Immediately afterwards£¬the two men descended the stairs£® 
¡¡¡¡'How pale you are£¬Nancy£¡'said Fagin£¬once Monks had left the house£® 'What have you been doing to yourself£¿' 
¡¡¡¡'Nothing-except waiting here for you too long£¬'she answered£¬turning her face away from him£® 'Now£¬where's the money for Bill£¿' 
¡¡¡¡With a sigh for every piece of money£¬Fagin put the agreed amount into her hand £® 
¡¡¡¡When Nancy was out in the street again£¬she sat down on a door step£¬and for a few minutes seemed unable to move£®The n she started running wildly through the streets£¬and when she was exhausted she stopped and burst into tears£®This strange mood seemed to leave her the n£¬and she turned and hurried back to Sikes' house£® 
¡¡¡¡At first when she returned£¬Sikes noticed nothing unusual about her£®Fagin£¬with his sharp£¬suspicious eyes£¬would have noticed something at once£®But as night came£¬the girl's nervous excitement increased and even Sikes was alarmed by the paleness in her cheeks and the fire in her eye£® 
¡¡¡¡He lay in bed£¬drinking hot gin-and-water£¬and staring at her£® 'You look like a corpse that's come back to life again£®What's the matter with you tonight£¿' 
¡¡¡¡'Nothing£®Why are you staring at me so hard£¿' 
¡¡¡¡'Either you've caught the fever yourself£¬or-no£¬you're not going to¡­you wouldn't do that£¡' 
¡¡¡¡'Do what£¿'asked the girl£® 
¡¡¡¡'The re's not a girl alive as loyal as you£®If you weren't£¬ I'd have cut your throat months ago£®No£¬you must have the fever coming on£¬that's it£®Now£¬give me some of my medicine£®' 
¡¡¡¡Nancy quickly poured out his medicine with her back to him£®He took it£¬and after turning restlessly for some time£¬heeventually fell into a deep£¬heavy sleep£® 
¡¡¡¡'The drug's taken effect at last£¬'Nancy said to herself as she rose from her position beside the bed£® 'I hope I'm not too late£®' 
¡¡¡¡Quickly£¬she put on her coat and hat£¬looking round fearfully as if she expected at any moment to feel Sikes' heavy hand on her shoulder£®She kissed the robber's lips softly£¬then ran from the house without a sound£® 
¡¡¡¡She hurried in the direction of west London£¬pushing past people on the pavement£¬and running across crowded streets with out looking£® 
¡¡¡¡'The woman is mad£¡'said the people£¬turning to look ather as she rushed past the m£® 
¡¡¡¡She came to a wealthier part of the town where the street swere quieter£¬and before long she had reached her destination£®It was a family hotel in a quiet street near Hyde Park£®The clock struck eleven as she entered£® 
¡¡¡¡The man at the desk looked at her and asked£¬ 'What do you want here£¿' 
¡¡¡¡'I want to see Miss May lie£®' 
¡¡¡¡The man looked at The young woman with strong disapproval£® 'She won't want to see someone like you£®Come on£¬get out£®' 
¡¡¡¡'Let me see her-or two of you will have to throw me out£¡'said Nancy violently£® 
¡¡¡¡The man looked at her again£¬and decided it would be easierto do as she asked£®He led her upstairs to Rose's room£® 
¡¡¡¡Nancy entered with a brave face but with fear in her heart£® 
¡¡¡¡'Please sit down and tell me why you wish to see me£¬'said Rose May lie£¬looking with some surprise at this poor£¬rough girl from the streets£®Rose's manner was so kind and sincere£¬and so unexpected£¬that Nancy burst into tears£® 
¡¡¡¡When she had recovered a little£¬she asked£¬ 'Is the door shut£¿' 
¡¡¡¡'Yes£¬'answered Rose£¬a little nervously£® 'But why£¿' 
¡¡¡¡'Because I am about to put my life£¬and the lives of others£¬in your hand s£®I am the girl that kidnapped little O liver and took him back to old Fagin's house on the night O liver was going to the bookseller£®' 
¡¡¡¡'You£¡'said Rose£® 
¡¡¡¡'Yes£¬it was me£®I am that wicked creature you have hear dab out£®I've no friends except thieves and robbers£®I've lived on the streets since I was a child£¬cold£¬hungry£¬among people who are always drunk and fighting£®And that's where I'll die£¬too£®' 
¡¡¡¡'I pity you£¡'said Rose in a broken voice£® 
¡¡¡¡'But I'll tell you why I'm here£®Do you know a man called Monks£¿' 
¡¡¡¡'No£¬'answered Rose£® 
¡¡¡¡'He knows you£®I heard him tell Fagin that you were at this hotel£®Maybe he's changed his name£®Soon after O liver was put into your house on the night of the robbery£¬I listened insecret to a conversation between Monks and Fagin in the dark£®And I heard Monks say that he'd seen O liver in the street£¬and that he knew at once O liver was the child he was looking for£¬although I couldn't hear why£®Monks the n agreed to pay Fagin some money if he could find O liver again£¬and more money if he could turn the poor boy into a thief£®' 
¡¡¡¡'Why£¿'asked Rose£® 
¡¡¡¡'He saw my shadow on the wall as I listened£¬and I had to escape£®I didn't see him again until last night£®' 
¡¡¡¡'And what happened the n£¿' 
¡¡¡¡'I listened at the door again£®And I heard Monks say this£º¡°So the only proof of the boy's identity is at the bottom of the river£¬and the old woman who received it is dead£®¡±He and Fagin laughed£®The n Monks said that he had all O liver' s money safely now£¬but how funny it would be if the boy went to prison for stealing£¬after his father's unfair will£®' 
¡¡¡¡'What is all this£¿'asked Rose£® 
¡¡¡¡'It's the truth£¬lady£®The n Monks said he couldn't have O liver killed because suspicion would point to himself£®Bu the 'd try for the rest of his life to harm the boy if he could£®The n Monks laughed again about the money O liver should have got from his father's will£®¡°My young brother O liver will n ever see that money£¡¡±he said£®' 
¡¡¡¡'His brother£¡'exclaimed Rose£® 
¡¡¡¡'Those were his words£¬'said Nancy£¬looking round uneasily£¬as if she still expected to see Sikes£® 'And the n hetalked about how amazed you would be if you knew who 
¡¡¡¡O liver really was£® 
¡¡¡¡'And this man was serious£¿' 
¡¡¡¡'His voice was full of anger and hatred£®I know many people who do worse things£¬but I'd rather listen to all of the m than to this man Monks£®But I must get back now£¬or people will wonder where I've been£®' 
¡¡¡¡'Back£¡How can you go back to such a life£¿'asked Rose£® 'You've told me all this£®Now I can help you by letting you stay somewhere safe£®' 
¡¡¡¡'No£®Perhaps it's hard for you to believe£¬but the re's one man£¬the most dangerous of the m all£¬that I can never leave£®You're the first person who's ever spoken to me so kindly-but it's too late£®' 
¡¡¡¡'It's never too late£¡' 
¡¡¡¡'It is£¡'cried the girl£® 'I can't leave him now£®And if I tell anyone about this man£¬he'll die£®' 
¡¡¡¡'But how can I find you again£¬when we want to investigate this mystery further£¿' 
¡¡¡¡'I'll meet you secretly£¬if you promise not to watch or follow me£¬'said Nancy£® 'And if you promise just one more thing-not to do anything to hurt the man I can never leave£®' 
¡¡¡¡'I promise£®' 
¡¡¡¡'Every Sunday night£¬between eleven and twelve£¬I will walk on London Bridge if I am alive£®Meet me the re if youwant more information£®' 
¡¡¡¡As Nancy said the se words£¬she left the room and ran down the stairs and out into the street once more£®Rose was left alone£¬her thoughts in great confusion£¬as she wondered desperately what to do and who to ask for advice£® 
¡¡¡¡The next morning£¬O liver£¬who had been out walking£¬ranin to Rose's room at the hotel£®He was breathless with excitement£® 
¡¡¡¡'I can't believe what I've seen£¡Now you'll all know that I've told you the truth£¡'he shouted£® 
¡¡¡¡'I know you've always told us the truth-but what are you talking about£¿'asked Rose£® 
¡¡¡¡I've seen Mr Brown low £¬the kind man who was so good tome£® 
¡¡¡¡'Where£¿' 
¡¡¡¡'Going into a house£¬'said O liver£¬crying with joy£® 'I've got the address here£®' 
¡¡¡¡'Quick£¬'said Rose£® 'Call a coach£®I'll take you there immediately£®' 
¡¡¡¡The idea came to Rose that perhaps Mr Brown low would advise her£®She had been afraid to tell Nancy's story to Dr Losberne£¬since the good doctor was very excitable and often acted with more enthusiasm than wisdom£® 
¡¡¡¡In less than five minutes They were in the coach on their way to the address£®Rose went in first to talk to Mr Brown low alone£®She was taken into his study£¬and polite greetings were exchanged£®When They were seated again£¬Rose said£¬ 
¡¡¡¡'This will surprose you very much£¬but you were once very kind to a dear friend of mine£¬and I'm sure you will be interested to hear news of him£®' 
¡¡¡¡'Really£¿May I ask you his name£¿' 
¡¡¡¡'O liver Twist£®' 
¡¡¡¡Mr Brown low said nothing for a few seconds£¬but simply stared at Rose£®Finally he moved his chair nearer to her and said with great feeling£¬ 'I once thought that he was a liar and a thief£®If you have evidence to show me I was wrong£¬please tell me at once£®' 
¡¡¡¡'I know him to be a child with a warm heart£¬'said Rose£® 
¡¡¡¡'And despite the hardships of his life£¬he's a better person than almost anyone I know£®' 
¡¡¡¡'I looked for him everywhere£¬'said Mr Brown low £¬ 'but I could never find him£®I could never quite believe that he really did intend to rob me£®' 
¡¡¡¡Rose told him everything that had happened to O liver since the n£®She finished by saying£¬ 'And his only sorrow£¬for some months£¬has been that he could not find you£¬his former friend£®' 
¡¡¡¡'Thank God£¡'said Mr Brown low £® 'This is great happiness to me£¬great happiness£®But why haven't you brought him with you£¬Miss May lie£¿' 
¡¡¡¡'He's waiting in a coach at the door£¬'replied Rose£® 
¡¡¡¡Mr Brown low hurried out of the room£¬down the stairs and into the coach without another word£®In a minute he had returned with O liver£® 'How well he looks£¡'he said£® 'New clothe s£¬the same sweet face£¬but not so pale£»the same eyes£¬but not so sad£®' 
¡¡¡¡They talked with great joy for some time£®The n Mr Brown low sent for Mrs Bed win£¬the old housekeeper£®She came in quietly and waited for her orders£® 
¡¡¡¡'You get blinder every day£¬'said Mr Brown low impatiently£® 
¡¡¡¡'People's eyes£¬at my time of life£¬don't improve with age£¬'replied the old lady£® 
¡¡¡¡'The n put on your glasses£®' 
¡¡¡¡As she searched for the m in her pocket£¬O liver could not wait any longer and ran into her arms£® 
¡¡¡¡'Dear God£¡'she said£® 'It's my innocent boy£¡' 
¡¡¡¡'My dear old nurse£¡'cried O liver£® 
¡¡¡¡'I knew he would come back£¬'said the old lady£¬holding him in her arms£® 'How well he's dressed-how well he looks again£¡'She laughed and cried at the same time£¬and could not let O liver go£® 
¡¡¡¡While O liver talked to Mrs Bed win£¬Rose asked Mr Brown low if she could speak to him privately£®He led her in to another room£¬and the re listened£¬with a good deal of amaze ment£¬to Rose's account of her extraordinary conversation with Nancy£®Between the m£¬They decided that Mrs May lie and Dr Losberne should be told£¬and that Mr Brown low would come to the hotel that evening for a discussion£®For the moment£¬nothing would be said to O liver himself£® 
¡¡¡¡That evening at the hotel O liver's four friends met as arranged£®Dr Losberne£¬of course£¬was full of immediate plans to rush round London arresting all the gang and hanging the mat once£®Mr Brown low £¬fortunately£¬was able to persuade him to abandon this wild idea£® 
¡¡¡¡'The n what's to be done£¿'cried the doctor impatiently£® 
¡¡¡¡'First£¬'said Mr Brown low calmly£¬ 'we must discover who he inheritance that should have been his£®' 
¡¡¡¡'Yes£¬yes£¬'said the doctor£¬nodding in agreement£® 'But how shall we achieve the se aims£¿' 
¡¡¡¡'We must find this man Monks£¬'said Mr Brown low £® 'Nancy will not betray the man who is special to her£¬but she will surely agree to tell us how or where to find Monks£®Then we must find a way to force Monks to talk£®We must be both cautious and clever£®After all£¬we have no proof against him£¬and if we cannot make him talk£¬this mystery will never be solved£®But we'll have to wait five days until Sunday before we can meet Nancy on London Bridge£®Until the n£¬we can do nothing£®' 
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