Oliver Twist 雾都孤儿 - Chapter 47

It was nearly two hours before day-break; that time which in the autumn of the year, may be truly called the dead of night; when the streets are silent and deserted ¹; when even sounds appear to slumber ², and profligacy ³ and riot have staggered home to dream; it was at this still and silent hour, that Fagin sat watching in his old lair ⁴, with face so distorted and pale, and eyes so red and blood-shot, that he looked less like a man, than like some hideous ⁵ phantom ⁶, moist from the grave, and worried by an evil spirit. He sat crouching ⁷ over a cold hearth ⁸, wrapped in an old torn coverlet, with his face turned towards a wasting candle that stood upon a table by his side., ,His right hand was raised to his lips, and as, absorbed in thought, he hit his long black nails, he disclosed among his toothless gums a few such fangs ⁹ as should have been a dog's or rat's. Stretched upon a mattress ¹⁰ on the floor, lay Noah Claypole, fast asleep., ,Towards him the old man sometimes directed his eyes for an instant, and then brought them back again to the candle; which with a long-burnt wick drooping ¹¹ almost double, and hot grease falling down in clots ¹² upon the table, plainly showed that his thoughts were busy elsewhere. Indeed they were., , ,He crept upstairs to the door, and presently returned accompanied by a man muffled ²¹ to the chin, who carried a bundle under one arm. Sitting down and throwing back his outer coat, the man displayed the burly frame of Sikes. 'There!' he said, laying the bundle on the table., ,'Take care of that, and do the most you can with it., ,The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。,All the people in the hotels were wrapped in deep slumber.住在各旅馆里的人都已进入梦乡 。