OLIVER BECOMES BETTER ACQUAINTED WITH THE CHARACTERS OF HIS NEW ASSOCIATES; —
OLIVER与他的新伙伴渐渐熟悉起来; —

AND PURCHASES EXPERIENCE AT A HIGH PRICE. BEING A SHORT, BUT VERY IMPORTANT CHAPTER, IN THIS HISTORY
并以高价购买了宝贵的经验。这在历史上是一章短小但非常重要的章节;

For many days, Oliver remained in the Jew’s room, picking the marks out of the pocket-handkerchief, (of which a great number were brought home,) and sometimes taking part in the game already described: —
多日来,Oliver一直呆在犹太人的房间里,拨弄着手绢上的记号(有很多被带回家),有时还参与到已经描述过的游戏中; —

which the two boys and the Jew played, regularly, every morning. —
这是两个男孩和犹太人每天早晨定时玩的游戏。 —

At length, he began to languish for fresh air, and took many occasions of earnestly entreating the old gentleman to allow him to go out to work with his two companions.
最终,他开始渴望新鲜空气,并多次恳请老绅士允许他跟他的两个伙伴一起出去工作;

Oliver was rendered the more anxious to be actively employed, by what he had seen of the stern morality of the old gentleman’s character. —
Oliver更加急切地想要积极地工作,是因为他见识到老绅士性格中的严格道德。 —

Whenever the Dodger or Charley Bates came home at night, empty-handed, he would expatiate with great vehemence on the misery of idle and lazy habits; —
每当Dodger或Charley Bates晚上空手回家时,他都会极力强调懒惰习惯的痛苦。 —

and would enforce upon them the necessity of an active life, by sending them supperless to bed. —
1。并强调了他们积极生活的必要性,把他们饿着送上床。 —

On one occasion, indeed, he even went so far as to knock them both down a flight of stairs; —
2。有一次,事实上,他甚至把他们俩推倒了一段楼梯; —

but this was carrying out his virtuous precepts to an unusual extent.
3。但这是把他的美德教诲进行到了一个不寻常的程度。

At length, one morning, Oliver obtained the permission he had so eagerly sought. —
4。终于,有一天早上,奥利弗得到了他如此渴望的许可。 —

There had been no handkerchiefs to work upon, for two or three days, and the dinners had been rather meagre. —
5。已经有两三天找不到手帕做活,午餐也相当简陋。 —

Perhaps these were reasons for the old gentleman’s giving his assent; —
6。也许这些是老绅士同意的原因; —

but, whether they were or no, he told Oliver he might go, and placed him under the joint guardianship of Charley Bates, and his friend the Dodger.
7。但不管是不是,他告诉奥利弗他可以走了,并让他在查理贝茨和他的朋友道奇的共同监护下。

The three boys sallied out; the Dodger with his coat-sleeves tucked up, and his hat cocked, as usual; Master Bates sauntering along with his hands in his pockets; —
8。三个男孩出发了;道奇像往常一样卷起袖子,戴着歪帽子;查理贝茨慢吞吞地走着,手插在口袋里; —

and Oliver between them, wondering where they were going, and what branch of manufacture he would be instructed in, first.
9。奥利弗夹在他们中间,纳闷他们要去哪,他会先学习哪种制造工艺。

The pace at which they went, was such a very lazy, ill-looking saunter, that Oliver soon began to think his companions were going to deceive the old gentleman, by not going to work at all. —
10。他们走得如此懒散、看起来邋遢不堪,奥利弗很快就开始怀疑他的同伴们根本不打算去工作。 —

The Dodger had a vicious propensity, too, of pulling the caps from the heads of small boys and tossing them down areas; —
11。道奇还有一个恶劣的癖好,就是从小男孩的头上拔下帽子,扔进底层天井; —

while Charley Bates exhibited some very loose notions concerning the rights of property, by pilfering divers apples and onions from the stalls at the kennel sides, and thrusting them into pockets which were so surprisingly capacious, that they seemed to undermine his whole suit of clothes in every direction. —
12。而查理贝茨对于财产的权利表现出了一些非常不严谨的概念,从摊位上偷了许多苹果和洋葱,塞进口袋里,这些口袋似乎异常宽敞,看起来会在各个方向损害他整套衣服。 —

These things looked so bad, that Oliver was on the point of declaring his intention of seeking his way back, in the best way he could; —
13。看到这些情形,奥利弗正要宣布他打算尽其所能寻找回去的路; —

when his thoughts were suddenly directed into another channel, by a very mysterious change of behaviour on the part of the Dodger.
14。突然,道奇的行为发生了非常神秘的变化,奥利弗的思绪立刻被引向另一个方向。

They were just emerging from a narrow court not far from the open square in Clerkenwell, which is yet called, by some strange perversion of terms, ‘The Green’: —
15。他们正从离克莱肯维尔广场不远的一个狭窄的庭院里出来,那里仍被一些奇怪的用语误称为“绿地”。 —

when the Dodger made a sudden stop; and, laying his finger on his lip, drew his companions back again, with the greatest caution and circumspection.
当道奇突然停下来时;并且,他用手指捂住嘴唇,非常谨慎地、小心翼翼地把同伴们再次拉回来。

‘What’s the matter?’ demanded Oliver.
“怎么了?”奥利弗问道。

‘Hush!’ replied the Dodger. ‘Do you see that old cove at the book-stall?’
“嘘!”道奇回答道。“你看到书摊那边的那个老家伙了吗?”

‘The old gentleman over the way?’ said Oliver. ‘Yes, I see him.’
“那边的老绅士?”奥利弗说。“是的,我看到他了。”

‘He’ll do,’ said the Doger.
“他会的,”道奇说。

‘A prime plant,’ observed Master Charley Bates.
“一个优秀的目标,”查理·贝茨观察到。

Oliver looked from one to the other, with the greatest surprise; —
奥利弗震惊地看着他们两个; —

but he was not permitted to make any inquiries; —
但他却没有机会提出任何问题; —

for the two boys walked stealthily across the road, and slunk close behind the old gentleman towards whom his attention had been directed. —
因为那两个男孩悄悄走过马路,在老绅士身后偷偷摸摸地靠近。 —

Oliver walked a few paces after them; and, not knowing whether to advance or retire, stood looking on in silent amazement.
奥利弗走在他们后面几步;不知道是前进还是后退,只是静静地惊讶地看着。

The old gentleman was a very respectable-looking personage, with a powdered head and gold spectacles. He was dressed in a bottle-green coat with a black velvet collar; —
那位老绅士是一个看上去很体面的人,头发上了粉,戴着金边眼镜。他身穿瓶绿色外衣,有黑色天鵝绒领; —

wore white trousers; and carried a smart bamboo cane under his arm. —
穿着白裤子;手里挎着一根时尚的竹杖。 —

He had taken up a book from the stall, and there he stood, reading away, as hard as if he were in his elbow-chair, in his own study. —
他从书摊上拿起一本书,站在那里,专心致志地读着,就好像他是坐在书房的扶手椅上一样。 —

It is very possible that he fancied himself there, indeed; —
他可能确实觉得自己就在那里; —

for it was plain, from his abstraction, that he saw not the book-stall, nor the street, nor the boys, nor, in short, anything but the book itself: —
因为从他的恍惚样子来看,显然他没有看到书摊、街道、男孩们,简而言之,他看到的只有书本本身。 —

which he was reading straight through: turning over the leaf when he got to the bottom of a page, beginning at the top line of the next one, and going regularly on, with the greatest interest and eagerness.
他正在全神贯注地看着一本书,一页一页地翻阅,翻到一页的末尾就翻到下一页的开头,兴趣盎然,急切地阅读着。

What was Oliver’s horror and alarm as he stood a few paces off, looking on with his eyelids as wide open as they would possibly go, to see the Dodger plunge his hand into the old gentleman’s pocket, and draw from thence a handkerchief! —
当奥利弗站在几步开外,睁大眼睛看着小偷伸手进老绅士口袋里,从中拿出手帕时,他感到恐惧和惊慌。 —

To see him hand the same to Charley Bates; —
看到小偷把手帕交给查理·贝茨; —

and finally to behold them, both running away round the corner at full speed!
最后看到他们两个飞快地跑到街角!

In an instant the whole mystery of the hankerchiefs, and the watches, and the jewels, and the Jew, rushed upon the boy’s mind.
奥利弗的脑海里一瞬间浮现出手帕、手表、珠宝和犹太人,整个谜团一下子明了。

He stood, for a moment, with the blood so tingling through all his veins from terror, that he felt as if he were in a burning fire; —
一时间,恐惧之下鲜血灼热地涌进他的全身,他感觉就像置身烈火之中; —

then, confused and frightened, he took to his heels; —
之后,他感到混乱和惊慌,拔腿就跑; —

and, not knowing what he did, made off as fast as he could lay his feet to the ground.
他手忙脚乱,不知所措,拼命地奔跑着。

This was all done in a minute’s space. In the very instant when Oliver began to run, the old gentleman, putting his hand to his pocket, and missing his handkerchief, turned sharp round. —
所有这一切发生在一分钟之内。当奥利弗开始奔跑的那一刻,老绅士伸手去口袋掏巾,却找不着手帕,于是急转身。 —

Seeing the boy scudding away at such a rapid pace, he very naturally concluded him to be the depredator; —
看到男孩飞快奔跑,他自然地认定他是贼; —

and shouting ‘Stop thief!’ with all his might, made off after him, book in hand.
于是大声呼喊着“捉贼!”,手中紧握着书本,也追了上去。

But the old gentleman was not the only person who raised the hue-and-cry. —
但老绅士不是唯一一个发出追捕呼声的人。 —

The Dodger and Master Bates, unwilling to attract public attention by running down the open street, had merely retired into the very first doorway round the corner. —
小偷和贝茨禁不住想引起公众注意而沿着拐角处的第一个门口躲开。 —

They no sooner heard the cry, and saw Oliver running, than, guessing exactly how the matter stood, they issued forth with great promptitude; —
他们一听到呼声,看见奥利弗奔跑,立刻猜到事态的严重性,并迅速出门; —

and, shouting ‘Stop thief!’ too, joined in the pursuit like good citizens.
他们也高声喊叫着“捉贼!”,像好市民一样加入了追捕行列。

Although Oliver had been brought up by philosophers, he was not theoretically acquainted with the beautiful axiom that self-preservation is the first law of nature. —
尽管奥利弗是由哲学家抚养长大的,但他并不熟悉那个优美的公理,即自保是自然界的第一法则。 —

If he had been, perhaps he would have been prepared for this. —
如果他事先知道了,也许他会有所准备。 —

Not being prepared, however, it alarmed him the more; —
然而因为没有做好准备,他感到更加惊慌。 —

so away he went like the wind, with the old gentleman and the two boys roaring and shouting behind him.
于是他像风一样飞奔,老绅士和两个男孩在身后咆哮喊叫。

‘Stop thief! Stop thief!’ There is a magic in the sound. —
‘捉贼!捉贼!‘这个声音有一种魔力。 —

The tradesman leaves his counter, and the car-man his waggon; the butcher throws down his tray; —
店主离开柜台,脚车夫离开马车;肉贩放下托盘; —

the baker his basket; the milkman his pail; the errand-boy his parcels; the school-boy his marbles; —
面包师扔掉篮子;送奶工放下桶;小差抛弃包裹;学童放下弹珠; —

the paviour his pickaxe; the child his battledore. —
修道工放下镐头;孩子放下球拍。 —

Away they run, pell-mell, helter-skelter, slap-dash: —
他们一窝蜂般地奔跑着,脚步匆忙,声音混杂; —

tearing, yelling, screaming, knocking down the passengers as they turn the corners, rousing up the dogs, and astonishing the fowls: —
撞倒经过的行人,惊动狗,吓唬鸡; —

and streets, squares, and courts, re-echo with the sound.
街道,广场和庭院都回响着这声音。

‘Stop thief! Stop thief!’ The cry is taken up by a hundred voices, and the crowd accumulate at every turning. —
‘捉贼!捉贼!‘百声呼喊响彻街头,人群在每个拐角处聚集。 —

Away they fly, splashing through the mud, and rattling along the pavements: —
他们飞奔而去,溅过泥泞,沿着人行道哗哗作响; —

up go the windows, out run the people, onward bear the mob, a whole audience desert Punch in the very thickest of the plot, and, joining the rushing throng, swell the shout, and lend fresh vigour to the cry, ‘Stop thief! Stop thief!’
窗户打开,人们涌出门外,人群前进,整个观众甚至让把参与冲入人群,助威呼叫,加大对’捉贼!捉贼!‘的呼声。

‘Stop thief! Stop thief!’ There is a passion FOR hunting something deeply implanted in the human breast. —
‘捉贼!捉贼!‘人类内心深处潜藏着一种对“捕捉某物”的热情。 —

One wretched breathless child, panting with exhaustion; terror in his looks; agony in his eyes; —
一个悲惨、气喘吁吁的孩子,因劳累而喘不过气来;眼中充满恐惧;眼神中透露着极度的痛苦; —

large drops of perspiration streaming down his face; —
大颗大颗的汗珠顺着他的脸颊往下流; —

strains every nerve to make head upon his pursuers; —
用尽全力逃离追逐者; —

and as they follow on his track, and gain upon him every instant, they hail his decreasing strength with joy. —
而随着他们紧追不舍,不断靠近他,他们看着他力不从心的情况,心中充满了喜悦; —

‘Stop thief!’ Ay, stop him for God’s sake, were it only in mercy!
‘站住小偷!’啊,求求你们为了上帝的慈悲而抓住他!

Stopped at last! A clever blow. He is down upon the pavement; —
最终被抓住!一招狠的打击。他倒在了地上; —

and the crowd eagerly gather round him: each new comer, jostling and struggling with the others to catch a glimpse. —
人群急切地围拢在他周围:每一位新到的人,挤挤推推地争先恐后想要瞥见一眼; —

‘Stand aside!’ ‘Give him a little air!’ ‘Nonsense! he don’t deserve it.’ ‘Where’s the gentleman?’ —
‘让开!’‘给他点空气!’‘胡说!他不值得!’‘那位绅士在哪里?’ —

‘Here his is, coming down the street.’ ‘Make room there for the gentleman!’ —
‘他来了,沿着街道走来。’‘给那位绅士让路!’ —

‘Is this the boy, sir!’ ‘Yes.’
‘这就是那个孩子吗,先生?’‘是的。’

Oliver lay, covered with mud and dust, and bleeding from the mouth, looking wildly round upon the heap of faces that surrounded him, when the old gentleman was officiously dragged and pushed into the circle by the foremost of the pursuers.
当老绅士被前方的追逐者有力地推拉进人群中时,奥利弗躺在地上,浑身泥沙、血迹斑斑,狂乱地环顾着围绕在他周围的一群脸庞;

‘Yes,’ said the gentleman, ‘I am afraid it is the boy.’
‘是的,’绅士说,‘我怕这就是那个孩子。’

‘Afraid!’ murmured the crowd. ‘That’s a good ‘un!’
‘怕?’人群嘀咕着。‘真是个好家伙!’

‘Poor fellow!’ said the gentleman, ‘he has hurt himself.’
‘可怜的家伙,’绅士说,‘他受伤了。’

I did that, sir,’ said a great lubberly fellow, stepping forward; —
‘_是我干的,先生,’一个蠢笨大个子向前迈了一步; —

‘and preciously I cut my knuckle agin’ his mouth. —
‘过往时我不小心划破了手指关在他的嘴巴上.’ —

I stopped him, sir.’
‘我阻止了他,先生.’

The follow touched his hat with a grin, expecting something for his pains; —
跟着的那个人露出笑容,戴着帽子,期待着为了自己的辛苦付出得到些什么; —

but, the old gentleman, eyeing him with an expression of dislike, look anxiously round, as if he contemplated running away himself: —
但是老绅士眯着眼睛不喜欢地看着他,焦急地四处张望,仿佛在考虑自己是否也要逃走: —

which it is very possible he might have attempted to do, and thus have afforded another chase, had not a police officer (who is generally the last person to arrive in such cases) at that moment made his way through the crowd, and seized Oliver by the collar.
这也很有可能,他本来可能正打算这么做,这样又可能会出现一次追逐,如果不是此刻穿过人群、抓住奥利弗的衣领的一名警察官(通常在这种情况下是最后一个到达的)

‘Come, get up,’ said the man, roughly.
‘快,站起来。’那人粗暴地说。

‘It wasn’t me indeed, sir. Indeed, indeed, it was two other boys,’ said Oliver, clasping his hands passionately, and looking round. —
‘真不是我,先生。真的,真的,是另外两个男孩,’奥利弗激动地抱着双手,四处张望。 —

‘They are here somewhere.’
‘他们的确在这附近.’

‘Oh no, they ain’t,’ said the officer. He meant this to be ironical, but it was true besides; —
‘哦不,不在,’警官说。他本来想这么说是讽刺的,但这句话其实也是真的; —

for the Dodger and Charley Bates had filed off down the first convenient court they came to.
因为小贼和查理·贝茨早已溜到他们来到的第一个方便的小巷里。

‘Come, get up!’
‘快,站起来!’

‘Don’t hurt him,’ said the old gentleman, compassionately.
‘不要伤害他,’老绅士怜悯地说。

‘Oh no, I won’t hurt him,’ replied the officer, tearing his jacket half off his back, in proof thereof. —
‘哦不,我不会伤害他,’警官回答道,以他扯掉奥利弗一半夹克的举动为证。 —

‘Come, I know you; it won’t do. Will you stand upon your legs, you young devil?’
‘快,我知道你。这样行不通的。你这小鬼,你会站起来吗?’

Oliver, who could hardly stand, made a shift to raise himself on his feet, and was at once lugged along the streets by the jacket-collar, at a rapid pace. —
奥利弗勉强站了起来,几乎站不住,被夹克的衣领一下子拽着沿着街道飞奔。 —

The gentleman walked on with them by the officer’s side; —
这位绅士与警官并肩走着; —

and as many of the crowd as could achieve the feat, got a little ahead, and stared back at Oliver from time to time. —
尽可能多的人群中有一些人走在前面,时不时地回头盯着奥利弗。 —

The boys shouted in triumph; and on they went.
男孩们欢呼着胜利;他们继续前行。