标题: 英语听力：雾都孤儿 05. Oliver's life changes听力原文 [打印本页] 作者: 问题儿童 时间: 2012-8-11 19:50 标题: 英语听力：雾都孤儿 05. Oliver's life changes听力原文
5 Oliver's life changes
Oliver was taken to the nearest police station. The officer
at the gate looked at the boy. 'Another young thief, eh? 'He
turned to the old gentleman, 'Are you the person who was
robbed, sir? '
'Yes, I am, 'replied the old gentleman, 'but I'm not sure
that this boy actually took the hand kerchief. I don't really
want to take him to court. '
'Too late. He must go before the magistrate now. '
Oliver was locked in a small stone cell, which was
disgustingly dirty and smelly As the key turned in the lock,
the old gentleman said to himself thoughtfully, 'There's
something in that boy's face… He could be innocent. Where
have I seen someone like him before? 'After thinking about
this for a few minutes, he said, 'No; it must be imagination.
'He sighed unhappily, and began reading the book again.
Some time later, the officer touched his shoulder and told
him that the court was ready. A magistrate was a judge who
dealt with small crimes in local courts, and the magistrate
for this district was well known. His name was Mr Fang and he
was a disagreeable, bad-tempered man. Today he was in a
particularly bad mood. He frowned angrily at the old
gentleman, and asked sharply,
'Who are you? '
'My name, sir, is Brown low . '
'Officer! What is this man charged with? '
'He's not charged, sir, 'answered the officer. 'He's accusing
the boy. '
The magistrate looked at Mr Brown low from head to foot. 'And
what have you got to say? '
Mr Brown low began to explain. 'I was standing outside a book
shop—'
'Be quiet, sir! 'shouted Mr Fang. 'Policeman! Now－you
arrested the boy. What happened? '
The policeman told the magistrate what he had heard, and how
he had searched Oliver afterwards and found nothing.
'Are the re any witnesses? 'asked the magistrate.
'None, 'answered the policeman.
Mr Fang then turned to Mr Brown low and angrily told him to
describe what had happened. Mr Brown low explained that he
had run after the boy only because he saw him running away.
He did not think that the boy was the actual thief and he
hoped that the boy would not be punished. 'He's been hurt
already, 'he added, 'and now I'm afraid he's very ill. '
'I don't believe that for a moment, 'said Mr Fang
unpleasantly. He turned to O liver. 'Come now, don't try any
clever tricks with me! What's your name? 'he demanded.
Oliver tried to reply, but he was too weak to speak. He was
deadly pale, and he felt the room spinning round him. At last
he managed to whisper a request for water, but the magistrate
refused angrily. Suddenly, Oliver fainted and fell to the
floor.
Mr Fang stared at him angrily. 'Guilty. Three months 'prison,
'he said immediately. 'Let him lie there. He'll soon be tired
of that. 'Mr Fang stood up. 'This court is now closed. '
At that moment a man in an old black coat rushed in. 'Stop!
'he shouted. 'Don't take the boy away. I saw it all. I'm the
book shop owner. '
Mr Fang's face was black with anger at this unexpected
interruption, but the book shop owner demanded to be heard.
He described exactly what had really happened. He had seen
two boys steal the hand kerchief and then run away, leaving
Oliver to be arrested.
In a final burst of bad temper, Mr Fang said that his time
had been wasted. He announced that Oliver was innocent, and
ordered everybody out of the court.
The order was obeyed, and as Mr Brown low turned to go down
the street, he saw Oliver lying on the pavement, shaking, his
face as white as death.
'Poor boy! Poor boy! 'said Mr Brown low , bending over him.
He called a coach quickly, laid Oliver on the seat, and drove
away.
The coach stopped at a neat house in a quiet, shady street in
north London. Oliver was gently carried in to a bed, and
received more care and kindness than he had ever had in his
life. But he had a fever, and for many days he lay there
unconscious. When he eventually awoke, weak, thin and pale,
he looked anxiously around the room.
'What room is this? Where am I? 'he said. 'This is not the
place I fell asleep in. '
Mrs Bed win, the motherly old housekeeper, heard his words,
and instantly came to him. 'Hush—be quiet, my dear, or
you'll be ill again. Lie down. '
He lay down, and woke up again much later. After a while, he
was able to sit up in a chair, although he was still too weak
to walk. In this new position he could see a picture of a
woman hanging on the wall opposite. 'Who is that, madam? 'he
asked the old housekeeper.
'I don't know, my dear. Do you like it? '
'The eyes look so sad, and they seem to be staring at me. As
if the person was alive, and wanted to speak to me but
couldn't. '
'You're weak and nervous after your illness, 'Mrs Bed win
said kindly. 'Don't worry about things like that. '
Later that day Mr Brown low came in, having heard that the
boy was a little better at last. He was delighted to see that
Oliver could sit up. But when he saw Oliver's face clearly,
Mr Brown low stared hard at him.
'I hope you're not angry with me, sir, 'said Oliver anxiously
.
'No, no. Not in the least, 'he replied. Then he turned to the
housekeeper. 'But look, Mrs Bed win, look there! 'He pointed
to the picture of the woman above Oliver's head and then to
the boy's face. It was a living copy of the picture; even the
expression was the same. Oliver did not understand what was
happening. He was so alarmed by Mr Brown low 's excitement
that he fainted once more.
The Dodger and Charley Bates had left the crowd which was
chasing Oliver as soon as They could. They went back to their
house through the narrow streets, using a complicated route
in case anyone was following them. Once They were safely away
from other people, Charley Bates rolled on the ground and
laughed and laughed.
'Ha! Ha! Ha! When I saw Oliver running away so fast, round
all the corners, bumping into walls… and all the time I had
the handkerchief in my pocket… Ha! Ha! Ha! '
'But what'll Fagin say? 'asked the Dodger.
'What do you mean? '
The Dodger said nothing more but led Charley Bates into the
house and up the stairs. When Fagin saw them enter, he rose
to his feet.
'Where's Oliver? 'he asked them furiously.
The two boys looked uneasily at each other, but said nothing.
Fagin took hold of the Dodger's collar and shook him
violently. 'Tell me or I'll kill you! '
The Dodger slid out of his coat in one smooth movement,
leaving Fagin holding only the empty coat. 'The police have
got him, 'he said reluctantly. He looked round for a weapon
to fight with, but Fagin already had a heavy metal pot in his
hand ．He threw it hard at the Dodger, but missed and hit
Charley Bates, who started to shout with fear.
Suddenly, all this noise and confusion was silenced by a deep
voice at the door.
'What the devil's going on here? 'the voice demanded.
The owner of the voice was a big man of about thirty-five in
a black coat and very dirty trousers, with a brown hat on his
head and a dirty handkerchief around his neck. He also had a
three-day-old beard. A white dog with torn ears followed him
into the room. The man kicked the dog into a corner and
looked round at the signs of battle.
'Are They trying to murder you, Fagin? I would if I was the
m. I'd have done it long ago. Now, give me some beer, and
don't poison it. '
It was said as a joke, but if the man had seen the evil look
on Fagin's face, he might have thought the warning was a
necessary one.
Fagin produced some beer, and as the fight appeared to be
over, everybody sat down. In the conversation that followed,
Fagin told the newcomer that Oliver had been caught by the
police. 'I'm afraid, Mr Sikes, 'he said, 'the boy may say
something which will get us into trouble. '
'Very likely, 'said Bill Sikes, smiling unkindly. 'You've got
problems, Fagin. '
'And I'm afraid, 'added Fagin, ignoring Sikes' remark, 'that
if we're in trouble, then a lot of other people will be in
trouble too, if you understand me, my dear, '
Sikes turned angrily towards the old man. The re was a
silence. Then Sikes said, 'Somebody must find out what's
happened. If he hasn't said anything yet, we must catch him
when he leaves the police station. '
Fagin nodded. But there was a difficulty. None of them wanted
to go anywhere near a Police station. The problem was solved
with the arrival of the two young ladies whom Oliver had met
one evening in Fagin's house.
'Nancy, my dear, 'Fagin said. He smiled sweetly at one of the
young ladies. 'Can you go to find out what's happened to
Oliver? '
The young lady answered calmly, 'No, I won't. '
'You're the only one here that the police in this district
don't know, 'said Sikes. 'She'll go, Fagin. '
'No, 'repeated Nancy.
'Yes, she will, Fagin. 'Sikes was right. With a mixture of
threats and promises, he soon persuaded Nancy to go.
She set off at once, and at the police station pretended to
be a shy, frightened girl. 'Is my poor little brother Oliver
here? 'she asked the officer with the keys.
'He's not here, 'the officer replied. 'The gentleman's got
him. '
'The gentleman? Oh no! What gentleman? 'cried Nancy, very
upset.
The policeman explained that Oliver had become ill, and the
old gentleman had taken him to his house in the Pentonville
district of north London. Nancy, still looking terribly
upset, left the station, and hurried back to Fagin's house
with this news. As soon as he heard it, Sikes called his
white dog, put on his hat and left without saying goodbye to
anyone.作者: 问题儿童 时间: 2012-8-11 19:51
'We must find him, 'Fagin said urgently to the rest of them.
'No one can stay here—it's too dangerous now. All of you—
walk around Pentonville and keep your ears open. Don't come
back until you have some news of Oliver! If you can, kidnap
him! We've got to keep him quiet before he starts talking
about us to his new friends. '
With these words, he pushed them all from his room and
double-locked the door behind them. Then he took out his
hidden box and very carefully hid all the watches and the
