Before Oliver had time to look round, Sikes had caught him under the arms; and in three or four seconds he and Toby were lying on the grass on the other side. Sikes followed directly. And they stole cautiously1) towards the house.
　　And now, for the first time, Oliver, well-nigh2) mad with grief and terror, saw that housebreaking and robbery, if not murder, were the objects of the expedition3). He clasped his hands together, and involuntarily uttered a subdued4) exclamation of horror. A mist came before his eyes5); the cold sweat stood upon his ashy face; his limbs failed him; and he sank upon his knees. "Get up!" murmured Sikes, trembling with rage, and drawing the pistol from his pocket, "Get up, or I'll strew6) your brains7) upon the grass."
　　"Oh! For god's sake, let me go!" cried Oliver,"Let me run away and die in the fields. I will never come near London; never, never! Oh! Pray8) have mercy on me9), and do not make me steal. For the love of all the bright angels that rest in heaven, have mercy upon me!" The man to whom this appeal10) was made, swore a dreadful oath, and had cocked11) the pistol, when Toby, striking it from his grasp, placed his hand upon the boy's mouth, and dragged him to the house.
　　.... "Take this lantern," said Sikes, looking into the room, "You see the stairs afore12) you?" Oliver, more dead than alive13), gasped out, "Yes." Sikes, pointing to the street-door with the pistol-barrel, briefly advised him to take notice that he was within shot all the way14); and that if he faltered15), he would fall dead that instant. "It's done in a minute," said Sikes, in the same low whisper, "Directly I leave go of you. Do your work. Hark16)!" "What's that?" whispered the other man. They listened intently. "Nothing," said Sikes, releasing his hold of Oliver, "Now!"
　　In the short time he had had to collect his senses, the boy had firmly resolved that, whether he died in the attempt or not, he would make one effort to dart upstairs from the hall, and alarm the family. Filled with this idea, he advanced at once, but stealthily17). "Come back!" suddenly cried Sikes aloud. "Back! Back!" Scared by the sudden breaking of the dead stillness of the place, and by a loud cry which followed it, Oliver let his lantern fall, and knew not whether to advance or fly18).
　　沒等奧利弗來得及看看四周,賽克斯就已經(jīng)把他夾在了胳膊下,三四秒后,他和托比已經(jīng)躺在了圍墻里邊的草地上,賽克斯也緊跟著跳了進(jìn)來。三個人躡手躡腳地朝那所房子走去。
　　奧利弗這才明白過來,這次遠(yuǎn)行的目的即便不是謀殺,也是入室搶劫,傷心和恐懼幾乎讓他發(fā)瘋。他雙手緊握在一起,情不自禁地發(fā)出一聲壓抑的驚叫。他眼前一片模糊,慘白的臉上直冒冷汗,兩條腿怎么也不聽使喚,一下子跪倒在地上。"起來!"賽克斯氣得直哆嗦,從衣袋里掏出手槍,低聲喝道,"起來,不然我叫你腦漿濺到草地上。"
　　"啊!看在上帝的分上,放了我吧!"奧利弗哭叫著,"放我走,讓我死在野地里吧。我再也不靠近倫敦了,再也不了,永遠(yuǎn)都不了!啊!求求你們可憐可憐我,別讓我去偷東西?？丛谔靽泄饷魈焓怪異鄣姆稚?可憐可憐我吧!"那個聽了這番請求的家伙惡狠狠地罵了一句,扣上了扳機(jī)。這時,托比一把打掉他手中的槍,用一只手捂住男孩的嘴,拖著他往那所房子走去。
　　…… "拿上這盞燈,"賽克斯朝屋子里望了望說,"看見你前面的樓梯沒有?"嚇得全身發(fā)軟的奧利弗好不容易說了一聲"看見了"。賽克斯用槍口指了指當(dāng)街的大門,簡略地提醒奧利弗留神,他始終處于射程之內(nèi),要是他膽敢畏縮不前,立刻就叫他斃命。"這事一分鐘就辦妥了,"賽克斯的嗓門依然壓得很低,"我一放手,你就去。聽!""怎么啦?"另一個家伙低聲說。他們緊張地聽了聽。"沒事,"賽克斯說著,放開了奧利弗,"開始!"
　　在這一會兒的功夫,奧利弗恢復(fù)了知覺。他拿定主意,一定要奮力從門廳沖上樓去,向這家人報(bào)警,哪怕因此送命也在所不惜。主意已定,他立刻輕手輕腳地朝前走去。 "回來!"賽克斯猝然大叫起來,"回來!快回來!"四周死一般的沉寂突然被打破了,緊接著是一聲高喊,奧利弗嚇得連手里的燈都掉了,不知道究竟該上前,還是該逃走。
　　1.cautiously] adv. 謹(jǐn)慎地,小心地 2.well-nigh adv. 幾乎,可謂 3.expedition [7ekspI5dIFEn] n. 遠(yuǎn)征,出行
　　4.subdued [sEb5djJd] adj. 被抑制的,減弱的
　　5.a mist came before his eyes: 來自習(xí)語a mist before one's eyes,意思是"眼前一片模糊"
　　6.strew [stru:] vt. 散播,點(diǎn)綴,撒滿
　　7.brain [breIn] n. 復(fù)數(shù)形式,常表示"腦髓,腦漿"
　　8.pray: 意思是"請求"文中此處實(shí)際上是"I pray you"的省略
　　9.have mercy on sb.: 對某人表示憐憫 10.appeal [E5pI:l] n. 請求,呼吁 11.cock v. 扣扳機(jī)(準(zhǔn)備發(fā)射)
　　12.afore prep. 在……前
　　13.more dead than alive: 慣用語,意思是:身體非常疲弱
　　14.all the way: 自始至終,一路上 15.falter v. 遲疑,動搖,畏縮 16.hark [vi. 聽(常用于命令)
　　17.stealthily [5stelWIlI] adv. 偷偷地,暗中地
　　18.fly [flaI] v. 逃離,逃跑