Sikes Takes Oliver to a House Исполнитель

Sikes Takes Oliver to a House

“We mustn’t let the boy run away again!” Fagin said to Sikes. “We’ll teach him to steal. That’s the way to stop him. If Oliver becomes a thief, he’ll be afraid of the police. Then he’ll never leave us!”

“I’ll teach him,” said Sikes. “I want a small boy for my next job. I’m going to a house where some very rich people live. Oliver can climb through a window and open the door!”

Fagin smiled. “Good – very good!”

Nancy was in the room, listening. She liked Oliver, and she was now a little sorry that she brought him back to Fagin’s house. Nancy quietly left the room. She went to Oliver and told him what she heard.

“I’m your friend now and I want to help you,” she said. “Sikes is very dangerous! He has a gun. Don’t try to run away or Sikes will shoot you! I tried to escape once. Sikes cut me with a knife. Look!” Nancy showed Oliver some deep cuts on her body.

“Oh, Nancy, I thought you were my enemy!” Oliver said.

“No, no – I’m your friend!” Nancy cried. “I don’t want to stay in this house with the thieves – but I can’t escape! I must live here, because I have no home. I’m alone in the world – like you.”

Oliver kissed Nancy. “Oh, I am pleased you’re my friend!” he said.

Next night, Sikes and another thief took Oliver to the rich people’s house. Sikes gave him an oil light and showed him a window. “Climb through that window and open the door!” he said.

“I can’t! I’m not a thief!” Oliver cried. “Let me go!”

Sikes showed him his gun. “I’ll shoot you!”

Oliver remembered what Nancy told him. He climbed through the window. But he did not open the door. He thought: “I’ll go and tell the people in the house.” Oliver moved quietly and slowly, like a cat, towards a door.

Sikes saw him through the window. “Come back!” he cried. “Come back!”

Oliver jumped – dropped his oil light. It fell on the floor with a bang.

Two men suddenly came out of a room. One of them had a gun.

Oliver could not see them in the dark very well. But suddenly a bright light shone into his eyes. He heard a shot – and fell like a dead person beside the window.

“They’ve shot him!” Sikes cried. “I see blood!”

He quickly reached half-way through the window and brought Oliver out of the house.

The thieves carried the boy in their arms and ran off into the night.

The men of the house followed them with guns, crying: “Thieves! Thieves!”

People in their houses heard their cries. They came out in their night-clothes and ran after the thieves. “Stop! Stop!” they cried.

Sikes shot at the people with his gun – but they still followed. They came nearer and nearer.

The thieves could not run fast enough with Oliver in their arms. “Leave the boy!” Sikes cried.

They dropped Oliver in some grass beside the road – and escaped.

The people ran past the boy – but they did not see him in the dark.

Oliver stayed in the grass all night, in a deep sleep.