Stranica 68 [68]
OCR
40 c Where did he come from ?” “Greenland, Is Fagin up stairs ?” “ Yes, he’s a sortin’ the wipes. Up with vou!” The candle was drawn back, and the face disappeared, Oliver, groping his way with one hand, and with the other firmly grasped by his companion, ascended with much difficulty the dark and broken stairs which his conductor mounted with an ease and expedition that showed he was well acquainted with them. He threw open the door of a noone and drew Oliver in after im. The walls and ceiling of the room were perfectly black with age and dirt. There was a deal-table before the fire, upon which was a candle stuck in a ginger-beer bottle; two or three pewter pots, a loaf and butter, and a plate. In a frying-pan which was on the fire, and which was secured to the mantel-piece by a strmg, some sausages were cooking; and standing over them, with a toasting-fork in his hand, was a very old shrivelled Jew, whose villanous-looking and repulsive face was obscured by a quantity of matted red hair. He was dressed in a greasy flannel gown, with his throat bare, and seemed to be dividing his attention between the fryingpan and a clothes-horse, over which a eat number of silk handkerchiefs were anging. Several rough beds made of old sacks were huddled side by side on the floor: and seated round the table were four or five boys, none older than the Dodger, smoking long clay pipes and drinking spirits with all the air of middleaged men. These all crowded about their associate as he whispered a few words to the Jew, and then turned round and grinned at Oliver, as did the Jew himself, toasting-fork in hand. 4 This is him, Fagin,” said Jack Dawkins; “my friend, Oliver Twist." The Jew grinned; and, making a low obeisance to Oliver, took him by the hand, and hoped he should have the honour of his intimate acquaintance. Upon this, the young gentlemen with the pipes came round him, and shook both his hands very hard,—especially the one in which he held his little bundle. One young gentleman was very anxious to hang up his cap for him; and another was so obliging as to put his hands im his pockets, in order that, as he was very tired, he might not have the trouble of emptying them when he went to bed. ‘These civilities would probably have been extended much further, but for a liberal exercise of the Jew’s of the affectionate youths who offered them. “We are very glad to see you, Oliver, —-very," said the Jew. “Dodger, take off the sausages, and draw a tub near the fire for Oliver. Ah! you’re a staring at the pocket-handkerchiefs! eh, my dear! There are a many of ’em, ain’t there? We’ve just looked Jem out ready for the wash; that’s all, Oliver; that’s all. Ha! ha! ha!” | The latter part of this speech was hailed by a boisterous shout from all the hopeful pupils of the merry old gentleman, in the midst of which they went to supper. Oliver ate his share; and the Jew then mixed him a glass of hot gin and water, telling him he must drink it off directly, because another gentleman wanted the tumbler. Oliver did as he was desired. Almost instantly afterwards, he felt himself gently lifted on to one of the sacks, and then he sunk into a deep sleep. SS e———— — CHAPTER THE NINTH. Containing further particulars concerning the plea-" sant old gentleman und his hopeful pupils. Ir was late next morning when Oliver awoke from a sound, long sleep. There was nobody in the room beside, but the old Jew, who was boiling some coffee in a saucepan for breakfast, and whistling softly to himself as he stirred it round and round with an iron spoon. He would stop every now and then to listen, when there was the least noise below; and, when he had satisfied himself, he would go on whistling and stirring again as before. Although Oliver had roused himself from sleep, he was not thoroughly awake. There is a drowsy, heavy state, between sleeping and waking, when you dream more in five minutes with your eyes: half open, and yourself half conscious of everything that is passing around you, than you would in five nights with your eyes fast closed, and your senses wrapt in perfect unconsciousness. At such times, a mortal knows just enough of what his mind is doing, to form some glimmering conception of its mighty powers, its bounding from earth and spurning time and space, when freed from the irksome restraint of its corporeal associate. Oliver was precisely in the condition I have described. He saw the Jew with his half-closed eyes, heard his low whistling, and recognised the sound of the spoon grating against the saucepan’s sides; and
