Oldal 71 [71]
OCR
43 Nancy. They wore a good deal of hair, not very neatly turned up behind, and were rather untidy about the shoes and stockings, They were not exactly pretty, perhaps; but they had a great deal of colour in their faces, and looked quite stout and hearty. Being remarkably free and agreeable in their manners, Oliver thought them very nice girls indeed, as there is no doubt they were. These visiters stopped a long time. Spirits were produced, in consequence of one of the young ladies complaiming of a coldness in her inside, and the conversation took a very convivial and improvin turn. At length Charley Bates expre his opinion that it was time to pad the hoof, which it occurred to Oliver must be French for going out; for directly afterwards the ger, and Charley, and the two young ladies went away together, having been kindly furnished with money to spend, by the amiable old Jew. c There, my dear,” said Fagin, “ that’s a pleasant life, isn’t it? They have gone out for the day.” “Have they done work, sir?” inquired Oliver. * Yes,” said the Jew; “that is, unless they should unexpectedly come across any when they are out; and they won't neglect it if they do, my dear, depend upon it.” “ Make ’em your models, my dear, make ’em your models,” said the Jew, tapping the fire-shovel on the hearth to add force to his words; “do every thing . they bid you, and take their advice in all matters, especially the Dodger’s, my dear. He 11 be a great man himself, and make you one too, if you take pattern’by him. Is my handkerchief hanging out of my pocket, my dear?” said the Jew, stopping short. 66 Yes, sir,” said Oliver. “See if you can take it out, without my feeling it, as you saw them do when we were at play this morning.” Oliver held up the bottom of the pocket with one hand as he had seen the Dodger do, and drew the handkerchief lightly out of it with the other. . “Ts it gone?” cried the Jew. “ Here it is, sir,” said Oliver, showing it in his hand. * You ’re a clever boy, my dear,” said the playful old gentleman, patting Oliver on the head approvingly; “ I never saw a sharper lad. Here’s a shilling for you. If you go on in this way, you'll be the = man of the time. And now come ere, and 1711 show you how to take the marks out of the handkerchiefs.” Oliver wondered what picking the old entleman’s pocket in play had to do with is chances of being a great man; but thinking that the Jew, being so much his senior, must know best, followed him quietly to the table, and was soon deeply involved in his new study. ——== e —— tt CHAPTER THE TENTH. Oliver becomes better acguainted with the charac ters of his new associates, and purchases expe. rience at a high price. Being a short but very important chapter in this history. For eight or ten days Oliver remained in the Jew’s room, picking the marks out of the pocket-handkerchiefs, (of which a great number were brought home,) and sometimes taking part in the game already ty oo the two rei and the Jew played regularly every day. At length he began to languish for the fresh air, and took many occasions of earnestly entreating the old gentleman to allow him to go out to work with his two companions. 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. 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, and enforce upon them the necessity of an active life by sending them supperless to bed: upon one occasion he even went so far as to knock them both down a flight of stairs; but this was carrying out his virtuous precepts to an unusual extent. . At length one morning Oliver obtained the permission he had so eagerly sought. There had been no handkerchiefs to work upon for two or three days, and the dinners had been rather meagre. Perhaps these were reasons for the old gentleman’s giving his assent; but, whether they were or no, he told Oliver he might go, and placed him under the joint guardianship ‘int his friend the er. 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, and Oliver between them, vane where they were going, and what branc — he would be instructed im The pace at which they went was such a very lazy, ill-looking saunter, that Olr
