Stranica 87 [87]
99
plunged in his own reflections, not ex¬
cep the dog, who by a certain’ mali¬
‘cious licking of his lips seemed to be
meditating an attack upon the legs of the
first ect Sol or lady he might encoun¬
ter in the street when he went out.
“Somebody must find out what’s been
done at the office,” said Mr. Sikes in a
much lower tone than he had taken since
‘he came in.
The Jew nodded assent.
“If he hasn’t peached, and is commit¬
ted, there’s no fear till he comes out
again,” said Mr. Sikes, “and then he must
be taken care on. You must get hold of
him, somehow.”
Again the Jew nodded.
The prudence of this line of action,
indeed, was obvious; but unfortunately
there was one very strong objection to its
being adopted; and this was, that the
Dodger, and Charley Bates, and Fagin,
and Mr. William Sikes, happened one and
all to entertain a most violent and deep¬
rooted antipathy to going near a police¬
office on any ground or pretext what¬
ever.
How long they might have sat and
looked at each other in a state of uncer¬
tainiv not the most pleasant of its kind, it
is difficult to say. It is not necessary to
make any guesses on the subject, how¬
ever; for the sudden entrance of the two
young ladies whom Oliver had seen on a
former occasion caused the conversation
to flow afresh.
“The very thing!” said the
« Bet will go; won’t you, my dear?’
“Wheres?” inquired the young lady.
“Only just up to ~ office, my dear,”
said the Jew coaxingly.
It is due to the young lady to say that
she did not positively affirm that she would
not, but that she melely expressed an
emphatic and earnest desire to be "§ jig¬
gered” if she would; a polite and delicate
evasion of the request, which shows the
young lady to have been of that
natural good-breeding that cannot bear to
" Jew.
a direct and pointed refusal.
The Jew’s countenance fell, and he
turned to the other young lady, ‘who was
gaily, not to say gorgeous! attired, in a
red gown, green boots, and yellow "url:
papers.
“Nancy, my dear,” said the Jew in a
soothing manner, " what do you say ?"
“That it won’t do; so it’s no use a try¬
ing it on, Fagin,” replied Nancy.
“What I say, Bill,” replied the lady
collectedly.
c Why, you’re just the very person for
it,” reasoned Mr. Sikes: “ nobody about
here, knows anything of you.”
‘And as I don’t want "em to, neither,”
replied Miss Nancy in the same composed
manner, “it’s rayther more no than yes
with me, Bill.”
“She ’ll go, Fagin,” said Sikes.
c No, she won’t, Fagin,” bawled Nancy.
c Yes she will, Fagin,” said Sikes.
And Mr. Sikes was right. By dint of
ne threats, promises, and bribes, the
female in question was ultimate¬
ly erat d upon to undertake the commis¬
same considerations as her agreeable
friend, for, having very recently removed
into the neighbourhood of Field-lane from
the remote but genteel suburb of Ratcliffe,
she was not under the same apprehension
of being recognised by any of her numer¬
ous acquaintance.
Specs ge with a clean white apron
tied over the red A yl and the yellow
curl-papers tucked up under a straw
bonnet,—both articles of dress being pro¬
vided from the Jew’s inexhaustible stock,
—Miss Nancy prepared to issue forth on
her errand.
“Stop a minute, my dear,” said the Jew,
producing a little covered basket. “Carry
that in one hand; it looks more respect¬
able, my dear.”
as Give her a door-ke ey to carry in her
t’other one, Fagin,” said Sikes; " it looks
real and genivine like.”
“Yes, yes, my dear, so it does,” said
the Jew, hanging the oe. street-door
key on the fore-finger of the young lady’s
right hand. " There; very ry F000, , Very
good indeed, my dear,” Jew,
rubbing his Haida
“ Oh, my brother! my poor, dear, sweet,
innocent little brother!” exclaimed Miss
Nancy, bursting into tears, and wringing
the little basket and the street door-key
in an agony of distress. “ What has
become of him !—where have they taken
Oh, do have pity, and tell me
what’s been done with the dear boy, gen¬
tlemen ; do, gentlemen, if you jlease,
gentlemen.”
Having uttered these words in a most
immeasurable delight of her hearers, Miss
nodded smilingly round, and disappeared.
“Ah! she’s a clever girl, my dears,”
Mr. Sikes, looking up in a surly manner.
and shaking his head gravely, as if in