Oldal 88 [88]
56
bright example they had just beheld.
“She’s a honour to her sex,” said
Mr. Sikes, filling his glass, and smiting
the table with his enormous fist. Here’s
ee health, and wishing they was all like
er!”
_ While these and many other encomiums
were being passed on the accomplished
Miss Nancy, that young lady made the
best of her way to the police-office;
timidity consequent upon walking through
the streets alone and unprotected, she
arrived in perfect safety shortly after¬
wards.
Entering by the back way, she tapped
softly with the key at one of the cell-doors
and listened. There was no sound within,
so she coughed and listened again. Still
there was no reply, so she spoke.
“ Nolly, dear?” murmured Nancy in a
gentle voice ;—* Nolly !"
There was nobody inside but a mis¬
erable shoeless criminal, who had been
taken up for playing the flute, and who
—the offence against society having
been clearly proved—had been very
ey committed by Mr. Fang to the
ouse of Correction for one month, with
the appropriate and amusing remark that
since he had got so much breath to spare,
pended on the treadmill than in a musical
instrument. He made no answer, being
occupied in mentally bewailing the loss
of the flute, which had been confiscated
for the use of the county ; so Miss Nancy
passed on to the next cell, and knocked
there.
6 Well,” cried a faint and feeble voice.
“Ts there a little boy here?" inquired
Miss Nancy with a preliminary sob.
This was a vagrant of sixty-five, who
was going to prison for not playing the
flute, or, in other words, for begging in
the streets, and doing nothing for his
livelihood. In the next cell was another
man, who was going to the same prison
for hawking tin saucepans without a 11¬
cence, thereby doing something for his
living in defiance of the Stamp-office.
But as neither of these criminals an¬
swered to the name of Oliver, or knew
anything about him, Miss Nancy made
straight up to the bluff officer in the striped
waistcoat, and with the most piteous
wailings and lamentations, rendered more
|
“T haven’t got him, my dear,” said the
old man.
“Where is he?” screamed Miss Nancy
in a distracted manner.
“Why, the gentleman’s got him,” re¬
plied the officer.
“ What gentleman? Oh, gracious
heavins! what gentleman?” exclaimed
Miss Nancy.
In reply to this incoherent questioning
the old man informed the al 5 affected
sister that Oliver had been taken ill in the
office, and discharged in consequence of a
witness having proved the robbery to have
been committed by another boy not in
custody; and that the prosecutor had
carried him away in an insensible condi¬
tion to his own residence, of and concern¬
ing which all the informant knew was,
that it was somewhere at Pentonville,
he having heard that word mentioned in
the directions to the coachman.
In a dreadful state of doubt and un¬
certainty the agonised young woman
staggered to the gate, and then,—exchan¬
ging her faltering gait for a good swift
steady run, returned by the most devious
and complicated route she could think of
to the domicile of the Jew.
Mr. Bill Sikes no sooner heard the ac¬
count of the expedition delivered, than
he very hastily called up the white dog,
and, putting on his hat, expeditiously de¬
parted, without devoting any time to the
formality of wishing the company good¬
morning.
c We must know where he is, my dears;
he must be found,” said the Jew, greatly
excited. ‘ Charley, do nothing but skulk
found: I trust to you, my dear,—to you
stay," added the Jew, unlocking a drawer
with a shaking hand; * there’s money,
my dears. I shall shut up this shop to¬
night: you’ll know where to find me.
Don’t stop here a minute,—not an instant,
my dears!”
With these words he pushed them from
the room, and carefully double-locking
and barring the door behind them, drew
from its place of concealment the box
which he had unintentionally disclosed to
Oliver, and hastily proceeded to dispose
clothing.
A rap at the door startled him in this
occupation. ‘ Who’s there?’ he cried
the street-door key and the little basket,
deinanded her own dear brother.
6 Me!" replied the voice of the Dodger
through the keyhole.