Stranica 88 [88]
OCR
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 afterwards. 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 miserable 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 11cence, thereby doing something for his living in defiance of the Stamp-office. But as neither of these criminals answered 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,” replied 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 condition to his own residence, of and concerning 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 uncertainty the agonised young woman staggered to the gate, and then,—exchanging 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 account of the expedition delivered, than he very hastily called up the white dog, and, putting on his hat, expeditiously departed, without devoting any time to the formality of wishing the company goodmorning. 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 tonight: 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.
