Oldal 95 [95]
63
liberately opening with the other a large
clasp-knife, which he drew from his pocket.
“Come here, you born devil! Come here!
D’ye hear!"
The dog no doubt heard, because Mr.
Sikes spoke in the very harshest key of a
very harsh voice; but, appearing to en¬
tertain some unaccountable objection to
having his throat cut, he remained where
he was, and growled more fiercely than
before, at the same time grasping the end
of the poker between his teeth, and biting
at it like a wild beast.
This resistance only infuriated Mr.
Sikes the more; so, dropping upon his
knees, he began to assail the animal most
furiously. The dog jumped from right
to left, and from left to right, snapping,
growling, and barking; the man thrust
and swore, and struck and blasphemed;
and the struggle was reaching a most
critical point for one or other, when, the
door suddenly opening, the dog darted out,
leaving Bill Sikes with the poker and the
clasp-knife in his hands.
There must always be two parties to a
quarrel, says the old adage; and Mr.
Sikes, being disappointed of the dog’s
presence, at once transferred the quarrel
to the. new-comer.
“ What the devil do you come in be¬
tween me and my dog for?” said Sikes
with a fierce gesture.
* T didn’t know, my dear, I didn’t know,”
replied Fagin humbly—for the Jew was
the new-comer. |
* Didn’t know, you white-livered thief!”
growled Sikes. ‘Couldn’t you hear the
noise ?”
“Not a sound of it, as I’m a living
man, Bill,” replied the Jew.
6 Oh no, you hear nothing, you don’t,”
retorted Sikes with a fierce sneer, " sneak¬
ing in and out, so as nobody hears how
you come or go. I wish you had been
the dog, Fagin, half a minute ago.”
“ Why ?” inquired the Jew, with a
forced smile.
c" Cause the government, as cares for
the lives of such men as you, as haven’t
half the pluck of curs, lets a man kill his
dog how he likes,” replied Sikes, shutting
the knife up with a very expressive look ;
“that’s why.”
The Jew rubbed his hands, and, sitting
down at the table, affected to laugh at the
pleasantry of his friend —obviously very
ill at his ease, however.
. “Grm away,” said Sikes, replacing the
poker, and surveying him with savage
contempt; “grin away. You'll never
have the laugh at me, though, unless it ’s
behind a night-cap. I’ve got the upper
“ax over “ee ig i and, d— me, 1711
eep it. ere. ou : §0
take care of me." a ;
“ Well, well, my dear,” said the Jew,
I know all that; we—we—have a mutual
interest, Bill,h—a mutual interest.”
“ Humph !” said Sikes, as if he thought
the interest lay rather more on the Jew’s
side than on his. “ Well, what have you
got to say to me?”
“Tt’s all passed safe through the melt¬
ing-pot,” replied Fagin, “ and this is your
share. It’s rather more than it ought to
be, my dear; but as I know you’!l do me
a good turn another time, an és
“Stow that gammon,” interposed the
robber impatiently. * Where is it? Hand
over !"
“Yes, yes, Bill; give me time, give
me time,” replied the Jew soothingly.
“ Here it is—all safe.” As he spoke, he
drew forth an old cotton handkerchief
from his breast, and untying a large knot
in one corner, produced a small brown¬
paper packet, which Sikes snatching from
him, hastily opened, and proceeded to
count the sovereigns it contained.
c This is all, is it?” inquired Sikes.
« All,” replied the Jew.
6 You haven’t opened the parcel and
swallowed one or two as you come along,
have you?” inquired Sikes suspiciously.
“Don’t put on a injured look at the ques¬
tion ; you "ve done it many a time. Jerk
the tinkler.”
These words, in plain English, convey¬
ed an injunction to ring the bell. It was
answered by another Jew, younger than
Fagin, but nearly as vile and repulsive in
appearance.
Bill Sikes merely pointed to the empty
measure, and the Jew, perfectly under¬
standing the hint, retired to fill it, nae
viously exchanging a remarkable look
with Fagin, who raised his eyes for an
instant as if in expectation of it, and shook
his head in reply so slightly that the ac¬
tion would have been almost impercepti¬
ble to a third person. It was lost upon
Sikes, who was stooping at the moment
to tie the boot-lace which the dog had
torn. Possibly if he had observed the
brief interchange of signals, he might
have thought that it boded no good to him.
“Is anybody here, Barney?" inquired
Fagin, speaking—now that Sikes was
looking on—without raising his eyes from
the ground.
c Dot a shoul,” replied Barney, whose
words, whether they came from the heart
or not, made their way through the nose