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77 Nolly,” said the Mr. Chitling wound up his ob9) don’t take fogles and tickers “ What’s the of talking in that way ?” inte Master - Bates; “he don’t know what you mean.” “If you don’t take pocket-hankechers and watches,” said the Dodger, reducing his conversation to the level of Oliver’s capacity, " some other cove will; so that the coves that lose Jem will be all the worse, and you’ll be all the worse too, and nobody half a ha’p’orth the better, except the chaps wot gets them—and you ’ve just as good a right to them as they have.” c" To be sure,—to be sure!" said the Jew, who had entered unseen by Oliver. ‘Tt all lies in a nutshell, my dear—in a nutshell, take the iow, ag word for it. Ha! ha! he understands the cathechism of his trade.” The old man rubbed his hands gleefully together as he corroborated the Dodger’s reasoning in these terms, and chuckled with delight at his pupil’s proficiency. The conversation proceeded no farther at this time, for the Jew had returned home accompanied by Miss Betsy, and a ntleman whom Oliver had never seen fore, but who was accosted by the Dodger as Tom Chitling, and who, having lingered on the stairs to exchange a few fee 48 ni with the lady, now made his appearance. Mr. Chitling was older in years than the Dodger, having perhaps numbered eighteen winters; but there was a degree of deference in his deportment towards that young gentleman which seemed to indicate that he felt himself conscious of a slight inferiority in point of genius and professional acquirements. He had small twinkling eyes, and a pock-marked face ; wore a fur cap, a dark corduroy jacket, greasy fustian trousers, and an apron. His wardrobe was, in truth, rather out of repair; but he excused himself to the company by stating that his “ time” was only out an hour before, and that, in conseqpenpe of having worn the regimentals or six weeks past, he had not been able to bestow any attention on his private clothes. Mr. Chitling added with stron marks of irritation, that the new way of fumigating clothes up yonder was infernal unconstitutional, for it burnt holes in them, and there was no remedy against the county; the same remark he considered to apply to the regulation mode of cutting touched a drop of anything for forty-two mortal long hard-working days, and that he ‘wished he might be busted if he wasn’t as dry as a lime-basket ! c Where do you think the gentleman has come from, Oliver ?" inquired the Jew with a grin, as the other boys put a bottle of spirits on the table. 6 [—J—don’t know, sir,” replied Oli ver. “ Who "s that ?” inquired Tom Chitling, casting a contemptuous look at Oliver. “A young friend of mine, my dear,” replied the Jew. s He’s in luck then,” said the young man, with a meaning look at Fagin. “ Never mind where | came from, young ‘un; you’ll find your way there soon enough, 1711 bet a crown!” At this sally the boys laughed, and, after some more jokes on the same subject, exchanged a few short whispers with Fagin, and withdrew. After some words apart between the last comer and Fagin, they drew their chairs towards the fire; and the Jew, telling Oliver to come and sit by him, led the conversation to the topics most calculated to interest his hearers. ‘These were, the great advantages of the trade, the proficiency of the Dodger, the amiability of Charley Bates, and the liberality of the Jew himself. At length these subjects displayed signs of being e a exhausted, and Mr. Chitling did the same (for the house of correction becomes fatiguing after a week or two;) accordingly Miss Betsy withdrew, and left the party to their repose. From this day Oliver was seldom left alone, but was placed in almost constant communication with the two boys, who played the old game with the Jew every day,—whether for their own improvement, or Oliver’s, Mr. Fagin best knew. At other times the old man would tell them stories of robberies he had committed in his younger days, mixed up with so much that was droll and curious, that Oliver could not help laughing heartily, and showing that he was amused in spite of all his better feelings. In short, the wily old Jew had the boy in his toils; and, having prepared his mind by solitude and gloom to prefer any society to the companionship of his own sad thoughts in such a dreary place, was now slowly instilling into his soul the por 1 *
