Stranica 117 [117]
OCR
—_— 79 im. ment, with nothing but the contents o closet to induce the belief that its occupier was anything but a working man; and with no more suspicious articles dislayed to view than two or three heavy ludgeons which stood in a corner, and a cs life-preserver” that hung over the mantelpiece. “There,” said Sikes, smacking his lips. “ Now I’m ready.” c For business—eh?” inquired the Jew. “For business,” replied Sikes; “so say what you "ve got to say.” “ About the crib at Chertsey, Bill?" said the Jew, drawing his chair forward, and speaking in a very low voice. s Yes. What about it?’ inquired Sikes. 6 Ah! you know what I mean, my dear,” said the Jew. ‘“ He knows what Í mean, Nancy; don’t he?” ‘No, he don’t,” sneered Mr. Sikes, “or he won’t, and that’s the same thing. Speak out, and call things by their right names; don’t sit there winking and blinking, and talking to me in hints, as if you warn’t the very first that thought about the robbery. D—n your eyes! wot d’ye mean ?" cc Hush, Bill, hush!” said the Jew, who had in vain attempted to stop this burst of indignation ; “somebody will hear us, my dear; somebody will hear us.” “Let "Tem hear!” said Sikes; “ I don’t care.” But as Mr. Sikes did care, upon reflection he dropped his voice as he said the words, and grew calmer. “There, there,” said the Jew coaxingly. “Tt was only my caution—nothing more. Now, my dear, about that crib at Chertsey; when is it to be done, Bill, eh !— when is it to be done? Such plate, my dears, such plate!” said the Jew, rubbing his hands, and elevating his eyebrows in a rapture of anticipation. cc Not at all,” replied Sikes coldly. *“ Not to be done at all!” echoed the Jew, leaning back in his chair. s No, not at all,” rejoined Sikes; “at least it can’t be a put-up job, as we expected.” “Then it hasn’t been properly gone about,” said the Jew, turning pale with anger. § Don’t tell me!” “But I will tell you,” retorted Sikes. 6 Who are you, that’s not to be told? I tell you that Toby Crackit has been hanging about the place for a fortnight, and he can’t get one of the servants into a line.” “Do you mean to tell me, Bill,” said the Jew, softening as the other grew the house can be got over?" c Yes, I do mean to tell you so,” replied Sikes. “The old lady has had’em these twenty years; and if you were to give "em five hundred pound, they wouldn’t be in it.” c But do you mean to say, my dear,” remonstrated the Jew, “ that the women can’t be got over ?” “ Not a bit of it," replied Sikes. “ Not by flash Toby Crackit?" said the Jew incredulously. " Think what women are, Bill.” s No; not even by flash Toby Crackit," replied Sikes. “He says he s worn sham whiskers and a canary waistcoat the whole blessed time he’s been loitering down there, and it’s all of no use.” “He should have tried mustachios and a pair of military trousers, my dear,” said the Jew after a few moments’ reflection. c So he did,” rejoined Sikes, “ and they warn’t of no more use than the other plant.” The Jew looked very blank at this information, and, after ruminating for some minutes with his chm sunk on his breast, raised his head, and said with a deep sigh that, if flash Toby Crackit reported aright, he feared the e was up. : “ And yet,” said the old man, dropping his hands on his knees, “it’s a sad thing, my dear, to lose so much when we had set our hearts upon it.” . “So it is,” said Mr. Sikes; “ worse luck!" A long silence ensued, during which the Jew was plunged in deep thought, with his face wrinkled into an expression of villany perfectly demoniacal. Sikes eyed him furtively from time to time ; and ancy, apparently fearful of irritating the housebreaker, sat with her eyes fixed upon the fire, as if she had been deaf to all that passed. “Fagin,” said Sikes, abruptly breaking the stillness that prevailed, “is it worth fifty shiners extra if it’s safely done from the outside ?” “ Yes,” said the Jew, suddenly rousing himself as if from a trance. “Ts it a bargain?” inquired Sikes. “ Yes, my dear, yes,” rejoined the Jew, grasping the other’s hand, his eyes glistening, and every muscle in his face work ing with the excitement that the inquiry had awakened. “ Then,” said Sikes, thrusting aside the Jew’s hand with some disdain, "let it come off as soon as you like. Toby and I were over the garden-wall the night
