Oldal 118 [118]
80
afore last, sounding the panels of the
doors and shutters; the crib’s barred up
at night like a jail, but there’s one part
we can crack, safe and softly.”
“Which is that, Bill?’ asked the Jew
eagerly.
c Why,” whispered Sikes, “as you
cross the lawn r*
“ Yes, yes,” said the Jew, bending his
head forward, with his eyes almost start¬
ing out of it.
“Umph!” cried Sikes, stopping short
as the girl, scarcely moving her head,
looked suddenly round and pointed for an
instant to the Jew’s face.
which part it is. You can’t do it without
me, I know; but it’s best to be on the
safe side when one deals with you.”
“As you like, my dear, as you like,”
replied the Jew, biting his lip. “Is there
no help wanted but yours and Toby’s?”’
“None,” said Sikes, “’cept a centre¬
bit and a boy; the first we’ve both got;
the second you must find us.”
“A boy!” exclaimed the Jew. ‘Oh!
then it is a panel, eh?”
“ Never mind wot it is!” replied Sikes;
“T want a boy, and he mustn’t be a big
un. Lord!" said Mr. Sikes reflectively,
“if I’d only got that young boy of Ned,
the chimbley-sweeper’s!—he kept him
small on purpose, and let him out by the
job. But the father gets lagged, and then
the Juvenile Delinquent Society comes,
and takes the boy away from a trade
where he was arning money, teaches him
to read and write, and in time makes a
*prentice of him. And so they go on,”
said Mr. Sikes, his wrath rising with the
recollection of his wrongs,—* so they go
on; and, if they’d got money enough,
(which it’s a Providence they have not,
we shouldn’t have a half-a-dozen boys le
in the whole trade in a year or two.”
‘‘ No more we should,” acquiesced the
Jew, who had been considering during
this speech, and had only caught the last
sentence. “Bill!”
s What now ?” inquired Sikes.
The Jew nodded his head towards Nan¬
cy, who was still gazing at the fire; and
intimated by a sign that he would have
her to leave the room. Sikes shrugged
his shoulders impatiently, as if he thought
the precaution unnecessary, but complied,
nevertheless, by requesting Miss Nancy
to fetch him a jug of beer.
“ You don’t want any beer,” said Nan¬
cy, folding her arms, and retaining her
Feat very composedly.
[ tell you I do!” replied Sikes.
“Goon, Fagin. I know what he’s go¬
ing to say, Bill; he needn’t mind me.”’
he Jew still hesitated, and Sikes lock¬
ed from one to the other in some surprise.
c Why, you don’t mind the old girl,
do you, Fagin?’ he asked at length.
“‘ You ’ve known her Jong enough to trust
her, or the devil’s in it: she ain’t one to
blab, are you, Nancy?"
7 should think not !” replied the young
lady, drawing her chair up to the table,
and putting her elbows upon it.
“No, no, my dear —I know you "re not,”
said the Jew; “ but——” and again the
old man paused.
“ But wot?” inquired Sikes.
“T didn’t know whether she mightn’t
p’raps be out of sorts, you know, my dear,
c she was the other night," replied the
ew.
At this confession Miss Nancy burst
into a loud laugh, and, swallowing a glass
of brandy, shook her head with an air of
defiance, and burst into sundry exclama¬
tions of “* Keep the game a-going!” § Ne¬
ver say die!” and the like, which seemed
at once to have the effect of re-assuring
both gentlemen, for the Jew nodded his
head with a satisfied air, and resumed_his
seat, as did Mr. Sikes likewise.
6 Now, Fagin,” said Miss Nancy with
a laugh, “ tell Bill at once about Oliver !"
s Ah! you’re a clever one, my dear;
the sharpest girl I ever saw!” said the
Jew, patting her on the neck. “It was
about Oliver I was going to speak, sure
enough. Ha! ha! ha!”
ké What about him?" demanded Sikes.
c He "s the boy for you, my dear,” replied
the Jew in a hoarse whisper, laying his
finger on the side of his nose, and grinning
frightfully.
“He!” exclaimed Sikes.
“Have him, Bill! said Nancy. “I
would if I was in your place. He mayn’t
be so much up as any of the others; but
that’s not what you want if he’s only to
open a door for you. Depend upon it he’s
a safe one, Bill.”
“T know he is,” rejoined Fagin ; " he’s
been in good training these last few weeks,
and it’s time he began to work for his
bread ; besides, the others are all too big.”
“ Well, he is just the size I want,” said
Mr. Sikes, ruminating.
“And will do every thing you want,
Bill, my dear,” interposed the Jew; “ he
can’t help himself;—that is, if you only
frighten him enough.”
c Frighten him !” echoed Sikes. " It 11
be no sham frightening, mind you. If