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83 Oliver leant his head upon his hand when the old man disappeared, and pondered with a trembling heart on the words he had just hea The more he thought of the Jew’s admonition, the more he was at-a loss to divine its real purpose and meaning. He could think of no bad object to be attained by sending him to Sikes which would not be eguall well answered by his remaining ~ wi Fagin; and, after meditating for a long time, concluded that he had been selected to perform some ordinary menial offices for the housebreaker, until another boy, better suited for his purpose, could be ened. He was too well accustomed to suffering, and had suffered too much where he was, to bewail the prospect of a change very severely. He remained lost in thought for some minutes, and then, with a heavy sigh, snuffed the candle, and, taking up the book which the Jew had left with him, began to read. He turned over the leaves carelessly at first, but, lighting on a passage which attracted his attention, soon became intent upon the volume. It was a history of the lives and trials of great criminals, and the pages were soiled and thumbed with use. ere, he read of dreadful crimes that make the blood run cold; of secret murders that had been committed by the lonely wayside, and bodies hidden from the eye of man in deep pits and wells, which would not keep them down, deep as they were, but had yielded them up at last, after many years, and so maddened the murderers with the sight, that in their horror they had confessed their guilt, and elled for the gibbet to end their agony. ere, too, he read of men who, lying in their beds at dead of night, had been tempted and led on by their own bad thoughts to such dreadful bloodshed as it made the flesh creep and the limbs quail were so vivid and real, that the sallow pages seemed to turn red with gore, and the words upon them to be sounded in his ears as if they were whispered in hollow murmurs by the spirits of the dead. In a paroxysm of fear the boy closed the book and thrust it from him. Then, falling upon his knees, he prayed Heaven to spare him from such deeds, and rather to will that he should die at once, than be reserved for crimes so fearful and appalling. By degrees he grew more calm, and besought, in a low and broken voice, that he might be rescued from his present | never known the love of friends or kindred, it might come to him now, when, desolate and deserted, he stood alone in the midst of wickedness and guilt. He had concluded his prayer, but still remained with his head buried in his hands, when a rustling noise aroused him. “ What’s that!” he cried, starting up, and catching mt of a figure standing by the door. § Who’s there?" “ Me—only me,” replied a tremulous voice. : Oliver raised the candle above his head, and looked towards the door. It was Nancy. | *“ Put down the light,” said the girl, turning away her head: “it hurts my eyes." Oliver saw that she was very pale, and gently inguired if she were ill. The giri threw herself into a chair, with her back towards him, and wrung her hands; but made no reply. “God forgive me!" she cried after a while, “ I never thought of all this.” “ Has anything happened ?” asked Oliver. “CanT help you? I will ifi can; I will indeed.” She rocked herself to and fro, and then, wringing her hands violently, caught her throat, and, uttering a gurgling sound, sain | and gasped for breath. c Nancy !” cried Oliver, greatly alarmed. ‘ What is it?” The gir] burst into a fit of loud laughter, beating her hands upon her knees, and her feet upon the ground, meanwhile; and, suddenly stopping, drew her shawl close round her, and shivered with cold. Oliver stirred the fire. Drawing her chair close to it, she sat there for a little time without speaking, but at length she raised her head and looked round. *T don’t know what comes over me sometimes,” said the girl, affecting to busy herself in arranging her dress; ‘it’s this damp, dirty room, I think. Now, Nolly, dear, are you ready ?” 6 Am I to go with you?" asked Oliver. “Yes; I have come from Bill,” replied the girl. " You are to go with me.” 6 What for?” said Oliver recoiling. a What for?" echoed the girl, raising her eyes, and averting them again the moment they encountered the boy’s face. “Oh! no harm.” c [ don’t believe it,” said Oliver, who had watched her closely. * Have it your own way,” rejomed the girl, affecting to laugh. “For no good, then.” Oliver. could see that he had some
