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man, feeling his way. " The wind blew
it to, or it shut ef its own accord; one or
the other. Look sharp with the light, or
I shall knock my brains out against some¬
thing in this confounded hole.
Fagin stealthily descended the kitchen
stairs, and, after a short absence, return¬
ed with a a candle, and the intelli¬
gence that Toby Crackit was asleep in
the back-room below, and the boys in the
front one. Beckoning the other man to
follow him, he led the way up stairs.
“We can say the few words we’ve
t to say, in here, my dear,” said the
ew, throwing open a door on the first
floor ; “and as there are holes in the shut¬
ters, and we never show lights to our
neighbours, we "11 set the candle on the
stairs. There!”
With these words, the Jew, stooping
down, placed the candle on an upper
flight of stairs exactly opposite the room
door, and led the way into the apartment,
which was destitute of all movables save
a broken arm-chair, and an old couch or
sofa, without covering, which stood be¬
hind the door. Upon this piece of furni¬
ture the stranger flung himself with the
air of a weary man; and, the Jew draw¬
ing up the arm-chair opposite, they sat
face to face. It was not quite dark, for
the door was partially open, and the can¬
dle outside threw a feeble reflection on
the opposite wall.
They conversed for some time in whis¬
pers; and, although nothing of the con¬
versation was distinguishable beyond a
few disjointed words here and there, a
listener might easily have perceived that
Fagin appeared to be defending himself
against some remarks of the stranger,
and that the latter was in a state of con¬
siderable irritation. They might have
been talking thus for a quarter of an hour
or more, when Monks—by which name
the Jew had designated the strange man
several times in the course of their collo¬
guy— said, raising his voice a little,
“T tell ey a éra it was badly planned.
Why not have kept him here among the
rest, and made a sneaking, snivelling
pickpocket of him at once?"
“Only hear him!” exclaimed the Jew,
shrugging his shoulders.
“Why; do you mean to say you
couldn’t have done it if you had chosen ?”
demanded Monks sternly. “ Haven’t you
done it with other boys scores of times?
If you had had patience for a twelve¬
month at most, — you have got him
convicted and sent safely out of the king¬
dom, perhaps for life ?”
“Whose turn would that have served,
my dear ?” inquired the Jew humbly.
s Mine,” replied Monks.
“But not mine,” said the Jew submis¬
sively. ‘ When there are two parties to
a bargain, it is only reasonable that the
interest of both should be consulted; is
it not, my friend ?””
: “ What then?” demanded Monks sulk¬
y.
“T saw it was not easy to train him to
the business,” replied the Jew; “he was
not like other boys in the same circum¬
stances.”
“Curse him, no!” muttered the man,
“ or he would have been a thief long
ago.
ft [ had no hold upon him to make him
worse,” pursued the Jew, anxiously watch¬
ing the countenance of his companion;
“his hand was not in; I had nothing to
frighten him with; which we always
must have in the beginning, or we labour
in vain. What could I dot Send him
out with the Dodger and Charley? We
had enough of that at first, my dear; I
trembled for us all.”
“ That was not my doing,” observed
Monks.
“ No, no, my dear!” renewed the Jew,
“and I don’t quarrel with it now; be¬
cause, if it had never happened, you
might never have clapped 7“ upon the
boy to notice him, and so led to the dis.
covery that it was him you were looking
for. ell; I got him back for you by
means of the girl, and then she begins to
favour him.”
“Throttle the girl!” said Monks im¬
patiently.
“Why, we can’t afford to do that just
now, my dear,” replied the Jew, smiling;
“and, besides, that sort of thing is not in
our way, or one of these days | might be
glad to have it done. I know what these
irls are, Monks, well; as soon as the
Bos begins to harden, she "11 care no more
for him than for a block of wood. You
want him made a thief: if he is alive, I
can make him one from this time; and if
—if—” said the Jew, drawing nearer to
the other,—* it’s not likely, mind,-—pvut
if the worst comes to the worst, and he
is dead a
“It’s no fault of mine if he is!” inter¬
posed the other man with a look of terror, _
and clasping the Jew’s arm with trem¬
bling hands. “ Mind that, Fagin! I had
no hand in it. Anything but his death, I