Stranica 209 [209]
“Tt’s all very
night.”
“T haven’t a piece of coin about me,”
replied the Jew.
“Then you "ve
there.”
“ Lots!” cried the Jew, holding up his
hands. “I haven’t so much as would—”
“JT don’t know how much you’ve got,
and I dare say you hardly know yourself,
count it,” said Sikes; “ but I must have
some to-night, and that’s flat.”
“Well, well,” said the Jew with a
ently.”
“You won’t do nothing of the kind,”
rejoined Mr. Sikes. “The Artful’s a
deal too artful, and would forget to come,
or lose his way, or get dodged by traps
and so be perwented, or anything for an
excuse, if you put him up toit. Nancy
shall go to the ken and fetch it, to make
all sure, and I] lie down and have a
snooze while she’s gone.”
After a great deal of haggling and
squabbling, the Jew beat down the amount
of the required advance from five pounds
to three pounds four and sixpence, pro¬
testing with many solemn asseverations
that that would only leave him eighteen¬
nce to keep house with; Mr. Sikes, sul¬
enly remarking that if he couldn’t get
any more he must be content with that,
Nancy prepared to accompany him home,
while the Dodger and Master Bates put
the eatables in the cupboard. The Jew
then, taking leave of his affectionate
friend, returned homewards, attended by
Nancy and the boys, Mr. Sikes meanwhile
flinging himself on the bed, and composing
himself to sleep away the time until the
young lady’s return.
abode, where they found Toby Crackit
and Mr. Chitling, intent upon their fif¬
teenth game at cribbage, which it is
scarcely necessary to say the latter gen¬
tleman lost, and with it his fifteenth and
last sixpence, much to the amusement of
his young friends. Mr. Crackit, appa¬
rently somewhat ashamed at being found
relaxing himself with a gentleman so
much his inferior in station and mental
endowments, yawned heavily, and, in¬
quiring after Sikes, took up his hat to go.
F “Has nobody been, Toby?” asked the
ew.
“Not a living leg, answered Mr.
Crackit, pulling up oe collar: “it’s been
153
agin, to recom¬
nse me for keeping house so long.
amme, [Im as flat as a juryman, and
should have gone to sleep as fast as New¬
good natur" to
Horrid dull, Im
blessed if I an’t.”
With these and other ejaculations of
up his winnings, and crammed them into
pocket with a haughty air,
as though such small pieces of silver were
wholly beneath the consideration of a man
room with so much elegance and gentility,
that Mr. Chitling, bestowing numerous
admiring glances on his legs and boots
till they were out of sight, assured the
company that he considered his acquaint¬
ance cheap at fifteen sixpences an inter¬
view, and that he didn’t value his losses
the snap of a little finger.
“ Wot a rum chap you are, Tom," said
Master Bates, highly amused by this de¬
claration.
* Not a bit of it,” replied Mr. Chitling :
“am I, Fagin?"
6 A very clever fellow, my dear,” said
the Jew, patting him on the shoulder, and
winking to his other pupils.
“And Mr. Crackit is a heavy swell,
an’t he, Fagin?’ asked Tom.
“ No doubt at all of that, my dear,” re¬
plied the Jew.
* And it is a creditable thing to have
his acquaintance, ant it, Fagin?" pursued
Tom.
“Very much so indeed, my dear,” re¬
lied the Jew. ‘“They’re only jealous,
om, because he won’t give it to them.”
“Ah!” cried Tom triumphantly, “that’s
where it is. He has cleaned me out; but
I can go and earn some more when I like,
—can’t I, Fagin?” ,
To be sure you can,” replied the Jew;
and the sooner you go, the better, Tom;
so make up your loss at once, and don’t
lose any more time. Dodger, Charley,
it’s time you were on the lay:—come,
it’s near ten, and nothing done yet.”
In obedience to this hint, the boys nod¬
ding to Nancy, took up their hats and left
the room; the Dodger and his vivacious
friend indulging as they went in many
witticisms at the expense of Mr. Chitling,
in whose conduct, it is but justice to say,
there was nothing very conspicuous or
peculiar, inasmuch as there are a great
number of spirited young bloods upon
town who pay a much higher price than
Mr. Chitling for being seen in good soci