Oldal 210 [210]
OCR
154 men (composing the good society aforeCrackit. s Now," said the Jew, when they had left the room, “I’ll-go and get you that cash, Nancy. ‘This is only the key of a little cupboard where I keep a few odd things the boys get, my dear. I never lock up my money, for I "ve got none to lock up, my dear—ha! ha! ha!—none to lock. It’s a poor trade, Nancy, and no thanks; but I’m fond of seeing the young people about me, and I bear it all; I bear it all. Hush!” he said, hastily concealing the key in his breast; “ who’s that? Listen !” The girl, who was sitting at the table with her arms folded, appeared in no way interested in the arrival, or to care whether the person, whoever he was, came or went, until the murmur of a man’s voice reached her ears. The instant she caught the sound she tore off her bonnet and shawl with the rapidity of lightning, and thrust them under the table. The Jew turning round immediately afterwards, she muttered a complaint of the heat in a tone of languor that contrasted very remarkably with the extreme haste and violence of this action, which, however, had been unobserved by Fagin, who had his back towards her at the time. 6 Bah!” whispered the Jew, as though nettled by the interruption; “it’s the man I expected before; he’s coming down stairs. Not a word about the money while he’s here, Nance. He won’t stop long— not ten minutes, my dear.” Laying his skinny fore-finger upon his lip, the Jew carried a candle to the door as a man’s step was heard upon the stairs without, and reached it at the same moment as the visiter, who coming hastily into the room, was close upon the girl before he observed her. It was Monks. “Only one of my young people,” said the Jew, observing that Monks drew back on beholding a stranger. ‘ Don’t move, Nancy.” The girl drew closer to the table, and elancing at Monks with an air of careless levity, withdrew her eyes; but as he turned his towards the Jew, she stole another look, so keen and searching, and full of purpose, that if there had been any bystander to observe the change he could hardly have believed the two looks to have proceeded from the same person. § Any news?” inquired the Jew. “ Great.” “ And—and—good?” asked the Jew hesitatingly, as though he feared to vex the other man by being too sanguine. “Not bad any way,” replied Monks with a smile. “I have been prompt enough this time. Let me have a word with you.” The girl drew closer to the table, and made no offer to leave the room, although she could see that Monks was pointing to her. The Jew—perhaps fearing that she might say something aloud about the money, if he endeavoured to get rid of her— pointed upwards, and took Monks out of the room. “ Not that infernal hole we were in before,” she could hear the man say as they went up-stairs. The Jew laughed, and making some reply which did not reach her, seemed by the creaking of the boards to lead his companion to the second story. Before the sound of their footsteps had had slipped off her shoes, and drawing her gown loosely over her head, and mufiling her arms in it, stood at the door listening with breathless interest. The moment ascended the stairs with incredible softness and silence, and was lost in the gloom above. The room remained deserted for a quarter of an hour or more; the girl glided back with the same unearthly tread, and immediately afterwards the two men were heard descending. Monks went at once into the street, and the Jew crawled up stairs again for the money. When he returned, the girl was adjusting her shawl and bonnet, as if preparing to be gone. “Why, Nance,” exclaimed the Jew, . starting back as he put down the candle, “Pale!” echoed the girl, shading her eyes with her hand as if to look steadily at him. ‘Quite horrible,” said the Jew. “ What have you been doing to yourself?” “ Nothing that I know of, except sitting in this close place for I don’t know how long and all,” replied the girl carelessly. “Come, let me get back; that’s a dear.” With a sigh for every piece of money, Fagin told the amount into her hand, and they parted without more conversation than interchanging a " good-night.” When the girl got into the open street she sat down on a door-step, and seemed for a few moments wholly bewildered and unable to pursue her way. Suddenly she arose, and hurrying on in a direction quite
