Stranica 223 [223]
167
which, he informed the travellers that
they could be lodged that night, and
left the amiable couple to their refresh¬
ment.
Now, this back-room was immediately
behind the bar, and some steps lower, so
that any person connected with the house,
undrawing a small curtain which con¬
cealed a single pane of glass fixed in the
wall of the last-named apartment, about
five feet from its flooring, could not only
look down upon any guests in the back¬
room without any great hazard of being
observed, (the glass being in a dark angle
of the wall, between which and a large
upright beam the observer had to thrust
himself,;) but could, by applying his ear
to the partition, ascertain with tolerable
distinctness their subject of conversation.
The landlord of the house had not with¬
drawn his eye from this place of espial
for five minutes, and Barney had only just
returned from making the communication
above related, when Fagin, in the course
of his evening’s business, came into the
bar to inquire after some of his young
pupils.
. “ Hush!" said Barney: “ stradegers id
the next roob.”
“ Strangers !”’ repeated the old man in
a whisper.
6 Ah! ad rub uds too,” added Barney.
s Frob the cuttry, but subthig in your
as or [’b bistaked.”’
agin appeared to receive this commu¬
nication with great interest, and, mount¬
ing on a stool, cautiously applied his eye
to the pane of glass, from which secret
post he could see Mr. Claypole taking
cold beef from the dish and porter from
the pot, and administering homeopathic
doses of both to Charlotte, who sat pa¬
tiently by, eating and drinking at his
pleasure.
“ Aha!" whispered the Jew, looking
round to Barney. “I like the fellow’s
looks. He’d be of use to us; he knows
how to train the girl already. Don’t make
as much noise as a mouse, my dear, and
let me hear "em talk—let me hear "em."
The Jew again applied his eye to the
lass, and turning his ear to the partition,
istened attentively, with a subtle and ea¬
ger look upon his face that might have
appertained to some old goblin.
(6 So I mean to be a gentleman,” said
Mr. Claypole, kicking out his legs, and
continuing a conversation, the commence¬
ment of which Fagin had arrived too late
to hear. “No more jolly old coffins,
Charlotte, but a gentleman’s life for me ;
and if yer like, yer shall be a lady.”
‘¢T should like that well enough, dear,"
replied Charlotte ; “ but tills an’t to be
emptied every day, and people to get clear
off after it.”
“ Tills be blowed !” said Mr. Claypole ;
“there’s more things besides tills to be
emptied.”
s What do you mean ?” asked his com¬
panion.
“ Pockets, women’s ridicules, houses,
mail-coaches, banks,” said Mr. Claypole,
sin with the porter.
s But you can’t do all that, dear,” said
Charlotte.
“| shall look out to get into compan
with them as can,” replied Noah. “They’ll
be able to make us useful some way or
another. Why, you yourself are worth
fifty women. I never see such a precious
sly and deceitful creetur as yer can be
when I let yer.”
6 Lor, how nice it is to hear you say
so,’ exclaimed Charlotte, imprinting a
kiss upon his ugly face.
c There, that’ll do; don’t yer be too
affectionate, in case I’m cross with yer,”
said Noah, disengagi himself with
great gravity. "§ I should like to be the
zaptain of some band, and have the whop¬
ing of "em, and follering "em about, un¬
known to themselves. ‘That would
suit me, if there was good profit; and if
we could only get in with some gentle¬
men of this sort, I say it would be cheap
at that twenty pound note you’ve got,—
espicially as we don’t very well know
how to get rid of it ourselves.”
After expressing this opinion, Mr, Clay¬
pole looked into the porter-pot with an
aspect of deep wisdom, and having well
shaken Its contents, nodded condescend¬
mely to Charlotte, and took a draught,
wherewith he appeared greatly refreshed.
He was meditating another, when the
sudden opening of the door and appear¬
ance of a stranger interrupted him.
The stranger was Mr. Fagin, and very
amiable he looked, and a very low bow
he made as he advanced, and, sittin
himself down at the nearest table, order
something to drink of the grinning Barney.
“ A pleasant night, sir, but cool for the
time of year,” said Fagin, rubbing his
hands. ‘From the country, I see, sir?”
“ How do you see that?” asked Noah
Clay pole.
“ We have not so much dust as that in
London,” replied the Jew, pointing from
Noah’s shoes to those of his companion,
and from them to the two bundles.
6 Ye’r a sharp feller,” said Noah. “Ha!