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167 which, he informed the travellers that they could be lodged that night, and left the amiable couple to their refreshment. 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 concealed 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 backroom 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 The landlord of the house had not withdrawn his eye from this place of espial for five minutes, and Barney had only just returned from making the communication above related, when Fagin, in the course of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 communication with great interest, and, mounting 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 patiently 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 eager 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 commencement 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 companion. “ 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 whoping of "em, and follering "em about, unknown to themselves. ‘That would suit me, if there was good profit; and if we could only get in with some gentlemen 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, Claypole looked into the porter-pot with an aspect of deep wisdom, and having well shaken Its contents, nodded condescendmely to Charlotte, and took a draught, wherewith he appeared greatly refreshed. He was meditating another, when the sudden opening of the door and appearance 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!
