Page 224 [224]
168 OLIVER
tea ég Mga *
; Aa
TWIST.
“ Why, one need be sharp in this town,
my dear," replied the Jew, sinking his
voice to a confidential whisper, ""and
that’s the truth.”
The Jew followed up this remark by |
striking the side of his nose with his right
forefinger,— a gesture which Noah at- |
tempted to imitate, though not with com¬
plete success, in consequence of his nose |
not being large enough for the purpose. |
However, Mr. Fagin seemed to interpret |
the endeavour as expressing a perfect co¬
incidence with his opinion, and put about
the liquor which Barney re-appeared
with, in a very friendly manner. |
“ Good stuff that,” observed Mr. Clay¬
pole, smacking his lips.
“ Dear,” said Fagin, “aman need be
always emptying a till, or a pocket, or a
woman s reticule, or a house, or a mail¬
coach, or a bank, if he drinks it regu¬
larly.” et
Mr. Claypole no sooner heard this ex¬
tract from his own remarks than he fell
back in his chair, and looked from the
Jew to Charlotte with a countenance of
ashy paleness and excessive terror.
* Don’t mind me, my dear,” said Fagin,
drawing his chair closer. “Ha! ha! it
was lucky it was only me that heard you
by chance. It was very lucky it was
only me.”
“| didn’t take it,” stammered Noah,
no longer stretching out his legs like an
independent gentleman, but coiling them
up as well as he could under his chair;
“it was all her doing; yer’ve got it now,
Charlotte, yer know yer have.”
“ No matter who’s got, or who did it,
my dear!” replied Fagin, glancing, ne¬
vertheless, with a hawk’s eye at the girl
and the two bundles. I’m in that way |
myself, and I like you for it.” |
“In what way?” asked Mr. Claypole,
a little recovering.
“In that way of business,” rejoined
Fagin, “and so are the people of the
house. You’ve hit the right nail upon the
head, and are as safe here as you could
be. There is not a safer place in all this
town than is the Cripples; that is, when
I like to make it so, and I’ve taken a fancy
to you and the young woman; sol’ve said
the word, and you may make your minds
easy.”
Noah Claypole’s mind might have been
at ease after this assurance, but his body
certainly was not, for he shuffled and
writhed about into various uncouth posi¬
tions, eyeing his new friend meanwhile
with mingled fear and suspicion.
s [Il tell you more,” said the Jew, |
after he had re-assured the girl, by dint
of friendly nods and muttered encourage¬
ments. “I have got a friend that I think
can gratify your darling wish and put you
in the right way, where you can take
whatever department of the business you
think will suit you best at first, and be
taught all the others.”
“ Yer speak as if yer were in earnest,”
replied Noah.
“ What advantage would it be to me
to be anything else?" inquired the Jew,
shrugging his shoulders. “Here. Let
me have a word with you outside.”
“'There’s no occasion to trouble our¬
selves to move,” said Noah, getting his
by gradual degrees abroad again.
“She’ll take the luggage up-stairs the
while. Char-lotte, see to them bundles.”
This mandate, which had been delivered
with great majesty, was obeyed without
the slightest demur, and Charlotte made
the best of her way off with the packages,
while Noah held the door open, and
watched her out. |
“She’s kept tolerably well under, ain’t
she, sir!” he asked as he resumed his
seat, in the tone of a keeper who has
tamed some wild animal.
“ Quite perfect,” rejoined Fagin, clap¬
ping him on the shoulder. " You’re a
genius, my dear.”
c Why, I suppose if I wasn’t I shouldn’t
be here,” replied Noah. "But, I say,
she’ll be back if yer lose time.”
“ Now, what do you think?” said the
Jew. “If you was to like my friend,
could you do better than join him ?”
“Ts he in a good way of business, that’s
where it is?” responded Noah, winking
one of his little eyes.
“The top of the tree,” said the Jew;
‘“‘employs a power of hands; and has the
very best society in the profession.”
6 Regular town-maders?” asked Mr.
Claypole.
6 Not a countryman among "em; and
I don’t think he’d take you even on my
recommendation, if he didn’t run rather
short of assistants just now," replied the
Jew.
“Should I have to hand over?” said
Noah, slapping his breeches’ pocket.
‘It couldn’t possibly be done without,”
replied Fagin, in a most decided manner.
s "Twenty pounds, though —it s a lot of
money."
“ Not when it’s in a note you can’t get
rid of,” retorted Fagin. " Number and
date taken, Í suppose; payment stopped
at the bank? Ah! its not worth much
to him; it’ll have to go abroad, and he