Stranica 232 [232]
174
ment. ‘“ Werry good.
deformation of character, any way.”
other cry of silence.
(c Now then, where are the witnesses ?”
said the clerk.
“ Ah! that’s right,” added the Dodger.
‘‘ Where are they? I should like to see
2em.”’
This wish was immediately gratified,
for a policeman stepped forward who had
seen the prisoner attempt the pocket of
an unknown gentleman in a crowd, and
indeed take a handkerchief therefrom,
which being a very old one, he delibe¬
his own countenance. For this reason he
took the Dodger into custody as soon as
he could get near him, and the said
Dodger being searched had upon his per¬
son a silver snufi-box with the owner’s
name engraved upon the lid. This gen¬
tleman had been discovered on reference
to the Court Guide, and being then and
there present, swore that the snuff-box
was his, and that he had missed it on the
previous day, the moment he had disen¬
gaged himself from the crowd before re¬
ferred to. He had also remarked a young
gentleman in the throng particularly ac¬
tive in making his way about, and that
the young gentleman was the prisoner
before him.
c Have you anything to ask this wit¬
ness, boy ?” said the magistrate.
‘‘] wouldn’t abase myself by descend¬
ing to hold any conversation with him,”
replied the Dodger.
‘‘ Have you anything to say at all?”
*‘ Do you hear his worship ask if you’ve
anything to say?” inquired the jailer,
nudging the silent Dodger with his
elbow.
‘‘] beg your pardon,” said the Dodger,
looking up with an air of abstraction.
“Did you address yourself to me, my
man !"
“| never see such an out-and-out young
wagabone, your worship,” observed the
officer with a grin. “Do you mean to
say anything, you young shaver ?”’
“No,” replied the Dodger, "not here,
for this ain’t the shop for justice; besides
which my attorney is a-breaktasting this
morning with the Wice President of the
House of Commons; but I shall have
sumething to say elsewhere, and so will
he, and so will a werry numerous and
respectable circle of acquaintance, as’ll
make them beaks wish they "d never been
born, or that they "d got their footman to
try it on upon me. I[’ll—”
‘There, he’s ne committed!" inter¬
posed the clerk. "Take him away.”
“Come on,” said the jailer. |
| 6 Oh, ah! I’ll come on,” replied the
Dodger, brushing his hat with the palm
, of his hand. "Ah! (to the Bench) it’s
no use your looking frightened; I won’t
show you no mercy, not a ha’porth of it.
Youll pay for this, my fine fellers: I
| wouldn’t be you for something. I wouldn’t
| go free now, if you wos to fall down on
your knees and ask me. Here, carry me
off to prison. Take me away.”
With these last words, the Dodger suf¬
fered himself to be led off by the collar,
threatening till he got into the yard to
make a parliamentary business of it, and
then grinning in the officer’s face with
great glee and self-approval.
Having seen him locked up by himself
in a little cell, Noah made the best of his
way back to where he had left Master
Bates, After waiting here some time,
he was joined by that young gentleman,
who had prudently abstained from show¬
ing himself until he had looked carefully
abroad from a snug retreat, and ascer¬
tained that his new friend had not been
followed by any impertinent person.
The two hastened back together to
bear to Mr. Fagin the animating news
that the Dodger was doing full justice to
his bringing-up, and establishing for him¬
self a glorious reputation.
CHAPTER THE SEVENTH.
The time arrives for Nancy to redeem her pledge to
Rose Maylie. She fails. Noah Claypole is em¬
ployed by Fagin on a secret mission.
ApeEpr as she was in all the arts of
cunning and dissimulation, the girl Nan¬
cy could not wholly conceal the effect
which the knowledge of the step she had
taken worked upon her mind. She re¬
membered that both the crafty Jew and
the brutal Sikes had confided to her
schemes which had been hidden from all
others, in the full confidence that she was
trustworthy, and beyond the reach of their
suspicions; and vile as those schemes
were, desperate as were their originators,
and bitter as were her feelings towards
the Jew, who had led her step by step,
deeper and deeper down into an abyss of
crime and misery, whence was no escape,
still there were times when even towards
him she felt some relenting, lest her dis¬