Stranica 245 [245]
OCR
185 till I came, I’d grind his skull under the iron heel of my boot into as many grains as there are hairs upon his head.” “ What if I did it!" cried the Jew, almost in a yell. “ J, that know so much, and could hang so many besides yourself!” 6 [ don’t know,” replied Sikes, clench-. ing his teeth, and turning white at the mere suggestion. “I'd do something in the jail that’d get me put in irons, and if I was tried along with you, I’d fall upon you with them in the open court, and beat ps brains out afore the people. I should ave such strength,” muttered the robber, poising his brawny arm, “that [ could smash your head as if a loaded wagon had gone over it.” s You would?" “ Would I! said the housebreaker. 4 Try me.” | “If it was Charley, or the Dodger, or Bet, or——” “I don’t care who,” replied Sikes, impatiently. ‘ Whoever it was, l’d serve them the same.” Fagin again looked hard at the robber, and motioning him to be silent, stooped over the bed upon the floor, and shook the sleeper to rouse him. Sikes leant forward in his chair, looking on with his hands upon his knees, as if wondering much what all this questioning and preparation was to end in. 66 Bolter, Bolter. Poor lad!’ said Faon looking up with an expression of evilish anticipation, and speaking slowly, and with marked emphasis. “ He’s tired—tired with watching for her so long —watching for her, Bill.” c Wot d’ye mean ?” asked Sikes, drawing back. The Jew made no answer, but bending over the sleeper again, hauled him into a sitting position. When his assumed Noah rubbed his eyes, and giving a heavy yawn, looked sleepily about him. “Tell me that again—once again ; pointing to Sikes as he spoke. Noah, shaking himself pettishly. “'That about Nancy," said the Jew, clutching Sikes by the wrist, as if to preheard enough. “ You followed her ?” “+ Yes.” 4 To London Bridge ?” “ Yes.” “ Where she met two people ?” ** So she did.” 16* Y “A gentleman and a lady, that she had gone to of her own accord before, who asked her to give up all her pals, and Monks first, which she did—and to describe him, which she did—to tell her what house it was we meet at and go to, which she did—and where it would be best watched from, which she did—and what time the people went there, which she did. She did all this; she told it all, every word, without a threat, without a murmur—she did. Didn’t she ?" cried the Jew, half mad with fury. “All right,” replied Noah, scratching his head. “ That’s just what it was.” “What did they say about last Sanday !" demanded the Jew. “About last Sunday!’ replied Noah, considering; “ why I told you that before." s Again — telt it again,” cried Fagin, tightening his grasp on Sikes, and brandishing his. other hand aloft, as the foam fiew from his lips. s They asked her," said Noah, who, as he grew more wakefuJ, seemed to have a dawning perception who Sikes was,— “they asked her why she didn’t come last Sunday, as she promised? She said ‘she couldn't.’ ” “Why, why?" interrupted the Jew triumphantly. “ Tell him that.” “ Because she was forcibly kept at home by Bill, the man she had told them of before,” replied Noah. c What more of him?" cried the Jew. “ What more of the man she had told them of before? ‘Tell him that, tell him that.” “Why, that she couldn’t very easily get out of doors unless he knew where she was going to,” said Noah; “and so the first time she went to see the lady, she—ha! ha! ha!—it made me laugh when she said it—that it did—she gave him a drink of laudanum!” | s Hell’s fire!" cried Sikes, breaking fiercely from the Jew. “ Let me go!” Flinging the old man from him, he rushed froin the room, and darted wildly and furiously np the stairs. se Bill, Bull!’ cried the Jew, following 6 A word—only a word.” The word would not have been exchanged, but that the housebreaker was unable to open the door, on which he was expending fruitless oaths and violence when the Jew came panting up. “Let me out,” said Sikes. “ Don’t speak to me—it’s not safe. Let me out, I say !”’ 2 “ Hear me speak a word,” rejoined
