Stranica 246 [246]
186
5 You won’t be fr
6 Well,” replied the other.
6 You won’t be—too—violent, Bill ?"
whined the Jew.
The day was breaking, and there was
light enough for the men to see each
other’s faces. They exchanged one brief
th which could not be mistaken.
“]T mean,” said Fagin, showing that he
felt all disguise was now useless—* not
too violent for safety. Be crafty, Bill, and
not too bold.”
Sikes made no reply; but, pulling open
the door of which the Jew had turned
the lock, dashed into the silent streets.
Without one pause or moment’s consi¬
deration, without once turning his head
to the right or left, or raising his eyes to
the sky, or lowering them to the ground,
but looking straight before him with
savage resolution, his teeth so tightly
compressed, that the strained jaw seem¬
ed starting through his skin, the robber
held on his headlong course, nor muttered
a word, nor relaxed a muscle, until he
reached his own door. He opened it
softly with a key, strode lightly up the
stairs, and entering his own room, double¬
locked the door, and lifting a heavy table
ae it, drew back the curtain of the
The girl was lying half-dressed upon
it. He had roused her from her sleep,
for she raised herself with a hurried and
startled look.
“ Get up,” said the man.
“Jt is you, Bill!" cried the girl],
with an expression of pleasure at his re¬
turn.
“It is,” was the reply. " Get up.”
There was a candle burning, but the
man hastily drew it from the candlestick
and hurled it under the grate. Seeing
the faint light of early day without, the
girl rose to undraw the curtain.
6 Let it be,” said Sikes, thrusting his
hand before her. ‘“ There’s light enough
for what I’ve got to do.”
6 Bill,” said the gir in the low voice
of alarm. ‘ Why do you look like that
at me!"
The robber sat regarding her for a few
seconds with dilated nostrils and heaving
breast, and then grasping her by the head
and throat, dragged her into the middle
of the room, and looking once towards the
door, placed his heavy hand upon her
mouth.
—won’t scream or cry—not once—hear
me—speak to me—tell me what I have
done.”
“You know, you she-devil,’”’ returned
the robber, suppressing his breath. “ You
were watched to-night; and every word
you said was heard.”
“Then spare my life, for the love of
Heaven, as I spared yours,” rejoined the
girl, clinging to him, ‘ Bill, dear Bull,
you cannot have the heart to kill me.
Oh! think of all I have given up this one
night fer you. You shall have time to
think and save yourself this crime; I
will not loose my hold, you cannot throw
me off. Bill, Bill, for dear Gods sake,
for your own, for mine, stop before you
spill my blood. I have been true to you,
upon my guilty soul I have.”
The man struggled violently to release
his arms, but those of the girl were
clasped round his, and tear her as he
would, he could not tear them away.
“ Bill,” cried the girl, striving to lay
her head upon his breast, “ the gentleman
and that dear lady told me to-night of a
home in some foreign country, where I
could end my days in solitude and peace.
Let me see them again, and beg them on
my knees to show the same mercy and
goodness to you, and let us both leave
this dreadful place, and, far apart, lead
better lives, and forget how we have lived,
except in prayers, and never see each
other more, It is never too late to re¬
pent. They told me so; I feel it now;
but we must have time—a little, little
time !”
The housebreaker freed one arm, and
grasped his pistol. The certainty of im¬
mediate detection if he fired, flashed
across his mind, even in the midst of his
fury, and he beat it twice, with all the
force he could summon, upon the upturned
face that almost touched his own.
She staggered and fell, nearly blinded
deep gash in her forehead, but raising her¬
self with difficulty on her knees, drew
from her bosom a white handkerchief—
Rose Maylie’s own—and holding it up in
her folded hands as high towards heaven
as her feeble strength would let her,
It was a ghastly figure to look upon.
The murderer, staggering backward to
the wall, and shutting out the sight with
his hand, seized a heavy club and struck
her down,