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a shiny head of hair anointed with suet； who was also looking on；
whether he didn’t think he had better run for the doctor。 To
which； the butcher’s boy； who appeared of a lounging； not to say
indolent disposition； replied that he thought not。
“Oh； no； no； never mind；” said the young woman； grasping
Oliver’s hand； “I’m better now。 Come home directly； you cruel
boy！ Come！”
“What’s the matter； ma’am？” inquired one of the women。
“Oh； ma’am；” replied the young woman； “he ran away； near a
month ago； from his parents； who are hard…working and
respectable people； and went and joined a set of thieves and bad
characters； and almost broke his mother’s heart。”
“Young wretch！” said the woman。
“Go home； do； you little brute；” said the other。
“I’m not；” replied Oliver； greatly alarmed。 “I don’t know her。 I
haven’t any sister； or father and mother either。 I’m an orphan； I
live at Pentonville。”
“Only hear him； how he braves it out！” cried the young woman。
“Why； it’s Nancy！” exclaimed Oliver； who now saw her face for
the first time； and started back； in irrepressible astonishment。
“You see he knows me！” cried Nancy； appealing to the
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bystanders。 “He can’t help himself。 Make him come home； there’s
good people； or he’ll kill his dear mother and father； and break my
heart！”
“What the devil’s this？” said a man； bursting out of a beer…shop；
with a white dog at his heels； “young Oliver！ Come home to your
poor mother； you young dog！ Come home directly。”
“I don’t belong to them。 I don’t know them。 Help！ help！” cried
Oliver； struggling in the man’s powerful grasp。
“Help！” repeated the man。 “Yes； I’ll help you； you young rascal！
What books are these？ You’ve been a…stealin’ ’em； have you？ Give
’em here。” With these words； the man tore the volumes from his
grasp； and struck him on the head。
“That’s right！” cried a looker…on； from a garret window。 “That’s
the only way of bringing him to his senses！”
“To be sure！” cried a sleepy…faced carpenter； casting an
approving look at the garret window。
“It’ll do him good！” said the two women。
“And he shall have it； too！” rejoined the man； administering
another blow； and seizing Oliver by the collar。 “Come on； you
young villain！ Here； Bull’s…eye； mind him； boy！ Mind him！”
Weak with recent illness； stupefied by the blows and the
suddenness of the attack； terrified by the fierce growling of the
dog； and the brutality of the man； overpowered by the conviction
of the bystanders that he really was the hardened little wretch he
was described to be； what could one poor child do！ Darkness had
set in； it was a low neighbourhood； no help was near； resistance
was useless。 In another moment； he was dragged into a labyrinth
of dark； narrow courts； and was forced along them at a pace which
rendered the few cries he dared to give utterance to； wholly
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unintelligible。 It was of little moment； indeed； whether they were
intelligible or no； for there was nobody to care for them； had they
been ever so plain。
*****
The gas…lamps were lighted； Mrs。 Bedwin was waiting
anxiously at the open door；—the servant had run up the street
twenty times to see if there were any traces of Oliver； and still the
two old gentlemen sat； perseveringly； in the dark parlour； with the
watch between them。
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Chapter 16
Relates What Became Of Oliver Twist； After He Had
Been Claimed By Nancy。
The narrow streets and courts； at length； terminated in a
large open space； scattered about which； were pens for
beasts； and other indications of a cattle…market。 Sikes
slackened his pace when they reached this spot； the girl being
quite unable to support any longer the rapid rate at which they
had hitherto walked。 Turning to Oliver； he roughly commanded
him to take hold of Nancy’s hand。
“Do you hear？” growled Sikes； as Oliver hesitated； and looked
round。
They were in a dark corner； quite out of the track of passengers。
Oliver saw； but too plainly； that resistance would be of no avail。 He
held out his hand； which Nancy clasped tight in hers。
“Give me the other；” said Sikes； seizing Oliver’s unoccupied
hand。 “Here； Bull’s…Eye！”
The dog looked up； and growled。
“See here； boy！” said Sikes； putting his other hand to Oliver’s
throat； “if he speaks ever so soft a word； hold him！ D’ye mind！”
The dog growled again； and licking his lips； eyed Oliver as if he
were anxious to attach himself to his windpipe without delay。
“He’s as willing as a Christian； strike me blind if he isn’t！” said
Sikes； regarding the animal with a kind of grim and ferocious
approval。 “Now； you know what you’ve got to expect； master； so
call away as quick as you like； the dog will soon stop that game。
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Get on； young ’un！”
Bull’s…eye wagged his tail in acknowledgement of this unusually
endearing form of speech； and； giving vent to another admonitory
growl for the benefit of Oliver； led the way onward。
It was Smithfield that they were crossing； although it might
have been Grosvenor Square； for anything Oliver knew to the
contrary。 The night was dark and foggy。 The lights in the shops
could scarcely struggle through the heavy mist； which thickened
every moment and shrouded the streets and houses in gloom；
rendering the strange place still stranger in Oliver’s eyes； and
making his uncertainty the more dismal and depressing。
They had hurried on a few paces； when a deep church…bell
struck the hour。 With its first stroke； his two conductors stopped；
and turned their heads in the direction whence the sound
proceeded。
“Eight o’clock； Bill；” said Nancy； when the bell ceased。
“What’s the good of telling me that； I can hear it； can’t I！”
replied Sikes。
“I wonder whether they can hear it；” said Nancy。
“Of course they can；” replied Sikes。 “It was Bartlemy time
when I was shopped； and there warn’t a penny trumpet in the fair；
as I couldn’t hear the squeaking on。 Arter I was locked up for the
night； the row and din outside made the thundering old jail so
silent； that I could almost have beat my brains out against the iron
plates of the door。”
“Poor fellows！” said Nancy； who still had her face turned
towards the quarter in which the bell had sounded。 “Oh； Bill； such
fine young chaps as them！”
“Yes； that’s all you women think of；” answered Sikes。 “Fine
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young chaps！ Well； they’re as good as dead； so it don’t matter
much。”
With this consolation； Mr。 Sikes appeared to repress a rising
tendency to jealousy？ and； clasping Oliver’s wrist more firmly； told
him to step out again。
“Wait a minute！” said the girl； “I wouldn’t hurry by； if it was
you that was coming out to be hung； the next time eight o’clock
struck； Bill。 I’d walk round and round the place till I dropped； if
the snow was on the ground； and I haven’t a shawl to cover me。”
“And what good would that do？” inquired the unsentimental
Mr。 Sikes。 “Unless you could pitch over a file and twenty yards of
good stout rope； you might as well be walking fifty mile off； or not
walking at all； for all the good it would do me。 Come on； and don’t
stand preaching there。”
The girl burst into a laugh； drew her shawl more closely round
her； and they walked away。 But Oliver felt her hand tremble； and；
looking up in her face as they passed a gas lamp saw that it had
turned a deadly white。
They walked on； by little frequented and dirty ways； for a full
half…hour； meeting very few people； and those appearing from
their looks to hold much the same position in society as Mr。 Sikes
himself。 At length they turned into a very filthy narrow street；
nearly full of old…clothes shops： the dog running forward； as if
cons