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when we’ve good cards； Charley and I can’t make nothing of ’em。”
Either the matter or the manner of this remark； which was
made very ruefully； delighted Charley Bates so much； that his
consequent shout of laughter roused the Jew from his reverie； and
induced him to inquire what was the matter。
“Matter； Fagin！” cried Charley。 “I wish you had watched the
play。 Tommy Chitling hasn’t won a point； and I went partners with
him against the Artful and him。”
“Ay； ay！” said the Jew； with a grin； which sufficiently
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demonstrated that he was at no loss to understand the reason。
“Try ’em again； Tom； try ’em again。”
“No more of it for me； thankee； Fagin；” replied Mr。 Chitling；
“I’ve had enough。 That ’ere Dodger has such a run of luck that
there’s no standing again’ him。”
“Ha！ ha！ my dear；” replied the Jew； “you must get up very early
in the morning； to win against the Dodger。”
“Morning！” said Charley Bates； “you must put your boots on
overnight； and have a telescope at each eye； and a opera…glass
between your shoulders； if you want to come over him。”
Mr。 Dawkins received these handsome compliments with much
philosophy； and offered to cut any gentleman in company； for the
first picture…card； at a shilling a time。 Nobody accepting the
challenge； and his pipe being by this time smoked out； he
proceeded to amuse himself by sketching a ground…plan of
Newgate on the table with a piece of chalk which had served him
in lieu of counters； whistling； meantime； with peculiar shrillness。
“How precious dull you are； Tommy！” said the Dodger；
stopping short when there had been a long silence； and addressing
Mr。 Chitling。 “What do you think he’s thinking of； Fagin？”
“How should I know； my dear？” replied the Jew； looking round
as he plied the bellows。 “About his losses； maybe； or the little
retirement in the country； that he’s just left； eh？ Ha！ ha！ ha！ Is that
it； my dear？”
“Not a bit of it；” replied the Dodger； stopping the subject of
discourse as Mr。 Chitling was about to reply。 “What do you say；
Charley？”
“I should say；” replied Master Bates； with a grin； “that he was
uncommon sweet upon Betsy。 See how he’s a…blushing！ Oh； my
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eye！ here’s a merry…go…rounder！ Tommy Chitling’s in love！ Oh；
Fagin； Fagin！ what a spree！”
Thoroughly overpowered with the notion of Mr。 Chitling being
the victim of the tender passion； Master Bates threw himself back
in his chair with such violence； that he lost his balance； and
pitched over upon the floor； where （the accident abating nothing
of his merriment） he lay at full length until his laugh was over；
when he resumed his former position； and began another laugh。
“Never mind him； my dear；” said the Jew； winking at Mr。
Dawkins； and giving Master Bates a reproving tap with the nozzle
of the bellows。 “Betsy’s a fine girl。 Stick up to her； Tom。 Stick up
to her。”
“What I mean to say； Fagin；” replied Mr。 Chitling； very red in
the face； “is； that that isn’t anything to anybody here。”
“No more it is；” replied the Jew； “Charley will talk。 Don’t mind
him； my dear； don’t mind him。 Betsy’s a fine girl。 Do as she bids
you； Tom； and you will make your fortune。”
“So I do do as she bids me；” replied Mr。 Chitling； “I shouldn’t
have been milled； if it hadn’t been for her advice。 But it turned out
a good job for you； didn’t it； Fagin？ And what’s six weeks of it？ It
must come； some time or another； and why not in the winter time
when you don’t want to go out a…walking so much； eh； Fagin？”
“Ah； to be sure； my dear；” replied the Jew。
“You wouldn’t mind it again； Tom； would you；” asked the
Dodger； winking upon Charley and the Jew； “if Bet was all right？”
“I mean to say that I shouldn’t；” replied Tom angrily。 “There；
now。 Ah！ Who’ll say as much as that； I should like to know； eh；
Fagin？”
“Nobody； my dear；” replied the Jew； “not a soul； Tom。 I don’t
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know one of ’em that would do it besides you； not one of ’em； my
dear。”
“I might have got clear off； if I’d split upon her； mightn’t I；
Fagin？” angrily pursued the poor； half…witted dupe。 “A word from
me would have done it； wouldn’t it； Fagin？”
“To be sure it would； my dear；” replied the Jew。
“But I didn’t blab it； did I； Fagin？” demanded Tom； pouring
question upon question with great volubility。
“No； no； to be sure；” replied the Jew； “you were too stouthearted for that。 A deal too stout； my dear！”
“Perhaps I was；” rejoined Tom； looking round； “and if I was；
what’s to laugh at； in that； eh； Fagin？”
The Jew； perceiving that Mr。 Chitling was considerably roused；
hastened to assure him that nobody was laughing； and to prove
the gravity of the company； appealed to Master Bates； the
principal offender。 But； unfortunately； Charley； in opening his
mouth to reply that he was never more serious in his life； was
unable to prevent the escape of such a violent roar； that the
abused Mr。 Chitling； without any preliminary ceremonies； rushed
across the room and aimed a blow at the offender； who； being
skilful in evading pursuit； ducked to avoid it； and chose his time so
well that it lighted on the chest of the merry old gentleman； and
caused him to stagger to the wall； where he stood panting for
breath； while Mr。 Chitling looked on in intense dismay。
“Hark！” cried the Dodger； at this moment； “I heard the tinkler。”
Catching up the light； he crept softly upstairs。
The bell was rung again； with some impatience； while the party
were in darkness。 After a short pause； the Dodger reappeared； and
whispered to Fagin mysteriously。
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“What！” cried the Jew； “alone？”
The Dodger nodded in the affirmative； and； shading the flame
of the candle with his hand； gave Charley Bates a private
intimation； in dumb show； that he had better not be funny just
then。 Having performed this friendly office； he fixed his eyes on
the Jew’s face； and awaited his directions。
The old man bit his yellow fingers； and meditated for some
seconds； his face working with agitation the while； as if he dreaded
something； and feared to know the worst。 At length he raised his
head。
“Where is he？” he asked。
The Dodger pointed to the floor above； and made a gesture； as
if to leave the room。
“Yes；” said the Jew； answering the mute inquiry； “bring him
down。 Hush！ Quiet； Charley I Gently； Tom！ Scarce； scarce！”
This brief direction to Charley Bates； and his recent antagonist；
was softly and immediately obeyed。 There was no sound of their
whereabouts； when the Dodger descended the stairs； bearing the
light in his hand； and followed by a man in a coarse smock…frock；
who； after casting a hurried glance round the room； pulled off a
large wrapper which had concealed the lower portion of his face；
and disclosed； all haggard； unwashed； and unshorn； the features of
flash Toby Crackit。
“How are you； Faguey？” said this worthy； nodding to the Jew。
“Pop that shawl away in my castor； Dodger； so that I may know
where to find it when I cut； that’s the time of day I You’ll be a fine
young cracksman afore the old file now。” With these words he
pulled up the smock…frock； and； winding it round his middle； drew
a chair to the fire； and placed his feet upon the hob。
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“See there； Faguey；” he said； pointing disconsolately to his top…
boots； “not a drop of Day and Martin since you know when； not a
bubble of blacking； by Jove！ But don’t look at me in that way； man。
All in good time。 I can’t talk about business till I’ve eat and drank；
so produce the sustenance； and let’s have a quiet fill…out for the
first time these three days！”
The Jew motioned to the Dodger to place what eatables there
were； upon the table； and； seating h