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by his companion’s unexpected obstinacy； and the vexation of the
night； “I WILL change it！ Listen to me； you drab。 Listen to me；
who with six words； can strangle Sikes as surely as if I had his
bull’s throat between my fingers now。 If he comes back； and leaves
the boy behind him； if he gets off free； and； dead or alive； fails to
restore him to me； murder him yourself if you would have him
escape Jack Ketch。 And do it the moment he sets foot in this room；
or mind me； it will be too late！”
“What is all this？” cried the girl involuntarily。
“What is it？” pursued Fagin； mad with rage。 “When the boy’s
worth hundreds of pounds to me； am I to lose what chance threw
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me in the way of getting safely； through the whims of a drunken
gang that I could whistle away the lives of！ And me bound； too； to
a born devil that only wants the will； and has the power to； to—”
Panting for breath； the old man stammered for a word； and in that
instant checked the torrent of his wrath； and changed his whole
demeanour。 A moment before； his clenched hands had grasped
the air； his eyes had dilated； and his face grown livid with passion；
but now； he shrank into a chair； and； cowering together； trembled
with the apprehension of having himself disclosed some hidden
villainy。 After a short silence； he ventured to look round at his
companion。 He appeared somewhat reassured； on beholding her
in the same listless attitude from which he had first roused her。
“Nancy； dear！” croaked the Jew； in his usual voice。 “Did you
mind me； dear？”
“Don’t worry me now； Fagin！” replied the girl； raising her head
languidly。 “If Bill has not done it this time； he will another。 He has
done many a good job for you； and will do many more when he
can； and when he can’t he won’t； so no more about that。”
“Regarding this boy； my dear？” said the Jew； rubbing the
palms of his hands nervously together。
“The boy must take his chance with the rest；” interrupted
Nancy hastily； “and I say again； I hope he is dead； and out of
harm’s way； and out of yours—that is； if Bill comes to no harm。
And if Toby got clear off； Bill’s pretty sure to be safe； for Bill’s
worth two of Toby any time。”
“And about what I was saying； my dear？” observed the Jew；
keeping his glistening eye steadily upon her。
“You must say it all over again； if it’s anything you want me to
do；” rejoined Nancy； “and if it is； you had better wait till
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tomorrow。 You put me up for a minute； but now I’m stupid again。”
Fagin put several other questions； all with the same drift of
ascertaining whether the girl had profited by his unguarded hints；
but； she answered them so readily； and was withal so utterly
unmoved by his searching looks that his original impression of her
being more than a trifle in liquor； was confirmed。 Nancy； indeed；
was not exempt from a failing which was very common among the
Jew’s female pupils； and in which； in their tenderer years； they
were rather encouraged than checked。 Her disordered
appearance； and a wholesale perfume of Geneva which pervaded
the apartment； afforded strong confirmatory evidence of the
justice of the Jew’s supposition； and when； after indulging in the
temporary display of violence above described； she subsided； first
into dullness； and afterwards into a compound of feelings； under
the influence of which she shed tears one minute； and in the next
gave utterance to various exclamations of “Never say die！” and
divers calculations as to what might be the amount of the odds so
long as a lady or gentleman was happy； Mr。 Fagin； who had had
considerable experience of such matters in his time； saw； with
great satisfaction； that she was very far gone indeed。
Having eased his mind by this discovery； and having
accomplished his twofold object of imparting to the girl what he
had； that night； heard； and of ascertaining； with his own eyes； that
Sikes had not returned； Mr。 Fagin again turned his face
homeward； leaving his young friend asleep； with her head upon
the table。
It was within an hour of midnight。 The weather being dark； and
piercing cold； he had no great temptation to loiter。 The sharp wind
that scoured the streets； seemed to have cleared them of
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passengers； as of dust and mud； for few people were abroad； and
they were to all appearance hastening fast home。 It blew from the
right quarter for the Jew； however； and straight before it he went；
trembling； and shivering； as every fresh gust drove him rudely on
his way。 He had reached the corner of his own street； and was
already fumbling in his pocket for the door…key； when a dark
figure emerged from a projecting entrance which lay in deep
shadow； and； crossing the road； glided up to him unperceived。
“Fagin！” whispered a voice close to his ear。
“Ah！” said the Jew； turning quickly round； “is that—”
“Yes！” interrupted the stranger。 “I have been lingering here
these two hours。 Where the devil have you been？”
“On your business； my dear；” replied the Jew； glancing uneasily
at his companion； and slackening his pace as he spoke。 “On your
business all night。”
“Oh； of course！” said the stranger； with a sneer。 “Well； and
what’s come of it？”
“Nothing good；” said the Jew。
“Nothing bad； I hope？” said the stranger； stopping short； and
turning a startled look on his companion。
The Jew shook his head； and was about to reply； when the
stranger； interrupting him； motioned to the house； before which
they had by this time arrived； remarking； that he had better say
what he had got to say； under cover； for his blood was chilled with
standing about so long； and the wind blew through him。
Fagin looked as if he could have willingly excused himself from
taking home a visitor at that unseasonable hour； and； indeed；
muttered something about having no fire； but； his companion
repeating his request in a peremptory manner； he unlocked the
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door； and requested him to close it softly； while he got a light。
“It’s as dark as the grave；” said the man； groping forward a few
steps。 “Make haste！”
“Shut the door；” whispered Fagin from the end of the passage。
As he spoke it closed with a loud noise。
“That wasn’t my doing；” said the other man； feeling his way。
“The wind blew it to； or it shut of its own accord； one or the other。
Look sharp with the light； or I shall knock my brains out against
something in this confounded hole。”
Fagin stealthily descended the kitchen stairs。 After a short
absence； he returned with a lighted candle； and the intelligence
that Toby Crackit was asleep in the back room below； and that the
boys were in the front one。 Beckoning the man to follow him； he
led the way upstairs。
“We can say the few words we’ve got to say in here； my dear；”
said the Jew； throwing open a door on the first floor； “and as there
are holes in the shutters； and we never show lights to our
neighbours； we’ll set the candle on the stairs。 There！”
With those words； the Jew； stooping down； placed the candle on
an upper flight of stairs； exactly opposite to the room door。 This
done； he led the way into the apartment； which was destitute of all
movables save a broken armchair； and an old couch or sofa
without covering； which stood behind the door。 Upon this piece of
furniture； the stranger sat himself with the air of a weary man； and
the Jew； drawing up the armchair opposite； they sat face to face。 It
was not quite dark； for the door was partially open； and the candle
outside； threw a feeble reflection on the opposite wall。
They conversed for some time in whispers。 Though nothing of
the conversation was distinguishable beyond a few disjointed
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words here and there； a listener might easily have perceived that
Fagin a