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and tell me what’s been done with the dear boy； gentlemen； do；
gentlemen； if you please； gentlemen！”
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Having uttered these words in a most lamentable and heartbroken tone； to the immeasurable delight of her hearers； Miss
Nancy paused； winked to the company； nodded smilingly round；
and disappeared。
“Ah！ she’s a clever girl； my dears；” said the Jew； turning round
to his young friends； and shaking his head gravely； as if in mute
admonition to them to follow the bright example they had just
beheld。
“She’s an honour to her sex；” said Mr。 Sikes； filling his glass；
and smiting the table with his enormous fist。 “Here’s her health；
and wishing they was all like her！”
While these； and many other encomiums； were being passed on
the accomplished Nancy； that young lady made the best of her way
to the police…office； whither； notwithstanding a little natural
timidity consequent upon walking through the streets alone and
unprotected； she arrived in perfect safety shortly afterwards。
Entering by the back way； she tapped softly with the key at one
of the cell doors； and listened。 There was no sound within； so she
coughed and listened again。 Still there was no reply； so she spoke。
“Nolly； dear—” murmured Nancy； in a gentle voice； “Nolly？”
There was nobody inside but a miserable； shoeless criminal；
who had been taken up for playing the flute； and who； the offence
against society having been clearly proved； had been very properly
committed by Mr。 Fang to the house of correction for one month；
with the appropriate and amusing remark that since he had so
much breath to spare； it would be more wholesomely expended on
the treadmill than in a musical instrument。 He made no answer；
being occupied in mentally bewailing the loss of the flute； which
had been confiscated for the use of the county； so Nancy passed on
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to the next cell； and knocked there。
“Well！” cried a faint and feeble voice。
“Is there a little boy here？” inquired Nancy； with a preliminary
sob。
“No；” replied the voice； “God forbid。”
This was a vagrant of sixty…five； who was going to prison for not
playing the flute； or； in other words； for begging in the streets； and
doing nothing for his livelihood。 In the next cell； another man； who
was going to the same prison for hawking tin saucepans without a
licence； thereby doing something for his living； in defiance of the
Stamp…office。
But； as neither of these criminals answered to the name of
Oliver； or knew anything about him； Nancy made straight up to
the bluff officer in the striped waistcoat； and with the most piteous
wailings and lamentations； rendered more piteous by a prompt
and efficient use of the street door key and the little basket；
demanded her own dear brother。
“I haven’t got him； my dear；” said the old man。
“Where is he？” screamed Nancy； in a distracted manner。
“Why； the gentleman’s got him；” replied the officer。
“What gentleman？ Oh； gracious heavens！ What gentleman？”
exclaimed Nancy。
In reply to this incoherent questioning； the old man informed
the deeply…affected sister that Oliver had been taken ill in the
office； and discharged in consequence of a witness having proved
the robbery to have been committed by another boy； not in
custody； and that the prosecutor had carried him away； in an
insensible condition； to his own residence； of and concerning
which； all the informant knew was； that it was somewhere at
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Pentonville； he having heard that word mentioned in the
directions to the coachman。
In a dreadful state of doubt and uncertainty； the agonised
young woman staggered to the gate； and then； exchanging her
faltering walk for a good； swift； steady run； returned by the most
devious and complicated route she could think of； to the domicile
of the Jew。
Mr。 Bill Sikes no sooner heard the account of the expedition
delivered； than he very hastily called up the white dog； and putting
on his hat； expeditiously departed； without devoting any time to
the formality of wishing the company good…morning。
“We must know where he is； my dears； he must be found；” said
the Jew； greatly excited。 “Charley； do nothing but skulk about； till
you bring home some news of him！ Nancy； my dear； I must have
him found。 I trust to you； my dear—to you and the Artful for
everything！ Stay； stay；” added the Jew； unlocking a drawer with a
shaking hand； “there’s money； my dears。 I shall shut up his shop
tonight。 You’ll know where to find me！ Don’t stop here a minute。
Not an instant； my dears！”
With these words； he pushed them from the room： and carefully
double…locking and barring the door behind them； drew from its
place of concealment the box which he had unintentionally
disclosed to Oliver。 Then； he hastily proceeded to dispose the
watches and jewellery beneath his clothing。
A rap at the door startled him in this occupation。 “Who’s
there？” he cried； in a shrill tone。
“Me！” replied the voice of the Dodger； through the keyhole。
“What now？” cried the Jew impatiently。
“Is he to be kidnapped to the other ken； Nancy says？” inquired
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the Dodger。
“Yes；” replied the Jew； “wherever she lays hands on him。 Find
him； find him out； that’s all！ I shall know what to do next； never
fear。”
The boy murmured a reply of intelligence； and hurried
downstairs after his companions。
“He has not peached so far；” said the Jew as he pursued his
occupation。 “If he means to blab us among his new friends； we
may stop his mouth yet。”
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Chapter 14
Comprising Further Particulars Of Oliver’s Stay At
Mr。 Brownlow’s； With The Remarkable Prediction
Which One Mr。 Grimwig Uttered Concerning Him；
When He Went Out On An Errand。
O liver soon recovering from the fainting fit into which Mr。
Brownlow’s abrupt exclamation had thrown him the
subject of the picture was carefully avoided； both by the
old gentleman and Mrs。 Bedwin； in the conversation that ensued；
which indeed bore no reference to Oliver’s history or prospects
but was confined to such topics as might amuse without exciting
him。 He was still too weak to get up to breakfast； but； when he
came down into the housekeeper’s room next day； his first act was
to cast an eager glance at the wall； in the hope of again looking on
the face of the beautiful lady。 His expectations were disappointed；
however； for the picture had been removed。
“Ah！” said the housekeeper； watching the direction of Oliver’s
eyes。 “It is gone； you see。”
“I see it is； ma’am；” replied Oliver。 “Why have they taken it
away？”
“It has been taken down； child； because Mr。 Brownlow said；
that as it seemed to worry you； perhaps it might prevent your
getting well； you know；” rejoined the old lady。
“Oh； no； indeed。 It didn’t worry me； ma’am；” said Oliver。 “I
liked to see it。 I quite loved it。”
“Well； well！” said the old lady good…humouredly； “you get well
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as fast as ever you can； dear； and it shall be hung up again。 There！
I promise you that！ Now； let us talk about something else。”
This was all the information Oliver would obtain about the
picture at that time。 As the old lady had been so kind to him in his
illness； he endeavoured to think no more of the subject just then；
so he listened attentively to a great many stories she told him；
about an amiable and handsome daughter of hers； who was
married to an amiable and handsome man； and lived in the
country； and about a son； who was clerk to a merchant in the West
Indies； and who was； also； such a good young man； and wrote such
dutiful letters home four times a year； that it brought the tears into
her eyes to talk about them。 When the old lady had expatiated； a
long time； on the excellences of her children； and the merits of her
kind good husband besides； who had been dead and gone； poor
dear soul！ just six…and…twenty years； it was time to have tea。 After
tea she began to teach Oliver cribbage； which he learned as
quickly as she could teach； and at which game they played； with
great interest and gravity； until it was time for the invalid to have
some warm wine…and…water； with a slice of dry toast； and then to
go cosily to bed。
These were happy days； those of Oliver’s recovery。 Everything
was so quiet； and neat； and orderly； everybody so kind and gentle；
that after the noise and turbulence in the midst of which he had
always lived； it seemed like heaven itself。 He was no sooner strong
enough to put his clothes on； properly； than Mr。 Brownlow caused
a complete new suit； and a new cap； and a new pair of shoes； to be
provided for him。 As Oliver was told that he might do what he
liked with the old clothes； he gave them to a servant who had bee