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alive again； Fagin。 Think of that； before you send him。 Mark my
words！” said the robber； poising a crowbar； which he had drawn
from under the bedstead。
“I’ve thought of it all；” said the Jew； with energy。 “I’ve—I’ve
had my eye upon him； my dears； close—close。 Once let him feel
that he is one of us； once fill his mind with the idea that he has
been a thief； and he’s ours！ Ours for his life！ Oho！ It couldn’t have
come about better！” The old man crossed his arms upon his
breast； and； drawing his head and shoulders into a heap； literally
hugged himself for joy。
“Ours！” said Sikes。 “Yours； you mean。”
“Perhaps I do； my dear；” said the Jew； with a shrill chuckle。
“Mine； if you like； Bill。”
“And wot；” said Sikes； scowling fiercely on his agreeable friend；
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“wot makes you take so much pains about one chalk…faced kid；
when you know there are fifty boys snoozing about Common
Garden every night； as you might pick and choose from？”
“Because they’re of no use to me； my dear；” replied the Jew；
with some confusion； a not worth the taking。 Their looks convict
’em when they get into trouble； and I lose ’em all。 With this boy；
properly managed； my dears； I could do what I couldn’t with
twenty of them。 Besides；” said the Jew； recovering his self…
possession； “he has us now if he could only give us leg…bail again；
and he must be in the same boat with us。 Never mind how he came
there； it’s quite enough for my power over him that he was in a
robbery； that’s all I want。 Now； how much better this is； than being
obliged to put the poor leetle boy out of the way—which would be
dangerous； and we should lose by it besides。”
“When is it to be done？” asked Nancy； stopping some turbulent
exclamation on the part of Mr。 Sikes； expressive of the disgust
with which he received Fagin’s affectation of humanity。
“Ah； to be sure；” said the Jew； “when is it to be done； Bill？”
“I planned with Toby； the night arter tomorrow；” rejoined
Sikes； in a surly voice； “if he heerd nothing from me to the
contrairy。”
“Good；” said the Jew； “there’s no moon。”
“No；” rejoined Sikes。
“It’s all arranged； about bringing off the swag； is it？” asked the
Jew。
Sikes nodded。
“And about—”
“Oh； ah； it’s all planned；” rejoined Sikes； interrupting him。
“Never mind particulars。 You’d better bring the boy here
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tomorrow night。 I shall get off the stones an hour arter daybreak。
Then you hold your tongue； and keep the melting…pot ready； and
that’s all you’ll have to do。”
After some discussion； in which all three took an active part； it
was decided that Nancy should repair to the Jew’s next evening
when the night had set in； and bring Oliver away with her； Fagin
craftily observing； that； if he evinced any disinclination to the task；
he would be more willing to accompany the girl who had so
recently interfered in his behalf； than anybody else。 It was also
solemnly arranged that poor Oliver should； for the purposes （If the
contemplated expedition； be unreservedly consigned to the care
and custody of Mr。 William Sikes； and further； that the said Sikes
should deal with him as he thought fit； and should not be held
responsible by the Jew for any mischance or evil that might befall
him； or any punishment with which it might be necessary to visit
him； it being understood that； to render the compact in this
respect binding； any representations made by Mr。 Sikes on his
return should be required to be confirmed and corroborated； in all
important particulars； by the testimony of flash Toby Crackit。
These preliminaries adjusted； Mr。 Sikes proceeded to drink
brandy at a furious rate； and to flourish the crowbar in an
alarming manner； yelling forth； at the same time； most unmusical
snatches of song； mingled with wild execrations。 At length； in a fit
of professional enthusiasm； he insisted upon producing his box of
housebreaking tools； which he had no sooner stumbled in with；
and opened for the purpose of explaining the nature and
properties of the various implements it contained； and the peculiar
beauties of their construction； than he fell over the box upon the
floor； and went to sleep where he fell。
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“Good…night； Nancy；” said the Jew muffling himself up as
before。
“Good…night。”
Their eyes met； and the Jew scrutinised her narrowly。 There
was no flinching about the girl。 She was as true and earnest in the
matter as Toby Crackit himself could be。
The Jew again bade her good…night； and bestowing a sly kick
upon the prostrate form of Mr。 Sikes while her back was turned；
groped downstairs。
“Always the way！” muttered the Jew to himself as he turned
homeward。 “The worst of these women is； that a very little thing
serves to call up some long…forgotten feeling； and the best of them
is； that it never lasts。 Ha！ ha！ The man against the child； for a bag
of gold！”
Beguiling the time with these pleasant reflections； Mr。 Fagin
wended his way； through mud and mire； to his gloomy abode；
where the Dodger was sitting up； impatiently awaiting his return。
“Is Oliver a…bed？ I want to speak to him；” was his first remark
as they descended the stairs。
“Hours ago；” replied the Dodger； throwing open a door。 “Here
he is！”
The boy was lying； fast asleep； on a rude bed upon the floor； so
pale with anxiety； and sadness； and the closeness of his prison；
that he looked like death； not death as it shows in shroud and
coffin； but in the guise it wears when life has just departed； when a
young and gentle spirit has； but an instant； fled to heaven； and the
gross air of the world has not had time to breathe upon the
changing dust it hallowed。
“Not now；” said the Jew； turning softly away。 “Tomorrow。
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Tomorrow。”
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Chapter 20
Wherein Oliver Is Delivered Over To Mr。 William
Sikes。
When Oliver awoke in the morning； he was a good deal
surprised to find that a new pair of shoes； with strong；
thick soles； had been placed at his bedside； and that his
old shoes had been removed。 At first； he was pleased with the
discovery； hoping that it might be the forerunner of his release；
but such thoughts were quickly dispelled； on his sitting down to
breakfast along with the Jew； who told him； in a tone and manner
which increased his alarm； that he was to be taken to the
residence of Bill Sikes that night。
“To—to—stop there； sir？” asked Oliver anxiously。
“No； no； my dear。 Not to stop there；” replied the Jew。 “We
shouldn’t like to lose you。 Don’t be afraid； Oliver； you shall come
back to us again。 Ha！ ha！ ha！ We won’t be so cruel as to send you
away； my dear。 Oh； no no！”
The old man； who was stooping over the fire toasting a piece of
bread； looked round as he bantered Oliver thus； and chuckled as if
to show that he knew he would still be very glad to get away if he
could。
“I suppose；” said the Jew； fixing his eyes on Oliver； “you want
to know what you’re going to Bill’s for—eh； my dear？”
Oliver coloured； involuntarily； to find that the old thief had
been reading his thoughts； but boldly said； Yes； he did want to
know。
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“Why； do you think？” inquired Fagin； parrying the question。
“Indeed I don’t know； sir；” replied Oliver。
“Bah！” said the Jew； turning away with a disappointed
countenance from a close perusal of the boy’s face。 “Wait till Bill
tells you； then。”
The Jew seemed much vexed by Oliver’s not expressing any
greater curiosity on the subject； but the truth is； that； although
Oliver felt very anxious； he was too much confused by the earnest
cunning of Fagin’s looks； and his own speculations； to make any
further inquiries just then。 He had no other opportunity； for the
Jew remained very surly and silent till night； when he prepared to
go abroad。
“You may burn a candle；” said the Jew； putting one upon the
table。 “And here’s a book for you to read； till they come to fetch
you。 Good…night！”
“Good…night！” replied Oliver softly。
The Jew walked to the door； looking over his shoulder at the
boy as he went。 Suddenly stopping； he called him by his name。
Oliver looked up； the Jew； pointing to the candle； motioned him
to light it。 He did so； and； as he placed the candlestick upon the
table； saw that the Jew was gazing fixedly at him； with lowering
and contracted brows； from the dark end of the room。
“Take heed； Oliver！ take heed！” said the old man； shaking his
right hand before him in a warning manner。 “He’s a rough man；
and thinks nothing of blood when his Own is up。 Whatever falls
out； say nothing； and do what he bids you。 Mind！” Placing a strong
emphasis on the last word； he suffered his features gradually to