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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 himself opposite the
housebreaker； waited his leisure。
To judge from appearances； Toby was by no means in a hurry
to open the conversation。 At first； the Jew contented himself with
patiently watching his countenance； as if to gain from its
expression some clue to the intelligence he brought； but in vain。
He looked tired and worn； but there was the same complacent
repose upon his features that they always wore； and through dirt；
and beard； and whisker； there still shone； unimpaired； the self…
satisfied smirk of flash Toby Crackit。 Then； the Jew； in an agony of
impatience； watched every morsel he put into his mouth； pacing
up and down the room； meanwhile； in irrepressible excitement。 It
was all of no use。 Toby continued to eat with the utmost outward
indifference； until he could eat no more； then； ordering the Dodger
out； he closed the door； mixed a glass of spirit…and…water； and
composed himself for talking。
“First and foremost； Faguey—” said Toby。
“Yes； yes！” interposed the Jew； drawing up his chair。
Mr。 Crackit stopped to take a draught of spirits…and…water； and
to declare that the gin was excellent； then placing his feet against
the low mantelpiece； so as to bring his boots to about the level of
his eye； he quietly resumed： “First and foremost； Faguey；” said the
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housebreaker； “how’s Bill？”
“What！” screamed the Jew； starting from his seat。
“Why； you don’t mean to say—” began Toby； turning pale。
“Mean！” cried the Jew； stamping furiously on the ground。
“Where are they？ Sikes and the boy？ Where are they？” Where
have they been？ Where are they hiding？ Why have they not been
here？”
“The crack failed；” said Toby； faintly。
“I know it；” replied the Jew； tearing a newspaper from his
pocket and pointing to it。 “What more？”
“They fired and hit the boy。 We cut over the fields at the back；
with him between us—straight as the crow flies—through hedge
and ditch。 They gave chase。 Damme！ the whole country was
awake； and the dogs upon us。”
“The boy？” gasped the Jew。
“Bill had him on his back； and scudded like the wind。 We
stopped to take him between us； his head hung down； and he was
cold。 They were close upon our heels； every man for himself； and
each from the gallows！ We parted company； and left the youngster
lying in a ditch。 Alive or dead； that’s all I know about him。”
The Jew stopped to hear no more； but； uttering a loud yell； and
twining his hands in his hair； rushed from the room； and from the
house。
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Chapter 26
In Which A Mysterious Character Appears Upon
The Scene； And Many Things； Inseparable From
This History； Are Done And Performed。
The old man had gained the street corner； before he began
to recover the effect of Toby Crackit’s intelligence。 He had
relaxed nothing of his unusual speed； but was still
pressing onward； in the same wild and disordered manner； when
the sudden dashing past of a carriage； and a boisterous cry from
the foot passengers； who saw his danger； drove him back upon the
pavement。 Avoiding； as much as possible； all the main streets； and
skulking only through the byways and alleys； he at length emerged
on Snow Hill。 Here he walked even faster than before； nor did he
linger until he had again turned into a court； when； as if conscious
that he was now in his proper element； he fell into his usual
shuffling pace； and seemed to breathe more freely。
Near to the spot on which Snow Hill and Holborn Hill meet；
there opens； upon the right hand as you come out of the city； a
narrow and dismal alley； leading to Saffron Hill。 In its filthy shops
are exposed for sale huge bunches of second…hand silk
handkerchiefs； of all sizes and patterns； for here reside the traders
who purchase them from pick…pockets。 Hundreds of these
handkerchiefs hang dangling from pegs outside the windows or
flaunting from the door…posts—and the shelves； within； are piled
with them。 Confined as the limits of Field Lane are； it has its
barber； its coffee…shop； its beer…shop； and its fried…fish warehouse。
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It is a commercial colony of itself—the emporium of petty larceny；
visited at early morning； and setting…in of dusk； by silent
merchants； who traffic in dark back…parlours； and who go as
strangely as they come。 Here； the clothesman； the shoe…vamper；
and the rag…merchant； display their goods； as signboards to the
petty thief； here； stores of old iron and bones； and heaps of
mildewy fragments of woollen…stuff and linen； rust and rot in the
grimy cellars。
It was into this place that the Jew turned。 He was well known to
the sallow denizens of the lane； for such of them as were on the
look…out to buy or sell； nodded； familiarly； as he passed along。 He
replied to their salutations in the same way； but bestowed no
closer recognition until he reached the farther end of the alley；
when he stopped； to address a salesman of small stature； who had
squeezed as much of his person into a child’s chair as the chair
would hold； and was smoking a pipe at his warehouse door。
“Why； the sight of you； Mr。 Fagin； would cure the hoptalmy！”
said this respectable trader； in acknowledgement of the Jew’s
inquiry after his health。
“The neighbourhood was a little too hot； Lively；” said Fagin；
elevating his eyebrows； and crossing his hands upon his shoulders。
“Well； I’ve heerd that complaint of it； once or twice before；”
replied the trader； “but it soon cools down again； don’t you find it
so？’ Fagin nodded in the affirmative。 Pointing in the direction of
Saffron Hill； he inquired whether any one was up yonder tonight。
“At the Cripples？” inquired the man。
The Jew nodded。
“Let me see；” pursued the merchant； reflecting。 “Yes； there’s
some half…dozen of ’em gone in； that I knows。 I don’t think your
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friend’s there。”
“Sikes is not； I suppose？” inquired the Jew； with a disappointed
countenance。
“Non istwentus； as the lawyers say；” replied the little man；
shaking his head； and looking amazingly sly。 “Have you got
anything in my line tonight？”
“Nothing tonight；” said the Jew； turning away。
“Are you going up to the Cripples； Fagin？” cried the little man；
calling after him。 “Stop！ I don’t mind if I have a drop there with
you！”
But as the Jew； looking back； waved his hand to intimate that
he preferred being alone； and； moreover； as the little man could
not very easily disengage himself from the chair； the sign of the
Cripples was； for a time； bereft of the advantage of Mr。 Lively’s
presence。 By the time he had got upon his legs； the Jew had
disappeared； so Mr。 Lively； after ineffectually standing on tiptoe；
in the hope of catching sight of him； again forced himself into the
little chair； and； exchanging a shake of the head with a lady in the
opposite shop； in which doubt and mistrust were plainly mingled；
resumed his pipe with a grave demeanour。
The Three Cripples； or rather the Cripples； which was the sign
by which the establishment was familiarly known to its patrons；
was the public…house in which Mr。 Sikes and his dog have already
figured。 Merely making a sign to a man at the bar； Fagin walked
straight upstairs； and opening the door of a room； and softly
insinuating himself into the chamber； looked anxiously about；
shading his eyes with his hand； as if in search of some particular
person。
The room was illuminated by two gas…lights； the glare of which
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was prevented by the barred shutters； and closely…drawn curtains
of faded red； from being visible outside。 The ceiling was
blackened； to prevent its colour from being injured by the flaring
of the lamps； and the place was so full of dense tobacco smoke；
that at first it was sc