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of the lamps； and the place was so full of dense tobacco smoke；
that at first it was scarcely possible to discern anything more。 By
degrees； however； as some of it cleared away through the open
door； an assemblage of heads； as confused as the noises that
greeted the ear； might be made out； and； as the eye grew more
accustomed to the scene； the spectator gradually became aware of
the presence of a numerous company； male and female； crowded
round a long table； at the upper end of which； sat a chairman with
a hammer of office in his hand； while a professional gentleman；
with a bluish nose； and his face tied up for the benefit of a
toothache； presided at a jingling piano in a remote corner。
As Fagin stepped softly in； the professional gentleman； running
over the keys by way of prelude； occasioned a general cry of order
for a song； which； having subsided； a young lady proceeded to
entertain the company with a ballad in four verses； between each
of which the accompanist played the melody all through； as loud
as he could。 When this was over； the chairman gave a sentiment；
after which； the professional gentleman on the chairman’s right
and left volunteered a duet； and sang it； with great applause。
It was curious to observe some faces which stood out
prominently from among the group。 There was the chairman
himself （the landlord of the house）； a coarse； rough； heavy…built
fellow； who； while the songs were proceeding； rolled his eyes
hither and thither； and； seeming to give himself up to joviality； had
an eye for everything that was done； and an ear for everything that
was said—and sharp ones； too。 Near him were the singers；
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receiving； with professional indifference； the compliments of the
company； and applying themselves； in turn； to a dozen proffered
glasses of spirits…and…water； tendered by their more boisterous
admirers； whose countenances； expressive of almost every vice in
almost every grade； irresistibly attracted the attention； by their
very repulsiveness。 Cunning； ferocity； and drunkenness in all its
stages； were there； in their strongest aspects； and women； some
with the last lingering tinge of their early freshness almost fading
as you looked； others with every mark and stamp of their sex
utterly beaten out； and presenting but one loathsome blank of
profligacy and crime—some mere girls； others but young women；
and none past the prime of life—formed the darkest and saddest
portion of this dreary picture。
Fagin； troubled by no grave emotions； looked eagerly from face
to face while these proceedings were in progress； but apparently
without meeting that of which he was in search。 Succeeding； at
length； in catching the eye of the man who occupied the chair； he
beckoned to him slightly； and left the room； as quietly as he had
entered it。
“What can I do for you； Mr。 Fagin？” inquired the man。 as he
followed him out to the landing。 “Won’t you join us？ They’ll be
delighted； every one of ’em。”
The Jew shook his head impatiently； and said in a whisper； “Is
he here？”
“No；” replied the man。
“And no news of Barney？” inquired Fagin。
“None；” replied the landlord of the Cripples； for it was he。 “He
won’t stir till it’s all safe。 Depend on it； they’re on the scent down
there； and that if he moved； he’d blow upon the thing at once。 He’s
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all right enough Barney is； else I should have heard of him。 I’ll
pound it； that Barney’s managing properly。 Let him alone for
that。”
“Will he be here tonight？” asked the Jew； laying the same
emphasis on the pronoun as before。
“Monks； do you mean？” inquired the landlord； hesitating。
“Hush！” said the Jew。 “Yes。”
“Certain；” replied the man； drawing a gold watch from his fob；
“I expected him here before now。 If you’ll wait ten minutes； he’ll
be—”
“No； no；” said the Jew hastily； as though； however desirous he
might be to see the person in question； he was nevertheless
relieved by his absence。 “Tell him I came here to see him； and that
he must come to me tonight。 No； say tomorrow。 As he is not here；
tomorrow will be time enough。”
“Good！” said the man。 “Nothing more？”
“Not a word now；” said the Jew； descending the stairs。—“I say；”
said the other； looking over the rails； and speaking in a hoarse
whisper； “what a time this would be for a sell！ I’ve got Phil Barker
here； so drunk； that a boy might take him。
“Aha！ But it’s not Phil Barker’s time；” said the Jew； looking up。
“Phil has something more to do； before we can afford to part with
him； so go back to the company； my dear； and tell them to lead
merry lives—while they last。 Ha！ ha！ ha！”
The landlord reciprocated the old man’s laugh； and returned to
his guests。 The Jew was no sooner alone； than his countenance
resumed its former expression of anxiety and thought。 After a
brief reflection； he called a hack cabriolet； and bade the man drive
towards Bethnal Green。 He dismissed him within some quarter of
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a mile of Mr。 Sikes’s residence； and performed the short
remainder of the distance； on foot。
“Now；” muttered the Jew； as he knocked at the door； “if there is
any deep play here； I shall have it out of you； my girl； cunning as
you are。”
She was in her room； the woman said。 Fagin crept softly
upstairs； and entered it without any previous ceremony。 The girl
was alone； lying with her head upon the table； and her hair
straggling over it。 “She has been drinking；” thought the Jew
coolly； “or perhaps she is only miserable。”
The old man turned to close the door； as he made this
reflection； the noise thus occasioned roused the girl。 She eyed his
crafty face narrowly； as she inquired whether there was any news；
and as she listened to his recital of Toby Crackit’s story。 When it
was concluded； she sank into her former attitude； but spoke not a
word。 She pushed the candle impatiently away； and once or twice
as she feverishly changed her position； shuffled her feet upon the
ground； but this was During the silence； the Jew looked restlessly
about the room； as if to assure himself that there were no
appearances of Sikes having covertly returned。 Apparently
satisfied with his inspection； he coughed twice or thrice； and made
as many efforts to open a conversation； but the girl heeded him no
more than if he had been made of stone。 At length he made
another attempt； and rubbing his hands together； said； in his most
conciliatory tone。
“And where should you think Bill was now； my dear？”
The girl moaned out some half…intelligible reply； that she could
not tell； and seemed； from the smothered noise that escaped her；
to be crying。
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“And the boy； too；” said the Jew； straining his eyes to catch a
glimpse of her face。 “Poor leetle child！ Left in a ditch； Nance； only
think！”
“The child；” said the girl； suddenly looking up； “is better where
he is； than among us； and if no harm comes to Bill from it； I hope
he lies dead in the ditch； and that his young bones may rot there。”
“What！” cried the Jew； in amazement。
“Ay； I do；” returned the girl； meeting his gaze。 “I shall be glad
to have him away from my eyes； and to know that the worst is
over。 I can’t bear to have him about me。 The sight of him turns me
against myself； and all of you。”
“Pooh！” said the Jew scornfully。 “You’re drunk。”
“Am I？” cried the girl bitterly。 “It’s no fault of yours； if I am not！
You’d never have me anything else； if you had your will； except
now—the humour doesn’t suit you； doesn’t it？”
“No！” rejoined the Jew furiously。 “It does not。”
“Change it； then！” responded the girl； with a laugh。
“Change it！” exclaimed the Jew； exasperated beyond all bounds
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 clen