bestowed a variety of earnest glances, wisely regulating his ownplay by the result of his observations upon his neighbour’s cards.It being a cold night, the Dodger wore his hat, as, indeed, wasoften his custom, within doors. He also sustained a clay pipebetween his teeth, which he only removed for a brief space whenhe deemed it necessary to apply for refreshment to a quart potupon the table, which stood ready filled with gin-and-water for theaccommodation of the company.Charles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsOliver Twist 255Master Bates was also attentive to his play; but being of a moreexcitable nature than his accomplished friend, it was observablethat he more frequently applied himself to the gin-and-water, andmoreover indulged in many jests and irrelevant remarks, all highlyunbecoming a scientific rubber. Indeed, the Artful, presumingupon their close attachment, more than once took occasion toreason gravely with his companion upon these improprieties; all ofwhich remonstrances Master Bates received in extremely goodpart; merely requesting his friend to be “blowed,” or to insert hishead in a sack, or replying with some other neatly-turnedwitticism of a similar kind, the happy application of which, excitedconsiderable admiration in the mind of Mr. Chitling. It wasremarkable that the latter gentleman and his partner invariablylost; and that the circumstance, so far from angering Master Bates,appeared to afford him the highest amusement, inasmuch as helaughed most uproariously at the end of every deal, and protestedthat he had never seen such a jolly game in all his born days.“That’s two doubles and the rub,” said Mr. Chitling, with a verylong face, as he drew half a crown from his waistcoat pocket. “Inever see such a feller as you, Jack; you win everything. Evenwhen we’ve good cards, Charley and I can’t make nothing of ’em.”Either the matter or the manner of this remark, which wasmade very ruefully, delighted Charley Bates so much, that hisconsequent shout of laughter roused the Jew from his reverie, andinduced him to inquire what was the matter.“Matter, Fagin!” cried Charley. “I wish you had watched theplay. Tommy Chitling hasn’t won a point; and I went partners withhim against the Artful and him.”“Ay, ay!” said the Jew, with a grin, which sufficientlyCharles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsOliver Twist 256demonstrated that he was at no loss to understand the reason.“Try ’em again, Tom; try ’em again.”“No more of it for me, thankee, Fagin,” replied Mr. Chitling;“I’ve had enough. That ’ere Dodger has such a run of luck thatthere’s no standing again’ him.”“Ha! ha! my dear,” replied the Jew, “you must get up very earlyin the morning, to win against the Dodger.”“Morning!” said Charley Bates; “you must put your boots onovernight, and have a telescope at each eye, and a opera-glassbetween your shoulders, if you want to come over him.”Mr. Dawkins received these handsome compliments with muchphilosophy, and offered to cut any gentleman in company, for thefirst picture-card, at a shilling a time. Nobody accepting thechallenge, and his pipe being by this time smoked out, heproceeded to amuse himself by sketching a ground-plan ofNewgate on the table with a piece of chalk which had served himin lieu of counters; whistling, meantime, with peculiar shrillness.“How precious dull you are, Tommy!” said the Dodger,stopping short when there had been a long silence; and addressingMr. Chitling. “What do you think he’s thinking of, Fagin?”“How should I know, my dear?” replied the Jew, looking roundas he plied the bellows. “About his losses, maybe; or the littleretirement in the country, that he’s just left, eh? Ha! ha! ha! Is thatit, my dear?”“Not a bit of it,” replied the Dodger, stopping the subject ofdiscourse as Mr. Chitling was about to reply. “What do you say,Charley?”“I should say,” replied Master Bates, with a grin, “that he wasuncommon sweet upon Betsy. See how he’s a-blushing! Oh, myCharles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsOliver Twist 257eye! here’s a merry-go-rounder! Tommy Chitling’s in love! Oh,Fagin, Fagin! what a spree!”Thoroughly overpowered with the notion of Mr. Chitling beingthe victim of the tender passion, Master Bates threw himself backin his chair with such violence, that he lost his balance, andpitched over upon the floor; where (the accident abating nothingof his merriment) he lay at full length until his laugh was over,when he resumed his former position, and began another laugh.“Never mind him, my dear,” said the Jew, winking at Mr.Dawkins, and giving Master Bates a reproving tap with the nozzleof the bellows. “Betsy’s a fine girl. Stick up to her, Tom. Stick upto her.”“What I mean to say, Fagin,” replied Mr. Chitling, very red inthe face, “is, that that isn’t anything to anybody here.”“No more it is,” replied the Jew; “Charley will talk. Don’t mindhim, my dear; don’t mind him. Betsy’s a fine girl. Do as she bidsyou, Tom, and you will make your fortune.”“So I do do as she bids me,” replied Mr. Chitling; “I shouldn’thave been milled, if it hadn’t been for her advice. But it turned outa good job for you; didn’t it, Fagin? And what’s six weeks of it? Itmust come, some time or another, and why not in the winter timewhen you don’t want to go out a-walking so much; eh, Fagin?”“Ah, to be sure, my dear,” replied the Jew.“You wouldn’t mind it again, Tom, would you,” asked theDodger, winking upon Charley and the Jew, “if Bet was all right?”“I mean to say that I shouldn’t,” replied Tom angrily. “There,now. Ah! Who’ll say as much as that, I should like to know; eh,Fagin?”“Nobody, my dear,” replied the Jew; “not a soul, Tom. I don’tCharles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsOliver Twist 258know one of ’em that would do it besides you; not one of ’em, mydear.”“I might have got clear off, if I’d split upon her; mightn’t I,Fagin?” angrily pursued the poor, half-witted dupe. “A word fromme would have done it; wouldn’t it, Fagin?”“To be sure it would, my dear,” replied the Jew.“But I didn’t blab it; did I, Fagin?” demanded Tom, pouringquestion upon question with great volubility.“No, no, to be sure,” replied the Jew; “you were too stouthearted for that. A deal too stout, my dear!”“Perhaps I was,” rejoined Tom, looking round; “and if I was,what’s to laugh at, in that; eh, Fagin?”The Jew, perceiving that Mr. Chitling was considerably roused,hastened to assure him that nobody was laughing; and to provethe gravity of the company, appealed to Master Bates, theprincipal offender. But, unfortunately, Charley, in opening hismouth to reply that he was never more serious in his life, wasunable to prevent the escape of such a violent roar, that theabused Mr. Chitling, without any preliminary ceremonies, rushedacross the room and aimed a blow at the offender; who, beingskilful in evading pursuit, ducked to avoid it, and chose his time sowell that it lighted on the chest of the merry old gentleman, andcaused him to stagger to the wall, where he stood panting forbreath, while Mr. Chitling looked on in intense dismay.“Hark!” cried the Dodger, at this moment, “I heard the tinkler.”Catching up the light, he crept softly upstairs.The bell was rung again, with some impatience, while the partywere in darkness. After a short pause, the Dodger reappeared, andwhispered to Fagin mysteriously.Charles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsOliver Twist 259“What!” cried the Jew, “alone?”The Dodger nodded in the affirmative, and, shading the flameof the candle with his hand, gave Charley Bates a privateintimation, in dumb show, that he had better not be funny justthen. Having performed this friendly office, he fixed his eyes onthe Jew’s face, and awaited his directions.The old man bit his yellow fingers, and meditated for someseconds; his face working with agitation the while, as if he dreadedsomething, and feared to know the worst. At length he raised hishead.“Where is he?” he asked.The Dodger pointed to the floor above, and made a gesture, asif to leave the room.“Yes,” said the Jew, answering the mute inquiry; “bring himdown. Hush! Quiet, Charley I Gently, Tom! Scarce, scarce!”This brief direction to Charley Bates, and his recent antagonist,was softly and immediately obeyed. There was no sound of theirwhereabouts, when the Dodger descended the stairs, bearing thelight in his hand, and followed by a man in a coarse smock-frock;who, after casting a hurried glance round the room, pulled off alarge wrapper which had concealed the lower portion of his face,and disclosed, all haggard, unwashed, and unshorn, the features offlash 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 knowwhere to find it when I cut; that’s the time of day I You’ll be a fineyoung cracksman afore the old file now.” With these words hepulled up the smock-frock; and, winding it round his middle, drewa chair to the fire, and placed his feet upon the hob.Charles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsOliver Twist 260“See there, Faguey,” he said, pointing disconsolately to his top-boots; “not a drop of Day and Martin since you know when; not abubble 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 thefirst time these three days!”The Jew motioned to the Dodger to place what eatables therewere, upon the table; and, seating himself opposite thehousebreaker, waited his leisure.To judge from appearances, Toby was by no means in a hurryto open the conversation. At first, the Jew contented himself withpatiently watching his countenance, as if to gain from itsexpression some clue to the intelligence he brought; but in vain.He looked tired and worn, but there was the same complacentrepose 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 ofimpatience, watched every morsel he put into his mouth; pacingup and down the room, meanwhile, in irrepressible excitement. Itwas all of no use. Toby continued to eat with the utmost outwardindifference, until he could eat no more; then, ordering the Dodgerout, he closed the door, mixed a glass of spirit-and-water, andcomposed 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, andto declare that the gin was excellent; then placing his feet againstthe low mantelpiece, so as to bring his boots to about the level ofhis eye, he quietly resumed: “First and foremost, Faguey,” said theCharles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsOliver Twist 261housebreaker, “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?” Wherehave they been? Where are they hiding? Why have they not beenhere?”“The crack failed,” said Toby, faintly.“I know it,” replied the Jew, tearing a newspaper from hispocket 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 hedgeand ditch. They gave chase. Damme! the whole country wasawake, and the dogs upon us.”“The boy?” gasped the Jew.“Bill had him on his back, and scudded like the wind. Westopped to take him between us; his head hung down, and he wascold. They were close upon our heels; every man for himself, andeach from the gallows! We parted company, and left the youngsterlying 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, andtwining his hands in his hair, rushed from the room, and from thehouse.Charles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsOliver Twist 262Chapter 26In Which A Mysterious Character Appears UponThe Scene; And Many Things, Inseparable FromThis History, Are Done And Performed.The old man had gained the street corner, before he beganto recover the effect of Toby Crackit’s intelligence. He hadrelaxed nothing of his unusual speed; but was stillpressing onward, in the same wild and disordered manner, whenthe sudden dashing past of a carriage, and a boisterous cry fromthe foot passengers, who saw his danger, drove him back upon thepavement. Avoiding, as much as possible, all the main streets, andskulking only through the byways and alleys, he at length emergedon Snow Hill. Here he walked even faster than before; nor did helinger until he had again turned into a court; when, as if consciousthat he was now in his proper element, he fell into his usualshuffling 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, anarrow and dismal alley, leading to Saffron Hill. In its filthy shopsare exposed for sale huge bunches of second-hand silkhandkerchiefs, of all sizes and patterns; for here reside the traderswho purchase them from pick-pockets. Hundreds of thesehandkerchiefs hang dangling from pegs outside the windows orflaunting from the door-posts—and the shelves, within, are piledwith them. Confined as the limits of Field Lane are, it has itsbarber, its coffee-shop, its beer-shop, and its fried-fish warehouse.Charles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsOliver Twist 263It is a commercial colony of itself—the emporium of petty larceny;visited at early morning, and setting-in of dusk, by silentmerchants, who traffic in dark back-parlours, and who go asstrangely as they come. Here, the clothesman, the shoe-vamper,and the rag-merchant, display their goods, as signboards to thepetty thief; here, stores of old iron and bones, and heaps ofmildewy fragments of woollen-stuff and linen, rust and rot in thegrimy cellars.It was into this place that the Jew turned. He was well known tothe sallow denizens of the lane; for such of them as were on thelook-out to buy or sell, nodded, familiarly, as he passed along. Hereplied to their salutations in the same way; but bestowed nocloser recognition until he reached the farther end of the alley;when he stopped, to address a salesman of small stature, who hadsqueezed as much of his person into a child’s chair as the chairwould 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’sinquiry 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 itso?’ Fagin nodded in the affirmative. Pointing in the direction ofSaffron 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’ssome half-dozen of ’em gone in, that I knows. I don’t think yourCharles Dickens ElecBook ClassicsOliver Twist 264friend’s there.”“Sikes is not, I suppose?” inquired the Jew, with a disappointedcountenance.“Non istwentus, as the lawyers say,” replied the little man,shaking his head, and looking amazingly sly. “Have you gotanything 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 withyou!”But as the Jew, looking back, waved his hand to intimate thathe preferred being alone; and, moreover, as the little man couldnot very easily disengage himself from the chair; the sign of theCripples was, for a time, bereft of the advantage of Mr. Lively’spresence. By the time he had got upon his legs, the Jew had