Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist 406
waistcoat, by way of dressing-gown, and displaying a set of
features in no degree improved by the cadaverous hue of illness,
and the addition of a soiled night-cap, and a stiff, black beard of a
week’s growth. The dog sat at the bedside, now eyeing his master
with a wistful look, and now pricking his ears, and uttering a low
growl as some noise in the street, or in the lower part of the house,
attracted his attention. Seated by the window, busily engaged in
patching an old waistcoat which formed a portion of the robber’s
ordinary dress, was a female, so pale and reduced with watching
and privation, that there would have been considerable difficulty
in recognising her as the same Nancy who has already figured in
this tale, but for the voice in which she replied to Mr. Sikes’s
question.
“Not long gone seven,” said the girl. “How do you feel tonight,
Bill?”
“As weak as water,” replied Mr. Sikes, with an imprecation on
his eyes and limbs. “Here; lend us a hand, and let me get off this
thundering bed anyhow.”
This had not improved Mr. Sikes’s temper; for, as the girl raised
him up and led him to a chair, he muttered various curses on her
awkwardness, and struck her.
“Whining, are you?” said Sikes. “Come! Don’t stand snivelling
there. If you can’t do anything better than that, cut off altogether.
D’ye hear me?”
“I hear you,” replied the girl, turning her face aside, and forcing
a laugh. “What fancy have you got in your head now?”
“Oh! you’ve thought better of it, have you?” growled Sikes,
marking the tear which trembled in her eye. “All the better for
you, you have.”
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist 407
“Why, you don’t mean to say, you’d be hard upon me tonight,
Bill,” said the girl, laying her hand upon his shoulder.
“No!” cried Sikes. “Why not?”
“Such a number of nights,” said the girl, with a touch of
woman’s tenderness, which communicated something like
sweetness of tone, even to her voice—“such a number of nights as
I’ve been patient with you, nursing and caring for you, as if you
had been a child; and this the first that I’ve seen you like yourself;
you wouldn’t have served me as you did just now, if you’d thought
of that, would you? Come, come; say you wouldn’t.”
“Well, then,” rejoined Mr. Sikes. “I wouldn’t. Why, damme,
now, the girl’s whining again!”
“It’s nothing,” said the girl, throwing herself into a chair. “Don’t
you seem to mind me. It’ll soon be over.”
“What’ll be over?” demanded Mr. Sikes, in a savage voice.
“What foolery are you up to, now, again? Get up and bustle about,
and don’t come over me with your woman’s nonsense.”
At any other time, this remonstrance, and the tone in which it
was delivered, would have had the desired effect; but the girl
being really weak and exhausted, dropped her head over the back
of the chair, and fainted, before Mr. Sikes could get out a few of
the appropriate oaths with which, on similar occasions, he was
accustomed to garnish his threats. Not knowing, very well, what to
do, in this uncommon emergency—for Miss Nancy’s hysterics
were usually of that violent kind which the patient fights and
struggles out of, without much assistance—Mr. Sikes tried a little
blasphemy; and finding that mode of treatment wholly ineffectual,
called for assistance.
“What’s the matter here, my dear?” said Fagin, looking in.
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist 408
“Lend a hand to the girl, can’t you?” replied Sikes impatiently.
“Don’t stand chattering and grinning at me!”
With an exclamation of surprise, Fagin hastened to the girl’s
assistance, while Mr. John Dawkins (otherwise the artful Dodger),
who had followed his venerable friend into the room, hastily
deposited on the floor a bundle with which he was laden, and
snatching a bottle from the grasp of Master Charles Bates who
came close at his heels, uncorked it in a twinkling with his teeth,
and poured a portion of its contents down the patient’s throat;
previously taking a taste, himself, to prevent mistakes.
“Give her a whiff of fresh air with the bellows, Charley,” said
Mr. Dawkins; “and you slap her hands, Fagin, while Bill undoes
the petticuts.”
These united restoratives, administered with great energy,
especially that department consigned to Master Bates, who
appeared to consider his share in the proceedings, a piece of
unexampled pleasantry, were not long in producing the desired
effect. The girl gradually recovered her senses; and, staggering to
a chair by the bedside, hid her face upon the pillow; leaving Mr.
Sikes to confront the newcomers, in some astonishment at their
unlooked-for appearance.
“Why, what evil wind has blowed you here?” he asked Fagin.
“No evil wind at all, my dear, for evil winds blow nobody any
good; and I’ve brought something good with me, that you’ll be glad
to see. Dodger, my dear, open the bundle; and give Bill the little
trifles that we spent all our money on, this morning.
In compliance with Mr. Fagin’s request, the Artful untied his
bundle, which was of large size, and formed of an old tablecloth;
and handed the articles it contained, one by one, to Charley Bates;
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist 409
who placed them on the table, with various encomiums on their
rarity and excellence.
“Sitch a rabbit-pie, Bill,” exclaimed that young gentleman,
disclosing to view a huge pasty; “sitch delicate creeturs, with sitch
tender limbs, Bill, that the wery bones melt in your mouth, and
there’s no occasion to pick ’em; half a pound of seven-andsixpenny green, so precious strong that if you mix it with biling
water, it’ll go nigh to blow the lid of the tea-pot off; a pound and a
half of moist sugar that the niggers didn’t work at all at, before
they got it up to sitch a pitch of goodness—oh no! Two halfquartern brans; pound of best fresh; piece of double Glo’ster; and,
to wind up all, some of the richest sort you ever lushed!”
Uttering this last panegyric, Master Bates produced, from one
of his extensive pockets, a full-sized wine bottle, carefully corked;
while Mr. Dawkins, at the same instant, poured out a wine-glassful
of raw spirits from the bottle he carried, which the invalid tossed
down his throat without a moment’s hesitation.
“Ah!” said Fagin, rubbing his hands with great satisfaction.
“You’ll do, Bill; you’ll do now.”
“So!” exclaimed Mr. Sikes; “I might have been done for, twenty
times over, afore you’d have done anything to help me. What do
you mean by leaving a man in this state, three weeks and more,
you false-hearted wagabond?”
“Only hear him, boy!” said Fagin, shrugging his shoulders.
“And us come to bring him all these beau-ti-ful things.”
“The things is well enough in their way,” observed Mr. Sikes,
“little soothed as he glanced over the table; “but what have you got
to say for yourself, why you should leave me here, down in the
mouth, health, blunt and everything else; and take no more notice
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist 410
of me, all this mortal time, than if I was that ’ere dog.—Drive him
down, Charley!”
“I never see such a jolly dog as that,” cried Master Bates, doing
as he was desired. “Smelling the grub like a old lady a-going to
market! He’d make his fortun’ on the stage that dog would, and—
rewive the drayma besides.”
“Hold your din,” cried Sikes, as the dog retreated under the
bed, still growling angrily. “What have you got to say for yourself,
you withered old fence, eh?”
“I was away from London, a week and more, my dear, on a
plant,” replied the Jew.
“And what about the other fortnight?” demanded Sikes. “What
about the other fortnight that you’ve left me lying here, like a sick
rat in his hole?”
“I couldn’t help it, Bill,” replied Fagin, “I can’t go into a long
explanation before company; but I couldn’t help it, upon my
honour.”
“Upon your what?” growled Sikes, with excessive disgust.
“Here! Cut me off a piece of that pie, one of you boys, to take the
taste of that out of my mouth, or it’ll choke me dead.”
“Don’t be out of temper, my dear,” urged Fagin submissively. “I
have never forgot you, Bill; never once.”
“No! I’ll pound it that you ha’n’t,” replied Sikes, with a bitter
grin. “You’ve been scheming and plotting away, every hour that I
have laid shivering and burning here; and Bill was to do this; and
Bill was to do that; and Bill was to do it all, dirt cheap, as soon as
he got well, and was quite poor enough for your work. If it hadn’t
been for the girl, I might have died.”
“There now, Bill,” remonstrated Fagin, eagerly catching at the
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist 411
word. “If it hadn’t been for the girl! Who but poor ould Fagin was
the means of your having such a handy girl about you?”
“He says true enough there!” said Nancy, coming hastily
forward. “Let him be; let him be.”
Nancy’s appearance gave a new turn to the conversation; for
the boys, receiving a sly wink from the wary old Jew, began to ply
her with liquor, of which, however, she took very sparingly; while
Fagin, assuming an unusual flow of spirits, gradually brought Mr.
Sikes into a better temper, by affecting to regard his threats as a
little pleasant banter; and, moreover, by laughing very heartily at
one or two rough jokes, which, after repeated applications to the
spirit-bottle, he condescended to make.
“It’s all very well,” said Mr. Sikes; “but I must have some blunt
from you tonight.”
“I haven’t a piece of coin about me,” replied the Jew.
“Then you’ve got lots at home,” retorted Sikes; “and I must
have some from there.”
“Lots!” cried Fagin, holding up his hands. “I haven’t so much as
would—”
“I don’t know how much you’ve got, and I dare say you hardly
know yourself, as it would take a pretty long time to count it,” said
Sikes; “but I must have some tonight; and that’s flat.”
“Well, well,” said Fagin, with a sigh, “I’ll send the Artful round
presently.”
“You won’t do nothing of the kind,” rejoined Mr. Sikes. “The
Artful’s a deal too artful, and would forget to come, or lose his way,
or get dodged by traps and so be prewented, or anything for an
excuse, if you put him up to it. Nancy shall go to the ken and fetch
it, to make all sure; and I’ll lie down and have a snooze while she’s
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist 412
gone.”
After a great deal of haggling and squabbling, Fagin beat down
the amount of the required advance from five pounds to three
pounds four and sixpence; protesting with many solemn
asservations that would only leave eighteenpence to keep house
with; Mr. Sikes sullenly remarking that if he couldn’t get any more
he must be content with that, Nancy prepared to accompany him
home; while the Dodger and Master Bates put the eatables in the
cupboard. The Jew then, taking leave of his affectionate friend,
returned homeward, attended by Nancy and the boys; Mr. Sikes,
meanwhile, flinging himself on the bed, and composing himself to
sleep away the time until the young lady’s return.
In due course they arrived at Fagin’s abode, where they found
Toby Crackit and Mr. Chitling intent upon their fifteenth game at
cribbage, which it is scarcely necessary to say the latter gentleman
lost, and with it, his fifteenth and last sixpence, much to the
amusement of his young friends. Mr. Crackit, apparently
somewhat ashamed at being found relaxing himself with a
gentleman so much his inferior in station and mental
endowments, yawned, and inquiring after Sikes, took up his hat to
go.
“Has nobody been, Toby?” asked Fagin.
“Not a living leg,” answered Mr. Crackit, pulling up his collar;
“it’s been as dull as swipes. You ought to stand something
handsome, Fagin, to recompense me for keeping house so long.
Damme, I’m as flat as a juryman; and should have gone to sleep, as
fast as Newgate, if I hadn’t had the good-natur’ to amuse this
youngster. Horrid dull, I’m blessed if I ain’t!”
With these and other ejaculations of the same kind, Mr. Toby
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist 413
Crackit swept up his winnings, and crammed them into his
waistcoat pocket with a haughty air, as though such small pieces
of silver were wholly beneath the consideration of a man of his
figure; this done, he swaggered out of the room, with so much
elegance and gentility, that Mr. Chitling, bestowing numerous
admiring glances on his legs and boots till they were out of sight,
assured the company that he considered his acquaintance cheap
at fifteen sixpences an interview, and that he didn’t value his
losses the snap of his little finger.
“Wot a rum chap you are, Tom!” said Master Bates, highly
amused by this declaration.
“Not a bit of it,” replied Mr. Chitling. “Am I, Fagin?”
“A very clever fellow, my dear,” said Fagin, patting him on the
shoulder, and winking to his other pupils.
“And Mr. Crackit is a heavy swell; ain’t he, Fagin?” asked Tom.
“No doubt at all of that, my dear.”
“And it is a creditable thing to have his acquaintance; ain’t it,
Fagin?” pursued Tom.
“Very much so, indeed, my dear. They’re only jealous, Tom,
because he won’t give it to them.”
“Ah!” cried Tom triumphantly, “that’s where it is! He has
cleaned me out. But I can go and earn some more, when I like;
can’t I, Fagin?”
“To be sure you can,” replied Fagin; “and the sooner you go the
better, Tom; so make up your loss at once, and don’t lose any more
time. Dodger! Charley! It’s time you were on the lay. Come! It’s
near ten, and nothing done yet.”
In obedience to this hint, the boys, nodding to Nancy, took up
their hats, and left the room; the Dodger and his vivacious friend
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist 414
indulging, as they went, in many witticisms at the expense of Mr.
Chitling; in whose conduct, it is but justice to say, there was
nothing very conspicuous or peculiar, inasmuch as there are a
great number of spirited young bloods about town, who pay a
much higher price than Mr. Chitling for being seen in good society
and a great number of fine gentlemen (composing the good society
aforesaid) who establish their reputation upon very much the
same footing as flash Toby Crackit.
“Now,” said Fagin, when they had left the room, “I’ll go and get
you that cash, Nancy. This is only the key of a little cupboard
where I keep a few odd things the boys get, my dear. I never lock
up my money, for I’ve got none to lock up, my dear—ha! ha! ha!—
none to lock up. It’s a poor trade, Nancy, and no thanks; but I’m
fond of seeing the young people about me; and I bear it all; I bear
it all. Hush!” he said, hastily concealing the key in his breast,
“who’s that? Listen!”
The girl, who was sitting at the table with her arms folded,
appeared in no way interested in the arrival, or to care whether
the person, whoever he was, came or went, until the murmur of a
man’s voice reached her ears. The instant she caught the sound,
she tore off her bonnet and shawl, with the rapidity of lightning,
and thrust them under the table. The Jew, turning round
immediately afterwards, she muttered a complaint of the heat, in a
tone of languor that contrasted, very remarkably, with the extreme
haste and violence of this action, which, however, had been
unobserved by Fagin, who had his back towards her at the time.
“Bah!” whispered the Jew, as though nettled by the
interruption; “it’s the man I expected before; he’s coming
downstairs. Not a word about the money while he’s here, Nance.
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist 415
He won’t stop long. Not ten minutes, my dear.”
Laying his skinny forefinger upon his lip, the Jew carried a
candle to the door, as a man’s step was heard upon the stairs
without. He reached it, at the same moment as the visitor, who,
coming hastily into the room, was close upon the girl before he
observed her.
It was Monks.
“Only one of my young people,” said Fagin, observing that
Monks drew back, on beholding a stranger. “Don’t move, Nancy.”
The girl drew closer to the table, and glancing at Monks with an
air of careless levity, withdrew her eyes; but as he turned his
towards Fagin, she stole another look, so keen and searching, and
full of purpose, that if there had been any bystander to observe the
change, he could hardly have believed the two looks to have
proceeded from the same person.
