English
Whilethesethingswerepassinginthecountryworkhouse,Mr.Faginsatintheoldden—thesamefromwhichOliverhadbeenremovedbythegirl—broodingoveradull,smokyfire.
Heheldapairofbellowsuponhisknee,withwhichhehadapparentlybeenendeavouringtorouseitintomorecheerfulaction;buthehadfallenintodeepthought;andwithhisarmsfoldedonthem,andhischinrestingonhisthumbs,fixedhiseyes,abstractedly,ontherustybars.
AtatablebehindhimsattheArtfulDodger,MasterCharlesBates,andMr.Chitling:allintentuponagameofwhist;theArtfultakingdummyagainstMasterBatesandMr.Chitling.
Thecountenanceofthefirst-namedgentleman,peculiarlyintelligentatalltimes,acquiredgreatadditionalinterestfromhiscloseobservanceofthegame,andhisattentiveperusalofMr.Chitling’shand;uponwhich,fromtimetotime,asoccasionserved,hebestowedavarietyofearnestglances:wiselyregulatinghisownplaybytheresultofhisobservationsuponhisneighbour’scards.
Itbeingacoldnight,theDodgerworehishat,as,indeed,wasoftenhiscustomwithindoors.
Healsosustainedaclaypipebetweenhisteeth,whichheonlyremovedforabriefspacewhenhedeemeditnecessarytoapplyforrefreshmenttoaquartpotuponthetable,whichstoodreadyfilledwithgin-and-waterfortheaccommodationofthecompany.
MasterBateswasalsoattentivetotheplay;butbeingofamoreexcitablenaturethanhisaccomplishedfriend,itwasobservablethathemorefrequentlyappliedhimselftothegin-and-water,andmoreoverindulgedinmanyjestsandirrelevantremarks,allhighlyunbecomingascientificrubber.
Indeed,theArtful,presumingupontheircloseattachment,morethanoncetookoccasiontoreasongravelywithhiscompanionupontheseimproprieties;allofwhichremonstrances,MasterBatesreceivedinextremelygoodpart;merelyrequestinghisfriendtobe‘blowed,’ortoinserthisheadinasack,orreplyingwithsomeotherneatly-turnedwitticismofasimilarkind,thehappyapplicationofwhich,excitedconsiderableadmirationinthemindofMr.Chitling.
Itwasremarkablethatthelattergentlemanandhispartnerinvariablylost;andthatthecircumstance,sofarfromangeringMasterBates,appearedtoaffordhimthehighestamusement,inasmuchashelaughedmostuproariouslyattheendofeverydeal,andprotestedthathehadneverseensuchajollygameinallhisborndays.
‘That’stwodoublesandtherub,’saidMr.Chitling,withaverylongface,ashedrewhalf-a-crownfromhiswaistcoat-pocket.
‘Ineverseesuchafellerasyou,Jack;youwineverything.
Evenwhenwe’vegoodcards,CharleyandIcan’tmakenothingof‘em.’
Eitherthemasterorthemannerofthisremark,whichwasmadeveryruefully,delightedCharleyBatessomuch,thathisconsequentshoutoflaughterrousedtheJewfromhisreverie,andinducedhimtoinquirewhatwasthematter.
‘Matter,Fagin!’criedCharley.‘Iwishyouhadwatchedtheplay.TommyChitlinghasn’twonapoint;andIwentpartnerswithhimagainsttheArtfullanddumb.’
‘Ay,ay!’saidtheJew,withagrin,whichsufficientlydemonstratedthathewasatnolosstounderstandthereason.‘Try‘emagain,Tom;try‘emagain.’
‘Nomoreofitforme,thank‘ee,Fagin,’repliedMr.Chitling;‘I’vehadenough.That‘ereDodgerhassucharunofluckthatthere’snostandingagain’him.’
‘Ha!ha!mydear,’repliedtheJew,‘youmustgetupveryearlyinthemorning,towinagainsttheDodger.’
‘Morning!’saidCharleyBates;‘youmustputyourbootsonover-night,andhaveatelescopeateacheye,andaopera-glassbetweenyourshoulders,ifyouwanttocomeoverhim.’
Mr.Dawkinsreceivedthesehandsomecomplimentswithmuchphilosophy,andofferedtocutanygentlemanincompany,forthefirstpicture-card,atashillingatatime.
Nobodyacceptingthechallenge,andhispipebeingbythistimesmokedout,heproceededtoamusehimselfbysketchingaground-planofNewgateonthetablewiththepieceofchalkwhichhadservedhiminlieuofcounters;whistling,meantime,withpeculiarshrillness.
‘Howpreciousdullyouare,Tommy!’saidtheDodger,stoppingshortwhentherehadbeenalongsilence;andaddressingMr.Chitling.‘Whatdoyouthinkhe’sthinkingof,Fagin?’
‘HowshouldIknow,mydear?’repliedtheJew,lookingroundashepliedthebellows.
‘Abouthislosses,maybe;orthelittleretirementinthecountrythathe’sjustleft,eh?Ha!ha!Isthatit,mydear?’
‘Notabitofit,’repliedtheDodger,stoppingthesubjectofdiscourseasMr.Chitlingwasabouttoreply.‘Whatdoyousay,Charley?’
‘Ishouldsay,’repliedMasterBates,withagrin,‘thathewasuncommonsweetuponBetsy.Seehowhe’sa-blushing!Oh,myeye!here’samerry-go-rounder!TommyChitling’sinlove!Oh,Fagin,Fagin!whataspree!’
ThoroughlyoverpoweredwiththenotionofMr.Chitlingbeingthevictimofthetenderpassion,MasterBatesthrewhimselfbackinhischairwithsuchviolence,thathelosthisbalance,andpitchedoveruponthefloor;where(theaccidentabatingnothingofhismerriment)helayatfulllengthuntilhislaughwasover,whenheresumedhisformerposition,andbegananotherlaugh.
‘Nevermindhim,mydear,’saidtheJew,winkingatMr.Dawkins,andgivingMasterBatesareprovingtapwiththenozzleofthebellows.‘Betsy’safinegirl.Stickuptoher,Tom.Stickuptoher.’
‘WhatImeantosay,Fagin,’repliedMr.Chitling,veryredintheface,‘is,thatthatisn’tanythingtoanybodyhere.’
‘Nomoreitis,’repliedtheJew;‘Charleywilltalk.Don’tmindhim,mydear;don’tmindhim.Betsy’safinegirl.Doasshebidsyou,Tom,andyouwillmakeyourfortune.’
‘SoIdodoasshebidsme,’repliedMr.Chitling;‘Ishouldn’thavebeenmilled,ifithadn’tbeenforheradvice.
Butitturnedoutagoodjobforyou;didn’tit,Fagin!Andwhat’ssixweeksofit?
Itmustcome,sometimeoranother,andwhynotinthewintertimewhenyoudon’twanttogoouta-walkingsomuch;eh,Fagin?’
‘Ah,tobesure,mydear,’repliedtheJew.
‘Youwouldn’tminditagain,Tom,wouldyou,’askedtheDodger,winkinguponCharleyandtheJew,‘ifBetwasallright?’
‘ImeantosaythatIshouldn’t,’repliedTom,angrily.‘There,now.Ah!Who’llsayasmuchasthat,Ishouldliketoknow;eh,Fagin?’
‘Nobody,mydear,’repliedtheJew;‘notasoul,Tom.Idon’tknowoneof‘emthatwoulddoitbesidesyou;notoneof‘em,mydear.’
‘Imighthavegotclearoff,ifI’dsplituponher;mightn’tI,Fagin?’angrilypursuedthepoorhalf-witteddupe.‘Awordfrommewouldhavedoneit;wouldn’tit,Fagin?’
‘Tobesureitwould,mydear,’repliedtheJew.
‘ButIdidn’tblabit;didI,Fagin?’demandedTom,pouringquestionuponquestionwithgreatvolubility.
‘No,no,tobesure,’repliedtheJew;‘youweretoostout-heartedforthat.Adealtoostout,mydear!’
‘PerhapsIwas,’rejoinedTom,lookinground;‘andifIwas,what’stolaughat,inthat;eh,Fagin?’
TheJew,perceivingthatMr.Chitlingwasconsiderablyroused,hastenedtoassurehimthatnobodywaslaughing;andtoprovethegravityofthecompany,appealedtoMasterBates,theprincipaloffender.
But,unfortunately,Charley,inopeninghismouthtoreplythathewasnevermoreseriousinhislife,wasunabletopreventtheescapeofsuchaviolentroar,thattheabusedMr.Chitling,withoutanypreliminaryceremonies,rushedacrosstheroomandaimedablowattheoffender;who,beingskilfulinevadingpursuit,duckedtoavoidit,andchosehistimesowellthatitlightedonthechestofthemerryoldgentleman,andcausedhimtostaggertothewall,wherehestoodpantingforbreath,whileMr.Chitlinglookedoninintensedismay.
‘Hark!’criedtheDodgeratthismoment,‘Iheardthetinkler.’Catchingupthelight,hecreptsoftlyupstairs.
Thebellwasrungagain,withsomeimpatience,whilethepartywereindarkness.Afterashortpause,theDodgerreappeared,andwhisperedFaginmysteriously.
‘What!’criedtheJew,‘alone?’
TheDodgernoddedintheaffirmative,and,shadingtheflameofthecandlewithhishand,gaveCharleyBatesaprivateintimation,indumbshow,thathehadbetternotbefunnyjustthen.
Havingperformedthisfriendlyoffice,hefixedhiseyesontheJew’sface,andawaitedhisdirections.
Theoldmanbithisyellowfingers,andmeditatedforsomeseconds;hisfaceworkingwithagitationthewhile,asifhedreadedsomething,andfearedtoknowtheworst.Atlengthheraisedhishead.
‘Whereishe?’heasked.
TheDodgerpointedtothefloorabove,andmadeagesture,asiftoleavetheroom.
‘Yes,’saidtheJew,answeringthemuteinquiry;‘bringhimdown.Hush!Quiet,Charley!Gently,Tom!Scarce,scarce!’
ThisbriefdirectiontoCharleyBates,andhisrecentantagonist,wassoftlyandimmediatelyobeyed.
Therewasnosoundoftheirwhereabout,whentheDodgerdescendedthestairs,bearingthelightinhishand,andfollowedbyamaninacoarsesmock-frock;who,aftercastingahurriedglanceroundtheroom,pulledoffalargewrapperwhichhadconcealedthelowerportionofhisface,anddisclosed:allhaggard,unwashed,andunshorn:thefeaturesofflashTobyCrackit.
‘Howareyou,Faguey?’saidthisworthy,noddingtotheJew.
‘Popthatshawlawayinmycastor,Dodger,sothatImayknowwheretofinditwhenIcut;that’sthetimeofday!
You’llbeafineyoungcracksmanaforetheoldfilenow.’
Withthesewordshepulledupthesmock-frock;and,windingitroundhismiddle,drewachairtothefire,andplacedhisfeetuponthehob.
‘Seethere,Faguey,’hesaid,pointingdisconsolatelytohistopboots;‘notadropofDayandMartinsinceyouknowwhen;notabubbleofblacking,byJove!Butdon’tlookatmeinthatway,man.Allingoodtime.
Ican’ttalkaboutbusinesstillI’veeatanddrank;soproducethesustainance,andlet’shaveaquietfill-outforthefirsttimethesethreedays!’
TheJewmotionedtotheDodgertoplacewhateatablestherewere,uponthetable;and,seatinghimselfoppositethehousebreaker,waitedhisleisure.
Tojudgefromappearances,Tobywasbynomeansinahurrytoopentheconversation.
Atfirst,theJewcontentedhimselfwithpatientlywatchinghiscountenance,asiftogainfromitsexpressionsomecluetotheintelligencehebrought;butinvain.
Helookedtiredandworn,buttherewasthesamecomplacentreposeuponhisfeaturesthattheyalwayswore:andthroughdirt,andbeard,andwhisker,therestillshone,unimpaired,theself-satisfiedsmirkofflashTobyCrackit.
ThentheJew,inanagonyofimpatience,watchedeverymorselheputintohismouth;pacingupanddowntheroom,meanwhile,inirrepressibleexcitement.Itwasallofnouse.
Tobycontinuedtoeatwiththeutmostoutwardindifference,untilhecouldeatnomore;then,orderingtheDodgerout,heclosedthedoor,mixedaglassofspiritsandwater,andcomposedhimselffortalking.
‘Firstandforemost,Faguey,’saidToby.
‘Yes,yes!’interposedtheJew,drawinguphischair.
Mr.Crackitstoppedtotakeadraughtofspiritsandwater,andtodeclarethattheginwasexcellent;thenplacinghisfeetagainstthelowmantelpiece,soastobringhisbootstoaboutthelevelofhiseye,hequietlyresumed.
‘Firstandforemost,Faguey,’saidthehousebreaker,‘how’sBill?’
‘What!’screamedtheJew,startingfromhisseat.
‘Why,youdon’tmeantosay—’beganToby,turningpale.
‘Mean!’criedtheJew,stampingfuriouslyontheground.‘Wherearethey?Sikesandtheboy!Wherearethey?Wherehavetheybeen?Wherearetheyhiding?Whyhavetheynotbeenhere?’
‘Thecrackfailed,’saidTobyfaintly.
‘Iknowit,’repliedtheJew,tearinganewspaperfromhispocketandpointingtoit.‘Whatmore?’
‘Theyfiredandhittheboy.Wecutoverthefieldsattheback,withhimbetweenus—straightasthecrowflies—throughhedgeandditch.Theygavechase.Damme!
thewholecountrywasawake,andthedogsuponus.’
‘Theboy!’
‘Billhadhimonhisback,andscuddedlikethewind.
Westoppedtotakehimbetweenus;hisheadhungdown,andhewascold.
Theywerecloseuponourheels;everymanforhimself,andeachfromthegallows!
Wepartedcompany,andlefttheyoungsterlyinginaditch.
Aliveordead,that’sallIknowabouthim.’
TheJewstoppedtohearnomore;bututteringaloudyell,andtwininghishandsinhishair,rushedfromtheroom,andfromthehouse.
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