English
Theoldmanwasup,betimes,nextmorning,andwaitedimpatientlyfortheappearanceofhisnewassociate,whoafteradelaythatseemedinterminable,atlengthpresentedhimself,andcommencedavoraciousassaultonthebreakfast.
‘Bolter,’saidFagin,drawingupachairandseatinghimselfoppositeMorrisBolter.
‘Well,hereIam,’returnedNoah.‘What’sthematter?Don’tyeraskmetodoanythingtillIhavedoneeating.That’sagreatfaultinthisplace.Yernevergettimeenoughoveryermeals.’
‘Youcantalkasyoueat,can’tyou?’saidFagin,cursinghisdearyoungfriend’sgreedinessfromtheverybottomofhisheart.
‘Ohyes,Icantalk.IgetonbetterwhenItalk,’saidNoah,cuttingamonstroussliceofbread.‘Where’sCharlotte?’
‘Out,’saidFagin.‘Isentheroutthismorningwiththeotheryoungwoman,becauseIwantedustobealone.’
‘Oh!’saidNoah.‘Iwishyer’dorderedhertomakesomebutteredtoastfirst.Well.Talkaway.Yerwon’tinterruptme.’
Thereseemed,indeed,nogreatfearofanythinginterruptinghim,ashehadevidentlysatdownwithadeterminationtodoagreatdealofbusiness.
‘Youdidwellyesterday,mydear,’saidFagin.‘Beautiful!Sixshillingsandninepencehalfpennyontheveryfirstday!Thekinchinlaywillbeafortunetoyou.’
‘Don’tyouforgettoaddthreepint-potsandamilk-can,’saidMr.Bolter.
‘No,no,mydear.Thepint-potsweregreatstrokesofgenius:butthemilk-canwasaperfectmasterpiece.’
‘Prettywell,Ithink,forabeginner,’remarkedMr.Boltercomplacently.
‘ThepotsItookoffairyrailings,andthemilk-canwasstandingbyitselfoutsideapublic-house.
Ithoughtitmightgetrustywiththerain,orcatchcold,yerknow.Eh?Ha!ha!ha!’
Faginaffectedtolaughveryheartily;andMr.Bolterhavinghadhislaughout,tookaseriesoflargebites,whichfinishedhisfirsthunkofbreadandbutter,andassistedhimselftoasecond.
‘Iwantyou,Bolter,’saidFagin,leaningoverthetable,‘todoapieceofworkforme,mydear,thatneedsgreatcareandcaution.’
‘Isay,’rejoinedBolter,‘don’tyergoshovingmeintodanger,orsendingmeanymoreo’yerpolice-offices.Thatdon’tsuitme,thatdon’t;andsoItellyer.’
‘That’snotthesmallestdangerinit—nottheverysmallest,’saidtheJew;‘it’sonlytododgeawoman.’
‘Anoldwoman?’demandedMr.Bolter.
‘Ayoungone,’repliedFagin.
‘Icandothatprettywell,Iknow,’saidBolter.‘IwasaregularcunningsneakwhenIwasatschool.WhatamItododgeherfor?Notto—’
‘Nottodoanything,buttotellmewhereshegoes,whoshesees,and,ifpossible,whatshesays;torememberthestreet,ifitisastreet,orthehouse,ifitisahouse;andtobringmebackalltheinformationyoucan.’
‘What’llyergiveme?’askedNoah,settingdownhiscup,andlookinghisemployer,eagerly,intheface.
‘Ifyoudoitwell,apound,mydear.Onepound,’saidFagin,wishingtointeresthiminthescentasmuchaspossible.
‘Andthat’swhatInevergaveyet,foranyjobofworkwheretherewasn’tvaluableconsiderationtobegained.’
‘Whoisshe?’inquiredNoah.
‘Oneofus.’
‘OhLor!’criedNoah,curlinguphisnose.‘Yerdoubtfulofher,areyer?’
‘Shehasfoundoutsomenewfriends,mydear,andImustknowwhotheyare,’repliedFagin.
‘Isee,’saidNoah.‘Justtohavethepleasureofknowingthem,ifthey’rerespectablepeople,eh?Ha!ha!ha!I’myourman.’
‘Iknewyouwouldbe,’criedFagin,elatedbythesuccessofhisproposal.
‘Ofcourse,ofcourse,’repliedNoah.‘Whereisshe?WhereamItowaitforher?WhereamItogo?’
‘Allthat,mydear,youshallhearfromme.I’llpointheroutatthepropertime,’saidFagin.‘Youkeepready,andleavetheresttome.’
Thatnight,andthenext,andthenextagain,thespysatbootedandequippedinhiscarter’sdress:readytoturnoutatawordfromFagin.
Sixnightspassed—sixlongwearynights—andoneach,Fagincamehomewithadisappointedface,andbrieflyintimatedthatitwasnotyettime.
Ontheseventh,hereturnedearlier,andwithanexultationhecouldnotconceal.ItwasSunday.
‘Shegoesabroadto-night,’saidFagin,‘andontherighterrand,I’msure;forshehasbeenaloneallday,andthemansheisafraidofwillnotbebackmuchbeforedaybreak.Comewithme.Quick!’
Noahstartedupwithoutsayingaword;fortheJewwasinastateofsuchintenseexcitementthatitinfectedhim.
Theyleftthehousestealthily,andhurryingthroughalabyrinthofstreets,arrivedatlengthbeforeapublic-house,whichNoahrecognisedasthesameinwhichhehadslept,onthenightofhisarrivalinLondon.
Itwaspasteleveno’clock,andthedoorwasclosed.ItopenedsoftlyonitshingesasFagingavealowwhistle.Theyentered,withoutnoise;andthedoorwasclosedbehindthem.
Scarcelyventuringtowhisper,butsubstitutingdumbshowforwords,Fagin,andtheyoungJewwhohadadmittedthem,pointedoutthepaneofglasstoNoah,andsignedtohimtoclimbupandobservethepersonintheadjoiningroom.
‘Isthatthewoman?’heasked,scarcelyabovehisbreath.
Faginnoddedyes.
‘Ican’tseeherfacewell,’whisperedNoah.‘Sheislookingdown,andthecandleisbehindher.
‘Staythere,’whisperedFagin.HesignedtoBarney,whowithdrew.
Inaninstant,theladenteredtheroomadjoining,and,underpretenceofsnuffingthecandle,moveditintherequiredposition,and,speakingtothegirl,causedhertoraiseherface.
‘Iseehernow,’criedthespy.
‘Plainly?’
‘Ishouldknowheramongathousand.’
Hehastilydescended,astheroom-dooropened,andthegirlcameout.
Fagindrewhimbehindasmallpartitionwhichwascurtainedoff,andtheyheldtheirbreathsasshepassedwithinafewfeetoftheirplaceofconcealment,andemergedbythedooratwhichtheyhadentered.
‘Hist!’criedtheladwhoheldthedoor.‘Dow.’
NoahexchangedalookwithFagin,anddartedout.
‘Totheleft,’whisperedthelad;‘takethelefthad,andkeepodtheotherside.’
Hedidso;and,bythelightofthelamps,sawthegirl’sretreatingfigure,alreadyatsomedistancebeforehim.
Headvancedasnearasheconsideredprudent,andkeptontheoppositesideofthestreet,thebettertoobservehermotions.
Shelookednervouslyround,twiceorthrice,andoncestoppedtolettwomenwhowerefollowingclosebehindher,passon.
Sheseemedtogathercourageassheadvanced,andtowalkwithasteadierandfirmerstep.
Thespypreservedthesamerelativedistancebetweenthem,andfollowed:withhiseyeuponher.
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