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Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist 154
came from the heart or not； made their way through the nose。
“Nobody？” inquired Fagin； in a tone of surprise； which perhaps
might mean that Barney was at liberty to tell the truth。
“Dobody but Biss Dadsy；” replied Barney。
“Nancy！” exclaimed Sikes。 “Where？ Strike me blind； if I don’t
honour that ’ere girl； for her native talents。”
“She’s bid havid a plate of boiled beef id the bar；” replied
Barney。
“Send her here；” said Sikes； pouring out a glass of liquor。
“Send her here。”
Barney looked timidly at Fagin； as if for permission； the Jew
remaining silent； and not lifting his eyes from the ground； he
retired； and presently returned； ushering in Nancy； who was
decorated with the bonnet； apron； basket； and street door key；
complete。
“You are on the scent； are you； Nancy？” inquired Sikes；
proffering the glass。
“Yes； I am； Bill；” replied the young lady； disposing of its
contents； “and tired enough of it I am； too。 The young brat’s been
ill and confined to the crib； and—”
“Ah； Nancy dear！” said Fagin； looking up。
Now； whether a peculiar contraction of the Jew’s red eyebrows；
and a half…closing of his deeply…set eyes；—warned Miss Nancy that
she was disposed to be too communicative； is not a matter of much
importance。 The fact is all we need care for here； and the fact is；
that she suddenly checked herself； and with several gracious
smiles upon Mr； Sikes； turned the conversation to other matters。
In about ten minutes’ time； Mr。 Fagin was seized with a fit of
coughing； upon which Nancy pulled her shawl over her shoulders；
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Oliver Twist 155
and declared it was time to go。 Mr。 Sikes； finding that he was
walking a short part of her way himself； expressed his intention of
accompanying her； and they went away together； followed； at a
little distance； by the dog； who slunk out of a back…yard as soon as
his master was out of sight。
The Jew thrust his head out of the room door when Sikes had
left it； looked after him as he walked up the dark passage； shook
his clenched fist； muttered a deep curse； and then； with a horrible
grin； reseated himself at the table； where he was soon deeply
absorbed in the interesting pages of the Hue…and…Cry。
Meanwhile； Oliver Twist； little dreaming that he was within so
very short a distance of the merry old gentleman； was on his way
to the bookstall。 When he got into Clerkenwell； he accidentally
turned down a by…street which was not exactly in his way： but not
discovering his mistake until he had got half…way down it； and
knowing it must lead in the right direction； he did not think it
worth while to turn back； and so marched on； as quickly as he
could； with the books under his arm。
He was walking along； thinking how happy and contented he
ought to feel； and how much he would give for only one look at
poor little Dick； who； starved and beaten； might be weeping
bitterly at that very moment； when he was startled by a young
woman screaming out very loud； “Oh； my dear brother！” And he
had hardly looked up to see what the matter was； when he was
stopped by having a pair of arms thrown right round his neck。
“Don’t；” cried Oliver； struggling。 “Let go of me。 Who is it？ What
are you stopping me for？”
The only reply to this； was a great number of loud lamentations
from the young woman who had embraced him； and who had a
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Oliver Twist 156
little basket and a street door key in her hand。
“Oh； my gracious！” said the young woman。 “I’ve found him！ Oh！
Oliver！ Oliver！ Oh； you naughty boy； to make me suffer such
distress on your account！ Come home； dear； come。 Oh； I’ve found
him。 Thank gracious goodness heavins； I’ve found him！” With
these incoherent exclamations； the young woman burst into
another fit of crying； and got so dreadfully hysterical； that a couple
of women who came up at the moment asked a butcher’s boy with
a shiny head of hair anointed with suet； who was also looking on；
whether he didn’t think he had better run for the doctor。 To
which； the butcher’s boy； who appeared of a lounging； not to say
indolent disposition； replied that he thought not。
“Oh； no； no； never mind；” said the young woman； grasping
Oliver’s hand； “I’m better now。 Come home directly； you cruel
boy！ Come！”
“What’s the matter； ma’am？” inquired one of the women。
“Oh； ma’am；” replied the young woman； “he ran away； near a
month ago； from his parents； who are hard…working and
respectable people； and went and joined a set of thieves and bad
characters； and almost broke his mother’s heart。”
“Young wretch！” said the woman。
“Go home； do； you little brute；” said the other。
“I’m not；” replied Oliver； greatly alarmed。 “I don’t know her。 I
haven’t any sister； or father and mother either。 I’m an orphan； I
live at Pentonville。”
“Only hear him； how he braves it out！” cried the young woman。
“Why； it’s Nancy！” exclaimed Oliver； who now saw her face for
the first time； and started back； in irrepressible astonishment。
“You see he knows me！” cried Nancy； appealing to the
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Oliver Twist 157
bystanders。 “He can’t help himself。 Make him come home； there’s
good people； or he’ll kill his dear mother and father； and break my
heart！”
“What the devil’s this？” said a man； bursting out of a beer…shop；
with a white dog at his heels； “young Oliver！ Come home to your
poor mother； you young dog！ Come home directly。”
“I don’t belong to them。 I don’t know them。 Help！ help！” cried
Oliver； struggling in the man’s powerful grasp。
“Help！” repeated the man。 “Yes； I’ll help you； you young rascal！
What books are these？ You’ve been a…stealin’ ’em； have you？ Give
’em here。” With these words； the man tore the volumes from his
grasp； and struck him on the head。
“That’s right！” cried a looker…on； from a garret window。 “That’s
the only way of bringing him to his senses！”
“To be sure！” cried a sleepy…faced carpenter； casting an
approving look at the garret window。
“It’ll do him good！” said the two women。
“And he shall have it； too！” rejoined the man； administering
another blow； and seizing Oliver by the collar。 “Come on； you
young villain！ Here； Bull’s…eye； mind him； boy！ Mind him！”
Weak with recent illness； stupefied by the blows and the
suddenness of the attack； terrified by the fierce growling of the
dog； and the brutality of the man； overpowered by the conviction
of the bystanders that he really was the hardened little wretch he
was described to be； what could one poor child do！ Darkness had
set in； it was a low neighbourhood； no help was near； resistance
was useless。 In another moment； he was dragged into a labyrinth
of dark； narrow courts； and was forced along them at a pace which
rendered the few cries he dared to give utterance to； wholly
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Oliver Twist 158
unintelligible。 It was of little moment； indeed； whether they were
intelligible or no； for there was nobody to care for them； had they
been ever so plain。
*****
The gas…lamps were lighted； Mrs。 Bedwin was waiting
anxiously at the open door；—the servant had run up the street
twenty times to see if there were any traces of Oliver； and still the
two old gentlemen sat； perseveringly； in the dark parlour； with the
watch between them。
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Chapter 16
Relates What Became Of Oliver Twist； After He Had
Been Claimed By Nancy。
The narrow streets and courts； at length； terminated in a
large open space； scattered about which； were pens for
beasts； and other indications of a cattle…market。 Sikes
slackened his pace when they reached this spot； the girl being
quite unable to support any longer the rapid rate at which they
had hitherto walked。 Turning to Oliver； he roughly commanded
him to take hold of Nancy’s hand。
“Do you hear？” growled Sikes； as Oliver hesitated； and looked
round。
They were in a dark corner； quite out of the track of passengers。
Oliver saw； but too plainly； that resistance would be of no avail。 He
held out his hand； which Nancy clasped tight in hers。
“Give me the other；” said Sikes； seizing Oliver’s unoccupied
hand。 “Here； Bull’s…Eye！”
The dog looked up； and growled。
“See here； boy！” said Sikes； putting his other hand to Oliver’s
throat； “if he speaks ever so soft a word； hold him！ D’ye mind！”
The dog growled again； and licking his lips； eyed Oliver as if he
were anxious to attach himself to his windpipe without delay。
“He’s as willing as a Christian； strike me blind if he isn’t！” said
Sikes； regarding the animal with a kind of grim and ferocious
approval。 “Now； you know what you’ve got to expect； master； so
call away as quick as you like； the dog will soon stop that game。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
Oliver Twist