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pray send them back； send him back the books and money。 Keep
me here all my life long； but pray； pray send them back。 He’ll
think I stole them； the old lady—all of them who were so kind to
me—will think I stole them。 Oh； do have mercy upon me； and send
them back！”
With those words； which were uttered with all the energy of
passionate grief； Oliver fell upon his knees at the Jews feet； and
beat his hands together； in perfect desperation。
“The boy’s right；” remarked Fagin； looking covertly round； and
knitting his shaggy eyebrows into a hard knot。 “You’re right；
Oliver； you’re right； they will think you have stolen ’em。 Ha！ ha！”
chuckled the Jew； rubbing his hands； “it couldn’t have happened
better； if we had chosen our time！”
“Of course it couldn’t；” replied Sikes； “I know’d that； directly I
see him coming through Clerkenwell； with the books under his
arm。 It’s all right enough。 They’re soft…hearted psalm…singers； or
they wouldn’t have taken him in at all； and they’ll ask no questions
after him； fear they should be obliged to prosecute； and so get him
lagged。 He’s safe enough。”
Oliver had looked from one to the other； while these words
were being spoken； as if he were bewildered； and could scarcely
understand what passed； but when Bill Sikes concluded； he
jumped suddenly to his feet； and tore wildly from the room；
uttering shrieks for help； which made the bare old house echo to
the roof。
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“Keep back the dog； Bill！” cried Nancy； springing before the
door； and closing it as the Jew and his two pupils darted out in
pursuit。 “Keep back the dog； he’ll tear the boy to pieces。”
“Serve him right！” cried Sikes； struggling to disengage himself
from the girl’s grasp。 “Stand off from me； or I’ll split your head
against the wall。”
“I don’t care for that； Bill； I don’t care for that；” screamed the
girl； struggling violently with the man； “the child shan’t be torn
down by the dog； unless you kill me first。”
“Shan’t he！” said Sikes； setting his teeth。 “I’ll soon do that if you
don’t keep off。”
The housekeeper flung the girl from him to the farther end of
the room； just as the Jew and the two boys returned； dragging
Oliver among them。
“What’s the matter here！” said Fagin； looking round。
“The girl’s gone mad I think；” replied Sikes savagely。
“No； she hasn’t；” said Nancy； pale and breathless from the
scuffle； “no； she hasn’t； Fagin； don’t think it。”
“Then keep quiet； will you？” said the Jew； with a threatening
look。
“No； I won’t do that； neither；” replied Nancy； speaking very
loud。 “Come！ What do you think of that？”
Mr。 Fagin was sufficiently well acquainted with the manners
and customs of that particular species of humanity to which Nancy
belonged； to feel tolerably certain that it would be rather unsafe to
prolong any conversation with her； at present。 With the view of
diverting the attention of the company； he turned to Oliver。
“So you wanted to get away； my dear； did you？” said the Jew；
taking up a jagged and knotted club which lay in a corner of the
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fireplace； “eh？”
Oliver made no reply。 But he watched the Jew’s motions； and
breathed quickly。
“Wanted to get assistance； called for the police； did you？”
sneered the Jew； catching the boy by the arm。 “We’ll cure you of
that； my young master。”
The Jew inflicted a smart blow on Oliver’s shoulders with the
club； and was raising it for a second； when the girl； rushing
forward； wrested it from his hand。 She flung it into the fire； with a
force that brought some of the glowing coal whirling out into the
room。
“I won’t stand by and see it done； Fagin；” cried the girl。 “You’ve
got the boy； and what more would you have？—Let him be—let
him be—or I shall put that mark on some of you； that will bring me
to the gallows before my time。”
The girl stamped her foot violently on the floor as she vented
this threat； and with her lips compressed； and her hands clenched；
looked alternately at the Jew and the other robber： her face quite
colourless from the passion of rage into which she had gradually
worked herself。
“Why； Nancy！” said the Jew； in a soothing tone； after a pause；
during which he and Mr。 Sikes had stared at one another in a
disconcerted manner； “you—you’re more clever than ever tonight。
Ha！ ha！ my dear； you are acting beautifully。”
“Am I！” said the girl。 “Take care I don’t overdo it。 You will be
the worse for it； Fagin； if I do； and so I tell you in good time to
keep clear of me。”
There is something about a roused woman； especially if she add
to all her other strong passions； the fierce impulses of recklessness
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and despair； which few men like to provoke。 The Jew saw that it
would be hopeless to affect any further mistake regarding the
reality of Miss Nancy’s rage； and； shrinking involuntarily back a
few paces； cast a glance； half…imploring and half…cowardly at Sikes；
as if to hint that he was the fittest person to pursue the dialogue。
Mr。 Sikes； thus mutely appealed to； and possibly feeling his
personal pride and influence interested in the immediate
reduction of Miss Nancy to reason； gave utterance to about a
couple of score of curses and threats； the rapid production of
which reflected great credit on the fertility of his invention。 As
they produced no visible effect on the object against whom they
were discharged； however； he resorted to more tangible
arguments。
“What do you mean by this？” said Sikes； backing the inquiry
with a very common imprecation concerning the most beautiful of
human features； which； if it were heard above； only once out of
every fifty thousand times that it is uttered below； would render
blindness as common a disorder as measles： “what do you mean
by it？ Burn my body！ Do you know who you are； and what you
are？”
“Oh； yes； I know all about it；” replied the girl； laughing
hysterically； and shaking her head from side to side； with a poor
assumption of indifference。
“Well； then； keep quiet；” rejoined Sikes； with a growl like that
he was accustomed to use when addressing his dog； “or I’ll quiet
you for a good long time to come。”
The girl laughed again； even less composedly than before； and；
darting a hasty look at Sikes； turned her face aside； and bit her lip
till the blood came。
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“You’re a nice one；” added Sikes； as he surveyed her with a
contemptuous air； “to take up the humane and genteel side！ A
pretty subject for the child； as you call him； to make a friend of！”
“God Almighty help me； I am！” cried the girl passionately； “and
I wish I had been struck dead in the street or had changed places
with them we passed so near tonight； before I had lent a hand in
bringing him here。 He’s a thief； a liar； a devil； all that’s bad； from
this night forth。 Isn’t that enough for the old wretch； without
blows？”
“Come； come； Sikes；” said the Jew； appealing to him in a
remonstratory tone； and motioning towards the boys； who were
eagerly attentive to all that passed； “we must have civil words—
civil words； Bill。”
“Civil words！” cried the girl； whose passion was frightful to see。
“Civil words； you villain！ Yes； you deserve ’em from me。 I thieved
for you when I was a child not half as old as this！” pointing to
Oliver。 “I have been in the same trade； and in the same service； for
twelve years since。 Don’t you know it？ Speak out！ Don’t you know
it？”
“Well； well；” replied the Jew； with an attempt at pacification
“and； if you have； it’s your living！”
“Aye； it is！” returned the girl； not speaking； but pouring out the
words in one continuous and vehement scream。 “It is my living；
and the cold； wet； dirty streets are my home； and you’re the
wretch that drove me to them long ago； and that’ll keep me there；
day and night； day and night； till I die！”
“I shall do you a mischief！” interposed the Jew； goaded by these
reproaches； “a mischief worse than that； if you say much more！”
The girl said nothing； but； tearing her hair and dress in a
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transport of frenzy； made such a rush at the Jew as would
probably have left signal marks of her revenge upon him； had not
her wrists been seized by Sikes at the right moment； upon which；
she made a few ineffectual struggles； and fainted。 “She’s all right
now；” said Sikes； laying her down in a corner。 “She’s uncommon
strong in the arms； when she’s up in this way。”
The Jew wiped his forehead and smiled； as if it were a relief to
have the disturbance over； but neither he； nor Sikes nor the dog；
nor the boys； seemed to consider it in any other light than a
common occurrence incidental to business。
“It’s the worst of having to do with women；” said the J