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to be seen or heard—which he had as much chance of being； as if
he had lived inside the ball of St。 Paul’s Cathedral。
One afternoon； the Dodger and Master Bates being engaged out
that evening； the first…named young gentleman took it into his
head to evince some anxiety regarding the decoration of his
person （which to do him justice； was by no means an habitual
weakness with him）； and； with this end and aim； he
condescendingly commanded Oliver to assist him in his toilet；
straightway。
Oliver was but too glad to make himself useful； too happy to
have some faces； however bad； to look upon； and too desirous to
conciliate those about him； when he could honestly do so； to throw
any objection in the way of this proposal。 So he at once expressed
his readiness； and； kneeling on the floor； while the Dodger sat
upon the table； so that he could take his foot in his lap； he applied
himself to a process which Mr。 Dawkins designated as “japanning
his trotter…cases。” Which phrase； rendered into plain English；
signifieth； cleaning his boots。
Whether it was the sense of freedom and independence which a
rational animal may be supposed to feel when he sits on a table in
an easy attitude smoking a pipe； swinging one leg carelessly to and
fro； and having his boots cleaned all the time； without even the
past trouble of having taken them off； or the prospective misery of
putting them on； to disturb his reflections； or whether it was the
goodness of the tobacco that soothed the feelings of the Dodger； or
the mildness of the beer that mollified his thoughts； he was
evidently tinctured； for the nonce； with a spice of romance and
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enthusiasm； foreign to his general nature。 He looked down on
Oliver； with a thoughtful countenance； for a brief space； and then；
raising his head； and heaving a gentle sigh； said； half in
abstractions； and half to Mr。 Bates：
“What a pity it is he isn’t a prig！”
“Ah！” said Master Charles Bates； “he don’t know what’s good
for him。”
The Dodger sighed again； and resumed his pipe： as did Charley
Bates。 They both smoked； for some seconds； in silence。
“I suppose you don’t even know what a prig is？” said the
Dodger mournfully。
“I think I know that；” replied Oliver； looking up。 “It’s a th—
You’re one； are you not？” inquired Oliver； checking himself。
“I am；” replied the Dodger。 “I’d scorn to be anything else。” Mr。
Dawkins gave his hat a ferocious cock； after delivering this
sentiment； and looked at Master Bates； as if to denote that he
would feel obliged by his saying anything to the contrary。
“I am；” repeated the Dodger。 “So’s Charley。 So’s Fagin。 So’s
Sikes。 So’s Nancy。 So’s Bet。 So we all are； down to the dog； and
he’s the downiest one of the lot！”
“And the least given to preaching；” added Charley Bates。
“He wouldn’t so much as bark in a witness…box； for fear of
committing himself； no； nor if you tied him up in one； and left him
there without wittles for a fortnight；” said the Dodger。
“Not a bit of it；” observed Charley。
“He’s a rum dog。 Don’t he look fierce at any strange cove that
laughs or sings when he’s in company！” pursued the Dodger。
“Won’t he growl at all； when he hears a fiddle playing！ And don’t
he hate other dogs as ain’t of his breed！ Oh； no！”
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“He’s an out…and…out Christian；” said Charley。
This was merely intended as a tribute to the animal’s abilities；
but it was an appropriate remark in another sense； if Master Bates
had only known it； for there are a good many ladies and
gentlemen； claiming to be out…and…out Christians； between whom；
and Mr。 Sikes’s dog； there exist strong and singular points of
resemblance。
“Well； well；” said the Dodger； recurring to the point from which
they had strayed； with that mindfulness of his profession which
influenced all his proceedings。 “This hasn’t got anything to do
with young Green here。”
“No more it has；” said Charley。 “Why don’t you put yourself
under Fagin； Oliver—”
“And make your fortun’ out of hand？” added the Dodger； with a
grin。
“And so be able to retire on your property； and do the genteel；
as I mean to； in the very next leap…year but four that ever comes；
and the forty…second Tuesday in Trinity…week；” said Charley
Bates。
“I don’t like it；” rejoined Oliver timidly； “I wish they would let
me go。 I—I—would rather go。”
“And Fagin would rather not！” rejoined Charley。
Oliver knew this too well： but thinking it might be dangerous to
express his feelings more openly； he only sighed； and went on with
his boot…cleaning。
“Go！” exclaimed the Dodger。 “Why； where’s your spirit？ Don’t
you take any pride out of yourself？ Would you go and be
dependent on your friends？”
“Oh； blow that！” said Master Bates； drawing two or three silk
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handkerchiefs from his pocket； and tossing them into a cupboard；
“that’s too mean； that is。”
“I couldn’t do it；” said the Dodger； with an air of haughty
disgust。
“You can leave your friends； though；” said Oliver； with a half…
smile； “and let them be punished for what you did。”
“That；” rejoined the Dodger； with a wave of his pipe—“that was
all out of consideration for Fagin； ’cause the traps know that we
work together； and he might have got into trouble if we hadn’t
made our lucky； that was the move； wasn’t it； Charley？”
Master Bates nodded assent； and would have spoken； but the
recollection of Oliver’s flight came so suddenly upon him； that the
smoke he was inhaling got entangled with a laugh； and went up
into his head； and down into his throat； and brought on a fit of
coughing and stamping； about five minutes long。
“Look here！” said the Dodger； drawing forth a handful of
shillings and halfpence； “here’s a jolly life！ What’s the odds where
it comes from？ Here； catch hold； there’s plenty more where they
were took from。 You won’t； won’t you？ Oh； you precious flat！”
“It’s naughty； ain’t it； Oliver？” inquired Charley Bates。 “He’ll
come to be scragged； won’t he？”
“I don’t know what that means；” replied Oliver。
“Something in this way； old feller；” said Charley。 As he said it；
Master Bates caught up an end of his neckerchief； and； holding it
erect in the air； dropped his head on his shoulder； and jerked a
curious sound through his teeth； thereby indicating； by a lively
pantomimic representation； that scragging and hanging were one
and the same thing。
“That’s what it means；” said Charley。 “Look how he stares；
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Jack！ I never did see such prime company as that ’ere boy； he’ll be
the death of me； I know he will。” Master Charles Bates； having
laughed heartily again； resumed his pipe with tears in his eves。
“You’ve been brought up bad；” said the Dodger； surveying his
boots with much satisfaction when Oliver had polished them。
“Fagin will make something of you； though； or you’ll be the first he
ever had that turned out unprofitable。 You’d better begin at once；
for you’ll come to the trade long before you think of it； and you’re
only losing time； Oliver。”
Master Bates backed this advice with sundry moral
admonitions of his own； which； being exhausted； he and his friend
Mr。 Dawkins launched into a glowing description of the numerous
pleasures incidental to the life they led； interspersed with a variety
of hints to Oliver that the best thing he could do； would be to
secure Fagin’s favour without more delay； by the means which
they themselves had employed to gain it。
“And always put this in your pipe； Nolly；” said the Dodger； as
the Jew was heard unlocking the door above； “if you don’t take
fogles and tickers—”
“What’s the good of talking in that way？” interposed Master
Bates； “he don’t know what you mean。”
“If you don’t take pocket…handkerchiefs and watches；” said the
Dodger； reducing his conversation to the level of Oliver’s capacity；
“some other cove will； so that the coves that lose ’em will be all the
worse； and you’ll be all the worse too； and nobody half a ha’p’orth
the better； except the chaps wot gets them—and you’ve just as
good a right to them as they have。”
“To be sure； to be sure！” said the Jew； who had entered； unseen
by Oliver。 “It all lies in a nutshell； my dear； in a nutshell； take the
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Dodger’s word for it。 Ha！ ha！ ha！ He understands the catechism of
his trade。”
The old man rubbed his hands gleefully together； as he
corroborated the Dodger’s reasoning in these terms； and chuckled
with delight at his pupil’s proficiency。
The conversation proceeded no further at this time； for the Jew
had returned home accompanied by Miss Betsy； and a gentleman
whom Oliver had never seen before； but who was accosted by the
Dodger as To