Chapter 255.docx

Chapter 255.docx

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Chapter255

Chapter25

WHEREINTHISHISTORYREVERTSTOMR.FAGINANDCOMPANY

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.'Whatdo_you_say,Charley?

'

'_I_shouldsay,'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.'

'SoI_do_doasshebidsme,'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'tlookat