SHOWINGHOWVERYFONDOFOLIVERTWIST，THEMERRYOLDJEWANDMISSNANCYWERE
Intheobscureparlourofalowpublic-house，inthefilthiestpartofLittleSaffronHill；adarkandgloomyden，whereaflaringgas-lightburntalldayinthewinter-time；andwherenorayofsunevershoneinthesummer：theresat，broodingoveralittlepewtermeasureandasmallglass，stronglyimpregnatedwiththesmellofliquor，amaninavelveteencoat，drabshorts，half-bootsandstockings，whomevenbythatdimlightnoexperiencedagentofthepolicewouldhavehesitatedtorecogniseasMr。WilliamSikes。Athisfeet，satawhite-coated，red-eyeddog；whooccupiedhimself，alternately，inwinkingathismasterwithbotheyesatthesametime；andinlickingalarge，freshcutononesideofhismouth，whichappearedtobetheresultofsomerecentconflict。
‘Keepquiet，youwarmint！Keepquiet！’saidMr。Sikes，suddenlybreakingsilence。Whetherhismeditationsweresointenseastobedisturbedbythedog'swinking，orwhetherhisfeelingsweresowroughtuponbyhisreflectionsthattheyrequiredallthereliefderivablefromkickinganunoffendinganimaltoallaythem，ismatterforargumentandconsideration。Whateverwasthecause，theeffectwasakickandacurse，bestoweduponthedogsimultaneously。
Dogsarenotgenerallyapttorevengeinjuriesinflicteduponthembytheirmasters；butMr。Sikes'sdog，havingfaultsoftemperincommonwithhisowner，andlabouring，perhaps，atthismoment，underapowerfulsenseofinjury，madenomoreadobutatoncefixedhisteethinoneofthehalf-boots。Havinggiveninaheartyshake，heretired，growling，underaform；justescapingthepewtermeasurewhichMr。Sikeslevelledathishead。
‘Youwould，wouldyou？’saidSikes，seizingthepokerinonehand，anddeliberatelyopeningwiththeotheralargeclasp-knife，whichhedrewfromhispocket。‘Comehere，youborndevil！Comehere！D'yehear？’
Thedognodoubtheard；becauseMr。Sikesspokeintheveryharshestkeyofaveryharshvoice；but，appearingtoentertainsomeunaccountableobjectiontohavinghisthroatcut，heremainedwherehewas，andgrowledmorefiercelythanbefore：atthesametimegraspingtheendofthepokerbetweenhisteeth，andbitingatitlikeawildbeast。
ThisresistanceonlyinfuriatedMr。Sikesthemore；who，droppingonhisknees，begantoassailtheanimalmostfuriously。Thedogjumpedfromrighttoleft，andfromlefttoright；snapping，growling，andbarking；themanthrustandswore，andstruckandblasphemed；andthestrugglewasreachingamostcriticalpointforoneorother；when，thedoorsuddenlyopening，thedogdartedout：leavingBillSikeswiththepokerandtheclasp-knifeinhishands。
Theremustalwaysbetwopartiestoaquarrel，saystheoldadage。Mr。Sikes，beingdisappointedofthedog'sparticipation，atoncetransferredhisshareinthequarreltothenewcomer。
‘Whatthedevildoyoucomeinbetweenmeandmydogfor？’saidSikes，withafiercegesture。
‘Ididn'tknow，mydear，Ididn'tknow，’repliedFagin，humbly；fortheJewwasthenewcomer。
‘Didn'tknow，youwhite-liveredthief！’growledSikes。‘Couldn'tyouhearthenoise？’
‘Notasoundofit，asI'malivingman，Bill，’repliedtheJew。
‘Ohno！Youhearnothing，youdon't，’retortedSikeswithafiercesneer。‘Sneakinginandout，soasnobodyhearshowyoucomeorgo！Iwishyouhadbeenthedog，Fagin，halfaminuteago。’
‘Why？’inquiredtheJewwithaforcedsmile。
‘Causethegovernment，ascaresforthelivesofsuchmenasyou，ashaven'thalfthepluckofcurs，letsamankilladoghowhelikes，’repliedSikes，shuttinguptheknifewithaveryexpressivelook；‘that'swhy。’
TheJewrubbedhishands；and，sittingdownatthetable，affectedtolaughatthepleasantryofhisfriend。Hewasobviouslyveryillatease，however。
‘Grinaway，’saidSikes，replacingthepoker，andsurveyinghimwithsavagecontempt；‘grinaway。You'llneverhavethelaughatme，though，unlessit'sbehindanightcap。I'vegottheupperhandoveryou，Fagin；and，d--me，I'llkeepit。There！IfIgo，yougo；sotakecareofme。’
‘Well，well，mydear，’saidtheJew，‘Iknowallthat；we--we--haveamutualinterest，Bill，--amutualinterest。’
‘Humph，’saidSikes，asifhethoughttheinterestlayrathermoreontheJew'ssidethanonhis。‘Well，whathaveyougottosaytome？’
‘It'sallpassedsafethroughthemelting-pot，’repliedFagin，‘andthisisyourshare。It'srathermorethanitoughttobe，mydear；butasIknowyou'lldomeagoodturnanothertime，and--’
‘Stowthatgammon，’interposedtherobber，impatiently。‘Whereisit？Handover！’
‘Yes，yes，Bill；givemetime，givemetime，’repliedtheJew，soothingly。‘Hereitis！Allsafe！’Ashespoke，hedrewforthanoldcottonhandkerchieffromhisbreast；anduntyingalargeknotinonecorner，producedasmallbrown-paperpacket。Sikes，snatchingitfromhim，hastilyopenedit；andproceededtocountthesovereignsitcontained。
‘Thisisall，isit？’inquiredSikes。
‘All，’repliedtheJew。
‘Youhaven'topenedtheparcelandswallowedoneortwoasyoucomealong，haveyou？’inquiredSikes，suspiciously。‘Don'tputonaninjuredlookatthequestion；you'vedoneitmanyatime。Jerkthetinkler。’
Thesewords，inplainEnglish，conveyedaninjunctiontoringthebell。ItwasansweredbyanotherJew：youngerthanFagin，butnearlyasvileandrepulsiveinappearance。
BillSikesmerelypointedtotheemptymeasure。TheJew，perfectlyunderstandingthehint，retiredtofillit：previouslyexchangingaremarkablelookwithFagin，whoraisedhiseyesforaninstant，asifinexpectationofit，andshookhisheadinreply；soslightlythattheactionwouldhavebeenalmostimperceptibletoanobservantthirdperson。ItwaslostuponSikes，whowasstoopingatthemomenttotietheboot-lacewhichthedoghadtorn。Possibly，ifhehadobservedthebriefinterchangeofsignals，hemighthavethoughtthatitbodednogoodtohim。
‘Isanybodyhere，Barney？’inquiredFagin；speaking，nowthatthatSikeswaslookingon，withoutraisinghiseyesfromtheground。
‘Dotashoul，’repliedBarney；whosewords：whethertheycamefromtheheartornot：madetheirwaythroughthenose。
‘Nobody？’inquiredFagin，inatoneofsurprise：whichperhapsmightmeanthatBarneywasatlibertytotellthetruth。
‘DobodybutBissDadsy，’repliedBarney。
‘Nancy！’exclaimedSikes。‘Where？Strikemeblind，ifIdon'thonourthat’eregirl，forhernativetalents。‘
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