ASTRANGEINTERVIEW，WHICHISASEQUELTOTHELASTCHAMBER
Thegirl'slifehadbeensquanderedinthestreets，andamongthemostnoisomeofthestewsanddensofLondon，buttherewassomethingofthewoman'soriginalnatureleftinherstill；andwhensheheardalightstepapproachingthedooroppositetothatbywhichshehadentered，andthoughtofthewidecontrastwhichthesmallroomwouldinanothermomentcontain，shefeltburdenedwiththesenseofherowndeepshame，andshrunkasthoughshecouldscarcelybearthepresenceofherwithwhomshehadsoughtthisinterview。
Butstrugglingwiththesebetterfeelingswaspride，--theviceofthelowestandmostdebasedcreaturesnolessthanofthehighandself-assured。Themiserablecompanionofthievesandruffians，thefallenoutcastoflowhaunts，theassociateofthescouringsofthejailsandhulks，livingwithintheshadowofthegallowsitself，--eventhisdegradedbeingfelttooproudtobetrayafeeblegleamofthewomanlyfeelingwhichshethoughtaweakness，butwhichaloneconnectedherwiththathumanity，ofwhichherwastinglifehadobliteratedsomany，manytraceswhenaverychild。
Sheraisedhereyessufficientlytoobservethatthefigurewhichpresenteditselfwasthatofaslightandbeautifulgirl；then，bendingthemontheground，shetossedherheadwithaffectedcarelessnessasshesaid：
‘It'sahardmattertogettoseeyou，lady。IfIhadtakenoffence，andgoneaway，asmanywouldhavedone，you'dhavebeensorryforitoneday，andnotwithoutreasoneither。’
‘Iamverysorryifanyonehasbehavedharshlytoyou，’repliedRose。‘Donotthinkofthat。Tellmewhyyouwishedtoseeme。Iamthepersonyouinquiredfor。’
Thekindtoneofthisanswer，thesweetvoice，thegentlemanner，theabsenceofanyaccentofhaughtinessordispleasure，tookthegirlcompletelybysurprise，andsheburstintotears。
‘Oh，lady，lady！’shesaid，claspingherhandspassionatelybeforeherface，‘iftherewasmorelikeyou，therewouldbefewerlikeme，--therewould--therewould！’
‘Sitdown，’saidRose，earnestly。‘IfyouareinpovertyorafflictionIshallbetrulygladtorelieveyouifIcan，--Ishallindeed。Sitdown。’
‘Letmestand，lady，’saidthegirl，stillweeping，‘anddonotspeaktomesokindlytillyouknowmebetter。Itisgrowinglate。Is--is--thatdoorshut？’
‘Yes，’saidRose，recoilingafewsteps，asiftobenearerassistanceincasesheshouldrequireit。‘Why？’
‘Because，’saidthegirl，‘Iamabouttoputmylifeandthelivesofothersinyourhands。IamthegirlthatdraggedlittleOliverbacktooldFagin'sonthenighthewentoutfromthehouseinPentonville。’
‘You！’saidRoseMaylie。
‘I，lady！’repliedthegirl。‘Iamtheinfamouscreatureyouhaveheardof，thatlivesamongthethieves，andthatneverfromthefirstmomentIcanrecollectmyeyesandsensesopeningonLondonstreetshaveknownanybetterlife，orkinderwordsthantheyhavegivenme，sohelpmeGod！Donotmindshrinkingopenlyfromme，lady。Iamyoungerthanyouwouldthink，tolookatme，butIamwellusedtoit。Thepoorestwomenfallback，asImakemywayalongthecrowdedpavement。’
‘Whatdreadfulthingsarethese！’saidRose，involuntarilyfallingfromherstrangecompanion。
‘ThankHeavenuponyourknees，dearlady，’criedthegirl，‘thatyouhadfriendstocareforandkeepyouinyourchildhood，andthatyouwereneverinthemidstofcoldandhunger，andriotanddrunkenness，and--and--somethingworsethanall--asIhavebeenfrommycradle。Imayusetheword，forthealleyandthegutterweremine，astheywillbemydeathbed。’
‘Ipityyou！’saidRose，inabrokenvoice。‘Itwringsmyhearttohearyou！’
‘Heavenblessyouforyourgoodness！’rejoinedthegirl。‘IfyouknewwhatIamsometimes，youwouldpityme，indeed。ButIhavestolenawayfromthosewhowouldsurelymurderme，iftheyknewIhadbeenhere，totellyouwhatIhaveoverheard。DoyouknowamannamedMonks？’
‘No，’saidRose。
‘Heknowsyou，’repliedthegirl；‘andknewyouwerehere，foritwasbyhearinghimtelltheplacethatIfoundyouout。’
‘Ineverheardthename，’saidRose。
‘Thenhegoesbysomeotheramongstus，’rejoinedthegirl，‘whichImorethanthoughtbefore。Sometimeago，andsoonafterOliverwasputintoyourhouseonthenightoftherobbery，I--suspectingthisman--listenedtoaconversationheldbetweenhimandFagininthedark。Ifoundout，fromwhatIheard，thatMonks--themanIaskedyouabout，youknow--’
‘Yes，’saidRose，‘Iunderstand。’
‘--ThatMonks，’pursuedthegirl，‘hadseenhimaccidentlywithtwoofourboysonthedaywefirstlosthim，andhadknownhimdirectlytobethesamechildthathewaswatchingfor，thoughIcouldn'tmakeoutwhy。AbargainwasstruckwithFagin，thatifOliverwasgotbackheshouldhaveacertainsum；andhewastohavemoreformakinghimathief，whichthisMonkswantedforsomepurposeofhisown。’
‘Forwhatpurpose？’askedRose。
‘HecaughtsightofmyshadowonthewallasIlistened，inthehopeoffindingout，’saidthegirl；‘andtherearenotmanypeoplebesidesmethatcouldhavegotoutoftheirwayintimetoescapediscovery。ButIdid；andIsawhimnomoretilllastnight。’
‘Andwhatoccurredthen？’
‘I'lltellyou，lady。Lastnighthecameagain。Againtheywentupstairs，andI，wrappingmyselfupsothatmyshadowwouldnotbetrayme，againlistenedatthedoor。ThefirstwordsIheardMonkssaywerethese：“Sotheonlyproofsoftheboy'sidentitylieatthebottomoftheriver，andtheoldhagthatreceivedthemfromthemotherisrottinginhercoffin。”Theylaughed，andtalkedofhissuccessindoingthis；andMonks，talkingonabouttheboy，andgettingverywild，saidthatthoughhehadgottheyoungdevil'smoneysafelynow，he'dratherhavehadittheotherway；for，whatagameitwouldhavebeentohavebroughtdowntheboastofthefather'swill，bydrivinghimthrougheveryjailintown，andthenhaulinghimupforsomecapitalfelonywhichFagincouldeasilymanage，afterhavingmadeagoodprofitofhimbesides。’
‘Whatisallthis！’saidRose。
‘Thetruth，lady，thoughitcomesfrommylips，’repliedthegirl。‘Then，hesaid，withoathscommonenoughinmyears，butstrangetoyours，thatifhecouldgratifyhishatredbytakingtheboy'slifewithoutbringinghisownneckindanger，hewould；but，ashecouldn't，he'dbeuponthewatchtomeethimateveryturninlife；andifhetookadvantageofhisbirthandhistory，hemightharmhimyet。“Inshort，Fagin，”hesays，“Jewasyouare，youneverlaidsuchsnaresasI'llcontriveformyyoungbrother，Oliver。”’
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