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ANOLDACQUAINTANCEOFOLIVER‘S，EXHIBITINGDECIDEDMARKSOFGENIUS，BECOMESAPUBLICCHARACTERINTHEMETROPOLIS
UponthenightwhenNancy，havinglulledMr。Sikestosleep，hurriedonherself-imposedmissiontoRoseMaylie，thereadvancedtowardsLondon，bytheGreatNorthRoad，twopersons，uponwhomitisexpedientthatthishistoryshouldbestowsomeattention。
Theywereamanandwoman；orperhapstheywouldbebetterdescribedasamaleandfemale：fortheformerwasoneofthoselong-limbed，knock-kneed，shambling，bonypeople，towhomitisdifficulttoassignanypreciseage，--lookingastheydo，whentheyareyetboys，likeundergrownmen，andwhentheyarealmostmen，likeovergrownboys。Thewomanwasyoung，butofarobustandhardymake，assheneedhavebeentobeartheweightoftheheavybundlewhichwasstrappedtoherback。Hercompanionwasnotencumberedwithmuchluggage，astheremerelydangledfromastickwhichhecarriedoverhisshoulder，asmallparcelwrappedinacommonhandkerchief，andapparentlylightenough。Thiscircumstance，addedtothelengthofhislegs，whichwereofunusualextent，enabledhimwithmucheasetokeepsomehalf-dozenpacesinadvanceofhiscompanion，towhomheoccasionallyturnedwithanimpatientjerkofthehead：asifreproachinghertardiness，andurginghertogreaterexertion。
Thus，theyhadtoiledalongthedustyroad，takinglittleheedofanyobjectwithinsight，savewhentheysteppedasidetoallowawiderpassageforthemail-coacheswhichwerewhirlingoutoftown，untiltheypassedthroughHighgatearchway；whentheforemosttravellerstoppedandcalledimpatientlytohiscompanion，
‘Comeon，can'tyer？Whatalazybonesyerare，Charlotte。’
‘It'saheavyload，Icantellyou，’saidthefemale，comingup，almostbreathlesswithfatigue。
‘Heavy！Whatareyertalkingabout？Whatareyermadefor？’rejoinedthemaletraveller，changinghisownlittlebundleashespoke，totheothershoulder。‘Oh，thereyerare，restingagain！Well，ifyerain'tenoughtotireanybody'spatienceout，Idon'tknowwhatis！’
‘Isitmuchfarther？’askedthewoman，restingherselfagainstabank，andlookingupwiththeperspirationstreamingfromherface。
‘Muchfarther！Yerasgoodasthere，’saidthelong-leggedtramper，pointingoutbeforehim。‘Lookthere！ThosearethelightsofLondon。’
‘They'reagoodtwomileoff，atleast，’saidthewomandespondingly。
‘Nevermindwhetherthey'retwomileoff，ortwenty，’saidNoahClaypole；forheitwas；‘butgetupandcomeon，orI'llkickyer，andsoIgiveyernotice。’
AsNoah'srednosegrewredderwithanger，andashecrossedtheroadwhilespeaking，asiffullypreparedtoputhisthreatintoexecution，thewomanrosewithoutanyfurtherremark，andtrudgedonwardbyhisside。
‘Wheredoyoumeantostopforthenight，Noah？’sheasked，aftertheyhadwalkedafewhundredyards。
‘HowshouldIknow？’repliedNoah，whosetemperhadbeenconsiderablyimpairedbywalking。
‘Near，Ihope，’saidCharlotte。
‘No，notnear，’repliedMr。Claypole。‘There！Notnear；sodon'tthinkit。’
‘Whynot？’
‘WhenItellyerthatIdon'tmeantodoathing，that'senough，withoutanywhyorbecauseeither，’repliedMr。Claypolewithdignity。
‘Well，youneedn'tbesocross，’saidhiscompanion。
‘Aprettythingitwouldbe，wouldn'tittogoandstopattheveryfirstpublic-houseoutsidethetown，sothatSowerberry，ifhecomeupafterus，mightpokeinhisoldnose，andhaveustakenbackinacartwithhandcuffson，’saidMr。Claypoleinajeeringtone。‘No！IshallgoandlosemyselfamongthenarroweststreetsIcanfind，andnotstoptillwecometotheveryout-of-the-wayesthouseIcanseteyeson。’Cod，yermaythanksyerstarsI'vegotahead；forifwehadn'tgone，atfirst，thewrongroadapurpose，andcomebackacrosscountry，yer'dhavebeenlockeduphardandfastaweekago，mylady。Andserveyerrightforbeingafool。‘
‘IknowIain'tascunningasyouare，’repliedCharlotte；‘butdon'tputalltheblameonme，andsayIshouldhavebeenlockedup。YouwouldhavebeenifIhadbeen，anyway。’
‘Yertookthemoneyfromthetill，yerknowyerdid，’saidMr。Claypole。
‘Itookitforyou，Noah，dear，’rejoinedCharlotte。
‘DidIkeepit？’askedMr。Claypole。
‘No；youtrustedinme，andletmecarryitlikeadear，andsoyouare，’saidthelady，chuckinghimunderthechin，anddrawingherarmthroughhis。
Thiswasindeedthecase；butasitwasnotMr。Claypole'shabittoreposeablindandfoolishconfidenceinanybody，itshouldbeobserved，injusticetothatgentleman，thathehadtrustedCharlottetothisextent，inorderthat，iftheywerepursued，themoneymightbefoundonher：whichwouldleavehimanopportunityofassertinghisinnocenceofanytheft，andwouldgreatlyfacilitatehischancesofescape。Ofcourse，heenteredatthisjuncture，intonoexplanationofhismotives，andtheywalkedonverylovinglytogether。
Inpursuanceofthiscautiousplan，Mr。Claypolewenton，withouthalting，untilhearrivedattheAngelatIslington，wherehewiselyjudged，fromthecrowdofpassengersandnumbersofvehicles，thatLondonbeganinearnest。Justpausingtoobservewhichappearedthemostcrowdedstreets，andconsequentlythemosttobeavoided，hecrossedintoSaintJohn'sRoad，andwassoondeepintheobscurityoftheintricateanddirtyways，which，lyingbetweenGray'sInnLaneandSmithfield，renderthatpartofthetownoneofthelowestandworstthatimprovementhasleftinthemidstofLondon。
Throughthesestreets，NoahClaypolewalked，draggingCharlotteafterhim；nowsteppingintothekenneltoembraceataglancethewholeexternalcharacterofsomesmallpublic-house；nowjoggingonagain，assomefanciedappearanceinducedhimtobelieveittoopublicforhispurpose。Atlength，hestoppedinfrontofone，morehumbleinappearanceandmoredirtythananyhehadyetseen；and，havingcrossedoverandsurveyeditfromtheoppositepavement，graciouslyannouncedhisintentionofputtingupthere，forthenight。
‘Sogiveusthebundle，’saidNoah，unstrappingitfromthewoman'sshoulders，andslingingitoverhisown；‘anddon'tyerspeak，exceptwhenyerspoketo。What'sthenameofthehouse--t-h-r--threewhat？’
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