Chapter 47(1 / 3)

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FATALCONSEQUENCES

Itwasnearlytwohoursbeforeday-break;thattimewhichintheautumnoftheyear,maybetrulycalledthedeadofnight;whenthestreetsaresilentanddeserted;whenevensoundsappeartoslumber,andprofligacyandriothavestaggeredhometodream;itwasatthisstillandsilenthour,thatFaginsatwatchinginhisoldlair,withfacesodistortedandpale,andeyessoredandblood-shot,thathelookedlesslikeaman,thanlikesomehideousphantom,moistfromthegrave,andworriedbyanevilspirit。

Hesatcrouchingoveracoldhearth,wrappedinanoldtorncoverlet,withhisfaceturnedtowardsawastingcandlethatstooduponatablebyhisside。Hisrighthandwasraisedtohislips,andas,absorbedinthought,hehithislongblacknails,hedisclosedamonghistoothlessgumsafewsuchfangsasshouldhavebeenadog'sorrat's。

Stretcheduponamattressonthefloor,layNoahClaypole,fastasleep。Towardshimtheoldmansometimesdirectedhiseyesforaninstant,andthenbroughtthembackagaintothecandle;whichwithalong-burntwickdroopingalmostdouble,andhotgreasefallingdowninclotsuponthetable,plainlyshowedthathisthoughtswerebusyelsewhere。

Indeedtheywere。Mortificationattheoverthrowofhisnotablescheme;hatredofthegirlwhohaddaredtopalterwithstrangers;andutterdistrustofthesincerityofherrefusaltoyieldhimup;bitterdisappointmentatthelossofhisrevengeonSikes;thefearofdetection,andruin,anddeath;andafierceanddeadlyragekindledbyall;thesewerethepassionateconsiderationswhich,followingcloseuponeachotherwithrapidandceaselesswhirl,shotthroughthebrainofFagin,aseveryevilthoughtandblackestpurposelayworkingathisheart。

Hesatwithoutchanginghisattitudeintheleast,orappearingtotakethesmallestheedoftime,untilhisquickearseemedtobeattractedbyafootstepinthestreet。

‘Atlast,’hemuttered,wipinghisdryandfeveredmouth。‘Atlast!’

Thebellranggentlyashespoke。Hecreptupstairstothedoor,andpresentlyreturnedaccompaniedbyamanmuffledtothechin,whocarriedabundleunderonearm。Sittingdownandthrowingbackhisoutercoat,themandisplayedtheburlyframeofSikes。

‘There!’hesaid,layingthebundleonthetable。‘Takecareofthat,anddothemostyoucanwithit。It'sbeentroubleenoughtoget;IthoughtIshouldhavebeenhere,threehoursago。’

Faginlaidhishanduponthebundle,andlockingitinthecupboard,satdownagainwithoutspeaking。Buthedidnottakehiseyesofftherobber,foraninstant,duringthisaction;andnowthattheysatoveragainsteachother,facetoface,helookedfixedlyathim,withhislipsquiveringsoviolently,andhisfacesoalteredbytheemotionswhichhadmasteredhim,thatthehousebreakerinvoluntarilydrewbackhischair,andsurveyedhimwithalookofrealaffright。

‘Wotnow?’criedSikes。‘Wotdoyoulookatamansofor?’

Faginraisedhisrighthand,andshookhistremblingforefingerintheair;buthispassionwassogreat,thatthepowerofspeechwasforthemomentgone。

‘Damme!’saidSikes,feelinginhisbreastwithalookofalarm。‘He'sgonemad。Imustlooktomyselfhere。’

‘No,no,’rejoinedFagin,findinghisvoice。‘It'snot--you'renottheperson,Bill。I'veno--nofaulttofindwithyou。’

‘Oh,youhaven't,haven'tyou?’saidSikes,lookingsternlyathim,andostentatiouslypassingapistolintoamoreconvenientpocket。‘That'slucky--foroneofus。Whichonethatis,don'tmatter。’

‘I'vegotthattotellyou,Bill,’saidFagin,drawinghischairnearer,‘willmakeyouworsethanme。’

‘Aye?’returnedtherobberwithanincredulousair。‘Tellaway!Looksharp,orNancewillthinkI'mlost。’

‘Lost!’criedFagin。‘Shehasprettywellsettledthat,inherownmind,already。’

SikeslookedwithanaspectofgreatperplexityintotheJew'sface,andreadingnosatisfactoryexplanationoftheriddlethere,clenchedhiscoatcollarinhishugehandandshookhimsoundly。

‘Speak,willyou!’hesaid;‘orifyoudon't,itshallbeforwantofbreath。Openyourmouthandsaywotyou'vegottosayinplainwords。Outwithit,youthunderingoldcur,outwithit!’

‘Supposethatladthat'slayingthere--’Faginbegan。

SikesturnedroundtowhereNoahwassleeping,asifhehadnotpreviouslyobservedhim。‘Well!’hesaid,resuminghisformerposition。

‘Supposethatlad,’pursuedFagin,‘wastopeach--toblowuponusall--firstseekingouttherightfolksforthepurpose,andthenhavingameetingwith’eminthestreettopaintourlikenesses,describeeverymarkthattheymightknowusby,andthecribwherewemightbemosteasilytaken。Supposehewastodoallthis,andbesidestoblowuponaplantwe'veallbeenin,moreorless--ofhisownfancy;notgrabbed,trapped,tried,earwiggedbytheparsonandbroughttoitonbreadandwater,--butofhisownfancy;topleasehisowntaste;stealingoutatnightstofindthosemostinterestedagainstus,andpeachingtothem。Doyouhearme?‘criedtheJew,hiseyesflashingwithrage。’Supposehedidallthis,whatthen?‘

‘Whatthen!’repliedSikes;withatremendousoath。‘IfhewasleftalivetillIcame,I'dgrindhisskullundertheironheelofmybootintoasmanygrainsastherearehairsuponhishead。’

‘WhatifIdidit!’criedFaginalmostinayell。‘I,thatknowssomuch,andcouldhangsomanybesidesmyself!’

‘Idon'tknow,’repliedSikes,clenchinghisteethandturningwhiteatthemeresuggestion。‘I'ddosomethinginthejailthat’udgetmeputinirons;andifIwastriedalongwithyou,I'dfalluponyouwiththemintheopencourt,andbeatyourbrainsoutaforethepeople。Ishouldhavesuchstrength,‘mutteredtherobber,poisinghisbrawnyarm,’thatIcouldsmashyourheadasifaloadedwaggonhadgoneoverit。‘

‘Youwould?’

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