CHAPTER XV. SHOWING HOW VERY FOND OF OLIVER TWIST, THE MERRY OLD JEW AND MISS NANCY WERE

Intheobscureparlourofalowpublic-house,inthefilthiestpartofLittleSaffronHilladarkandgloomyden,whereaflaringgas-lightburntalldayinthewinter-timeandwherenorayofsunevershoneinthesummer:theresat,broodingoveralittlepewtermeasureandasmallglass,stronglyimpregnatedwiththesmellofliquor,amaninavelveteencoat,drabshorts,half-bootsandstockings,whomevenbythatdimlightnoexperiencedagentofthepolicewouldhavehesitatedtorecogniseasMr.WilliamSikes.Athisfeet,satawhite-coated,red-eyeddogwhooccupiedhimself,alternately,inwinkingathismasterwithbotheyesatthesametimeandinlickingalarge,freshcutononesideofhismouth,whichappearedtobetheresultofsomerecentconflict. “Keepquiet,youwarmint!Keepquiet!”saidMr.Sikes,suddenlybreakingsilence.Whetherhismeditationsweresointenseastobedisturbedbythedog’swinking,orwhetherhisfeelingsweresowroughtuponbyhisreflectionsthattheyrequiredallthereliefderivablefromkickinganunoffendinganimaltoallaythem,ismatterforargumentandconsideration.Whateverwasthecause,theeffectwasakickandacurse,bestoweduponthedogsimultaneously. DogsarenotgenerallyapttorevengeinjuriesinflicteduponthembytheirmastersbutMr.Sikes’sdog,havingfaultsoftemperincommonwithhisowner,andlabouring,perhaps,atthismoment,underapowerfulsenseofinjury,madenomoreadobutatoncefixedhisteethinoneofthehalf-boots.Havinggiveninaheartyshake,heretired,growling,underaformjustescapingthepewtermeasurewhichMr.Sikeslevelledathishead. “Youwould,wouldyou?”saidSikes,seizingthepokerinonehand,anddeliberatelyopeningwiththeotheralargeclasp-knife,whichhedrewfromhispocket.“Comehere,youborndevil!Comehere!D’yehear?” ThedognodoubtheardbecauseMr.Sikesspokeintheveryharshestkeyofaveryharshvoicebut,appearingtoentertainsomeunaccountableobjectiontohavinghisthroatcut,heremainedwherehewas,andgrowledmorefiercelythanbefore:atthesametimegraspingtheendofthepokerbetweenhisteeth,andbitingatitlikeawildbeast. ThisresistanceonlyinfuriatedMr.Sikesthemorewho,droppingonhisknees,begantoassailtheanimalmostfuriously.Thedogjumpedfromrighttoleft,andfromlefttorightsnapping,growling,andbarkingthemanthrustandswore,andstruckandblasphemedandthestrugglewasreachingamostcriticalpointforoneorotherwhen,thedoorsuddenlyopening,thedogdartedout:leavingBill