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

kthetinkler.” Thesewords,inplainEnglish,conveyedaninjunctiontoringthebell.ItwasansweredbyanotherJew:youngerthanFagin,butnearlyasvileandrepulsiveinappearance. BillSikesmerelypointedtotheemptymeasure.TheJew,perfectlyunderstandingthehint,retiredtofillit:previouslyexchangingaremarkablelookwithFagin,whoraisedhiseyesforaninstant,asifinexpectationofit,andshookhisheadinreplysoslightlythattheactionwouldhavebeenalmostimperceptibletoanobservantthirdperson.ItwaslostuponSikes,whowasstoopingatthemomenttotietheboot-lacewhichthedoghadtorn.Possibly,ifhehadobservedthebriefinterchangeofsignals,hemighthavethoughtthatitbodednogoodtohim. “Isanybodyhere,Barney?”inquiredFaginspeaking,nowthatSikeswaslookingon,withoutraisinghiseyesfromtheground. “Dotashoul,”repliedBarneywhosewords:whethertheycamefromtheheartornot:madetheirwaythroughthenose. “Nobody?”inquiredFagin,inatoneofsurprise:whichperhapsmightmeanthatBarneywasatlibertytotellthetruth. “DobodybutBissDadsy,”repliedBarney. “Nancy!”exclaimedSikes.“Where?Strikemeblind,ifIdon’thonourthat’eregirl,forhernativetalents.” “She’sbidhavidaplateofboiledbeefidthebar,”repliedBarney. “Sendherhere,”saidSikes,pouringoutaglassofliquor.“Sendherhere.” BarneylookedtimidlyatFagin,asifforpermissiontheJewremainingsilent,andnotliftinghiseyesfromtheground,heretiredandpresentlyreturned,usheringinNancywhowasdecoratedwiththebonnet,apron,basket,andstreet-doorkey,complete. “Youareonthescent,areyou,Nancy?”inquiredSikes,profferingtheglass. “Yes,Iam,Bill,”repliedtheyounglady,disposingofitscontents“andtiredenoughofitIam,too.Theyoungbrat’sbeenillandconfinedtothecriband—” “Ah,Nancy,dear!”saidFagin,lookingup. Now,whetherapeculiarcontractionoftheJew’sredeye-brows,andahalfclosingofhisdeeply-seteyes,warnedMissNancythatshewasdisposedtobetoocommunicative,isnotamatterofmuchimportance.Thefactisallweneedcareforhereandthefactis,thatshesuddenlycheckedherself,andwithseveralgracioussmilesuponMr.Sikes,turnedtheconversationtoothermatters.Inabouttenminutes’time,Mr.FaginwasseizedwithafitofcoughinguponwhichNancypulledhershawloverhershoulders,anddeclareditwastimetogo.Mr.Sikes,findingthathewaswalkingashortpartofherwayhimself,expressedhisi