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

ntentionofaccompanyinghertheywentawaytogether,followed,atalittledistant,bythedog,whoslunkoutofaback-yardassoonashismasterwasoutofsight. TheJewthrusthisheadoutoftheroomdoorwhenSikeshadleftitlookedafterhimashewalkedupthedarkpassageshookhisclenchedfistmutteredadeepcurseandthen,withahorriblegrin,reseatedhimselfatthetablewherehewassoondeeplyabsorbedintheinterestingpagesoftheHue-and-Cry. Meanwhile,OliverTwist,littledreamingthathewaswithinsoveryshortadistanceofthemerryoldgentleman,wasonhiswaytothebook-stall.WhenhegotintoClerkenwell,heaccidentlyturneddownaby-streetwhichwasnotexactlyinhiswaybutnotdiscoveringhismistakeuntilhehadgothalf-waydownit,andknowingitmustleadintherightdirection,hedidnotthinkitworthwhiletoturnbackandsomarchedon,asquicklyashecould,withthebooksunderhisarm. Hewaswalkingalong,thinkinghowhappyandcontentedheoughttofeelandhowmuchhewouldgiveforonlyonelookatpoorlittleDick,who,starvedandbeaten,mightbeweepingbitterlyatthatverymomentwhenhewasstartledbyayoungwomanscreamingoutveryloud.“Oh,mydearbrother!”Andhehadhardlylookedup,toseewhatthematterwas,whenhewasstoppedbyhavingapairofarmsthrowntightroundhisneck. “Don’t,”criedOliver,struggling.“Letgoofme.Whoisit?Whatareyoustoppingmefor?” Theonlyreplytothis,wasagreatnumberofloudlamentationsfromtheyoungwomanwhohadembracedhimandwhohadalittlebasketandastreet-doorkeyinherhand. “Ohmygracious!”saidtheyoungwoman,“Ihavefoundhim!Oh!Oliver!Oliver!Ohyounaughtyboy,tomakemesuffersuchdistressonyouraccount!Comehome,dear,come.Oh,I’vefoundhim.Thankgraciousgoodnessheavins,I’vefoundhim!”Withtheseincoherentexclamations,theyoungwomanburstintoanotherfitofcrying,andgotsodreadfullyhysterical,thatacoupleofwomenwhocameupatthemomentaskedabutcher’sboywithashinyheadofhairanointedwithsuet,whowasalsolookingon,whetherhedidn’tthinkhehadbetterrunforthedoctor.Towhich,thebutcher’sboy:whoappearedofalounging,nottosayindolentdisposition:replied,thathethoughtnot. “Oh,no,no,nevermind,”saidtheyoungwoman,graspingOliver’shand“I’mbetternow.Comehomedirectly,youcruelboy!Come!” “Oh,ma’am,”repliedtheyoungwoman,“heranaway,nearamonthago,fromhisparents,whoarehard-workingandrespectablepeopleandwentandjoinedasetofthievesandbadcharactersan