CHAPTER XVI. RELATES WHAT BECAME OF OLIVER TWIST, AFTER HE HAD BEEN CLAIMED BY NANCY

tastheJewandthetwoboysreturned,draggingOliveramongthem. “What’sthematterhere!”saidFagin,lookinground. “Thegirl’sgonemad,Ithink,”repliedSikes,savagely. “No,shehasn’t,”saidNancy,paleandbreathlessfromthescuffle“no,shehasn’t,Fagindon’tthinkit.” “Thenkeepquiet,willyou?”saidtheJew,withathreateninglook. “No,Iwon’tdothat,neither,”repliedNancy,speakingveryloud.“Come!Whatdoyouthinkofthat?” Mr.FaginwassufficientlywellacquaintedwiththemannersandcustomsofthatparticularspeciesofhumanitytowhichNancybelonged,tofeeltolerablycertainthatitwouldberatherunsafetoprolonganyconversationwithher,atpresent.Withtheviewofdivertingtheattentionofthecompany,heturnedtoOliver. “Soyouwantedtogetaway,mydear,didyou?”saidtheJew,takingupajaggedandknottedclubwhichlayinacornerofthefireplace“eh?” Olivermadenoreply.ButhewatchedtheJew’smotions,andbreathedquickly. “Wantedtogetassistancecalledforthepolicedidyou?”sneeredtheJew,catchingtheboybythearm.“We’llcureyouofthat,myyoungmaster.” TheJewinflictedasmartblowonOliver’sshoulderswiththeclubandwasraisingitforasecond,whenthegirl,rushingforward,wresteditfromhishand.Sheflungitintothefire,withaforcethatbroughtsomeoftheglowingcoalswhirlingoutintotheroom. “Iwon’tstandbyandseeitdone,Fagin,”criedthegirl.“You’vegottheboy,andwhatmorewouldyouhave?—Lethimbe—lethimbe—orIshallputthatmarkonsomeofyou,thatwillbringmetothegallowsbeforemytime.” Thegirlstampedherfootviolentlyonthefloorassheventedthisthreatandwithherlipscompressed,andherhandsclenched,lookedalternatelyattheJewandtheotherrobber:herfacequitecolourlessfromthepassionofrageintowhichshehadgraduallyworkedherself. “Why,Nancy!”saidtheJew,inasoothingtoneafterapause,duringwhichheandMr.Sikeshadstaredatoneanotherinadisconcertedmanner“you,—you’remorecleverthaneverto-night.Ha!ha!mydear,youareactingbeautifully.” “AmI!”saidthegirl.“TakecareIdon’toverdoit.Youwillbetheworseforit,Fagin,ifIdoandsoItellyouingoodtimetokeepclearofme.” Thereissomethingaboutarousedwoman:especiallyifsheaddtoallherotherstrongpassions,thefierceimpulsesofrecklessnessanddespairwhichfewmenliketoprovoke.TheJewsawthatitwouldbehopelesstoaffectanyfurthermistakeregardingtherealityofMissNancy’srageand,shrinkinginvoluntarilybackafewpaces,castaglance,halfimploringandhalfcowardly,atSikes:asiftohintthathewasthefittestpersontopursuethedialogue. Mr.Sikes,thusmutelyappealedtoandpossiblyfeelinghispersonalprideandinfluenceinterestedintheimmediatereductionofMissNancytoreasongaveutterancetoaboutacoupleofscoreofcursesandthreats,therapidproductionofwhichreflectedgreatcreditonthefertilityofhisinvention.Astheyproducednovisibleeffectontheobjectagainstwhomtheyweredischarged,however,heresortedtomoretangiblearguments. “Whatdoyoumeanbythis?”saidSikesbackingtheinquirywithaverycommonimprecationconcerningthemostbeautifulofhumanfeatures:which,ifitwereheardabove,onlyonceoutofeveryfiftythousandtimesthatitisutteredbelow,wouldrenderblindnessascommonadisorderasmeasles:“whatdoyoumeanbyit?Burnmybody!Doyouknowwhoyouare,andwhatyouare?” “Oh,yes,Iknowallaboutit,”repliedthegirl,laughinghystericallyandshakingherheadfromsidetoside,withapoorassumptionofindifference. “Well,then,keepquiet,”rejoinedSikes,withagrowllikethathewasaccustomedtousewhenaddressinghisdog,“orI’llquietyouforagoodlongtimetocome.” Thegi