CHAPTER XVIII. HOW OLIVER PASSED HIS TIME IN THE IMPROVING SOCIETY OF HIS REPUTABLE FRIENDS

Aboutnoonnextday,whentheDodgerandMasterBateshadgoneouttopursuetheircustomaryavocations,Mr.FagintooktheopportunityofreadingOliveralonglectureonthecryingsinofingratitudeofwhichheclearlydemonstratedhehadbeenguilty,tonoordinaryextent,inwilfullyabsentinghimselffromthesocietyofhisanxiousfriendsand,stillmore,inendeavouringtoescapefromthemaftersomuchtroubleandexpensehadbeenincurredinhisrecovery.Mr.FaginlaidgreatstressonthefactofhishavingtakenOliverin,andcherishedhim,when,withouthistimelyaid,hemighthaveperishedwithhungerandherelatedthedismalandaffectinghistoryofayoungladwhom,inhisphilanthropy,hehadsuccouredunderparallelcircumstances,butwho,provingunworthyofhisconfidenceandevincingadesiretocommunicatewiththepolice,hadunfortunatelycometobehangedattheOldBaileyonemorning.Mr.Fagindidnotseektoconcealhisshareinthecatastrophe,butlamentedwithtearsinhiseyesthatthewrong-headedandtreacherousbehaviouroftheyoungpersoninquestion,hadrendereditnecessarythatheshouldbecomethevictimofcertainevidenceforthecrown:which,ifitwerenotpreciselytrue,wasindispensablynecessaryforthesafetyofhim(Mr.Fagin)andafewselectfriends.Mr.Faginconcludedbydrawingaratherdisagreeablepictureofthediscomfortsofhangingand,withgreatfriendlinessandpolitenessofmanner,expressedhisanxioushopesthathemightneverbeobligedtosubmitOliverTwisttothatunpleasantoperation. LittleOliver’sbloodrancold,ashelistenedtotheJew’swords,andimperfectlycomprehendedthedarkthreatsconveyedinthem.Thatitwaspossibleevenforjusticeitselftoconfoundtheinnocentwiththeguiltywhentheywereinaccidentalcompanionship,heknewalreadyandthatdeeply-laidplansforthedestructionofinconvenientlyknowingorover-communicativepersons,hadbeenreallydevisedandcarriedoutbytheJewonmoreoccasionsthanone,hethoughtbynomeansunlikely,whenherecollectedthegeneralnatureofthealtercationsbetweenthatgentlemanandMr.Sikes:whichseemedtobearreferencetosomeforegoneconspiracyofthekind.Asheglancedtimidlyup,andmettheJew’ssearchinglook,hefeltthathispalefaceandtremblinglimbswereneitherunnoticednorunrelishedbythatwaryoldgentleman. TheJew,smilinghideously,pattedOliveronthehead,andsaid,thatifhekepthimselfquiet,andappliedhimselftobusiness,hesawtheywouldbeverygoodfriendsyet.Then,takinghishat,andcoveringhimselfwithanoldpatchedgreat-coat,hewentout,andlockedtheroom-doorbehindhim. AndsoOliverremainedallthatday,andforthegreaterpartofmanysubsequentdays,seeingnobody,betweenearlymorningandmidnight,andleftduringthelonghourstocommunewithhisownthoughts.Which,neverfailingtoreverttohiskindfriends,andtheopiniontheymustlongagohaveformedofhim,weresadindeed. Afterthelapseofaweekorso,theJewlefttheroom-doorunlockedandhewasatlibertytowanderaboutthehouse. Itwasaverydirtyplace.Theroomsupstairshadgreathighwoodenchimney-piecesandlargedoors,withpanelledwallsandcornicestotheceilingwhich,althoughtheywereblackwithneglectanddust,wereornamentedinvar