CHAPTER XXII. THE BURGLARY

“Hallo!”criedaloud,hoarsevoice,assoonastheysetfootinthepassage. “Don’tmakesucharow,”saidSikes,boltingthedoor.“Showaglim,Toby.” “Aha!mypal!”criedthesamevoice.“Aglim,Barney,aglim!Showthegentlemanin,Barneywakeupfirst,ifconvenient.” Thespeakerappearedtothrowaboot-jack,orsomesucharticle,atthepersonheaddressed,torousehimfromhisslumbers:forthenoiseofawoodenbody,fallingviolently,washeardandthenanindistinctmuttering,asofamanbetweensleepandawake. “Doyouhear?”criedthesamevoice.“There’sBillSikesinthepassagewithnobodytodotheciviltohimandyousleepingthere,asifyoutooklaudanumwithyourmeals,andnothingstronger.Areyouanyfreshernow,ordoyouwanttheironcandlesticktowakeyouthoroughly?” Apairofslipshodfeetshuffled,hastily,acrossthebareflooroftheroom,asthisinterrogatorywasputandthereissued,fromadoorontherighthandfirst,afeeblecandle:andnext,theformofthesameindividualwhohasbeenheretoforedescribedaslabouringundertheinfirmityofspeakingthroughhisnose,andofficiatingaswaiteratthepublic-houseonSaffronHill. “BisterSikes!”exclaimedBarney,withrealorcounterfeitjoy“cubid,sircubid.” “Here!yougetonfirst,”saidSikes,puttingOliverinfrontofhim.“Quicker!orIshalltreaduponyourheels.” Mutteringacurseuponhistardiness,SikespushedOliverbeforehimandtheyenteredalowdarkroomwithasmokyfire,twoorthreebrokenchairs,atable,andaveryoldcouch:onwhich,withhislegsmuchhigherthanhishead,amanwasreposingatfulllength,smokingalongclaypipe.Hewasdressedinasmartly-cutsnuff-colouredcoat,withlargebrassbuttonsanorangeneckerchiefacoarse,staring,shawl-patternwaistcoatanddrabbreeches.Mr.Crackit(forheitwas)hadnoverygreatquantityofhair,eitheruponhisheadorfacebutwhathehad,wasofareddishdye,andtorturedintolongcorkscrewcurls,throughwhichheoccasionallythrustsomeverydirtyfingers,ornamentedwithlargecommonrings.Hewasatrifleabovethemiddlesize,andapparentlyratherweakinthelegsbutthiscircumstancebynomeansdetractedfromhisownadmirationofhistop-boots,whichhecontemplated,intheirelevatedsituation,withlivelysatisfaction. “Bill,myboy!”saidthisfigure,turninghisheadtowardsthedoor,“I’mgladtoseeyou.Iwasalmostafraidyou’dgivenitup:inwhichcaseIshouldhavemadeapersonalwentur.Hallo!” Utteringthisexclamationinatoneofgreatsurprise,ashiseyesrestedonOliver,Mr.TobyCrackitbroughthimselfintoasittingposture,anddemandedwhothatwas. “Theboy.Onlytheboy!”repliedSikes,drawinga