CHAPTER XXV. WHEREIN THIS HISTORY REVERTS TO MR. FAGIN AND COMPANY

Whilethesethingswerepassinginthecountryworkhouse,Mr.Faginsatintheoldden—thesamefromwhichOliverhadbeenremovedbythegirl—broodingoveradull,smokyfire.Heheldapairofbellowsuponhisknee,withwhichhehadapparentlybeenendeavouringtorouseitintomorecheerfulactionbuthehadfallenintodeepthoughtandwithhisarmsfoldedonthem,andhischinrestingonhisthumbs,fixedhiseyes,abstractedly,ontherustybars. AtatablebehindhimsattheArtfulDodger,MasterCharlesBates,andMr.Chitling:allintentuponagameofwhisttheArtfultakingdummyagainstMasterBatesandMr.Chitling.Thecountenanceofthefirst-namedgentleman,peculiarlyintelligentatalltimes,acquiredgreatadditionalinterestfromhiscloseobservanceofthegame,andhisattentiveperusalofMr.Chitling’shanduponwhich,fromtimetotime,asoccasionserved,hebestowedavarietyofearnestglances:wiselyregulatinghisownplaybytheresultofhisobservationsuponhisneighbour’scards.Itbeingacoldnight,theDodgerworehishat,as,indeed,wasoftenhiscustomwithindoors.Healsosustainedaclaypipebetweenhisteeth,whichheonlyremovedforabriefspacewhenhedeemeditnecessarytoapplyforrefreshmenttoaquartpotuponthetable,whichstoodreadyfilledwithgin-and-waterfortheaccommodationofthecompany. MasterBateswasalsoattentivetotheplaybutbeingofamoreexcitablenaturethanhisaccomplishedfriend,itwasobservablethathemorefrequentlyappliedhimselftothegin-and-water,andmoreoverindulgedinmanyjestsandirrelevantremarks,allhighlyunbecomingascientificrubber.Indeed,theArtful,presumingupontheircloseattachment,morethanoncetookoccasiontoreasongravelywithhiscompanionupontheseimproprietiesallofwhichremonstrances,MasterBatesreceivedinextremelygoodpartmerelyrequestinghisfriendtobe“blowed,”ortoinserthisheadinasack,orreplyingwithsomeotherneatly-turnedwitticismofasimilarkind,thehappyapplicationofwhich,excitedconsiderableadmirationinthemindofMr.Chitling.Itwasremarkablethatthelattergentlemanandhispartnerinvariablylostandthatthecircumstance,sofarfromangeringMasterBates,appearedtoaffordhimthehighestamusement,inasmuchashelaughedmostuproariouslyattheendofeverydeal,andprotestedthathehadneverseensuchajollygameinallhisborndays. “That’stwodoublesandtherub,”saidMr.Chitling,wit