CHAPTER XLIII. WHEREIN IS SHOWN HOW THE ARTFUL DODGER GOT INTO TROUBLE

“Andsoitwasyouthatwasyourownfriend,wasit?”askedMr.Claypole,otherwiseBolter,when,byvirtueofthecompactenteredintobetweenthem,hehadremovednextdaytoFagin’shouse.“Cod,Ithoughtasmuchlastnight!” “Everyman’shisownfriend,mydear,”repliedFagin,withhismostinsinuatinggrin.“Hehasn’tasgoodaoneashimselfanywhere.” “Exceptsometimes,”repliedMorrisBolter,assumingtheairofamanoftheworld.“Somepeoplearenobody’senemiesbuttheirown,yerknow.” “Don’tbelievethat,”saidFagin.“Whenaman’shisownenemy,it’sonlybecausehe’stoomuchhisownfriendnotbecausehe’scarefulforeverybodybuthimself.Pooh!pooh!Thereain’tsuchathinginnature.” “Thereoughn’ttobe,ifthereis,”repliedMr.Bolter. “Thatstandstoreason.Someconjurerssaythatnumberthreeisthemagicnumber,andsomesaynumberseven.It’sneither,myfriend,neither.It’snumberone.” “Ha!ha!”criedMr.Bolter.“Numberoneforever.” “Inalittlecommunitylikeours,mydear,”saidFagin,whofeltitnecessarytoqualifythisposition,“wehaveageneralnumberone,withoutconsideringmetooasthesame,andalltheotheryoungpeople.” “Oh,thedevil!”exclaimedMr.Bolter. “Yousee,”pursuedFagin,affectingtodisregardthisinterruption,“wearesomixeduptogether,andidentifiedinourinterests,thatitmustbeso.Forinstance,it’syourobjecttotakecareofnumberone—meaningyourself.” “Certainly,”repliedMr.Bolter.“Yeraboutrightthere.” “Well!Youcan’ttakecareofyourself,numberone,withouttakingcareofme,numberone.” “Numbertwo,youmean,”saidMr.Bolter,whowaslargelyendowedwiththequalityofselfishness. “No,Idon’t!”retortedFagin.“I’mofthesameimportancetoyou,asyouaretoyourself.” “Isay,”interruptedMr.Bolter,“yeraveryniceman,andI’mveryfondofyerbutweain’tquitesothicktogether,asallthatcomesto.” “Onlythink,”saidFagin,shrugginghisshoulders,andstretchingouthishands“onlyconsider.You’vedonewhat’saveryprettything,andwhatIloveyoufordoingbutwhatatthesametimewouldputthecravatroundyourthroat,that’ssoveryeasilytiedandsoverydifficulttounloose—inplainEnglish,thehalter!” Mr.Bolterputhishandtohisneckerchief,asifhefeltitinconvenientlytightandmurmuredanassent,qualifiedintonebutnotinsubstance. “Thegallows,”continuedFagin,“thegallows,mydear,isanuglyfinger-post,whichpointsoutaveryshortandsharpturningthathasstoppedmanyaboldfellow’scareeronthebroadhighway.Tokeepintheeasyroad,andkeepitatadistance,isobjectnumberonewithyou.” “Ofcourseitis,”repliedMr.Bolter.“Whatdoyertalkaboutsuchthingsfor?” “Onlytoshowyoumymeaningclearly,”saidtheJew,raisinghiseyebrows.“Tobeabletodothat,youdependuponme.Tokeepmylittlebusinessallsnug,Idependuponyou.Thefirstisyournumberone,thesecondmynumberone.Themoreyouvalueyournumberone,themorecarefulyoumustbeofminesowecomeatlasttowhatItoldyouatfirst—thataregardfornumberoneholdsusalltogether,andmustdoso,unlesswewouldallgotopiecesincompany.” “That’strue,”rejoinedMr.Bolter,thoughtfully.“Oh!yeracunningoldcodger!” Mr.Faginsaw,withdelight,thatthistributetohispowerswasnomerecompliment,butthathehadreallyimpressedhisrecruitwithasenseofhiswilygenius,whichitwasmostimportantthatheshouldentertainintheoutsetoftheiracquaintance.Tostrengthenanimpressionsodesirableanduseful,hefolloweduptheblowbyacquaintinghim,insomedetail,withthemagnitudeandextentofhisoperationsblendingtruthandfictiontogether,asbestservedhispurposeandbringingbothtobear,withsomuchart,thatMr.Bolter’srespectvisiblyincreased,andbecametempered,atthesametime,withadegreeofwholesomefear,whichitwashighlydesirabletoawaken. “It’sthismutualtrustwehaveineachotherthatconsolesmeunderheavylosses,”saidFagin.“Mybesthandwastakenfromme,yesterdaymorning.” “Youdon’tmeant