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

dingstobehadthereafter,desiredthejailertocommunicate“thenamesofthemtwofilesaswasonthebench.”Whichsotickledthespectators,thattheylaughedalmostasheartilyasMasterBatescouldhavedoneifhehadheardtherequest. “Silencethere!”criedthejailer. “Whatisthis?”inquiredoneofthemagistrates. “Apick-pocketingcase,yourworship.” “Hastheboyeverbeenherebefore?” “Heoughttohavebeen,amanytimes,”repliedthejailer.“Hehasbeenprettywelleverywhereelse.Iknowhimwell,yourworship.” “Oh!youknowme,doyou?”criedtheArtful,makinganoteofthestatement.“Werygood.That’sacaseofdeformationofcharacter,anyway.” Heretherewasanotherlaugh,andanothercryofsilence. “Nowthen,wherearethewitnesses?”saidtheclerk. “Ah!that’sright,”addedtheDodger.“Wherearethey?Ishouldliketosee’em.” Thiswishwasimmediatelygratified,forapolicemansteppedforwardwhohadseentheprisonerattemptthepocketofanunknowngentlemaninacrowd,andindeedtakeahandkerchieftherefrom,which,beingaveryoldone,hedeliberatelyputbackagain,aftertryingitonhisowncountenance.Forthisreason,hetooktheDodgerintocustodyassoonashecouldgetnearhim,andthesaidDodger,beingsearched,haduponhispersonasilversnuff-box,withtheowner’snameengraveduponthelid.ThisgentlemanhadbeendiscoveredonreferencetotheCourtGuide,andbeingthenandtherepresent,sworethatthesnuff-boxwashis,andthathehadmisseditonthepreviousday,themomenthehaddisengagedhimselffromthecrowdbeforereferredto.Hehadalsoremarkedayounggentlemaninthethrong,particularlyactiveinmakinghiswayabout,andthatyounggentlemanwastheprisonerbeforehim. “Haveyouanythingtoaskthiswitness,boy?”saidthemagistrate. “Iwouldn’tabasemyselfbydescendingtoholdnoconversationwithhim,”repliedtheDodger. “Haveyouanythingtosayatall?” “Doyouhearhisworshipaskifyou’veanythingtosay?”inquiredthejailer,nudgingthesilentDodgerwithhiselbow. “Ibegyourpardon,”saidtheDodger,lookingupwithanairofabstraction.“Didyouredressyourselftome,myman?” “Ineverseesuchanout-and-outyoungwagabond,yourworship,”observedtheofficerwithagrin.“Doyoumeantosayanything,youyoungshaver?” “No,”repliedtheDodger,“nothere,forthisain’ttheshopforjustice:besideswhich,myattorneyisa-breakfastingthismorningwiththeWicePresidentoftheHouseofCommonsbutIshallhavesomethingtosayelsewhere,andsowillhe,andsowillawerynumerousand’spectablecircleofacquaintanceas’llmakethembeakswishthey’dneverbeenborn,orthatthey’dgottheirfootmentohang’emuptotheirownhat-pegs,aforetheylet’emcomeoutthismorningtotryitonuponme.I’ll—” “There!He’sfullycommitted!”interposedtheclerk.“Takehimaway.” “Comeon,”saidthejailer. “Ohah!I’llcomeon,”repliedtheDodger,brushinghishatwiththepalmofhishand.“Ah!(totheBench)it’snouseyourlookingfrightenedIwon’tshowyounomercy,notaha’porthofit.You’llpayforthis,myfinefellers.Iwouldn’tbeyouforsomething!Iwouldn’tgofree,now,ifyouwastofalldownonyourkneesandaskme.Here,carrymeofftoprison!Takemeaway!” Withtheselastwords,theDodgersufferedhimselftobeledoffbythecollarthreatening,tillhegotintotheyard,tomakeaparliamentarybusinessofitandthengrinningintheofficer’sface,withgreatgleeandself-approval. Havingseenhimlockedupbyhimselfinalittlecell,NoahmadethebestofhiswaybacktowherehehadleftMasterBates.Afterwaitingheresometime,hewasjoinedbythatyounggentleman,whohadprudentlyabstainedfromshowinghimselfuntilhehadlookedcarefullyabroadfromasnugretreat,andascertainedthathisnewfriendhadnotbeenfollowedbyanyimpertinentperson. Thetwohastenedbacktogether,tobeartoMr.FagintheanimatingnewsthattheDodgerwasdoingfulljusticetohisbringing-up,andestablishingforhimselfagloriousreputation.