CHAPTER XLIV. THE TIME ARRIVES FOR NANCY TO REDEEM HER PLEDGE TO ROSE MAYLIE. SHE FAILS.

Adeptasshewas,inalltheartsofcunninganddissimulation,thegirlNancycouldnotwhollyconcealtheeffectwhichtheknowledgeofthestepshehadtaken,wroughtuponhermind.SherememberedthatboththecraftyJewandthebrutalSikeshadconfidedtoherschemes,whichhadbeenhiddenfromallothers:inthefullconfidencethatshewastrustworthyandbeyondthereachoftheirsuspicion.Vileasthoseschemeswere,desperateasweretheiroriginators,andbitteraswereherfeelingstowardsFagin,whohadledher,stepbystep,deeperanddeeperdownintoanabyssofcrimeandmisery,whencewasnoescapestill,thereweretimeswhen,eventowardshim,shefeltsomerelenting,lestherdisclosureshouldbringhimwithintheirongrasphehadsolongeluded,andheshouldfallatlast—richlyashemeritedsuchafate—byherhand. But,thesewerethemerewanderingsofamindunablewhollytodetachitselffromoldcompanionsandassociations,thoughenabledtofixitselfsteadilyononeobject,andresolvednottobeturnedasidebyanyconsideration.HerfearsforSikeswouldhavebeenmorepowerfulinducementstorecoilwhiletherewasyettimebutshehadstipulatedthathersecretshouldberigidlykept,shehaddroppednocluewhichcouldleadtohisdiscovery,shehadrefused,evenforhissake,arefugefromalltheguiltandwretchednessthatencompassesher—andwhatmorecouldshedo!Shewasresolved. Thoughallhermentalstrugglesterminatedinthisconclusion,theyforcedthemselvesuponher,againandagain,andlefttheirtracestoo.Shegrewpaleandthin,evenwithinafewdays.Attimes,shetooknoheedofwhatwaspassingbeforeher,ornopartinconversationswhereonce,shewouldhavebeentheloudest.Atothertimes,shelaughedwithoutmerriment,andwasnoisywithoutamomentafterwards—shesatsilentanddejected,broodingwithherheaduponherhands,whiletheveryeffortbywhichsherousedherself,told,moreforciblythaneventheseindications,thatshewasillatease,andthatherthoughtswereoccupiedwithmattersverydifferentanddistantfromthoseinthecourseofdiscussionbyhercompanions. ItwasSundaynight,andthebellofthenearestchurchstruckthehour.SikesandtheJewweretalking,buttheypausedtolisten.Thegirllookedupfromthelowseatonwhichshecrouched,andlistenedtoo.Eleven. “Anhourthissideofmidnight,”saidSikes,raisingtheblindtolookoutandreturningtohisseat.“Darkandheavyitistoo.Agoodnightforbusinessthis.” “Ah!”repliedFagin.“Whatapity,Bill,mydear,thatther