CHAPTER XLVI. THE APPOINTMENT KEPT

offlamesandvengeance,”criedthegirl.“Oh,dearlady,whyar’n’tthosewhoclaimtobeGod’sownfolksasgentleandaskindtouspoorwretchesasyou,who,havingyouth,andbeauty,andallthattheyhavelost,mightbealittleproudinsteadofsomuchhumbler?” “Ah!”saidthegentleman.“ATurkturnshisface,afterwashingitwell,totheEast,whenhesayshisprayersthesegoodpeople,aftergivingtheirfacessucharubagainsttheWorldastotakethesmilesoff,turnwithnolessregularity,tothedarkestsideofHeaven.BetweentheMussulmanandthePharisee,commendmetothefirst!” Thesewordsappearedtobeaddressedtotheyounglady,andwereperhapsutteredwiththeviewofaffordingNancytimetorecoverherself.Thegentleman,shortlyafterwards,addressedhimselftoher. “YouwerenotherelastSundaynight,”hesaid. “Icouldn’tcome,”repliedNancy“Iwaskeptbyforce.” “Bywhom?” “HimthatItoldtheyoungladyofbefore.” “Youwerenotsuspectedofholdinganycommunicationwithanybodyonthesubjectwhichhasbroughtushereto-night,Ihope?”askedtheoldgentleman. “No,”repliedthegirl,shakingherhead.“It’snotveryeasyformetoleavehimunlessheknowswhyIcouldn’tgivehimadrinkoflaudanumbeforeIcameaway.” “Didheawakebeforeyoureturned?”inquiredthegentleman. “Noandneitherhenoranyofthemsuspectme.” “Good,”saidthegentleman.“Nowlistentome.” “Iamready,”repliedthegirl,ashepausedforamoment. “Thisyounglady,”thegentlemanbegan,“hascommunicatedtome,andtosomeotherfriendswhocanbesafelytrusted,whatyoutoldhernearlyafortnightsince.IconfesstoyouthatIhaddoubts,atfirst,whetheryouweretobeimplicitlyreliedupon,butnowIfirmlybelieveyouare.” “Iam,”saidthegirlearnestly. “IrepeatthatIfirmlybelieveit.ToprovetoyouthatIamdisposedtotrustyou,Itellyouwithoutreserve,thatweproposetoextortthesecret,whateveritmaybe,fromthefearofthismanMonks.Butif—if—”saidthegentleman,“hecannotbesecured,or,ifsecured,cannotbeacteduponaswewish,youmustdeliveruptheJew.” “Fagin,”criedthegirl,recoiling. “Thatmanmustbedeliveredupbyyou,”saidthegentleman. “Iwillnotdoit!Iwillneverdoit!”repliedthegirl.“Devilthatheis,andworsethandevilashehasbeentome,Iwillneverdothat.” “Youwillnot?”saidthegentleman,whoseemedfullypreparedforthisanswer. “Never!”returnedthegirl. “Tellmewhy?” “Foronereason,”rejoinedthegirlfirmly,“foronereason,thattheladyknowsandwillstandbymein,Iknowshewill,forIhaveherpromise:andforthisotherreason,besides,that,badlifeashehasled,Ihaveledabadlifetootherearemanyofuswhohavekeptthesamecoursestogether,andI’llnotturnuponthem,whomight—anyofthem—haveturneduponme,butdidn’t,badastheyare.” “Then,”saidthegentleman,quickly,asifthishadbeenthepointhehadbeenaimingtoattain“putMonksintomyhands,andleavehimtometodealwith.” “Whatifheturnsagainsttheothers?” “Ipromiseyouthatinthatcase,ifthetruthisforcedfromhim,therethematterwillresttheremustbecircumstancesinOliver’slittlehistorywhichitwouldbepainfultodragbeforethepubliceye,andifthetruthisonceelicited,theyshallgoscotfree.” “Andifitisnot?”suggestedthegirl. “Then,”pursuedthegentleman,“thisFaginshallnotbebroughttojusticewithoutyourconsent.InsuchacaseIcouldshowyoureasons,Ithink,whichwouldinduceyoutoyieldit.” “HaveIthelady’spromiseforthat?”askedthegirl. “Youhave,”repliedRose.“Mytrueandfaithfulpledge.” “Monkswouldneverlearnhowyouknewwhatyoudo?”saidthegirl,afterashortpause. “Never,”repliedthegentleman.“Theintelligenceshou