CHAPTER XLVII. FATAL CONSEQUENCES

eswas,“theyaskedherwhyshedidn’tcome,lastSunday,asshepromised.Shesaidshecouldn’t.” “Why—why?Tellhimthat.” “BecauseshewasforciblykeptathomebyBill,themanshehadtoldthemofbefore,”repliedNoah. “Whatmoreofhim?”criedFagin.“Whatmoreofthemanshehadtoldthemofbefore?Tellhimthat,tellhimthat.” “Why,thatshecouldn’tveryeasilygetoutofdoorsunlessheknewwhereshewasgoingto,”saidNoah“andsothefirsttimeshewenttoseethelady,she—ha!ha!ha!itmademelaughwhenshesaidit,thatitdid—shegavehimadrinkoflaudanum.” “Hell’sfire!”criedSikes,breakingfiercelyfromtheJew.“Letmego!” Flingingtheoldmanfromhim,herushedfromtheroom,anddarted,wildlyandfuriously,upthestairs. “Bill,Bill!”criedFagin,followinghimhastily.“Aword.Onlyaword.” Thewordwouldnothavebeenexchanged,butthatthehousebreakerwasunabletoopenthedoor:onwhichhewasexpendingfruitlessoathsandviolence,whentheJewcamepantingup. “Letmeout,”saidSikes.“Don’tspeaktomeit’snotsafe.Letmeout,Isay!” “Hearmespeakaword,”rejoinedFagin,layinghishanduponthelock.“Youwon’tbe—” “Well,”repliedtheother. “Youwon’tbe—too—violent,Bill?” Thedaywasbreaking,andtherewaslightenoughforthementoseeeachother’sfaces.Theyexchangedonebriefglancetherewasafireintheeyesofboth,whichcouldnotbemistaken. “Imean,”saidFagin,showingthathefeltalldisguisewasnowuseless,“nottooviolentforsafety.Becrafty,Bill,andnottoobold.” Sikesmadenoreplybut,pullingopenthedoor,ofwhichFaginhadturnedthelock,dashedintothesilentstreets. Withoutonepause,ormoment’sconsiderationwithoutonceturninghisheadtotherightorleft,orraisinghiseyestothesky,orloweringthemtotheground,butlookingstraightbeforehimwithsavageresolution:histeethsotightlycompressedthatthestrainedjawseemedstartingthroughhisskintherobberheldonhisheadlongcourse,normutteredaword,norrelaxedamuscle,untilhereachedhisowndoor.Heopenedit,softly,withakeystrodelightlyupthestairsandenteringhisownroom,double-lockedthedoor,andliftingaheavytableagainstit,drewbackthecurtainofthebed. Thegirlwaslying,half-dressed,uponit.Hehadrousedherfromhersleep,forsheraisedherselfwithahurriedandstartledlook. “Getup!”saidtheman. “Itisyou,Bill!”saidthegirl,withanexpressionofpleasureathisreturn. “Itis,”wasthereply.“Getup.” Therewasacandleburning,butthemanhastilydrewitfromthecandlestick,andhurleditunderthegrate.Seeingthefaintlightofearlyda