Chapter 20【1 / 4】

WHEREINOLVERISDELIVEREDOVERTOMR。WILLIAMSIKES

WhenOliverawokeinthemorning,hewasagooddealsurprisedtofindthatanewpairofshoes,withstrongthicksoles,hadbeenplacedathisbedside;andthathisoldshoeshadbeenremoved。Atfirst,hewaspleasedwiththediscovery:hopingthatitmightbetheforerunnerofhisrelease;butsuchthoughtswerequicklydispelled,onhissittingdowntobreakfastalongwiththeJew,whotoldhim,inatoneandmannerwhichincreasedhisalarm,thathewastobetakentotheresidenceofBillSikesthatnight。

‘To--to--stopthere,sir?’askedOliver,anxiously。

‘No,no,mydear。Nottostopthere,’repliedtheJew。‘Weshouldn'tliketoloseyou。Don'tbeafraid,Oliver,youshallcomebacktousagain。Ha!ha!ha!Wewon'tbesocruelastosendyouaway,mydear。Ohno,no!’

Theoldman,whowasstoopingoverthefiretoastingapieceofbread,lookedroundashebanteredOliverthus;andchuckledasiftoshowthatheknewhewouldstillbeverygladtogetawayifhecould。

‘Isuppose,’saidtheJew,fixinghiseyesonOliver,‘youwanttoknowwhatyou'regoingtoBill'sfor---eh,mydear?’

Olivercoloured,involuntarily,tofindthattheoldthiefhadbeenreadinghisthoughts;butboldlysaid,Yes,hedidwanttoknow。

‘Why,doyouthink?’inquiredFagin,parryingthequestion。

‘IndeedIdon'tknow,sir,’repliedOliver。

‘Bah!’saidtheJew,turningawaywithadisappointedcountenancefromacloseperusaloftheboy'sface。‘WaittillBilltellsyou,then。’

TheJewseemedmuchvexedbyOliver'snotexpressinganygreatercuriosityonthesubject;butthetruthis,that,althoughOliverfeltveryanxious,hewastoomuchconfusedbytheearnestcunningofFagin'slooks,andhisownspeculations,tomakeanyfurtherinquiriesjustthen。Hehadnootheropportunity:fortheJewremainedverysurlyandsilenttillnight:whenhepreparedtogoabroad。

‘Youmayburnacandle,’saidtheJew,puttingoneuponthetable。‘Andhere'sabookforyoutoread,tilltheycometofetchyou。Good-night!’

‘Good-night!’repliedOliver,softly。

TheJewwalkedtothedoor:lookingoverhisshoulderattheboyashewent。Suddenlystopping,hecalledhimbyhisname。

Oliverlookedup;theJew,pointingtothecandle,motionedhimtolightit。Hedidso;and,asheplacedthecandlestickuponthetable,sawthattheJewwasgazingfixedlyathim,withloweringandcontractedbrows,fromthedarkendoftheroom。

‘Takeheed,Oliver!takeheed!’saidtheoldman,shakinghisrighthandbeforehiminawarningmanner。‘He'saroughman,andthinksnothingofbloodwhenhisownisup。Whateverfallsout,saynothing;anddowhathebidsyou。Mind!’Placingastrongemphasisonthelastword,hesufferedhisfeaturesgraduallytoresolvethemselvesintoaghastlygrin,and,noddinghishead,lefttheroom。

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