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“I pity you！” said Rose； in a broken voice。 “It wrings my heart to
hear you！”
“Heaven bless you for your goodness！” rejoined the girl。 “If you
knew what I am sometimes； you would pity me indeed。 But I have
stolen away from those who would surely murder me； if they knew
I had been here； to tell you what I have overheard。 Do you know a
man named Monks？”
“No；” said Rose。
“He knows you；” replied the girl； “and knew you were here； for
it was by hearing him tell the place that I found you out。”
“I never heard the name；” said Rose。
“Then he goes by some other amongst you；” rejoined the girl；
“which I more than thought before。 Some time ago； and soon after
Oliver was put into your house on the night of the robbery； I—
suspecting this man—listened to a conversation held between him
and Fagin in the dark。 I found out； from what I heard； that
Monks—the man I asked you about； you know—”
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“Yes；” said Rose； “I understand。”
“That Monks；” pursued the girl； “had seen him accidentally
with two of our boys on the day we first lost him； and had known
him directly to be the same child that he was watching for； though
I couldn’t make out why。 A bargain was struck with Fagin； that if
Oliver was got back he should have a certain sum； and he was to
have more for making him a thief； which this Monks wanted for
some purpose of his own。”
“For what purpose？” asked Rose。
“He caught sight of my shadow on the wall as I listened； in the
hope of finding out；” said the girl； “and there are not many people
besides me that could have got out of their way in time to escape
discovery。 But I did； and I saw him no more till last night。”
“And what occurred then？”
“I’ll tell you； lady。 Last night he came again。 Again they went
upstairs； and I； wrapping myself up so that my shadow should not
betray me； again listened at the door。 The first words I heard
Monks say were these： ‘So the only proofs of the boy’s identity lie
at the bottom of the river； and the old hag that received them from
the mother is rotting in her coffin。’ They laughed； and talked of his
success in doing this； and Monks； talking on about the boy； and
getting very wild； said that though he had got the young devil’s
money safely now； he’d rather have had it the other way； for； what
a game it would have been to have brought down the boast of the
father’s will； by driving him through every jail in town and then
hauling him up for some felony which Fagin could easily manage；
after having made a good profit of him besides。”
“What is all this？” said Rose。
“The truth； lady； though it comes from my lips；” replied the girl。
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“Then he said； with oaths common enough in my ears； but strange
to yours； that if he could gratify his hatred by taking the boy’s life
without bringing his own neck in danger； he would； but； as he
couldn’t； he’d be upon the watch to meet him at every turn in life；
and if he took advantage of his birth and history； he might harm
him yet。 ‘In short； Fagin；’ he says； ‘Jew as you are； you never laid
such snares as I’ll contrive for my young brother； Oliver。’”
“His brother！” exclaimed Rose。
“Those were his words；” said Nancy； glancing uneasily round；
as she had scarcely ceased to do； since she began to speak； for a
vision of Sikes haunted her perpetually。 “And more。 When he
spoke of you and the other lady； and said it seemed contrived by
Heaven； or the devil against him； that Oliver should come into
your hands； he laughed； and said there was some comfort in that；
too； for how many thousand and hundreds of thousands of pounds
would you not give； if you had them； to know who your two…legged
spaniel was。”
“You do not mean；” said Rose； turning very pale； “to tell me
that this was said in earnest？”
“He spoke in hard and angry earnest； if a man ever did；”
replied the girl； shaking her head。 “He is an earnest man when his
hatred is up。 I know many who do worse things； but I’d rather
listen to them all a dozen times； than to that Monks once。 It is
growing late； and I have to reach home without suspicion of
having been on such an errand as this。 I must get back quickly。”
“But what can I do？” said Rose。 “To what use can I turn this
communication without you？ Back！ Why do you wish to return to
companions you paint in such terrible colours？ If you repeat this
information to a gentleman whom I can summon in an instant
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from the next room； you can be consigned to some place of safety
without half an hour’s delay。”
“I wish to go back；” said the girl。 “I must go back； because—
how can I tell such things to an innocent lady like you？—because
among the men I have told you of； there is one—the most
desperate among them all—that I can’t leave； no； not even to be
saved from the life I am leading now。”
“Your having interfered in this dear boy’s behalf before；” said
Rose； “your coming here； at so great a risk； to tell me what you
have heard； your manner； which convinces me of the truth of what
you say； your evident contrition and sense of shame； all lead me to
believe that you might be yet reclaimed。 Oh！” said the earnest girl；
folding her hands as the tears coursed down her face； “do not turn
a deaf ear to the entreaties of one of your own sex； the first—the
first； I do believe； who ever appealed to you in the voice of pity and
compassion。 Do hear my words； and let me save you yet； for better
things。”
“Lady；” cried the girl； sinking on her knees； “dear； sweet angel…
lady； you are the first that ever blessed me with such words as
these； and if I had heard them years ago； they might have turned
me from a life of sin and sorrow； but it is too late—it is too late！”
“It is never too late；” said Rose； “for penitence and atonement。”
“It is；” cried the girl； writhing in the agony of her mind； “I
cannot leave him now！ I could not be his death！”
“Why should you be？” asked Rose。
“Nothing could save him；” cried the girl。 “If I told others what I
have told you； and led to their being taken； he would be sure to
die。 He is the boldest； and has been so cruel！”
“Is it possible；” cried Rose； “that for such a man as this； you can
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resign every future hope； and the certainty of immediate rescue？
It is madness。”
“I don’t know what it is；” answered the girl； “I only know that it
is so； and not with me alone； but with hundreds of others as bad
and wretched as myself。 I must go back。 Whether it is God’s wrath
for the wrong I have done； I do not know； but I am drawn back to
him through every suffering and ill…usage； and I should be； I
believe； if I know that I was to die by his hand at last。”
“What am I to do？” said Rose。 “I should not let； you depart from
me thus。”
“You should； lady； an