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Oliver Twist 197
“It is cold； Nancy； dear；” said the Jew； as he warmed his skinny
hands over the fire。 “It seems to go right through one；” added the
old man； touching his side。
“It must be a piercer； if it finds its way through your heart；”
said Mr。 Sikes。 “Give him something to drink； Nancy。 Burn my
body； make haste！ It’s enough to turn a man ill； to see his lean old
carcass shivering in that way； like a ugly ghost just rose from the
grave。”
Nancy quickly brought a bottle from a cupboard； in which there
were many； which； to judge from the diversity of their appearance；
were filled with several kinds of liquids。 Sikes； pouring out a glass
of brandy； bade the Jew drink it off。
“Quite enough； quite； thank ye； Bill” replied the Jew； putting
down the glass after just setting his lips to it。
“What！ You’re afraid of our getting the better of you； are you？”
inquired Sikes； fixing his eyes on the Jew。 “Ugh！” With a hoarse
grunt of contempt； Mr。 Sikes seized the glass； and threw the
remainder of its contents into the ashes： as a preparatory
ceremony to filling it again for himself； which he did at once。
The Jew glanced round the room； as his companion tossed
down the second glassful； not in curiosity； for he had seen it often
before； but in a restless and suspicious manner habitual to him。 It
was a meanly furnished apartment； with nothing but the contents
of the closet to induce the belief that its occupier was anything but
a working man； and with no more suspicious articles displayed to
view than two or three heavy bludgeons which stood in a corner
and a “life…preserver” that hung over the chimney…piece。
“There；” said Sikes； smacking his lips。 “Now I’m ready。”
“For business？” inquired the Jew。
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Oliver Twist 198
“For business；” replied Sikes； “so say what you’ve got to say。”
“About the crib at Chertsey； Bill？” said the Jew； drawing his
chair forward； and speaking in a very low voice。
“Yes。 Wot about it？” inquired Sikes。
“Ah！ you know what I mean； my dear；” said the Jew。 “He knows
what I mean； Nancy； don’t he？”
“No； he don’t；” sneered Mr。 Sikes。 “Or he won’t； and that’s the
same thing。 Speak out； and call things by their right names； don’t
sit there； winking and blinking； and talking to me in hints； as if you
warn’t the very first that thought about the robbery。 Wot d’ye
mean？”
“Hush； Bill； hush！” said the Jew； who had in vain attempted to
stop this burst of indignation； “somebody will hear us； my dear。
Somebody will hear us。”
“Let ’em hear！” said Sikes； “I don’t care。” But as Mr。 Sikes did
care； on reflection； he dropped his voice as he said the words； and
grew calmer。
“There； there；” said the Jew coaxingly。 “It was only my caution；
nothing more。 Now； my dear； about that crib at Chertsey； when is
it to be done； Bill； eh？ When is it to be done？ Such plate； my dear；
such plate！” said the Jew； rubbing his hands； and elevating his
eyebrows in a rapture of anticipation。
“Not at all；” replied Sikes coldly。
“Not to be done at all！” echoed the Jew； leaning back in his
chair。
“No； not at all；” rejoined Sikes。 “At least it can’t be a put…up job；
as we expected。”
“Then it hasn’t been properly gone about；” said the Jew；
turning pale with anger。 “Don’t tell me！”
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Oliver Twist 199
“But I will tell you；” retorted Sikes。 “Who are you that’s not to
be told？ I tell you that Toby Crackit has been hanging about the
place for a fortnight； and he can’t get one of the servants into a
line。”
“Do you mean to tell me； Bill；” said the Jew； softening as the
other grew heated； “that neither of the two men in the house can
be got over？”
“Yes； I do mean to tell you so；” replied Sikes。 “The old lady has
had ’em these twenty year； and； if you were to give ’em five
hundred pound； they wouldn’t be in it。”
“But do you mean to say； my dear；” remonstrated the Jew；
“that the women can’t be got over？”
“Not a bit of it；” replied Sikes。
“Not by flash Toby Crackit？” said the Jew incredulously。
“Think what women are； Bill。”
“No； not even by flash Toby Crackit；” replied Sikes。 “He says
he’s worn sham whiskers； and a canary waistcoat； the whole
blessed time he’s been loitering down there； and it’s all of no use。”
“He should have tried moustachios and a pair of military
trousers； my dear；” said the Jew。
“So he did；” rejoined Sikes； “and they warn’t of no more use
than the other plant。”
The Jew looked blank at this information。 After ruminating for
some minutes with his chin sunk on his breast； he raised his head；
and said； with a deep sigh； that if flash Toby Crackit reported
aright； he feared the game was up。
“And yet；” said the old man； dropping his hands on his knees；
ait’s a sad thing； my dear； to lose so much when we had set our
hearts upon it。”
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“So it is；” said Mr。 Sikes。 “Worse luck！”
A long silence ensued； during which the Jew was plunged in
deep thought with his face wrinkled into an expression of villainy
perfectly demoniacal。 Sikes eyed him furtively from time to time。
Nancy； apparently fearful of irritating the housebreaker； sat with
her eyes fixed upon the fire； as if she had been deaf to all that
passed。
“Fagin；” said Sikes； abruptly breaking the stillness that
prevailed； “is it worth fifty shiners extra； if it’s safely done from the
outside？”
“Yes；” said the Jew； as suddenly rousing himself。
“Is it a bargain？” inquired Sikes。
“Yes； my dear； yes；” rejoined the Jew； his eyes glistening； and
every muscle in his face working； with the excitement that the
inquiry had awakened。
“Then；” said Sikes； thrusting aside the Jew’s hand； with some
disdain； “let it come off as soon as you like。 Toby and I were over
the garden wall the night afore last； sounding the panels of the
door and shutters。 The crib’s barred up at night like a jail； but
there’s one part we can crack； safe and softly。”
“Which is that； Bill？” asked the Jew eagerly。
“Why；” whispered Sikes；” as you cross the lawn—”
“Yes； yes；” said the Jew； bending his head forward with his eyes
almost staring out of it。
“Umph！” cried Sikes； stopping short； as the girl； scarcely
moving her head； looked suddenly round； and pointed for an
instant to the Jew’s face。 “Never mind what part it is。 You can’t do
it without me； I know； but it’s best to be on the safe side when one
deals with you。”
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“As you like； my dear； as you like；” replied the Jew。 “Is there no
help wanted； but yours and Toby’s？”
“None；” said Sikes。 “’Cept a centre…bit and a boy。 The first
we’ve both got； the second you must find us。”
“A boy！” exclaimed the Jew。 “Oh！ then it’s a panel； eh？”
“Never mind wot it is！” replied Sikes。 “I want a boy； and he
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