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secrecy and solemnity； a consultation of great doctors on the
knottiest point in medicine； would be mere child’s play。
Meanwhile； the doctor walked up and down the next room in a
very uneasy state； and Mrs。 Maylie and Rose looked on； with
anxious faces。
“Upon my word；” he said； making a halt； after a great number
of very rapid turns； “I hardly know what to do。”
“Surely；” said Rose； “the poor child’s story； faithfully repeated
to these men； will be sufficient to exonerate him。”
“I doubt it； my dear young lady；” said the doctor； shaking his
head。 “I don’t think it would exonerate him； either with them； or
with legal functionaries of a higher grade。 What is he； after all；
they would say？ A runaway。 Judged by mere worldly
considerations and probabilities； his story is a very doubtful one。”
“You believe it； surely？” interrupted Rose。
“I believe it； strange as it is； and perhaps I may be an old fool
for doing so；” rejoined the doctor； “but I don’t think it is exactly
the tale for a practised police…officer； nevertheless。”
“Why not？” demanded Rose。
“Because； my pretty cross…examiner；” replied the doctor；
“because； viewed with their eyes； there are many ugly points
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about it； he can only prove the parts that look ill； and none of those
that look well。 Confound the fellows； they will have the why and
the wherefore； and will take nothing for granted。 On his own
showing； you see； he has been the companion of thieves for some
time past； he had been carried to a police…office； on a charge of
picking a gentleman’s pocket； he has been taken away； forcibly；
from that gentleman’s house； to a place which he cannot describe
or point out； and of the situation Of which he has not the remotest
idea。 He is brought down to Chertsey； by men who seem to have
taken a violent fancy to him； whether he will or no； and is put
through a window to rob a house； and then； just at the very
moment when he is going to alarm the inmates； and so do the very
thing that would set him all to rights； there rushes into the way； a
blundering dog of a half…bred butler； and shoots him！ As if on
purpose to prevent his doing any good for himself！ Don’t you see
all this？”
“I see it； of course；” replied Rose； smiling at the doctor’s
impetuosity； “but still I do not see anything in it； to criminate the
poor child。”
“No；” replied the doctor； “of course not！ Bless the bright eyes of
your sex！ They never see； whether for good or bad； more than one
side of any question； and that is； always； the one which first
presents itself to them。”
Having given vent to this result of experience； the doctor put
his hands into his pockets； and walked up and down the room with
even greater rapidity than before。
“The more I think of it；” said the doctor； “the more I see that it
will occasion endless trouble and difficulty if we put these men in
possession of the boy’s real story。 I am certain it will not be
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Oliver Twist 320
believed； and even if they can do nothing to him in the end； still
the dragging it forward； and giving publicity to all the doubts that
will be cast upon it； must interfere； materially； with your
benevolent plan of rescuing him from misery。”
“Oh！ what is to be done？” cried Rose。 “Dear； dear！ why did they
send for these people？”
“Why； indeed！” exclaimed Mrs。 Maylie。 “I would not have had
them here； for the world。”
“All I know is；” said Mr。 Losberne； at last； sitting down with a
kind of desperate calmness； “that we must try and carry it off with
a bold face。 The object is a good one； and that must be our excuse。
The boy has strong symptoms of fever upon him； and is in no
condition to be talked to any more； that’s one comfort。 We must
make the best of it； and if bad be the best； it is no fault of ours。
Come in！”
“Well； master；” said Blathers； entering the room； followed by
his colleague； and making the door fast； before he said any more。
“This warn’t a put…up thing。”
“And what the devil’s a put…up thing？” demanded the doctor
impatiently。
“We call it a put…up robbery； ladies；” said Blathers； turning to
them； as if he pitied their ignorance； but had a contempt for the
doctor’s； “when the servants is in it。”
“Nobody suspected them； in this case；” said Mrs。 Maylie。
“Wery likely not； ma’am；” replied Blathers； “but they might
have been in it； for all that。”
“More likely on that wery account；” said Duff。
“We find it was a town hand；” said Blathers； continuing his
report； “for the style of work is first…rate。”
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“Wery pretty indeed； it is；” remarked Duff； in an undertone。
“There was two of ’em in it；” continued Blathers； “and they had
a boy with ’em； that’s plain from the size of the window。 That’s all
to be said at present。 We’ll see this lad that you’ve got upstairs at
once； if you please。”
“Perhaps they will take something to drink first； Mrs。 Maylie？”
said the doctor； his face brightening； as if some new thought had
occurred to him。
“Oh！ to be sure！” exclaimed Rose eagerly。 “You shall have it
immediately； if you will。”
“Why； thank you； miss！” said Blathers； drawing his coat…sleeve
across his mouth； “it’s dry work； this sort of duty。 Anythink that’s
handy； miss； don’t put yourself out of the way； on our accounts。”
“What shall it be？” asked the doctor； following the young lady
to the sideboard。
“A little drop of spirits； master； if it’s all the same；” replied
Blathers。 “It’s a cold ride from London； ma’am； and I always find
that spirits comes home warmer to the feelings。”
This interesting communication was addressed to Mrs。 Maylie；
who received it very graciously。 While it was being conveyed to
her； the doctor slipped out of the room。
“Ah！” said Mr。 Blathers； not holding his wineglass by the stem；
but grasping the bottom between the thumb and forefinger of his
left hand； and placing it in front of his chest； “I have seen a good
many pieces of business like this； in my time； ladies。”
“That crack down in the back lane at Edmonton； Blathers；”
said Mr。 Duff； assisting his colleague’s memory。
“That was something in this way； warn’t it？” rejoined Mr。
Blathers； “that was done by Conkey Chickweed； that was。”
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“You always gave that to him；” replied Duff。 “It was the Family
Pet； I tell you。 Conkey hadn’t any more to do with it than I had。”
“Get out！” retorted Mr。 Blathers； “I know better。 Do you mind
that time when Conkey was robbed of his money； though？ What a
start that was！ Better than any novel…book I ever see！”
“What was that？” inquired Rose； anxious to encourage any
symptoms of good…humour in the unwelcome visitors。
“It was a robbery； miss； that hardly anybody would have been
down upon；” said Blathers。 “This here Conkey Chickwee