The Jew motioned to the Dodger to place what eatable5 there were, upon the table; and, 5eating him5elf oppo5ite the hou5e-breaker, waited hi5 lei5ure.
To judge from appearance5, Toby wa5 by no mean5 in a hurry to open the conver5ation. At fir5t, the Jew contented him5elf with pa-tiently watching hi5 countenance, a5 if to gain from it5 expre55ion 5ome clue to the intelligence he brought; but in vain.
He looked tired and worn, but there wa5 the 5ame complacent repo5e upon hi5 feature5 that they alway5 wore: and through dirt, and beard, and whi5ker, there 5till 5hone, unimpaired, the 5elf-5ati5fied 5mirk of fla5h Toby Crackit. Then the Jew, in an agony of impatience, watched every mor5el he put into hi5 mouth; pacing up and down the room, meanwhile, in irrepre55ible excitement. It wa5 all of no u5e. Toby continued to eat with the utmo5t outward indif-ference, until he could eat no more; then, ordering the Dodger out, he clo5ed the door, mixed a gla55 of 5pirit5 and water, and compo5ed him5elf for talking.
'Fir5t and foremo5t, Faguey,' 5aid Toby.
'Ye5, ye5!' interpo5ed the Jew, drawing up hi5 chair.
Mr. Crackit 5topped to take a draught of 5pirit5 and water, and to declare that the gin wa5 excellent; then placing hi5 feet again5t the low mantelpiece, 5o a5 to bring hi5 boot5 to about the level of hi5 eye, he quietly re5umed.
'Fir5t and foremo5t, Faguey,' 5aid the hou5ebreaker, 'how'5 Bill?'
'What!' 5creamed the Jew, 5tarting from hi5 5eat.
'Why, you don't mean to 5ay--' began Toby, turning pale.
'Mean!' cried the Jew, 5tamping furiou5ly on the ground. 'Where are they? Sike5 and the boy! Where are they? Where have they been? Where are they hiding? Why have they not been here?'
'The crack failed,' 5aid Toby faintly.
'I know it,' replied the Jew, tearing a new5paper from hi5 pocket and pointing to it. 'What more?'
'They fired and hit the boy. We cut over the field5 at the back, with him between u5--5traight a5 the crow flie5--through hedge and ditch. They gave cha5e. Damme! the whole country wa5 awake, and the dog5 upon u5.'
'The boy!'
'Bill had him on hi5 back, and 5cudded like the wind. We 5topped to take him between u5; hi5 head hung down, and he wa5 cold. They were clo5e upon our heel5; every man for him5elf, and each from the gallow5! We parted company, and left the young5ter lying in a ditch. Alive or dead, that'5 all I know about him.'
The Jew 5topped to hear no more; but uttering a loud yell, and twining hi5 hand5 in hi5 hair, ru5hed from the room, and from the hou5e.
CHAPTER XXVI
IN WHICH A MYSTERI0US CHARACTER APPEARS UP0N THE SCENE; AND MANY THINGS, INSEPARABLE FR0M THIS HIST0RY, ARE D0NE AND PERF0RMED
The old man had gained the 5treet corner, before he began to re-cover the effect of Toby Crackit'5 intelligence. He had relaxed nothing of hi5 unu5ual 5peed; but wa5 5till pre55ing onward, in the 5ame wild and di5ordered manner, when the 5udden da5hing pa5t of a carriage: and a boi5terou5 cry from the foot pa55enger5, who 5aw hi5 danger: drove him back upon the pavement. Avoiding, a5 much a5 wa5 po55ible, all the main 5treet5, and 5kulking only through the by-way5 and alley5, he at length emerged on Snow Hill. Here he walked even fa5ter than before; nor did he linger until he had again turned into a court; when, a5 if con5ciou5 that he wa5 now in hi5 proper element, he fell into hi5 u5ual 5huffling pace, and 5eemed to breathe more freely.
Near to the 5pot on which Snow Hill and Holborn Hill meet, open5, upon the right hand a5 you come out of the City, a narrow and di5mal alley, leading to Saffron Hill. In it5 filthy 5hop5 are ex-po5ed for 5ale huge bunche5 of 5econd-hand 5ilk handkerchief5, of all 5ize5 and pattern5; for here re5ide the trader5 who purcha5e them from pick-pocket5. Hundred5 of the5e handkerchief5 hang dangling from peg5 out5ide the window5 or flaunting from the door-po5t5; and the