SOMENEWACQUAINTANCESAREINTRODUCEDTOTHEINTELLIGENTREADER，CONNECTEDWITHWHOMVARIOUSPLEASANTMATTERSARERELATED，APPERTAININGTOTHISHISTORY
‘Where'sOliver？’saidtheJew，risingwithamenacinglook。‘Where'stheboy？’
Theyoungthieveseyedtheirpreceptorasiftheywerealarmedathisviolence；andlookeduneasilyateachother。Buttheymadenoreply。
‘What'sbecomeoftheboy？’saidtheJew，seizingtheDodgertightlybythecollar，andthreateninghimwithhorridimprecations。‘Speakout，orI'llthrottleyou！’
Mr。Faginlookedsoverymuchinearnest，thatCharleyBates，whodeemeditprudentinallcasestobeonthesafeside，andwhoconceiveditbynomeansimprobablethatitmightbehisturntobethrottledsecond，droppeduponhisknees，andraisedaloud，well-sustained，andcontinuousroar--somethingbetweenamadbullandaspeakingtrumpet。
‘Willyouspeak？’thunderedtheJew：shakingtheDodgersomuchthathiskeepinginthebigcoatatall，seemedperfectlymiraculous。
‘Why，thetrapshavegothim，andthat'sallaboutit，’saidtheDodger，sullenly。‘Come，letgoo’me，willyou！‘And，swinginghimself，atonejerk，cleanoutofthebigcoat，whichheleftintheJew'shands，theDodgersnatchedupthetoastingfork，andmadeapassatthemerryoldgentleman'swaistcoat；which，ifithadtakeneffect，wouldhaveletalittlemoremerrimentoutthancouldhavebeeneasilyreplaced。
TheJewsteppedbackinthisemergency，withmoreagilitythancouldhavebeenanticipatedinamanofhisapparentdecrepitude；and，seizingupthepot，preparedtohurlitathisassailant'shead。ButCharleyBates，atthismoment，callinghisattentionbyaperfectlyterrifichowl，hesuddenlyaltereditsdestination，andflungitfullatthatyounggentleman。
‘Why，whattheblazesisinthewindnow！’growledadeepvoice。‘Whopitchedthat’ereatme？It'swellit'sthebeer，andnotthepot，ashitme，orI'dhavesettledsomebody。Imighthaveknow'd，asnobodybutaninfernal，rich，plundering，thunderingoldJewcouldaffordtothrowawayanydrinkbutwater--andnotthat，unlesshedonetheRiverCompanyeveryquarter。Wot'sitallabout，Fagin？D--me，ifmyneck-handkercheran'tlinedwithbeer！Comein，yousneakingwarmint；wotareyoustoppingoutsidefor，asifyouwasashamedofyourmaster！Comein！‘
Themanwhogrowledoutthesewords，wasastoutly-builtfellowofaboutfive-and-thirty，inablackvelveteencoat，verysoileddrabbreeches，lace-uphalfboots，andgreycottonstockingswhichinclosedabulkypairoflegs，withlargeswellingcalves；--thekindoflegs，whichinsuchcostume，alwayslookinanunfinishedandincompletestatewithoutasetoffetterstogarnishthem。Hehadabrownhatonhishead，andadirtybelcherhandkerchiefroundhisneck：withthelongfrayedendsofwhichhesmearedthebeerfromhisfaceashespoke。Hedisclosed，whenhehaddoneso，abroadheavycountenancewithabeardofthreedays‘growth，andtwoscowlingeyes；oneofwhichdisplayedvariousparti-colouredsymptomsofhavingbeenrecentlydamagedbyablow。
‘Comein，d'yehear？’growledthisengagingruffian。
Awhiteshaggydog，withhisfacescratchedandtornintwentydifferentplaces，skulkedintotheroom。
‘Whydidn'tyoucomeinafore？’saidtheman。‘You'regettingtooproudtoownmeaforecompany，areyou？Liedown！’
Thiscommandwasaccompaniedwithakick，whichsenttheanimaltotheotherendoftheroom。Heappearedwellusedtoit，however；forhecoiledhimselfupinacornerveryquietly，withoututteringasound，andwinkinghisveryill-lookingeyestwentytimesinaminute，appearedtooccupyhimselfintakingasurveyoftheapartment。
‘Whatareyouupto？Ill-treatingtheboys，youcovetous，avaricious，in-sa-ti-a-bleoldfence？’saidtheman，seatinghimselfdeliberately。‘Iwondertheydon'tmurderyou！IwouldifIwasthem。IfI'dbeenyour’prentice，I'dhavedoneitlongago，and--no，Icouldn'thavesoldyouafterwards，foryou'refitfornothingbutkeepingasacuriousityofuglinessinaglassbottle，andIsupposetheydon'tblowglassbottleslargeenough。‘
‘Hush！hush！Mr。Sikes，’saidtheJew，trembling；‘don'tspeaksoloud！’
‘Noneofyourmistering，’repliedtheruffian；‘youalwaysmeanmischiefwhenyoucomethat。Youknowmyname：outwithit！Ishan'tdisgraceitwhenthetimecomes。’
‘Well，well，then--BillSikes，’saidtheJew，withabjecthumility。‘Youseemoutofhumour，Bill。’
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