who had been considering during this speech, and had only caught the last sentence. "Bill!"
"What now?" inquired Sikes.
The Jew nodded his head towards Nancy, who was still gazing at the fire, and intimated by a sign that he would have her told to leave the room. Sikes shrugged his shoulders impatiently, as if he thought the precaution unnecessary, but complied, nevertheless, by requesting Miss Nancy to fetch him a jug of beer.
"You don't want any beer," said Nancy, folding her arms, and retaining her seat very composedly.
"I tell you I do!" replied Sikes.
"Nonsense," rejoined the girl, coolly. "Go on, Fagin. I know what he's going to say, Bill; he needn't mind me."
The Jew still hesitated, and Sikes looked from one to the other in some surprise.
"Why, you don't mind the old girl, do you, Fagin?" he asked at length. "You've known her long enough to trust her, or the devil's in it. She ain't one to blab, are you, Nancy?"
