Treats of a very poor subject. But is a short one, and may
be found of,importance in this history.
IT WAS NO UNFIT MESSENGER OF DEATH WHO HAD DISTURBED THE quiet of the matron's room. Her body was bent by age; her limbs trembled with palsy; her face, distorted into a mumbling leer, resembled more the grotesque shaping of some wild pencil than the work of Nature's hand.
Alas! How few of Nature's faces are left alone to gladden us with their beauty! The cares, and sorrows, and hungerings, of the world, change them as they change hearts; and it is only when those passions sleep, and have lost their hold for ever, that the troubled clouds pass off, and leave Heaven's surface clear. It is a common thing for the countenances of the dead even in that fixed and rigid state, to subside into the long-forgotten expression of sleeping infancy and settle into the very look of early life; so calm, so peaceful, do they grow again that those who knew them in their happy childhood, kneel by the coffin's side in awe, and see the Angel even upon earth.
The old crone tottered along the passages and up the stairs, muttering some indistinct answers to the chidings of her companion; being at length compelled to pause for breath, she gave the light into her hand and remained behind to follow as she might, while the more nimble superior made her way to the room where the sick woman lay.
It was a bare garret-room, with a dim light burning at the farther end. There was another old woman watching by the bed; the parish apothecary's apprentice was standing by the fire, making a toothpick out of a quill.
"Cold night, Mrs. Corney," said this young gentleman, as the matron entered.
"Very cold, indeed, sir," replied the mistress, in her most civil tones, and dropping a curtsey as she spoke.
"You should get better coals out of your contractors," said the apothecary's deputy, breaking a lump on the top of the fire with the rusty poker, "these are not at all the sort of thing for a cold night."
"They're the board's choosing, sir," returned the matron. "The least they could do would be to keep us pretty warm, for our places are hard enough."
The conversation was here interrupted by a moan from the sick woman.
"Oh!" said the young man, turning his face towards the bed, as if he had previously quite forgotten the patient, "it's all U.P. there, Mrs. Comey."
"It is, is it, sir?" asked the matron.
"If she lasts a couple of hours, I shall be surprised," said the apothecary's apprentice, intent upon the toothpick's point. "It's a breakup of the system altogether. Is she dozing, old lady?"
The attendant stooped over the bed to ascertain, and nodded in the affirmative.
"Then perhaps she'll go off in.that way, if you don't make a row," said the young man. "Put the light on the floor. She won't see it there."
The attendant did as she was told, shaking her head meanwhile to intimate that the woman would not die so easily; having done so, she resumed her seat by the side of the other nurse, who had by this time returned. The mistress, with an expression of impatience, wrapped herself in her shawl and sat at the foot of the bed.
The apothecary's apprentice, having completed the manufacture of the toothpick, planted himself in front of the fire and made good use of it for ten minutes or so, when apparently growing rather dull, he wished Mrs. Corney joy of her job, and took himself off on tiptoe.
When they had sat in silence for some time, the two old women rose from the bed, and crouching over the fire, held out their withered hands to catch the heat. The flame threw a ghastly light on their shrivelled faces, and made their ugliness appear terrible, as, in this position, they began to converse in a low voice.
"Did she say any more, Anny dear, while I was gone?" inquired the messenger.
"Not a word," replied the other. "She plucked and tore at her arms for a little time; but I held her hands, and she soon dropped off. She hasn't much strength in her, so I easily kept her quiet. I ain't so weak for an old woman, although I am on parish allowance; no, no!"
"Did she drink the hot wine the doctor said she was to have?" demanded the first.
"I tried to get it down," rejoined the other. "But her teeth were tight set, and she clenched the mug so hard that it was as much as I could do to get it back again. So I drank it, and it did ine good!"
Looking cautiously round, to ascertain that they were not overheard, the two hags cowered nearer to the fire, and chuckled heartily.
"I mind the time," said the first speaker, "when she would have done the same, and made rare fun of it afterwards."
"Ay, that she would," rejoined the other; "she had a merry heart. A many, many, beautiful corpses she laid out, as nice and neat as wax-works. My old eyes have seen them--ay, and those old hands touched them too; for I have helped her, scores of times."
Stretching forth her trembling fingers as she spoke, the old creature shook them exultingly before her face, and fumbling in her pocket, brought out an old time-discoloured tin snuff box, from which she shook a few grains into the outstretched palm of her companion, and a few more into her own. While they were thus employed, the matron, who had been impatiently watching until the dying woman should awaken from her stupor, joined them by the fire and sharply asked how long she was to wait?
"Not long, mistress," replied the second woman, looking up into her face. "We have none of us long to wait for Death. Patience, patience! He'll be here soon enough for us all."
"Hold your tongue, you doting idiot!" said the matron, sternly. "You, Martha, tell me; has she been in this way before?"
"Often," answered the first woman.
"But will never be again." added the second one; "that is, she'll never wake again but once--and mind, mistress, that won't be for long!"
"Long or short," said the matron, snappishly, "she won't find me here when she does wake; take care, both of you, how you worry me again for nothing. It's no part of my duty to see all the old women in the house die, and I won't--mat's more. Mind that, you impudent old haffidans. If you make a fool of me again, I'll soon cure you, I warrant you!"
She was bouncing away when a cry from the two women, who had turned towards the bed, caused her to look round. The patient had raised herself upright, and was stretching her arms towards them.
"Who's that?" she cried. in a hollow voice.
"Hush, hush!" said one of the women, stooping over her. "Lie down, lie down!"
"I'll never lie down again alive!" said the woman, struggling. "I will tell her! Come here! Nearer! Let me whisper in your ear."
She clutched the matron by the arm, and forcing her into a chair by the bedside, was about to speak, when looking round, she caught sight of the two old women bending forward in the attitude of eager listeners.
"Turn them away," said the woman, drowsily; "make haste! make haste!"
The two old crones, chiming in together, began pouring out many piteous lamentations that the poor dear was too far gone to know her best friends, and were uttering sundry protestations that they would never leave her, when the superior pushed them from the room, closed the door, and returned to the bedside. On being excluded, the old ladies changed their tone, and cried through the keyhole that old Sally was drunk, which, indeed, was not unlikely, since, in addition to a moderate dose of opium prescribed by the apothecary, she was labouring under the effects of a final taste of gin-and-water which had been privily administered, in the openness of their hearts, by the worthy old ladies themselves.
"Now listen to me," said the dying woman aloud, as if making a great effort to revive one latent spark of energy. "In this very room--in this very bed--I once nursed a pretty young creetur' that was brought into the house with her feet cut and bruised with walking, and all soiled with dust and blood. She gave birth to a boy, and died. Let me think--what was the year again!"
"Never mind the year," said the impatient auditor; "what about her?"
"Ay," murmured the sick woman, relapsing into her former drowsy state, "what about her?--what about--I know!" she cried, jumping fiercely up, he
r face flushed and her eyes starting from her head--"I robbed her, so I did! She wasn't cold--I tell you she wasn't cold, when I stole it!"
"Stole what, for God's sake?" cried the matron, with a gesture as if she would-call for help.
"It!" replied the woman, laying her hand over the other's mouth. "The only thing she had. She wanted clothes to keep her warm, and food to eat; but she had kept it safe, and had it in her bosom. It was gold, I tell you! Rich gold, that might have saved her life!"
"Gold!" echoed the matron, bending eagerly over the woman as she fell back. "Go on, go on--yes--what of it? Who was the mother? When was it?"
"She charged me to keep it safe," replied the woman with a groan, "and trusted me as the only woman about her. I stole it in my heart when she first showed it me hanging round her neck; and the child's death, perhaps, is on me besides! They would have treated him better if they had known it all!"
"Known what?" asked the other. "Speak!"
"The boy grew so like his mother," said the woman, rambling on, and not heeding the question, "that I could never forget it when I saw his face. Poor girl! poor girl! She was so young, too! Such a gentle lamb! Wait; there's more to tell. I have not told you all, have I?"
"No, no," replied the matron, inclining her head to catch the words, as they came more faintly from the dying woman. "Be quick, or it may be too late!"
"The mother," said the woman, making a more violent effort than before; "the mother; when the pains of death first came upon her, whispered in my ear that if her baby was born alive, and thrived, the day might come when it would not feel so much disgraced to hear its poor young mother named. 'And oh, kind Heaven!' she said, folding her thin hands together, 'whether it be a boy or girl, raise up some friends for it in this troubled world, and take pity upon a lonely desolate child, abandoned to its mercy!'"
"The boy's name?" demanded the matron.
"They called him Oliver," replied the woman, feebly. "The gold I stole was--"
"Yes, yes--what?" cried the other.
She was bending eagerly over the woman to hear her reply, but drew back. instinctively, as she once again rose, slowly and stiffly, into a sitting posture, then, clutching the coverlid with both hands, muttered some indistinct sounds in her throat, and fell lifeless on the bed.
"Stone dead!" said one of the old women, hurrying in as soon as the door was opened.
"And nothing to tell, after all," rejoined the matron, walking carelessly away.
The two crones, to all appearance too busily occupied in the preparations for their dreadful duties to make any reply, were left alone, hovering about the body.
CHAPTER XXV
Wherein this history reverts to Mr. Fagin and company.
WHILE THESE THINGS WERE PASSING IN THE COUNTRY WORKHOUSE, Mr. Fagin sat in the old den--the same from which Oliver had been removed by the girl--brooding over a dull, smoky fire. He held a pair of bellows upon his knee, with which he had apparently been endeavouring to rouse it into more cheerful action; but he had fallen into deep thought, and with his arms folded on them, and his chin resting on his thumbs, fixed his eyes abstractedly on the rusty bars.
At a table behind him sat the Artful Dodger, Master Charles Bates, and Mr. Chitling, all intent upon a game of whist, the Artful taking dummy against Master Bates and Mr. Chitling. The countenance of the first-named gentleman; peculiarly intelligent at all times, acquired great additional interest from his close observance of the game and his attentive perusal of Mr. Chitling's hand, upon which, from time to time, as occasion served, he bestowed a variety of earnest glances, wisely regulating his own play by the result of his observations upon his neighbour's cards. It being a cold night, the Dodger wore his hat, as, indeed, was often his custom within doors. He also sustained a clay pipe between his teeth, which he only removed for a brief space when he deemed it necessary to apply for refreshment to a quart pot upon the table, which stood ready filled with gin-and-water for the accommodation of the company.
Master Bates was also attentive to the play; but being of a more excitable nature than his accomplished friend, it was observable that he more frequently applied himself to the gin-and-water, and moreover indulged in many jests and irrelevant remarks, all highly unbecoming a scientific rubber. Indeed, the Artful, presuming upon their close attachment, more than once took occasion to reason gravely with his companion upon these improprieties, all of which remonstrances Master Bates received in extremely good part, merely requesting his friend to be "blowed," or to insert his head in a sack, or replying with some other neatly turned witticism of a similar kind, the happy application of which excited considerable admiration in the mind of Mr. Chitling. It was remarkable that the latter gentleman and his partner invariably lost, and that the circumstance, so far from angering Master Bates, appeared to afford him the highest amusement, inasmuch as he laughed most uproariously at the end of every deal, and protested that he had never seen such a jolly game in all his born days.
"That's two doubles and the rub," said Mr. Chiding, with a very long face, as he drew half-a-crown from his waistcoat-pocket. "I never see such a feller as you, Jack; you win everything. Even when we've good cards, Charley and I can't make nothing of 'em."
Either the matter or the manner of this remark, which was made very ruefully, delighted Charley Bates so much that his consequent shout of laughter roused the Jew from his reverie and induced him to inquire what was the matter.
"Matter, Fagin!" cried Charley. "I wish you had watched the play. Tommy Chitling hasn't won a point, and I went partners with him against the Artful and dum."
"Ay, ay!" said the Jew, with a grin, which sufficiently demonstrated that he was at no loss to understand the reason. "Try 'em again, Tom; try 'em again."
"No more of it for me, thankee, Fagin," replied Mr. Chitling; "I've had enough. That 'ere Dodger has such a run of luck that there's no standing again' him."
"Ha! ha! my dear," replied the Jew, "you must get up very early in the morning, to win against the Dodger."
"Morning!" said Charley Bates; "you must put your boots on over-night, and have a telescope at each eye, and a opera-glass between your shoulders if you want to come over him."
Mr. Dawkins received these handsome compliments with much philosophy, and offered to cut any gentleman in company for the first picture-card, at a shilling a time. Nobody accepting the challenge, and his pipe being by this time smoked out, he proceeded to amuse himself by sketching a ground plan of Newgate on the table with the piece of chalk which had served him in lieu of counters, whistling, meantime, with peculiar shrillness.
"How precious dull you are, Tommy!" said the Dodger, stopping short when there had been a long silence and addressing Mr. Chitling. "What do you think he's thinking of, Fagin?"
"How should I know, my dear?" replied the Jew, looking round as he plied the bellows. "About his losses, maybe, or the little retirement in the country that he's just left, eh? Ha! ha! Is that it, my dear?" .
"Not a bit of it," replied the Dodger, stopping the subject of discourse as Mr. Chitling was about to reply. "What do you say, Charley?"
"I should say," replied Master Bates, with a grin, "that he was uncommon sweet upon Betsy. See how he's a-blushing! Oh, my eye! here's a merry-go-rounder! Tom my Chitling's in love! Oh, Fagin, Fagin! what a spree!"
Thoroughly overpowered with the notion of Mr. Chitling being the victim of the tender passion, Master Bates threw himself back in his chair with such violence that he lost his balance, and pitched over upon the floor, where (the accident abating nothing of his merriment) he lay at full length until his laugh was over, when he resumed his former position and began another laugh.
"Never mind him, my dear," said the Jew, winking at Mr. Dawkins, and giving Master Bates a reproving tap with the nozzle of the bellows. "Betsy's a fine girl. Stick up to her, Tom. Stick up to her."
"What I mean to say, Fagin," replied Mr. Chitling, very red in the face, "is that that isn't anything to anybody here."
"No more it is," replied the Jew; "Charley will talk. Don't mind him, my dear; don't mind him. Betsy's a fine girl. Do as she bids you, Tom, and you will make your fortune."
"So I do do as she bids me," replied Mr. Chitling; "I shouldn't have been milled, if it hadn't been for her advice. But it turned out a good job for you; didn't it, Fagin ! And what's six weeks of it? It must come, some time or another, and why not in the winter-time when you don't want to go out a-walking so much; eh, Fagin?"
"Ah, to be sure, my dear," replied the Jew.
"You wouldn't mind it again, Tom, would you?" asked the Dodger, winking upon Charley and the Jew, "If Bet was all right?"
"I mean to say that I shouldn't," replied Tom, angrily. "There, now. Ah! Who'll say as much as that, I should like to know; eh, Fagin?"
"Nobody, my dear," replied the Jew; "not a soul, Tom. I don't know one of 'em that would do it besides you, not one of 'em, my dear."
"I might have got clear off, if I'd split upon her, mightn't I, Fagin?" angrily pursued the poor half-witted dupe. "A word from me would have done it; wouldn't it, Fagin?"
"To be sure it would, my dear," replied the Jew.
"But I didn't blab it; did I, Fagin?" demanded Tom, pouring question upon question with great volubility.
"No, no, to be sure," replied the Jew; "you were too stout-hearted for that. A deal too stout, my dear!"
"Perhaps I was," rejoined Tom, looking round; "and if I was, what's to laugh at in that; eh, Fagin?"
The Jew, perceiving that Mr. Chitling was considerably roused, hastened to assure him that nobody was laughing, and to prove the gravity of the company, appealed to Master Bates, the principal offender. But, unfortunately, Charley, in opening his mouth to reply that he was never more serious in his life, was unable to prevent the escape of such a violent roar that the abused Mr. Chitling, without any preliminary ceremonies, rushed across the room and aimed a blow at the offender, who, being skilful in evading pursuit, ducked to avoid it, and chose his time so well that it lighted on the chest of the merry old gentleman and caused him to stagger to the wall, where he stood panting for breath while Mr. Chitling looked on in intense dismay.