‘She goes abroad to-night,’ said Fagin,
’and on the right errand, I’m sure; for
she has been alone all day, and the man she is afraid
of will not be back much before daybreak. Come
with me. Quick!’
Noah started up without saying a word; for the Jew
was in a state of such intense excitement that it
infected him. They left the house stealthily,
and hurrying through a labyrinth of streets, arrived
at length before a public-house, which Noah recognised
as the same in which he had slept, on the night of
his arrival in London.
It was past eleven o’clock, and the door was
closed. It opened softly on its hinges as Fagin
gave a low whistle. They entered, without noise;
and the door was closed behind them.
Scarcely venturing to whisper, but substituting dumb
show for words, Fagin, and the young Jew who had admitted
them, pointed out the pane of glass to Noah, and signed
to him to climb up and observe the person in the adjoining
room.
‘Is that the woman?’ he asked, scarcely
above his breath.
‘I can’t see her face well,’ whispered
Noah. ’She is looking down, and the candle
is behind her.
‘Stay there,’ whispered Fagin. He
signed to Barney, who withdrew. In an instant,
the lad entered the room adjoining, and, under pretence
of snuffing the candle, moved it in the required position,
and, speaking to the girl, caused her to raise her
face.
‘I see her now,’ cried the spy.
‘I should know her among a thousand.’
He hastily descended, as the room-door opened, and
the girl came out. Fagin drew him behind a small
partition which was curtained off, and they held their
breaths as she passed within a few feet of their place
of concealment, and emerged by the door at which they
had entered.
‘Hist!’ cried the lad who held the door.
‘Dow.’
Noah exchanged a look with Fagin, and darted out.
‘To the left,’ whispered the lad; ’take
the left had, and keep od the other side.’
He did so; and, by the light of the lamps, saw the
girl’s retreating figure, already at some distance
before him. He advanced as near as he considered
prudent, and kept on the opposite side of the street,
the better to observe her motions. She looked
nervously round, twice or thrice, and once stopped
to let two men who were following close behind her,
pass on. She seemed to gather courage as she
advanced, and to walk with a steadier and firmer step.
The spy preserved the same relative distance between
them, and followed: with his eye upon her.
