Chapter 40（1 / 2）

ASTRANGEINTERVIEW，WHICHISASEQUELTOTHELASTCHAMBER

Thegirl'slifehadbeensquanderedinthestreets，andamongthemostnoisomeofthestewsanddensofLondon，buttherewassomethingofthewoman'soriginalnatureleftinherstill；andwhensheheardalightstepapproachingthedooroppositetothatbywhichshehadentered，andthoughtofthewidecontrastwhichthesmallroomwouldinanothermomentcontain，shefeltburdenedwiththesenseofherowndeepshame，andshrunkasthoughshecouldscarcelybearthepresenceofherwithwhomshehadsoughtthisinterview。

Butstrugglingwiththesebetterfeelingswaspride，--theviceofthelowestandmostdebasedcreaturesnolessthanofthehighandself-assured。Themiserablecompanionofthievesandruffians，thefallenoutcastoflowhaunts，theassociateofthescouringsofthejailsandhulks，livingwithintheshadowofthegallowsitself，--eventhisdegradedbeingfelttooproudtobetrayafeeblegleamofthewomanlyfeelingwhichshethoughtaweakness，butwhichaloneconnectedherwiththathumanity，ofwhichherwastinglifehadobliteratedsomany，manytraceswhenaverychild。

Sheraisedhereyessufficientlytoobservethatthefigurewhichpresenteditselfwasthatofaslightandbeautifulgirl；then，bendingthemontheground，shetossedherheadwithaffectedcarelessnessasshesaid：

‘It'sahardmattertogettoseeyou，lady。IfIhadtakenoffence，andgoneaway，asmanywouldhavedone，you'dhavebeensorryforitoneday，andnotwithoutreasoneither。’

‘Iamverysorryifanyonehasbehavedharshlytoyou，’repliedRose。‘Donotthinkofthat。Tellmewhyyouwishedtoseeme。Iamthepersonyouinquiredfor。’

Thekindtoneofthisanswer，thesweetvoice，thegentlemanner，theabsenceofanyaccentofhaughtinessordispleasure，tookthegirlcompletelybysurprise，andsheburstintotears。

‘Oh，lady，lady！’shesaid，claspingherhandspassionatelybeforeherface，‘iftherewasmorelikeyou，therewouldbefewerlikeme，--therewould--therewould！’

‘Sitdown，’saidRose，earnestly。‘IfyouareinpovertyorafflictionIshallbetrulygladtorelieveyouifIcan，--Ishallindeed。Sitdown。’

‘Letmestand，lady，’saidthegirl，stillweeping，‘anddonotspeaktomesokindlytillyouknowmebetter。Itisgrowinglate。Is--is--thatdoorshut？’

‘Yes，’saidRose，recoilingafewsteps，asiftobenearerassistanceincasesheshouldrequireit。‘Why？’

‘Because，’saidthegirl，‘Iamabouttoputmylifeandthelivesofothersinyourhands。IamthegirlthatdraggedlittleOliverbacktooldFagin'sonthenighthewentoutfromthehouseinPentonville。’

‘You！’saidRoseMaylie。

‘I，lady！’repliedthegirl。‘Iamtheinfamouscreatureyouhaveheardof，thatlivesamongthethieves，andthatneverfromthefirstmomentIcanrecollectmyeyesandsensesopeningonLondonstreetshaveknownanybetterlife，orkinderwordsthantheyhavegivenme，sohelpmeGod！Donotmindshrinkingopenlyfromme，lady。Iamyoungerthanyouwouldthink，tolookatme，butIamwellusedtoit。Thepoorestwomenfallback，asImakemywayalongthecrowdedpavement。’

‘Whatdreadfulthingsarethese！’saidRose，involuntarilyfallingfromherstrangecompanion。

‘ThankHeavenuponyourknees，dearlady，’criedthegirl，‘thatyouhadfriendstocareforandkeepyouinyourchildhood，andthatyouwereneverinthemidstofcoldandhunger，andriotanddrunkenness，and--and--somethingworsethanall--asIhavebeenfrommycradle。Imayusetheword，forthealleyandthegutterweremine，astheywillbemydeathbed。’

‘Ipityyou！’saidRose，inabrokenvoice。‘Itwringsmyhearttohearyou！’

‘Heavenblessyouforyourgoodness！’rejoinedthegirl。‘IfyouknewwhatIamsometimes，youwouldpityme，indeed。ButIhavestolenawayfromthosewhowouldsurelymurderme，iftheyknewIhadbeenhere，totellyouwhatIhaveoverheard。DoyouknowamannamedMonks？’

‘No，’saidRose。

‘Heknowsyou，’repliedthegirl；‘andknewyouwerehere，foritwasbyhearinghimtelltheplacethatIfoundyouout。’

‘Ineverheardthename，’saidRose。

‘Thenhegoesbysomeotheramongstus，’rejoinedthegirl，‘whichImorethanthoughtbefore。Sometimeago，andsoonafterOliverwasputintoyourhouseonthenightoftherobbery，I--suspectingthisman--listenedtoaconversationheldbetweenhimandFagininthedark。Ifoundout，fromwhatIheard，thatMonks--themanIaskedyouabout，youknow--’

‘Yes，’saidRose，‘Iunderstand。’

‘--ThatMonks，’pursuedthegirl，‘hadseenhimaccidentlywithtwoofourboysonthedaywefirstlosthim，andhadknownhimdirectlytobethesamechildthathewaswatchingfor，thoughIcouldn'tmakeoutwhy。AbargainwasstruckwithFagin，thatifOliverwasgotbackheshouldhaveacertainsum；andhewastohavemoreformakinghimathief，whichthisMonkswantedforsomepurposeofhisown。’

‘Forwhatpurpose？’askedRose。

‘HecaughtsightofmyshadowonthewallasIlistened，inthehopeoffindingout，’saidthegirl；‘andtherearenotmanypeoplebesidesmethatcouldhavegotoutoftheirwayintimetoescapediscovery。ButIdid；andIsawhimnomoretilllastnight。’

‘Andwhatoccurredthen？’

‘I'lltellyou，lady。Lastnighthecameagain。Againtheywentupstairs，andI，wrappingmyselfupsothatmyshadowwouldnotbetrayme，againlistenedatthedoor。ThefirstwordsIheardMonkssaywerethese：“Sotheonlyproofsoftheboy'sidentitylieatthebottomoftheriver，andtheoldhagthatreceivedthemfromthemotherisrottinginhercoffin。”Theylaughed，andtalkedofhissuccessindoingthis；andMonks，talkingonabouttheboy，andgettingverywild，saidthatthoughhehadgottheyoungdevil'smoneysafelynow，he'dratherhavehadittheotherway；for，whatagameitwouldhavebeentohavebroughtdowntheboastofthefather'swill，bydrivinghimthrougheveryjailintown，andthenhaulinghimupforsomecapitalfelonywhichFagincouldeasilymanage，afterhavingmadeagoodprofitofhimbesides。’

‘Whatisallthis！’saidRose。

‘Thetruth，lady，thoughitcomesfrommylips，’repliedthegirl。‘Then，hesaid，withoathscommonenoughinmyears，butstrangetoyours，thatifhecouldgratifyhishatredbytakingtheboy'slifewithoutbringinghisownneckindanger，hewould；but，ashecouldn't，he'dbeuponthewatchtomeethimateveryturninlife；andifhetookadvantageofhisbirthandhistory，hemightharmhimyet。“Inshort，Fagin，”hesays，“Jewasyouare，youneverlaidsuchsnaresasI'llcontriveformyyoungbrother，Oliver。”’

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