 of that, my young master.«
    The Jew inflicted a smart blow on Oliver's shoulders with the club; and was
raising it for a second, when the girl, rushing forward, wrested it from his
hand. She flung it into the fire, with a force that brought some of the glowing
coals whirling out into the room.
    »I won't stand by and see it done, Fagin,« cried the girl. »You've got the
boy, and what more would you have? - Let him be - let him be - or I shall put
that mark on some of you, that will bring me to the gallows before my time.«
    The girl stamped her foot violently on the floor as she vented this threat;
and with her lips compressed, and her hands clenched, looked alternately at the
Jew and the other robber: her face quite colourless from the passion of rage
into which she had gradually worked herself.
    »Why, Nancy!« said the Jew, in a soothing tone; after a pause, during which
he and Mr. Sikes had stared at one another in a disconcerted manner; »you -
you're more clever than ever to-night. Ha! ha! my dear, you are acting
beautifully.«
    »Am I!« said the girl. »Take care I don't overdo it. You will be the worse
for it, Fagin, if I do; and so I tell you in good time to keep clear of me.«
    There is something about a roused woman: especially if she add to all her
other strong passions, the fierce impulses of recklessness and despair: which
few men like to provoke. The Jew saw that it would be hopeless to affect any
further mistake regarding the reality of Miss Nancy's rage; and, shrinking
involuntarily back a few paces, cast a glance, half imploring and half cowardly
at Sikes: as if to hint that he was the fittest person to pursue the dialogue.
    Mr. Sikes, thus mutely appealed to; and possibly feeling his personal pride
and influence interested in the immediate reduction of Miss Nancy to reason;
gave utterance to about a couple of score of curses and threats, the rapid
production of which reflected great credit on the fertility of his invention. As
they produced no visible effect on the object against whom they were discharged,
however, he resorted to more tangible arguments.
    »What do you mean by this?« said Sikes; backing the inquiry with a very
common imprecation concerning the most beautiful of human features: which,
