Page:Oliver Twist (1838) vol. 1.djvu/226

204 "The very thing!" said the Jew. "Bet will go; won't you, my dear?"

"Wheres?" inquired the young lady. "Only just up to the office, my dear," said the Jew coaxingly. It is due to the young lady to say that she did not positively affirm that she would not, but that she merely expressed an emphatic and earnest desire to be "blessed" if she would; a polite and delicate evasion of the request, which shows the young lady to have been possessed of that natural good-breeding which cannot bear to inflict upon a fellow-creature the pain of a direct and pointed refusal. The Jew's countenance fell, and he turned from this young lady, who was gaily, not to say gorgeously attired, in a red gown, green boots, and yellow curl-papers, to the other female. "Nancy, my dear," said the Jew in a soothing manner, "what do you say?" "That it won't do; so it's no use a-trying it on, Fagin," replied Nancy. "What do you mean by that?" said Mr. Sikes, looking up in a surly manner.