The room remained deserted for a quarter of an hour or more; the girl glided back with the same unearthly tread; and, immediately afterwards, the two men were heard descending. Monks went at once into the street; and the Jew crawled upstairs again for the money. When he returned, the girl was adjusting her shawl and bonnet, as if preparing to be gone.
“Why, Nance!” exclaimed the Jew, starting back as he put down the candle, “how pale you are!”
“Pale!” echoed the girl, shading her eyes with her hands, as if to look steadily at him.
“Quite horrible. What have you been doing to yourself?”
“Nothing that I know of, except sitting in this close place for I don’t know how long and all,” replied the girl carelessly. “Come! Let me get back; that’s a dear.”
With a sigh for every piece of money, Fagin told the amount into her hand. They parted without more conversation, merely