Oliver Twist

Chapter 10
Fagin's Plan

      On the very same night that Nancy met with Rose Maylie, two persons advanced toward London. They were none other than Noah Claypole and Charlotte, the Sowerberrys maid. Charlotte was carrying the money. She thought it was because Noah trusted her with it. But it was not young Noah Claypole’s habit to trust anybody. He had a quite different reason for insisting that Charlotte carry the money. If they were caught, the money would be found on  her. And than When the two arrived in London, they stopped at a public house. By chance it was the very tavern where Fagin often went.Noah and Charlotte sat in a back room just behind the bar. On the dark wall behind and above their table was a pane of glass hidden by a small curtain. Also, by putting his ear up against the thin wall, he could hear what was being said. As Charlotte and Noah were eating, Fagin came into the bar on business. Fagin carefully opened the curtain a little and pressed his ear to the wall. After Noah said this, he looked up and saw a stranger coming toward him. The stranger was Fagin. Noah was startled when the old man told him he had overheard what he’d just been saying.A few days later, Fagin had a job for Noah. He wanted Noah to follow Nancy and report back to him about where she went. Lately, Fagin had noticed that Nancy had been acting strangely. For example, on Sunday night just before 11:00, she had put on her bonnet to go out. Bill Sikes pulled Nancy’s bonnet from her head and pushed her into a chair. He held her down by force. Fagin did nothing to help her. Nancy

struggled and begged until it was past midnight. After all these years, Sikes knew too much about Fagin’s business. And since Fagin would know of Nancy’s crime, he would have more power over the girl than ever. 

Fagin liked the idea. But first he had to find out the identity of Nancy’s new friend. Nancy would be afraid

that Sikes would hurt the other man. That would make it easier to persuade her to poison Sikes to protect herself and her new friend. For six days and nights, Nancy went nowhere. Finally, on the seventh night, the door opened just before 11:00. Noah saw Nancy come out. He followed her as closely as seemed safe.