Dodger watched as Fagin handed over two crowns in exchange for the girl.
"Lovely doing business with you dear" Fagin farewelled to the man as he left the hideout.
"Show her up to the lady's room then Dodge." ordered the Jew.
The other boys and Fagin went up to the poker game leaving Dodger starring at the girl, who without the large man by her side she seemed ever thiner, if possible. Just then her knees gave out and she collapsed onto the floor without so much as a cry. Jack rushed to her and, without knowing what else to do picked her up in his arms and carried her body up to the room that had always been reserved for the day they had a prostitute, it had been last occupied by Nancy before she had gone off to live with Bill. The room was actually rather homely with a quilt on the bed, curtains in the window, paint on the walls, and of course still full of everything a prostitute would need.
He set the girl down in the bed, brought the quilt up to her chin, and sincerely bid her "goodnight". The girls eyelids fluttered at this, but she still said not a word.
When Jack closed the door behind him leaving the girl he felt odd. That girl, she was so, so, oh he didn't know what, but he did know there was something strange about her in her every movement, in her appearance, in her everything. He decided to go to bed rather then continue poker with his thought as muddled as they were.
But even when the others were fast asleep Dodger was still awake not thinking and only seeing that girls face.