The String of Pearls; or, The Barber of Fleet Street — page 347: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE SPRING OF PEARLS. “<Oh, heaven!’’ she said. ** Advice?” | ‘Yes, that is all. Into what mischief could you have tortured my meaning ? I am much mistaken in you, sir.” | “What? Then, it isant—a-hem! That is to say, you haven’t—dear me, I shall put my foot in it directly. What a fool I am.” | offensive to a frendless girlin the street.” “You are, indeed,’ said the now indignant Arabella, and a slight flush upon her cheeks showed how deeply wronged she was by the unworthy construction | Ben had put upon her innocent words. | “Good-bye, Miss A. W.,” added Ben. ‘ Good-bye; I see I am out of your books ; but if you fancy J meant any harm, you don’t know me. God bless you. ‘Take care of yourself my dear, and go home. longer. Good-bye.” Stop! Stop!” Ben paused. “Tam sure, Mr. Ben, you did not mean to say a single word that could be I won't stay to plague you any ‘¢ Then. then ?—Easy does it.”’ _ then blame me for being so romantic as to give Johanna advice which has in- danger, but some injudicious interference. I ought not, you see, to have told ‘‘ Let us be friends again then, Mr. Ben, and I will tell you all, and you will duced her to take a step which, although my reason tells me she is now well protected in, my imagination still peoples with horror.’’ | Ben’s eyes opened to an alarming width: ‘ You recollect meeting us in this street, Ben ?” ‘Oh, yes.” ‘¢ When Johanna was disguised ?’’ ‘‘Yes, Miss A. When she had on them, a-hem! You may depend upon it, my dear, there’s no good comes of young girls putting on pairs of thingamys. ‘Don’t you ever do it.” ‘¢ But, Mr. Ben, hear me.” | «‘Well—well. I was only saying. You stick to the petticoats, my dear. They become you, and you become them, and don’t you be trusting your nice little legs into what-do-you-call-'ems.” | “Mr. Ben ?2”’ | ‘*T’ve done. Easy does it. Now go onand tell us what happened, my dear. Don’t mind me. Go on.” | | Then Johanna, in boy’s cloathes, is now os ‘¢ Now ? Oh, the little vixen. Didn’t I tell her not.” ‘Ts now filling the situation of errand boy at Sweeney Todd's, opposite. Can' I be otherwise than wretched, most wretched !” «* Arrant boy 2” “No, not arrant boy. Errand boy.” « At Todd’s—opposite —in—boys—clothes? Oh—oh—just you wait here, and V’ll soon put that to rights. Ill—Il'll. Only you wait in this door-way, ais A. W., just a moment or two, and I'll teach her to go and do such things, | ‘¢No—no Ben. You willruin alj, you will, indeed. Limplore you to stay with me. Let me tell you all that has happened, and how Johannais protected. In the first place, Ben, you must know that Sir Richard Blunt the Magistrate has her under his special protection now, and he says that he has made such ee that it is quite impossible she can come to any harm.” 6s £9 F wiconnenion ‘‘Nay, listen me out. He says that nothing can now expose her to any comicbooks.com ett nt th SENG OL AE NADS Nae nV RarnC rT ee AERA HE ON WaT se ears A 8 NE TS Et nt Et il ee Re ET 339 | his words with, or it might have been that Arabella was drawing a conclusion ‘from the whole transaction ; but certain it is, that she began to have a glimmer- | ing perception that Mr. Ben was making a great mistake. Be | « What are you saying Mr. Ben? I am speaking ‘| of the advice I was foolish enough to give Johanna.” |