The String of Pearls; or, The Barber of Fleet Street — page 368: what you’re looking at

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

360 THE STRING OF PEARIS." * ‘‘ Sticks to the table?” said Mrs. Ragg. “Yes, mum, sticks. But as you was a saying ?” ‘¢ Well, Martha, in course I know that what goes to you goes no farther.’’ «* Not a step.” «¢ And you won’t mention it fo no one ?” “Not asoul: Another glass P” ‘CNo, no.” “Only one. Nonsense! it don’t get into your head. It’s as harmless ag milk, Mr. Juggus says.” | ‘‘ But ain’t you afeard, Martha, he may come in?” “Not he, Mrs. Ragg. Chambers won’t see him agin till night. Oh, he’s a shocking young man. Well, Mrs. Ragg, as you was a saying ?”’ «Well, itis good. As I was a saying, Martha, I don’t feel uneasy now about Tobias, poor boy; for if ever a poor lad, as was a orphan in a half-and- half kind of way, seeing that I am his natural mother, and living, and thanking God for the same, and health, leastways, as far as it goes at this present moment of speakin, [—I—Bless me, where was I?’ “At Tobias.” “OL, yes, | wasat Tobias. As I was saying, if ever a poor body was well provided for, Tebias is, The colonel——’’ «“The who?” : ‘The colonel, Martha—the colonel as has took the care of him, and who, sooner or later, will have ail the truth out of him about the Toddey Sween.” nn Who? .-Who?”’ «* Bless my poor head, I mean Sweeney Todd. Dear me, what am I thinking fof 2” ‘ The barber ?” | Yes, Martha; that horrid barber in Fleet-street ; and between you and me, there isn’t in all the mortal world a more horrid wretch living than hie is.” | ‘‘T’m all of a shake.” “* He—he——” ‘‘ Yes, yes. What—-—’’ ‘* He takes folks in and does for ’em.” «Kills ’em ?” ‘Kills ’em.”’ “« What—why—what—? You don’t mean to say—why—? Take another glass Mrs. Ragg. You don’t mean to say that Tobias says, that Todd the barber is a murderer >—My dear Mrs. Ragg, take another glass, and tell us all about it; only look at the cream on the top of it.’’ | '| You'll excuse me, Mrs. Jones, but the truth is, I aught not to say more than | Lhave said; and if the colonel only knew I’d said as much, I can tell you, 1 think he'd be like a roaring lion, But Tobias is quite a gentleman now, you see, and sleeps in as fine a bed as a nobleman could have for love or money. cad yteadi is very good to him; and there never was such a kind good— ood ——.”’ “ Mrs. Rage began to run over with tears of ale. ‘‘ Bless me, and where does he live 2” «¢ Who ?” “©The colonel. The good, kind, colonel—colonel—a—a dear me, I forget ‘what you said his name was.” ‘‘ Jeffery, and may his end be peace. He will get the reward of all his good actions in another world than this, Martha. Ah, Martha, such men as he can afford to smile at their latter ends.—No—no, I couldn’t.” ‘Only half a glass ; look at the——” «© No—no——” ‘* Cream on it.” “‘T must go, indeed. In course the colonel, since I have been his cook; knows what cooking is, for though I say it, perhaps as should not, I am a c00™+ Sr - - —- = : "* - . —— : : = “ =e a : es eee as RG a —— ~ a a =~ . ® - oe <a, — — * = = ~—2 - =~. - a vee ee eee © Sere ~~ a —— * —— -— - = xs —_ = = ee —s => Tareas a= STAG 2 eee ee ra — - —— ee ET nen er epee SS Sr eet Lye ee: a . rss —* — 2 eS OIE IEE May _ ; j ; a t ie ey ’ a i ud ‘ae & fae! an} Moet) { Bl & ity , : " 4 it ‘ ot ane ee) A iee 1 ae tf A) te eh eld it | t we ne Peri er) | A 1 ET} Hh oe AP og ti i \ ab ea} i } - + 4 + ; Le 4 Bath aD: Yk Pa Mi ee j ig! Tt 4 ; a ; a if } ta ¢i 4 t $ te ; s 7\ yt Pe i \ 4 , te , oH \ j j i e).. { E } i ita] | ai & hale Ry | fay LY oF ‘i ane Sy y & ie ‘3 ee | au } ren | aN | tH 13 Bit H | 4 ¥ b | + at : ae. | j é | 2 nicbooks.com