The String of Pearls; or, The Barber of Fleet Street — page 40: what you’re looking at

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

~ Japidary having procured a light, an THE STRING OF PEARLS. ~ The lapidary hesitated. “Stop,” he said; “ what’s the use of going to Mr. | Coventry ? he has not the means of purchasing what I can pay present cash for. Come in, come in; I will, at all events, look at what you have for sale.” Thus cucouraged, Sweeney Todd entered the little, low, dusky shop, and the | d taken care 10 keep his customer outside the counter, put on his spectacles, and said— «“ Now, sir, where are your pearls ? ) © There,” said Sweeney Todd, as he laida string of twenty-four pearls before he lapicary. The old man’s eyes opened to an enormous width, and he pushed his spectacles right upon his forchead as he glared in the face of Sweency Todd with undisguised astonishment. ‘Then down came his spectacles again, and taking up the string of pearls he rapidly examined every one of them, after which, he exclaimed, — “Real, real, by Heaven! All real !” Then he pushed his spectacles vp again to the top of Is head, and took another long stare at Sweeney Todd. ; . «“T know they are real,” said the latter. ‘* Will vou deal with me or will you not ?” “Will I deal with you? Yes; Lam not quite sure they are real. Jet me look : again. Oh, 1 see, counterfeits ; but so well done, that really for the curiosity of | the thing, I will give fifty pounds for them.” “Jam fond of euriosities,” said Sweeney Todd, ‘‘ and as they are not real, I will keep them; they will do for a present to some child or another.” “What give those toa child? you must be mad—that is to say, not mad, but certainly indiscreet. Come, now, at a word, Vl give you one hundred pounds for _ them.” “Hark ye,” said Sweeney Todd, “it neither suits my inclination nor my time to ordinary and every-day business, I will sell them to you so that you may get a handsome profit.” “What do you call a handsome profit =” stand here chafling with you. 1 know the value of the pearls, and, as a matter of | The pearls are worth twelve thousand pounds, and I will let you have them for ten. What do you think of that for an offer!” | “ What odd noise was that ?” __ © Oh, it was only I who laughed. Come, what do you say, at once; are we to | do business or are we not ?” ; _ “Hark ye,my friend; since you do know the value ot your pearls, and this is fo be : a downright business transaction, I think I can find a customer who will civeeleven | | thousan’ pounds sor tnem, and if so, I have no obiection to give you eight thousand _ | pounds. : | Give me the cight thousand pounds,” said Sweeney Todd, “and let me go, | I hate bargaining.” “ Stop a bit ; there are some rather important things to consider. You must know, — my friend, that a string or pearls of this value are not be bought like a few ounces | of old silver of anybody who might come with it. Such a string of pearls as these | are like a house, or an estate, and when they change hands, the vendor must give | every satisfaction as to how he came by them, and prove how he can give to the | | spac stir ates i cca iy tne nme On LAGOA ALIEA LALA L ILIA Pee en ee ; } 1 purchaser a good right and title to them.” “Pshaw !” said Sweeney Todd, ‘ who will question you, you are well known to | be in the trade, and to be continually dealing in such things ?”’ } « That’s all very fine; but I don’t see why I should give you the full value of an | article without evidence as to how you came by it.” “Tn other words you mean, you don’t care how I came by them, provided I el geape to you at a thief’s price, but if I want their value you mean to be articular. ) _ “My good sir, you may conclude what you like. Show me that you have a right to dispose of the pearls, and you need go no further than my shop for a customer. — ee —