The String of Pearls; or, The Barber of Fleet Street — page 91: what you’re looking at

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

___ TH sme oF Puan, _ “Oh, well, I know nothing about it,” said Tobias, with a sigh, you can leave it or not as you like, it is all one to me.” ‘Well, you do seem the most melancholy wretch ever | came near ; what’s the matter with you ?” Z The matter with me? Oh, nothing. Of conrse, I em as happy as I can be. Ain’t I Sweeney Todd’s apprentice, and ain’t that enough to make anybody sing all-day long ?” “Tt may be for all I know, but certainly you don’t seem to be ina singing humour ; but, however, we artists cannot waste our time, so just be so good as to take care of the clothes, and be sure you give them to your master ; and so | wash my hands of the transaction.” oe ‘Very good, he shall have them; but do you mean to leave such valuable clothes without getting the money for them ?”’ «Not exactly, for they are paid for.” ‘Oh ! that makes all the difference—he shall have them.” Searcely had this tailor left the place, when a boy arrived with a parcel, and, looking around him with undisguised astonishment, said— “ Ign’t there some other Mr. Todd, in Fieet-street P” ‘ Not that I know of,” said Tobias. ‘* What have you got there =” « Silk stockings, gloves, lace, cravats, rufiles, and so on.” ‘The deuce you have ; I dare say it’s all right.” “J shall leave them—they are paid for. Thisis the name, and this is the number.” ** Now, stupid !” | This last exclamation arose from the fact that this boy, in going out, ram up against another who was coming In. “ Gan’t you see where you are going ¢” said the new arrival. ‘¢ What's that to you ? L have agood mind to punch your head.’ “Do it, and then come down our court, and see what a licking TU give you.” : « Will you? Why don’t you? Only let me catch you, that’s all.” They stood for some moments so closely together that their noses very nearly touched ; and then, after mutual assertions of what they would do if they caught each other-—although, in either case, to stretch ouf an arm would have been | quite sufficient to have accomplish d that object—they separated, and the last comer said to Tobias, in atone of irrilation, probably consequent upon the mis- understanding he had just had with the hosier’s boy— _ “You can tell Mr. Todd that the carriage will be ready at half-past seven precisely.” And then he went away, leaving Tobias in a state of great bewilderment as to what Sweeney Todd could possibly be about to do with such an amount of finery as that which was evidently coming home for him. «T can’t make it out,” hesaid. ‘It’s some villany, of course, but I can’t make ont what it is—I wish L knew; 1 might thwart himinit. He is a villain, and neither could nor would project anything good ; but what can Ido? Lam quite helpless in this, and will just let it take its course. I can only wish for a power of action T shall never possess. Alas, alas! Iam very sad, and know not what will become of me. I wish that I was in my grave, and there } am sure I shall be soon, unless something happens to turn the tidgof all this wretched evil fortune that has come upon me.” : It was in vain for Tobias fo think of vexing himself with conjectures as to what Sweeney Todd was about to do with so much finery, for he had not the remotest foundation to go upon in the matter, and could not for the life of him imagine any possible contingency or chance which should make it necessary for the barber to deck himself in such gaudy apparel. All he could do was to lay down in his own mind a general principle as regarded Sweeney Todd’s conduct, and that consisted in the fact, that whatever might be his plans, and whatever might be his objects, they were for no good purpose ; but, on the contrary, were most certainly intended comicbooks.com