The Gift of the Sailor: The String of Pearls & Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street — page 182: what you’re looking at

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

and, situated as she was, she could not get out of his way but by rising. “Sit still,” said Ben. “Easy does it.” Lifting up the can, then, he pretended to drink out of it, and then brought it with such a thundering crack upon Mr. Lupin’s head, that it quite staggered him. “Paws off,” said Ben. “Just attend to that ’ere gentle hint, old friend.” Mr. Lupin sat down with a groan. “Now, mum,” said Ben, who all the while had held fast the stone mug of mulled porter. “Now, mum, here’s some hot, that don’t suit me so well as the cold, perhaps you and Mr. Lupin will take that, while I cuts a few more sandwiches.” He placed the jug before Mr. Lupin, who thereupon left off rubbing his head, and said— “I’m sure it would be highly unchristian of me to bear any malice, so, with the Lord’s leave, I will even partake of some of this worldly liquor, called mulled porter.” Now while Mr. Lupin drank the savoury stream from the jug, it assailed the senses of Mrs. Oakley, and when the porter was placed before her, she raised it to her lips, saying— “Tf folks are civil to me, I’m civil to them, only I don’t like my godly friends to be ill-treated. I’m sure nobody knows what I have gone through for my family, and nobody thinks what a mother and wife I have been. What would have become of Oakley if it hadn’t been for me, is a question I often ask myself in the middle of the night?” “She’s a wonderful woman,” sighed Lupin. “Oh, uncommon,” said Ben. “Let me go,” whispered Johanna to Ben. “No, no! Wait for the fun.” “What fun?” “Oh, you’ll see. You don’t know what a trouble it has cost me, to be sure. Only wait a bit, there’s a duck, do.” Johanna did not like to say she would not, so she shrunk back in her chair in no small curiosity, to know what was about to happen. Mrs. Oakley lifted the jug to her lips and drank deep. The aroma of the liquor must have been peculiarly grateful to the palate of Mrs. Oakley, for she certainly kept the jug at her mouth for a length of time, that, to judge by the look of impatience upon the countenance of Mr. Lupin, was something outrageous. “Sister,” he said. “Mind your breath.” Down came the jug, and Mrs. Oakley, when she could draw breath, gasped— “Very good indeed. A dash of allspice would make it delicious.” “Oh, sister,” cried Lupin as he grasped the jug, that was gently pushed towards him by Ben after Mrs. Oakley had set it down. “Oh, sister, don’t give your mind to carnal things, I beg of you. Why, she’s drank it all.” Mr. Lupin peered into the jug. He shut the right eye and looked in with the left, and then he shut the left eye and looked in with the right, and then he moved the jug about until the silver lid came down with a clap, that nearly snapped his nose off. “What’s the matter?” said Ben. “]—I—don’t exactly—” Mr. Lupin raised the lid again and again, and peered into the jug in something of the fashion which popular belief supposes a crow to look into a marrow bone. At length he turned the jug upside down, and struck the bottom of it with his pious knuckles. A huge toad fell sprawling upon the table. Mrs. Oakley gave a shriek, and rushed into the yard. Mr. Lupin gave a groan, and flew into the street, and the party in the parlour could hear them in a state of horrible sickness. “Easy does it,” said Ben, “it’s only a piece of wood shaped like a toad and painted, that’s all. Now I’m easy. I owed ’em one.” Q9OOO0GOOO CORniclooo S CO)