The Gift of the Sailor: The String of Pearls & Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street — page 279: what you’re looking at

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

but the old hackney-coachman was always content with double; so upon this occasion Mrs. Lovett got a “thank ye, mum;” and a long straw that had taken an affection for the skirt of her dress was arrested by Jarvey and restored to the coach again. Mrs. Lovett walked to all appearance composedly up Fleet Street. Alas! in this world who can trust to appearances? She had time, before reaching the shop of Sweeney Todd, to arrange slightly what she should say to that worthy. Of course, he could know nothing of her visit to the City—of her interview with Mr. Brown, and she need not blurt that out too soon. She would argue with him a little, and then she would be down upon him with the knowledge of his knavery and treachery. She reached the shop. No wonder she paused there a moment or two to draw breath. You would have done the same; and after all, Mrs. Lovett was mortal. But she did not hesitate for long. The threshold was crossed—the handle of the door was in her hand—it was turned, and she stood in Todd’s shop. Todd was looking at something in a bottle, which he was holding up to the light; and Mrs. Lovett saw, too, that a pretty genteel-looking lad was poking about the fire, as if to rouse it. “Ah, Mrs. Lovett!” said Todd, “how do you do? Some more of that fine grease for the hair, I suppose, madam?” Todd winked towards the lad (our dear friend Johanna), as though he would have said—“Don’t appear to know me too well before this boy. Be careful, if you please.” “IT have something to say to you, Mr. Todd.” “Oh, certainly, madam. Pray walk in—this way, if you please, madam—to my humble bachelor-parlour, madam. It is not fit exactly to ask a lady into; but we poor miserable single men, you know, madam, can only do the best we can. Ha! ha! This way.” “No.” “Eh? Not come in?” “No. I have something to say to you, Mr. Todd; but I will say it here.” And now Mrs. Lovett gave a sidelong glance at the seeming boy, as much as to say, “You can easily send him away if you don’t want him to listen to our discourse.” Todd saw the glance; and the diabolical look that he sent to Mrs. Lovett in return would indeed have appalled any one of less nerve than she was possessed of. But she had come to that place wound up firmly to a resolution, and she would not shrink. Todd had no recourse. “Charley,” he said, “you can go and take a little turn—here is a penny to spend; get yourself something in the market. But be sure you are back within half an hour, for we shall have some customers, no doubt.” “Yes, sir.” Johanna did not exactly know whether to think that Mrs. Lovett came in anger or friendship; but, at all events, she felt that it would be hazardous to remain after so marked a dismissal from Todd, although she would gladly have heard what the subject of the conversation between those two was to be. Neither Mrs. Lovett nor Todd now spoke until Johanna had fairly gone and closed the door after her. Then Todd, as he folded his arms, and looked Mrs. Lovett fully in the face, said— “Well?” “The time has come.” “What time?” “For the end of our partnership—the dissolution of our agreement. I will go on no further. You can do as you please; but I am content.” “Humph!” said Todd. “After much thought, I have come to this conclusion, Todd. Of course, let me be where I may, the secret of our road to fortune remains hidden here (she struck her breast as she spoke). All I want is my half of the proceeds, and then we part, I hope, for ever.” “Humph!” said Todd. “And—and the sooner we can forget, if that be possible, the past, the better it will be for us both—only tell me where you purpose going, and I will take care to avoid you.” “Humph!” Passion was boiling in the heart of Mrs. Lovett; and that was just what Todd wanted; for well he knew that something had gone amiss, and that as long as Mrs. Lovett could keep herself calm and reasonable, he should stand but a poor chance of finding out what it was, unless she chose, as part of her arrangement, to tell it; but if he could but rouse her passion, he should know all. Therefore was it that he kept on replying to what she said with that cold insulting sort of “humph!” “Man, do you hear me?” “Humph!” “You villain!” “Humph!” Mrs. Lovett took from a side-table an iron, which, in the mystery of hair-dressing, was used for some purpose, and in a cool, calm voice, she said— “Tf you do not answer me as you ought, I will throw this through your window, into the street; and the first person who comes in, in consequence, I will ask to seize Todd, the murderer! and offer myself as evidence of his numerous atrocities—contrite evidence— myself repenting of my share in them, and relying upon the mercy of the crown, which, in recompense for my denouncing you, may CORniclooo S CO)