The Gift of the Sailor: The String of Pearls & Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street — page 376: what you’re looking at

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

“Really, sir? Has she gone to the sea-side?” Johanna looked Todd rather hard in the face as she spoke these words, and the close observation seemed to anger him, for he spoke hastily and sharply— “What is it to you? Get out of my way, will you? and you may begin to think of shutting up, I think, for we shall have no more customers to-night. I am tired and weary. You are to sleep under the counter, you know.” “Yes, sir, you told me so. I daresay I shall be very comfortable there.” “And you have not been peeping and prying about, have you?” “Not at all.” “Not looking even into that cupboard, I suppose, eh? It’s not locked, but that’s no reason why you should look into it—not that there is any secrets in it; but I object to peeping and prying upon principle.” Todd, as he spoke, advanced towards the cupboard, and Johanna thought that in another moment a discovery would undoubtedly take place of the two officers who were there concealed; and probably that would have been the case, had not the handle of the shop door been turned at that moment, and a man presented himself, when Todd turned quickly, and saw that he was a substantial-looking farmer, with dirty top-boots, as if he had just come off a journey. “Well, master,” said the visitor, “I wants a clean shave.” “Oh,” said Todd, not in the best of humours, “it’s rather late; but I suppose you would not like to wait till morning, for I don’t know if I have any hot water.” “Oh, cold will do.” “Cold? Oh, dear no; we never shave in cold water; and if you must, you must; so sit down, sir, and we will soon settle the business.” “Thank you, thank you. I can’t go to bed comfortable without a clean shave, do you see? I have come up from Braintree with beasts on commission, and I’m staying at the Bull’s Head, you see.” “Oh, indeed,” said Todd, as he adjusted the shaving cloth, “the Bull’s Head.” “Yes, master; why I brought up a matter o’ 220 beasts, I did, do you see, and was on my pony, as good a stepper as you’d wish to see; and I sold ’em all, do you see, for 550 pun.® Ho, ho! good work that, do you see, and only forty-two on ’em was my beasts, do you see; I’ve got a missus at home, and a daughter; my girl’s called Johanna—a-hem!” Up to this point Johanna had not suspected that the game had begun, and that this was no other than Sir Richard himself, most admirably disguised, who had come to put an end to the malpractices of Sweeney Todd; but his marked pronunciation of her name at once opened her eyes to that fact, and she knew that something interesting must soon happen. “And so you sold them all?” said Todd. “Yes, master, I did, and I’ve got the money in my pocket now, in bank-notes; I never leaves my money about at inns, do you see, master; safe bind, safe find, you see; I carries it about with me.” “A good plan, too,” said Todd; “Charley, some hot water; that’s a good lad—and—and—Charley?” “Yes, sir.” “While I am finishing off this gentleman, you may as well just run to the Temple to Mr. Sergeant Toldrunis and ask for his wig; we shall have to do it in the morning, and may as well have it the first thing in the day to begin upon; and you need not hurry, Charley, as we Shall shut up when you come back.” “Very good, sir.” Johanna walked out, but went no further than the shop window, close to which she placed her eyes, so that, between a pomatum® jar and a lot of hair brushes, she could clearly see what was going on. “A nice-looking little lad, that,” said Todd’s customer. “Very, sir; an orphan boy; I took him out of charity, poor little fellow; but then, we ought to try to do all the good we can.” “Just so; I’m glad I have come to be shaved here. Mine’s rather a strong beard, I think, do you see.” “Why, sir, in a manner of speaking,” replied Todd, “it is a strong beard. I suppose you didn’t come to London alone, sir?” Q9O9O0OOOO CORniclooo S CO)