The String of Pearls; or, The Barber of Fleet Street — page 191: what you’re looking at

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

THE STRING OF PEARLS. | 183 a ee eneeetaneia tine meaoetianeinrnnt tania mee nae ‘Campers cee g ta Sibi ce ae ” ae The surgeon did not exactly see how he was called upon to suppose anything of the sort ; however he made no further remark to Mrs. Ragg, but continued in conversation for some time with Colonel Jeffery, who informed him that Tobias should remain for a time where he was, so that there should be every possible chance given for his recovery. || I wish you to continue attending upon him, sir,” he added, “ for I would | || Spare nothing that medical advice can suggest to restore him, He has, I am |} convinced, been a great sufferer,’’ ‘« That is sufficiently clear, sir. You may rely upon my utmost attention.” “ Mrs. Ragg,” said the colonel, “can you cook ?” “Cook, sir? Lord bless you, sir. I can cook as well as here and there a one, | though I say it that oughtn’t, and if poor Tobias was but all right, I should not goto be after making myself miserable now about bygones. What’s to be || cured must be endured—it’s a long lane as hasn’t a turning. As poor Mr, Ragg often used to say when he was alive—‘ Grizzling ain’t fattening.’ ” | ‘‘T should think it was not. It so happens, Mrs. Ragg, that there is a || vacancy in my house for a cook, and if you like to come and take the place, you can look after Tobias as well, you know, for I intend him to remain here for the | present. Only remember, you tell this to no one.” oes kiana | “Me, sir! Lord bless you, sir, who do I see ?”’ | The colonel was by no means anxious to convince himself a second time of the | | impossibility of bringing Mrs. Ragg to a precise answer, so he changed the |} subject, and it was finally arranged that without a word to any one upon the |} subject, that very night Mrs. Ragg was to take up her abode with Tobias. After | this had been all arranged, the three gentlemen proceeded to the dining room, | and held a consultation. | “¢ Of the guilt of Todd, said the magistrate, ‘I entertain no doubt, but I own | that I am extremely anxious to bring the crime legally home to him,” | ‘* Exactly,”’ said the colonel, ‘and I can only say that every plan you can |} suggest will be cheerfully acquiesced in by me and my friend here,” i The captain signified his assent. | * Be assured, gentlemen,’ added Sir Richard Blunt, “ that something shall be done of a decisive character before many days are past. I have seen the | higher powers upon the subject, and have full authority, and you may rest satisfied that I shall not mind running a little personal risk to unravel the mysteries that surround the career of Sweeney Todd. I think one thing may be done con- veniently.” : ‘ What is that, sir ?” ‘¢ Why, it seems to be pretty well understood that no one resides in Todd’s || house but himself, and as now he has no boy—unless he has provided himself with one already—he must go vut sometimes and leave the place to itself, and || upon one of those occasions an opportunity might be found of thoroughly | searching the upper part, at all events, of his house.”’ Could that be done with safety ?”’ : “TJ think so. At all events, I feel inclined to try it. If Ido so, and make any || discovery, you may depend upon my letting you know without an hour’s delay, |} and I sincerely hope that all that will take place may have the effect of setting || your mind at rest regarding your friend, Mr. Ingestrie.” “But not of restoring himtous?” . The magistrate shook his head. : “1 think, sir,” he said, “that you ought to consider that he has, if any one has, fallen a victim to Sweeney Todd.” ** Alas! I fear so.” | | All the evidence poin‘s that way, and we can only take measures in the best way possible to bring his murderer to justice—that that murderer is Sweeney Todd, I cannot for one moment of time bring myself to doubt.” 5 Sir Richard Blunt shortly afterwards left Colonel Jeffery’s house and pro- || ceeded to the execution of a plan of proceeding, with the particulars of whic comicbooks.com