The String of Pearls; or, The Barber of Fleet Street — page 215: what you’re looking at

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

OE een age * « THE STRING OF PEARLS. . 207 ‘‘ Should he come into your shop to be shaved, Toddecume’’ _ “Ha! ha!” The horrible laugh rang through the place, and Mrs. Lovett’s lover, with the | moustache, sprung to the other side of Bell Yard, for the unearthly sound even reached his ears as he was peeping through the window to catch a glimpse of the charming widow. ‘* You understand me, Todd ?” ** Perfectly—perfectly—-I shall know him again. Ah, my dear Mrs. Lovett, | how dangerous it is to be safe in this world. Even our virtue cannot escape de- | traction ; but we will live in hopes of better times. You and I will show the world, yet, what wealth is.” | “‘ Yes—yes.’’ | Todd crept close to her, and was about to place his arm round her waist, but |} she started from him, exclaiming — | “* No—no, Todd—a thousand times no. Have we not before quarrelled upon }} this point. Do not approach me, or our compact, infernal as it is, is at an end. | I have sold my soul to you, but I have not bartered myself.” | The expression of T’odd’s countenance at this juncture was that ofan incarnate || fiend. He glared at Mrs. Lovett as though with the horrible fascination || of his ugliness he would overcome her, and then slowly rising, he said— | ‘‘ Her soul—ha! She has sold her soul to me—ha!_ I will call to-morrow.”’ || He left the shop, and as he passed the gent who, by force of his moustache, || hoped to win the affections of Mrs. Lovett, he gave him such a look that he || terrified him, and the gent found himself in the shop before he was aware. | *¢ Bless me, what a horrid looking fellow! Iswearby my courage and honour || [ never saw such a face. Ah, my-charmer! Who was that left yourc harming || presence just now =” ' «* Some one who came for a pie.”’ i «©?Pon honour, he’s enough to poison all the pies! Oh, you beauty, yo—ou |j —0U—0U— ” i The gallant’s mouth was so full of a veal pie that he had stuffed into it that || for some few moments he could not produce an intelligiblesound. Whenhe had | recovered, he walked into the parlour and sat down, saying— : «* Now, Mrs. Lovett, here am I, ’pon honour, your humble servant, and stop my | breath if I’d say as much to the commander-in-chief. When’s the happy day || to be?”’ ‘*Do you really love me ?” ~©DoTLlove you? Dol love fighting? DoI love honour—glory? Dol love }j eating and drinking? Do I love myself?” ns ae | «* Ah, Major Bounce, you military men are so gallant.” ‘¢?Pon honour we are. General Cavendish used to say to me—‘ Bounce,’ says he, ‘ if you don’t make your fortune by war, whick you ought to do, Bounce, ’*pon honour, you will make it by love.’ ‘General,’ says I—now I was always || ready for asmart answer, Mrs. Lovett—so ‘ General,’ says I, ‘the same to you !’”’ ‘¢ Very smart.” LF | ‘Yes, wasn’t it. ’Pon honour it was, and’pon soul you looks more and more |} || charming every day that I see you.” if i | Qh you flatterer !” ; i ‘“No—no. Bar flattering—bar flattering. His Majesty has often said, “Talk |} of flattery. Oh dear, Bounce is the man for me. He is right down—straight up |} —off handed. And no sort of mistake, on—on—on.’ ” Another pie convertedthe oratory of the major into something between a grunt || and a sigh. i as Rubee: I’m afraid that you will regret marrying me. If I convert all I i have into money”—the major pricked up his ears—“‘ I could not make of 1t more |} than fifty thousand pounds.” | | The major’s eyes opened to the size of pint saucers, as he said— “ Fifty—fift—fif,—Say it again!” Lacs Co ent ae comicbooks.com