The String of Pearls; or, The Barber of Fleet Street — page 218: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XLII. AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE. SSL eS TTS egy > tree i Sy ten gray i 2 aft Be mye dt SIRE = 455 = ee Topp scrambled to his feet. He held his head in his hand. «¢ What does it all mean? What does it all mean ?” Knock! knock! knock ! Todd’s senses were slowly returning to him. He began to recollect events at first confusedly, and then the proper order of their occurrence—how he had come home, and then heard a noise, and gone up stairs and seen—what? There he paused in his catalogue of events. What had he seen ?”’ Knock !: knock! knock! | ‘Curses !” he muttered. “ Who can that be hammering with such devilish | perseverance at my door? By all that’s horrible they shall pay dearly for thus disturbing me. Whocan it be? Notany one to arrestme? No—no! They would not knock so long. An enforced entrance long before this would have || brought themto me. What did Isee? What did I see? What didI see? |; Dare I give it a name ?” || He slowly descended the stairs, and reaching the shop, he peeped through || a place-in the door which he had made for such a purpose. There stood the || hero.of the moustachios knocking away with all his might to get the behests | of: Mrs. Lovett obeyed. Todd suddenly flung open the,door, and in fell Major || Bounce, alias Flukes. “The devil! What do you want?” “’Pon honour. Damnit. Is this the way to treat a military man ?” || Todd turned to the side of the shop, and hastily put on a wig—by @h adroit ||: movement of his fingers, he pulled his cravat sufficiently out from his neck to ||;be able to bury his chin in it, and when he turned to the mock major, the || latter had- no suspicion that hé looked upon the same person who had so |:alarmed him by a look, in Bell Yard. ‘‘ Shaved or dressed sir ?’ said Todd. : ** Confound yo Nhy did you open the door so quick?” =." 3.4 “‘ Thought you kiocked, sir.”’ | “I did, but stop my breath, if you haven’t given me an wgly fall, But no || matter. None but the brave deserve the fair. You perceive 1 am 4 military | man 2” | £* Oh, yes, sir, anybody may see that by your martial air.” |; “A-hem! You are right, Well then, Mr. Barber, I want my moustache shaved off. It’sa fancy of a lady. One of the most charming of her sex. One with a fifty thousand pound charm. *Pon my valour, .she has. Ah! I ama oe dog. Thirty-eight—handsome as Apollo, and beloved by the fairest of the fair.”’ : . SS = 25 — "a Sas ain Se EA De ee ae “ Life is ‘a jolly thing, Life is a jolly thing, While I can drink deep and go frolicking, Fair maids, wives, and widows, Fair maids, wives, and widows Doat on the youth that goes frolicking.” | ‘“ Halha! ha! Life’s abumper. Upon my valour, Mr. Barber, I feelike a young colt, that I do.” “* Really, sir. You don’t say so?” ‘Oh, yes, yes! Ha! ha! All’s right. Alls right. Now, Mr. What's- || your-name. Off with the moustache. Jt’s only in the cause of the fair that I || would condescend to part with them, that’s a fact, but when a lady’s in the | case—upon my valour, you are an ugly fellow.” ‘‘ You don’t say so,” replied Todd, as he made a most hideous contortion. “ Most people think me so fascinating that they stay with me.” | To eee ee See ee ————— ee rs —— = —— eee eee a re = SSS = ee ee + } " ' eS aS F a ee Se Ey oo ee “ = comicbooks.com