The String of Pearls; or, The Barber of Fleet Street — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

PEARLS. \ a IR I Ale MONEE. A ESE § oa ‘ ~~ ‘ rab) <a yh a — x = . = ’ im Om ee b » , San : _ io al oa ? x! ¥ \. wes 5 fs a . ee. oe Se a er | ceca ean OO te OS RO IT atresia CoS ~ RES Pe : er ee — —_—— in - ‘+o Chancery-lane. Darting across the road then, he stopped Tice mcer kt td shop of Sweeney Todd—a proceeding which very much surprised those who followed him, and caused them to pause to hold a conaUAIAH PR 2 ere they proceeded further. While this was proceeding, Todd suddenly opene fe door, aud aimed a blow at the dog with an iron bar, but the latter exiaoney avoided it, and, but that the door was suddenly closed again, he would have made 5 winjaeeniest lative ne ata eee TP ee = a Sweeney Todd regret such an interference. : | rhe! We must inquire into this,” said the captain; “there seems to be mutual ill- || hs will between that man and the dog.” eats \ They both tried to enter the barber’s shop, but it was fast on the inside; and, | wi after repeated. knockings, Todd called from within, saying, . . «I won't open the door while that dog is there. He is mad, or has a spite against ; me—I don’t know nor eare which—it’s a fact, that’s all I am aware of. | la open the door, for in we must come, and will,”’ | ti «JT will take your promise,” said Sweeney Todd; “ but mind you keep it, or [| i shall protect myself, and take the creature’s life; so if you value it, you had better | f hold it fast.’’ i wy silk handkerchief round his neck, and held the other firmly in his grasp, after which Todd, who seemed to have some means from within of seeing what was going on, opened the door, and admitted his visitors. “ Well, eentlemen, shaved, or cut, or dressed, I am at your service ; which shall T begin with?” » The dog never took his eyes off Todd, but kept up a low growl from the first moment of his entrance. a ‘Tis rather a remarkable circumstance,” said the captain, “but this is a very saracious dog, you see, aud he belongs to a friend of ours, who has most unaccount- ably disappeared.” “ Has he really 2? said Todd. ‘Tobias! Tobias!” Fe “* Yes, sir.” ~ * Run to Mr. Phillips’s, in Cateaton-street, and get me six-pennyworth of figs, and don’t say that I don’t give you the money this time when you go a message. I think I did before, but you swallowed it ; and when you come back, just please to || remember the insight into business I gave you yesterday.” e. “* Yes,” said the boy, with a shudder, for he had agreat horror of Sweeney Todd, as well he might, after the severe discipline he had received at his hands, and away he went. - © Well, gentlemen,” said Todd, “ what is it you require of me ?” * We want to know if any one having the appearance of an officer in the navy came to your house ?” “ Yes—a rather good-looking man, weather-beaten, with a bright blue eye, and rather fair hair.” : ‘Yes, yes! the same.” ; | | ‘Oh! to be sure, he came here, and1 shaved him and polished him off.” | * What do you mean by polishing him off ?” | ** Brushing him up a bit, and making him tidy ; he said he had got somewhere |/ ’ to go in the city, and asked me the address of a Mr. Oakley, a spectacle-maker. | I gave it him, and then he went away; but as I was standing at my door about five minutes afterwards, it seemed to me, as well as J could see the distance, that he got into some row near the market.” : "Did this dog come with him ?” * A dog came with him, but whether it was that dog or not I don’t know.” ‘¢ And that’s all you know of him ?” | ** You never spoke a truer word in your life,” said Sweeney Todd, as he dili- || gently stropped a razor upon his great horny hand. This seemed something like a complete fix ; and the captain looked at Colonel | . = | gtr The captain: pacified Hector as well as he could, and likewise tied one end of a —.~ % = = eee a p TT ee me ————— 1 aa. — | ¢T will undertake,” sald the captain, “that the dog werent | | | - (ma Nira ncne en SET TOES So a ae a a RN comicbooks.com