The String of Pearls; or, The Barber of Fleet Street — page 223: what you’re looking at

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

the shop-door, and narrowly escaped a blow upon the head, that would have | finished their mortal career. | *‘ Hilloa! Are you mad ?”’ ** Mad !” said Todd. e “Yes: do you knock folks’ brains out when they come to be shaved es ) ‘ Mine’s a sedentary employment,” said Todd, ‘‘ and when I am alone, f like || exercise to open my chest. That’s all. Ain’t it rather late to be shaved? I was | just about to shut up.” | ** Why it is rather late, Mr. Todd; but the fact is, I am going to York by the early coach from the Bullfinch Inn, opposite, and I want a shave before I get | Nie wich PE hed Sc FPR I shan’t have an opportunity you see, again, for some | ime .” : ** Very well, sir.’’ * Come in, Charley.” “Todd started.” ii ‘* What's that?’ he said. He felt afraid that it was the dog again, under |} some new name. Truly, conscience was beginning to make a coward of Sweeney }| Todd, although he denied to himself the possession of such-an article. Charley | came in the shape of a little boy, of about eight years of age. «‘ Now you sit down, and don’t do any mischief,” said the father, “while I get Mr. Todd to shave me. I am a late customer indeed. You see the coach goes in two hours, and as I have got to call the last thing upon Alderman Stantons, I thought I would be shaved first, and my little lad here would come with me.” ‘Oh, certainly, sir,” said Todd; ‘I believe I have the pleasure of speaking to Mr. Brown, the silversmith.” | | “Yes—yes. The alderman gave me some jewels, worth about three thousand | pounds, to re-set, and though they are not done, I really don’t like to have | them at home while I take such a journey, so I want to lodge them with him || again until | come back.” | Todd lathered away at Mr. Brown’s chin, as he said with an air of inno- | cence-— . | “Can you carry so many jewels about with you, sir?” : «So many? Aye, tentimes asmany. Why they are all in a little narrow | case, that would not holda pair of razors.” i | «‘ Indeed !”’ Todd began the shaving. “ And go this is your little boy? A sharp lad, no doubt.” “Tolerable.” ‘‘ The whiskers as they are, sir?” « Oh, yes—yes.”’ «I suppose you never trust him out alone in the streets ?”’ “Oh, yes ; often.” | ‘Is it possible. Well, now, I should hardly have thought it. What a sweet | child he looks, and such a nice complexion, too. It’s quite a pleasure to see him, | I was considered myself a very fine child a good while ago.” : Todd took care to lift the razor judiciously, so as to give Mr. Brown opportu- nities of replying; and the silversmith said— ater | “Oh, yes; he’s a nice little fellow. He's got his mother’s complexion.” || ‘¢And he shan’t lose it,” said Todd, ‘if there’s any virtue in pearlometricat | savonia,” | “¢ In what?” 8 «‘ Oh, that’s the name I give to a soap that preserves the complexion in all its purity. I have only a small parcel of it, so I don’t sell it, but I give it away now and then, to my lady customers. Excuse me for one moment, | ‘Qh, certainly.” | oh Todd opened a glass case, and took out two pieces of soap, of a yellowis 4 tint. comicbooks.com