The String of Pearls; or, The Barber of Fleet Street — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

peter TON SC ALTO TALON ELIE we et et CD nce pamnaincnehiieana itammman aaa as, | THE STRING OF PEARLS. eneneinemeteteteed exhibit the formidable row of teeth he did occasionally, when anybody showed a Some people, too, had thrown a disposition to touch it, it would remain sacred. | SONS, few copper coins into the hat, so that Hector, if his mind had been that way m- d thing of it; but who shall describe the anger of elined, was making a very 500 i : Sweeney Todd, when he found that he was so likely to be so beleaguered? He doubted, if, upon the arrival of the first customer to his shop, the dog might dart in and take him by storm ; but that apprehension went off at last, when a oung gallant came from the Temple to have his hair dressed, and the dog allowed a to pass in and out unmolested, without making any attempt to follow him. This was something, at all events ; but whether or not it insured Sweeney Todd’s personal safety,, when he himself should come out, was quite another matter. Jt was an experiment, however, which he must try. It was quite out of the question that he should remain a prisoner much longer in his own place, so, after a time, he thought he might try the experiment, and that it would be best done when there were plenty of people there, hecause if the dog assaultea him, he would have an excuse for any amount of violence he might think proper to use upon the occasion. It took some time, however, to screw his courage to th length, muttering deep curses between his clenched teeth, he made his way to the doce, and carried in his hand a long knife, which he thought a more efficient wea- pon against the dog’s teeth than the iron bludgeon he had formerly used. “T hope he will attack me,” said Todd, to himself as he thought; but Tobias, 16 ——— al e sticking-place; but at and after devoutly in his own mind wishing that the dog would actually devour Sweeney, said aloud— “Qh 'dear, sir; you don’t wish that, I’m sure “ Who told you what I wished, or what I did not? Remember, Tobias, and keep pour ea quai or it will be the worse for you, and your mother too— remember that.” : The boy shrunk back. How had Sweeney Todd terrified the boy about his mother! He must have done so, or Tobias would never have shrunk as he did. Then that rascally barber, who we begin to suspect of more crimes than fall ordinaryly to the share of man, went cautiously out of his shop door: we cannot pretend to account for why it was so, but, as faithful recorders of facts, we have to state that Hector did not fly at him, but with a melancholy and subdued ex- pression of countenance he looked up in the face of Sweeney Todd; then he whined piteously, as if he would have said, ‘Give me my master, and I will for- give you all that you have done; give me back my beloved master, and you shall wat at mn popes revengeful nor ferocious.” is kind of expression was as legibly written in the poor creature’s counte- ee ra he had a@ually been endowed with speech, and uttered the words This was what Sweeney Todd certainly did not expect , it staggered and astonished him a hittle. ‘ He would si tas ae a = = tv commit some act of violence, but he had now none, and as ae looked cr “the moe ot De ele er around, he felt quite convinced that it would not be Ns 4 en ? “4 ‘ . ° tee Pe Lae ning in the world to interfere with the dog in any way that ee the dog’s master ?” said one. 66 : ter 4 p?? : ‘ ¢ ° ai maar indeed ?” said Todd; “I should not wonder if he had come to some “But I say, old soap-suds,” cried a b ¢s ’ ; a) ® ‘A 54 99 There was a general laugh, but the aber Bg hig ay) ee ian a ahOHy tape. y no means disconcerted, and yer ng, ? re i wrong then.” weeney Lo ad no desire to enter int ing li Pa. 80 he ares again and entered his ea ae Freemans clay 2 of arhich 4 w . : . ’ ner oO oie own, = scadioes | Sareiloglettte arms over his chest, he pain >? ee ee . ST ne ‘ a a a ee et HS Sr comicbooks.com who had come back from the place where they sold the preserved figs, heard hin, | 2, Wos. eS a Saliaianeien 4 L. — —- —_—- a Se =