The String of Pearls; or, The Barber of Fleet Street — page 298: what you’re looking at

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

Retg dpe einen ener 290 THE STRING OF PEARLS. oo mw atone pio ‘* I don’t wonder, ae sir,’ hesaid, ‘‘that your feelings prompt you. to say What you do. I’m afraid I have taken off a little too much whisker, sir.’ ‘Oh, never mind. It will grow- again,” said the person who was being . shaved.”’ Todd suddenly struck his own head with the flat of his hand, as a man will do to whose mind some sudden thought has made itself apparent, and in a voice of doubt and some alarm, he pronounced the one word— ‘* Powder !” ~ ‘ What’s the matter? You are a long time shaving me.” ‘‘ Powder!’’ said Todd again. ‘‘ Gunpowder,” said the three-quarter shaved man, while the clerical-looking personage entirely hid his face, with the Courant.” ‘‘ No,” said Todd. ‘* Hair powder. I told this gentleman, whose feelings re- garding the church do him so much honour, that I had hair powder in the house, and it has just come over me like a wet blanket that I have not a particle.’ Tae clerical-looking gentleman quickly laid down the Courant, and said wildly— ** Are you sure you have none?” ** Quite sure, sir.”’ “Then I won't oceupy your shop and read your Courazé for nothing, ant as | am here I will have a shave.” « That’s very kind of you, sir,” said Todd. ‘ Very kind.”’ ‘* Notat all,” said the gentleman, taking up the paper again with all the coolness in the world. ‘‘ Not at all. Don’t mention it, 1 always like to carry out the moral maxim of—Do unto others as you would that others should do unto you.” ‘* How charming!” exclaimed Todd, lifting up his hands, in one of which was the razor. How charming it is in this indifferent and selfish age to meet with any one who is so charitable as to do more than merely speak of such a sentiment as a curiosity in morals.” “You are above your condition as regards education,’ said the clerical-look- ing gentleman. *e Why, to tell the truth, sir ** Psha!’’ said he who was cial or rather not being shaved—‘‘ psha! And all this while the very soap is drying upon my face.” ‘* A thousand pardons,” said Todd. ‘* Many apologies,”’ said the clerical gentleman, hastily resuming the perasal of the Courant. ‘* Sir,” added Todd, as he finished the shaving and whipped off the cloth from the patient. Sir, ,J should have finished you five: minutes ago, so that | am sure no one woulc have heard the slightest complaint from you, but for the truly en- gaging conversation of this gentleman here, whom | shall have great pleasure now in polishing off.” “Oh, don’t name it,” said the shaved customer, laying down a penny. “Don’t name it, I said I was in no hurry, soI can hardly blame you for taking your time.” | He went through the usual operation of a partial sloush of cold water from & pewter basin, and then dried himself upon a jack towel, and left the shop. “‘ Now, sir,” said Todd. The clerical-looking gentleman waved his hand as though he would have said— ‘For goodness sake don’t interrupt?me until J have finished this paragraph.” Todd fixed his eyes upon him, and began slowly stropping the razor he had been recently using. , ‘© Now, sir, if you please.” “One moment—o ne~—mo-sment, I shall get through the deaths in an in—stant.’’ Todd continued this the razor, when widdonty the Cogrant es hs oP PE BaP E ear ere aati - = a = SNES ee ee ee eee Sets Sa ars eee — : — ee ma Sem eo os meeenseenenmines— saat See : Aen a ET AS nt ge REE So Fg a cman saa —_ SRS a tins SS <i SiS SS ees ee oa comicbooks.com