The String of Pearls; or, The Barber of Fleet Street — page 50: what you’re looking at

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

THE STRING OF PEARLS, | Now,” he muttered, “for means to escape.” | | i || _ He waited a momeat to wipe the sweat from his brow, and then he crossed the || || floor to the windows, which were open. They werc the old-fashioned bay-windows, || | with the heavy ornamental work which some houses possessed, and overhung the || || low door-ways, and protected them from the weather. meas | '| This will do,?’ he said, as he looked down to the pavement“ this will do. I || || will try this descent, if I fall.” | || The people on the other side of the door were exerting all their force to break || it open, and it had already given one or two ominous creaks, and a few minutes || more would probably let them into the room. ‘The streets were clear—no human |; being was moving about, and there were faint signs of the approach of morning. || He paused a moment to inhale the fresh air, and then he got outside of the || |‘ window. By means of the sound oaken ornaments, he contrived to get down to || | the drawing-room balcony, and then he soon got down into the street. As he || || walked slowly away, he could hear the crash of the door, and a slight cheer, as || they entered the room; and he could imagine to himself the appearance of the || faces of those who entered, when they found the bird had flown, and the room was 1} empty. Sweeney Todd had not far to go; he soon turned into Fleet-street, and || made for his own house. He looked about him, but there were none near him; || he was tired and exhausted, and-right glad was he when he found himself ‘at his || own door. Then stealthily he put the key into the door, and slowly entered the || Bouse. CHAPTER IX. JOHANNA AT HOME, AND THE RESOLUTION. JoHANNA Oakey would not allow Colonel Jeffery to accompany her all the way home, and he, appreciating the scruples of the young girl, did not press his attention upon her, but left her at the corner of Fore-street, after getting from her a half promise that she would meet him again on that day week, at the same hour, in the Temple-gardens. | “Task this of you, Johanna Oakley,” he said, “because I have resolved to || || make all the exertion in my power to discover what has become of Mr. Thornhill, || in whose fate I am sure I have succeeded in interesting you, although you ‘care || so little for the string of pearls which he ‘has in trust for you.” : “Ido, indeed, care little for them,” said Johanna, “so little, that it may be || said to amount to nothing.” | | “But still they are yours, and you ought to have the option of disposing of them as you’please. It is not well to despise such gifts of fortune; for if you |} can yourself do nothing with them, there are surely some others whom you may || know, upon whom they would bestow great happiness.” | * A string of pearls, great happiness ?’’ said Johanna, inquiringly. || **Your mind is so occupied by your grief that you -quite forget such strings || are of great value. I have seen those pearls, Johanna, and can assure you that || ‘they are in themselves a fortune.” | *] suppose,” she said sadly, “itis too much for human nature to expect two blessings at once. I had the fond, warm heart that loved me without the fortune, || that would have enabled us to live in comfort and affluence; and now, when || that is perchance within my grasp, the heart, that was by far the more costly | | yossession, and the richest jewel of them all, lies beneath the wave wit its bright influences, and its glorious and romantic aspirations, quenched for || ever.” | “You will meet me then, as L request of you, to hear if I have any news| | for yvou P | ae! ye: Stree eee =e ime Bagels SMS — = Bala - = as ee ee = SB 22 eSe ras ees | € > Se ee comicbooks.com