The String of Pearls; or, The Barber of Fleet Street — page 63: what you’re looking at

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

tA an er == THE STRING OF PEARLS, 68 No,” said the boy, “indeed I have not. I never can forget it, if I were to | live a hundred years.” | ‘< That’s well, prudent, cxcellent, Tobias. Go out now, and if those two persons | who were here last, waylay you in the street, let them say what they will, and do | you reply to them as shortly as possible; but be sure you come back to me | quickly and report what they do say. They turned to the left, towards the city now be off with you,’ sal es . ) ; nods - Vice sires ean ) ee | * oh # oon | ** It’s of no use,” said Colonel Jeffery to the captain ; “ the barber is either too cunning for me, or he is really innocent of all participation in the disappearance’ of “i homhbul.” = La £26 | a _ And yet there are suspicious circumstances. I watched his countenance when | the subject of jewels was mentioned, ‘and I saw a sudden change come over it; it | was but momentary, but still it gave me a suspicion that he knew something which caution alone kept within the recesses of his breast. The conduct of the boy, | too, was strange; and then again, if he has the string of pearls, their value would ive him all the power to do what he says he is about to do—viz., to retire from Bere with an independence.” “Hush ! There, did you see that lad P” “Yes; why.it’s the barber’s boy.” “It is the same lad he called Tobias—-shall we speak to him ?” | ‘* Let’s make a bolder push, and offer him an ample reward for any information | he may give us.” oe | ‘* Acreed, agreed.” | They both walked up to Tobias, who was listlessly walking along the streets, | and when they reached him, they were both struck with the appearance of care | || and sadness that was upon the boy’s face. He looked perfectly haggard and care- | worn—an expression sad to see upon the face of one so young; and, when the | colonel accosted him in a kindly tone, he seemed so unnerved that tears immedi- | || ately darted to his eyes, although at the same time he shrank back asif alarmed. | “ My lad,” said the colonel, “you reside, I think, with Sweeney Todd, the | barber. Is he not akind master to you, that you seem so unhisppy ?” : “No, no—that is, 1 mean yes, | have nothing to tell. Let me pass on.” « What is the meaning of this confusion ?” * Nothing, nothing.” | | _ “T gay, my lad, here is a guinea for you, if you will tell us what became of the man of a sea-faring appearance, who came with a dog to your master’s house, || some days since, to be shaved.” | “1 cannot tell you,” said the boy, “I cannot tell you what I do not | || know.” | '/ But, you have some idea, probably. Come, we will make it worth your while, | || and thereby protect you from Sweeney Todd. We have the power to do so, and | all the inclination ; but you must be quite explicit with us, and tell us frankly © '| what you think, and what you know concerning the man in whose. fate we are | interested.” “T know nothing, I think nothing,” said Tobias. “Let me go, I have nothing to say, except that he was shaved, and went away.” “ But how came he io leave his dog behind him ?” “‘Tcannot tell. 1 know nothing.’ : “It is evident that you do know something, but hesitate either from fearor | |} some other motive to tell it; as you are inaccessible to fair means, we must | || resort to others, and you shall at once come before a magistrate, wsho-will force | || you to speak out.’’ 1 | “Do with me what you will,” said Tobias, ““I cannot help if. ‘have | | ng to say to you, nothing whatever. Oh, my poor mother, if it were not | or you-——” . ors | “What then?” “ Nothing! nothing! nothing !” a SS .. “>? ? a . + re “ a % oy ta xy 4 - 47 Boal” : + as 1 ~ - J = 4 4 « we eo 7 o . ~ raft f Wis a a = ‘ - — = . . — ee ee ee See : = = = . — — * nt — on yt “3 . ss se ’ heal 1} * ie ‘ E L . } ou f. — 7 < aed * Ee “SS ‘ ” Q = ‘ — » - > « -_ ji 1 - — ‘ce ha « Pre ie : * rmg re —— -——— ST = = — ——— et eS eee ty oon : é ’ A ¥ A - , ‘ ; afte % z re “ . . ™ » - i v we te (wt Ps bia aa ar aoe comicbooks.com