The String of Pearls; or, The Barber of Fleet Street — page 87: what you’re looking at

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

’ — = — 4 a P z ae” ae wag * maar ttlties ni eras wus Pn i ‘ re = a Be: gfe a Bi is3 he eee —- ee . ree EF com se cee t at — e LLL CAL NAL LL ELA A < B= a= or ————— 5 eee fe =Erme }— Be _ ats ‘S5abee eee Sy THE STRING OF PEARLS. 79 ‘Yes, he had such ; and, I think, his smile was the most singularly beautiful T ever beheld in a man.” “ Heaven help me !” said Johanna, ‘Have you any reason for asking that question concerning Thornhill ?” “God grant L had not; but, alas! I haveindeed. I feel that in Thornhill, I must recognise Mark Ingestrie himself.’’ * You astonish me.” “ Tt must be so, it must be so; you have described him to me, and I cannot doubt it; Mark Ingestrie and Thornhill are one! I knew that he was going to change his name, when he went out upon that wild adventure to the Indian Sea. I was well aware of that fact.” «T cannot think, Miss Oakley, that you are correct in that supposition. There are many things which induce me to think otherwise; and the first and foremost of them is, that the ingenuous character of Mr. Thornhill forbids the likelihood of such a thing occurring. You may depend it is not—cannot be, as you suppose.” “The proofs are too strong for me, and I find I dare not doubt them. It is so, Colonel Jeffery, as time, perchance, may show; it is sad, very sad, to think that it i as but I dare not doubt it, now that’ you have described him to me exactly as he lived.” 3 «“T must own, that in giving an opinion on such a point to you, I may be accused of arrogance and presumption, for I have had no description of Mark Ingestrie, and never saw him; and although you never saw certainly Mr. Thornhill, yet I have described him to you, and therefore you are able to judge from that description something of bim.” ‘Tam indeed, and I cannot-—dare not doubt. It is horrible to be positive on this point to me, because I do fear with you that something dreadful has occurred, and that the barber in Fleet-street could uaravel a frightful secret, if he chose, connected with Mark Ingesiérie’s fate.” “TI do sincerely hope from my heart that you are wrong; I hope it, because I tell you frankly, dim and obscure as the hope that Mark Ingestrie may have been picked up from the wreck of his vessel, it is yet stronger than the supposition that Thornhill has escaped the murderous hands of Sweeney Todd, the barber.’”* Johanna looked in his face so imploringly, and with such an expression of hope- lessness, that it was most sad indeed to see her, and quite involuntarily he exclaimed— | seemnnieieeneen] “Tf the sacrifice of my life would be to youa relief, and save you from the | pangs you suffer, believe me, it should be made.” She started as she said— : No, no; Heaven knows enough has been sacrificed already-more than enough, much more than enough. But do not suppose that 1 am ungrateful for the enerous interest you have taken in me. Do not suppose that I think aay the fice of the generosity and nobility of soul that would offer a sacrifice, because it is one that I would hesitate to accept. No, believe me, Colonel Jeffery, that among the few names that are enrolled in my breastand such to me will ever be honoured—remember yours will be found while £ live, but that will not be long— but that will not be long.” E “Nay, do not speak so despairingly.” “Have 1 not cause for despair ?” “Cause have you for great grief, but yet scarcely for despair. You are young yet, and let me entertain a hope that even if a feeling of regret may mingle with your future thoughts, time will achieve something in tempering your sorrow; and if not great happiness, you may know yet great serenity. % “T dare not hope it, but I know your words are kindly spoken, and most kindly meant.” “You may well assure yourself that they are so.” ¢T will ascertain his fate, or perish.” “You alarm me by those words, as well as by your manner of uttering them. Let me implore you, Miss Oakley, to attempt nothing rash ; remember how weak t®. @ se atid —— a eee —— = Fe ome RE mR a -* es EE RE TS ST ET ee SS OT comicbooks.com