The Gift of the Sailor: The String of Pearls & Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street — page 258: what you’re looking at

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

If you should find yourself in any danger, seize the first small heavy article at hand and throw it, with all the strength you can, through the shop window. Assistance will immediately come to you. And now, as you are where you are, I pray you to have confidence in me, and to remain until some one shall come to you and say “St. Dunstan,” upon which you will know that he is a friend, and you will follow his directions. God bless you.— RICHARD BLUNT. Every word of this letter fell like sunshine upon the heart of Johanna, and she could not help mentally ejaculating— “T am saved—I am saved! Yes—yes! I am not deserted. Strong, bold, good men will look to me. Oh! what kindness breathes in every sentence of this letter! Yes—yes; I am not forsaken—not forsaken!” Tears came into the eyes of the young girl, and she wept abundantly. Her overchanged heart was relieving itself. After a few moments she began to be more composed, and had just crumpled up the letter and cast it into the fire for fear of accidents, when a shadow darkened the door-way, she saw Todd looking in above the curtain that was over the upper half of the door, and partially concealed some panes of glass that were let into it. As soon as Todd saw Johanna’s eyes upon him, he entered the shop. “What’s that?” he said, pointing to the burning letter. “Paper, sir.” “What paper?” “A bill that a boy left. Something about Churchwardens, sir, and the parish of St. Brides, Fleet Street, and how things mean to—” “Bah! any one else been?” “No, sir.” Todd stood in the middle of the shop, and cast his eyes slowly round him, to see that all was as he had left. Then in a low growling tone, he added— “No peeping and prying, eh? No rummaging in odd comers, and looking at things that don’t concern you, eh?” “Certainly not, sir.” Johanna crept close to the counter upon which lay a tolerably large piece of stone used for grinding razors upon. She thought that would do very well to throw through the window, and she kept an eye upon it with that intent, if such an act should by an trick of Todd’s appear to be necessary. Todd look the key of the parlour-door from his pocket, and placed it in the lock. Before he opened the door, though, he turned the handle, and as he did so Johanna thought that he inclined his head and listened attentively. She threw down a chair, which made a lumbering noise. “Confound you,” roared Todd. He passed into the parlour; but in a moment, with a glance of fury, he looked out, saying— “You tried this door?” “T, sir?” said Johanna, creeping closer still to the sharpening stone. “Yes, villain, you. At least, I think so—I am pretty sure; but mark me, if I were quite sure, you should suffer for it.” He closed the door again; and then when he was alone, he placed his two hands upon his head for a few moments, and said— “What does it mean? A boy brought him a letter; I saw him come and go. At least it looked like a letter. Could it be the bill he spoke of, and then the sudden upset of that chair, which prevented me from hearing if the piece of cat-gut I had fastened to the handle of the door had been moved, before I touched it or not. I will kill him. That is safe. It is the only plan; I will kill all who is now in my way. All—all. Yes, I will, if needs be, wade up to my neck in blood to the accomplishment of my wishes.” Todd went to a cupboard and got out a large knife, such as is used by slaughtermen in the shambles, and hid it under the table cover, but in such a place that he could lay hold of it and draw it out in a moment. “Charley,” he cried, “Charley.” “Yes, sir.” “Step in here a moment; I want you, my boy.” “Shall I or shall I not,” thought Johanna. “Is this danger, or only the appearance of it? Heaven direct me now! Oh, what shall I do? What shall I do?” “Charley? Are you coming, my boy?” “Yes, sir, I—I am coming. God protect me!” “The barber at home?” cried a voice at the door; and in another moment a man with a ruddy, jolly-looking countenance, made his appearance in the shop. “Barber at home, eh? my little lad?” “Yes—yes.” Johanna heard a bitter execration come from the lips of Todd; and then with quite a serene smile upon his face, as though he were in the most unruffled mood possible, he made his appearance. “Could you make me a wig?” said the man, taking off his hat, and showing that his hair was closely cropped. CORniclooo S CO)