The Gift of the Sailor: The String of Pearls & Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street — page 293: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER LXXXVI. TOBIAS IN JEOPARDY. “Well, Tobias,” said Colonel Jeffery, as he entered the pretty, cheerful room into which the now convalescent boy had been removed. “Well, Tobias, how are you now?” “Much better, sir. Oh, sir, —I——” “What would you say?” “T feel that when I see you, sir, I ought to say so much to convince you of how truly, and deeply grateful I am to you, and yet I can scarcely ever say a word about it. I pray for your happiness, sir, indeed I do. Your name and my mother’s, and—and Minna Gray’s, are always uttered to God by me.” “Now, Tobias,” said Colonel Jeffery gravely. “I am quite satisfied that as regards all that has passed, you feel as you ought to feel, and for my own part, I beg you to feel and to know that your saying anything about it only distresses me.” “Distresses you, sir?” “Yes, it does, indeed. I see your eyes are upon the door. You expect Minna, to-day, I am sure.” “Yes, sir,—she—she—my mother was to bring her, sir.” A ringing at a bell now came upon Tobias’s ear, and his colour went and came fitfully. “You are still very weak, my poor boy,” said the colonel, “but you are certainly much improved. Do you feel any confusion in your head now?” “None at all, only when I think of Todd suddenly, ever it makes me feel cold and sick, and something seems to rush through my heart.” “Oh, that will go away. That is nothing. There, I will draw up the blind for you. The evening is coming, and the sky is overclouded. You can see better now, and there is one coming whom I know you wish to lose no sight of.” “T hear her foot upon the stairs,” said Tobias. “Do you?—It is more than I do.” “Ah, sir, the senses are sharpened, I think, by illness.” “Not so much as by love. Tobias! do you hear her footstep now?” “Yes, and it is like music.” He had his head on one side in an attitude of listening; and then with joy sparkling from every feature of his face, he spoke again— “She comes—she comes. Ah, she comes fast. My own—my beautiful. She come—she comes.” “This is real love,” said the colonel, and he stepped from the room. Nearly on the landing at the head of the stairs, he met Minna Gray. “Welcome,” he said as he held out his hand to her. “You will find your young friend up and much better.” Minna could only look her thanks. Mrs. Ragg was following her, and as the ascent of stairs was always rather a task to that good Lady, she was making a noise like a stranded grampus in breathing. “Ah, colonel,” she said, “young legs get up stairs faster than old ones, sir, as you see. Well—well, there was a time when first I knew poor dear Ragg, who is of course dead and gone, quite premature.” “Exactly, Mrs. Ragg,” said the colonel, as he rapidly descended the stairs. “Did you ever, my dear, know such a strange man?” said Mrs. Ragg to Minna. “Who?” “The colonel, to be sure. So soon as I begin to tell him any little what do you call it. No it ain’t nannygoat—that’s ridiculous. Its— its—what is it?” “Anecdote do you mean, Mrs. Ragg?” “Yes, to be sure. Well, as I was a-saying, no sooner do I begin telling him a little nannygoat—no, I mean anecdote, than off he is like a shot.” Minna smiled to herself, and she was far from wondering that the colonel was off like a shot, for well she knew, that when Mrs. Ragg did begin anything concerning the late Mr. Ragg, it usually lasted three quarters of an hour at the very least. “Minna, Minna!” called Tobias. “T am here, Tobias.” In another moment she was in the room. Truly it was a pleasant thing to see the face of Tobias, when his sunshine, as he called Minna, came close to him, and in her soft voice asked him if he was better. “Don’t mind me,” said Mrs. Ragg, “I am going to darn a stocking or two, that’s all. Just say what you both like. Young folks will be young folks. Bless me, I recollect just as it it were only yesterday, when I used to speak to poor departed Mr. Ragg, who is, premature, dead and gone, in a manner of speaking. Ah, dear me! How the world goes round and round—round and round, continually.” Tobias and Minna were so well accustomed to the garrulity of Mrs. Ragg, and so well aware that she required no answer, that they CORniclooo S CO)