The Gift of the Sailor: The String of Pearls & Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street — page 300: what you’re looking at

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

“Well off?” “Yes, to be sure, well off.” “Well off, when I was forced to go to Mr. Rickup’s party, in the same dress they saw me in last Easter. Oh! you brute!” “What’s the matter with the dress?” “The matter? Why I’Il tell you what the matter is. The matter is, and the long and short of everything, that you are a brute.” “Very conclusive indeed. The deuce take me if it ain’t.” “T suppose by the deuce, you mean the devil, Mr. Simmons; and if he don’t take you some day, he won’t have his own. Ha! ha. For you may laugh, but there’s many a true word spoken in jest, Mr. Simmons.” “Oh, you are in jest, are you?” “No sir, I am not, and I should like to know what woman could jest with only one black silk, and that turned. Yes, Mr. Simmons, you often call upon the deuce to take this, and to take that. Mind he don’t come some day to you when you least expect it sir, and sa , “Lend me a light!” said Todd, popping his awfully ugly face right over the top of the half open door, a feat which he was able to accomplished by standing on his tip toes. There are things that can be described, but certainly the consternation of Mr. and Mrs. Simmons cannot be included in the list. They gazed upon the face of Todd in speechless horror, nor did he render himself a bit less attractive by several of his most hideous contortions of visage. Finding then that both husband and wife appeared spell-bound, Todd stepped into the room, and taking a candle from the table, he stalked into the passage with it. The light in his hand threw a light upon the mystery of the lock. Todd opened the street-door, and passed out in a moment. To hurl the candle and candle stick into the passage, and close the door, was the next movement of Todd, but then he saw two figures upon the steps leading to Colonel Jeffery’s house, and he shrunk back a moment. “Now William,” said Colonel Jeffery himself, “you will take this letter to Sir Richard Blunt, and tell him to use his own discretion about it.” “Yes, sir.” “Be quick, and give it into no hands but his own.” “Certainly, sir.” “Remember, William, this is important.” The groom touched his hat and went away at a good pace, and Colonel Jeffery himself closed the door. “Indeed,” muttered Todd. “Indeed. So, Sir Richard Blunt, who is called an active magistrate, is to know of my little adventure here? Well—well—we shall see.” He darted from the door of the house, through which he had made so highly successful and adventurous a progress, and pursued William with such strides as soon brought him close up to him. But the thoroughfare in which they were was too public a one for Todd to venture upon any overt act in it. He followed William sufficiently closely however to be enabled to take advantage of any opportunity that might present itself to possess himself by violence of the letter. Now William had been told the affair was urgent, so of course he took all the nearest cuts he could to the house of Sir Richard Blunt, and such a mode of progress soon brought him into a sufficiently quiet street for Todd’s purpose. The latter looked right and left. He turned completely round, and no one was coming—a more favourable opportunity could not be. Stepping lightly up to William he by one heavy blow upon the back of his neck felled him. The groom lay insensible. Todd had seen him place the colonel’s letter in his breast-pocket, and at once he dived his huge hand into that receptacle to find it. He was successful—one glance at the epistle that he drew forth sufficed to assure him that it was the one he sought. It was duly addressed to Sir Richard Blunt—“With speed and private.” “Indeed, very private,” said Todd. “Wretch! Wretch!” cried some one from a window, and Todd knew then that the deed of violence had been witnessed by some one from one of the houses. With an execration, he darted off at full speed, and soon placed a perfect labyrinth of streets between him and all pursuit. He thrust the letter all crumbled up into his pocket, and he would not pause to read it until he was much nearer to Fleet Street than to the colonel’s house, or the scene of his attack upon the groom. Then, by the light of a more than usually brilliant lamp, which with its expiring energies was showing the world what an old oil lamp could do, he opened and read the brief letter. It was as follows. Dear Sir Richard. Todd has been here upon murderous thoughts intent. Poor Tobias has, I fear, broken a blood-vessel, and is in a most precarious condition. I leave all to you. The villain escaped, but is injured I think. Yours very faithfully, CORniclooo S CO)