The Gift of the Sailor: The String of Pearls & Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street — page 33: what you’re looking at

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

humbugged® might be hanging about; and that at the first suspicious movement he would be watched, and some desperate attempt made to make him give them up. It was with no small violence to his own feelings that he listened to their conversation, and appeared to take an interest in their proceedings. “Well,” said one, who sat next him, “I’m just off for the north-road.” “Any fortune there?” “Not much; and yet I mustn’t complain: these last three weeks the best I have had has been two sixties.” “Well, that would do very well.” “Yes, the last man I stopped was a regular looby® Londoner; he appeared like a don,® complete tip-top ® man of fashion; but Lord! when I came to look over him, he hadn’t as much as would carry me twenty-four miles on the road.” “Indeed! don’t you think he had any hidden about him?—they do so now.” “Ah, ah!” returned another, “well said, old fellow; ’tis a true remark that we can’t always judge a man from appearances. Lor’! bless me, now, who’d ‘a thought your swell cove® proved to be out o’ luck? Well, I’m sorry for you; but you know ’tis a long lane that has no turning, as Mr. Somebody says—so, perhaps, you’ll be more fortunate another time. But come, cheer up, whilst I relate an adventure that occurred a little time ago; ’twas a slice of good luck, I assure you, for I had no difficulty in bouncing my victim out of a good swag® of tin;® for you know farmers returning from market are not always too wary and careful, especially as the lots of wine they take at the market dinners make the cosy old boys ripe and mellow for sleep. Well, I met one of these jolly gentlemen, mounted on horseback, who declared he had nothing but a few paltry guineas about him; however, that would not do—I searched him, and found a hundred and four pounds secreted about his person.” “Where did you find it?” “About him. I tore his clothes to ribands.* A pretty figure he looked upon horseback, I assure you. By Jove, I could hardly help laughing; in fact, I did laugh at him, which so enraged him, that he immediately threatened to horse-whip me, and yet he dared not defend his money; but I threatened to shoot him, and that soon brought him to his senses.” “T should imagine so. Did you ever have a fight for it?” inquired Sweeney Todd. “Yes, several times. Ah! it’s by no means an easy life, you may depend. It is free, but dangerous. I have been fired at six or seven times.” “So many?” “Yes. I was near York once, when I stopped a gentleman; I thought him an easy conquest, but not so he turned out, for he was a regular devil.” “Resisted you?” “Yes, he did. I was coming along when I met him, and I demanded his money. ‘I can keep it myself,’ he said, ‘and do not want any assistance to take care of it.’” ““But I want it,’ said I; ‘your money or your life.’ ““You must have both, for we are not to be parted,’ he said, presenting his pistol at me; and then I had only time to escape from the effect of the shot. I struck the pistol up with my riding-whip, and the bullet passed by my temples, and almost stunned me. “T cocked and fired; he did the same, but I hit him, and he fell. He fired, however, but missed me. I was down upon him; he begged hard for life.” “Did you give it him?” “Yes; I dragged him to one side of the road, and then left him. Having done so much, I mounted my horse and came away as fast as I could, and then I made for London, and spent a merry day or two there.” “T can imagine you must enjoy your trips into the country, and then you must have still greater relish for the change when you come to London—the change is so great and so entire.” “So it is; but have you never any run of luck in your line? I should think you must at times succeed in tricking the public.” “Yes, yes,” said Todd, “now and then we do—but I tell you it is only now and then; and I have been afraid of doing too much. To small sums I have been a gainer; but I want to do something grand. I tried it on, but at the same time I have failed.” “That is bad; but you may have more opportunities by and by. Luck is all chance.” “Yes,” replied Todd, “that is true, but the sooner the better, for I am growing impatient.” Conversation now went on; each man speaking of his exploits, which were always some species of rascality and robbery accompanied by violence generally; some were midnight robbers and breakers into people’s houses; in fact, all the crimes that could be imagined. This place was, in fact, a complete home or rendezvous for thieves, cutpurses, highwaymen, footpads, and burglars of every grade and description—a formidable set of men of the most determined and desperate appearance. Sweeney Todd knew hardly how to rise and leave the place, though it was now growing very late, and he was most anxious to get safe out of the den he was in; but how to do that was a problem yet to be solved. “What is the time?” he muttered to the man next to him. “Past midnight,” was the reply. “Then I must leave here,” he answered, “for I have work that I must be at in a very short time, and I shall not have too much time.” So saying he watched his opportunity, and rising, walked up to the door, which he opened, and went out; after that he walked up the CORniclooo S CO)