The String of Pearls (1850), p. 200

front attic, you know, and all that sort of thing. After this explanation, I hope you'll lend us a candle at once, Mr. Todd, and let us up to the attic."
Todd shaded his eyes with his hands, and looked yet more earnestly at the beadle.
"Why, Mr. Otton," he said, " indeed you do want a shave."
"A shave?"
"Yes, Mr. Otton, I have a good razor here that will go over your chin like a piece of butter. Only take a seat, sir, and if you, neighbour, will go home comfortably to your own fireside, I will send for you when Mr. Otton is shaved."
"But really," said the beadle, rubbing his chin, "I was shaved this morning, and as I do for myself always, you see, why 1 don't think I require. Conwulsions! Mr. Todd, why do you look at a man so? Remember the Habus Corpus.
That's what we call the paladermius of the British Constitution, you know."
By this time the beadle had satisfied himself that he did not at all require shaving, and turning to the shoemaker, he said—
"Why don't you be shaved?"
"Well, I don't care if I do, and perhaps, in the meantime you, Mr. Otton, will go up to the attic, and take a peep into the next one, and see if my lodger is up or in bed, or what the deuce has become of him. It's a very odd thing, Mr. Todd, that a man should take one's attic, and then disappear without coming down stairs."
"Disappear without coming down stairs?" said Todd.
"Yes, and my wife says—"
Todd made an impatient gesture.
"Gentlemen, I will look in my attic myself. The fact is, that the flooring is rather out of order, and unless you know exactly where to step you will be apt to fall through a hole into the second floor."
"The deuce you are!" said Otton.
"Yes; so I would not advise either of you to make the attempt. Just remain there, and I'll go at once."
The proposition suited both parties, and Mr. Todd immediately passed through a door at the back of his shop, which he immediately closed behind him again. Instead of going up stairs, however, he slid aside a small opening in the panel of this door, and placed his ear to it. "If people say anything impudent, it is
the moment they are free from the company that has held them in check," was one of Sweeney Todd's maxims. His first notion that the beadle and the shoemaker had come covertly to search his house, had given way a little, and he wanted to convince himself of the innocency or the reverse of their intentions,
before he put himself to any further trouble.
"I don't like it," said the shoemaker.
"Like what? Conwulsions! what don't vou like?"
"Intruding upon Mr. Todd. What does he care about my lodgers? It ain't as if he let any of his own house, and had a fellow feeling with us."
"Werry good," said the beadle, "but you send for me, and you ask me that's best, and I tell yer that Habus Corpus, and one thing and another, what I
advised was the only thing, that was to get into Mr. Todd's attic, and then get on the parapet and into yours. But if so be as there's holes in Mr. Todd's attic, that will alter the affair, you know."
"Fool—fool!" muttered Todd. "After all, they only come upon their own twaddling affairs, and I was idiot enough to suspect such muddy pated rascals."
In an instant he was in the shop again.
"Nobody there, gentlemen; I have looked into the attic, and there's nobody there."
"Well, I'm very much obliged to you, Mr. Todd," said the shoemaker, " for taking so much trouble. I'll go, and rather astonish my wife, I think."
"Conwulsions 1" said the beadle. " It's an odd thing, but you know, Mr. Todd, Habus Corpus must have his way."