The String of Pearls (1850), p. 269

better go out to something now; if you will take him 'prentice we will provide
him, and he can run into our place for his meals and tell us all the gossip of the
shop, which will amuse Mrs. C., as she's in a delicate condition, and I have no
doubt you will find him just the lad for you."
"Dear! dear!" said Todd.
"What's the matter, Mr. T. ?"
"I'm so aggravated.—Is he pious?"
"Decidedly."
"Does he know his catechism and his belief?"
'"Oh, yes. Only ask him, Mr. Todd. Only ask him."
"Come here, my dear boy. Who was Shindrad, the great uncle of Joshua,
and why did Nebuchadnezar call him Zichophobattezer the cousin of Neozobul-
coxacride?"
"Eh?" said the boy. "Lor!"
"What learning!" said the greengrocer. "Ah, Mr. Todd, you are one too
many for Fred, but he knows his catechiz."
"Well," said Todd, "if the boy that I have promised to think about don't
suit me, I'll give you a call, Mr. Cork. But, you see, I am such a slave to my
word, that if I promise to think about anything, I go on thinking until it would
astonish you how I get through it."
"Well, I'm sure we are very much obliged to you, Mr. Todd. Come along,
Fred."
"Indeed!" said Todd, when he was once more alone. "That would suit me,
certainly. A lying, gossiping boy, to be running home three or four times a day
with all the news of the shop. Good—very good indeed."
Todd stropped away at the razors with great vehemence, until he suddenly
became aware that some one must be blocking up nearly the whole of the window, for a sudden darkness, like an eclipse, had stolen over the shop. We have before had occasion to remark that Todd had a kind of peephole amid the multifarious articles which blocked up his windows, so that he was enabled to look out upon the passing world when he pleased. Upon this occasion he availed himself of this mode of ascertaining who it was that had stopped the light from making its way into the shop. It was no other than our old acquaintance, Big Ben from the Tower, who was on his way to Mr. Oakley's. The heart of Ben had been
sensibly touched by the distress of Johanna, and he was going to give her a
word or two of comfort and encouragement, which would wholly consist of
advising her to "never mind." But still Ben's intention was good, however weak
might be the means by which he carried it out. As for passing Todd's window
without looking in, he could no more help having a good stare, than he could
help doing justice to a flagon of old ale, if it were placed before him; and upon
this occasion the little placard, announcing the want of a pious youth, fixed the
whole of Ben's wonder and attraction.
"A pious lad!" said Ben. "Oh, the villain. Never mind. Easy does
it—easy does it."
"Curses on that fellow!" muttered Todd. "What is he staring at?"
"A pious lad!" ejaculated Ben. "Pious—oh—oh. Pious!"
"Shaved this morning, sir?" said Todd, appearing at his door with a razor in
his hand. "Shaved or dressed? Polish you off surprisingly, in no time, sir."
"Eh?"
"Walk in, sir—walk in. A nice comfortable shave makes a man feel quite
another thing. Pray walk in, sir. I think I have had the pleasure of seeing you
before."
Ben cast an indignant look at Sweeney Todd; and then, as upon the spur of
the moment—for Ben was rather a shrewd thinker—he could not find anything strong enough to say, he wisely held his peace, and walked on. Todd looked after him with a savage scowl.
"Not much plunder," he muttered, "but suitable enough in another point of view. Well—well, we shall see—we shall see."