The String of Pearls (1850), p. 284

"That boy," he said, "to change the conversation. That boy, used to say some odd things of you, Mr. Todd."
"Insanity," said Todd, " is a great calamity."
"Oh, very."
"And so clouds the faculties, that the poor boy no doubt said things of me, his best friend, that, if he had been restored to reason, he would have heard spoken of with a smile of incredulity."
"Ha! ha! By the bye&£8212;Ha! ha!"
"Well, sir?" said Todd, who did not in the smallest degree join in the odd laugh of Peter. Well, sir, I was merely going to say. Have you, by any chance, heard anything more of him?"
Todd walked close to Peter, and placed his two brawny hands upon his
shoulders, as he slowly repeated&£8212;
"Have I by any chance heard anything more of him? What do you mean? Speak out, or by all that's powerful, this is the last moment of your existence. Speak out, I say."
"Murder!"
"Fool! Be more explicit, and you are safe. Be open and candid with me, and not a hair of your head shall suffer injury,, What do you mean by asking me if I have heard anything more of him?"
"Don't throttle me."
"Speak."
"I&£8212;I can't while you hold me so tight. I&£8212;I&£8212;can&£8212;hardly&£8212;breathe."
Todd took his hands off him, and crossing his arms over his breast, he said in tones of most unnatural calmness&£8212;
"Now speak."
"Well, Mr. Todd&£8212;I&£8212;only&£8212."
"You only what?"
"Asked you naturally enough, if you had heard anything of the boy Tobias Ragg, you know, since he ran away from Fogg's. That's all."
"Since he what?"
"Ran away from Fogg's one night."
"Then he&£8212;he is not dead? The villain Fogg sent word to me that he was dead."
"Did he though P Well I never. That was so like Fogg. Only to think now. Lord bless you, Mr. Todd, he made his escape and ran away, and we never heard anything more of him from that time to this. The idea now of Fogg telling you he was dead. Well, I did wonder at your taking the thing
so easy, and never coming down to enquire about it."
"Not dead? Not dead?"
"Not as I know on."
" Curses !"
"Ah! that will do you good, Mr. Todd. Whenever I am put out, I set to swearing like a good one, and that's the way I come round again. Don't mind me. You swear as long as you like. It was a shame for Fogg not to tell you he had bolted, but I suppose he thought he'd take his chance."
"The villain!"
"Worser! worser! nor a willain!" said Peter. " Who knows now what mischief may be done, all through that boy. Why, he may be now being
gammoned by the police and a parson to tell all he knows. Oh, dear! Oh, dear!"
Todd sunk upon a chair&£8212;not the shaving one&£8212;and resting his hand upon
his head, he uttered a sepulchral groan.
Peter shook himself.
"You don't seem well, Mr. Todd. I didn't think you was the sort of man to be down on your blessed luck in this sort of way. Cheer up. What's the use of grieving? "as the old song says."