The String of Pearls (1850), p. 288

"Thank you, sir, if you will oblige me for a moment or two. You will find some amusements, sir, from the

Evening Courant, I dare say."
As he spoke, he handed the then popular newspaper to his customer, and left him. Todd took good care to close the door leading into the parlour, and then proceeding up to the body of the murdered Peter, he, with his foot, turned it over and over, until it was under the table, where it was most completely hidden by a cover that hung down to within an inch of the floor. Before Todd
had got this operation well completed, he heard his shop door open. That door creaked most villanously; by so doing, while he was otherwise engaged, he could always hear if it was opened or attempted to be opened. Todd was in the shop in a moment, and saw a respectable-looking personage, dressed in rather clerical costume, who said&£8212;
"You keep powder?"
"Certainly, sir."
"Then I wish my hair powdered ; but do not let me interrupt this gentleman. I can wait."
"Perhaps, sir, if you could make it convenient to look in again," said Todd, "you will probably be more amused by looking at the shops, than by waiting here while this gentleman is shaved."
"Thank ,you, you are very kind; but I am rather tired, and glad of the opportunity of having a rest."
"Certainly, sir. As you please. The Courant, sir, at your service."
"Thank you&£8212;thank you."
The clerical looking old gentleman sat down to read the Courant, while Todd commenced the operation of shaving his first customer. When that operation was half completed, he said&£8212;"
"They report, sir, that St. Dunstans is giving way.""
"Giving way," said the clerical looking gentleman. "How do you mean about giving way?"
"Why, sir," said Todd, with an air quite of reverential respect, "they say that the old church has a leaning towards Temple Bar, and that, if you stand at the opposite side of the way, you may just see it. I can't, but they do say so."
"Bless me," said tie clerical looking gentleman. "That is a very sad things indeed, and nobody can be more sorry than I am to hear such a tale of the old church."
"Well sir, it may not be true."
"I hope not, indeed. Nothing would give me greater pain than to be assured it was true. The stench in the body of the church that so much has been said about in the parish is nothing to what you say, for who ought to put his nose into competition with his eternal welfare."
"Who, indeed, sir! What is your opinion of that alarming stench in old St. Dunstan's?"
"I am quite at a loss to make it out."
"And so am I, sir&£8212;so am I. But begging your pardon, sir, if I am not making too free, I thought as you were probably a clergyman, sir, you might have heard something more about it than we common folks."
"No&£8212;no. Not a word. But what you say of the church having a leaning to Temple Bar is grievous."
"Well, sir, if you were to go and look, you might find out that it was no such thing, and by the time you return I shall have completely finished off this gentleman."
"No&£8212;no. I make no sort of doubt in the world but that you would by that time have finished off the gentleman, but as for my going to look at the old church with any idea that it had a leaning to anything but itself, I can only say that my feelings as a man and a member of the glorious establishment,wiil not permit me."
"But, my dear sir, you might satisfy yourself that such was really not the case."