The String of Pearls (1850), p. 524

"He will be committed for trial this morning," said Sir Richard Blunt, "for the murder of Mr. Thornhill; and that woman, Mrs. Lovett, will he arraigned as an accessary before the fact, so that there can be very little doubt of the fate of both of them; and if ever two notorious criminals deserved that the last
dread sentence of the law should be carried out against them, Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett are those two."
"They could not be worse," said the captain.
"No, that would be impossible," remarked the colonel. "I shall be glad when this gloomy tragedy is over though. The public mind will soon be filled with it, and we shall hear of nothing but of Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett, with all their sayings and doings, for the next few months to come."
"That is true enough," said Sir Richard Blunt. "But I don't think you will find any but one feeling upon the subject, and that will be one of universal condemnation."
"Not a doubt of it."
"There is another too who will suffer the just reward of his crimes," said the magistrate glancing at Mrs. Oakley.
She shook her head and sighed, for she shrunk naturally from the awfully responsible share she was condemned to have in the conviction of Mr. Lupin.
"I will do my duty," she said, "in that dreadful piece of business. The guilt of Lupin, although not so extensive as Todd's, is to the full as great."
"It is indeed, madam."
"Ah, yes!" said Ben. "They are a bad lot altogether, and the sooner they are hung up like a rope of ingions the better. Bless me, I always was delicate,
and so was obliged to take things easy; but I have more than once looked into that horrid pie shop in Bell Yard, and thought I should like a smack of about fifteen or twenty of them, just to stay my stomach till I got home to the Tower; and what a mercy it was I never bought 'em."
"It was, indeed, my friend," Sir Richard said.
"Yes, you may say that, my dear, sir—you may say that. With my very delicate stomach, I should have been as good as done brown if I had had 'em. I should have fallen a victim to the wild beasteses, the very next time as I went a-near 'em ; and all I can say is, as I shall be uncommon glad to show these creatures to any of this company, as will come to the lower at feeding time."
Ben had made this liberal offer so often that the company left off thanking him for it; but the ostler whispered to him—
"I'll come and bring Pison."
"No, will you though?" said Ben.
"Yes, to be sure I will. Who knows but he'd like to see them wild beasteses, as perhaps he has only heard of 'em in a wery promiscous sort o' way."
"Not a doubt of it," cried Ben, "not a doubt of it—only when he does come you must tell him to take things easy, and not be discomposed at any of the roaring and bellowing, as the creatures sets up at times."
"Oh, I'll hold him."
"You needn't go for to hold him. Just you impress upon him afore he comes that easy does it, that's all you need do, and then he'll know very well
what to do."
"Wont't, I!"
The conversation was rather breaking up into small fragments, when the magistrate rose from his seat.
"Now then," said Sir Richard Blunt, "it is time for us to go to Bow Street, where I appear as a witness to-day, instead of as a magistrate."
As he spoke, the clock in the office sounded the half-past twelve.
All the guests of the magistrate rose, for they knew that his duties were imperative. There was a tone of great gravity now about Sir Richard Blunt as he spoke—
"I fully expect," he said, that Todd will be committed for trial and Mrs.