The String of Pearls (1850), p. 565

suffered from your frightful practices, but many others. It will be a satisfaction, too, to the court and the jury to know that the woman named Lovett, who you say would and could have proved your innocence, had she been in life, made, shortly before her death, a full confession, wherein she inculpated you most fearfully."
"False! False!" cried Todd.
The judge took not the slightest notice of the interruption, but continued his speech—
"It is now my painful duty to pass upon you the sentence of the law, which is, that you be hanged by the neck until dead, and may Heaven have mercy upon you, for you cannot expect that society can do otherwise than put out of life one who, like yourself, has been a terror and a scourge."
"Quite mad!" cried Todd. "Quite mad!"
"Officers, remove the prisoner," said the judge, who was much disgusted by the attempt of Todd upon their credulity, by stating that he was mad.
The Governor of Newgate laid hold of him by the arm, but Todd raised his voice again, saying—
"One moment. Only one moment. Before I leave this court, I have a great desire to say something to Sir Richard Blunt."
"If Sir Richard Blunt has no objection," said the judge, "the court can have none. Is that gentleman present?"
"I am here," said Sir Richard, as he made his way towards the dock, in which Todd was. "What is it you have to say to me, Sweeny Todd?"
"It is for your private ear."
"Then, I decline to hear it. If you have anything to say to me, say it out, and openly."
"I decline any private communications."
"Nay, but it really interests those whom you love. Come a little closer to me, and I will speak it."
"Now," said Sir Richard, as he reached the front of the dock, "speak at once, and say what it is. The court is too indulgent to you."
"Is it, really!"
With the rapidity of thought, Todd drew a small table knife from the breast of his apparel, and made a stab at Sir Richard's neck with it; but the magistrate had had by far too long experience with such men as Todd to be so taken at unawares, and he dropped to the floor of the court before the point of the knife reached him. The Governor of Newgate sprung upon Todd, and disarmed him in a moment.
From seeing Sir Richard Blunt drop, the general impression in the court was, that he was killed, or seriously injured, by Todd; and in a moment a scene of unparalleled confusion arose. Everybody got up from their seats, and the place was full of cries.
"Kill him!" cried some.—"Down with him!" shouted others.—"Hang him at once! A surgeon for Sir Richard!"
Amid this Babel of contusion, Sir Richard Blunt rose again, and sprung upon the barrister's table, calling out in a loud voice that rose above every other sound—
" I am perpectly unhurt."
Upon this such a cheer arose in the court, that the judge saw that it was perfectly hopeless to attempt to stop it by any ordinary means, and he only held up his hand deprecatingly. The cheer was thrice repeated, and then Sir Richard dismounted from the table, and a death-like stillness ensued in the court as the judge spoke.
"How was it possible," he said, "that the prisoner at the bar could be furnished with such a weapon at a time like this?"
The Governor of Newgate felt that this question was addressed to him, and he tremblingly spoke, saying—
"My lord, I have not the most distant idea upon the subject. He was searched his morning carefully before leaving his cell. It is beyond my comprehension."