The String of Pearls (1850), p. 387

pet, that you must. I was. Ha! ha! Look at me, now. I was fondled and kissed once, and called a pretty boy. Ha!"
Johanna shuddered.
"Yes," added Todd, as he wiped himself down with a soiled towel, "yes, my mother used to make quite a pet of me. I often used to wish I was strong enough to throttle her! Ha ! ha! That I did!"
"Throttle her, sir?"
"Yes," added Todd, fiercely. "What the devil did she bring me into the world for her own gratifications, unless she had plenty of money to give me that I might enjoy myself in it?"
"I don't know, sir."
"You don't know? Who the devil supposed you did know? Answer me that, you imp! Well, well, Charley, you and I won't quarrel about such matters. Come, my boy, I want you to be of use to me to-night."
"To-night, sir?"
"Yes, to-night. Is it broad daylight? Is the sun shining? Is there no such thing as night, under cover of which black deeds are done? Curse you! why do you ask if to-night is the time for action?"
"I will do your bidding, sir."
"Yes; and—Ah! who is this?"
"Is this here keg of turpentine for you?" said a man, with it upon his shoulder. '* Mr. Todd's this is, ain't it?"
"Yes—yes. Put it down, my good fellow. You ought to have something to drink."
"Thank you kindly, sir."
"But you must pay for it yourself. There is a public-house opposite."
The man went away swearing; and scarcely had he crossed the threshold, when a letter was brought by a lad, and handed to Todd. Before he could ask any questions, the lad was gone.
Todd held the letter in his hand, and glared at the direction. It was to him, sure enough, and written in a very clerk-like hand, too. Before he could open it, some one hit the door a blow upon the outside, and it swung open.
'Is this Todd's, the barber?"
"Yes," said Johanna.
"Then give him that letter, little chap, will you?"
"Stop!" cried Todd. " Stop. Where do you come from, and who are you? Stop, you rascal. Will you stop? Confound you, I wish I had a razor at your throat."

CHAPTER LXXXVI.
MRS. LOVETT IS WIDE AWAKE.

Todd looked the picture of amazement.
"Two letters!" he muttered, "two letters to me, who seldom receive any? To me who have no acquaintances—no relations? Bah! It must be some mistake, or perhaps, after all, some infernal nonsense about the parish."
He tore open the last received one, and read as follows:—
"Colonel Jeffery informs Sweeney Todd that, although from a variety of reasons he may not think proper to prosecute him for his recent outrage at his house, he will upon a repetition of such conduct, at once hand him over to the police. "
Todd's countenance, during the perusal of this brief note, betrayed a variety of emotions; and when he had concluded it, he let it drop from his hands, and knitting his brows, he muttered—
"What does this mean?"
That there was—that there must be something much more than met the eye

THE STRING OF PEARLS. 387

pet, that you must. I was. Ha! ha! Look at me, now. I was fondled and
kissed once, and called a pretty boy. Ha !"
Johanna shuddered.

< 4 Yes/' added Todd, as he wiped himself down with a soiled 'owel, " yes,
my mother used to make quite a pet of me. I often used to wish I was strong
enough to throttle her ! Ha ! ha! That I did !"

" Throttle her, sir P 9

" Yes," added Todd, fiercely. " What the devil did she bring me into the
world for her own gratifications, unless she had plenty of money to give me
that 1 might enjoy myself in it?"

V I don't know, sir. 1 '

" You don't know ? Who the devil supposed you did know ? Answer me
that, you imp ! Well, well, Charley, you and I won't quarrel about such
matters. Come, my boy, I want you to be of use to me to-night/'

" To-night, sir ?" t

"Yes, "to-night. Is it broad daylight? Is the sun shining? Is there no
such thing as night, under cover of which black deeds are done I Curse you !
why do you ask if to-night is the time for action ?"

" 1 will do your bidding, sir."

" Yes ; and— Ah! who is this? 0

"Is this here keg of turpentine for you?" said a man, with it upon his
shoulder. '* Mr. Todd's this is, ain't it 3"

« y es — yes. Put it down, my good fellow. You ought to have something

to drink."

" Thank vou kindly, sir."

" But you must pay for it yourself. There is a public-house opposite/'

The man went away swearing; and scarcely had he crossed the threshold,
when a letter was brought by a lad, and handed to Todd. Before he could
ask any questions, the lad was gone.

Todd held the letter in his hand, and glared at the direction- It was to him,
sure enough, and written in a very clerk-like hand, too. Before he could open
it, some one hit the door a blow upon the outside, and it swung open.

'" fs this Todd's, the barber ?"

" Yes/' said Johanna.

" Then give him that letter, little cjiap, will you >'

u Stop V % cried Todd. " Stop. Where do you come from, and who are you ?
Stop, you rascal. Will you stop ? Confound you, I wish I had a razor at
your throat."

CHAPTER LXXXVL

MRS. LOVETT IS WIDE AWAKE.

Todd looked the picture of amazement.

"Two letters V 9 he muttered, "two letters to me, who seldom receive any?
To me who have'ne acquaintances— no relations ? Bah ! It must be some
mistake, or perhaps, after all, some infernal nonsense about the parish."
He tore open the last received one, and read as follows : —
" Colonel Jeffery informs Sweeney Todd that, although from a variety of
reasons he may not think proper to prosecute him for his recent outrage at his
house, he will/ upon a repetition of such conduct, at once hand him over to the
I police. "

Todd's countenance, during the perusal of this brief note, betrayed a variety
of emotions ; and when he had concluded it, he let it drop from his hands, and
knitting his brows, he muttered—
f? W hat does this mean ?"

That there was — that there must be something much more than met the eye