The String of Pearls (1850), p. 477

CHAPTER CIX.
JOHANNA HAS PLENTY OF COMPANY AT TODD'S.

We return to Johanna, whom for a few hours, owing to the pressure of other circumstances, we have been compelled, with all manner of reluctance, to neglect.
Recent events, although they had by no manner of means tended to decrease the just confidence which Johanna had in her own safety, had yet much agitated her; and she at times feared that she should not be able to carry on the farce of composure before Todd much longer.
"Charley, my dear boy," said Todd, "you are a very good lad, indeed, and I like you."
"I am very glad to hear you say so, sir&£8212;very glad."
"That is right; but when I say I like any one, I do not confine myself to that mere expression of liking, and there an end. Of course, as a religious man, I love my enemies, and feel myself bound to do so&£8212;eh Charley ?"
"Of course, sir."
Poor Johanna had no resource but to seem to be deceived by this most disgusting hypocrisy.
"But although," continued Todd, waving a razor in the air; "although I may love my enemies, I need not to go out of my way, you know, Charley, to do good things to them as I would to my friends; but you I will do all I can for; and as it may very materially help you to get an honest independence in the course of a little time, I will manage to accommodate you with sleeping here to-night and all nights henceforth."
"How kind of you, sir!"
"I am glad you appreciate it, Charley ; and I feel quite sure that your slumber will be most profound."
Todd, upon this, made one of his diabolical faces, and then, taking his hat, he marched out, merely adding as he crossed the threshold of the door&£8212;"
"I shall not be long gone, Charley."
"The day was on the decline, and a strong impression came over Johanna's mind that something in particular would happen before it wholly passed away into darkness. She almost trembled to think what that something could be, and that she might be compelled to be a witness to violence, from which her gentle spirit revolted; and had it not been that she had determined nothing should stop her from investigating the fate of poor Mark Ingestrie, she could even then have rushed into the street in despair.
But as the soft daylight deepened into the dim shadows of evening, she grew more composed, and was better able, with a calmer spirit, to wait the progress of events.
"I am alone once more," said Johanna, "in this dreadful place. Again he leaves me with all my dark and terrible thoughts of the fate of him whom I have so fondly loved thronging around my heart; and this night, no doubt, he thinks to kill me! Oh, Mark Ingestrie! if I were only but quite sure that you had gone to that world from whence there is no return, I think I could, with scarce a sigh, let this dreadful man send me after you!"
Johanna rested her head upon her hands, and wept bitterly.
Suddenly a voice close to her said&£812;
"St. Dunstan."
She sprang from the little low seat upon which she was, and, with a cry of alarm, was about to make a rush from the shop, when the intruder caught her by the arm, saying&£8212;
"Don't you know me, Johanna?"

THE ST RING OF PEARLS, 477

r i ■ > ■■ ■■ ■ 4 ■ i ■ ■ ■ i ■ ■■■■ ■■ .i ■ ■ , , , t > ,

CHAPTER CIX.

JOHANNA HAS PLENTY OF COMPANY AT TODD's.

We return to Johanna, whom for a few hours, owing to* the pressure
of other circumstances, we have been compelled, with all manner of reluctance,
to neglect.

j Recent events, although they had by no manner of means tended to decrease
the just confidence which Johanna had in her own safety, had yet much agitated
her; and she at times feared that she should not be able to carry on the farce of
composure before Todd much longer.

! . " Charley, my dear boy," said Todd, " you are a very good lad, indeed, and I
like you."

" I am very glad to hear you say so, sir — very glad."

u That is right ; but when I say I like any one, I do not confine myself
to that mere expression of liking, and there an end. Of course, as a re-
ligious man, I love my enemies, and feel myself bound to do so— eh
Charley ?"

H Of course, sir."

Poor Johanna had no resource but to seem to be deceived by this most dis-
gusting hypocrisy.

| *' But although," continued Todd, waving a razor in the air; <r although 1
may love my enemies, I need not to go out of my way, you know, Charley,
to do good things to them as I would to my friends ; but you I will do all 1
can for ; and as it may very materially help you to get an honest independence
in the course of a little time, I will manage to accommodate you with sleeping
here to-night and all nights henceforth,"
" How kind of you, sir l"

" I am glad you appreciate it, Charley ; and I feel quite sure that your
slumber will be most profound."

Todd, upon this, made one of his diabolical faces, and then, taking his hat,
he marched out, merely adding as he crossed the threshold of the door —
j I shall not be long gone, Charley. 3 '

j The day was on the decline, and a strong impression came over Johanna's
mind that something in particular would happen before it wholly passed away
into darkness. She almost trembled to think what that something could be, and
that she might be compelled to be a witness to violence, from which her gentle
spirit revolted ; and had it not been that she had determined nothing should
stop her from investigating the fate of poor Mark Ingestrie, she could even then
have rushed into the street in despair.

| But as the soft daylight deepened into the dim shadows of evening, she grew
more composed, and was better able, with a calmer spirit, to wait the progress
of events.

<4 I am alone once more," said Johanna, <r in this dreadful place. Again
he leaves me with all my dark and terrible thoughts of the fate of him
whom I have so fondly loved thronging around my heart; and this night,
no doubt, he thinks to kill me ! Oh, Mark Ingestrie ! if I were only but
! quite sure that you had gone to that world from whence there is no return,
1 think I could, with scarce a sigh, let this dreadful man send me after
you!"

I Johanna^rested her head upon her hands, and wept bitterly,
; Suddenly a voice close to her said —
" St. Dunstan"

She sprang from the little low seat upon which she was, and, with a cry of
alarm, was about to make a rush from the shop, when the intruder eaught her
by the arm, saying—

" Don't you know me, Johanna V 9