ocr to tei pearls adams three pages

v2_pearls_pages_tei.xml

	  	<pb xml:id="F9850" n="10" facs="http://www.archive.org/download/stringofpearlsor00ryme/page/leaf9.jpg"/>
		<div xml:id="P9850">
			<fw type="pageNum">
				untitled page 10
			</fw>
			<p>
g ' THE STRING OF PEARLS.
</p>

<p>
dJAPTER I.
</p>

<p>
THE STBA.NGE CUSTOMER AT SWEENEY TODD'S
</p>

<p>
Bepoke Eleet-street had reached its present importance, and when George the<lb/>
Third was young, and the two figures who used to strike the chimes at old bt.<lb/>
Dunstan's church were in all their glory— being a great impediment to errand-boys<lb/>
on their progress, and a matter of gaping curiosity to country people— there<lb/>
stood close to the sacred edifice a small barber's shop, which was kept by a man<lb/>
of the name of Sweeney Todd. _^ . .
</p>

<p>
How it was that he came by the name of Sweeney, as a Christian appellation, we<lb/>
are at a loss to conceive, but such was his name, as might be seen m extremely<lb/>
corpulent yellow letters over his shop window, by any who chose there to look lor<lb/>
it
</p>

<p>
Barbers by that time in Pleet-street had not become fashionable, and no more<lb/>
dreamt of calling themselves artists than of taking the tower by storm ; moreover<lb/>
they were not, as they are now, constantly slaughtering fine fat bears, and yet,<lb/>
somehow people had hair on their heads just the same as they have at present,<lb/>
without the aid of that unctuous auxiliary. Moreover, Sweeney Todd, in common<lb/>
with those really primitive sort of times, did not think it at all necessary to have any<lb/>
waxen effigies of humanity in his window. There was no languishing young lady<lb/>
looking over the left shoulder in order that a profusion of auburn tresses might<lb/>
repose upon her lily neck, and great conquerors and ffreat statesmen were not<lb/>
then, as they are now, held up to public ridicule with dabs of rouge upon their<lb/>
cheeks, a quantity of gunpowder spattered in for beard, and some bristles<lb/>
sticking on end for eyebrows.
</p>

<p>
No. Sweeney Todd was a barber of the old school, and he never thought of<lb/>
glorifying himself on account of any extraneous circumstance. If he had lived in<lb/>
Henry the Eighth's palace, it would be all the same as Henry the Eighth's dog-<lb/>
kennel, and he would scarcely have believed human nature to, he so green as to<lb/>
pay an extra sixpence to be shaven and shorn in any particular locality.
</p>

<p>
A long pole painted white, with a red stripe curling spirally round it, projected<lb/>
into the street from his doorway, and on one of the pains of glass in Ins window,<lb/>
was presented the following couplet :— «
</p>

<p>
" Mm shaving for a pen«y,<lb/>
As good as you will find any.''
</p>

<p>
We do not put these lines forth as a specimen of the poetry of the age ; they<lb/>
may have been the production of some young Temple ; put if they were a little<lb/>
waiting in poetic fire, that was amply made up by the eleav and precise manner in<lb/>
which they set forth what they intended.
</p>

<p>
The barber himself, was a long, low-jointecj, ill-put-together sort of fellow, with<lb/>
an immense mouth, and such huge hands and feqt, that he was, |n his way, quite a<lb/>
natural curiosity ; and, what was more wonderful, considering his trade, there<lb/>
never was seen such a head of hair as Sweeney Todd's. We know not what to<lb/>
compare it to ; probably it came nearest to what one might suppose to be the<lb/>
appearance of a thick-set hedge, in which a quantity of small wire had got en-<lb/>
tangled. In truth, it was a most terrific head of hair; and as Sweeney Todd kept<lb/>
all his combs in it — some people said his scissors likewise— when he put his head<lb/>
out of the shop-door to see what sort of weather it was, he might have been<lb/>
mistaken for an Indian warrior with a very remarkable head-dress.
</p>

<p>
He had a short disagreeable kind of unmirttiful laugh, which came in at all sorts<lb/>
of odd times when nobody else saw anything to laugh at at all, and which some-<lb/>
times made people' start a^ain, especially when they were being shaved, and<lb/>
Sweeney Todd would stop short in that operation to indulge in one of those cachi-<lb/>
natory effusions. It was evident that the remembrance of some very strange and
</p>

<p>
1 ■■———■*——» —
</p>

<p/>
		</div>

	  	<pb xml:id="F9851" n="11" facs="http://www.archive.org/download/stringofpearlsor00ryme/page/leaf10.jpg"/>
		<div xml:id="P9851">
			<fw type="pageNum">
				untitled page 11
			</fw>
			<p>
out-of-the-way joke must occasionally flit across him, and then he gave his hyena-<lb/>
like laugh, but it was so short, so sudden, striking upon the ear for a moment, and<lb/>
then gone, that people have been known to look up to the ceiling, and on the floor,<lb/>
and all round them, to know from whence it had come, scarcely supposing it pos-<lb/>
sible that it proceeded from mortal lips.
</p>

<p>
( Mr. Todd squinted a little, to add to his charms j and so we think that by this<lb/>
time the reader may, in his mind's eye, see the individual whom we wish to present<lb/>
to him. Some thought him a careless enough, harmless fellow, with not much sense<lb/>
in hitn, and at times they almost considered he was a little cracked ; but there<lb/>
were others who shook their heads when they Spoke of him ; and while they could<lb/>
say nothing to his prejudice, except that they certainly considered he was odd, yet,<lb/>
when they came to consider what a great crime and misdemeanour it really is in<lb/>
this world, to be odd, we shall not be surprised at the ill-odour in which Sweeney<lb/>
Todd was held.
</p>

<p>
But for all that he did A most thriving business, and was considered by his<lb/>
neighbours to be a very well-to-do sort of man, and decidedly, in city phraseology,<lb/>
warm.
</p>

<p>
It was so handy for the young students in the Temple to pop over to Sweeney<lb/>
Todd's to get their chins new rasped ; so that from morning to night he drove a<lb/>
good business, and was evidently a thriving man.
</p>

<p>
There was only one thing that seemed in any way to detract from the great pru-<lb/>
dence of Sweeney Todd's character, and that was that he rented a large house, of<lb/>
which he occupied nothing but the shop and parlour, leaving the upper part<lb/>
entirely useless, arid obstinately refusing to let it on any terms whatever.
</p>

<p>
Such was the state of things, a.d. 1785, as regarded Sweeney Todd.
</p>

<p>
The day is drawing to a close, and a small drizzling kind of rain is . falling, so<lb/>
that there are not many passengers in the streets, and Sweeney Todd is sitting in<lb/>
his shop looking keenly in the face of a boy, who stands in an attitude of trembling<lb/>
subjection before him.
</p>

<p>
* You will remember, 5 ' said Sweeney Todd, and he gave his countenance a most<lb/>
horrible twist as he spoke, " you will remember Tobias Rag&amp; that you are now<lb/>
my apprentice, that you have of me had board, washing, and lodging, with the<lb/>
exception that you don't sleep here, that you take your meals at home, and that<lb/>
your mother, Mrs. Hagg, does your washing, which she may very well do, being a<lb/>
laundress in the Temple, and making no end of money; as for lodging, you lodge<lb/>
here, you know, very comfortably in the shop all day* Now, are you not a happy<lb/>
dog?"
</p>

<p>
" Yes, sir," said the boy timidly*
</p>

<p>
" You will acquire a first-rate profession, quite as good as the law, which your<lb/>
mother tells me she would have put you to, only that a little weakness of the<lb/>
head-piece unqualified you, And now, Tobias, listen to me, and treasure up every<lb/>
word I say."
</p>

<p>
"Yes, sir."
</p>

<p>
" I'll cut your throat from ear to ear, if yon repeat one word of what passes<lb/>
in this shop, or dare to make any supposition, or draw any conclusion from<lb/>
anything you may see, or hear, or fancy you see or hear. Now you understand<lb/>
me, — I'll cut your throat from ear to ear,— do you understand me ?"
</p>

<p>
" Yes, sir, I won't say nothing. I wish, sir, as I may be made into veal pies at<lb/>
Lovett's in Bell-yard if I as much as says a vord."
</p>

<p>
Sweeny Todd rose from his seat ; and opening his huge mouth, he looked at the<lb/>
boy for a minute or two in silence, as if he fully intended swallowing him, but<lb/>
had not quite made up his mind where to begin. $ i ^
</p>

<p>
" Very good," at length he said, " I am satisfied, I am quite satisfied j and<lb/>
mark me — the shop, and the shop only, is your place."'
</p>

<p>
"Yes, sir."
</p>

<p>
" And if any customer gives you a penny, you can keep it, so that if you get<lb/>
enough of them you mil become a rien man ; only I will take care of them for
</p>

<p>
mm*
</p>

<p/>
		</div>

	  	<pb xml:id="F9852" n="12" facs="http://www.archive.org/download/stringofpearlsor00ryme/page/leaf11.jpg"/>
		<div xml:id="P9852">
			<fw type="pageNum">
				untitled page 12
			</fw>
			<p>
you, and when I think you want them I will let you have them. Run out and see
</p>

<p>
what's o'clock by St Dunstan's." ^ : , / »
</p>

<p>
There was a small crowd collected opposite the church, for the figures were<lb/>
about to strike three-quarters past six ; and among that crowd was one man who<lb/>
razed with as much curiosity as anybody at the exhibition,
</p>

<p>
« Now for it f" he said, " they are going to begin ; well, that is ingenious.<lb/>
Look at the fellow lifting up his club and down it comes bang upon the old bell.
</p>

<p>
The three-quarters were struck by the figures ; and then the people who had<lb/>
loitered to see it done, many of whom had day by day looked at the same exhibi-<lb/>
tion for years past, walked away, with the exception of the man who seemed so
</p>

<p>
deeply interested. '■ . , . . *
</p>

<p>
He remained, and crouching at his feet was a noble-looking dog, who looked<lb/>
likewise up at the figures ; and who, observing his master's attention to be closely<lb/>
fixed upon them, endeavoured to show as great an appearance of interest as he
</p>

<p>
possibly could.<lb/>
" What do you think of that, Hector ?" said the man.<lb/>
The dog gave a short low whine, and then his master proceeded,—<lb/>
f There is a barber's shop opposite, so before I go any farther, as I have got to<lb/>
see the ladies, although it's on a very melancholy errand, for I have got to tell<lb/>
them that poor Mark Ingestrie is no more, and Heaven knows what poor J ohanna<lb/>
w ili sa y — I think I should know her by his description of her, poor fellow ! It<lb/>
grieves me to think how he used to talk about her in the long night-watches, when<lb/>
all was still, and not a breath of air touched a curl upon his cheek. ^ I could<lb/>
almost think I saw her sometimes, as he used to tell me of her soft beaming eyes,<lb/>
her little gentle pouting lips, and the dimples that played about her mouth, Well,<lb/>
well, it's of no use grieving ; he is dead and gone, poor fellow, and the salt water<lb/>
washes over as brave a heart as ever beat. His sweetheart, Johanna, though,<lb/>
shall have the string of pearls for all that ; and if she cannot be Mark Ingestrie's<lb/>
wife in this world, she -shall be rich and happy, poor young thing, while she stays<lb/>
in it, that is to say as happy as she can be; and she must just look forward to<lb/>
meeting'him aloft, where there are no sqalls or tempests.— -And so I'll go and get<lb/>
shaved at once."
</p>

<p>
He crossed the road towards Sweeney Todd's shop, and, stepping down the low<lb/>
doorway, he stood face to face with the odd-looking barber.<lb/>
The dogj gave a low growl and snifted the air.
</p>

<p>
"Why Hector," said his master, what's the matter? Down. sir. down !"
</p>

<p>
u I have a mortal fear of dogs," said Sweeney Todd. " Would you mind him,<lb/>
sir, sitting outside the door and waiting for you, if it's all the same ? Only look<lb/>
at him, he is going to fly at me ?"
</p>

<p>
" Then you are the first person he ever touched without provocation," said the<lb/>
man ; " but I suppose he don't like your looks, and I must confess I aint much sur-<lb/>
prised at that. I have seen a few rum-looking guys in my time, but hang me if<lb/>
ever I saw such a figure-head as yours. What the devil noise was that ?"
</p>

<p>
" It was only me, said Sweeney Todd ; " I laughed."
</p>

<p>
" Laughed ! do you call that a laugh ? I suppose you caught it of somebody<lb/>
who died of it. If that's your way of laughing, I beg you won't do it any<lb/>
more."
</p>

<p>
" Stop the dog ! stop the dog ! I can't have dogs running into my back par-<lb/>
lour."
</p>

<p>
" Here, Hector, here !" cried his master ; " get out !" &amp;gt;k<lb/>
Most unwillingly the dog left the shop, and crouched down close to the outer<lb/>
door, which the barber took care to close, muttering something about a draught of<lb/>
air coming in, and then, turning to the apprentice boy, who was screwed up" in a<lb/>
corner, he said, —
</p>

<p>
" Tobias, my lad, go to Leadenhall-street, and bring a small bag of the thick<lb/>
biscuits irom Mr. Peterson's ; say they are for me. Now, sir, I suppose you want<lb/>
to be shaved, and it is well you have come here, for there aint a shaving-shop
</p>

<p/>
		</div>