 CHAPTER 36 THE LAST BATCH OF THE DELICIOUS PIE It would have been clear to any one who looked at Sweeney Todd, as he took his route from his own shop in Fleet Street, to Bel Yard, Temple Bar, that it was not to eat pies he went there. No, he was on very different thoughts indeed, intent, and as he near the shop of Miss Slavitt, where those delicious delicacies were vended, there was such a diabolical expression upon his face that, had he not stooped like grim war to smooth his wrinkled form ere he made his way into the shop, he would, most unquestionably, have excited the violent suspicions of Miss Slavitt, that all was not exactly as it should be, and that the mysterious bond of union that held her and the barber together was not in that blooming state that it had been. When he actually did enter the shop, he was all sweetness and placidity. Miss Slavitt was behind the counter, for it seldom happened that the shop was free of customers, for when the batches of hot pies were all over, there usually remained some which were devoured cold with avidity by the lawyer's clerks from the offices and chambers in the neighbourhood. But, at nine o'clock, there was a batch of hot pies coming up. For, of late, Miss Slavitt had fancied that between half-past eight and nine, there was a great turn-out of clerks from Lincoln's Inn, and a pie became a very desirable and comfortable prelude to half-price at the theatre, or any other amusements of the three hours before midnight. Many people, too, liked them as a relish for supper, and took them home quite carefully. Indeed, in Lincoln's Inn it may be said that the affections of the clerks oscillated between Lovitt's pies and Sheep's heads, and it frequently so nicely balanced in their minds that the two attractions depended upon the toss-up of a half-penny, whether to choose Sang-Amerie James's from Clare Market or Pies from Lovitt's. Half-and-half washed both down equally well. Mrs. Lovitt, then, may be supposed to be waiting for the nine o'clock batch of pies when Sweeney Todd, on this most eventful evening, made his appearance. Todd and Mrs. Lovitt met now with all the familiarity of old acquaintance. Ah! Mr. Todd, said the lady, how do you do? Why, we have not seen you for a long time. It has been some time, and how are you, Mrs. Lovitt? Quite well, thank you. Of course, you will take a pie. Todd made a horrible face, as he replied, No, thank you. It's very foolish when I knew I was going to make a call here, but I have just had a pork chop. Did it the kidney in it, sir? asked one of the lads who were eating cold pies? Yes, it had. Oh! that's what I like! Lord bless you, I'd eat my mother as she was a pork chop, done brown and crisp in the kidney in it. Just fancy it, grilling hot, you know, and just popped on the slice of bread when you were cold and hungry. Will you walk in, Mr. Todd? said Mrs. Lovitt, raising a portion of the counter, by which an opening was made, that enabled Mr. Todd to pass into the sacred precincts of the parlour. The invitation was complied with by Todd, who remarked that he hadn't above a minute to spare, but that he would sit down while he could stay, since Mrs. Lovitt was so kind as to ask him. This extreme suavity of manner, however, left Sweeney Todd when he was in the parlour, and there was nobody to take notice of him but Mrs. Lovitt. Nor did she think it necessary to read her face in smiles. But with something of both anger and agitation in her manner, she said, and when is all this to have an end, Sweeney Todd? You have been now for these six months providing me with such a division of spoil, as shall enable me, with an ample independence, once again to appear in the salons of Paris. I ask you now, when is this to be? You are very impatient. Impatient? Impatient? May I not well be impatient? Do I not run a frightful risk, till you must have the best of the profits. It is useless your pretending to tell me that you do not get much. I know you better, Sweeney Todd, you never strike and less for profit or revenge. Well? Is it well, then, that I should have no account? Oh, God! if you had the dreams I sometimes have. Dreams? She did not answer him, but sank into a chair, and trembled so violently that he became alarmed, thinking she was very, very unwell. His hand was upon a bell-rope, when she motioned him to be still, and then she managed to say, in a very faint and nearly inarticulate voice, You will go to that cupboard. You will see a bottle. I am forced to drink, or I should kill myself, or go mad, or denounce you. Give it to me. Quick, quick, give it to me. It is brandy. Give it to me, I say. Do not stand gazing at it there. I must, and I will have it. Yes. Yes, I am better now. Much better now. It is horrible. Very horrible. But I am better, and I say I must, and I will have an account at once. Oh, Todd, what an enemy you have been to me. You wrong me. The worst enemy you ever had is in your head. No, no, no. I must have that to drown the thought. Indeed. Can you be so superstitious? I presume you are afraid of your reception in another world. No, no. Oh, no. You and I do not believe in a hero after, Sweeney Todd. If we did, we should go raving mad to think what we had sacrificed. Oh, no, no. We dare not. We dare not. Enough of this, said Todd, somewhat violently. Enough of this, you shall have an account to-morrow evening, and when you find yourself in possession of twenty thousand pounds, you will not accuse me of having been unmindful of your interests, but now there is someone in the shop who seems to be inquiring for you. Mrs. Lovett rose and went into the shop. The moment her back was turned, Todd produced the little bottle of poison he had got from the chemist's boy, and emptied it into the brandy decanter. He had just succeeded in this manoeuvre and concealed the bottle again when she returned and flung herself into a chair. Did I hear you all right? she said. Or is this promise but a mere mockery. Twenty thousand pounds. Is it possible that you have so much? Oh, why was not all this dreadful trade left off sooner? Much less would have been done. But when shall I have it? When shall I be enabled to fly from here for ever? Todd, we must live in different countries. I could never bear the chance of seeing you. As you please. It doesn't matter to me at all. You may be off to-morrow night, if you like. I tell you, your share of the last eight years' work shall be twenty thousand pounds. You shall have the sum to-morrow, and then you are free to go where you please. It matters not to me one straw while you spend your money. But tell me now, what immediate danger do you apprehend from your new cook? Great and immediate he has refused to work, a sign that he has got desperate, hopeless and impatient. And then only a few hours ago I heard him call to me, and he said he had thought better of it and would bake the nine o'clock batch, which to my mind was saying that he had made up his mind to some course which gave him hope, and made it worth his while to temperise with me for a time to lull suspicion. You are a clever woman. Something must and shall be done. I will be here at midnight, and we will see if a vacancy cannot be made in your establishment. It will be necessary, and it is but one more. That's all. That's all. And I must say you have a very perfect and philosophic mode of settling the question. Avoid the brandy as much as you can. But I suppose you are sure to take some between now and the morning. Quite sure. It is not in this house that I can wean myself of such a habit. I may do so abroad, but not here. Oh, well, it can't matter. But, as regards the fellow downstairs, I will of course come and rid you of him. You must keep a good look out now for the short time you will be here, and a good countenance. There, you are wanted again, and I may as well go likewise. Mrs. Lovett and Todd walked from the parlour to the shop together, and when they got there they found a respectable-looking woman and a boy, the latter of whom carried a bundle of printed papers with him. The woman was evidently in great distress of mind. "'Cult pie, ma'am,' said Mrs. Lovett. "'Oh, dear, no, Mrs. Lovett,' said the woman. "'I know you by sight, ma'am, though you don't know me. I am Mrs. Rankley, ma'am, the wife of Mr. Rankley, the tobacconist, and I have come to ask a favour of you, Mrs. Lovett, to allow one of these bills to be put in your window.' "'Dear me,' said Mrs. Lovett. "'What's it about?' Mrs. Rankley handed her one of the bills, and then seemed so overcome with grief that she was forced to sink into a chair while it was red, which was done aloud by Mrs. Lovett, who, as she did so, now and then stole a glance at Sweeney Todd, who looked as impenetrable and destitute of all emotion as a block of wood. Missing. Mr. John Rankley, tobacconist of 92 Fleet Street. The above gentleman left his home to go over the water on business, and has not been since heard of. He is supposed to have had some valuable property with him in the shape of a string of pearls. The said Mr. John Rankley is five feet four inches high, full face, short thick nose, black whiskers, and what is commonly called a bullet-head, thick set, and skittle-made, not very well upon his feet, and whoever will give any information of him at 92 Fleet Street shall be amply rewarded. Yes, yes, said Mrs. Rankley, when the reading of the bill was finished. That's him to a tea, my poor, dear, handsome Rankley. Oh, I shall never be myself again. I have not eaten anything since he went out. Then buy a pie, madam," said Todd, as he held one close to her. Look up, Mrs. Rankley, lift off the top crust, madam, and you may take my word for it. You will soon see something of Mr. Rankley. The hideous face that Todd made during the utterance of these words quite alarmed the disconsolate widow, but she did partake of the pie for all that. It was very tempting, a veal one, full of coagulated gravy, who could resist it. Not she, certainly. And besides, did not Todd say she would see something of Rankley? There was hope in his words at all events, if nothing else. Well, she said, I will hope for the best. He may have been taken ill and not have had his address in his pocket, poor dear soul at the time. And at all events, madam," said Todd. You need not be cut up about it, you know. I dare say you will know what has become of him some day soon. End of Chapter 36. Chapter 37 of String of Pearls. This is the Libovax recording. All Libovax recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Libovax.org. Recording by Huijin, the String of Pearls, author unknown. Chapter 37. The Prisoner's Plan of Escape from the Pies. Mrs. Lovett was a woman of judgment, and when she told Sweeney Todd that the prisoner was getting impatient in the lower regions of the house, which was devoted to the manufacture of the delicious pies, she had guessed rightly his sensation with regard to his present state and future prospects. We last left that unfortunate young man lying upon the floor of the place where the steaming and tempting manufacture was carried on, and for a time, as a very natural consequence of exhaustion, he slept profoundly. That sleep, however, if it rested him bodily, likewise rested him mentally, and when he again awoke, it was but to feel more acutely the agony of his most singular and cruel situation. There was a clock in the place by which he had been unable to accurately regulate the time that the various batches of pies should take in cooking, and upon looking up to that, he saw that it was upon the hour of six, and consequently it would be three hours more before a batch of pies was wanted. He looked about him very mournfully for some time, and then he spoke. What evil destiny, he said, has placed me here. Oh, how much better it would have been if I had perished, as I had been near perishing, several times during the period of my eventful life, than that I should be shut up in this horrible den, and start to death, as in all human probability I shall be, for I loathe the pies, dame the pies. There was a slight noise, and upon his raising his eyes to that part of the place near the roof, where there were some iron bars and between which Mrs. Lovette was warned to give him some directions, he saw her now detested face. "'Attend,' she said. "'You will bake an extra batch tonight, at nine precisely.' "'What?' "'An extra batch, two hundred at least. "'Do you understand me?' "'Hear ye,' Mrs. Lovette. "'You are carrying this sort of thing too far. "'It won't do,' I tell you, Mrs. Lovette. "'I don't know how soon I may be numbered with the dead, but as I'm a living man now, it will make no more of your detestable pies.' "'Beware, beware yourself. "'I'm not one to be frightened as shadows. "'I say I will leave this place. "'Whether you like it or not, I will leave it. "'And perhaps you will find your power insufficient to keep me here, that there is some frightful mystery at the bottom of all the proceeding here, I'm certain, but you should not make me the victim of it. "'Rash full. "'Very well. "'Say what you like, but remember I defy you. "'Then you are tired of your life and you will find, when too late, "'What are the consequences of your defiance? "'But listen to me. "'When I first engage you, I told you "'you might leave when you were tired of the employment. "'You did, and yet you keep me a prisoner here. "'God knows I'm tired enough of it. "'Besides, I shall starve, "'for I cannot eat pies. "'Eternally, I hate them. "'And they so admired. "'Yes, when one ends surfaced it with them. "'I'm now only subsisting upon baked flour. "'I cannot eat the pies. "'You are strangely fantastical. "'Perhaps I am. "'Do you live upon pies? "'I should like to know, Mrs. Lobet. "'That is all together beside the question. "'You shall, if you like, "'leave this place tomorrow morning, "'by which time I hope to have got someone else "'to take over your situation. "'But I cannot be left without anyone to make the pies. "'I don't care for that. "'I won't make another one. "'We shall see,' said Mrs. Lobet. "'I will come to you in an hour "'and see if you persevere in that determination. "'I advise you as a friend to change. "'For you will most bitterly repent "'standing in the way of your own enfranchisement. "'Well, but she is gone, "'and what can I do? "'I'm in her power. "'But should I timely submit? "'No, no. "'Not while I have my arms at liberty "'and strength enough to wield one of these long pokers "'that stir the colds in the ovens. "'How foolish of me! "'Not to think before that I have such desperate weapons, "'with which perchance to work my way to freedom, "'as he spoke. "'He poised in his hand "'one of the long pokers he spoke of, "'and after some few minutes, "'spend in consideration. "'He said to himself, "'with something of the cheerfulness of hope, "'I'm in bellyard, "'and there are houses right and left "'of this accursed pie shop, "'and those houses must have sellers. "'Now surely with such a weapon as this, "'a willing heart "'and an arm that has not yet quite lost "'all its powers, "'I may make my way from this abominable abode. "'The very thought of thus achieving his liberty "'led him new strength and resolution, "'so that he felt himself to be quite a different man "'to what he had been, "'and he only paused to consider "'in which direction it would be best "'to begin his work. "'After some reflection upon that head, "'he considered that it would be better "'to commence where the meat was kept. "'That meat of which he always found abundance "'and which came from he knew not where. "'Since if he went to sleep with little or none of it, "'upon the shelf where it was place for use, "'he always found plenty when he awoke. "'Yes, he said, "'I will begin there and work my way to freedom. "'Before, however, he commenced operations. "'He glanced at the clock and found that "'he wanted very little now to seven, "'so that he thought it would be but common prudence "'to wait until Mrs. Lobet had paid him "'her promised visit. "'As then, if he said he would make the price "'she required, he would, in all probability, "'be left to himself for two hours, "'and he thought if he did not make good progress "'in that time toward his liberty, "'it would be strange indeed. "'He sat down and patiently waited until seven o'clock. "'Scarsely had the hour sounded "'when he heard the voice of his tormentor "'and mistress at the greeting. "'Well, she said, have you considered? "'Oh, yes, I have. "'Need much, you know, Mrs. Lobet, "'when a certain person drives. "'But I have a great favor to ask of you, madame. "'What is it? "'Why, I feel faint, "'and if you could let me have a pot of porter, "'I would undertake to make a batch of pies "'superior to any you have ever had "'and without any grumbling either. "'Mr. Lobet was silent for a few moments, "'and then said, if you are supplied with porter, "'will you continue in your situation? "'Well, I don't know that, "'but perhaps I may. "'In no event, I will make you the nine o'clock batch. "'You may depend. "'Very well, you shall have it. "'She disappeared at this words. "'And in about ten minutes, "'a small trap door opened in the roof, "'and there was led down by a quart "'of forming pot of porter. "'This is capital, "'cried the victim of the pies. "'A seat took care of it at a drought. "'This is nectar for the gods. "'Oh, what a relief, to be sure, "'it puts new life into me. "'And so it really seemed, "'for shortening the poker, "'which was more like a javelin "'than anything else, "'he at once rushed into the boat "'where the meat was kept. "'Now,' he said, "'for a grand effort at freedom, "'and if I succeed, I promise you, "'Mr. Lobet, "'that I will come round to the shop "'and rather surprise you, madame. "'Damn the pies. "'We have before described the place "'in which the meat was kept, "'and we need now only say that "'the shelf was very well stocked, indeed. "'And that our friend, "'in whose progress we have a great interest, "'shobbled off the large pieces "'with celerity from one of the shelves "'and commenced operations with the poker. "'He was not slow in discovering "'that his work would not be "'the most easy in the world. "'For every now and then "'he kept encountering "'what felt very much like a plate of iron, "'but he fact away "'with right goodwill "'and succeeded after a time "'in getting down one of the shelves, "'which was one point gained "'at all events. "'Now for it,' he said, "'now for it, "'I shall be able to act "'to work upon the wall itself. "'And it must be something unusually strong "'to prevent me making a breach through it soon. "'In order to refresh himself, "'he finished the porter, "'and then, using his juggling-like poker, "'as a battering ram, "'he banned the wall with the end of it "'for some moment "'without producing any effect, "'until suddenly a portion of it "'swung open just like a door, "'and he paused "'to wonder how that came about. "'All was darkness "'through the aperture, "'and yet he saw "'that it was actually a little square door "'that he had knocked open. "'And the idea then "'recurred to him "'that he had found "'how the shelf were supplied with meat, "'and he had no doubt that "'there was such a little square door opening "'at the back of every one of them. "'So he said, "'that mystery is solved. "'But what part of Mrs. Rovet's premises "'have I got upon now? "'We shall soon see. "'He went boldly into the large cellar "'and produced a light, "'a flaming torch, "'made of a piece of dry wood, "'and returning to the opening "'he had made in the wall. "'He thrust his head through it "'and projected the torch before him. "'With the cry of horror, "'he fell backwards, "'extinguishing the torch in his fall, "'and he lay for a full quarter "'of an hour insensible "'upon the floor. "'What dreadful sight had he seen "'that has so chilled "'his young blood "'and frozen up the springs of life? "'When he recovered, "'he looked around him "'in the dim borrowed light "'that came from the other bolt, "'and he shuddered, "'as he said. "'Was it a dream?' "'Soon, however, "'as he rose, "'he gave up the idea of having been "'the victim of any delusion "'of the imagination, "'for there was the broken shelf "'and there the little square opening "'through which he had looked "'and seen what had so transfixed "'him with horror. "'He looked in that direction "'as if it would be dreadful "'to turn his back for a moment "'upon some frightful object. "'He made his way into the larger cellar "'where the ovens were "'and then he sat down "'with a deep groan. "'What should I do? "'Oh, what should I do?' "'he muttered. "'I'm doomed. "'Are the pies doing?' "'said the voice of Mrs. Slavette. "'Yes, to be sure. "'And I want to know "'if you are banned upon your own "'destruction or not. "'I don't hear the furnace going "'and I'm quite sure you have "'not made the pies. "'Oh, I will keep my word, madame. "'You may depend. "'You want 200 pies at 9 o'clock "'and you will see that "'they shall come up quite punctually "'to the minute. "'Very good. "'I'm quite satisfied now, "'Mr. Slavette. "'I am quite in a different mood "'of mind to what I was before "'I can assure you, madame, "'that I have no complaints "'to make. "'And I think the place has "'down me some good. "'And if at 9 o'clock "'you let down the platform, "'you shall have 200 pies up, "'assure us fate "'and something else, too,' "'or I shall be of "'a very different mind "'to what I now am. "'We have already seen that "'Mr. Slavette was not deceived "'by this seeming submission "'on the part of the cook. "'For she used that "'as an argument with Todd "'when she was expatiating "'upon the necessity "'of getting rid of him that night. "'But the cleverest people "'make mistake at times, "'when the 9 o'clock batch of pies "'make its appearance, "'something will occur at the same time, "'which will surprise "'a great many more person "'than Mrs. Slavette and the reader. "'But we must not anticipate, "'meanly saying, with the "'Eastern Sage, what will be "'will be. "'And what's impossible "'don't often come to pass. "'Certain it is that "'the 9 o'clock batch of 200 pies "'and put in the oven, "'and equally certain is it "'that the cook remarked, "'as he did so. "'Yes, I'll do it. "'It may succeed. "'Nay, it must succeed. "'And if so, will be "'to you, Mrs. Slavette. "'And all who are joined "'with you in this horrible "'speculation, at which "'I second. "'End of Chapter 37. "'Recording by Huijing.'" Chapter 38 Of The String of Pearls This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by M.W. Jackson. The String of Pearls Author Unknown Chapter 38 Johanna is still alone in the barber's shop. Her head is resting upon her hands, and she is thinking of times gone past, when she had hoped for happiness with market history. When we say alone, we must not be presumed to have forgotten the two officers who were so snuggly packed in the cupboard. But Johanna, as her mind wandered back to her last interview with him whom she had loved so well and clung to so fondly and so constantly, almost for a time forgot where she was, and that there was such a person as Sweeney Todd in existence. Alas, alas, she said, it seems likely enough that by the adoption of this disguise, so unsuited to me, I may achieve vengeance but nothing more. Where are you, mark industry? Oh horror, something seems to tell me that no mortal voice can answer me. Tears came trickling to her relief, and as she felt them trickling through her fingers, she started as she thought that the hour which Todd had said would expire before he returned must have nearly gone. I must control these thoughts, she said, and this emotion. I must seem that which I am not. She rose and ceased weeping. She trimmed the little miserable lamp, and then she was about to go to the door to look for the return of Todd when that individual with a slow and sneaking footstep made his appearance as if he had been hiding just within the doorway. Todd hung his hat upon a peg and then, turning his eyes inquiringly upon Johanna, he said, well, has anyone been? Yes. Who? Speak, speak out. Confound you, you mumble so I can hardly hear you. A gentleman to be shaved, and he went away again. I don't know what puts you in such a passion, Mr. Todd. I'm sure of nothing. What is it to you? Get out of my way, will you, and you may begin to think of shutting up, I think, for we shall have no more customers tonight. I am tired and weary. You are to sleep under the counter, you know. Yes, sir, you told me so. I dare say I shall be very comfortable there. And you have not been peeping and prying about, have you? Not at all. Not looking even into that cupboard, I suppose, eh? It's not locked, but that's no reason why you should look into it. Not that there is any secret in it, but I object to peeping and prying upon principles. Todd, as he spoke, advanced towards the cupboard, and Johanna thought in another moment a discovery would undoubtedly take place of the two officers who were there concealed, and probably that would have been the case had not the handle of the shop door been turned at that moment and a man presented himself, at which Todd turned quickly and saw that he was a substantial looking farmer with dirty top boots, and just come off the journey. Well, master, said the visitor, I want a clean shave. Oh, said Todd, not in the best of humours. It's rather late. I suppose you would not like to wait till morning, for I don't know if I have any hot water. Oh, cold will do. Cold, who dear know, we never shave in cold water. But if you must, so sit down, sir, and we will soon settle the business. Thank you, thank you. I can't go to bed comfortable without a clean shave, do you see. I've come up from Braintree with beasts on commission, and I'm staying at the bull's head, you see. Oh, indeed, said Todd, as he adjusted the shaving cloth, the bull's head. Yes, master, why I brought up a matter of 220 beasts I did, do you see, and was on my puny as good a stepper as you'd wish to see, and I sold them all, do you see, for 550 pounds. Ho, ho, good work that, do you see, and only 42 on them was my beasts, do you see. I've got a missus at home and a daughter, my girls name Johanna. Up to this point, Johanna had not suspected that the game had begun, and this was the magistrate who had come to put an end to the malpractices of Sweeney Todd, but his marked pronunciation of her name at once opened her eyes to the fact, and she knew that something interesting must soon happen. And so you sold them all, said Todd. Yes, master, I did, and I've got the money in my pocket now in banknotes. I never leave my money about it once, do you see, master. Safe find, safe find, you see. I carries it about with me. A good plan, too, said Todd. Charlie, some hot water. That's a good lad. And Charlie. Yes, sir. While I am finishing off this gentleman, you may as well just run to the temple to Master Sergeant Tolgrinus and ask for his wig. We shall have to do it in the morning and may as well have it the first thing in the day to begin upon. And you need not hurry, Charlie, as we shall shut up when you come back. Johanna walked out, but with no further than the shop window, close to which she placed her eyes so that between a palm-atom jar and a lot of hairbrushes, she could clearly see what was going on. A nice-looking little lad that, said Todd's customer. Very, sir, an orphan boy. I took him out of charity. Poor little fellow. But there, we ought to try to do all the good we can. Just so, I'm glad I have come to be shaved here. Mine's a rather strong beard, I think, do you see? Why, sir, in a manner of speaking, replied Todd, it is a strong beard. I suppose you didn't come to London alone, sir. Oh, yes, quite alone. Except the drovers. I had no company with me. Why do you ask? Why, sir, I thought if you had any gentlemen with you who might be waiting at the bull's head, you would recommend them to me if anything was wanting in my way, you know, sir. You might have just left him saying you were going to Todd, the barbers, to have a clean shave, sir. No, not at all. The fact is, I did not come out to have a shave but to walk, and it wasn't till I gave my chin a stroke and found that a beard I had that I thought of it. And then, passing your shop, in I popped, do you see? Exactly, sir. I comprehend. You are quite alone in London. Oh, quite, but when I come again, I'll come to you to be shaved. You may depend, and I'll recommend you, too. Sir Todd, as he passed his hand over the chin of his customer, I'm very much obliged. I find I must give you another lather, sir, and I'll get another razor with a keener edge now that I have taken off all the rough as one may say in a manner of speaking. Oh, I shall do. No, no, don't move, sir. I shall not detain you a moment. I have my other razors in the next room and will polish you off now, sir, before you know where you are. You know, sir, you have promised to recommend me, so I must do the best I can with you. Well, well, a clean shave is a comfort, but don't be long, for I want to get back, do you see? Not a moment, not a moment. Sweeney Todd walked into his back parlor, conveying with him the only light that was in the shop, so that the dim glimpse that, up to this time, from the outside had contrived to get of what was going on, was denied to her, and all that met her eyes was impenetrable darkness. Oh, what a world of anxious, agonizing sensations crossed the mind of the young and beautiful girl at that moment. She felt as if some great crisis in her history had arrived, and that she was condemned to look in vain into the darkness to see if what it consisted. However, allowed the reader to remain in the same state of mystification, which came over the perceptive faculties of Joanna Oakley, but we shall proceed to state clearly and distinctly what did happen in the barber's shop, while he went to get an uncommonly keen razor in his back parlor. The moment his back was turned, the seeming farmer who had made such a good thing of his beasts spring from his saving chair as if he had been electrified, and yet he did not do it with any appearance of fright, nor did he make any noise. It was only astonishingly quick, and then he placed himself close to the window and waited patiently, with his eyes fixed upon the chair to see what would happen next. In the space of about a quarter of a minute there came from the next room a sound like the rapid drawing of a heavy bolt, and then in an instant the shaving chair disappeared beneath the floor, and the circumstances by which Sweeney Todd's customers disappeared was evident. There was a piece of the floor turning upon a center, and the weight of the chair when a bolt was withdrawn by means of a simple leverage from the inner room weighed down upon one end of the top, which, by a little apparatus, was to swing completely around, there being another chair on the under surface, which thus became the upper, exactly resembling the one in which the unhappy customer was supposed to be polished off. Hence was it that in one moment, as if by magic, Sweeney Todd's visitors disappeared, and there was the empty chair. No doubt he trusted to a fall of about 20 feet below onto a stone floor to be the death of them or at all events to stun them until he could go down to finish the murder and to cut them up from Mrs. Lovett's pies after robbing them of all money and valuables they might have about them. In another moment the sound as of a bolt was heard again, and Sir Richard Blunt who had played the part of the wealthy farmer, feeling that the craft was closed again, seated himself in the new chair that had made its appearance with all the nonchalance in life as if nothing had happened. It was a full minute before Todd ventured to look from the parlor into the darkened shop, and then he shook so that he had to hold the door to steady himself. That's done, he said. That's the last, I hope. It is time I finished. I felt so nervous since the first time. Then I did quake a little. How quiet he went. I have sometimes had a shriek ringing in my ears for a whole week. It was a large, high-backed piece of furniture, that shaving chair so that when Todd crept into the shop with the light in his hand he had not the slightest idea it was tenanted. But when he got around it and saw his customer calmly with the lather upon his face the cry of horror that came gargling and gushing from his throat was horrible to hear. Why, what's the matter? said Sir Richard. Oh God, the dead, the dead, oh God! cried Todd. This is the beginning of my punishment. Have mercy, Heaven! Oh, do not look upon me with those dead eyes. Murderer! shouted Sir Richard, that rang like the blast of a trumpet through the house. In an instant he sprang upon Sweeney Todd and grappled him by the throat. There was a short struggle and they were down upon the floor together. But Todd's wrists were suddenly laid hold of and a pair of handcuffs were scientifically put upon him by the officers who at the word murderer that being a pre-concerted signal came from the cupboard where they had been concealed. Secure him well, my men said the magistrate, and don't let him lay violent hands upon himself. Ah, Miss Oakley, you are in time. This man is a murderer. I found out all the secret about the chair last night after twelve by exploring the vaults under the old church. Thank God we have stopped his career. End of Chapter 38 Chapter 39 of The String of Pearls This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or how to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. The String of Pearls by author unknown Chapter 39 The Conclusion It wants five minutes to nine and Mrs. Lovett's shop is filling with persons anxious to devour or to carry away one and all of the nine o'clock batch of savoury, delightful, gushing, gravy pies. Many of Mrs. Lovett's customers paid her in advance for the pies in order that they might be quite sure of getting their orders fulfilled when the first batch should make its gracious appearance from the depths below. Well, jigs said one of the legal fraternity to another. How are you today, O fellow? What do you bring it in? Oh, I ain't very blooming. The fact is the Count and I, and a few others, made a night of it last evening and somehow or another I don't think whiskey and water half and half and try to go together. I should wonder if they did and so I've come for a pie just to settle me stomach, you see. I'm rather delicate. Ah, you are just like me young man there, said an elderly patronage. I have a delicate stomach and the slightest thing disagrees with me. A mere ideal will make me quite ill. Will it really? Yes, and my wife, she, don't bother your wife. It's only five minutes to nine, don't you see. What a crowd there is to be sure. Mrs. Lovett, you charming. I hope you have ordered enough pies to be made tonight. You see what a lot of customers you have. Oh, there will be plenty. That's right. I say don't push so. You'll be in time, I tell you. Don't be pushing and shoving in that sort of way. I've got ribs. And so have I. Tonight, I didn't get to bed at all and my old woman is in a certain condition, you see, gentlemen and won't fancy anything, but one of Lovett's real pies and so I've come all the way from Newington to get one for. Hold your row, will you? And don't push for to have the child mocked as a pie is it? Behind there, I say, don't be pushing a fellow as if it was half-priced a theater. Each moment I added some newcomers to the throng and at last any strangers who had known nothing of the attractions of Mrs. Lovett's pie shop had walked down Bale Yard would have been astonished at the throng of persons there assembled. A throng that was each moment decreasing in density and becoming more and more urgent and clamorous. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine. Yes, it is nine at last, it strikes by all St. Dustin's church clock and in weaker strains the chronometrical machine at the pie shop echoes the sound. What excitement there is now to get to the pies when they shall come. Mrs. Lovett lets down the square movable platform that goes upon pulleys into the cellar. Some machinery which only requires a handle to be turned brings up a hundred pies in a try. These are eagerly seized by parties who have previously pied and such a smacking of lips ensues as never was known. Down goes the platform for the next hundred and a gentlemanly man says let me work the handle, Mrs. Lovett if you please, it's too much for you I'm sure. Sir, you are very kind but I'd never allow anybody on this side of the counter but me own people, sir. I can turn the handle myself, sir if you please with the assistance of this girl. Keep your distance, sir, nobody wants your help. Out the waggish young lawyer's clerks laughed as they smacked their lips and sucked in the glopsious gravy of the pies which by the by appeared to be all delicious view this time and Mrs. Lovett worked the handle of the machine all of them all vigorously that she was a little angry with the officious stranger. What an unusual trouble it seemed to be to wind up those forthcoming hundred pies. How she toiled and how the people whited but at length there came up the savory steam and then the tops of the pies were visible. They came upon a large tray about six feet square and the moment Mrs. Lovett ceased turning the handle and let a catch fall that prevented the platform receding again to the astonishment and terror of everyone away flew all the pies, trained all across the counter and a man who was lying crouched down in an exceedingly flat state of a tray sprang to his feet. Mrs. Lovett shrieked as well she might and then she stood trembling and looked as pale as deaf itself. It was the doomed cook from the cellars who had adopted this mouth of a Skype. The throngs of persons in the shop looked petrified and after Mrs. Lovett shrieked there was an awful steelness for about a minute and then the young man who officiated spoke. Ladies and gentlemen I fear that what I'm going to say will spoil your appetites but the truth is beautiful at all times and I have to state that Mrs. Lovett's pies are made of human flesh. How the throng of persons recoiled what a roar of agony and dismay there was how frightfully sick about forty lawyers' clerks became all at once and how they spat out the gelatinous clinging portions of the rich poise they had been devouring. Good gracious oh the pies confound it! Tears false screamed Mrs. Lovett you are my prisoner madam said the man who had obligingly offered to turn the handle of the machine that wound up the poise while producing a constable staff. Prisoner Yes on a charge of aiding and abetting Sweeney Todd now in custody at the commission of many murders Mrs. Lovett staggered back and her complexion turned a livid colour. I am poisoned she said good God I am poisoned and she sank insensible to the floor there was now some confusion at the door of the shop for several people were effecting an entrance these consisted of Sir Richard Blunt Colonel Geoffrey Joanna Oakley Tobias Ragh who when he escaped from the mad house at Peckham Rye went directly to a gentleman in the temple who took him to the magistrate Miss Oakley said Sir Richard you objected to coming here but I told you I had a particular reason for bringing you this night about half an hour since I made an acquaintance I want to introduce you to who oh who there's an underground communication all the way from Sweeney Todd cellar to the ovens of this pie shop and I found there Mrs. Lovett's cook with whom I arranged this little surprise for his mistress look at him Mrs. Oakley do you know him look up Master Cook Mark Mark and Jesterie shrieked Joanna the moment she glanced at the person alluded to Joanna in another moment she was in his arms and clasped to his heart oh Mark Mark you are not dead no no I never was and you Joanna are not in love in military undress you met in a temple no no I never was when Mrs. Lovett was picked up by the officers she was found to be dead the poison which Sweeney Todd had put into the brandy she was accustomed to solace herself with when the pangs of conscious troubled her and of which she always took some before the evening batch of pies came up had done its work that night Todd passed a new gate and in due time a swinging corpse was all that remained of the barber of Fleet Street Mr. Fogg's establishment at Peckham Rye was broken up and a gentleman persuaded to immigrate for which the government kindly paid all expenses Tobias went into the service of Mark and Jesterie and at the marriage of Mark with his beautiful bride big Ben the beefier did some extraordinary things which space and opportunity will not permit us to chronicle in these pages the youths who visited Lovett's pie shop and their luxuriated upon those delicacies are used no longer indeed the grive has closed over all but one and he is very very old but even now as he thinks of how he enjoyed the flavour of the veal he shudders and has to take a drop of brandy beneath the old church of Sundostons were found the heads and bones of Todd's victims as little as possible was said by the authorities about it but it was supposed that some hundreds of persons must perish than the frightful manner we have detailed our tale is over and the only saving mystery that has to be explained consists in settling the point with regard to who Thornhill was and what became of him it was just what he resented himself to be the friend of Mark and Jesterie to whom he'd been by Mark entrusted the care of the string of pills but he fell a victim to the awful criminality of Sweeney Todd who was in league with Mrs. Lovett and who robbed his murdered customers while she sold them for pies Mark and Jesterie after many dangers and all chips had reached London but he did so unfortunately only just in time to follow Joanna to the temple gardens in one of her innocent ramblings Jeffery but believing from that circumstance that she was false to him and hearing nothing of his friend Thornhill in a moment of despair took the desperate situation of Cook at Mrs. Lovett's far-famed pie shop from where he so narrowly escaped with his life Joanna and Mark lived long and happily together enjoying all the comforts of an independent existence but they never forgot the strange and eventful circumstances connected with the string of pills End of Chapter 39 Recording by Erin Elliott, St. Louis, Missouri End of The String of Pearls by Author Unknown