CHAPTER X.

THE COLONEL AND HIS FRIEND.

Colonel Jeffery was not at all satisfied with the state of affairs, as

regarded the disappointment of Mr. Thornhill, for whom he entertained a

sincere regard, both on account of the private estimation in which he

held him, and on account of actual services rendered to Thornhill by

him. Not to detain Johanna Oakley in the Temple-gardens, he had stopped

his narrative, completely at the point when what concerned her had

ceased, and had said nothing of much danger which the ship "Neptune" and

its crew and passengers had gone through, after Mr. Thornhill had been

taken on board with his dog. The fact is, the storm which he had

mentioned was only the first of a series of gales of wind that buffeted

the ship about for some weeks, doing it much damage, and enforcing

almost the necessity of putting in somewhere for repairs. But a glance

at the map will be sufficient to show that, situated as the "Neptune"

was, the nearest port at which they could at all expect assistance, was

the British Colony, at the Cape of Good Hope; but such was the contrary

nature of the winds and waves, that just upon the evening of a

tempestuous day, they found themselves bearing down close in shore, on

the eastern coast of Madagascar. There was much apprehension that the

vessel would strike on a rocky shore; but the water was deep, and the

vessel rode well; there was a squall, and they let go both anchors to

secure the vessel, as they were so close in shore, lest they should be

driven in and stranded. It was fortunate they had so secured themselves,

for the gale while it lasted blew half a hurricane, and the ship lost

some of her mast, and some other trifling damage, which, however,

entailed upon them the necessity of remaining there a few days, to cut

timber to repair their masts, and to obtain a few supplies. There is but

little to interest a general reader in the description of a gale. Order

after order was given until the masts and spars went one by one, and

then the orders for clearing the wreck were given. There was much work

to be done, and but little pleasure in doing it, for it was wet and

miserable while it lasted, and there was the danger of being driven upon

a lee shore, and knocked to pieces upon the rocks. This danger was

averted, and they anchored safe at a very short distance from the shore

in comparative security.

"We are safe now," remarked the captain, as he gave his second in

command charge of the deck, and approached Mr. Thornhill and Colonel

Jeffery.

"I am happy it is so," replied Jeffery.

"Well, captain," said Mr. Thornhill, "I am glad we have done with being

knocked about; we are anchored, and the water here appears smooth

enough."

"It is so, and I dare say it will remain so; it is a beautiful basin of

water--deep and good anchorage; but you see it is not large enough to

make a fine harbour."

"True; but it is rocky."

"It is, and that may make it sometimes dangerous, though I don't know

that it would be so in some gales. The sea may beat in at the opening,

which is deep enough for anything to enter--even Noah's ark would enter

easily enough."

"What will you do now?"

"Stay here a day or so, and send boats ashore to cut some pine trees, to

refit the ship with masts."

"You have no staves, then?"

"Not enough for such a purpose; and we never do go out stored with such

things."

"You obtain them wherever you may go to."

"Yes, any part of the world will furnish them in some shape or other."

"When you send ashore, will you permit me to accompany the boat's crew?"

said Jeffery.

"Certainly; but the natives of this country are violent and intractable,

and should you get into any row with them, there is every probability of

your being captured, or some bodily injury done you."

"But I will take care to avoid all that."

"Very well, colonel, you shall be welcome to go."

"I must beg the same permission," said Mr. Thornhill, "for I should much

like to see the country, as well as to have some acquaintance with the

natives themselves."

"By no means trust yourself alone with them," said the captain, "for if

you live you will have cause to repent it--depend upon what I say."

"I will," said Thornhill; "I will go nowhere but where the boat's

company goes."

"You will be safe then."

"But do you apprehend any hostile attack from the natives?" inquired

Colonel Jeffery.

"No, I do not expect it; but such things have happened before to-day,

and I have seen them when least expected, though I have been on this

coast before, and yet I never met with any ill-treatment; but there have

been many who have touched on this coast, who have had a brush with the

natives and come off second best, the natives generally retiring when

the ship's company muster strong in number, and calling out the chiefs,

who come down in great force, that we may not conquer them."

* * * * *

The next morning the boats were ordered out to go ashore with crews,

prepared for cutting timber, and obtaining such staves as the ship was

in want of. With these boats old Thornhill and Colonel Jeffery went both

of them on board, and after a short ride they reached the shore of

Madagascar. It was a beautiful country, and one in which vegetables

appear luxuriant and abundant, and the party in search of timber for

shipbuilding purposes soon came to some lordly monarchs of the forest,

which would have made vessels of themselves. But this was not what was

wanted; but where the trees grew thicker and taller, they began to cut

some tall pine-trees down. This was the wood they most desired; in fact,

it was exactly what they wanted; but they hardly got through a few such

trees, when the natives came down upon them, apparently to reconnoitre.

At first they were quiet and tractable enough, but anxious to see and

inspect everything, being very inquisitive and curious. However, that

was easily borne, but at length they became more numerous, and began to

pilfer all they could lay their hands upon, which, of course brought

resentment, and, after some time, a blow or two was exchanged. Colonel

Jeffery was forward, and endeavouring to prevent some violence being

offered to one of the wood-cutters; in fact, he was interposing himself

between the two contending parties, and tried to restore order and

peace, but several armed natives rushed suddenly upon him, secured him,

and were hurrying him away to death before any one could stir in his

behalf. His doom appeared certain, for, had they succeeded, they would

have cruelly and brutally murdered him. However, just at that moment aid

was at hand, and Mr. Thornhill, seeing how matters stood, seized a

musket from one of the sailors, and rushed after the natives who had

Colonel Jeffery. There were three of them, two others had gone on to

apprise, it was presumed, the chiefs. When Mr. Thornhill arrived, they

had thrown a blanket over the head of Jeffery; but Mr. Thornhill in an

instant hurled one down with a blow from the butt-end of his musket, and

the second met the same fate, as he turned to see what was the matter.

The third, seeing the colonel free, and the musket levelled at his own

head, immediately ran after the other two, to avoid any serious

consequences to himself.

[Illustration: Thornhill Rescues Colonel Jeffery From The Savages.]

"Thornhill, you have saved my life," said Colonel Jeffery, excitedly.

"Come away, don't stop here--to the ship!--to the ship!" And as he

spoke, they hurried after the crew and they succeeded in reaching the

boats and the ship in safety; congratulating themselves not a little

upon so lucky an escape from a people quite warlike enough to do

mischief, but not civilized enough to distinguish when to do it.

When men are far away from home, and in foreign lands with the skies of

other climes above them, their hearts become more closely knit together

in those ties of brotherhood which certainly ought to actuate the whole

universe, but which as certainly do not do so, except in very rare

instances. One of these instances, however, would be found in the

conduct of Colonel Jeffery and Mr. Thornhill, even under any

circumstances, for they were most emphatically what might be termed

kindred spirits; but when we come to unite to that fact the remarkable

manner in which they had been thrown together, and the mutual services

that they had it in their power to render to each other, we should not

be surprised at the almost romantic friendship that arose between them.

It was then that Thornhill made the colonel's breast the depository of

all his thoughts and all his wishes, and a freedom of intercourse and a

community of feeling ensued between them, which when it does take place

between persons of really congenial dispositions, produces the most

delightful results of human companionship. No one who has not endured

the tedium of a sea voyage, can at all be aware of what a pleasant thing

it is to have some one on board, in the rich stores of whose intellect

and fancy one can find a never-ending amusement. The winds might now

whistle through the cordage, and the waves toss the great ship on their

foaming crests, still Thornhill and Jeffery were together, finding in

the midst of danger, solace in each other's society, and each animating

the other to the performance of deeds of daring that astonished the

crew. The whole voyage was one of the greatest peril, and some of the

oldest seamen on board did not scruple, during the continuance of their

night watches to intimate to their companions that the ship, in their

opinion, would never reach England, and that she would founder somewhere

along the long stretch of the African coast. The captain, of course,

made every possible exertion to put a stop to such prophetic sayings,

but when once they commenced, in a short time there is no such thing as

completely eradicating them; and they, of course, produced the most

injurious effect, paralysing the exertions of the crew in times of

danger, and making them believe that they are in a doomed ship, and

consequently all they can do is useless. Sailors are extremely

superstitious on such matters, and there cannot be any reasonable doubt,

but that some of the disasters that befel the Neptune on her homeward

voyage from India, may be attributed to this feeling of fatality getting

hold of the seamen, and inducing them to think that, let them try what

they might, they could not save the ship. It happened that after they

had rounded the Cape, a dense fog came on, such as had not been known on

that coast for many a year; although the western shore of Africa at some

seasons of the year is rather subject to such a species of vaporous

exhalation. Every object was wrapped in the most profound gloom, and yet

there was a strong eddy or current of the ocean, flowing parallel with

the land, and as the captain hoped, rather off than on the shore. Still

there was a suspicion that the ship was making lee-way, which must

eventually bring it on shore, by some of the low promontories that were

by the maps indicated to be upon the coast. In consequence of this fear,

the greatest anxiety prevailed on board the vessel, and lights were left

burning on all parts of the deck, while two men were continually engaged

making soundings. It was about half-an-hour after midnight, as the

chronometer indicated a storm, that suddenly the men, who were on watch

on the deck, raised a loud cry of dismay. They had suddenly seen close

on to the larboard bow, lights which must belong to some vessel that,

like the Neptune, was encompassed in the fog, and a collision was quite

inevitable, for neither ship had time to put about. The only doubt,

which was a fearful and an agonising one to have solved, was whether the

stronger vessel was of sufficient bulk and power to run them down, or

they it; and that fearful question was one which a few moments must

settle. In fact, almost before the echo of that cry of horror which had

come from the men, had died away, the vessels met. There was a hideous

crash--one shriek of dismay and horror, and then all was still. The

Neptune, with considerable damage, and some of her bulwarks stove in,

sailed on; but the other ship went, with a surging sound, to the bottom

of the sea. Alas! nothing could be done. The fog was so dense, that

coupled, too, as it was with the darkness of the night, there could be

no hope of rescuing one of the ill-fated crew of the ship; and the

officers and seamen of the Neptune, although they shouted for some time,

and then listened, to hear if any survivors of the ship that had been

run down were swimming, no answer came to them; and when in about six

hours more, they sailed out of the fog into a clear sunshine, where

there was not so much as a cloud to be seen, they looked at each other

like men newly awakened from some strange and fearful dream. They never

discovered the name of the ship they had run down, and the whole affair

remained a profound mystery. When the Neptune reached the port of

London, the affair was repeated, and every exertion was made to obtain

some information concerning the ill-fated ship that had met with so

fearful a doom. Such were the circumstances which awakened all the

liveliest feelings of gratitude on the part of Colonel Jeffery towards

Mr. Thornhill; and hence was it that he considered it a sacred duty, now

that he was in London, and had the necessary leisure to do so, to leave

no stone unturned to discover what had become of him. After deep and

anxious thought, and feeling convinced that there was some mystery which

it was beyond his power to discover, he resolved upon asking the opinion

of a friend, likewise in the army, a Captain Rathbone, concerning the

whole of the facts. This gentleman, and a gentleman he was in the

fullest acceptance of the term, was in London; in fact, he had retired

from active service, and inhabited a small but pleasant house in the

outskirts of the metropolis. It was one of those old-fashioned cottage

residences, with all sorts of odd places and corners about it, and a

thriving garden full of fine old wood, such as are rather rare near to

London, and which are daily becoming more rare, in consequence of the

value of land immediately contiguous to the metropolis not permitting

large pieces to remain attached to small residences. Captain Rathbone

had an amiable family about him, such as he was and might well be proud

of, and was living in as great a state of domestic felicity as this

world could very well afford him. It was to this gentleman, then, that

Colonel Jeffery resolved upon going to lay all the circumstances before

him concerning the probable fate of poor Thornhill. This distance was

not so great but that he could walk it conveniently, and he did so,

arriving, towards the dusk of the evening, on the following day to that

which had witnessed his deeply interesting interview with Johanna Oakley

in the Temple-gardens. There is nothing on earth so delightfully

refreshing, after a dusty and rather a long country walk, as to suddenly

enter a well-kept and extremely verdant garden; and this was the case

especially to the feelings of Colonel Jeffery, when he arrived at Lime

Tree Lodge, the residence of Captain Rathbone. He met him with a most

cordial and frank welcome--a welcome which he expected, but which was

none the less delightful on that account; and, after sitting awhile with

the family in the house, he and the captain strolled into the garden,

and then Colonel Jeffery commenced his revelation. The captain, with

very few interruptions, heard him to an end; and, when he concluded by

saying--

"And now I am come to ask your advice upon all these matters;" the

captain immediately replied, in his warm, off-hand manner--

"I am afraid you won't find my advice of much importance; but I offer

you my active co-operation in anything you think ought to be done or can

be done in this affair, which, I assure you deeply interests me, and

gives me the greatest possible impulse to exertion. You have but to

command me in the matter, and I am completely at your disposal."

"I was quite certain you would say as much. But, notwithstanding the

manner in which you shrink from giving an opinion, I am anxious to know

what you really think with regard to what are, you will allow, most

extraordinary circumstances."

"The most natural thing in the world," said Captain Rathbone, "at the

first flush of the affair, seemed to be, that we ought to look for your

friend Thornhill at the point where he disappeared."

"At the barber's in Fleet-street?"

"Precisely. Did he leave the barber, or did he not?"

"Sweeney Todd says that he left him, and proceeded down the street

towards the city, in pursuance of a direction he had given him to Mr.

Oakley, the spectacle-maker, and that he saw him get into some sort of

disturbance at the end of the market; but to put against that, we have

the fact of the dog remaining by the barber's door, and his refusing to

leave it on any amount of solicitation. Now the very fact that a dog

could act in such a way proclaims an amount of sagacity that seems to

tell loudly against the presumption that such a creature could make any

mistake."

"It does. What say you, now, to go into town to-morrow morning, and

making a call at the barber's, without proclaiming we have any special

errand, except to be shaved and dressed? Do you think he would know you

again?"

"Scarcely, in plain clothes. I was in my undress uniform when I called

with the captain of the Neptune, so that his impression of me must be of

decidedly a military character; and the probability is, that he would

not know me at all in the clothes of a civilian. I like the idea of

giving a call at the barber's."

"Do you think your friend Thornhill was a man likely to talk about the

valuable pearls he had in his possession?"

"Certainly not."

"I merely ask you, because they might have offered a great temptation;

and if he has experienced any foul play at the hands of the barber, the

idea of becoming possessed of such a valuable treasure might have been

the inducement."

"I do not think it probable, but it has struck me that, if we obtain any

information whatever of Thornhill, it will be in consequence of these

very pearls. They are of great value, and not likely to be overlooked;

and yet, unless a customer be found for them, they are of no value at

all; and nobody buys jewels of that character but from the personal

vanity of making, of course, some public display of them."

"That is true; and so, from hand to hand, we might trace those pearls

until we come to the individual who must have had them from Thornhill

himself, and who might be forced to account most strictly for the manner

in which they came into his possession."

After some more desultory conversation upon the subject, it was agreed

that Colonel Jeffery should take a bed for the night at Lime Tree Lodge,

and that, in the morning, they should both start for London, and,

disguising themselves as respectable citizens, make some attempts, by

talking about jewels and precious stones, to draw out the barber into a

confession that he had something of the sort to dispose of; and,

moreover, they fully intended to take away the dog, with the care of

which Captain Rathbone charged himself. We may pass over the pleasant,

social evening which the colonel passed with the amiable family of the

Rathbones, and, skipping likewise a conversation of some strange and

confused dreams which Jeffery had during the night concerning his friend

Thornhill, we will presume that both the colonel and the captain have

breakfasted, and that they have proceeded to London and are at the shop

of a clothier in the neighbourhood of the Strand, in order to procure

coats, wigs, and hats, that should disguise them for their visit to

Sweeney Todd. Then, arm in arm, they walked towards Fleet-street, and

soon arrived opposite the little shop within which there appears to be

so much mystery.

"The dog, you perceive, is not here," said the colonel; "I had my

suspicions, however, when I passed with Johanna Oakley that something

was amiss with him, and I have no doubt but that the rascally barber has

fairly compassed his destruction."

"If the barber be innocent," said Captain Rathbone, "you must admit that

it would be one of the most confoundedly annoying things in the world to

have a dog continually at his door assuming such an aspect of

accusation, and in that case I can scarcely wonder at his putting the

creature out of the way."

"No, presuming upon his innocence, certainly; but we will say nothing

about all that, and remember we must come in as perfect strangers,

knowing nothing of the affair of the dog, and presuming nothing about

the disappearance of any one in this locality."

"Agreed, come on; if he should see us through the window, hanging about

at all or hesitating, his suspicions will be at once awakened, and we

shall do no good."

They both entered the shop and found Sweeney Todd wearing an

extraordinary singular appearance, for there was a black patch over one

of his eyes, which was kept in its place by a green riband that went

round his head, so that he looked more fierce and diabolical than ever;

and having shaved off a small whisker that he used to wear, his

countenance, although to the full as hideous as ever, certainly had a

different character of ugliness to that which had before characterised

it, and attracted the attention of the colonel. That gentleman would

hardly have known him again any where but in his own shop, and when we

come to consider Sweeney Todd's adventures of the preceding evening, we

shall feel not surprised that he saw the necessity of endeavouring to

make as much change in his appearance as possible, for fear he should

come across any of the parties who had chased him, and who, for all he

knew to the contrary, might, quite unsuspectingly, drop in to be shaved

in the course of the morning, perhaps to retail at that acknowledged

mart for all sorts of gossip--a barber's shop--some of the very

incidents which he has so well qualified himself to relate.

"Shaved and dressed, gentlemen?" said Sweeney Todd, as his customers

made their appearance.

"Shaved only." said Captain Rathbone, who had agreed to be principal

spokesman, in case Sweeney Todd should have any remembrance of the

colonel's voice, and so suspect him.

"Pray be seated," said Sweeney Todd to Colonel Jeffery. "I'll soon

polish off your friend, sir, and then I'll begin upon you. Would you

like to see the morning paper, sir? it's at your service. I was just

looking myself, sir, at a most mysterious circumstance, if it's true,

but you can't believe, you know sir, all that is put in newspapers."

"Thank you--thank you," said the colonel.

Captain Rathbone sat down to be shaved, for he had purposely omitted

that operation at home, in order that it should not appear a mere excuse

to get into Sweeney Todd's shop.

"Why, sir," continued Sweeney Todd, "as I was saying, it is a most

remarkable circumstance."

"Indeed!"

"Yes, sir, an old gentleman of the name of Fidler had been to receive a

sum of money at the west-end of the town, and has never been heard of

since; that was yesterday, sir, and here is a description of him in the

papers of to-day. 'A snuff-coloured coat, and velvet smalls--black

velvet, I should have said--silk stockings, and silver shoe-buckles, and

a gold-headed cane, with W. D. F. upon it, meaning "William Dumpledown

Fidler"--a most mysterious affair, gentlemen.'"

A sort of groan came from the corner of the shop, and, on the impulse of

the moment, Colonel Jeffery sprang to his feet, exclaiming--

"What's that--what's that?"

"Oh, it's only my apprentice, Tobias Ragg. He has got a pain in his

stomach from eating too many of Lovett's pork pies. Aint that it,

Tobias, my bud?"

"Yes, sir," said Tobias with another groan.

"Oh, indeed," said the colonel, "it ought to make him more careful for

the future."

"It's to be hoped it will, sir; Tobias, do you hear what this gentleman

says: it ought to make you more careful in future. I am too indulgent to

you, that's the fact. Now, sir, I believe you are as clean shaved as

ever you were in your life."

"Why, yes," said Captain Rathbone, "I think that will do very well; and

now, Mr. Green"--addressing the colonel by that assumed named--"and now,

Mr. Green, be quick, or we shall be too late for the duke, and so lose

the sale of some of our jewels."

"We shall indeed," said the colonel, "if we don't mind. We sat too long

over our breakfast at the inn, and his grace is too rich and too good a

customer to lose--he don't mind what price he gives for things that take

his fancy, or the fancy of his duchess."

"Jewel merchants, gentlemen, I presume," said Sweeney Todd.

"Yes, we have been in that line for some time; and by one of us trading

in one direction, and the other in another, we manage extremely well,

because we exchange what suits our different customers, and keep up two

distinct connexions."

"A very good plan," said Sweeney Todd. "I'll be as quick as I can with

you, sir. Dealing in jewels is better than shaving."

"I dare say it is."

"Of course, it is, sir; here have I been slaving for some years in this

shop, and not done much good--that is to say, when I talk of not having

done much good, I admit I have made enough to retire upon quietly and

comfortably, and I mean to do so very shortly. There you are, sir,

shaved with celerity you seldom meet with, and as clean as possible, for

the small charge of one penny. Thank you, gentlemen--there's your

change; good morning."

They had no resource but to leave the shop; and when they had gone

Sweeney Todd, as he stropped the razor he had been using upon his hand,

gave a most diabolical grin, muttering--

"Clever--very ingenious--but it won't do. Oh dear, no, not at all! I am

not so easily taken in--diamond merchants, ah! ah! and no objection, of

course, to deal in pearls--a good jest that, truly, a capital jest. If I

had been accustomed to be so easily defeated, I had not now been here a

living man. Tobias, Tobias, I say."

"Yes, sir," said the lad, dejectedly.

"Have you forgotten your mother's danger in case you breathe a syllable

of anything that has occurred here, or that you think has occurred here,

or so much as dream of?"

"No," said the boy, "indeed I have not. I never can forget it, if I were

to live a hundred years."

"That's well, prudent, excellent, Tobias. Go out now, and if those two

persons who were here last, waylay you in the street, let them say what

they will, and do you reply to them as shortly as possible; but be sure

you come back to me quickly and report what they do say. They turned to

the left, towards the city--now be off with you."

* * * * *

"It's of no use," said Colonel Jeffery to the captain; "the barber is

either too cunning for me, or he is really innocent of all participation

in the disappearance of Thornhill."

"And yet there are suspicious circumstances. I watched his countenance

when the subject of jewels was mentioned, and I saw a sudden change come

over it; it was but momentary, but still it gave me a suspicion that he

knew something which caution alone kept within the recesses of his

breast. The conduct of the boy, too, was strange; and then again, if he

has the string of pearls, their value would give him all the power to do

what he says he is about to do--viz., to retire from business with an

independence."

"Hush! There, did you see that lad?"

"Yes; why it's the barber's boy."

"It is the same lad he called Tobias--shall we speak to him?"

"Let's make a bolder push, and offer him an ample reward for any

information he may give us."

"Agreed, agreed."

They both walked up to Tobias, who was listlessly walking along the

streets, and when they reached him, they were both struck with the

appearance of care and sadness that was upon the boy's face. He looked

perfectly haggard and careworn--an expression sad to see upon the face

of one so young; and, when the colonel accosted him in a kindly tone, he

seemed so unnerved that tears immediately darted to his eyes, although

at the same time he shrank back as if alarmed.

"My lad," said the colonel, "you reside, I think, with Sweeney Todd, the

barber. Is he not a kind master to you, that you seem so unhappy?"

"No, no--that is, I mean yes, I have nothing to tell. Let me pass on."

"What is the meaning of this confusion?"

"Nothing, nothing."

"I say, my lad, here is a guinea for you, if you will tell us what

became of the man of a sea-faring appearance, who came with a dog to

your master's house, some days since, to be shaved."

"I cannot tell you," said the boy, "I cannot tell you what I do not

know."

"But, you have some idea, probably. Come, we will make it worth your

while, and thereby protect you from Sweeney Todd. We have the power to

do so, and all the inclination; but you must be quite explicit with us,

and tell us frankly what you think, and what you know concerning the man

in whose fate we are interested."

"I know nothing, I think nothing," said Tobias. "Let me go, I have

nothing to say, except that he was shaved, and went away."

"But how came he to leave his dog behind him?"

"I cannot tell. I know nothing."

"It is evident that you do know something, but hesitate either from fear

or some other motive to tell it; as you are inaccessible to fair means,

we must resort to others, and you shall at once come before a

magistrate, who will force you to speak out."

"Do with me what you will," said Tobias, "I cannot help it. I have

nothing to say to you, nothing whatever. Oh, my poor mother, if it were

not for you--"

"What then?"

"Nothing! nothing! nothing!"

It was but a threat of the colonel to take the boy before a magistrate,

for he had really no grounds for so doing; and if the boy chose to keep

a secret, if he had one, not all the magistrates in the world could

force words from his lips that he felt not inclined to utter; and so,

after one more effort, they felt that they must leave him.

"Boy," said the colonel, "you are young, and cannot well judge of the

consequences of particular lines of conduct; you ought to weigh well

what you are about, and hesitate long before you determine keeping

dangerous secrets: we can convince you that we have the power of

completely protecting you from all that Sweeney Todd could possibly

attempt. Think again, for this is an opportunity of saving yourself

perhaps from much future misery, that may never arise again."

"I have nothing to say," said the boy, "I have nothing to say."

He uttered these words with such an agonized expression of countenance,

that they were both convinced he had something to say, and that, too, of

the first importance--a something which would be valuable to them in the

way of information, extremely valuable probably, and yet which they felt

the utter impossibility of wringing from him. They were compelled to

leave him, and likewise with the additional mortification, that, far

from making any advance in the matter, they had placed themselves and

their cause in a much worse position, in so far as they had awakened all

Sweeney Todd's suspicions if he were guilty, and yet advanced not one

step in the transaction. And then, to make the matter all the more

perplexing, there was still the possibility that they might be

altogether upon a wrong scent, and that the barber of Fleet-street had

no more to do with the disappearance of Mr. Thornhill than they had

themselves.