CHAPTER CXLI.

SHOWS HOW TODD MADE UP HIS MIND TO VENGEANCE.

Sir Richard drew bridle opposite the house of Mr. Ingestrie, and called

to an urchin who was passing to ring the bell for him.

The boy complied and in a few moments a servant made an appearance, to

whom Sir Richard said--

"If your master is stirring, pray tell him that a gentleman wishes to

speak to him for a few moments."

These words were hardly past the lips of the magistrate, when some one,

with a bunch of flowers in her hand, and one of the prettiest of pretty

morning dresses, came to the door. It was our old, dear, young, kind

friend, Johanna! We cannot help calling her Johanna still, although,

perhaps, it would be more proper for us to name her Mrs. Ingestrie; but

it seems so odd to append that title of "Mrs." to our gentle, youthful

Johanna, whose dangers in Todd's shop we have watched and trembled at so

often in times past.

"Ah! my dear friend," she cried, when she saw who it was. "I am so glad

to see you!"

"And I am equally glad to see you," said Sir Richard, "particularly as

you look so well and so happy."

[Illustration: Sir Richard Blunt Pays A Visit To Johanna, At Chelsea.]

"Yes, I am happy. Mark! Mark! here is Sir Richard come to breakfast with

us."

"Nay, I did not think of dismounting."

"Oh, but you must. I will hold the bridle of the horse, and you will

have to ride over me if you attempt to go away. Mark--Mark! where are

you!"

Upon these repeated calls, Mark Ingestrie make his appearance at the

door, and looked pleased enough to see Sir Richard, who, finding that

they would take no sort of denial, he felt that he could not do

otherwise than dismount and enter the house. A servant of the Ingestries

took charge of his horse, and he was soon in the breakfast-room of the

pretty house, inhabited by the young couple.

It did not escape the observation of Johanna that there was a cloud of

seriousness upon the countenance of Sir Richard Blunt; but she did not

make any remark, although each moment she felt more and more convinced

that it was some matter of business that called the magistrate to their

abode so early; for it will be remembered that although he had

transacted a good quantity of business, the day was yet very young.

Mark Ingestrie did not appear to have any idea beyond the fact that it

was very kind of the magistrate to visit them; but the reader will

easily excuse him for not being so acute an observer as Johanna.

"I hope," said Mark, "that you will often take a canter over here, Sir

Richard, before the business of the day commences, and breakfast with

us. I know how very hopeless it is to expect you often at any other

time."

"It is rather so," replied Sir Richard, "and my stay now must be very

limited indeed. How do you both like your new house?"

"It is charming," said Johanna, "and the view from the windows is full

of animation for the greater part of the day."

"It's the view in-doors," smiled Mark, "that to me is so delightful and

so full of animation."

"That is just what I should have supposed," said the magistrate,

glancing at Johanna with a smile.

"Now, positively, I must go and take my breakfast in some other room,"

said Johanna, "if there are to be any compliments. They are quite

absurd, you know, among married folks."

"And a little unfair," said Sir Richard, "at meal times, I think, above

all others."

"Indeed?" said Mark.

"Yes, to be sure," added Johanna, "for you know one is either obliged to

hear the compliments, which feed no one but with false viands, or leave

the table upon which there may be something much more substantial and

decidedly more palatable."

"I give in," said Mark, "I give in. I don't for one moment profess to be

a match for you alone, my dear; but when you get Sir Richard to side

with you, I feel that I had better say as little as possible."

"A graceful defeat," said Sir Richard, "is almost as good as a clumsy

victory."

"Much better," said Johanna, "a great deal better. But now, Sir Richard,

you have not ridden over here to help us at our breakfast, or to talk

badinage."

Mark opened his eyes very wide indeed, and looked from Johanna to the

magistrate, and from the magistrate to Johanna, with evident surprise.

An expression of great anxiety was each moment gathering over the face

of Johanna, which Sir Richard saw, and with all that tact which with him

was a kind of second nature, he said--

"I have had the pleasure of seeing your father this morning, and they

are all well at the old house, and as comfortable as can be."

Johanna drew a long breath of relief, and then Mark Ingestrie cried in a

voice of surprise--

"What? Do you mean to say you have been in the city before you came

here, sir?"

"I have, my friend, and I have been to Colonel Jeffery's, too, before I

came here. If I had not, I should not be able to indulge myself with the

pleasure of staying here for even the short time that I have been

beneath your roof. I must, however, go."

"Something has happened!" said Johanna.

"So there has," said the magistrate with a smile, "but it cannot be

anything very serious, you know, as all our dear friends are well.

Anything falls light in comparison with the health and happiness of

those whom we love."

"Oh, yes--yes," said Johanna. "You are right, and you are very good to

preface bad news in so kind a manner, Sir Richard. It is good, and kind,

and grateful, and like you in all respects. I thank you from my heart."

"But what's it all about?" cried Mark Ingestrie. "Good gracious, what's

it all about? Who talks of bad news? If all our friends are well, how

can there be bad news? Do not keep us in suspense, Sir Richard!"

"No--no," said Johanna.

"I will not."

Both Johanna and Mark Ingestrie looked most intently at the magistrate,

as he said in his quiet way--

"Sweeney Todd has escaped from Newgate, and is now at large!"

Mark Ingestrie sprang to his feet, and Johanna, for a moment, turned

rather pale.

"The villain!" cried Mark.

"Hush!" said Johanna. "Oh, hush, Mark!"

"It was of the utmost importance," continued Sir Richard Blunt, speaking

quite calmly, "that all who were in any way comprehended in the list of

what Sweeney Todd would call his enemies, should be speedily informed of

this fact, and that is what has brought me to Chelsea at so early an

hour in the morning."

"We thank you from our hearts," said Johanna.

"We do, indeed," said Mark. "But let him beware of me. He dare not,

villain as he is, come within the reach of my arm. The spirit of my poor

murdered friend, Thornhill, will cry aloud for vengeance, and nothing

should save the murderer from death."

"Oh, Mark--Mark!" said Johanna, "do not speak in such a strain. You do

not know Todd. You know nothing of the character and of the capabilities

of that man. He is not only one of the most wicked, but he is likewise

one of the most crafty and unscrupulous."

"That is true," said the magistrate. "He does not know him. Do you

suppose for one moment, Mr. Ingestrie, that I would have ridden over

here to give you such a special warning concerning this man, if I

apprehended any open attack? No--that I could have trusted to you to

ward off. Your life has been one of danger and adventure; but not you,

nor I, nor all the world, can be prepared against what Todd may, in the

profound depths of his imagination, attempt."

"All that is true," said Johanna, "most true."

"You now really alarm me!" said Mark.

"Then I did not mean to do so. All I wished was that you should be made

aware of the real extent of the possible danger. For myself, I look upon

all such men as Sweeney Todd as mad men, to a certain extent; and now

that he is deprived of his money, there is no knowing but he may be

willing to sacrifice his life for the gratification of, no doubt, one of

the most powerful feelings of his mind, which is revenge!"

"No doubt," said Johanna.

A flush of colour came over the cheek of the young husband, and he took

the hand of Johanna in his, as he said--

"Oh, Sir Richard, only tell me now I may best secure this treasure

against the machinations of that monster in human shape."

"Nay, now, Mr. Ingestrie," said Sir Richard, "do not fall into the other

extreme, and make too much of this danger. We are very apt to pet some

peril, until we make it to our imagination assume a much larger shape

than really belongs to it. I hope that Todd will be in custody again

soon."

"Is it likely, sir?"

"I fancy so. From this day I abandon all other objects and pursuits, and

devote myself to that task alone."

"Then there is a hope," said Johanna.

"Yes," added Sir Richard. "My impression is that he has no money, and

that I shall soon apprehend him; but if, unknown to me, he has any

secret funds, he may make an attempt to leave the kingdom, and so foil

me."

"And if he does?"

"I follow him, for I am determined that sooner or later, dead or alive,

Todd shall be given up to the law."

"But you will advise us what to do," said Mark Ingestrie. "In your

experience you can suggest to us the best mode of proceeding in this

emergency."

"I have been thinking of that as I came along, and my advice is that you

leave London immediately. I do not think that the danger, admitting that

there is any at all, is immediate. Todd for some days will be far too

intent upon evading pursuit and recognition to think of much else,

besides his personal safety, so that you will have ample time to leave."

"We will do so," said Johanna, "at once. Where would you advise us to

go?"

"There is a little fishing village on the south coast, called

Brighthelmstone. It lies in a pleasant enough valley stretching to the

sea. There you can remain quite unsuspected of Todd, and enjoy the fair

sea breezes that make the place delightful, without a thought of danger,

for it is not that way he will go, as the place is not a port from which

he could take shipping if he wished to leave England; and if he did not

wish to leave at all, nothing could be further from his thoughts than

going so far from London, and the spot upon which all his revenge could

alone be attempted to be gratified."

"We will go," said Johanna, appealingly looking at Mark Ingestrie as she

spoke.

"Certainly," he replied.

"Well, then," said Sir Richard, "since that is so far settled, I have a

favour to ask of you both."

"You have but to name it," said Ingestrie. "You ought rather to say that

you have a command to give us both."

"Yes," said Johanna, "that is so."

"No. If I thought that, I should not like to mention it. But I appeal to

your candour to say 'yes,' or 'no,' to the request, according as you

really feel inclined when you hear it. You know how anxious Todd has

been to take the life of the poor lad, Tobias, who has suffered so much

at his hands."

"Oh, yes--yes," said Johanna.

"Well. Have you any objection to take him with you?"

"None in the least," cried Mark.

Johanna turned to him with a smile, as she said--

"Mark, I thank you with all my heart for that ready reply and

acquiescence with the proposal of Sir Richard Blunt, and I echo it by

likewise saying, 'None in the least.'"

"You have met the proposal as I anticipated you both would," said the

magistrate, "or I should not have made it. You will find poor Tobias one

of the most gentle and inoffensive of beings; but his nature has been so

acted upon by Todd, that it would drive him to the verge of madness if

he thought that the villain were at large; so I do not wish that he

should know as much until it can be coupled with information of his

recapture."

"The secret shall be kept."

"Then my business is concluded, and I am sorry to say my pleasure also;

for it has been a real one to visit you both; and I must be off at once.

I will communicate with Colonel Jeffery about Tobias, and manage how he

shall come to you. A post-chaise will take you in six hours to the place

I have mentioned, which you will find marked on the map."

"I know it," said Ingestrie.

"That is well. And now good-day."

The Ingestries took a warm and affectionate leave of Sir Richard, who,

in ten minutes more, was on his road to London.