CHAPTER LXXXII.

TODD VISITS THE COLONEL

"Well, Tobias," said Colonel Jeffery, as he entered the pretty, cheerful

room into which the now convalescent boy had been removed. "Well,

Tobias, how are you now?"

"Much better, sir. Oh, sir,--I--I--"

"What would you say?"

"I feel that when I see you, sir, I ought to say so much to convince you

of how truly, and deeply grateful I am to you, and yet I can scarcely

ever say a word about it. I pray for your happiness, sir, indeed I do.

Your name and my mother's, and--and Minna Gray's, are always uttered to

God by me."

"Now, Tobias," said Colonel Jeffery gravely. "I am quite satisfied that

as regards all that has passed, you feel as you ought to feel, and for

my own part, I beg you to feel and to know that your saying anything

about it only distresses me."

"Distresses you, sir?"

"Yes, it does, indeed. I see your eyes are upon the door. You expect

Minna, to day, I am sure."

"Yes, sir,--she--she--my mother was to bring her, sir."

A ringing at a bell now came upon Tobias's ear, and his colour went and

came fitfully.

"You are still very weak, my poor boy," said the colonel, "but you are

certainly much improved. Do you feel any confusion in your head now?"

"None at all, only when I think of Todd suddenly, ever it makes me feel

cold and sick, and something seems to rush through my heart."

"Oh, that will go away. That is nothing. There, I will draw up the blind

for you. The evening is coming, and the sky is overclouded. You can see

better now, and there is one coming whom I know you wish to lose no

sight of."

"I hear her foot upon the stairs," said Tobias.

"Do you?--It is more than I do."

"Ah, sir, the senses are sharpened, I think, by illness."

"Not so much as by love. Tobias! do you hear her footstep now?"

"Yes, and it is like music."

He had his head on one side in an attitude of listening; and then with

joy sparkling from every feature of his face, he spoke again--

"She comes--she comes. Ah, she comes fast. My own--my beautiful. She

come--she comes."

"This is real love," said the colonel, and he stepped from the room.

Nearly on the landing at the head of the stairs, he met Minna Gray.

"Welcome," he said as he held out his hand to her. "You will find your

young friend up and much better."

Minna could only look her thanks. Mrs. Ragg was following her, and as

the ascent of stairs was always rather a task to that good Lady, she was

making a noise like a stranded grampus in breathing.

"Ah, colonel," she said, "young legs get up stairs faster than old ones,

sir, as you see. Well--well, there was a time when first I knew poor

dear Ragg, who is of course dead and gone, quite premature."

"Exactly, Mrs. Ragg," said the colonel, as he rapidly descended the

stairs.

"Did you ever, my dear, know such a strange man?" said Mrs. Ragg to

Minna.

"Who?"

"The colonel, to be sure. So soon as I begin to tell him any little what

do you call it. No it ain't _nannygoat_--that's ridiculous.

It's--it's--what is it?"

"Anecdote do you mean, Mrs. Ragg?"

"Yes, to be sure. Well, as I was a saying, no sooner do I begin telling

him a little nannygoat--no, I mean anecdote, than off he is like a

shot."

Minna smiled to herself, and she was far from wondering that the colonel

was off like a shot, for well she knew, that when Mrs. Ragg did begin

anything concerning the late Mr. Ragg, it usually lasted three quarters

of an hour at the very least.

"Minna, Minna!" called Tobias.

"I am here, Tobias."

In another moment she was in the room. Truly it was a pleasant thing to

see the face of Tobias, when, his sunshine, as he called Minna, came

close to him, and in her soft voice asked him if he was better.

"Don't mind me," said Mrs. Ragg, "I am going to darn a stocking or two.

that's all. Just say what you both like. Young folks will be young

folks. Bless me, I recollect just as if it were only yesterday, when I

used to speak to poor departed Mr. Ragg, who is, premature, dead and

gone, in a manner of speaking. Ah, dear me! How the world goes round and

round--round and round, continually."

Tobias and Minna were so well accustomed to the garrulity of Mrs. Ragg,

and so well aware that she required no answer, that they let her talk

on, and did not mind her, as she requested they would not; and so the

evening grew apace, and the light gradually began to wane, as those two

young loving hearts spoke together of the future, and indulged in that

day dream of happiness which can only belong to youth and love.

* * * * *

Todd is skulking round the angle of the garden wall, from which he can

get a view of the colonel's house, and yet not be seen himself.

The more he looked the more the desire grew upon him, notwithstanding

the immense risk he ran of personal detection, by so doing, to get into

the house, and finish the career of poor Tobias. He would have had no

particular objection rather to have taken the life of Mrs. Ragg, if it

could be easily and comfortably done.

It has been said that there are folks in the world who never forgive any

one for doing them a kindness; and such paradoxical views of human

nature have been attempted to be laid down as truths; but whether this

be so or not, is still to be proved, although it is certain that nothing

stirs the evil passions of men who will inflict injury upon the

innocent, as to find themselves baffled in their villany. From that

moment the matter becomes a personal affair of vengeance.

Hence, since Todd had become thoroughly aware that Tobias had escaped

from the death he had intended for him at the mad-house, his rage

against the boy knew no bounds.

Indeed, the reader will conclude that it must have been a feeling of no

ordinary strength, that, at such a busy and ticklish time, would take

Todd to the colonel's house at all.

It was revenge--bitter, uncompromising revenge!

Now, you must know the colonel's house was one of those half-villa,

half-mansion-like residences, that are so common in the neighbourhood of

London. There was a kind of terrace in the front, and a garden with

flowering shrubs, that had a pretty enough appearance, and which at

night afforded abundance of shelter.

It was by this front garden that Todd hoped to reach the house.

When it was nearly dark, he slunk in, crouching down among the trees and

shrubs, and crawling along like a serpent as he was. He soon came to a

flight of stone steps that led to the kitchens.

By the time Todd had got thus far, some of her domestic duties had

called Mrs. Ragg to the lower part of the house. He saw by the

fire-light that some one was going about the kitchen, close to the foot

of the stone steps; but he could not exactly, by that dim and uncertain

radiance, take upon himself to say that it was Mrs. Ragg.

She soon lit a candle, though, and then all was clear. He saw the good

lady preparing divers lights for the upper rooms.

While Todd was half-way down the stone steps, peeping into the kitchen,

one of the other servants of the house came into that receptacle for

culinary articles, and commenced putting on a bonnet and shawl. Todd

could not hear one word of what was said by Mrs. Ragg and this young

woman who was getting ready to go out; but he saw them talk, and by

their manner he felt convinced that it was only upon ordinary topics.

If the young woman left the house by the steps upon which Todd was, and

which it was more than likely she would do, his situation would be

anything but a pleasant one, and discovery would be certain.

To obviate the chance of this, he stepped back, and crouched down in

among the shrubs in the garden.

He was not wrong in his conjectures, for in a few moments the servant,

who was going out, ascended the steps, and passed him so closely, that

by stretching out his hand, he could, if he had been so minded, have

touched her dress. In a short time she was out of ear-shot.

Todd emerged from his concealment again, and crept down the steps, and

once more peeped into the kitchen.

Mrs. Ragg was still busy with the candles.

He was just considering what he should do, when he heard the tramp of

horses' feet in the road above. He ascended sufficient of the steps to

enable himself to get a peep at what was going on. He saw a groom well

mounted, and leading another horse. Then no other than Colonel Jeffrey

himself, although he did not of his own knowledge, feel assured that it

was him, come out at the front door of the house and mounted.

"Now, William," said the colonel, "we must ride sharply."

"Yes, sir," said the groom.

Another moment and they were gone.

"This is lucky," said Todd. "It is not likely that there is any other

room in the house; and if not, I have the game in my own hands."

He crept down the remainder of the stone steps, and placed his ear quite

close to the kitchen window.

Mrs. Ragg was enjoying a little conversation to herself.

"Ah!" she said, "it's always the way--girls will be girls; but what I

blame her for is, that she don't ask the colonel's leave at once, and

say--'Sir, your _disorderly_ has won my _infections_, and may he come

here and take a cup of tea?'"

This was Greek to Todd.

"What is the old fool talking about," he muttered. "But I will soon give

her a subject that will last for her life."

He now arrived at the door of the kitchen. It was very unlikely to be

locked or otherwise fastened, so immediately after the young woman, who

had left the house, and passed so close to him, Todd. Yet he listened

for a few moments more, as Mrs. Ragg kept making observations to

herself.

"Listeners hear no good of themselves, says the proverb, and at all

events it was verified in this instance."

"_Lor' a mussy_," ejaculated Mrs. Ragg, "how my mind do run upon that

horrid old ugly monster of a Todd to day. Well, I do hope I shall never

look upon his frightful face again, and how awful he did squint, too.

Dear me, what did the colonel say he had with his vision--could it be--a

something _afixity_? No that isn't it."

"Obliquity!" said Todd, popping his head in at the kitchen door. "It was

obliquity, and if you scream or make the least alarm, I'll skin you, and

strew this kitchen with your mangled remains!"

Mrs. Ragg sank into a chair with a melo-dramatic groan, that would have

made her fortune over the water in domestic tragedy if she could have

done it so naturally. Todd kept his eye upon her. That basilisk-like

eye, which had fascinated the good woman often, and this time it acted

as a kind of spell, for truly might he have said, or rather might some

one have said for him,

"He held her with his glittering eye."

Todd's first care now was to get between Mrs. Ragg and the kitchen door,

lest upon some sudden impulse she should rise and flee. Then he folded

his arms, and looked at her calmly, and with such a devilish smile as

might have become Mephistopheles himself, while contemplating the ruin

of a soul. He took from his pocket a razor.

"Mercy," gasped Mrs. Ragg.

"Where is Tobias?"

[Illustration: Todd Horrifies Mrs. Ragg.]

"Up stairs. Back room, second floor, looking into the garden."

"Alone?"

"No, Minna Grey is with him."

"Listen to me. If you stir from here until I come to you again, I will

not only murder you, but Tobias likewise, and every one whom I meet with

in this house. You know me, and can come to some opinion as to whether

or not I am a man likely to keep my word. Remain where you are; move

not, speak not, and all will be well."

Mrs. Ragg slowly slid off her chair, and fell to the floor of the

kitchen, where she lay, in what seemed a swoon.

"That will do as well," said Todd as he glanced at her, "and yet as I

return." He made a movement with his hand across his throat to indicate

what he would do, and then feeling assured that he had little or,

indeed, no opposition to expect in the house, he left the kitchen, and

walked up stairs.

When he reached the top of the kitchen stairs he paused to listen. All

was very still in the house.

"'Tis well," he said "tis well. This deed of blood shall be done, and

long before it can be thought that it was I who struck the blow, I shall

be gone."

Alas! After passing through so much! After being persued in so almost a

miraculous manner from the murderous intentions of Todd, backed by the

cupidity of Fogg, and his subordinate Watson, was poor Tobias yet to die

a terrible death as a victim to the cruel passions of his relentless

persecutor? No, we will not yet believe that such is to be the fate of

poor honest Tobias, although at the present time, his prospects look

gloomy. Todd may, and no doubt has taken as worthy lives, but we will

hope that the hand of Providence will prevent him from taking this one.

He reached the landing of the first floor, and he paused to listen

again. He thought this time, that he heard the faint sound of voices

above, but he was not quite sure. Otherwise all was quiet. This was a

critical situation for Todd. If any one, who was a painter of pictures

or of morals had but seen him, Sweeney Todd, as he there stood, they

would no longer have doubted either that there was a devil, or that some

persons in this world, were actuated by a devilish fiend. He looked the

incarnate fiend!--the Mephistopheles of the imagination, such as he is

painted by the German enthusiast. His laugh too? Was not that satanic?

He set himself to listen to the voices that he heard in that quiet rooms

and the sounds, holy and full of affection as they were, awakened no

chord of answering feeling, in that bold, bad man's breast. He stood

apart from human nature, a solitary being. A wreck upon the ocean of

society

"None loving, and by none beloved."

Who would be Sweeney Todd, for all the wealth, real or fabled, of a

million Californias?

"He is here," he said, "I know his voice. Tobias is here. Ah! he

mentions the name of God. Ha! He is more fitting to go to that heaven he

can talk of so glibly, but there is none. There is none! No, no! all

that is a fable."

Of course Todd could not believe in a divinity of goodness and mercy. If

he had, what on earth could have saved him from absolute madness?