Chapter 22 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 Jennifer Stearns. The String of Pearls, author unknown. Chapter 22. The Madhouse Cell. In the corner of the Madhouse, went out to the coach, his first impression was of the boy who was said to be insane, who was dead. Not even the jolting ride to Peckham had been sufficient to arouse him to a consciousness of how he was situated. And there he lay still at the bottom of the coach, alike insensible to joy or sorrow. Is he dead? said the man to the coachman. How should I know, was the reply. He may be, or he may not, but I want to know how long I am to wait in here for my fare. There is your money, be off with you. I can see now that the boy is all right. For he breathes, although it's after an odd fashion that he does so. I should rather think he has had a knock on the head or something of that kind. As he spoke, he conveyed to bias within the building. And the coachman, since he had no further interest in the matter, drove away at once, and paid no more attention to it whatever. When Sweeney Todd reached the door at the end of the passage, he tapped at it with his knuckles, and a voice cried, Who knocks, who knocks?  Sweeney Todd did not make any verbal reply to this polite request, but opening the door, he walked into the apartment, which was one that really deserves some description. It was a large room, with a vaulted roof, and in the center was a superior oaking table, at which sat a man considerably advanced in years, as was proclaimed by his grizzly blocks, that graced the sides of his head. But whose herculean frame and robust constitution had otherwise successfully resisted the assaults of time. A lamp swung from the ceiling, which had a shade over the top of it, so that it kept a tolerably bright glow upon the table below, which was covered with books and papers, as well as glasses and bottles of different kinds, which showed that the madhousekeeper was, at all events, as far as he himself was concerned, not at all indifferent to personal comfort. The walls, however, presented the most curious aspect, for they were hung with a variety of tools and implements, which would have puzzled anyone not initiated into the matter, even to guess at their nature. These were, however, in point of fact specimens of the different kinds of machinery, which were used for the purpose of coercing the unhappy persons whose evil destiny made the members of that establishment. Those were what is called the good old times, what all sorts of abuses flourished in perfection, and when the unhappy and sane were actually punished, as if they were guilty of some great offense. Yes, and worse than that they were punished, for a criminal, who might have been just as stunned to him by any who were in authority over him, could complain, and if he got hold of a person of higher power, his complaints might be listened to.  This was indeed a most awful and sad state of things, and, to the grace of this country, it was the social evil allowed until very late years to continue with full force. Mr. Fogg, the madhousekeeper, fixed his keen eyes from beneath his saggy brows upon Sweetie Todd, as the latter entered his apartment, and then he said, Mr. Todd, I think, unless my memory deceives me, the same said the barber, making a hideous face, I believe I am not easily forgotten. True said Mr. Fogg, as he reached for a book, the edges of which were cut into a lot of little slips, on each of which was a capital letter in the order of the alphabet. True, you were not easily forgotten, Mr. Todd. He then opened the book at the letter T and read from it. Mr. Sweetie Todd, Fleet Street, London, paid one year's keep and burial of Thomas Simkins, aged thirteen, found dead in his bed after a residence in the asylum of fourteen months and four days.  What can I do now for you, sir? I am rather unfortunate, said Todd, with my voice. I have got another here who has shown such decided symptoms of insanity that it has become absolutely necessary to place him under your care. Indeed, does he rave? Well, yes, he does. And it's the most absurd nonsense in the world he raves about, for, to hear him, one would really think that, instead of being one of the most humane of men, I was in point of fact an absolute murderer. A murderer, Mr. Todd? Yes, a murderer. A murderer to all intents and purposes. Could anything be more absurd than such an accusation? Well, yes, I am a murderer to all intents and purposes, but I have the milk of human kindness flowing in every vein, and his very appearance ought to be sufficient to convince anybody at once of my kindness of disposition. Sweeney Todd finished his speech by making such a hideous face that the madhousekeeper could not for the life of him tell what to say to it. And then there came one of those short disagreeable laughs which Todd was such an adept in, and which, somehow or other, never appeared exactly to come from his mouth, but always made people look up at the walls and ceiling of the apartment in which there were, in great doubt, as to whence their remarkable sound came. For how long, said the madhousekeeper, do you think this malady will continue? I will pace at Sweeney Todd, as he leaned over the table and looked into the face of his questioner. I will pay for twelve months, but I don't think, between you and I, that the case will last anything like so long.  I should wonder if he did. Some of our patients do die very suddenly, and somehow or other, we never know exactly how it happens. But it must be some sort of fit, for they are found dead in the morning in their beds, and then we bury them privately and quietly, without troubling anybody about it at all. Which is decidedly the best way, because it saves a great annoyance to friends and relations, as well as prevents any extra expenses which otherwise many foolishly gone to. You are wonderfully correct and considerate, said Todd, and it's no more than what I expected from you, or what anyone might expect from a person of your great experience, knowledge and requirements. I must confess, I am quite delighted to hear you talk as so elevated a strain. Why, said Mr. Fogg, with a strange leader upon his face? We are forced to make ourselves useful, like the rest of the community, and we could not expect people to send their mad friends and relatives here, unless we took good care that their ends and views were answered by so doing. We make no remarks, and we ask no questions. Those are the principles upon which we have conducted business so successfully and so long. Those are the principles upon which we shall continue to conduct it, and to merit, we hope, the patronage of the British public. Unquestionably, most unquestionably. You may as well introduce me to your patients at once, Mr. Todd, for I suppose, by this time, he has been brought into this house. Certainly, certainly, I shall have great pleasure in showing him to you. The madhousekeeper rose, and so did Mr. Todd, and the former, pointing to the bottles and glasses on the table, said, When this business is settled, we can have a friendly glass together. To this propositions, we eat hot assented with a nod, and then they both proceeded to what was called a reception room in the asylum, in where poor Tobias had been conveyed and laid upon a table, when he showed slight symptoms of recovering from the state of insensibility into which he had fallen, and a man was sluicing water on his face by the assistance of a hearth-burn, occasionally dipped into a pail full of that liquid. Quite young, said the madhousekeeper, as he looked upon the pale and interesting face of Tobias. Yes, that's why he, Todd, he is young, roars the pity, and, of course, we deeply regret his present situation. Well, of course, of course, but see, he opens his eyes, and will speak directly. Rave, you mean rave, said Todd. Don't call it speaking. It is not entitled to the name. Hush, listen to him. Where am I? said Tobias. Where am I? Todd is a murderer. I denounce him.  Mad indeed, said the keeper. Well, save me from him. Save me from him, said Tobias, fixing his eyes upon Mr. Fogg. Save me from him. It is my life he seeks, because I know his secrets. He is a murderer, and many a person comes into his shop, and never leaves it again in life, if at all. You hear him, said Todd. Was there anybody so mad? Desperately mad, said the keeper. Come, come, young fellow, we shall be under the necessity of putting you in a straight waistcoat if you go on in that way. We must do it, for there is no help in such cases if we don't. Todd slunk back into the darkness of the apartment, so that he was not seen, and Tobias continued in an imploring tone. I do not know who you are, sir, or where I am, but let me beg of you to cause the house of Sweetie Todd, the barber in Fleet Street, near St. Dunstan's Church, to be searched, and there you will find that he is a murderer. There are at least a hundred hats, quantities of walking sticks, umbrellas, watches and rings, all belonging to unfortunate persons who, from time to time, have met with their deaths through him. How uncommonly mad, said Fogg. No, no, said Tobias, I am not mad. Why, call me mad, when the truth or falsehood of what I say can be ascertained so easily. Search his house, and if those things be not found there, say that I am mad, and have but dreamed of them. I do not know how he kills the people. That is a great mystery to me yet, but that he does kill them I have no doubt. I cannot have a doubt. Watson cried to the madhousekeeper. Hello, here, Watson. I am here, sir, said the man, who had been dashing water upon poor Tobias's face. He will take the slide, Watson, as he seems extremely feverish and unsettled. He will take him and shave his head, Watson, and put a straight waistcoat upon him, and let him be put in one of the dark damp cells, who must be careful of him, and too much light encourages delirium and fever. Oh, no, no, cried Tobias, what have I done that I should be subjected to such cruel treatment? What have I done that I should be placed in a cell? If this be madhouse, I am not mad. Oh, have mercy upon me, have mercy upon me. You will give him nothing but bread and water, Watson, and the first symptoms of his recovery, which will produce better treatment, will be his exonerating his master from what he has said about him. For he must be mad so long as he continues to accuse such a gentleman as Mr. Todd of such things. Nobody but a madman or a mad boy will think of it. Then, said Tobias, I shall continue mad, for if it be madness to know and to avert, that swingy Todd the barber of Fleet Street is a murderer, not am I, for I know it and avert. It is true, it is true. Take him away, Watson, and do as I desire you. I begin to find that the boy is a very dangerous character and more viciously mad than anybody we have had here for a considerable time. The man named Watson seized upon Tobias, who again uttered a shriek, something similar to the one which had come from his lips, when swingy Todd clutched hold of him in his mother's room. But they were used to such things in that madhouse, and cared little for them. So no one heeded the cry in the least, but poor Tobias was carried to the door, half mad in reality, by the horrors that surrounded him. Just as he was being conveyed out, swingy Todd stepped up to him, and putting his mouth close to his ear, he whispered, Ha ha, Tobias, how do you feel now? Do you think swingy Todd will be hung, or will you die in the cell of a madhouse? End of Chapter 22 Read by Jennifer Stirls Cochrane, New Hampshire Our readers will no doubt be induced to believe that he was a gentleman likely enough soon to tire of his situation. To a starving man, and what who seemed completely abandoned even by hope, love its bakehouse, with an unlimited leave to eat as much as possible, must of course present itself in the most desirable and lively colors. And no wonder, therefore, that banishing all scruple a man so pleased would take the situation with very little inquiry. But people will tire of good things, and it is a remarkably well authenticated fact that human nature is prone to be discontented, and those persons who were well acquainted with the human mind, and who know well how little value people soon set upon things which they possess, while those which they are pursuing, and which seem to be beyond their reach, assume the liveliest colors imaginable adopt various means of turning this to account. Napoleon took good care that the meanest of his soldiers should see in perspective the possibility of grasping a Marshall's baton. Confectioners at the present day, when they take a new apprentice, tell him to eat as much as he likes of those tempting tarts and sweet meats, one or two of which before had been a most delicious treat. The soldier goes on fighting away, and never gets the Marshall's baton. The confectioner's boy crams himself with bainbury cakes, gets dreadfully sick, and never touches one afterwards. And now to revert to our friend in Mrs. Lovett's bakehouse. At first everything was delightful, and by the aid of the machinery he found that it was no difficult matter to keep up the supply of pies by really a very small amount of manual labor. And that labor was such a labor of love for the pies were delicious. There could be no mistake about that. He tasted them half-cooked, he tasted them wholly-cooked, and he tasted them overdone, hot and cold, pork and veal with seasoning and without seasoning, until at last he had had them in every possible way and shape. And when the fourth day came after his arrival in the cellar he might have been seen sitting in rather a contemplative attitude with a pie before him. It was twelve o'clock. He heard that sound come from the shop. Yes, it was twelve o'clock, and he had eaten nothing yet. But he kept his eyes fixed upon the pie that lay untouched before him. The pies are all very well, he said. In fact, of course, they are capital pies. And now that I see how they are made and know that there is nothing wrong in them I, of course, relish them more than ever. But one can't live always upon pies. It's quite impossible. One can subsist upon pies from one end of the year to the other. They were the finest pies the world ever saw or ever will see. I don't say anything against the pies. I know they are made of the finest flour, the best possible butter and that the meat, which comes from God knows where, is the most delicate looking and tender I ever ate in my life. He stretched out his hand and broke a small portion of the crust from the pie that was before him, and he tried to eat it. He certainly did succeed, but it was a great effort.  And that's the fact, one cannot be continually eating pie. It is out of the question, quite out of the question.  I really don't think I shall be able to let another one pass my lips. He rose and paced with rapid strides, the place in which he was, and then suddenly he heard a noise, and looking up he saw a trap door in the roof open and a sack of flour began gradually to come down. Helloa, helloa, he cried. Mrs. Lovett, Mrs. Lovett. Down came the flour and the trap door was closed. Oh, I can't stand this sort of thing, he exclaimed. I cannot be made into a mere machine for the manufacture of pies. I cannot and will not endure it. It has passed all bearing. For the first time almost since his incarceration, for such it really was, he began to think that he would take an accurate survey of the place where this tempting manufacture was carried on. The fact was, his mind had been so intensively occupied during the time he had been there and providing merely for his physical wants that he had scarcely had time to think or reason upon the probabilities of an uncomfortable termination of his career. But now, when he had become quite surfeited with the pies and tired of the darkness and gloom of the place, many unknown fears began to creep across him and he really trembled as he asked himself, what was to be the end of all? It was with such a feeling as this that he now set about taking a careful and accurate survey of the place and taking a little lamp in his hand he resolved to peer into every corner of it with the hope that surely he should find some means by which he should effect an escape from what otherwise threatened to be an intolerable imprisonment. The vault in which the ovens were situated was the largest and although a number of smaller ones communicated with it containing the different mechanical contrivances for the pie making he could not from any one of them discover an outlet. But it was to the vault where the meat was deposited upon stone shells that he paid the greatest share of attention for to that vault he felt convinced there must be some hidden and secret means of ingress and therefore of egress likewise or else how came the shelves always so well stocked with meat as they were? This vault was larger than any of the subsidiary ones and the roof was very high and come into it when he would it always happened that he found meat enough upon the shells cut into large lumps and sometimes into slices to make a batch of pies with it. When it got there was not so much a mystery to him as how it got there for of course as he must sleep sometimes he concluded naturally enough that it was brought in by some means during the period that he devoted to repose. He stood in the center of this vault with the lamp in his hand and he turned slowly round surveying the walls and the ceiling with the most critical and marked attention but not the smallest appearance of an outlet was observable. In fact the walls were so entirely filled with the stone shells that there was no space left for a door and as for the ceiling it seemed to be perfectly entire. Then the floor was of earth so that the idea of a trap door opening in it was out of the question because there was no one on his side of it to place the earth again over it and give it its compact unusual appearance. This is most mysterious he said and if ever I could have been brought to believe that anyone had the assistance of the devil himself in conducting human affairs I should say that by some means Mrs. Lovett had made it worth the while of that elderly individual to assist her for unless the meat gets here by some supernatural agency I really cannot see how it can get here at all and yet here it is so fresh and pure and white looking although I never could tell the pork from the veal myself for they seemed to me both alike. He now made a still narrower examination of this vault but he gained nothing by that he found that the walls at the backs of the shells were composed of flat pieces of stone which no doubt were necessary for the support of the shelves themselves but beyond that he made no further discovery and he was about leaving the place when he fancied he saw some writing on the inner side of the door a closer inspection convinced him that there were a number of lines written with lead pencil and after some difficulty he deciphered them as follows whatever unhappy wretch reads these lines may bid adieu to the world and all hope for he is a doomed man he will never emerge from these vaults with life for there is a hideous secret connected with them so awful and so hideous that to write it makes one's blood curdle and the flesh to creep upon my bones that secret is this and you may be assured whoever is reading these lines that I write the truth and that it is as impossible to make that awful truth worse by any exaggeration as it would be by a candle at midday to attempt to add luster to the sunbeams here most unfortunately the writing broke off and our friend who up to this point had perused the lines with the most intense interest felt great bitterness of disappointment from the fact that enough should have been written to stimulate his curiosity to the highest possible point but not enough to gratify it this indeed most provoking he exclaimed what can this most dreadful secret be which it is impossible to exaggerate I cannot for a moment divine to what it could allude in vain he searched over the door for some more writing there was none to be found and from the long straggling pencil mark which followed the last word it seemed as if he who had been then writing had been interrupted and possibly met the fate that he had predicted and was about to explain the reason of this is worse than no information I had better have remained in ignorance than have so indistinct a warning but they shall not find me an easy victim and besides what power on earth can force me to make pies unless I like I should wish to know as he stepped out of the place in which the meat was kept into the large vault where the ovens were he trod upon a piece of paper that was lying upon the ground in which he was quite certain he had not observed before it was fresh and white and clean too so that could not have been there long and he picked it up with some curiosity that curiosity was however soon turned to dismay when he saw what was written upon it which was to the following effect and well calculated he produced a considerable amount of alarm in the breast of anyone situated as he was so entirely friendless and so entirely hopeless of any extraneous aid in those dismal vaults which he began with a shutter to suspect would be his tomb you are getting dissatisfied and therefore it becomes necessary to explain to you your real position which is simply this you are a prisoner and we're such from the first moment that you set foot where you are now and you will find that unless you are resolved upon sacrificing your life your best plan will be to quietly give in to the circumstances in which you find yourself placed without going into any argument or details upon the subject it is sufficient to inform you that so long as you continue to make the pies you will be safe but if you refuse then the first time you are caught sleeping your throat will be cut this document was so much to the purpose and really had so little verbosity about it that it was extremely difficult to doubt its sincerity it dropped from the half paralyzed hands of that man who in the depth of his distress and urged on by great necessity had accepted a situation that he would have given worlds to escape from had he been possessed of them gracious heavens he exclaimed and I am then indeed condemned to such slavery is it possible that even in the very heart of London I am prisoner and without the means of resisting the most frightful threats that are uttered against me surely surely this must all be a dream it is too terrific to be true he sat down upon that low stool where his predecessor had sat before receiving his death wound from the assassin who had glided in behind him and dealt him that terrific crashing blow whose only mercy was that it at once deprived the victim of existence he could have wept bitterly wept as he there sat for days long passed away of opportunities let go by with the heedless laugh of youth he thought over all the chances and misfortunes of his life and now to find himself a miserable inhabitant of a seller condemned to a mean and troublesome employment without even the liberty of leaving that to starve if he chose upon pain of death a frightful death which had been threatened him was indeed torment no wonder that at times he felt himself unnerved and that a child might have conquered him while at other moments such a feeling of despair would come across him that he called aloud to his enemies to make their appearance and give him at least the chance of a struggle for his life if I am to die he cried let me die with some weapon in my hand as a brave man ought and I will not complain for there is little indeed in life now which should induce me to cling to it but I will not be murdered in the dark he sprang to his feet and running up to the door which opened from the house into the vaults he made a violent and desperate effort to shake it but such a contingency as this had surely been looked forward to and provided against for the door was of amazing strength and most effectually resisted all his efforts so that the result of his endeavours was but to exhaust himself and he staggered back panting and despairing to the seat he had so recently left then he heard a voice and upon looking up he saw that the small square opening in the upper part of the door through which he had been before addressed was open and a face there appeared but it was not the face of Mrs. Lovett on the contrary it was a large and hideous male physiognomy and the voice that came from it was croaking and harsh sounding most unmusically upon the ears of the unfortunate man who was then made a victim to Mrs. Lovett's pie's popularity continue at your work or death will be your portion as soon as sleep overcomes you and you sink exhausted to that repose which you will never awaken from except to feel the pangs of death and to be conscious that you are weltering in your blood continue at your work and you will escape all this neglected and your doom is sealed what have I done that I should be made such a victim of let me go and I will swear never to divulge the fact that I have been in these vaults so I cannot disclose any of their secrets even if I knew them make pies, said the voice eat them and be happy how many a man would envy your position withdrawn from all the struggles of existence amply provided with bored and lodging and engaged in a pleasant and delightful occupation it is astonishing how you can be dissatisfied bang with the little square orifice at the top of the door and the voice was heard no more the juring mockery of those tones however still lingered upon the ear of the unhappy prisoner and he clasped his head in his hands with a fearful impression upon his brain that he surely must be going mad he will drive me to insanity he cried already I feel a sort of slumber stealing over me for want of exercise and the confined air of these vaults hinders me from taking regular repose but now if I close an eye I shall expect to find the assassin's knife at my throat he sat for some time longer and not even the dread he had of sleep could prevent a drowsiness creeping over his faculties his weariness would not be shaken off by any ordinary means until at length he sprang to his feet and shaking himself roughly like one I determined to be wide awake he said to himself mournfully I must do their bidding or die hope may be a delusion here but I cannot altogether abandon it and not until its faintest image has departed from my breast can I lie down to sleep and say let death come in any shape it is welcome with a desperate and despairing energy he said about replenishing the furnaces of the oven and when he had got them all in a good state he commenced manufacturing a batch of one hundred pies which when he had finished and placed upon the tray and set the machine in motion which conducted them up to the shop he considered to be a sort of price paid for his continued existence and flinging himself upon the ground he fell into a deep slumber End of Chapter 23 Recording by Jason Mayoff Montreal Chapter 24 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 Christine Blashford The String of Pearls, Author Unknown Chapter 24 The Night at the Madhouse When Sweeney Todd had with such diabolical want of feeling whispered the few words of mockery which we have recorded in Tobias's ear and made out of Mr. Fogg's reception-room to be taken to a cell the villainous barber drew back and indulged in rather a longer laugh than usual Mr. Todd said, Mr. Fogg I find that you still retain your habit of merriment but yours ain't the most comfortable laugh in the world and we seldom hear anything to equal it even from one of our cells No, said Sweeney Todd I don't suppose you do and for my part I never heard of a cell laughing yet Oh, you know what I mean Mr. Todd well enough That may be, said Todd I think, however, as I came in you said something about refreshment I certainly did and if you will honour me by stepping back to my room I think I can offer you, Mr. Todd a glass of as nice wine as the king himself could put on his table if he were any judge of that commodity which I am inclined to think he is not What do you expect, said Sweeney Todd that such an idiot should be a judge of but I shall have great pleasure in tasting your wine for I have no hesitation in saying that my work tonight has made me thirsty At this moment a shriek was heard and Sweeney Todd shrank away from the door Oh, it's nothing, it's nothing, said Mr. Fogg If you had resided here as long as I have you would get accustomed to hearing a slight noise The worst of it is when half a dozen of the madfellows get shrieking against each other in the middle of the night that, I grant, is a little annoying What do you do with them? We send in one of the keepers with the lash and soon put a stop to that We are forced to keep the upper hand of them or else we should have no rest Hark, do you hear that fellow now his head to be outrageous today but one of my men will soon put a stop to that This way, Mr. Todd, if you please and as we don't often meet, I think when we do we ought to have a social glass Sweeney Todd made several horrible faces as he followed the madhouse keeper and he looked as if it would have given him quite as much pleasure and no doubt it would to brain that individual as to drink his wine although probably he would have preferred doing the latter process first and executing the former afterwards and at his leisure They soon reached the room which was devoted to Mr. Fogg and his friends and which contained the many little curiosities in the way of madhouse discipline that were in that age considered indispensable in such establishments Mr. Fogg moved away with his hands a great number of the books and papers which were on the table so as to leave a vacant space and then drawing the cork of a bottle he filled himself a large glass of its contents and invited Sweeney Todd to do the same who was by no means slow in following his example While these two villains are carousing and caring nothing for the scene of misery as it was intended, poor Tobias in conformity with the orders that had been issued with regard to him was conveyed along a number of winding passages and down several staircases towards the cells of the establishment In vain he struggled to get free from his captor as well my Teher have struggled in the fangs of a wolf nor were his cries at all he did although now and then the shriek he uttered was terrible to hear and enough to fill anyone with dismay I am not mad said he Indeed I am not mad, let me go and I will say nothing not one word shall ever pass my lips regarding Mr. Todd let me go, oh let me go and I will pray for you as long as I live Mr. Watson whistled a lively tune If I promise, if I swear to tell nothing Mr. Todd will not wish me kept here all he wants is my silence and I will take any oath he likes speak to him for me I implore you and let me go Mr. Watson commenced the second part of his lively tune and by that time he reached a door which he unlocked and then setting down Tobias upon the threshold he gave him a violent kick which flung him down two steps onto the stone floor of a miserable cell from the roof of which continual moisture was dripping the only accommodation it possessed being a truss of damp straw flung into one corner There said Mr. Watson, my lad you can stay there and make yourself comfortable till somebody comes to shave your head and after that you will find yourself quite a gentleman Mercy, mercy, have mercy on me Mercy, what the devil do you mean by mercy? Well, that's a good joke but I can tell you you have come to the wrong shop for that we don't keep it in stock here and if we wanted ever so little of it we should have to go somewhere else for it Mr. Watson laughed so much at his own joke that he felt quite amiable and told Tobias that if he were perfectly quiet and said thank you for everything he wouldn't put him in the straight waistcoat although Mr. Fogg had ordered it For, added Mr. Watson, so far as that goes I don't care a straw what Mr. Fogg says or what he does he can't do without me, damn him because I know too many of his secrets Tobias made no answer to this promise but he lay upon his back on the floor of his cell wringing his hands despairingly and feeling that almost the very atmosphere of the place seemed pregnant with insanity and giving himself up for lost entirely I shall never, never he said to look upon the bright sky and the green fields again I shall be murdered here because I know too much what can save me now or what an evil chance it was that brought me back again to my mother when I ought to have been far, far away by this time instead of being as I know I am condemned to death in this frightful place despair seizes upon me what noise is that a shriek? Yes, yes some other blighted heart beside mine in this dreadful house oh heaven what will become of me I already feel stifled and sick and faint with the air of this dreadful cell help, help, help have mercy upon me and I will do anything promise anything, swear anything if poor Tobias had uttered his complaints on the most desolate shore that ever a shipwrecked mariner was cast upon they could not have been more unheeded than they were in that house of terror he screamed and shrieked for aid he called upon all the friends he had ever known in early life he seemed to remember the name of everyone who had ever uttered a kind word to him and to those persons who alas could not hear him but were far enough removed away from his cell he called for aid in that hour of his deep distress at length faint, weary and exhausted he lay a mere living wreck in that damp unwholesome cell and felt almost willing that death should come and relieve him at least from the pang of constantly expecting it his cries however had had the effect of summoning up all the wild spirits in that building and as he now lay in the quiet of absolute exhaustion he heard from far and near smothered cries and shrieks and groans such as one might expect would fill the air of the infernal regions with dismal echoes a cold and clammy perspiration broke out upon him as these sounds each moment more plainly fell upon his ear and as he gazed upon the profound darkness of the cell his excited fancy began to peeple it with strange unearthly beings and he could suppose that he saw hideous faces grinning at him and huge misshapen creatures crawling on the walls and floating in the damp, perstiferous atmosphere of the wretched cell. In vain he covered his eyes with his hands these creatures of his imagination were not to be shut out from the mind and he saw them if possible more vividly than before and presenting themselves with more frightfully tangible shapes. Truly if such visions should continue to haunt him Porta Bias was likely enough to follow the fate of many others who had been held in that establishment perfectly sane but in a short time exhibited in it as raving lunatics.  Yes said Mr. Fogg, it might be worse. You see some patients who are low and melancholy mad require stimulants and their friends send them wine. This is some that was so sent. I should certainly, Mr. Fogg, not expect such an act of indiscretion from you knowing you as I do to be quite a man of the world. Thank you for the compliment. This wine for an old gentleman who had turned so melancholy that he not only would not take food enough to keep life and soul together but he really terrified his friends so by threatening suicide that they sent him here for a few months and as stimulants were recommended for him they sent this wine you see but I stimulated him without it quite as well for I drink the wine myself and give him such an infernal good kick or two every day and that stimulates him for it puts him in such a devil of a passion that I'm quite sure he doesn't want any wine. A good plan said Sweeney Todd but I wonder if you strive that your own private room should be free from the annoyance of hearing such sounds as those that have been coming upon my ears for the last five or ten minutes. It's impossible you cannot get out of the way if you live in the house at all and you see as regards these mad fellows they are quite like a pack of wolves and when once one of them begins howling and shouting the others are sure to chime in in full chorus and make no end of a disturbance till we stop them as I have already told you we do with a strong hand. While I think of it said Sweeney Todd in a leather than bag while I think of it I may as well pay you the year's money for the lad I've brought you you see I have not forgot the excellent rule you have of being paid in advance there is the amount. Ah! Mr. Todd said the mad housekeeper as he counted the money and then placed it in his pocket it's a pleasure to do business with a thorough businessman like yourself the bottle stands with you Mr. Todd and I beg you will not spare it do you know Mr. Todd this is a line of life which I have often thought would have suited you I'm certain you have a genius for such use said Todd but as I am fond certainly of what is strange and out of the way some of the scenes and characters you come across would I have no doubt be highly entertaining to me. Scenes and characters I believe you during the course of a business like ours we come across all sorts of strange things and if I chose to do it which of course I don't I could tell a few tales which would make some people shake in their shoes but I have no right to tell them for I have been paid and what the juice is it to me oh nothing of course nothing but just while we are sipping our wine now couldn't you tell me anything that would not be betraying anybody else's confidence I could I could I don't mean to say that I could not and I don't much care if I do to you End of Chapter 24 Chapter 25 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 John Leader The String of Pearls Author Unknown Chapter 25 Mr. Fogg's Story at the Madhouse After a short pause during which Mr. Fogg appeared to be referring to the cells of his memory with the view of being refreshed in a matter that had long since been a bygone but which he desired to place as clearly before his listener as he could in fact to make if possible that relation real to him and to omit nothing during its progress that should be told or possibly that amiable individual was engaged in considering if there were any salient points that might incriminate himself or give even a friend a handle to make use of against him but apparently there was nothing of the kind for after allowed he filled with the glasses saying well now as you are a friend I don't mind telling you how we do business here things that have been done you know by others but I have had my share as well as others I have known a thing or two Mr. Todd and I may say I have done a thing or two too well we must all live and let live said Sweeney Todd there's no going against that you know if all I have done could speak why but no matter I am listening to you however if deeds could speak one or two clever things would come out rather I think hi it is well they don't said Mr. Fogg with much salinity if they did they would constantly be speaking at times when it would be very inconvenient to hear them in a dangerous besides so it would said Sweeney a still tongue makes a wise head but then the silent system would bring no grace to the mill and we must speak when we know we are right and among friends of course said Fogg of course that's the right use of speech and one may as well be without it is to have it and not use it but come drink and fill again before I begin and then I tell but we may as well have sentiment sentiment you know continued Fogg is the very soul of friendship what do you say to the heart that can feel for another with all my soul said Sweeney Todd it's very touching very touching indeed the heart that can feel for another and as he spoke he emptied the glass which he pushed towards Fogg to refill where said Fogg as he complied we have had the sentiment we may as well have the exemplification ha ha ha said Todd very good very good indeed pray go on that will do capital E I may as well tell you the whole matter as it occurred I will then let you know all and in the same manner none of the parties are now living or at least they are not in this country which is just the same thing so far as I am concerned then that is an affair settled and done with remarked Sweeney Todd parenthetically yes quite well it was one night such a one is this and pretty well about the same hour perhaps somewhat earlier than this however it doesn't signify a straw about the hour but it was quite night dark and what night too when a knock came at the street door a sharp double knock it was I was sitting alone as I might have been now drinking a glass or two of wine I was startled for I was thinking about an affair I had on hand at that very moment of which there was a little stir however I I went to the door and peeped through a grating that I had there and saw only a man he had drawn his horse inside the gate and secured him he wore a large Whitney riding-coat with a cape that would have thrown off a deluge I fancied or I thought I could tell that he meant no mischief so I opened the door at once and saw a tall gentlemanly but wrapped up so that you could not tell who or what he was but my eyes are sharp, you know, Mr. Todd we haven't seen so much of the world without learning to distinguish what kind of a person one has to deal with I shall think not said Todd well said I what is your pleasure the stranger paused a moment or two before he made any reply to me is your name Fogg he said yes it is said I why after another pause during which he fixed his eye very hard upon me why I wish to have a little private conversation with you if you could spare so much time upon a very important matter which I have in hand walk in sir said I as soon as I heard what it was he wanted it is a very unpleasant night and it's coming on to rain harder I think it is fortunate you have got housed he came into this very parlor and took a seat before the fire with his back to the light so that I couldn't see his face very well however I was determined that I would be satisfied in those particulars and so when he had taken off his hat I stirred up the fire and made a blaze that illuminated the whole room and which showed me the sharp thin visage of my visitor who was a dark man with keen gray eyes that were very restless will you have a glass of wine said I the night is cold as well as wet yes I will he replied I am cold with riding you have a lonely place about here your house I see stands alone too no sir said I we hadn't need for when any of the poor things such to screaming it would make them feel very uncomfortable indeed so it would there is an advantage in that both to yourself as well as to them it would be disagreeable to you to know that you are disturbing your neighbors and they would feel equally uncomfortable in being disturbed and yet you must do your duty hey to be sure said I I must do my duty and people won't pay me for letting madmen go though they may for keeping them and besides that I think some of them would get their throats cut if I did you are right quite right said he I am glad to find you of that mind for I came to you about an affair that requires some delicacy about it since it is a female patient ah said I pay a great attention very great attention and I don't recollect a case however violent it may be but what I can overcome I always make him acknowledge me and there's much art in that to be sure there must be and moreover they wouldn't so soon crouch and shrink away from me and do what I tell him if I did not treat them kindness it is as far as is consistent with one's don't forget that exactly he replied those are my sentiments exactly and now sir will you inform me in what way I can serve you why I have a relative a female relative who is unhappily affected with a brain disease we have tried all we can do without any effect do what we will it comes to the same thing in the end ah said I poor thing what a dreadful thing it must be to you or any of her friends who have the charge of her to see her day by day an incurable maniac why it is just as bad as when a friend or relative was dead and you were obliged to have the dead body constantly in your house before your eyes exactly my friend replied the stranger exactly you are a man of discernment Mr. Fogg I see that in the state of the case you may then guess at the state of our feelings when we have to part with one beloved by us as he spoke he turned right round and faced me looking very hard into my face well said I yours is a hard case but to have one afflicted about you in the manner the young lady is is truly distressing it is like having a perpetual ambego in your back exactly said the stranger I tell you what you are the very man to do this thing for me I am sure of it said I then we understand each other a said the stranger I must say I like your appearance it is not often such people as you and I meet I hope it will be to our mutual advantage said I because such people don't meet every day to meet to no purpose so in anything delicate and confidential you may command me I see you are a clever man said he well well I must pay you in proportion to your talents how do you do business by the job or by the year well said I where it's a matter of some nicety it may be both but it entirely depends upon circumstances I had better know exactly what it is I have to do why you see it is a young female about 18 and she is somewhat troublesome takes to screaming and all that kind of thing I want her taken care of though you must be very careful she neither runs away or suddenly commits any mischief as her madness does not appear to me to have any particular form and would at times completely deceive the best of us and then suddenly she will break out violently and snap or fly at anybody with her teeth is she so bad is that yes quite so it is quite impossible to keep her at home and I expect it will be a devil of a job to get her here I tell you what you shall have I'll pay you your yearly charge for board and care and you'll come and assist me in securing her and bringing her down it will take some trouble very well said I that will do but you must double the note and make it 20 if you please it will cost something to come and do the job well I see very well we won't disagree about a 10 pound note but you know how to dispose of her if she comes here oh yes very healthy place but I don't know that health is a very great blessing to anyone under such circumstances indeed who would begrudge an early grave to one severely afflicted nobody ought said I if they know what mad people went through they would not I'm sure that is very true again but the fact is they don't and they only look at one side of the picture for my own part I think that it ought to be so ordained that when people are so afflicted nature ought to sink under the affliction and so insensibly to revert to the former state of non-entity well said I please I don't understand all that but I tell you what I hope if she were to die much sooner than you expect you would not think it too much trouble to afford me some compensation for my loss oh dear no and to show you that I should entertain no such illiberal feeling I will give you 200 pounds when the certificate of her burial can be produced you understand me certainly her death will be of little value to me without the legal proof said the stranger so she must die at her own pleasure or live while she can certainly said I but what terrifies me said the stranger most is her terror-stricken and so always staring us in our faces and it arose from her being terrified indeed I think if she were thoroughly frightened she would fall dead I am sure if any wickedly disposed person were to do so death would no doubt result ah said I it would be a bad job now tell me where I am to see you and how about the particulars oh I will tell you now can you be at the corner of Grosvenor street near Park Lane yes I replied I will with a coach too I wish you to have a coach and one that you can depend on because there may be a little noise I will try to avoid it if possible but we can always do what we desire but you must have good horses now I'll tell you what is my plan that is if you don't mind the damages if any happen what are they this suppose a horse falls and is hurt or an upset would you stand the racket I would of course then listen to me I have had more of these affairs than you have no doubt again I have had experience which you have not now I'll get a trotting horse and a covered cart or chase one that will go along well at ten miles an hour and no mistake about it but will it hold enough oh yes four or five or six and upon a push I have known eight to cram in it but then you know we were not particularly how we were placed but still it will hold many is a hackney coach only not so conveniently but then we have nobody in the affair to drive us and there can't be too few well that is perhaps best but have you a man on whom you can depend because if you could why I would not be in the affair at all you must said I in the first place I want one man best him I must leave here to mind the place so if you can manage the girl I will drive and know the road as well as the way to my own mouth I would rather have as few in it as possible your precaution is very good and I think I will try and manage it that there should be only you and I acquainted with the transaction at all events should it become necessary it will be time enough to let some other person into the secret at the moment their services are required that I think will be the best arrangement that I can come to what do you say that will do very well when we get her here and when I have seen a few days I can tell you what to do with her exactly and now good night there is the money I promised and now again good night I shall see you at the appointed time you will sit I one glass more it will do you good and keep the rain out he took off a glass of wine and then pulled his hat over his face and left the house it was a dark wet night and the wind blew and we heard the sound of his horse's hooves for some time however I shut the door and went in thinking over in my mind what would be the gain of my own exertions well at the appointed time I borrowed a chaise cart a cupboard one with what you call a head to it and I trotted to town in it at the appointed time I was at the corner of Grosvenor street it was late and yet I waited there an hour or more to call any one I walked into a little house to get a glass of spirits to keep the warmth of the body and when I came out again I saw someone standing at my horse's head I immediately went up oh you are here he said yes I am I have been here the Lord knows how long are you ready yes I am come said he as he got into the cart come to the place I shall tell you I should only get her into the cart and you must do the rest you will come back with me I shall want help on the road and I have no one with me yes I will come with you and manage the girl but you must drive and take all the casualties of the road for I shall have enough to do to hold her and keep her from screaming when she does awake what sleep I have given her a small dose of Lordinum which will cause her to sleep comfortably for an hour or two but the cold air and disturbance will most probably awaken her first throw something over her and keep her warm and have something ready to thrust into her mouth in case she takes to screaming and then you are all right good he replied now wait here I am going to yarn house when I have entered and disappeared several minutes you may quietly drive up and take your station on the other side of the lamppost as he spoke he got out and walked to a large house which he entered softly and left the door ajar and after he had gone in I walked the horse quietly up to the lamppost and as I placed it the horse and front of the cart I had scarcely got up to the spot when the door opened and he looked out to see if anybody was passing I gave him the word and out he came leaving the door and came with what looked like a bundle of clothes but which was the young girl and some clothes he had brought with him give her to me said I and jump up and take the reins go on as quickly as you can I took the girl in my arms and I handed her into the back part of the chase while he jumped up and drove away I placed the young girl in an easy position upon some hay and stuffed the clothes under her so as to prevent the jolting from hurting her well said I you may as well come back here and sit beside her she is all right you seem ratherness too why I have run with her in my arms and all together it has floored me you had better have some brandy said I no no don't stop poo poo I replied pulling up here is the last house we shall come to to have a good stiff tumbler of hot brandy and water come have you any change about a sovereign will do because I shall want change on the road come be quick he handed me a sovereign saying don't you think it's dangerous to stop we may be watched or she may wake not a bit of it she snores too loudly to wake just yet and you'll faint without the cordial so keep a good look out upon the wench and you will recover your nerves again as I spoke I jumped out and got two glasses of brandy and water but strong and sweet I had in about two minutes made out of the house here sit I drink it all up it will bring the eyes out of your head I spoke the truth for what with my recommendation and his nervousness and haste he drank about half of it at a gulp I shall never forget his countenance I can't keep my mirth to myself just imagine the girl inside a covered cart all dark so dark that you could hardly see the outlines of the shadow of a man and then imagine if you can a pair of keen eyes that's shown in the dark like cats eyes suddenly give out a flash of light and then turn round in their sockets showing the whites awfully and then listen to the fall of the glass and see him grasp his throat with one hand and thrust the other hand into his stomach there was a queer kind of voice came from his throat and then something like a curse and a groan escaped him damn it! sit I what is the matter now you've supped all the liquor you are very nervous you would better have another dose no more no more he said faintly and huskily no more for God's sake no more I am almost choked my throat is scalded and my entrails on fire I told you it was hot sit I yes hot boiling go on I'm mad with pain push on will you have any water or anything to cool your throat sit I no no go on yes sit I however it's going down very fast now very fast indeed here is the last mouthful and as I said so I gulped it down returned with the one glass and then paid for the damage this did not occupy five minutes and away we came along the road at a devil of a pace and we were all right enough my friend behind me got over his cauld though he had a very sore gullet and his intestines intestines were in a very uncomfortable state but he was better away we rattled the ground rattling to the horses hooves and the wheels of the vehicle the young girl still remaining in the same state of insensibility in which she had first been brought out no doubt she had taken a stronger dose of the opium than she was willing to admit that was nothing to me but made it all the better because she gave the less trouble and made it safer we got here easy enough drove slap up to the door which was opened in an instant jumped out took the girl and carried her in when once these doors are shut upon anyone they may rest assured that it is quite a settled thing and they don't get out very easy save in a wooden sir too indeed I never lost a border by any other means we always keep one connection and they are usually so well satisfied that they never take anyone away from us well well I carried her in doors and left her in a room by herself on a bed she was a nice girl a handsome girl I suppose people would call her and had a low sweet and plaintive voice but enough of this all right said I when I returned to this room it's all right I have left her she isn't dead he inquired with much terror oh no no no she's only asleep and has not woke up yet from the effects of the Lordenum would you now give me one year's pay in advance yes he replied as he handed the money and the remainder of the bonds now getting back to London tonight you had better remain here oh no I should go mad too if I were to remain here I must leave here soon well will you go to the village in how far is that off about a mile you'll reach it easy enough I'll drive you over for the matter of that and leave you there I shall take the cart there very well let it be so I will go well I'm glad it is all over and the sooner it is over forever the better I'm truly sorry for her but it cannot be helped it will kill her I have no doubt but that is all the better she will escape the misery consequent upon her departure and release us from a weight of care so it will so die but come we must go at once if going you are yes yes he said hurriedly well then come along the horse is not yet unharnessed and if we do not make haste we shall be too late to obtain a lodging for the night that is very good he said somewhat wildly I am quite ready quite and trotted off to the inn at a good rate where we arrived in about ten minutes or less and then I put up the horse and saw him in the inn and came back as quick as I could on foot well well I thought this will do I have a good day of it paid well for business and haven't wanted for sport on the road well I came to the conclusion that if the whole affair was too speedily and it would be more in my pocket than if she were living and she would be far happier in heaven than here Mr. Todd undoubtedly said Mr. Sweeney Todd undoubtedly that is a very just observation of yours well then I set to work to find out how the matter could be managed and I watched her until she awoke she looked around her and seemed much surprised and confused and did not seem to understand her position while I remained near at hand she sighed deeply and put her hand to her head and appeared for a time quite unable to comprehend what had happened to her or where she was I sent some tea to her as I was not prepared to execute my purpose and she seemed to recover and asked some questions but my man was dumb for the occasion and would not speak and the result was she was very much frightened I left her so for a week or two and then one day I went into her cell she had greatly altered in appearance and looked very pale well said I how do you find yourself now she looked up into my face and shuddered but she said in a calm voice where am I you are here and you will be very comfortable if you only take on kindly but you will have a straight waistcoat put on you if you do not good God she exclaimed clasping her hands have they put me here in she could not finish the sentence and I supplied the word but she did not utter until I had done so oh madhouse oh come this will never do you must not be quiet or you will have fearful consequences oh mercy I will do no wrong what have I done that I should be brought here what have I done they may have all I have if they will let me live in freedom I care not where or how poor I may be oh Henry Henry what was would you not fly to my rescue oh yes you would you would ah said I there is no Henry here and you must be content to do without one I could not have believed that my brother would have acted such a base part I did not think him wicked although I knew him to be selfish mean and stern yet I did not think he intended such wickedness but he thinks to rob me of my property yes that is the object he has in sending me here no doubt said I shall I ever get out she inquired in a pitiful tone do not save my life as to be spent here oh indeed it is said I while he lives you'll never leave these walls he shall not attain his end for I have deeds about me that he will never be able to obtain indeed he may kill me but he cannot benefit by my death well said I it serves him right and how did you manage that matter how did you contrive to get the deeds away never mind that it is a small deed and I have secured it I did not think he would have done this thing but he may yet relent will you aid me I shall be rich and can pay you well but your brother said I oh he is rich without mine but he is over avaricious but say you will help me only help me to get out and you shall be no loser by the affair very well said I will you give me this deed as a security that you will keep your word yes she replied drawing forth the deed a small parchment from her bosom take it and now let me out you shall be handsomely rewarded ah said I but you must allow me first to settle this matter with my employers you must really be mad we do not hear of young ladies carrying deeds and parchment about them when they are in their senses you do not mean to betray me she said springing up wildly and running towards the deed which I carefully placed in my breastcoat pocket oh dear no but I shall retain the deed and speak to your brother about this matter my god my god she exclaimed and then she sank back on her bed and in another moment she was covered with blood she had burst a blood vessel I sent for a surgeon and physician and they both gave it as their opinion that she could not be saved and that a few hours would see the last of her that was the fact she was dead before another half hour and then I sent to the authorities for the purpose of burial and producing the certificate of the medical men I had no difficulty and she was buried all comfortably without any trouble well thought I this is a very comfortable affair but it will be more profitable than I had any idea of and I must get my reward first and if there should be any difficulty I have the deed to fall back on he came down next day and appeared with rather a long face well said he how do matters go here oh very well said I how is your throat I thought he cast a malicious look at me as much as to imply he laid it all to my charge pretty well he replied but I was ill for three days how is the patient as well as you could possibly wish said I she takes it kindly eh well I hardly expected it but no matter be a long while on hand I perceive you haven't tried the frightening system yet then hadn't any need I replied putting the certificate of burial in his hand he chomped as if he had been stung by an adder and turned pale but he soon recovered and smiled complacently as he said ah well I see you have been diligent but I should have liked to have seen her to have asked her about a missing deed but no matter now about the two hundred pounds said I why said he I think one will do when you come to consider what you have received and the short space of time and all you have had a years bored in advance I know I had but because I have done more than you expected and in a shorter time instead of giving me more you have the conscience to offer me less no no not the what did you call it well I have nothing said about that but here is a hundred pounds and you are well paid well I must have five hundred pounds at any rate and unless you give it to me I will tell other parties what a certain deed is to be found what deed the one you are alluding to give me four hundred more and you shall have the deed after much conversation and trouble he gave it to me and I gave him the deed with which he was well pleased but looked hard at the money and seemed to grieve at it very much since that time I have heard that he was challenged by his sister's lover and they went out to fight a duel and he fell and died the lover went to the continent where he has since lived ah said Sweeney Todd you had decidedly the best of this affair nobody gained anything but you nobody at all that I know of saved distant relations and I did very well but then you know I can't live upon nothing it costs me something to keep my house and cellar but I stick to business and so I shall as long as business sticks to me End of Chapter 25 Recording by John Leader Bloomington, Illinois Chapter 26 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 Jennifer Stearns The String of Pearls Author Unknown Chapter 26 Colonel Geoffrey makes another effort to come at Sweeney Todd's secret We were to say that Colonel Geoffrey was satisfied with the state of affairs as regard to the disappearance of his friend Thornhill or that he made up his mind now contentedly to wait until chance when the mere progress of time blew something of a more defined nature in his way We should be doing that gentlemen a very great injustice indeed on the contrary he was one of those chivalrous persons who, when they do commence anything take the most ample means to bring it to a conclusion and are not satisfied that they have made one great effort which having failed is sufficient to satisfy them Far from this he was a man who when he commenced any enterprise looked forward to but one circumstance that could possibly end it and that was its full and complete accomplishment in every respect So that, in this affair of Mr. Thornhill he certainly had no time by any means to abandon it but he was not precipitated his habits of military discipline and the long life he had led in camps where anything in the shape of hurry and confusion is much reprobated made him pause before he decided upon any particular course of action and this pause was not one contingent upon a belief or even a surmise in the danger of the course that suggested itself For such a consideration had no effect whatever upon him and if some other mode had suddenly suggested itself which, while it placed his life in the most imminent peril would have seemed more likely to accomplish his object it would have been at once most gladly welcome and now, therefore, he said about thinking deeply over what could possibly be done in a matter that has yet appeared to be involved in the most profound possible mysteries that the barbers boy who had been addressed by him and the captain knew something of an extraordinary character which fear presented him from disclosing he had no doubt and as the colonel remarked a fear keeps that loud silent upon the subject fear may make him speak and I do not see why we should not endeavour to make ourselves a match for Sweeney Todd in such a matter What do you propose then? said the captain I should say that the best plan would be to watch the barbers shop and take possession of the boy and find an opportunity of so doing carry him off yes, certainly and as in all likelihood his fear of the barber is but a visionary affair after all it can really, when we have him to ourselves be dispelled and then when he finds that we can and will protect him we shall hear all he has to say after some further conversation the plan was resolved upon and the captain and the colonel have to make a careful reconnaissance as they called it a fleet street found that by taking up a station had the window of a tavern which was very nearly opposite to the barbers shop they should be able to take such an effectual notice of whoever went in and came out that they would be sure to see the boy sometime during the course of the day this plan of operations would no doubt have been gravely successful and Tobias would have fallen into their hands but not, alas, for him, poor fellow already been treated by Sweetie Todd as we have described by being incarcerated in that fearful madhouse on Peckham Rye which was kept by so unscrupulous a person as Fogg and we cannot but consider that it was most unfortunate for the happiness of all those persons in whose fate we take so deep an interest and in whom we hope as regards the reader we have likewise awakened a feeling of great sympathy if Tobias had not been so infatuated as to make the search he did of the barbers house but had waited even for 24 hours before doing so in that case not only would he have escaped the dreadful doom which awaited him but Johanna Oakley would have been saved from much danger which afterwards befell her but we must not anticipate and the fearful adventures which it was her doom to pass through before she met with the reward and her noble perseverance will speak for themselves trumpet-tongued indeed it was at a very early hour in the morning that the two friends took up their station at the public house so near the opposite to Sweetie Todd's in Fleet Street and then having made an arrangement with the landlord of the house that they were to have undisturbed possession of the room for as long as they liked they both sat at the window and kept an eye upon Todd's house it was during the period of time that Colonel Jeffrey first met the captain acquainted with the fact of his great affection for Johanna and that in her he thought he had at last fixed his wandering fancy and found really the only being with whom he thought he could in this world taste the sweets of domestic life and no no regret she is all he said in beauty that the warmest imagination could possibly picture and along with these personal charms which certainly are most peerless I've seen enough of her to feel convinced that she has a mind of the purest order that ever belonged to any human being in the world with such sentiments and feelings toward her the wonder would be said the captain if you did not love her as you now value do I could not be insensible to her attractions but understanding my dear friend I do not on account of my own suddenly conceived partiality for this young and beautiful creature intend to commit the injustice of not trying might remain and with heart and hand to discover if she supposes it to be true that thornhill American gestury be one of the same person and when I tell you that I love her with a depth and a sincerity of affection that makes her happiness of greater importance to me than my own you know I think enough of me to feel convinced that I am speaking only what I really feel I can said the captain and I do give you credit for the greatest possible amount of sincerity and I feel sufficiently interested myself in the future fate of this very young creature to wish that she may be convinced her lover is no more and made so much better herself as I am quite certain she would by becoming your wife for all we can hear this in gestury seems to prove that he is not the most stable minded of individuals the world ever produced and perhaps not exactly the sort of man to make such a girl as Joanna Oakley happy however of course she may think to the contrary and he may in all sincerity think likewise I thank you for the kind of feeling towards me my friend which has dictated that speech but hush so the captain suddenly hush look at the barber the barber sweetie Todd yes yes there he is do you not see him there he is and he looks as if he has come off a long journey what can he have been about I wonder he is draggled in mud yes they were sweetie Todd opening his shop from the outside with a key that after a vast amount of fumbling he took from his pocket and as the captain said he did indeed look as if he had come off a long journey for he was draggled with mud and his appearance altogether was such as to convince anyone that he must have fallen during the early part of the morning upon London and its suburbs and this was just the fact staying with a madhouse keeper in the hope that the bad weather which had set in would be alleviated he had been compelled to give up all chance of such a thing and as no conveyance of any description was to be had he enjoyed the pleasure if it could be called such of walking home up to his knees in the mud of that dirty neighborhood it was however some satisfaction to him to feel that if he had got rid of Tobias who for what he had done in the administration of the house had become extremely troublesome indeed and perhaps the most serious enemy that Sweeney Todd had ever had ha! he said as he came inside of his shop in Fleet Street ha! master Tobias is safe enough he won't give me no more trouble that is quite clear what a wonderfully convenient thing it is to have such a friend as Fogg who for consideration will do so much towards reading one of an uncomfortable encumbrance that that boy might have come past my indistruction I wish I dared when the means I now have from the string of pearls joined to my other resources to leave the business and so not to be obliged to run the risk and have the trouble of another boy yes, Sweeney Todd would have been glad not to shut up his shop in Fleet Street at once and forever but he dreaded that when John Mundell found that his customer did not come back to him and that he, John Mundell would proceed to sell them and that then their beauty and their great worth would excite much attention and someone might come forward who knew much more about their early history than he did I must keep quiet, he thought I must keep quiet for although I think I was pretty well disguised and it is not as likely that anyone no, not even the cute John Mundell himself would recognize in Sweeney Todd Fleet Street the noblemen who came from the Queen to borrow 8,000 pounds upon a string of pearls yet there is a remote possibility of danger and should there be a disturbance about the precious stones it is better that I should remain in obscurity until that disturbance is completely over this was no doubt admirable policy on the part of Todd who although he found himself a rich man had not, as many people do and made the most gratifying and interesting discovery forgotten all the prudence attacked that had made him one of the most every class of personages he was some few minutes before he could turn the key in the lock of his street door but at length he affected that object and disappeared for the eyes of the Colonel and his friend into his own house and the door was instantly again closed upon him well, said Colonel Jeffrey what do you think of that? I don't know what to think further than that your friend Todd has been out of town as the state of his boots abundantly testifies they do indeed and he has the appearance of having been a considerable distance for the mud that is upon his boots is not London mud certainly not it is of quite a different character altogether but see, he is coming out again Sweetie Todd strode out of his house bareheaded now and proceeded to take down the shutters of his shop which, there being but three he accomplished in a few seconds of time and walked in again with them in his hand along with the iron bar which had secured them in which he had released from the inside this was all the ceremony that took place at the opening of Sweetie Todd's shop and the only surprise are friends who were at the public house window had upon the subject was that having a boy he, Todd should condonsend to make himself so useful as to open his own shop and nothing could be seen of the lad although the hour, surely for his attendants most have arrived and Todd, equally surely was not the sort of man to be so indulgent to a boy whom he employed to make himself generally useful as to allow him to come when all the dirty work of the early morning was over but yet such all appearances would seem to be the case for presently Todd appeared with a broom in his hand sweeping out his shop with a rapidity and vengeance which seemed to say that he did not perform the operation with the very best grace in the world where can the boy be? said the captain, do you know little reason as I may really appear to have for such a supposition I cannot help my own mind connecting Todd's having been out of town, somehow with the fact of that boy's non-appearance this morning indeed, the coincidence is curious for such was my own thought likewise upon the occasion and the more I think of it the more I feel convinced that such must be the case and that our watch will be a fruitless one completely is it likely for possible enough it is that the villain has found out that we have been asking questions of the boy and has thought proper to take his life do not let us go too far said the captain in mere conjecture recollect that as yet let us suspect what we may we know nothing and that the mere fact of our not being able to trace Thornhill beyond the shop of this man will not be sufficient to found an accusation upon I know all that and I feel how very cautious we must be and yet to my mind the whole of the circumstance have been day by day assuming a most hideous air probability and I take upon Todd as a murderer already shall we continue our watch I scarcely see its utility perchance we may see some proceedings that may interest us but I have a powerful impression that we certainly shall not see the boy we want but at all events the barber you perceive has a customer already as it looked across the way they saw a well-dressed looking man who from a certain air and manner which he had could be detected not to be a Londoner he had rather resembled some substantial yeoman who had come to town to pay receive money and as he came near to Swinney Todd's shop he might have been observed to stroke his chin as if debating in his mind the necessity or otherwise of a shave the debate if it were taking place in his mind ended by the eyes having it for he walked into Todd's shop be most unquestionably the first customer which he had had that morning situated as the colonel and his friend were they could not see into Todd's shop even if the door had been opened but they saw that after the customer had been in for a few moments it was closed so that had they been close to it all the interior of the shaving establishment would have been concealed they felt no great degree of interest in this man who was a commonplace personage enough who had entered Swinney Todd's shop but when an unreasonable time had elapsed and he did not come out they did begin to feel a little uneasy and when another man went in it was only about five minutes before he emerged shaved they had the first man did not come they knew not what to make of it and looked at each other for some moments in silence that length the colonel spoke saying my friend have we waited here for nothing now what can become of that man who we saw going to the barber shop but who I suppose we feel ourselves to be in a condition to take our oath never came out I could take my oath and what conclusion can we come to none but that he has met his death there and that let his fate be what it may is the same which poor Thornhill has suffered I can endure this no longer do you stay here and let me go alone not for worlds you would rush into an unknown danger you cannot know what may be the powers of mischief that man possesses you shall not go alone colonel you shall not indeed for something must be done agreed and yet that something surely need not be done after you meditate desperate emergencies require desperate remedies yes as a general principle I will agree with you there too colonel and yet I think that in this case everything is to be lost by precipitation and nothing is to be gained we have to do with one who all appearances is keen and subtle and if anything is to be accomplished contrary to his wishes it is not to be done by the open career like under ordinary circumstances both you and I will gladly embrace well well so the colonel I do not and will not say but what you are right I know I am I am certain I am I now hear me I think we have gone quite far enough unaided in this transaction I'll let it as time we drew some others into the plot I do not understand what you mean I will soon explain I mean that if in the pursuit of this enterprise which grows each moment to my mind more serious anything should happen to you and me it is absolutely frightful to think that there would then be an end of it too true and as for poor Johanna and her friend Arabella what would they do nothing but expose themselves to great danger come come now colonel I am glad to see that we understand each other about this business you have heard of course Richard Blunt Blunt oh do you mean the magistrate I do and what I propose is that we have a private and confidential interview with him about the matter that we make him possessed of all the circumstances and take his advice what to do the result of placing the affair in such hands will at all events be that if in anything we may attempt we may be by force or fraud overpowered we shall not fall wholly unevented reason backed your proposition I knew it would when you came to reflect oh colonel Jeffery you are too much of a creature of impulse well so the colonel half jestingly I must say that I do not think the accusation comes well from you for I have certainly seen you do some rather impulsive things you won't dispute about that but since you think with me upon the matter you will have no objection to accompany me at once to serve Richard Blunt not in the lease on the contrary if anything is to be done at all for heaven's sake let it be done quickly I am quite convinced that some fearful tragedy is in progress and that if we are not most prompt in our measures we shall be too late to counteract its dire influence upon the fortunes of those in whom we have become deeply interested agreed agreed come this way and let us now for a brief space at all of the events leave Mr. Todd and his shop to take care of each other while we take an effectual means of circumventing him why do you linger I do linger some mysterious influence seems to chain me to the spot some mysterious fiddlestick why you are getting superstitious colonel no no well I suppose I must come along with you lead the way lead the way and believe me that it requires to induce me to give up a hope of making some important discovery by going to Mr. Todd's shop yes you might make an important discovery and only suppose that the discovery you did make was that he murdered some of his customers if he does so may depend that such a man takes good care to do the deed effectually and you might make the discovery just a little too late you understand that I do I do come along and collectively declare that if we see anybody else going into the barbers I shall not be able to resist rushing forward at once and giving an alarm it was certainly a good thing that the colonel's friend was not quite as enthusiastic as he was or from what we happen actually to know of Sweeney Todd and from what we suspect the greatest amount of danger might have fallen Jeffrey and instead of being in a position to help others and unraveling the mysteries of Todd's establishment he might be himself passed all help and most absolutely one of the mysteries but such was not to be End of Chapter 26 Recording by Jennifer Stearns Concord, New Hampshire Red Abras Arthur Unknown The String of Pearls Chapter 27 Tobias makes an attempt to escape from the madhouse We cannot find it in our hearts to force upon the mind of the reader the terrible condition of poor Tobias No one suddenly of all the dramatist personae of our tale is suffering so much as he and consequently we feel it to be a sort of duty to come to a consideration of his thoughts and feelings as he lay in that dismal cell in the madhouse on Peckham Rye Suddenly Tobias rag was as sane as any ordinary Christian need wish to be when the scoundrels Sweeney Todd put him in the coach to take him to Mr. Fogg's establishment but if by any ingenious process the human intellect can be toppled from its throne certainly that process must consist in putting a sane person into a lunatic asylum to the imagination of a boy too and that boy one of vivid imagination as was poor Tobias a madhouse must be invested with a world of terrors that enlarged experience which enables persons of more advanced age to shake off much of the unreal which seemed so strangely to take up its abode in the mind of the young Tobias had not reached him and no wonder therefore that to him his present situation was one of acute and horrible misery and suffering he lay for a long time in the gloomy dungeon like cell into which he had been thrust in a kind of stoper which might or might not be the actual precursor of insanity although certainly the chances were all in favour of its being so for many hours he moved neither hand nor foot and as it was a part of the policy of Mr. Fogg to live well alone as he said he never interfered by any intrusive offers of refreshment with the quiet or the repose of his patients Tobias therefore if he had chosen to remain still as an Indian Fakir might have died in one position without any reminiscences from anyone it would be quite a matter of impossibility to describe the strange visionary thoughts and scenes that passed through the mind of Tobias during this period it seemed as if his intellect was engulfed in the charmed waters of some whirlpool and that all the different scenes and actions which under ordinary circumstances would have been clear and distinct where mingled together in inextricable confusion in the midst of all this at length he began to be conscious of one particular impression or feeling and that was that someone was singing in a low soft voice very near to him this feeling strange as it was in such a place momentarily increased in volume until at length it began to get its intensity to observe almost every other and he gradually awakened from the sort of stupor that had come over him yes someone was singing it was a female voice he was sure of that and as his mind became more occupied with that one subject of thought and his perceptive faculties became properly exercised his intellect altogether assumed a healthier tone he could not distinguish the words that were sung but the voice itself was very sweet and musical as Tobias listened he felt as if the fever of his blood was abating and that healthier thoughts were taking the place of those this ordered fancies that had held sway within the chambers of his brain what sweet sounds he said oh I do hope that singing will go on for it I do so hope it will continue what sweet music oh mother mother if you could but see me now he pressed his hands over his eyes but he could not stop the gush of tears that came from them and which would trickle through his fingers Tobias did not wish to weep but those tears after all the horrors of the night did him a world of good and he felt wonderfully better after they had been shed moreover the voice continued singing without intermission who can it be thought Tobias that don't tire with so much of it still the singer continued but now and then Tobias felt certain that a very wild note or two was mingled with the ordinary melody and that bred a suspicion in his mind which gave him a shudder to think of namely that the singer was mad it must be so said he no one in their senses could or would continue to sing for so long a period of time such strange snatches of song alas alas it is someone who is really mad and confined for life in this redful place for life do I say and I am not too confined for life here oh help help help Tobias called out in so loud a tone that the singer of the sweet strains that had for a time lulled him to composer heard him and the strains which had before been redolent of the softest and the sweetest melody suddenly changed to the most terrific shrieks imaginable in vain did Tobias place his hands over his ears to shut out the horrible sounds they would not be shut out but ran as it were into every crevice of his brain nearly driving him distracted by their vehemence but Horsetones came upon his ears and he heard the loud rough voice of a man say what do you want the whip so early this morning the whip do you understand that these words were followed by the lashing of what have been a heavy Carter's whip and then the shrieks died away in deep groans every one of which went to the heart of poor Tobias I can never live amid all these horrors he said oh why don't they kill me at once it would be much better and much more merciful I can never live long here help help help when he shouted this word help it was certainly not with the most distant idea of getting any help but it was a word that came at once uppermost to his tongue and so he called it out with all his might that he should attract the attention of someone for the solitude and the almost total darkness of the place he was in were beginning to fill him with new dismay there was a faint light in the cell which made him know the difference between day and night but where the faint light came from he could not tell for he could see no grating or opening whatever but yet that was in consequence of his eyes not being fully accustomed to the obscurity of the place otherwise he would have seen that close up to the roof there was a narrow aperture certainly not larger than anyone could have passed a hand through although from 4 or 5 feet in length and from a passage beyond that there came the dim borrowed light which made darkness visible in Tobias' cell with a kind of desperation heedless of what might be the result Tobias continued to call aloud for help and after about a quarter of an hour he heard the sound of a heavy footsteps someone was coming yes surely someone was coming and he was not to be left to starve to death oh how intently he now listened to every sound indicative of the nearer approach of whoever it was who was coming to his prison house now he heard the lock move and a heavy bar of iron was let down with a clanging sound help help he cried again help help for he feared that whoever it was might even yet go away again after making so much progress to get at him the cell door was flung open and the first intimation that poor Tobias got of the fact of his cries having been heard consisted in a lash with a whip which if it had struck him as fully as it was intended to do would have done him serious injury so do you want it already said the same voice he had heard before oh no mercy mercy said Tobias oh that's it now is it I tell you what it is if we have any more disturbance here this is the persuader to silence that we always use what do you think of that as an argument as he spoke the man gave the whip a loud smack in the air and confirmed the truth of the argument by reducing poor Tobias to absolute silence indeed the boy trembled so that he could not speak well now my man added the fellow I think we understand each other what do you want oh let me go said Tobias let me go I'll tell nothing say to Mr. Todd that I will do pleases and tell nothing only let me go out of this red full place have mercy upon me I'm not at all mad indeed I'm not the man closed the door as he whistled a lively tune end of chapter 27 recording by Red Aberus June 2008 chapter 28 of this 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 Christine Blashford The String of Pearls, author unknown chapter 28 The Madhouse Yard and Tobias' new friend this sudden retreat of the man was unexpected by Tobias who at least thought it was the practice to feed people even if they were confined to such a place but the unceremonious departure of the keeper without so much as mentioning anything about breakfast began to make Tobias think that the plan by which he was to be got rid of was starvation and yet that was impossible for how easy it was to kill him if they felt so disposed oh no no he repeated to himself surely they will not starve me to death as he uttered these words he had the plaintive singing commenced again and he could not help thinking that it sounded like some requiem for the dead and that it was a sort of signal that his hours were numbered despair again began to take possession of him and despite the savage threats of the keeper he would again have called loudly for help had he not become conscious that there were footsteps close at hand by dint of listening most intently he heard a number of doors opened and shut and sometimes when one was opened there was a shriek and the lashing of the whips which very soon succeeded in drowning all other noises it occurred to Tobias and correctly too for such was the fact that the inmates of that most horrible abode were living like so many wild beasts in cages fed then he thought how strange it was that even for any amount of money human beings could be got to do the work of such an establishment and by the time Tobias had made this reflection to himself his own door was once more opened upon its rusty hinges there was the flash of a light and then a man came in with a water can in his hand to which there was a long spout and this he placed to the mouth of Tobias who fearing that if he did not drink then he might be a long time without swallowed some not over savoury ditch water as it seemed to him which was thus brought to him a coarse brown looking hard life was then thrown at his feet and the party was about to leave his cell but he and in a voice of the most supplicating earnestness he said oh do not keep me here let me go and I will say nothing of Todd I will go to see it once if you will let me out of this place indeed I will but I shall go really mad here good that Watson ain't it said Mr. Fogg who was of the party very good sir lord bless you the cunning of them is beyond anything in the world sir you'd be surprised at what they say to me sometimes but I am not mad indeed I am not mad cried to bias oh said Fogg it's a bad case I'm afraid the strongest proof of insanity in my opinion Watson is the constant reiteration of the statement that he is not mad on the part of a lunatic don't you think it is so Watson of course sir of course I thought you would be of that opinion but I suppose as this is a mere lad we may do without chaining him up besides you know that today is inspection day when we get an old fool of a superannuated physician to make us a visit yes sir said Watson with a grin and a report that all is well conducted exactly who shall we have this time do you think I always give a funny fee why sir there's old dr. Popplejoy he's eighty four years old they say and sand-blind he'll take it as a great compliment he will and no doubt we can humbug him easily I dare say we may I'll see to it and we will have him at twelve o'clock Watson you will take care to have everything ready of course you know make all the usual preparations Tobias was astonished that before him they chose us to speak so freely but despairing as he was he little knew how completely he was in the power of Mr. Fogg and how utterly he was shut out of human sympathy Tobias said nothing but he could not help thinking that however old and stupid the physician whom they mentioned might be surely there was a hope that he would be able to discover Tobias's perfect sanity but the wily Mr. Fogg knew perfectly well what he was about and when he retired to his own room he wrote the following note to dr. Popplejoy who was a retired physician who had purchased a country house in the neighborhood the note will speak for itself being as fine a specimen of hypocrisy as we can ever expect to lay before our readers welcome sir probably you may recognize my name as that of the keeper of a lunatic asylum in this neighborhood consistent with a due regard for the safety of that most unhappy class of the community submitted to my care I am most anxious with the blessing of divine providence to ameliorate as far as possible by kindness that most shocking of all calamities insanity once a year it is my custom to call in some experienced able and enlightened physician to see my patients and close a fee a physician who has nothing to do with the establishment and therefore cannot be biased if you sir would do me the favor at about 12 o'clock today to make a short visit of inspection I shall esteem it a great honor as well as a great favor believe me to be sir with the most profound respect you're most obedient and humble servant to dr. Popplejoy etc. O.D. Fogg this note as might be expected brought old perblind superannuated dr. Popplejoy to the asylum and mr. Fogg received him in due form and with great gravity saying almost with tears in his eyes my dear sir the whole aim of my existence now is to endeavor to soften the rigors of the necessary confinement of the insane and I wish this inspection of my establishment to be made by you in order that I may thus for a time stand clear with the world with my own conscience I am of course always clear and if your report be satisfactory about the treatment of the unhappy persons I have here not the slightest breath of slander can touch me oh yes yes said the garrulous old physician I very good oh yes I have a slight one sir will you first of all take a look at one of the sleeping chambers of the insane the doctor agreed and mr. Fogg led him into a very comfortable sleeping room which the old gentleman declared was very satisfactory indeed and when they returned to the apartment in which they had already been mr. Fogg said well and sir all we have to do is bring in the patients one by one to you as fast as we can so as not to occupy more of your valuable time than necessary and any questions you may ask will no doubt be answered and I being by can give you a quick sight to a special notice the old man was placed in a chair of state reposing on some very comfortable cushions and take him all together he was so pleased with the ten guineas and the flattery of mr. Fogg for nobody had given him a fee for the last 15 years that he was quite ready to be the foolish tool of the mad housekeeper in almost any way that he chose to dictate to him we need not pursue the examination of the various unfortunate who were brought before old dr. Popplejoy it will suffice for us if we carry the reader through the examination of Tobias who is our principal care without at the same time detracting from the genial sympathy we must feel for all who at that time were subject to the tender mercies of mr. Fogg at about half past 12 the door of Tobias's cell was opened by mr. Watson who walking in laid hold of the boy by the collar and said Hark you my lad you are going before a physician and the less you say the better I speak to you for your own sake you can do yourself no good but you can do yourself a great deal of harm you know we keep a cart whip here come along Tobias said not a word in answer to this piece of gratuitous advice but he made up his mind that if the physician was not absolutely deaf he should hear him before however the unhappy boy was taken into the room where old dr. Popplejoy was waiting he was washed and brushed down generally so that he presented a much more respectable appearance than he would have done had he been ushered in in his soiled state as he was taken from the dirty mad house cell surely surely thought Tobias the extent of cool impudence can go no further than this but I will speak to the physician my life should be sacrificed in so doing yes of that I am determined in another minute he was in the room face to face with mr. Fogg and dr. Popplejoy what what coughed the old doctor a boy mr. Fogg a mere boy dear me oh I my cough is a little troublesome I think today yes sir said mr.  Fogg oh sir there is no such person in the world ah I thought as much I thought as much a very sad case indeed become my little lad and mr.