Ragg, rather than there should be any delay in your return,'
says he, 'as Tobias may want you, call a coach, and I will pay for it.'" Todd had only just time to dart down the staircase before the two ladies
made their appearance; and then hiding sometimes in doorways, and
sometimes behind columns and corners, he dodged them into Fleet-street. A coach was duly called, and Mrs. Ragg by the assistance of Martha
Jones, was safely bestowed inside it. Todd heard distinctly the
colonel's address given to the coachman, who would have it twice over,
so that he should be sure he had it all right. "That will do," said Todd. He darted across the street, and made the best of his way to his shop
again. He listened at the door for a few moments before he entered, and
he thought he heard the sound of weeping. He listened more attentively,
and then he was sure. Some one was sobbing bitterly within the shop. "It must be Charley," thought Todd. He placed his ear quite close to the panel of the door, in the hope that
the boy would speak. Todd was quite an adept at listening, but this time
he was disappointed, for the sham Charley Green spoke not one word. Yet
the deep sobs continued. Todd was not in the best of tempers. He could
stand the delay no longer, and bouncing into the shop, he cried--

"What the devil is the meaning of all this? What is the meaning of it,
you young rascal? I suspect--"

"Yes, sir," said Johanna, looking Todd full in the face, "and so do I." "You--you? suspect what?" "That I shall have to have it out, for its aching distracts me. Did you
ever have the tooth-ache, sir?" "The tooth-ache?" "Yes, sir. It's--it's worse than the heart-ache, and that I have had." "Ah!--humph! Any one been?" "One gentleman, sir, to be shaved; he says he will call again." "Very good--very good." Todd took from his pocket the key of the back-parlour--that key without
which in his own possession he never left the shop; and then, after
casting upon Johanna a somewhat sinister and threatening look, he
muttered to himself--

"I suspect that boy. If he refuse to come into the parlour, I will cut
his throat in the shop; but if he come in I shall be better satisfied. Charley? Come here." "Yes, sir," said Johanna, and she walked boldly into the parlour. "Shut the door." She closed it. "Humph," said Todd. "It is no matter. I will call you again when I want
you." CHAPTER LXXXI. JOHANNA IS ENCOURAGED. Was Todd satisfied with Johanna's excuse about the toothache? Was he
satisfied of the good foible of the supposed Charley Green, by the
readiness with which she had come into the parlour? We shall see. If he
were not satisfied, he was staggered in his suspicions sufficiently to
delay--and delay just then was to Sweeney Todd--one of the most fatal
things that could be imagined. There are crumbs of consolation under all
circumstances. When Johanna was best sent out of the shop, upon the
occasion of the visit of Mrs. Lovett to Todd, she had scarcely got a
half dozen steps from the door of the barber's, when a man in passing
her, and without pausing a moment, said--

"Miss Oakley, be so good as to follow me." Johanna at once obeyed the mandate. The man walked rapidly on until a
fruiterer's shop was gained, into which he at once walked. "Mr. Oston," he said to a man behind the counter, "is your parlour
vacant?" "Yes, Sir Richard, and quite at your service," said the fruiterer. By this Johanna found that she had made no mistake, and that the person
she had followed was no other than Sir Richard Blunt, the magistrate,
who was interesting himself so much for her safety, as well as for the
discovery of what had befallen Mark Ingestrie. The fruiterer's parlour
was a prettily fitted up place, where a couple of lovers might in a very
romantic manner, if they chose, eat strawberries and cream, and quite
enjoy each other's blissful society, in whispered nothing the while. Sir
Richard handed Johanna a seat as he said--"Miss Oakley, I am very much
pleased, indeed, to have this opportunity of seeing you, and of saying a
few words to you." "Ah, Sir, how much do I owe you." "Nay, Miss Oakley, you owe me nothing. When once I happily become aware
of your situation, it becomes my duty as well as my inclination to
protect you in every way against what, I am sure you will forgive me,
for calling your rashness." "Call it what you will, sir." "Well, Miss Oakley, we will dismiss that part of the subject. Are you
going upon any errand, or have you a little time to spare." "I have some time." "Then it is a very proper thing that you should enjoy it in taking some
proper refreshment." "I want nothing." "Nay, but you shall have something whether you want it or not, before I
say any more to you about Todd and his affairs." Johanna, whose mental excitement had prevented her completely from
feeling the amount of exhaustion, which otherwise must by that time have
come over her, would still have protested that she wanted nothing, but
Sir Richard Blunt opened the door of the parlour, and called out--

"Mr. Orton, is your daughter at home?" "Yes, Sir Richard, Ann is up stairs." "Very good. My young friend here can find the way, I dare say. Is it the
first floor?" "Yes, don't you hear her practising upon her spinet." The tinkling sounds of a spinet, then all the fashion; came upon their
ears, and Sir Richard, said to Johanna--

"Go up stairs, now, to that young lady. She is about your own age, and
her father's housekeeper. She will find you something to eat and drink,
and then come down to me, as soon as you can." Sir Richard nodded to Mr. Orton, who nodded in return, and then Johanna
seeing that it was all right, ascended the staircase, and guided by the
sound of the spinet, soon found herself in a tolerably handsome room,
upon the first floor. A young girl with a profusion of chesnut curls hanging down her back,
was seated at the spinet. Johanna made up to her at once, and throwing
her arms round her neck, said--

"And will you say a kind word to me?" The girl gave a slight scream, and rose. "Well, I'm sure, you impertinant--handsome--"

"Girl," said Johanna. "Boy," faltered Miss Orton. "No, girl," added Johanna. "Your father sent me to you, and Sir Richard
Blunt suggested it. Shall I leave you again." "Oh, no--no," said Ann Orton, as she sprang towards Johanna, and kissed
her on both cheeks, "you are Miss Johanna Oakley." "How is it that you know me?" "My father is an old friend of Sir Richard's, and he has told us all
your story. How truly delighted I am to see you. And so you have escaped
from that odious Todd, and--"

"Immediate refreshment, my dear, and all the attention you can cram into
a very short space of time to Miss Oakley, my dear," said Mr. Orton,
just putting his head so far into the room as to make himself plainly
and distinctly heard. "Yes, father, yes." "How kind you all are," said Johanna. "No--no--at least we wish to be, but what I mean is that we are no
kinder than we ought to be.