I will be careful, you may depend, for many
considerations. My father, I know, centres all his affections in me, and
for his sake I will be careful." "I shall be content then, and now may I hope that this day week I may
see you here again, in order that I may tell you if I have made any
discovery, and that you may tell me the same; for my interest in
Thornhill is that of a sincere friend, to say nothing of the deep
interest in your happiness which I feel, and which now has become an
element in the transaction of the highest value?" "I will come," said Johanna, "if I can come." "You do not doubt?" "No, no. I will come, and I hope to bring you some news of him in whom
you are so much interested. It shall be no fault of mine if I come not." He walked with her from the gardens, and together they passed the shop
of Sweeney Todd, but the door was close shut, and they saw nothing of
the barber, or of that poor boy, his apprentice, who was so much to be
pitied. He parted with Johanna near to her father's house, and he walked
slowly away with his mind so fully impressed with the excellence and
beauty of the spectacle-maker's daughter, that it was quite clear, as
long as he lived, he would not be able to rid himself of the favourable
impression she had made upon him. "I love her," he said; "I love her, but she seems in no respect willing
to enchain her affections. Alas! alas! how sad it is for me, that the
being who above all others I could wish to call my own, instead of a joy
to me, I have only encountered that she might impart a pang to my heart. Beautiful and excellent Johanna, I love you, but I can see that your own
affections are withered for ever." CHAPTER XVI. THE BARBER MAKES ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO SELL THE STRING OF PEARLS. It would seem as if Sweeney Todd, after his adventure in already trying
to dispose of the string of pearls which he possessed, began to feel
little doubtful about his chances of success in that matter, for he
waited patiently for a considerable period before he again made the
attempt, and then he made it after a totally different fashion. Towards
the close of night on that same evening when Johanna Oakley had met
Colonel Jeffery, for the second time, in the Temple Garden, and while
Tobias sat alone in the shop in his usual deep dejection, a stranger
entered the place, with a large blue bag in his hand, and looked
inquiringly about him. "Hilloa, my lad!" said he, "is this Mr. Todd's?" "Yes," said Tobias; "but he is not at home. What do you want?" "Well, I'll be hanged," said the man, "if this don't beat everything;
you don't mean to tell me he is a barber, do you?" "Indeed I do; don't you see?" "Yes, I see to be sure; but I'll be shot if I thought of it beforehand. What do you think he has been doing?" "Doing," said Tobias, with animation; "do you think he will be hung?" "Why, no, I don't say it is a hanging matter, although you seem as if
you wished it was; but I'll just tell you now we are artists at the
west-end of the town." "Artists! Do you mean to say you draw pictures?" "No, no, we make clothes; but we call ourselves artists now, because
tailors are out of fashion." "Oh, that's it, is it?" "Yes, that's it; and you would scarcely believe it, but he came to our
shop actually, and ordered a suit of clothes, which were to come to no
less a sum than thirty pounds, and told us to make them up in such a
style that they were to do for any nobleman, and he gave his name and
address, as Mr. Todd, at this number in Fleet-street, but I hadn't the
least idea that he was a barber; if I had, I am quite certain the
clothes would not have been finished in the style they are, but quite
the reverse." "Well," said Tobias, "I can't think what he wants such clothing for, but
I suppose it's all right. Was he a tall, ugly-looking fellow?" "As ugly as the very devil. I'll just show you the things, as he is not
at home. The coat is of the finest velvet, lined with silk, and trimmed
with lace. Did you ever, in all your life, see such a coat for a
barber?" "Indeed, I never did; but it is some scheme of his, of course. It is a
superb coat." "Yes, and all the rest of the dress is of the same style; what on earth
he can be going to do with it I can't think, for it's only fit to go to
court in." "Oh, well, I know nothing about it," said Tobias, with a sigh, "you can
leave it or not as you like, it is all one to me." "Well, you do seem the most melancholy wretch ever I came near; what's
the matter with you?" "The matter with me? Oh, nothing. Of course, I am as happy as I can be. Ain't I Sweeney Todd's apprentice, and ain't that enough to make anybody
sing all day long?" "It may be for all I know, but certainly you don't seem to be in a
singing humour; but, however, we artists cannot waste our time, so just
be so good as to take care of the clothes, and be sure you give them to
your master; and so I wash my hands of the transaction." "Very good, he shall have them; but do you mean to leave such valuable
clothes without getting the money for them?" "Not exactly, for they are paid for." "Oh! that makes all the difference--he shall have them." Scarcely had this tailor left the place, when a boy arrived with a
parcel, and, looking around him with undisguised astonishment, said--

"Isn't there some other Mr. Todd, in Fleet-street?" "Not that I know of," said Tobias. "What have you got there?" "Silk stockings, gloves, lace, cravats, ruffles, and so on." "The deuce you have; I dare say it's all right." "I shall leave them--they are paid for. This is the name, and this is
the number." "Now, stupid!" This last exclamation arose from the fact that this boy, in going out,
ran up against another who was coming in. "Can't you see where you are going?" said the new arrival. "What's that to you? I have a good mind to punch your head." "Do it, and then come down our court, and see what a licking I'll give
you." "Will you? Why don't you? Only let me catch you, that's all." They stood for some moments so closely together that their noses very
nearly touched; and then, after mutual assertions of what they would do
if they caught each other--although, in either case, to stretch out an
arm would have been quite sufficient to have accomplished that
object--they separated, and the last comer said to Tobias, in a tone of
irritation, probably consequent upon the misunderstanding he had just
had with the hosier's boy--

"You can tell Mr. Todd that the carriage will be ready at half-past
seven precisely." And then he went away, leaving Tobias in a state of great bewilderment
as to what Sweeney Todd could possibly be about to do with such an
amount of finery as that which was evidently coming home for him. "I can't make it out," he said. "It's some villany, of course, but I
can't make out what it is--I wish I knew; I might thwart him in it. He
is a villain, and neither could nor would project anything good; but
what can I do? I am quite helpless in this, and will just let it take
its course.