"Then that is an affair settled and done with," remarked Sweeney Todd,
parenthetically. "Yes, quite.--Well, it was one night--such a one as 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, a
dark and wet 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 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 nap
that would have thrown off a deluge. I fancied, or thought I could tell,
that he meant no mischief; so I opened the door at once and saw a tall,
gentlemanly man, 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 person
one has to deal with?" "I should think not," said Todd. "'Well,' said I, 'what is your pleasure, sir?' "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; 'my name is Fogg--what is your pleasure with me,
sir?' "'Why,' said he, after another pause, during which he fixed his keen eye
very hard upon me--'why, I wish to have a little private conversation
with you, if you can 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, and
he followed me in. 'It is a very unpleasant night, and it's coming on to
rain harder. I think it is fortunate you have got housed.' "'Yes,' he replied; 'but I am tolerably well protected against the rain,
at all events.' "He came into this very parlour, 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 these
particulars, and so, when he had taken off his hat, I stirred up the
fire, and had 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
grey 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. You have not many
neighbours.' "'No, sir,' said I, 'we hadn't need, for when any of the poor things set
to screaming, it would make them feel very uncomfortable indeed.' "'So it would, there is an advantage in that to yourself as well as to
them. It would be disagreeable to you to know that you were disturbing
your neighbours, and they would feel equally uncomfortable in being
disturbed, and yet you must do your duty.' "'Ay! 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 on 'em 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 concerning an affair that requires some delicacy
about it, since it is a female patient.' "'Ah!' said I, 'I always pay 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 'em 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 'em, if I did not treat them with kindness, that is,
as far as is consistent with one's duty, for I mustn'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 is
dead, and you are obliged to have the dead body constantly in your
house, and before your eyes.' "'Exactly, my friend,' said the stranger; 'exactly, you are a man of
discernment, Mr. Fogg. I see, that is truly 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, 'your's is a hard case; but to have one afflicted about
you in the manner the young lady is, is truly distressing; it's like
having a perpetual lumbago 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, eh?' 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, and we oughtn't 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 eighteen, 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 nor
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 as 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 I'll
give you a ten-pound note for your trouble, if 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 twenty, if you please; it will cost something to come and do the
thing well.' "'I see--very well--we won't disagree about a ten-pound note; but you'll
know how to dispose of her if she comes here.' "'Oh, yes--very healthy place.'