Then there were some
pairs of rich diamond knee and shoe buckles, and a few lockets, and a
whole heap of chains of gold. "Ah," said Todd; "here is enough to set me up for a time, if I can
dispose of them; and now I must run risks that I would not think of
while I had thousands at my command. I must take these things that I was
content enough to leave behind me, lest they should at some inopportune
moment lead to my detection. Now they shall do me service." Todd commenced filling his pockets with this dangerous kind of property,
each article of which was associated with the frightful crime of murder! A couple of thousand pounds certainly would not have paid for what Todd
upon this occasion managed to stow away about him; and he thought that
if he could get one-fourth of that amount for the articles, that it
would not be a very bad night's work, considering the not very
flourishing state of his finances at that time, compared with what they
had been. During the process, though, of stocking himself with the contents of the
secret place in the bureau, he more than once crept to the door of the
room, and going out upon the landing, he leant over the staircase and
listened. All was most profoundly still, and he was satisfied that Sir
Richard Blunt's two men remained in the passage, in the same state of
insensibility--if not of death--in which he had left them. Leaving there some articles of smaller importance than those with which
he loaded himself, Todd pushed the bureau back into its place again; and
then, taking the light in his hand, cautiously descended the stairs. When he reached the passage, there lay the two men as he had left them. Indeed, he had been absent much too short a space of time for any very
material change to take place in their condition. "Well," he said. "Now to dispose of you two. What shall it be? Shall I
cut your throats as you lie there, or--no, no, I have hit it. No doubt
you have both been full of curious speculations respecting how I
disposed of those persons whom I polished off in my shop; so you shall
both know exactly how it was done. Ha! a good joke." Todd's good joke consisted now of going into the parlour, and fastening
the levers which held up the shaving-chair. Then he lifted up one of the
insensible bodies of the men, and carried it into the shop. "Sit there, or lie there, how you like," he said, as he flung the man
into the large shaving-chair. It was quite a treat now to Todd, and put him in mind of old times, to
arrange his apparatus for giving this wretched man a tumble into the
vaults below. He went into the parlour and drew the bolt, when away went
the man and the chair, and the other chair that was on the reverse side
of the plank took the place of that which had gone. "Ha! ha!" shouted Todd. "This is grand--this is most glorious! Ha! ha! Who would have thought, now, that I should ever live to be at my old
work again in this house? It is capital! If that fall has not broken his
neck, it's a wonder. It used to kill five out of seven; that was about
the average--ha!" Todd didn't fasten the bolt again, but went at once for the other man. He was sitting up! Todd staggered back for a moment, when he saw him in that position
looking at him. The man rubbed his eyes with his hands and said in a
weak voice--

"Good God! what is it all about?" Todd placed the light on the floor within the parlour, so that it shed
sufficient rays into the shop to let him see every object in it; and
then, with a cry like that of some wild beast rushing upon his prey, he
dashed at the man. The struggle that ensued was a frightful one. Despair, and a feeling
that he was fighting for his life, nerved the man, who had recovered
just in time to engage in such a contest, and they both fought their way
into the shop together. Todd made the greatest exertions to overcome the
man, but it was not until he got him by the throat, and held him with a
clutch of iron, that he could do so. Then he flung him upon the chair,
but the man, with a last effort, dragged Todd after him, and down they
both went together to the vault below! [Illustration: Todd And The Bow Street Officers--The Death Grapple.] CHAPTER CXLVII. SIR RICHARD BLUNT AND CROTCHET COMMENCE THEIR SEARCH FOR TODD. When Sir Richard Blunt left Chelsea, he felt that he had given a
sufficient warning to all who could feel in any way personally
interested in the escape of Sweeney Todd from the punishment that his
numerous crimes merited. He rode direct to the office of the Under Secretary of State for the
Home Department, and his name at once procured him an interview. This
was not the supercilious personage who once before, upon an occasion of
Sir Richard Blunt calling upon him regarding Sweeney Todd, had exhibited
so much indifference upon the subject, and Sir Richard was received as
he ought to be. "I have waited upon you, sir," said the magistrate, "to say that I have
now made every arrangement that is possible for the purpose of
counteracting any mischief that the man, Todd, might strive to do; and I
think it very likely that I may not have the pleasure of seeing or
communicating with you for some time." "Then you still think, Sir Richard, of going personally after the
notorious ruffian?" "I do, sir. I feel that in some sort I am bound to rid society of that
man. I had so large a share in his former apprehension, and in his
conviction, that I feel his escape quite a personal matter; and I have
no hesitation in saying that I shall not feel at ease until I have again
placed him in the hands of the law." "It is most desirable that he should be so placed, Sir Richard, and I
have only two things to say to you upon the subject. One is, that I hope
you will be careful of your own safety in the affair; and the other is,
that anything we can do or any facilities we can throw in your way, you
may most unhesitatingly command in the prosecution of your most
praiseworthy enterprise." "I thank you, sir. I shall take one man with me. His name is Crotchet;
and I should wish that in your name I might tell him that, in the event
of our search for Todd being successful, he may count upon an adequate
reward." "Certainly! He shall have the whole reward, Sir Richard; and as for
yourself, the ministry will not be unmindful of your service in a way
that I am sure will be more gratifying to you than an offer of money." "Sir, I thank you. The government has already, upon more than two or
three occasions, been sufficiently liberal to me as regards money to
place me in a good position, and I have now no further desires of that
sort. I will bid you good morning, sir, and at once start upon the
expedition in search of Sweeney Todd. If he be alive and above ground in
this country, I will have him." "If anybody will, you will, Sir Richard." The magistrate left the place, and repaired at once to his private
office, which was close at hand, in Craven Street. There our old friend,
Crotchet, was waiting for him.