"It did; and more than once I have resolved in my own mind what means
could be adopted of coming at the truth: other affairs, however, of more
immediate urgency have occupied me, but the circumstances you detail
revive all my former feelings upon the subject; and I shall now feel
that the matter has come before me in a shape to merit immediate
attention." This was gratifying to Colonel Jeffery, because it not only took a great
weight off his shoulders, but it led him to think, from the well-known
tact of the magistrate, that something certainly would be accomplished,
and that very shortly too, towards unravelling the secret that had as
yet only appeared to be more complicated and intricate the more it was
inquired into. He made the warmest acknowledgments to the magistrate for
the courtesy of his reception, and then took his leave. As soon as the
magistrate was alone, he rang a small hand-bell that was upon the table,
and the summons was answered by a man, to whom he said--

"Is Crotchet here?" "Yes, your worship." "Then, tell him I want him at once, will you?" The messenger retired, but he presently returned, bringing with him
about as rough a specimen of humanity as the world could have produced. He was tall and stout, and his face looked as if, by repeated injuries,
it had been knocked out of all shape, for the features were most
strangely jumbled together indeed, and an obliquity of vision, which
rendered it always a matter of doubt who and what he was looking at, by
no means added to his personal charms. "Sit down, Crotchet," said the magistrate, "and listen to me without a
word of interruption." If Mr. Crotchet had no other good quality on earth, he still had that of
listening attentively, and he never opened his mouth while the
magistrate related to him what had just formed the subject matter of Mr.
Jeffery's communication; indeed, Crotchet seemed to be looking out of
the window all the while; but then Sir Richard knew the little
peculiarities of his visual organs. When he concluded his statement, Sir
Richard said--

"Well, Crotchet, what do you think of all that? What does Sweeney Todd
do with his customers?" Mr. Crotchet gave a singular and peculiar kind of grin, as he said,
still looking apparently out of the window, although his eyes were
really fixed upon the magistrate--

"He _smugs_ 'em." "What?" "Uses 'em up, yer worship; it's as clear to me as mud in a wine-glass,
that it is. Lor' bless you! I've been thinking he did that 'ere sort of
thing a deuce of a while, but I didn't like to interfere too soon, you
see." "What do you advise, Crotchet? I know I can trust to your sagacity in
such a case." "Why, your worship, I'll think it over a bit in the course of the day,
and let your worship know what I think. It's a awkward job rather, for a
wariety of reasons, but howsomdever there's always a something to be
done, and if we don't do it, I'll be hung if I know who can, that's
all!" "True, true, you are right there; and, perhaps, before you see me again,
you will walk down Fleet-street, and see if you can make any
observations that will be of advantage in the matter. It is an affair
which requires great caution indeed." "Trust me, yer worship: I'll do it, and no mistake. Lor' bless you, it's
easy for anybody now to go lounging about Fleet-street, without being
taken much notice of; for the fact is, the whole place is agog about the
horrid smell as has been for never so long in the old church of St. Dunstan." "Smell--smell--in St. Dunstan's church! I never heard of that before,
Crotchet." "Oh, Lor' yes, it's enough to pison the devil himself, Sir Richard; and
t'other day when the blessed bishop went to _'firm_ a lot of people, he
as good as told 'em they might all be damned first, afore he 'firm
nobody in such a place." The magistrate was in a deep thought for a few minutes, and then he said
suddenly--

"Well, well, Crotchet, you turn the matter over in your mind and see
what you can make of it; I will think it over likewise. Do you
hear?--mind you are with me at six this evening punctually; I do not
intend to let the matter rest, and you may depend, that from this moment
I will give it my greatest attention." "Wery good, yer worship; wery good indeed; I'll be here, and something
seems to strike me uncommon forcible that we shall unearth this fox very
soon, yer worship." "I sincerely hope so." Mr. Crotchet took his leave, and when he was alone the magistrate rose
and paced his apartment for some time with rapid strides, as if he was
much agitated by the reflections that were passing through his mind. At
length he flung himself into a chair with something like a groan, as he
said--

"A horrible idea forces itself upon my consideration--most horrible! most horrible! most horrible! Well, well, we shall see--we shall see. It
may not be so: and yet what a hideous probability stares me in the face! I will go down at once to St. Dunstan's and see what they are really
about. Yes, yes, I shall not get much sleep I think now, until some of
these mysteries are developed. A most horrible idea, truly!" The magistrate left some directions at home concerning some business
calls which he fully expected in the course of the next two hours, and
then he put on a plain, sad-coloured cloak and a hat destitute of all
ornament, and left his house with a rapid step. He took the most direct
route towards St. Dunstan's church, and finding the door of the sacred
edifice yielded to the touch, he at once entered it; but he had not
advanced many steps before he was met and accosted by the beadle, who
said, in a tone of great dignity and authority--

"This ain't Sunday, sir; there ain't no service here to-day." "I don't suppose there is," replied the magistrate; "but I see you have
workmen here. What is it you are about?" "Well, of all the impudence that ever I came near, this is the
worstest--to ask a beadle what he is about; I beg to say, sir, this is
quite private, and there's the door." "Yes, I see it, and you may go out at it just as soon as you think
proper." "Oh, _conwulsions_! oh, _conwulsions_! This to a beadle." "What is all this about?" said a gentlemanly-looking man, stepping
forward from a part of the church where several masons were employed in
raising some of the huge flag-stones with which it was paved. "What
disturbance is this?" "I believe, Mr. Antrobus, you know me," said the magistrate. "Oh, Sir Richard, certainly. How do you do?" "Gracious," said the beadle, "I've put my blessed foot in it. Lor' bless
us, sir, how should I know as you was Sir Richard? I begs as you won't
think nothing o' what I said. If I had a knowed you, in course I
shouldn't have said it, you may depend, Sir Richard--I humbly begs your
pardon." "It's of no consequence--I ought to have announced myself; and you are
perfectly justified in keeping strangers out of the church, my friend."