Sir Robert, a fine leopard, of a shining yellow colour intermixed with
bright spots. He was brought from Senegal by--Touchit, Esq. He has been
in his present situation about eight years, during which he has had
seven young ones by two different leopardesses. The young, however, all
died soon after being whelped, except one which lived about ten months. Miss Nancy, a very beautiful lioness, brought from Senegal, and
presented to his majesty by -- Brady, Esq. She has been here only about
nine months, is not quite two years old, and seems very tractable. A lion monkey. This beast is of a black colour, with very shaggy hair. It was brought from the Cape of Good Hope, and has been here about four
months. An American black bear, lately brought over by Colonel Clarke. A racoon, brought from Norway by Colonel Clarke. This is a very small
beast, and exceedingly harmless. It lives on the sea-sands, and chiefly
on shell fish, which it takes in a very safe and dexterous manner; for
whenever the fish opens its shell to receive either air or nourishment,
this creature, we are told, puts a small pebble in, so that the shell
may not close again, and picks out the fish with its claws. Rose, a large Norway wolf, presented about four years since by Herr
Widderman. He is about six years old, and appears very fierce and
ravenous. Miss Sally, a beautiful leopardess, presented by the Emperor of Morocco,
and brought over in the same ship with Hector. These were the principal inhabitants of what was called the Lion's
Tower; and Ben, who was never so much in his glory as when he was
describing the creatures and commenting upon them, went through the list
of them with commendable accuracy. It was quite impossible but that the party should very much admire these
wild inhabitants of the woods and wastes of nature, and Ben was
wonderfully gratified at the fearless manner in which both Johanna and
Arabella approached the dens. The inspection of the beasts lasted more than an hour, and then, as Sir
Richard Blunt had no more time at his disposal, they all again proceeded
to the barge that was waiting for them. Ben accompanied the party from
the Tower, as the Oakleys had invited him to dine with them. "Ah," he said, "by the time we get to your house, cousin Oakley, I shall
be half famished. Thank goodness! I have ordered something to eat to be
put on board the barge, in case we should be sharp set." CHAPTER CXXIV. RETURNS TO NEWGATE, AND THE PROCEEDINGS OF MRS. LOVETT. While those persons, in whose happiness we and our readers, no doubt,
likewise feel a kindly interest, are thus in the happy society of each
other, compensating themselves for many of the mischances and deep
anxieties of the past, some events were taking place in Newgate of a
character well worth the recording. Mrs. Lovett, when she found that her proposition to turn evidence
against Todd would not be listened to, but that it was the fixed
determination of the authorities to include her in the prosecution,
became deeply despondent. Upon being taken back to Newgate, she did not
say one word to any one; but when she was placed in her cell, she paced
to and fro in its narrow confines with that restless perturbed manner
which may be noticed in wild animals when caged. After about an hour, then, she called to one of the attendants of the
prison, saying--

"I wish to speak to some one who has authority to hear what I may choose
to relate." "The chaplain will come," was the reply. "The chaplain!" repeated Mrs. Lovett with a burst of rage, "what do I
want with chaplains? Do I not know perfectly well that when a person is
found too idiotic for ordinary duties he is made a chaplain of a jail? No! I will not speak to any of your chaplains." "Well, I never!" said the turnkey. "Our chaplain for certain ain't a
conjuror, but I never heard afore that he was sent here on account of
being weak in the upper story. It's likely enough though for all that. Perhaps Mrs. Lovett, you'd like to see the Governor?" "Yes, he will do much better." "Very good." Such a prisoner as Mrs. Lovett could command an interview with the
Governor of Newgate at any reasonable period; and that functionary
having been apprised of her wish to see him, together with what she had
said of the chaplain, repaired to her cell with an ill-concealed smile
upon his face, for in his heart he perfectly agreed in Mrs. Lovett's
estimation of jail chaplains. "Well, madam," he said. "What have you to say to me?" "In the first place, sir, I am here without other clothing then that
which I now wear. Is it inconsistent with your regulations for me to
have a box of clothes brought me from my home?" "Oh no--you can have them. I will get an order from the committing
magistrate for you to have your clothes brought here. Of course they
will be scrupulously examined before they reach you." "What for?" "It is our custom, that's all." "You are afraid that I should escape?" "Oh, no--no! No woman ever yet escaped from Newgate, and I don't think
any man ever will again." "Perhaps not. For my part, I care not how many men escape, so that you
take good care Sweeney Todd does not." "You may make yourself easy upon that score." "Good--then when I get my clothes here, I will make a full confession of
all I know, regarding Todd's crimes." "And your own?" "Yes, if you like. And my own. Be it so. But mark me, I will have no
pettifogging, prying, canting parsons in the cell. If you bring your
chaplain here I am mute." "Very well, I will say as much. Of course, if you are inclined to make a
confession, you can make it to whom you please." "I should presume so." With this, the Governor left Mrs. Lovett, and she commenced again her
uneasy pacing of the cell. In about two hours, a large box was brought
to her with nearly the whole of her clothes from her house in Bell Yard. She selected a dress, with a number of heavy flounces, and put it on,
appearing to be much better satisfied than she had been. "Ah," said the turnkey, "that's the way with women. Give them dress, and
even in Newgate they feel comfortable, but make 'em go shabby, and you
had much better hang them outright." Another hour passed, and then the Governor, with a magistrate and
writing materials, came to the cell of the wretched woman. "If Mrs. Lovett," he said, "you still think proper to persevere in your
intention of making a confession, this gentleman, who is a magistrate,
will in his official capacity receive it, and I will witness it; but you
do it entirely at your own risk and peril." "I know it," replied Mrs. Lovett, "and I likewise do it to the risk of
the peril of Sweeney Todd." "You can make what statement you please. How far it will be taken as
evidence against another, will depend entirely upon how it is in
essentials corroborated by others," said the magistrate. "I am content. Now, sir, will you listen to me?" "Most certainly."