"There cannot be a doubt upon that point, Johanna, and so you will find
in all tales of love and of romance, that jealousy and wealth have been
the sources of all the abundant evils which fond and attached hearts
have from time to time suffered." "It is so; I believe, it is so, Arabella; but advise me what to do, for
truly I am myself incapable of action. Tell me what you think it is
possible to do, under those disastrous circumstances, for there is
nothing which I will not dare attempt." "Why, my dear Johanna, you must
perceive that all the evidence you have regarding this Thornhill,
follows him up to that barber's shop in Fleet-street, and no farther." "It does, indeed." "Can you not imagine, then, that there lies the mystery of his fate;
and, from what you have yourself seen of this man, Todd, do you think he
is one who would hesitate even at murder?" "Oh, horror! my own thoughts have taken that dreadful turn, but I
dreaded to pronounce the word which would embody them. If, indeed, that
fearful-looking man fancied that, by any deed of blood, he could become
possessed of such a treasure as that which belonged to Mark Ingestrie,
unchristian and illiberal as it may sound, the belief clings to me that
he would not hesitate to do it." "Do not, however, conclude, Johanna, that such is the case. It would
appear from all you have heard and seen of these circumstances, that
there is some fearful mystery; but do not, Johanna, conclude hastily
that that mystery is one of death." "Be it so, or not," said Johanna, "I must solve it, or go distracted. Heaven have mercy upon me!--for even now I feel a fever in my brain that
precludes almost the possibility of rational thought." "Be calm, be calm--we will think the matter over calmly and seriously;
and who knows but that, mere girls as we are, we may think of some
adventitious mode of arriving at a knowledge of the truth; and now I am
going to tell you something, which your narrative has recalled to my
mind." "Say on, Arabella, I shall listen to you with deep attention." "A short time since, about six months, I think, an apprentice of my
father, in the last week of his servitude, was sent to the west-end of
the town, to take a considerable sum of money; but he never came back
with it, and from that day to this we have heard nothing of him,
although, from inquiry that my father made, he ascertained that he
received the money, and that he met an acquaintance in the Strand, who
parted from him at the corner of Milford-lane, and to whom he said that
he intended to call at Sweeney Todd's, the barber, in Fleet-street, to
have his hair dressed, because there was to be a regatta on the Thames,
and he was determined to go to it whether my father liked or not." "And he was never heard of?" "Never. Of course, my father made every inquiry upon the subject, and
called upon Sweeney Todd for the purpose; but, as he declared that no
such person had ever called at his shop, the inquiry there terminated." "'Tis very strange." "And most mysterious; for the friends of the youth were indeed
indefatigable in their searches for him; and, by subscribing together
for the purpose, they offered a large reward to any one who could or
would give them information regarding his fate." "And was it all in vain?" "All; nothing could be learned whatever. Not even the remotest clue was
obtained, and there the affair has rested, in the most profound of
mysteries." Johanna shuddered, and for some few moments the two young girls were
silent. It was Johanna who broke that silence, by exclaiming--

"Arabella, assist me with what advice you can, so that I may set about
what I purpose with the best prospect of success and the least danger;
not that I shrink on my own account from risk, but if any misadventure
were to occur to me, I might thereby be incapacitated from pursuing that
object, to which I will now devote the remainder of my life." "But what can you do, my dear Johanna? It was but a short time since
there was a placard in the barber's window to say that he wanted a lad
as an assistant in his business, but that has been removed, or we might
have procured some one to take the situation for the express purpose of
playing the spy upon the barber's proceedings." "But, perchance, still there may be an opportunity of accomplishing
something in that way, if you knew of any one that would undertake the
adventure." "There will be no difficulty, Johanna, in discovering one willing to do
so, although we might be long in finding one of sufficient capacity that
we could trust; but I am adventurous, Johanna, as you know, and I think
I could have got my cousin Albert to personate the character, only that
I think he's rather a giddy youth, and scarcely to be trusted with a
mission of so much importance." "Yes, and a mission likewise, Arabella, which, by a single false step,
might be made frightfully dangerous." "It might indeed." "Then it will be unfair to place it upon any one but those who feel most
deeply for its success." "Johanna, the enthusiasm with which you speak awakens in me a thought
which I shrink from expressing to you, and which, I fear, perhaps more
originates from a certain feeling of romance, which, I believe, is a
besetting sin, than from any other cause." "Name it, Arabella; name it." "It would be possible for you or I to accomplish the object, by going
disguised to the barber's, and accepting such a situation, if it were
vacant, for a period of about twenty-four hours, in order that during
that time an opportunity might be taken of searching in his house for
some evidence upon the subject nearest to your heart." "It is a happy thought," said Johanna, "and why should I hesitate at
encountering any risk, or toil, or difficulty, for him who has risked so
much for me? What is there to hinder me from carrying out such a
resolution? At any moment, if great danger should beset me, I can rush
into the street, and claim protection from the passers-by." "And moreover, Johanna, if you went on such a mission, remember you go
with my knowledge, and that consequently I would bring you assistance,
if you appeared not in the specified time for your return." "Each moment, Arabella, the plan assumes to my mind a better shape. If
Sweeney Todd be innocent of contriving anything against the life and
liberty of those who seek his shop, I have nothing to fear; but if, on
the contrary, he be guilty, danger to me would be the proof of such
guilt, and that is a proof which I am willing to chance encountering for
the sake of the great object I have in view; but how am I to provide
myself with the necessary means?" "Be at rest upon that score. My cousin Albert and you are as nearly of a
size as possible. He will be staying here shortly, and I will secure
from his wardrobe a suit of clothes, which I am certain will answer your
purpose. But let me implore you to wait until you have had your second
interview with Colonel Jeffery."