"I love her," he said; "I love her, but she seems in no respect willing to enchain her affections. Alas! alas! how sad it is for me, that the being who above all others I could wish to call my own, instead of a joy to me, I have only encountered that she might impart a pang to my heart. Beautiful and excellent Johanna, I love you, but I can see that your own affections are withered for ever."
CHAPTER XVI.
THE BARBER MAKES ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO SELL THE STRING OF PEARLS.
It would seem as if Sweeney Todd, after his adventure in already trying to dispose of the string of pearls which he possessed, began to feel little doubtful about his chances of success in that matter, for he waited patiently for a considerable period before he again made the attempt, and then he made it after a totally different fashion. Towards the close of night on that same evening when Johanna Oakley had met Colonel Jeffery, for the second time, in the Temple Garden, and while Tobias sat alone in the shop in his usual deep dejection, a stranger entered the place, with a large blue bag in his hand, and looked inquiringly about him.
"Hilloa, my lad!" said he, "is this Mr. Todd's?"
"Yes," said Tobias; "but he is not at home. What do you want?"
"Well, I'll be hanged," said the man, "if this don't beat everything; you don't mean to tell me he is a barber, do you?"
"Indeed I do; don't you see?"
"Yes, I see to be sure; but I'll be shot if I thought of it beforehand. What do you think he has been doing?"
"Doing," said Tobias, with animation; "do you think he will be hung?"
"Why, no, I don't say it is a hanging matter, although you seem as if you wished it was; but I'll just tell you now we are artists at the west-end of the town."