"Colonel Jeffery informs Sweeney Todd that, although from a variety of reasons he may not think proper to prosecute him for his recent outrage at his house, he will, upon a repetition of such conduct, at once hand him over to the police."
Todd's countenance, during the perusal of this brief note, betrayed a variety of emotions; and when he had concluded it, he let it drop from his hands, and knitting his brows, he muttered—
"What does this mean?"
That there was—that there must be something much more than met the eye in this boasted clemency of the colonel towards him, he felt quite convinced; but what it was, he was puzzled to think for a time. At length, brightening up, he said—
"Yes, I have it. It is Tobias—it is Tobias. He cannot rid himself from the idea that I have some mysterious power of injuring his mother; and perhaps, after all, he may have made no disclosures to the colonel injurious to me."
Comforted by this wide supposition, Todd picked up the letter again, and put it in his pocket carefully.
"It is as well," he said, "for I shall not now be hurried. No, I shall not be at all hurried now, which I might have been.—Charley."
"Yes, sir."
"Trim the lamp."
Johanna did so; and while the process was going on, Todd opened the other letter, it was as follows:—