The governor was vexed1, and the chaplain was vexed, and when the sheriff was sent for, he, too, was vexed, so they all revenged themselves upon the turnkey, whose duty it was to be in the passage adjoining the cell, and they fancied they met the justice of the case by discharging him.
Of course, in a very few hours the news of Mrs. Lovett's suicide became known all over London, with very many exaggerations; and there was not one person in the whole of the vast population of the great city who did not know the fact, save and except that man who would feel most interested in it. We, of course, allude2 to Sweeney Todd.
He, in his cell in Newgate, saw no newspapers, and held no conversation with the world without; and as none of the persons in any way connected with the prison chose to inform him of what had happened, he had not the least idea but that Mrs. Lovett was, along with him, suffering all the terrors of suspense3 antecedent to her trial upon the serious charge impending4 over her.
Of course when the day of his, Todd's, trial should arrive, the fact could no longer be kept secret from him; and that day come at last to wither5 up any faint hopes that he might cling to.
Scarcely ever in London had such an amount of public excitement been produced by any criminal proceedings6, as by the trial of Sweeney Todd. While he pursued a monotonous7 life from day to day in his cell, haunted by all sorts of fears, and the prey8 of the most dismal9 apprehensions10, the public appetite had been fed by all sorts of strange and vague stories concerning him.
The most hideous11 crimes had been laid to his charge; and in the imagination of the people, the number of his victims was quadrupled, so that when the morning of his trial arrived, so great was the excitement, that business in the City was almost at a stand still, and sober-minded men who did not see any peculiar12 interest in the sayings and doings of a great criminal, were of course disgusted that the popular taste should run that way.
As regarded Todd himself, he had gone into Newgate with a fixed13 determination in his own mind to commit suicide if he possibly could; but he had not taken the precaution that Mrs. Lovett had long before, in providing the means of so doing; and consequently he was thrown upon the scanty14 resources that might present themselves to him in the prison.
That those resources would be few and limited enough, may be well imagined, for the most special instructions had been given by Sir Richard Blunt to prevent Todd from committing suicide; and since Mrs. Lovett had so disposed of herself despite the authorities, those precautions had been redoubled; so that Todd, after two or three abortive15 attempts, and thinking the matter over in every way, saw that there was no chance for him in that way, and he made up his mind to abide16 his trial, with the hope that he might, during the course of it, be able to say enough to make Mrs. Lovett's conviction certain, while he felt certain that he could not possibly make his own situation worse than it was.
He thought, too, that perhaps after conviction he might behave so cunningly as to deceive his jailer into an idea that he was full of contrition17 and resignation, and so, at some ungarded moment, achieve the object that now he felt to be impossible.
With these hopes and feelings, then, little suspecting that Mrs. Lovett had already removed her case to a higher tribunal, Sweeney Todd awaited his trial.
Probably he had no idea of the amount of excitement that his case had created outside the prison. The customary calm of the officials of the jail, had deceived him into a belief, that after all it was no such great matter; but he quite forgot that that was a professional calm, with which the people had nothing to do, and in which it was not at all likely they would participate.
The Governor came into his cell about a quarter before nine o'clock on the morning fixed for his trial.
"Sweeney Todd," he said, "you are wanted in court."
"I am ready," said Todd.
He rose with alacrity18, and accompanied the Governor and two turnkeys. It was the custom then to place prisoners accused of such heavy offences as fell to Todd's charge in irons, and if the authorities had any suspicion of violent intentions upon the part of such prisoners, the irons accompanied them to the bar of the Old Bailey. Todd was so accompanied; and as he walked along, his irons made a melancholy19 clank together.
His imprisonment20 preceding his trial had been uncommonly21 short, but yet it had been sufficient to bring him down greatly in appearance. He had never been one of the fat order of mortals, but now he looked like some great gaunt, ghost. Every patch of colour had forsaken22 his cheeks, and his eyes looked preternaturally lustrous23.
Those who had not been accustomed to the sight of him during his imprisonment in Newgate, shrunk from him as he followed the Governor through the gloomy passages of the prison. Two well-armed officers keep close upon his heels, so that Todd could not complain of a want of attendants.
Todd Goes To Take His Trial.
Todd Goes To Take His Trial.
Even he recoiled24 when he was brought into the court of the Old Bailey, for it was a complete sea of heads; and from the dock he could hear the roar and the shout, and the shrieks25 of people outside, who were still struggling for admission.
It was then that the idea first seemed to strike him that the public, in him, had recognised one of those notorious criminals, that awaken26 in no small degree popular indignation by their acts. Indeed, upon his first appearance in the court, there was a strange kind of groan27 of execration28, which was tolerably evident to all, and yet not defined enough for the judge to take any notice of.
The strife29 continued at the door of the court, and it was quite evident that the officers were engaged in a severe struggle with the crowd outside.
"Let the doors be closed," said the judge; "the court is already inconveniently30 crowded."
Upon this order, the officers redoubled their exertions31; and being assisted by some of the spectators already within the court, who were fearful of being trampled32 to death if the crowd should once get in, the doors were made to shut, and fastened.
A yell of rage and disappointment came from the mob; and then a loud voice, that towered above all other noises, shouted—
"Bring Todd out and we will hang him at once without any further trouble. We only want Todd!"
The countenance33 of the prisoner turned as white as paper, and his glaring eyes were fixed upon the doors of the court.
"It is quite impossible," said the judge, "that the business of the court can be carried on under these circumstances; I hope that the civil power will be sufficient to repress this tumult34 without, otherwise it will be my duty to send for a guard of military, and then bloodshed may be the consequence, from which those who create this riot alone will be in any way answerable."
"Bring him out!" cried a hundred voices. "Out with him! Todd—Todd! We want Todd."
There was then such a furious hammering at the doors of the court, that it was quite impossible to hear what any one said. Sir Richard Blunt suddenly appeared on the bench, and leaning over to the judge, he said—
"My lord, I am collecting a force with which I shall be able to clear the entrances to the court."
"I wish you would, Sir Richard. This riot is most disgraceful."
"It is, my lord; but it shall be suppressed now with as much speed as may be."
With this, Sir Richard immediately retired35. He collected together a force of fifty constables36, and forming them into a sort of wedge, he suddenly opened a side door, and attacked the mob. The fight, for a hand-to-hand fight it now was, did not last more than ten minutes, when the mob gave way, and "every one for himself" became the cry. In five minutes more the party of officers had possession of all the avenues to the court, and a profound silence succeeded to the riot that had taken place.
"I think now," said the judge "we may proceed to business. This riot has been a most disgraceful one, and if the officers will bring any one before me who has taken part in it, I will commit him to prison at once."
"The court thanks you, sir," said the judge. "Let the proceedings commence at once."
Todd now glared about him, and his lips kept moving as though he were repeating something to himself in a whisper. The Governor of Newgate leant forward, and said—
"Do you wish to say anything?"
"Yes. Where is she?"
"Mrs. Lovett do you mean?"
"I do. Why am I here, and she not? Where is she? If she be innocent, why then so am I. I do not see her."
"She will not be here."
"Not here? How—why?"
"She is dead."
Todd nearly dropped to the floor, and from that moment a great portion of his courage, small as it was, departed, and he looked like a ghost rather than a living man. At times, he kept muttering to himself the word—"Dead—dead—dead!"
The usual formalities were gone through, and then Todd was roused up to plead to the indictment38, charging him with the murder of Francis Thornhill.
The governor touched him on the shoulder.
"Plead to the indictment," he said.
"Dead!" cried Todd. "Why is she dead?"
"Prisoner at the bar," said the clerk of the arraign39. "Do you plead guilty or not guilty to the charge here made against you?"
Government had entrusted41 the prosecution42 to the Attorney General of the time being, and that functionary43 was in court. He rose to open the case, and spoke44 as follows, amid the most breathless silence—
"My lord, and gentlemen of the jury—
"Where is she?" said Todd.
"Prisoner," said the judge, "at the proper time you will have an opportunity of making any observation you may think fit, but it is scarcely necessary for me to inform you that this is not the time."
"She is not dead!" cried Todd. "She has been let escape by some juggling46, in order that all the vengeance47 of the law might be directed against me. It is not true that she is dead. Some of you are chargeable with allowing that woman to escape. I tell you that she is a fiend and not a woman. But she has had gold at her disposal, and she has bribed48 you all—I say she has bought you all."
"Prisoner," said the judge, "this cannot be permitted. You only deeply prejudice your own case by this conduct."
"That is impossible. I know that you are all in one large conspiracy49 against me, and you have let that woman escape, in order that the last drop should not be wanting to fill my cup of bitterness to the overflowing50."
"It will be impossible," said the Attorney-General, "to proceed with the case, if the prisoner at the bar continues these interruptions."
"Prisoner," said the judge, "I, and all here present, are disposed to give any allowance and indulgence to a man in your situation; but let me beg of you to be silent."
"I am done," said Todd, "but it is false to say that she is dead. That fiend cannot die. She is a devil, I tell you all, and if there be any here who fancy that she is dead, I tell them that they are mistaken. She cannot be killed. I know that well. Go on with what you call your proceedings; I have no more to say to you."
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1
vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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2
allude
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| v.提及，暗指 | |
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suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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impending
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| a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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5
wither
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| vt.使凋谢，使衰退，(用眼神气势等)使畏缩；vi.枯萎，衰退，消亡 | |
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proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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7
monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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9
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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10
apprehensions
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| 疑惧 | |
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11
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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12
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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13
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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14
scanty
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| adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的 | |
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abortive
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| adj.不成功的，发育不全的 | |
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abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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contrition
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| n.悔罪，痛悔 | |
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18
alacrity
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| n.敏捷，轻快，乐意 | |
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melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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20
imprisonment
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| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
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21
uncommonly
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| adv. 稀罕(极，非常) | |
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22
Forsaken
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| adj. 被遗忘的, 被抛弃的 动词forsake的过去分词 | |
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23
lustrous
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| adj.有光泽的；光辉的 | |
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24
recoiled
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| v.畏缩( recoil的过去式和过去分词 )；退缩；报应；返回 | |
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25
shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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awaken
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| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
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27
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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28
execration
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| n.诅咒，念咒，憎恶 | |
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29
strife
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| n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争 | |
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30
inconveniently
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| ad.不方便地 | |
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31
exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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32
trampled
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| 踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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33
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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36
constables
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| n.警察( constable的名词复数 ) | |
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37
dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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38
indictment
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| n.起诉；诉状 | |
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39
arraign
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| v.提讯；控告 | |
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40
enraged
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| 使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤 | |
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41
entrusted
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| v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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42
prosecution
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| n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营 | |
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43
functionary
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| n.官员；公职人员 | |
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44
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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45
indicted
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| 控告，起诉( indict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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46
juggling
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| n. 欺骗, 杂耍(=jugglery) adj. 欺骗的, 欺诈的 动词juggle的现在分词 | |
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47
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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48
bribed
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| v.贿赂( bribe的过去式和过去分词 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂 | |
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49
conspiracy
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| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
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50
overflowing
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| n. 溢出物,溢流 adj. 充沛的，充满的 动词overflow的现在分词形式 | |
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