"Oh, yes, pull—pull!" cried Todd. "Save me!"
"If you make that noise," added the old man, "we may as well be off at once, for the river, when it is as smooth as it is now, carries voices well."
"Boat a-hoi!" cried the voice again.
"We must answer them now," said the old waterman. "Ay, ay! Is it here? Boat a-hoi!"
At that moment the two watermen succeeded in reaching the broad stern of the barge, in which was centred the pile-driving machinery3, and the young man said to Todd—
"Now clamber in, and good luck attend you. If we don't come to you in the course of an hour, don't expect us, that's all."
Todd was not very young and supple4 in his joints5, but the sense of present and serious danger has an effect upon every one, and in a moment he seized the side of the pile-driving barge, and drew himself in.
"All right," said the old man.
"Good-night, then."
"Good-night! You will come for me if you can?"
"Yes, but don't expect us. Pull, now, as hard as you can, and get out into the stream. Pull! pull!"
By the strenuous8 united exertions9 of the two men, the boat shot along at good speed, and soon got to a considerable distance from the barge in which Todd had taken refuge. It was then that the police-galley hoisted10 a strong light that shed a bright glare through the rain, and over the surface of the river.
"Am I saved?" said Todd. "Am I saved, or am I not?"
He sank quite down into the body of the barge. There was a sort of platform over one-half of it, and upon that platform he felt the mass of iron, weighing about a couple of hundredweight, or more, which was used for driving piles into the bed of the river, and which, when liberated11 from a height, and allowed to fall upon the end of the pile, comes with a most tremendous force.
That piece of metal so used is called "the monkey."
"They come—they come!" said Todd. "Oh, if they only chanced to see the boat place me here, I am lost. Quite lost! What will become of me, then, with nothing but the cold, cold river all round me? Death, indeed, now stares me in the face!"
Truly, the situation of Todd now was rather a critical one. There was no saying how far the men on board the police-galley might not think themselves justified12 in boarding any craft that was moored13 upon the river; and, indeed, if they were searching for him, and had really any idea that he was trying an escape by the Thames, it was highly improbable that they would omit to have a good look in the barge where he was. There was another great danger, too, that suddenly flashed across his mind, and drove him nearly mad.
"If the police, when they overtake the wherry," he thought, "should mention who it is they are in pursuit of, may not the two watermen at once, upon finding that their sympathy has been excited for me, declare where I am, and even aid in my apprehension14?"
This idea, either because it was the last one that came into his head, or because it really was the one that seemed most full of real dangers, clung to him with desperation; and more than once the thought of ending all his miseries15 by a plunge16 into the river, crossed his mind. But it is not such men as Sweeney Todd who commit suicide.
"They come—they come!" was all he could now say.
The light from the police was, by the aid of a revolving17 reflector, capable of being cast pretty strongly in any direction that those who had the care and control of it chose; and for a moment it rested upon the barge where Todd was. He felt as if, at that moment, he could have crept right through the bottom of the barge, and taken refuge in the Thames.
The broad beam of light was then shifted off the barge on to the little wherry, which was at rest upon the water waiting for the approach of the police-galley.
And now, with vigorous sweeps of its six oars18, that galley made its way right past the barge. Oh! what a relief it was that it went past! It did not follow that all danger was gone because the police-barge had gone past; but it was a sufficient proof that the glare of light they had sent in that direction, by the aid of the reflector, had not had the effect of discovering him to them.
"That is something," muttered Todd.
He then slowly permitted his eyes to peer over the side of the barge in order, as far as he could, to watch the interview that was about to take place between the police and the two watermen in the wherry where he had been so lately a passenger. Upon that interview, now, he thought that his fate depended.
"Hilloa!" cried one of the police. "Why did you not wait for us when we first called to you?"
"We did," said the old man, "as soon as we saw your light, and knew what you were; but there are so many jokes played off upon the river, that if we were to rest-oars to everybody who call—'Boat a-hoi,' we should have enough to do."
"Who are you?"
"You have no passenger?"
"No. I only wish we had. Times are very bad."
"Well, it's all right. But we are placed here by the orders of Sir Richard Blunt the magistrate20, who suspects that the notorious murderer, Sweeney Todd, may try to escape by the Thames."
"Sweeney Todd!" cried the young waterman in a tone of horror. "What, the fellow that killed all the people in Fleet Street, and made them into pies?"
"The same."
"It's coming now," thought Todd. "It's coming now. They will tell him where I am."
The next words that were spoken, were uttered in a tone of voice that did not reach his ears. It was the old man who had spoken, and he did not utter his words so clearly as his younger companion; and although he tried his utmost to hear what he said, he could not possibly make it out, and he remained in a perfect agony of apprehension.
"Very well," said the officer in the police-barge, who had conducted the brief conversation. "It is a miserable21 night. Give way, my men. Steady there. Put the light out."
In an instant the light was lowered and extinguished, and the darkness that reigned22 upon the surface of the Thames was like a darkness that could be felt. It was difficult to conceive that it was not really tangible23.
"Are they coming back?"
That was the question that Todd asked of himself, as he grasped, to steady himself, the heavy piece of iron that belonged to the pile-driving machine. He listened most intently, until it was positively24 painful to do so, and he began to fancy all sorts of strange noises in the air and from the water. In a few moments, though, an actual splashing sound put to route all imaginary noises, and he felt convinced that the boat with the police was slowly returning towards the barge in which he was concealed25.
There was, to be sure, still a hope that they would pass it; but it was only a hope.
Oh, how awfully26 full of apprehension was each passing moment now. It might be that the police-galley was only going quietly back to its proper station, after overtaking the wherry; but then it might be quite otherwise, and the doubt was terrific. While that doubt lasted, it was worse than the reality of danger.
And now it was quite evident to the perception of Todd that the police-boat was close to the barge, and he heard a voice say—
"Is that the pile-driving barge?"
"Yes, sir," replied some one.
"And they leave it, I suppose, as usual?"
"No doubt, sir."
"Well, pull alongside, and a couple of you jump in and see if all is right. People leave their property exposed to all sorts of depredations27, and then blame us for not looking after it. Mind how you go, my men. Don't run foul28 of the barge."
"No, sir. All's right."
From the moment that this conversation had begun, Todd had remained crouching29 down in the barge, like a man changed to stone. He heard every word—those words upon which hung, or seemed to hang, his life, and his grasp upon the massive piece of iron tightened30.
The police-boat gradually advanced, and finally just grated against the side of the barge.
A sudden thought took possession of Todd. With a yell, like that of a mad-man, he, with preternatural strength, moved the heavy mass of iron, and in one moment toppled it over the edge of the barge.
Crash it went into the police-galley. There was then a shriek31, and the men were struggling in the water. The piece of iron had gone right through the boat, staving to pieces. It filled and sank.
Todd And The Police Galley.
Todd And The Police Galley.
"Help—help!" cried a voice, and then all was still as the grave for a few moments.
"It is done," said Todd.
"Help! mercy!" said a voice again, and a dark figure rose up by the side of the barge, clinging to it.
Todd drew one of his pistols. He levelled it at the head of the figure. He was upon the point of pulling the trigger, when it struck him that the flash and the report might be seen and heard from the shore. The pistol was heavily mounted with brass32 at the butt-end of it.
"Down!" said Todd. "Down!"
He struck the clambering, half-drowned man upon the head, and with a shriek he fell backwards33 into the water and disappeared. In another moment Todd felt a pair of arms twining round him, and a voice cried—
"Murderer, I have you now! You cannot shake me off!"
Todd made an effort, but, in truth, those wet and clinging arms held to him like fate.
"Fool," he said. "You will find drowning the easiest death for you to meet."
The Murder On The Thames—Todd's Narrow Escape.
The Murder On The Thames—Todd's Narrow Escape.
"Help—help! murder!" shouted his assailant.
The pistol was still in Todd's grasp. With a devilish ingenuity34, he thrust the barrel of it under his arm and felt that it touched his assailant. He pulled the trigger, and then he and the man who held him fell to the bottom of the barge together.
Todd kicked and plunged35 until he got uppermost, and then he felt for the throat of the other, and when he got a clutch of it he held it with a gripe of iron.
"Fool," he said. "Did you think that one driven to such desperation as I am, would be conquered so easily?"
There was no reply. Todd lifted up the head of the man, and it hung limply and flaccidly from the neck. He was quite dead. The pistol-bullet had gone through his heart, and death was instantaneous.
"Another one," said Todd, as he sprang to his feet and stood upon the dead body. "Another one sacrificed to my vengeance36. Let those only interfere37 with me who are tired of life."
He placed his hand to his ear now, to listen if there were any indications of others of the boat's crew stirring; but all was still. No sound, save the lazy ripple38 of the tide past the old barge on which he was, met his ears.
"It is over," he said. "It is quite over now. That one great danger is past now."
The rain began to fall quicker, and splashed upon the half deck of the barge. Todd felt that he was thoroughly39 wet through; but all minor40 ills he could now laugh at, that he had escaped the one great peril41 of capture. He felt that his life had hung upon a thread, and that only the recent accident had saved him; for to be captured, was to him equivalent to death.
"All gone!" he whispered. "They are all gone! Well—well! They would have dragged me to a prison, and then to a scaffold! Self-defence is a sound principle, and for that I have fought!"
A sudden gust42 of wind got up at that moment, and came howling past Todd, and ruffling43 upon the surface of the river; but all was still around the barge. There was now no cry for mercy—no shout for help—no bubbling shriek of some swimmer, who was yet sinking to death, as the waters closed over him.
"Yes," said Todd, as his long hair blew out like snakes in the wind, "I am alone here now. They are all dead, and I could do it again if it had to be done."
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1
barge
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| n.平底载货船，驳船 | |
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2
galley
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| n.（飞机或船上的）厨房单层甲板大帆船；军舰舰长用的大划艇； | |
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3
machinery
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| n.(总称)机械，机器；机构 | |
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4
supple
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| adj.柔软的，易弯的，逢迎的，顺从的，灵活的；vt.使柔软，使柔顺，使顺从；vi.变柔软，变柔顺 | |
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5
joints
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| 接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语） | |
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6
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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8
strenuous
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| adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的 | |
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9
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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10
hoisted
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| 把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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11
liberated
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| a.无拘束的，放纵的 | |
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12
justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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13
moored
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| adj. 系泊的 动词moor的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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14
apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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15
miseries
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| n.痛苦( misery的名词复数 )；痛苦的事；穷困；常发牢骚的人 | |
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16
plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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17
revolving
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| adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想 | |
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18
oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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19
overhaul
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| v./n.大修，仔细检查 | |
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20
magistrate
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| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
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21
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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22
reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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23
tangible
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| adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的 | |
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24
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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25
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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26
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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27
depredations
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| n.劫掠，毁坏( depredation的名词复数 ) | |
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28
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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29
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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30
tightened
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| 收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧 | |
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31
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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32
brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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33
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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34
ingenuity
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| n.别出心裁；善于发明创造 | |
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35
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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36
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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37
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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38
ripple
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| n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进 | |
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39
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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40
minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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41
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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42
gust
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| n.阵风，突然一阵（雨、烟等），（感情的）迸发 | |
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43
ruffling
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| 弄皱( ruffle的现在分词 )； 弄乱； 激怒； 扰乱 | |
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