hard cash-第103章

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Cooper；　the　head　keeper；　pounced　on　the　offender；　seized　him　roughly　by　the　collar；　dragged　him　from　the　table；　knocking　his　chair　down；　and　bundled　him　out　of　the　room　with　ignominy　and　fracas；　in　spite　of　a　remonstrance　from　Alfred；　〃Oh；　don't　be　so　rough　with　the　poor　man。

Then　the　novice　laid　down　his　knife　and　fork；　and　ate　no　more。　〃I　am　grieved　at　my　own　ill…nature　in　complaining　of　such　a　trifle；〃　said　he　when　all　was　quiet

The　company　stared　considerably　at　this　remark：　it　seemed　to　them　a　most　morbid　perversion　of　sensibility；　for　the　deranged；　thin…skinned　beyond　conception　in　their　own　persons；　and　alive　to　the　shadow　of　the　shade　of　a　wrong；　are　stoically　indifferent　to　the　woes　of　others。

Though　Alfred　was　quiet　as　a　lamb　all　day；　the　attendants　returned　him　to　the　padded　room　at　night；　because　he　had　been　there　last　night。　But　they　only　fastened　one　ankle　to　the　bed…post：　so　he　encountered　his　Lilliputians　on　tolerably　fair　termsnumbers　excepted：　they　swarmed。　Unable　to　sleep；　he　put　out　his　hand　and　groped　for　his　clothes。　But　they　were　outside　the　door；　according　to　rule。


Day　broke　at　last：　and　he　took　his　breakfast　quietly　with　the　first…class　patients。　It　consisted　of　cool　tea　in　small　basins　instead　of　cups；　and　table…spoons　instead　of　tea…spoons；　and　thick　slices　of　stale　bread　thinly　buttered。　A　few　patients　had　gruel　or　porridge　instead　of　tea。　After　breakfast　Alfred　sat　in　the　first…class　patients'　room　and　counted　the　minutes　and　the　hours　till　Edward　should　come。　After　dinner　he　counted　the　hours　till　tea…time。　Nobody　came；　and　he　went　to　bed　in　such　grief　and　disappointment　as　some　men　live　to　eighty　without　ever　knowing。

But　when　two　o'clock　came　next　day；　and　no　Edward；　and　no　reply；　then　the　distress　of　his　soul　deepened。　He　implored　Mrs。　Archbold　to　tell　him　what　was　the　cause。　She　shook　her　head　and　said　gravely；　it　was　but　too　common；　a　man's　nearest　and　dearest　were　very　apt　to　hold　aloof　from　him　the　moment　he　was　put　into　an　asylum。

Here　an　old　lady　put　in　her　word。　〃Ah；　sir；　you　must　not　hope　to　hear　from　anybody　in　this　place。　Why；　I　have　been　two　years　writing　and　writing；　and　can't　get　a　line　from　my　own　daughter。　To　be　sure　she　is　a　fine　lady　now：　but　it　was　her　poor　neglected　mother　that　pinched　and　pinched　to　give　her　a　good　education；　and　that　is　how　she　caught　a　good　husband。　But　it's　my　belief　the　post　in　our　hall　isn't　a　real　post：　but　only　a　box；　and　I　think　it　is　contrived　so　as　the　letters　fall　down　a　pipe　into　that　Baker's　hands；　and　so　then　when　the　postman　comes〃　　The　Archbold　bent　her　bushy　brows　on　this　chatty　personage。　〃Be　quiet；　Mrs。　Dent；　you　are　talking　nonsense；　and　exciting　yourself：　you　know　you　are　not　to　speak　on　that　topic。　Take　care。〃

The　poor　old　woman　was　shut　up　like　a　knife；　for　the　Archbold　had　a　way　of　addressing　her　own　sex　that　crushed　them。　The　change　was　almost　comically　sudden　to　the　mellow　tones　in　which　she　addressed　Alfred　the　very　next　moment；　on　the　very　same　subject：　〃Mr。　Baker；　I　believe；　sees　the　letters：　and；　where　our　poor　patients　（with　a　glance　at　Dent）　write　in　such　a　way　as　to　wound　and　perhaps　terrify　those　who　are　in　reality　their　best　friends；　they　are　not　always　sent。　But　I　conclude　_your_　letters　have　gone。　If　you　feel　you　can　be　calm；　why　not　ask　Mr。　Baker？　He　is　in　the　house　now；　for　a　wonder。〃

Alfred　promised　to　be　calm；　and　she　got　him　an　interview　with　Mr。　Baker。

He　was　a　full…blown　pawnbroker　of　Silverton　town；　whom　the　legislature；　with　that　keen　knowledge　of　human　nature　which　marks　the　British　senate；　permitted；　and　still　permits；　to　speculate　in　Insanity；　stipulating；　however；　that　the　upper　servant　of　all　in　his　asylum　should　be　a　doctor；　but　omitting　to　provide　against　the　instant　dismissal　of　the　said　doctor　should　he　go　and　rob　his　employer　of　a　lodgerby　curing　a　patient。

As　you　are　not　the　British　legislature；　I　need　not　tell　you　that　to　this　pawnbroker　insanity　mattered　nothing；　nor　sanity：　his　trade　lay　in　catching；　and　keeping；　and　stinting；　as　many　lodgers；　sane　or　insane；　as　he　could　hold。

There　are　certain　formulae　in　these　quiet　retreats；　which　naturally　impose　upon　greenhorns　such　as　Alfred　certainly　was；　and　some　visiting　justices　and　lunacy　commissioners　would　seem　to　be。　Baker　had　been　a　lodging…house　keeper　for　certified　people　many　years；　and　knew　all　the　formulae：　some　call　them　dodges：　but　these　must　surely　be　vulgar　minds。　Baker　worked　〃the　see…saw　formula。〃

〃Letters；　young　gentleman？〃　said　he：　〃they　are　not　in　my　department　They　go　into　the　surgery；　and　are　passed　by　the　doctor；　except　those　he　examines　and　orders　to　be　detained。〃

Alfred　demanded　the　doctor。

〃He　is　gone；〃　was　the　reply。　（Formula。）

Alfred　found　it　as　hard　to　be　calm　as　some　people　find　it　easy　to　say　that　word　over　the　wrongs　_of　others。_

The　next　day；　but　not　till　the　afternoon；　he　caught　the　doctor：　〃My　letters！　Surely；　sir；　you　have　not　been　so　cruel　as　to　intercept　them？〃

〃I　intercept　no　letters；〃　said　the　doctor；　as　if　scandalised　at　the　very　idea。　〃I　see　who　writes　them；　and　hand　them　to　Mr。　Baker；　with　now　and　then　a　remark。　If　any　are　detained；　the　responsibility　rests　with　him。〃

〃He　says　it　rests　with　you。〃

〃You　must　have　misunderstood　him。〃

〃Not　at　all；　sir。　One　thing　is　clear；　my　letters　have　been　stolen　either　by　him　or　you；　and　I　will　know　which。〃

The　doctor　parried　with　a　formula。

〃You　are　_excited；_　Mr。　Hardie。　Be　calm；　sir；　be　calm：　or　you　will　be　here　all　the　longer。〃

All　Alfred　obtained　by　this　interview　was　a　powerful　opiate。　The　head…keeper　brought　it　him　in　bed。　He　declined　to　take　it。　The　man　whistled；　and　the　room　filled　with　keepers。

〃Now；〃　said　Cooper；　〃down　with　it；　or　you'll　have　to　be　drenched　with　this　cowhorn。〃

〃You　had　better　take　it；　sir；〃　said　Brown；　〃the　doctor　has　ordered　it　you。〃

〃The　doctor？　Well；　let　me　see　the　doctor　about　it。〃

〃He　is　gone。〃

〃He　never　ordered　it　me；〃　said　Alfred。　Then　fixing　his　eyes　sternly　on　Cooper；　〃You　miscreants；　you　want　to　poison　me。　No；　I　will　not　take　it。　Murder！　murder！〃

Then　ensued　a　struggle；　on　which　I　draw　a　veil：　but　numbers　won　the　day；　with　the　help　of　handcuffs　and　a　cowhorn。

Brown　went　and　told　Mrs。　Archbold；　and　what　Alfred　had　said。

〃Don't　be　alarmed；〃　said　that　strong…minded　lady：　〃it　is　only　one　of　the　old　fool's　composing　draughts。　It　will　spoil　the　poor　boy's　sleep　for　one　night；　that　is　all。　Go　to　him　the　first　thing　in　the　morning。〃

About　midnight　Alfred　was　seized　with　a　violent　headache　and　fever：　towards　morning　he　was　light…headed；　and　Brown　found　him　loud　and　incoherent：　only　he　returned　often　to　an　expression　Mr。　Brown　had　never　heard　before

〃Justifiable　parricide。　Justifiable　parricide。　Justifiable　patricide。〃

Most　people　dislike　new　phrases。　Brown　ran　to　consult　Mrs。　Archbold　about　this　one。　After　the　delay　inseparable　from　her　sex；　she　came　in　a　morning　wrapper；　and　they　found　Alfred　leaning　over　the　bed　and　bleeding　violently　at　the　nose。　They　were　a　good　deal　alarmed；　and　tried　to　stop　it：　but　Alfred　was　quite　sensible　now；　and　told　them　it　was　doing　him　good。

〃I　can　manage　to　see　now；〃　he　said；　〃a　little　while　ago　I　was　blind　with　the　poison。〃

They　unstrapped　his　ankle　and　made　him　comfortable；　and　Mrs。　Archbold　sent　Brown　for　a　cup　of　strong　coffee　and　a　glass　of　brandy。　He　tossed　them　off；　and　soon　after　fell　into　a　deep　sleep　that　lasted　till　tea…time。　This　sleep　the　poor　doctor　ascribed　to　the　sedative　effect　of　his　opiate。　It　_was_　the　natural　exhaustion　consequent　on　the　morbid　excitement　caused　by　his　cursed　opiate。

〃Brown；〃　said　Mrs。　Archbold；　〃if　Dr。　Bailey　prescribes　again；　let　me　know。　He　shan't　square　_this_　patient　with　his　certificates；　whilst　I　am　here。〃

This　was　a　shrewd；　but　uncharitable；　speech　of　hers。　Dr。　Bailey　was　not　such　a　villain　as　that。

He　was　a　less　depraved；　and　more　dangerous　animal：　he　was　a　fool。

The　farrago　he　had　administered　would　have　done　an　excited　maniac　no　good；　of　course；　but　no　great　harm。　It　was　dangerous　to　a　sane　man：　and　Alfred　to　the　naked　eye　was　a　sane　man。　But　then　Bailey　had　no　naked　eye　left：　he　had　been　twenty　years　an　M。　D。　The　certificates　of　Wycherley　and　Speers　were　the