hard cash-第104章

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eers　were　the　green　spectacles　he　worevery　green　oneswhenever　he　looked　at　Alfred　Hardie。

Perhaps　in　time　he　will　forget　those　certificates；　and；　on　his　spectacles　dropping　off；　he　will　see　Alfred　is　sane。　If　he　does；　he　will　publish　him　as　one　of　his　most　remarkable　_cures。_

Meanwhile　the　whole　treatment　of　this　ill…starred　young　gentleman　gravitated　towards　insanity。　The　inner　mind　was　exasperated　by　barefaced　injustice　and　oppression；　above　all；　by　his　letters　being　stopped；　for　that　convinced　him　both　Baker　and　Bailey；　with　their　see…saw　evasions；　knew　he　was　sane；　and　dreaded　a　visit　from　honest；　understanding　men：　and　the　mind's　external　organ；　the　brain；　which　an　asylum　professes　to　soothe；　was　steadily　undermined　by　artificial　sleeplessness。　A　man　can't　sleep　in　irons　till　he　is　used　to　them　and；　when　Alfred　was　relieved　of　these；　his　sleep　was　still　driven　away　by　biting　insects　and　barking　dogs；　two　opiates　provided　in　many　of　these　placid　Retreats；　with　a　view　to　the　permanence　rather　than　the　comfort　of　the　lodgers。

On　the　eighth　day　Alfred　succeeded　at　last　in　an　object　he　had　steadily　pursued　for　some　time：　he　caught　the　two　see…saw　humbugs　together。

〃Now；〃　said　he；　_〃you_　say　_he_　intercepts　my　letters；　and　_he_　says　it　is　_you_　who　do　it。　Which　is　the　truth？〃

They　were　staggered；　and　he　followed　up　his　advantage：　〃Look　me　in　the　face；　gentlemen；〃　said　he。　〃Can　you　pretend　you　do　not　know　I　am　sane？　Ah；　you　turn　your　heads　away。　You　can　only　tell　this　bare…faced　lie　behind　my　back。　Do　you　believe　in　God；　and　in　a　judgment　to　come？　Then；　if　you　cannot　release　me；　at　least　don't　be　such　scoundrels　as　to　stop　my　letters；　and　so　swindle　me　out　of　a　fair　trial；　an　open；　public　trial。〃

The　doctor　parried　with　a　formula。　〃Publicity　would　be　the　greatest　misfortune　could　befall　you。　Pray　be　calm。〃

Now；　an　asylum　is　a　place　not　entirely　exempt　from　prejudices：　and　one　of　them　is；　that　any　sort　of　appeal　to　God　Almighty　is　a　sign　or　else　forerunner　of　maniacal　excitement。

These　philosophers　forget　that　by　stopping　letters；　evading　public　trials；　and；　in　a　word；　cutting　off　all　appeals　to　human　justice；　they　compel　the　patient　to　turn　his　despairing　eyes；　and　lift　his　despairing　voice　to　Him；　whose　eye　alone　can　ever　really　penetrate　these　dark　abodes。

However；　the　patient　who　appealed　to　God　above　a　whisper　in　Silverton　Grove　House　used　to　get　soothed　directly。　And　the　tranquillising　influences　employed　were　morphia；　croton　oil；　or　a　blister。

The　keeper　came　to　Alfred　in　his　room。　〃Doctor　has　ordered　a　blister。〃

〃What　for？　Send　for　him　directly。〃

〃He　is　gone。〃

This　way　of　ordering　torture；　and　then　coolly　going；　irritated　Alfred　beyond　endurance。　Though　he　knew　he　should　soon　be　powerless；　he　showed　fight；　made　his　mark　as　usual　on　a　couple　of　his　zealous　attendants；　but　not　having　room　to　work　in　was　soon　overpowered；　hobbled；　and　handcuffed：　then　they　cut　off　his　hair；　and　put　a　large　blister　on　the　top　of　his　head。


The　obstinate　brute　declined　to　go　mad。　They　began　to　respect　him　for　this　tenacity　of　purpose：　a　decent　bedroom　was　allotted　him；　his　portmanteau　and　bag　were　brought　him；　and　he　was　let　walk　every　day　on　the　lawn　with　a　keeper；　only　there　were　no　ladders　left　about；　and　the　trap…door　was　locked；　_i。e。_　the　iron　gate。

On　one　of　these　occasions　he　heard　the　gatekeeper　whistle　three　times　consecutively；　his　attendant　followed　suit；　and　hurried　Alfred　into　the　house；　which　soon　rang　with　treble　signals。

〃What　is　it？〃　inquired　Alfred。

〃The　visiting　justices　are　in　sight：　go　into　your　room；　please。〃

〃Yes；　I'll　go；〃　said　Alfred；　affecting　cheerful　compliance；　and　the　man　ran　off。

The　whole　house　was　in　a　furious　bustle。　All　the　hobbles；　and　chains；　and　instruments　of　restraint　were　hastily　collected　and　bundled　out　of　sight；　and　clean　sheets　were　being　put　on　many　a　filthy　bed　whose　occupant　had　never　slept　in　sheets　since　he　came　there；　when　two　justices　arrived　and　were　shown　into　the　drawing…room。

During　the　few　minutes　they　were　detained　there　by　Mrs。　Archbold；　who　was　mistress　of　her　whole　business；　quite　a　new　face　was　put　on　everything　and　everybody；　ancient　cobwebs　fell；　soap　and　water　explored　unwonted　territories：　the　harshest　attendants　began　practising　pleasant　looks　and　kind　words　on　the　patients；　to　get　into　the　way　of　it；　so　that　it　might　not　come　too　abrupt　and　startle　the　patients　visibly　under　the　visitors'　eyes：　something　like　actors　working　up　a　factitious　sentiment　at　the　wing　for　the　public　display；　or　like　a　racehorse's　preliminary　canter。　Alfred's　heart　beat　with　joy　inexpressible。　He　had　only　to　keep　calm；　and　this　was　his　last　day　at　Silverton　Grove。　The　first　thing　he　did　was　to　make　a　careful　toilet。

The　stinginess　of　relations；　and　the　greed　of　madhouse　proprietors；　make　many　a　patient　look　ten　times　madder　than　he　is；　by　means　of　dress。　Clothes　wear　out　in　an　asylum；　and　are　not　always　taken　off；　though　Agriculture　has　long　and　justly　claimed　them　for　her　own。　And　when　it　is　no　longer　possible　to　refuse　the　Reverend　Mad　Tom　or　Mrs。　Crazy　Jane　some　new　raiment；　then　consanguineous　munificence　does　not　go　to　Pool　or　Elise；　but　oftener　to　paternal　or　maternal　wardrobes；　and　even　to　the　ancestral　chest；　the　old　oak　one；　singing：

〃Poor　things；　they　are　out　of　the　world：　what　need　for　them　to　be　in　the　fashion！〃　（Formula。）

This　arrangement　keeps　the　bump　of　self…esteem　down；　especially　in　women；　and　so　co…operates　with　many　other　little　arrangements　to　perpetuate　the　lodger。

Silverton　Grove　in　particular　was　supplied　with　the　grotesque　in　dress　from　an　inexhaustible　source。　Whenever　money　was　sent　Baker　to　buy　a　patient　a　suit；　he　went　from　his　lunacy　shop　to　his　pawnbroker's；　dived　headlong　into　unredeemed　pledges；　dressed　his　patient　as　gentlemen　are　dressed　to　reside　in　cherry…trees；　and　pocketed　five　hundred　per　cent。　on　the　double　transaction。　Now　Alfred　had　already　observed　that　many　of　the　patients　looked　madder　than　they　werethanks　to　short　trousers　and　petticoats；　holey　gloves；　ear…cutting　shirt…collars；　frilled　bosoms；　shoes　made　for　and　declined　by　the　very　infantry：　coats　short　in　the　waist　and　long　in　the　sleeves；　coalscuttle　bonnets；　and　grand…maternal　caps。　So　he　made　his　toilet　with　care；　and　put　his　best　hat　on　to　hide　his　shaven　crown。　He　then　kept　his　door　ajar；　and　waited　for　a　chance　of　speaking　to　the　justices。　One　soon　came：　a　portly　old　gentleman；　with　a　rubicund　face　and　honest　eye；　walked　slowly　along　the　corridor；　looking　as　wise　as　he　could；　cringed　on　by　Cooper　and　Dr。　Bailey；　the　latter　had　arrived　post　haste；　and　Baker　had　been　sent　for。　Alfred　came　out；　touched　his　hat　respectfully；　and　begged　a　private　interview　with　the　magistrate。　The　old　gentleman　bowed　politely；　for　Alfred's　dress；　address；　and　countenance；　left　no　suspicion　of　insanity　possible　in　an　unprejudiced　mind。

But　the　doctor　whispered　in　his　ear；　〃Take　care；　sir。　Dangerous！〃

Now　this　is　one　of　the　most　effective　of　the　formulae　in　a　private　asylum。　How　can　an　inexperienced　stranger　know　for　certain　that　such　a　statement　is　a　falsehood？　And　even　the　just　do　not　love　justice_to　others_quite　so　well　as　they　love　their　own　skins。　So　Squire　Tollett　very　naturally　declined　a　private　interview　with　Alfred；　and　even　drew　back　a　step；　and　felt　uneasy　at　being　so　near　him。　Alfred　implored　him　not　to　be　imposed　upon。　〃An　honest　man　does　not　whisper；〃　said　he。　〃Do　not　let　him　poison　your　mind　against　me；　on　my　honour；　I　am　as　sane　as　you　are；　and　he　knows　it。　Pray；　pray　use　your　own　eyes　and　ears；　sir；　and　give　yourself　a　chance　of　discovering　the　truth　in　this　stronghold　of　lies。〃

〃Don't　excite　yourself；　Mr。　Hardie；〃　put　in　the　doctor　parentally。　（Formula。）

〃Don't　you　interrupt　me；　doctor；　I　am　as　calm　as　you　are。　Calmer；　for；　see；　you　are　pale　at　this　moment；　that　is　with　fear　that　your　wickedness　in　detaining　a　sane　man　here　is　going　to　be　exposed。　Oh；　sir；〃　said　he；　turning　to　the　justice；　〃fear　no　violence　from　me；　not　even　angry　words；　my　misery　is　too　deep　for　irritation；　or　excitement。　I　am　an　Oxford　man；　sir；　a　prize　man；　an　Ireland　scholar。　But；　unfortunately　for　me；　my　mother　left　me　ten　thousand　pounds；　and　a　heart。