hard cash-第107章

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tail　at　a　doctor's　certificate；　distrusted　their　eyesight　at　an　unsworn　affidavit。

Alfred　was　packing　up　his　things　to　go　away；　bright　as　a　lark。　Mrs。　Archbold　came　to　him；　and　told　him　she　had　orders　to　give　him　every　comfort；　and　the　justices　hoped　to　liberate　him　at　their　next　visit。

The　poor　wretch　turned　pale。　〃At　their　next　visit！〃　he　cried；　〃What；　not　to…day？　When　is　their　next　visit？〃

Mrs。　Archbold　hesitated：　but　at　last　she　said；　〃Why　you　know；　I　told　you；　they　come　four　times　every　year。〃

The　disappointment　was　too　bitter。　The　contemptible　result　of　all　his　patience；　self…command；　and　success；　was　too　heart…breaking。　He　groaned　aloud。　〃And　you　can　come　with　a　smile　and　tell　me　that；　you　cruel　woman。〃　Then　he　broke　down　altogether　and　burst　out　crying。　〃You　were　born　without　a　heart；〃　he　sobbed。

Mrs。　Archbold　quivered　at　that。　〃I　wish　I　had　been；〃　said　she；　in　a　strange；　soft；　moving　voice；　then；　casting　an　eloquent　look　of　reproach　on　him；　she　went　away　in　visible　agitation；　and　left　him　sobbing。　Once　out　of　his　sight　she　rushed　into　another　room；　and　there；　taking　no　more　notice　of　a　gentle　madwoman；　its　occupant；　than　of　the　bed　or　the　table；　she　sank　into　a　chair；　and；　throwing　her　head　back　with　womanly　abandon；　hid　her　hand　upon　her　bosom　that　heaved　tempestuously。

And　soon　the　tears　trickled　out　of　her　imperious　eyes；　and　ran　unrestrained。

The　mind　of　Edith　Archbold　corresponded　with　her　powerful　frame；　and　bushy　brows。　Inside　this　woman　all　was　vigour：　strong　passions；　strong　good　sense　to　check　or　hide　them；　strong　will　to　carry　them　out。　And　between　these　mental　forces　a　powerful　struggle　was　raging。　She　was　almost　impenetrable　to　mere　personal　beauty；　and　inclined　to　despise　early　youth　in　the　other　sex；　and　six　months　spent　with　Alfred　in　a　quiet　country　house　would　probably　have　left　her　reasonably　indifferent　to　him。　But　the　first　day　she　saw　him　in　Silverton　House　he　broke　through　her　guard；　and　pierced　at　once　to　her　depths；　first　he　terrified　her　by　darting　through　the　window　to　escape：　and　terror　is　a　passion。　So　is　pity；　and　never　in　her　life　had　she　overflowed　with　it　as　when　she　saw　him　drawn　out　of　the　tank　and　laid　on　the　grass。　If；　after　all；　he　was　as　sane　as　he　looked；　that　brave　high…spirited　young　creature；　who　preferred　death　to　the　touch　of　coarse　confining　hands！

No　sooner　had　he　filled　her　with　dismay　and　pity；　than　he　bounded　from　the　ground　before　her　eyes　and　fled。　She　screamed；　and　hoped　he　would　escape；　she　could　not　help　it。　Next　she　saw　him　fighting　alone　against　seven　or　eight；　and　with　unheard…of　prowess　almost　beating　them。　She　sat　at　the　window　panting；　with　clenched　teeth　and　hands；　and　wished　him　to　beat；　and　admired　him；　wondered　at　him。　He　yielded；　but　not　to　them：　to　her。　All　the　compliments　she　had　ever　received　were　tame　compared　with　this　one。　It　thrilled　her　vanity。　He　was　like　the　men　she　had　read　of；　and　never　seen：　the　young　knights　of　chivalry。　She　glowed　all　over　at　him；　and　detecting　herself　in　time　was　frightened。　Her　strong　good　sense　warned　her　to　beware　of　this　youth；　who　was　nine　years　her　junior；　yet　had　stirred　her　to　all　her　depths　in　an　hour；　and　not　to　see　him　nor　think　of　him　too　much。　Accordingly　she　kept　clear　of　him　altogether　at　first。　Pity　soon　put　an　end　to　that；　and　she　protected　and　advised　him；　but　with　a　cold　and　lofty　demeanour　put　on　express。　What　with　her　kind　acts　and　her　cold　manner　he　did　not　know　what　to　make　of　her；　and　often　turned　puzzled　earnest　eyes　upon　her；　as　much　as　to　say；　Are　you　really　my　friend　or　not？　Once　she　forgot　herself　and　smiled　so　tenderly　in　answer　to　these　imploring　eyes；　that　his　hopes　rose　very　high　indeed。　He　flattered　himself　she　would　let　him　out　of　the　asylum　before　long。　That　was　all　Julia's　true　lover　thought　of。

A　feeling　hidden；　and　not　suppressed；　often　grows　fast　in　a　vigorous　nature。　Mrs。　Archbold's　fancy　for　Alfred　was　subjected　to　this　dangerous　treatment；　and　it　smouldered；　and　smouldered；　till　from　a　_penchant_　it　warmed　to　a　fancy；　from　a　fancy　to　a　passion。　But　_penchant；_　fancy；　or　passion；　she　hid　it　with　such　cunning　and　resolution；　that　neither　Alfred　nor　even　those　of　her　own　sex　saw　it；　nor　did　a　creature　even　suspect　it；　except　Nurse　Hannah；　but　her　eyes　were　sharpened　by　jealousy；　for　that　muscular　young　virgin　was　beginning　to　sigh　for　him　herself；　with　a　gentle　timidity　that　contrasted　prettily　with　her　biceps　muscle　and　prowess　against　her　own　sex。

Mrs。　Archbold　had　more　passion　than　tenderness；　but　what　woman　is　not　to　be　surprised　and　softened？　When　her　young　favourite；　the　greatest　fighter　she　had　ever　seen；　broke　down　at　the　end　of　his　gallant　effort　and　began　to　cry　like　a　girl；　her　bowels　of　compassion　yearned　within　her；　and　she　longed　to　cry　with　him。　She　only　saved　herself　from　some　imprudence　by　flight；　and　had　her　cry　alone。　After　a　flow　of　tears；　such　a　woman　is　invincible；　she　treated　Alfred　at　tea…time　with　remarkable　coldness　and　reserve。　This　piece　of　acting　led　to　unlooked…for　consequences：　it　emboldened　Cooper；　who　was　raging　against　Alfred　for　telling　the　justices；　but　had　forborne　from　violence　for　fear　of　getting　the　house　into　a　fresh　scrape。　He　now　went　to　the　doctor；　and　asked　for　a　powerful　drastic。　Bailey　gave　him　two　pills；　or　rather　boluses；　containing　croton　oil_inter　alia；_　for　Bailey　was　one　of　the　_farraginous_　fools　of　the　unscientific　science。　Armed　with　this　weapon　of　destruction；　Cooper　entered　Alfred's　bedroom　at　night；　and　ordered　him　to　take　them：　he　refused。　Cooper　whistled；　and　four　attendants　came。　Alfred　knew　he　should　soon　be　powerless。　He　lost　no　time；　sprang　at　Cooper；　and　with　his　long　arm　landed　a　blow　that　knocked　him　against　the　wall；　and　in　this　position；　where　his　body　could　not　give；　struck　him　again　with　his　whole　soul；　and　cut　his　cheek　right　open。　The　next　minute　he　was　pinned；　handcuffed；　and　in　a　straitjacket；　after　crippling　one　assailant　with　a　kick　on　the　knee。

Cooper；　half　stunned；　and　bleeding　like　a　pig；　recovered　himself　now；　and　burned　for　revenge。　He　uttered　a　frightful　oath；　and　jumped　on　Alfred　as　he　lay　bound　and　powerless；　and　gave　him　a　lesson　he　never　forgot。

Every　art　has　its　secrets：　the　attendants　in　such　madhouses　as　this　have　been　for　years　possessed　of　one　they　are　too　modest　to　reveal　to　justices；　commissioners；　or　the　public；　the　art　of　breaking　a　man's　ribs；　or　breast…bone；　or　both；　without　bruising　him　externally。　The　convicts　at　Toulon　arrive　at　a　similar　result　by　another　branch　of　the　art：　they　stuff　the　skin　of　a　conger　eel　with　powdered　stone；　then　give　the　obnoxious　person　a　sly　crack　with　it；　and　a　rib　backbone　is　broken　with　no　contusion　to　mark　the　external　violence　used。　But　Mr。　Cooper　and　his　fellows　do　their　work　with　the　knee…joint：　it　is　round；　and　leaves　no　bruise。　They　subdue　the　patient　by　walking　up　and　down　him　on　their　knees。　If　they　don't　jump　on　him；　as　well　as　promenade　him；　the　man's　spirit　is　often　the　only　thing　broken；　if　they　do；　the　man　is　apt　to　be　broken　bodily　as　well　as　mentally。　Thus　died　Mr。　Sizer　in　1854；　and　two　others　quite　recently。　And　how　many　more　God　only　knows：　we　can't　count　the　stones　at　the　bottom　of　a　dark　well。

Cooper　then　sprang　furiously　on　Alfred；　and　went　kneeling　up　and　down　him。　Cooper　was　a　heavy　man；　and　his　weight　crushed　and　hurt　the　victim's　legs；　but　that　was　a　trifle：　as　often　as　he　kneeled　on　Alfred's　chest；　the　crushed　one's　whole　framework　seemed　giving　way；　and　he　could　scarcely　breathe。　But　Brown　drew　Cooper　back　by　the　collar；　saying；　〃D'ye　want　to　kill　him？〃　And　at　this　moment　Mrs。　Archbold；　who　was　on　the　watch；　came　in　with　Hannah　and　another　nurse；　and　the　three　women　at　a　word　from　their　leader　pinned　Cooper　simultaneously；　and；　taking　him　at　a　disadvantage；　handcuffed　him　in　a　moment　with　a　strength；　sharpness；　skill；　and　determination　not　to　be　found　in　women　out　of　a　madhouseluckily　for　the　newspaper　husbands。

The　other　keepers　looked　astounded　at　this　masterstroke；　but；　as　no　servant　had　ever　affronted　Mrs。　Archbold　without　being　dismissed　directly；　they　took　their　cue　and　said；　〃We　advised　him；　ma'am；　but　he　would　not　listen　to　us。〃

〃Cooper；〃　said　Mrs。　Archbold　as　soon　as　she　recovered