hard cash-第111章

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On　this　he　was　handcuffed；　and　helped　into　the　dog…cart。

They　went　up　to　town　by　the　midnight　train；　but；　to　Alfred's　astonishment　and　delight　did　not　take　a　carriage　to　themselves。

However；　station　after　station　was　passed；　and　nobody　came　into　their　carriage。　At　last　they　stopped　at　a　larger　station；　and　a　good　many　people　were　on　the　platform：　Alfred　took　this　opportunity　and　appealed　in　gentle　but　moving　terms　to　the　first　good　and　intelligent　face　he　saw。　〃Sir；〃　said　he；　〃I　implore　your　assistance。〃

The　gentleman　turned　courteously　to　him。　The　keepers；　to　Alfred's　surprise；　did　not　interrupt。

〃I　am　the　victim　of　a　conspiracy；　sir；　they　pretend　I　am　mad：　and　are　taking　me　by　force　to　a　madhouse；　a　living　tomb。〃

〃You　certainly　don't　appear　to　be　mad；〃　said　the　gentleman。

The　head　keeper　instantly　showed　him　the　order　and　a　copy　of　the　certificates。

〃Don't　look　at　_them；_　sir；〃　cried　Alfred；　〃they　are　signed　by　men　who　were　bribed　to　sign　them。　For　pity's　sake；　sir；　judge　for　yourself。　Test　my　memory；　my　judgment；　by　any　question　you　please。　Use　your　own　good　sense；　don't　let　those　venal　rogues　judge　for　you。〃

The　gentleman　turned　cold　directly。

〃I　could　not　take　on　me　to　interfere；〃　said　he。　The　unsworn　affidavits　had　overpowered　his　senses。　He　retired　with　a　frigid　inclination。　Alfred　wrung　his　handcuffed　hands；　and　the　connecting　chain　rattled。

The　men　never　complained：　his　conduct　was　natural；　and　they　knew　their　strength。　At　the　next　station　he　tested　a　snob's　humanity　instead　of　a　gentleman's。　He　had　heard　they　were　more　tender…hearted。　The　answer　was　a　broad　grin；　repeated　at　intervals。

Being　called　mad　was　pretty　much　the　same　thing　as　being　mad　to　a　mind　of　this　class：　and　Alfred　had　admitted　he　was　called　mad。

At　the　next　station　he　implored　a　silvery…haired　old　gentleman。　Old　age；　he　had　heard；　has　known　griefs；　and　learned　pity。

The　keeper　showed　the　certificates。

〃Ah！〃　said　Senex；　〃poor　young　man。　Now　don't　agitate　yourself。　It　is　all　for　your　good。　Pray　go　quietly。　Very　painful；　very　painful。〃　And　he　hobbled　away　as　fast　as　he　could。　It　is　by　shirking　the　painful　some　live　to　be　silvery　old。〃

Next　he　tried　a　policeman。　Bobby　listened　to　him　erect　as　a　dart。

The　certificates　were　shown　him。

He　eyed　them　and　said　sharply；　〃All　right。〃　Nor　could　Alfred's　entreaties　and　appeals　to　common　sense　attract　a　word　or　even　a　look　from　him。　Alfred　cried　〃Help！　murder！　If　you　are　Englishmen；　if　you　are　Christians；　help　me。〃

This　soon　drew　a　crowd　round　him；　listening　to　his　fiery　tale　of　wrong；　and　crying　〃Shame；　shame！　Let　him　go。〃　The　keepers　touched　their　heads；　winked；　and　got　out　and　showed　the　certificates；　the　crowd　melted　away　like　wax　before　those　two　suns　of　evidence　（unsworn）。　The　train　moved　on。

It　was　appalling。　How　could　he　ever　get　free？　Between　his　mind　and　that　of　his　fellows　there　lay　a　spiritual　barrier　more　impassible　than　the　walls　of　fortified　cities。

Yet；　at　the　very　next　station；　with　characteristic　tenacity　of　purpose；　he　tried　again；　for　he　saw　a　woman　standing　near；　a　buxom　country　woman　of　forty。　Then　he　remembered　that　the　Naked　Eye　was　not　yet　an　extinct　institution　among　her　sex。　He　told　her　his　tale；　and　implored　her　to　use　her　own　eyes。　She　seemed　struck；　and　did　eye　him　far　more　closely　than　the　men　had：　and　told　the　keepers　they　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　themselves；　he　was　no　madman；　for　she　had　seen　madmen。　They　showed　her　the　certificates。

〃Oh；　I　am　no　scholar！〃　said　she　contemptuously；　〃ye　can't　write　my　two　eyes　out　of　my　head。〃

The　keeper　whipped　off　Alfred's　cap　and　showed　his　shaven　crown。

〃La！　so　he　is；〃　said　she；　lowering　her　tone；　〃dear　heart；　what　a　pity。　And　such　a　pretty　young　gentleman。〃　And　after　that　all　he　could　say　only　drew　the　dew　of　patient　pity　to　her　eyes。

The　train　went　on；　and　left　her　standing　there；　a　statue　of　negative　clemency。　Alfred　lost　heart。　He　felt　how　impotent　he　was。　〃I　shall　die　in　a　madhouse；〃　he　said。　He　shivered　in　a　corner；　hating　man；　and　doubting　God。

They　reached　Dr。　Wycherley's　early　in　the　morning。　Alfred　was　shown　into　a　nice　clean　bedroom；　and　asked　whether　he　would　like　to　bathe　or　sleep。　〃Oh；　a　bath；〃　he　said；　and　was　allowed　to　bathe　himself。　He　had　not　been　long　in　the　water　when　Dr。　Wycherley's　medical　assistant　tapped　at　the　door；　and　then　entered　without　further　ceremonya　young　gentleman　with　a　longish　down　on　his　chin；　which；　initiated　early　in　the　secrets　of　physiology；　he　was　too　knowing　to　shave　off　and　so　go　to　meet　his　trouble。　He　came　in　looking　like　a　machine；　with　a　note…book　in　his　hand；　and　stood　by　the　bath　side　dictating　notes　to　himself　and　jotting　them　down。

〃Six　contusions：　two　on　the　thorax；　one　on　the　abdomen；　two　on　the　thighs；　one　near　the　patella；　turn；　please。〃　Alfred　turned　in　the　water。　〃A　slight　dorsal　abrasion；　also　of　the　wrists；　a　severe　excoriation　of　the　ankle。　Leg…lock；　eh？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Iron　leg…lock。　Head　shaved。　Large　blister。　Good！　Any　other　injuries　external　or　internal　under　old　system？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　confined　as　a　madman　though　sane；　as　_you；_　I　am　sure；　have　the　sense　to　see。〃

〃Oh；　never　mind　that；　we　are　all　sane　hereexcept　the　governor　and　I。〃

He　whipped　out；　and　entered　the　condition　of　the　new　patient's　body　with　jealous　minuteness　in　the　case…book。　As　for　his　mind；　he　made　no　inquiry　into　that：　indeed　he　was　little　qualified　for　researches　of　the　kind。

At　breakfast　Alfred　sat　with　a　number　of　mad　ladies　and　gentlemen；　who　by　firmness；　kindness；　and　routine；　had　been　led　into　excellent　habits：　the　linen　was　clean　and　the　food　good。　He　made　an　excellent　meal；　and　set　about　escaping：　with　this　view　he　explored　the　place。　Nobody　interfered　with　him；　but　plenty　of　eyes　watched　him。　The　house　was　on　the　non…restraint　system。　He　soon　found　this　system　was　as　bad　for　him　as　it　was　good　for　the　insane。　Non…restraint　implied　a　great　many　attendants；　and　constant　vigilance。　Moreover；　the　doors　were　strong；　the　windows　opened　only　eight　inches；　and　that　from　the　top：　their　framework　was　iron；　painted　like　wood；　&c。　It　was　next　to　impossible　to　get　into　the　yard　at　night：　and　then　it　looked　quite　impossible　to　get　any　further；　for　the　house　was　encompassed　by　high　walls。

He　resigned　all　hope　of　escape　without　connivance。　He　sounded　a　keeper；　the　man　fired　at　the　first　word。　〃Come；　none　of　that；　sir；　you　should　know　better　than　tempt　a　poor　man。〃

Alfred　coloured　to　the　eyes　and　sighed　deeply。　To　have　honour　thrown　in　his　face；　and　made　the　reason　for　not　aiding　him　to　baffle　a　dishonourable　conspiracy！　But　he　took　the　reproof　so　sweetly；　the　man　was　touched；　and　by…and…bye；　seeing　him　deeply　dejected；　said　good…naturedly；　〃Don't　be　down　on　your　luck；　sir。　If　you　are　really　better；　which　you　don't　look　to　have　much　the　matter　now；　why　not　write　to　the　Commissioners　and　ask　to　be　let　out？〃

〃Because　my　letters　will　be　intercepted。〃

〃Ay；　to　your　friends；　but　not　to　the　Commissioners　of　Lunacy。　Not　in　this　house；　any　way。〃

〃God　bless　you！〃　cried　Alfred　impetuously。　〃You　are　my　benefactor；　you　are　an　honest　fellow；　give　me　your　hand。〃

〃Well；　why　not？　Only　you　mustn't　excite　yourself。　Take　it　easy。〃　（Formula。）

〃Oh；　no　cant　among　friends！〃　said　Alfred：　〃wouldn't　you　be　excited　at　the　hope　of　getting　out　of　prison？〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know　but　I　might。　Bound　I　am　as　sick　of　it　as　you　are。〃

Alfred　got　paper　and　sketched　the　letter　on　which　so　much　depended。　It　took　him　six　hours。　He　tore　up　two；　he　cooled　down　the　third；　and　condensed　it　severely：　by　this　means；　after　much　thought；　he　produced　a　close　and　telling　composition。　He　also　weeded　it　of　every　trait　and　every　term　he　had　observed　in　mad　people's　talk；　or　the　letters　they　had　shown　him。　So　there　was　no　incoherency；　no　heat；　no　prolixity；　no　〃spies；〃　no　〃conspiracy；〃　no　italics。　A　simple；　honest；　earnest　story；　with　bitter　truth　stamped　on　every　line；　a　sober；　strong　appeal　from　a　sore　heart　but　hard　head　to　the　arbiters　of　his　fate。

To　the　best　of　my　belief　no　madman；　however　slightly　touched；　or　however　cunning；　ever　wrote　a　letter　so　gentle　yet　strong；　so　earnest　yet　calm；　so　short　yet　full；　and　withal　so　lucid　and　cleanly　jointed　as　this　was。　And　I　am