hard cash-第127章

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ood　for　evil　with　scarcely　an　effort。〃

At　this　unexpected　tribute　the　water　stood　in　the　doctor's　eyes。　It　was　no　more　than　the　truth；　but　this　was　the　first　maniac　he　had　met　intelligent　enough　to　see　his　good　qualities　clearly　and　express　them　eloquently。

〃In　short；〃　continued　Alfred；　〃to　be　happy　in　his　house　all　a　man　wants　is　to　be　insane。　But；　as　I　am　not　insane；　I　am　miserable；　no　convict；　no　galley　slave　is　so　wretched　as　I　am；　gentlemen。　And　what　is　my　crime？〃

〃Well；　well；〃　said　Dr。　Eskell　kindly；　〃I　think　it　likely　you　will　not　be　very　long　in　confinement。〃　They　then　civilly　dismissed　him；　and　on　his　departure　asked　Dr。　Wycherley　his　candid　opinion。　Dr。　Wycherley　said　he　was　now　nearly　cured；　his　ability　to　discuss　his　delusion　without　excitement　was　of　itself　a　proof　of　that。　But　in　another　month　he　would　be　better　still。　The　doctor　concluded　his　remarks　thus

〃However；　gentlemen；　you　have　heard　him：　now　judge　for　yourselves　whether　anybody　can　be　as　clever　as　he　is；　without　the　presence　of　more　or　less　abnormal　excitement　of　the　organs　of　intelligence。〃

It　was　a　bright　day　for　Alfred；　he　saw　he　had　made　an　excellent　impression　on　the　Commissioners；　and；　as　luck　does　not　always　come　single；　after　many　vain　attempts　to　get　a　letter　posted　to　Julia；　he　found　this　very　afternoon　a　nurse　was　going　away　next　day。　He　offered　her　a　guinea；　and　she　agreed　to　post　a　letter。　Oh　the　hapiness　it　was　to　the　poor　prisoner　to　write　it；　and　unburden　his　heart　and　tell　his　wrongs。　He　kept　his　manhood　for　his　enemies；　his　tears　fell　on　the　paper　he　sent　to　his　forlorn　bride。　He　had　no　misgivings　of　her　truth；　he　judged　her　by　himself：　gave　her　credit　for　anxiety；　but　not　for　doubt。　He　concluded　a　long；　ardent；　tender　letter　by　begging　her　to　come　and　see　him；　and；　if　refused　admission；　to　publish　his　case　in　the　newspapers；　and　employ　a　lawyer　to　proceed　against　all　the　parties　concerned　in　his　detention。　Day　after　day　he　waited　for　an　answer　to　his　letter；　none　came。　Then　he　began　to　be　sore　perplexed；　and　torn　with　agonising　doubts。　What　if　her　mind　was　poisoned　too！　What　if　she　thought　him　mad！　What　if　some　misfortune　had　befallen　her！　What　if　she　had　believed　him　dead；　and　her　heart　had　broken！　Hitherto　he　had　seen　his　own　trouble　chiefly；　but　now　he　began　to　think　day　and　night　on　hers；　and　though　he　ground　on　for　his　degree　not　to　waste　time；　and　not　to　be　driven　mad；　yet　it　was　almost　superhuman　labour；　sighs　issued　from　his　labouring　breast　while　his　hard；　indomitable　brain　laboured　away；　all　uphill；　at　Aristotle's　Divisions　and　Definitions。

On　the　seventh　day；　the　earliest　the　mad　statute　allowed；　the　two　Commissioners　returned；　and　this　time　Mr。　Abbott　took　the　lead；　and　told　him　that　the　policeman　Reynolds　had　left　the　force；　and　the　Dodds　had　left　the　town；　and　were　in　London；　but　their　address　not　known。

At　this　Alfred　was　much　agitated。　She　was　alive；　and　perhaps　near　him。

〃I　have　heard　a　good　deal　of　your　story；〃　said　Mr。　Abbott；　〃and　coupling　it　with　what　we　have　seen　of　you；　we　think　your　relatives　have　treated　you；　and　a　young　lady　of　whom　everybody　speaks　with　respect〃

〃God　bless　you　for　saying　that！　God　bless　you！〃

〃treated　you　both；　I　say；　with　needless　severity。〃

Dr。　Eskell　then　told　him　the　result　of　the　Special　Commission；　now　closed。　〃I　believe　you　to　be　cured；〃　said　he；　〃and　Mr。　Abbott　has　some　doubts　whether　you　were　ever　positively　insane。　We　shall　lay　your　case　before　the　Board　at　once；　and　the　Board　will　write　to　the　party　who　signed　the　order；　and　propose　to　him　to　discharge　you　at　once。〃

At　this　magnificent　project　Alfred's　countenance　fell；　and　he　stared　with　astonishment。　〃What！　have　you　not　the　power　to　do　me　justice　without　soliciting　Injustice　to　help　you？〃

〃The　Board　has　the　power；〃　said　Dr。　Eskell；　〃but　for　many　reasons　they　exercise　it　with　prudence　and　reserve。　Besides；　it　is　only　fair　to　those　who　have　signed　the　order；　to　give　them　the　graceful　office　of　liberating　the　patient；　it　paves　the　way　to　reconciliation。〃

Alfred　sighed。　The　Commissioners；　to　keep　up　his　heart；　promised　to　send　him　copies　of　their　correspondence　with　the　person　who　had　signed　the　order。　〃Then；〃　said　Mr。　Abbott　kindly；　〃you　will　see　your　case　is　not　being　neglected。〃

The　following　precis；　though　imperfect；　will　give　some　idea　of　the　correspondence：

1。　The　Board　wrote　to　Thomas　Hardie；　letting　him　know　the　result　of　the　Special　Commission；　and　requesting　him　to　discharge　his　nephew。

Thomas　quaked。　Richard　smiled；　and　advised　Thomas　to　take　no　notice。　By　this　a　week　was　gained　to　Injustice；　and　lost　to　Justice。

2。　The　Board　pointed　out　Thomas　Hardie's　inadvertence　in　not　answering　No。　1；　enclosed　copy　of　it；　and　pressed　for　a　reply。

Thomas　quaked；　Richard　smiled。

3。　Thomas　Hardie　to　the　Board。　From　what　he　had　heard；　it　would　be　premature　to　discharge　Alfred。　Should　prefer　to　wait　a　month　or　two。

4。　Board　to　Alfred；　conveying　this　in　other　terms。

5。　Alfred　to　Board；　warning　them　against　this　proposal。　To　postpone　justice　was　to　refuse　justice；　certainly　for　a　time；　probably　for　ever。

6。　The　Board　to　Thomas　Hardie；　suggesting　that　if　not　released　immediately　Alfred　ought　to　have　a　trial_i。e。；_　be　allowed　to　go　into　the　world　with　a　keeper。

7。　Alfred　to　the　Board；　begging　that　Dr。　Sampson；　an　honest　independent　physician；　might　be　allowed　to　visit　him　and　report　to　them。

8。　The　Board　to　Alfred；　declining　this；　for　the　present　as　unadvisable；　they　being　in　correspondence　with　the　person　who　had　signed　the　orderwith　a　view　to　his　liberation。

9。　T。　Hardie　to　the　Board；　shuffling；　and　requesting　time　to　make　further　inquiries。

10。　The　Board；　suggesting　there　should　be　some　reasonable　limit　to　delay。

11。　T。　Hardie；　asking　for　a　month　to　see　about　it。

12。　The　Board；　suggesting　a　week。

13。　Alfred　Hardie；　asking　permission　to　be　visited　by　a　solicitor　with　a　view　to　protection　of　his　liberty　and　property。

14。　The　Board；　declining　this；　pending　their　correspondence　with　other　parties；　but　asking　him　for　the　names　and　addresses　of　all　his　trustees。

15。　Thomas　Hardie；　informing　the　Board　he　had　now　learned　Alfred　had　threatened　to　kill　his　father　as　soon　as　ever　he　should　get　out；　and　leaving　the　Board　to　discharge　him　on　their　own　responsibility　if　they　chose　after　this　warning：　but　declining　peremptorily　to　do　so　himself。

16；　17；　18。　The　Board；　by　advice　of　Mr。　Abbott；　to　Alfred's　trustees；　warning　them　against　any　alienation　of　Alfred's　money　under　the　notion　that　he　was　legally　a　lunatic；　and　saying　that　a　public　inquiry　appeared　inevitable；　owing　to　Mr。　T。　Hardie's　unwillingness　to　enter　into　their　views。

19。　To　Alfred；　inquiring　whether　he　wished　to　encounter　the　expense　of　Chancery　proceedings　to　establish　his　sanity。

20。　Alfred　to　the　Board；　imploring　them　to　use　their　powers　and　discharge　him　without　further　delay；　and　assuring　them　he　meditated　no　violence　on　his　liberation；　but　should　proceed　against　all　parties　under　legal　advice。

21。　The　Board　to　T。　Hardie；　warning　him　that　he　must　in　future　pay　Alfred's　maintenance　in　Asylum　out　of　his　own　pocket；　and　pressing　him　either　to　discharge　the　young　man；　or　else　to　apply　to　the　Lord　Chancellor　for　a　Commission　de　Lunatico　Inquirendo；　and　enclosing　copy　of　a　letter　from　Wycherley　saying　the　patient　was　harmless。

22。　T。　Hardie　respectfully　declining　to　do　either；　but　reminding　the　Commissioners　that　the　matter　could　be　thrown　into　Chancery　without　his　consent；　only　the　expense；　which　would　be　tremendous；　would　fall　on　the　lunatic's　estate；　which　might　hereafter　be　regretted　by　the　party　himself。　He　concluded　by　promising　to　come　to　town　and　visit　Alfred　with　his　family　physician；　and　write　further　in　a　week。

Having　thus　thrown　dust　in　the　eyes　of　the　Board；　Thomas　Hardie　and　Richard　consulted　with　a　notoriously　unscrupulous　madhouse　keeper　in　the　suburbs　of　London；　and　effected　a　masterstroke；　whereof　anon。

The　correspondence　had　already　occupied　three　months；　and　kept　Alfred　in　a　fever　of　the　mind；　of　all　the　maddening　things　with　which　he　had　been　harassed　by　the　pretended　curers　of　insanity；　this　tried　him　hardest。　To　see　a　dozen　honest　gentlemen　wishing　to　do　justice