hard cash-第130章

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f　these　things　to　her　in　English。）　The　impenetrable　creature　assented　outwardly；　with　no　sign　of　emotion　whatever；　but　one　flash　of　the　eye；　and　one　heave　of　the　bosom　swiftly　suppressed。　She　waited　calmly　and　patiently　till　she　was　alone；　then　yielded　to　joy　and　triumph；　they　seemed　to　leap　inside　her。　But　this　very　thing　alarmed　her。　〃Better　for　me　never　to　see　him　again；〃　she　thought。　〃His　power　over　me　is　too　terrible。　Ah；　good…bye　to　the　peace　and　comfort　I　have　been　building　up！　He　will　scatter　them　to　the　winds。　He　has。〃

She　tried　not　to　think　of　him　too　much。　And；　while　she　was　so　struggling；　Wolf　let　out　that　Alfred　was　to　have　morphia　at　dinner　the　first　daymorphia；　the　accursed　drug　with　which　these　dark　men　in　these　dark　places　coax　the　reason　away　out　of　the　head　by　degrees；　or　with　a　potent　dose　stupefy　the　victim；　then　act　surprise；　alarm；　and　make　his　stupor　the　ground　for　applying　medical　treatment　to　the　doomed　wretch。　Edith　Archbold　knew　the　game；　and　at　the　word　morphia；　Pity　and　Passion　rose　in　her　bosom　irresistible。　She　smiled　in　Dr。　Wolf's　face；　and　hated　him；　and　secretly　girt　herself　up　to　baffle　him；　and　protect　Alfred's　reason；　and　win　his　heart　through　his　gratitude。

She　received　him　as　I　have　related；　to　throw　dust　in　Dr。　Wolf's　eyes：　but　she　acted　so　admirably　that　some　went　into　Alfred's。　〃Ah；〃　thought　he；　〃she　is　angry　with　herself　for　her　amorous　folly；　and；　with　the　justice　of　her　sex；　she　means　to　spite　poor　me　for　it。〃　He　sighed；　for　he　felt　her　hostility　would　be　fatal　to　him。　To　give　her　no　fresh　offence；　he　fell　into　her　manner；　and　treated　her　with　a　world　of　distant　respect。　Then　again；　who　else　but　she　could　have　warned　him　against　poison？　Then　again；　if　so；　why　look　so　cold　and　stern　at　him？　He　cast　one　or　two　wistful　glances　at　her；　but　the　artful　woman　of　thirty　was　impenetrable　in　public　to　the　candid　man　of　twenty…one。　Even　her　passion　could　not　put　them　on　an　equality。

That　night　he　could　not　sleep。　He　lay　wondering　what　would　be　the　next　foul　practice；　and　how　he　should　parry　it。

He　wrote　next　morning　to　the　Commissioners　that　two　of　their　number；　unacquainted　with　the　previous　proceedings　of　the　Board；　had　been　surprised　into　endorsing　an　order　of　transfer　to　an　asylum　bearing　a　very　inferior　character　to　Dr。　Wycherley's；　the　object　of　this　was　clearly　foul　play。　Accordingly；　Dr。　Wolf　had　already　tried　to　poison　his　reason；　by　drugging　his　beer　at　dinner。　He　added　that　Dr。　Wycherley　had　now　signed　a　certificate　of　his　sanity；　and　implored　the　Board　to　inspect　it；　and　discharge　him　at　once；　or　else　let　a　solicitor　visit　him　at　once；　and　take　the　requisite　steps　towards　a　public　inquiry。

While　waiting　anxiously　for　the　answer；　it　cost　him　all　his　philosophy　to　keep　his　heart　from　eating　itself。　But　he　fought　the　good　fight　of　Reason；　he　invited　the　confidences　of　the　quieter　mad　people；　and　established　a　little　court；　and　heard　their　grievances；　and　by　impartial　decisions　and　good　humour　won　the　regard　of　the　moderate　patients　and　of　the　attendants；　all　but　three；　Rooke；　the　head　keeper；　a　morose　burly　ruffian；　Hayes；　a　bilious　subordinate；　Rooke's　shadow；　and　Vulcan；　a　huge　mastiff　that　would　let　nobody　but　Rooke　touch　him；　he　was　as　big　as　a　large　calf；　and　formidable　as　a　small　lion；　though　nearly　toothless　with　age。　He　was　let　loose　in　the　yard　at　night；　and　was　an　element　in　the　Restraint　system；　many　a　patient　would　have　tried　to　escape　but　for　Vulcan。　He　was　also　an　invaluable　howler　at　night；　and　so　cooperated　with　Dr。　Wolf's　bugs　and　fleas　to　avert　sleep；　that　vile　foe　to　insanity　and　all　our　diseases；　private　asylums　included。

Alfred　treated　Mrs。　Archbold　with　a　distant　respect　that　tried　her　hard。　But　that　able　woman　wore　sweetness　and　unobtrusive　kindness；　and　bided　her　time。

In　Drayton　House　the　keeperesses　eclipsed　the　keepers　in　cruelty　to　the　poorer　patients。　No　men　except　Dr。　Wolf　and　his　assistant　had　a　pass…key　into　their　department；　so　there　was　nobody　they　could　deceive；　nobody　they　held　worth　the　trouble。　In　the　absence　of　male　critics　they　showed　their　real　selves；　and　how　wise　it　is　to　trust　that　gentle　sex　in　the　dark　with　irresponsible　power　over　females。　With　unflagging　patience　they　applied　the　hourly　torture　of　petty　insolence；　needless　humiliation；　unreasonable　refusals　to　the　poor　madwomen；　bored　them　with　the　poisoned　gimlet；　and　made　their　hearts　bleeding　pin…cushions。　But　minute　cruelty　and　wild　caprice　were　not　enough　for　them；　though　these　never　tired　nor　rested；　they　must　vilify　them　too　with　degrading　and　savage　names。　Billingsgate　might　have　gone　to　school　to　Drayton　House。　_Inter　alia；_　they　seemed　in　love　with　a　term　that　Othello　hit　upon；　only　they　used　it　not　once；　but　fifty　times　a　day；　and　struck　decent　women　with　it　on　the　face；　like　a　scorpion　whip；　and　then　the　scalding　tears　were　sure　to　run　in　torrents　down　their　silly；　honest；　burning　cheeks。　But　this　was　not　all；　they　had　got　a　large　tank　in　a　flagged　room；　nominally　for　cleanliness　and　cure；　but　really　for　bane　and　torture。　For　the　least　offence；　or　out　of　mere　wantonness；　they　would　drag　a　patient　stark　naked　across　the　yard；　and　thrust　her　bodily　under　water　again　and　again；　keeping　her　down　till　almost　gone　with　suffocation；　and　dismissing　her　more　dead　than　alive　with　obscene　and　insulting　comments　ringing　in　her　ears；　to　get　warm　again　in　the　cold。　This　my　ladies　called　〃tanking。〃

In　the　ordinary　morning　ablutions　they　tanked　without　suffocating。　But　the　immersion　of　the　whole　body　in　cold　water　was　of　itself　a　severe　trial　to　those　numerous　patients　in　whom　the　circulation　was　weak；　and　as　medical　treatment；　hurtful　and　even　dangerous。　Finally；　these　keeperesses；　with　diabolical　insolence　and　cruelty；　would　bathe　twenty　patients　in　this　tank；　and　then　make　them　drink　that　foul　water　for　their　meals。

〃The　dark　places　of　the　land　are　full　of　horrible　cruelty。〃

One　day　they　tanked　so　savagely　that　Nurse　Eliza；　after　months　of　sickly　disapproval；　came　to　the　new　redresser　of　grievances；　and　told。

What　was　he　to　do？　He　seized　the　only　chance　of　redress；　he　ran　panting　with　indignation　to　Mrs。　Archbold；　and　blushing　high；　said　imploringly；　〃Mrs。　Archbold；　you　used　to　be　kindhearted〃　and　could　say　no　more　for　something　rising　in　his　throat。

Mrs。　Archbold　smiled　encouragingly　on　him；　and　said　softly；　〃I　am　the　same　I　always　wasto　you　Alfred。〃

〃Oh；　thank　you；　then　pray　send　for　Nurse　Eliza；　and　hear　the　cruelties　that　are　being　done　to　the　patients　within　a　yard　of　us。〃

〃You　had　better　tell　me　yourself；　if　you　want　me　to　pay　any　attention。〃

〃I　can't。　I　don't　know　how　to　speak　to　a　lady　of　such　things　as　are　done　here。　The　brutes！　the　cowardly　she…devils！　Oh；　how　I　should　like　to　kill　them。〃

Mrs。　Archbold　laughed　a　little　at　his　enthusiasm　（fancy　caring　so　what　was　done　to　a　pack　of　women）；　and　sent　for　Nurse　Eliza。　She　came　and　being　questioned　told　Mrs。　Archbold　more　than　she　had　Alfred。　〃And；　ma'am；〃　said　she；　whimpering；　〃they　have　just　been　tanking　one　they　had　no　business　to　touch；　it　is　Mrs。　Dale；　her　that　is　so　close　on　her　confinement。　They　tanked　her　cruel　they　did；　and　kept　her　under　water　till　she　was　nigh　gone。　I　came　away；　I　couldn't　stand　it。〃

Alfred　was　walking　about　in　a　fury；　and　Nurse　Eliza；　in　making　this　last　revolting　communication；　lowered　her　voice　for　him　not　to　hear；　but　his　senses　were　quick。　I　think　he　heard；　for　he　turned　and　came　quickly　to　them。

〃Mrs。　Archbold；　you　are　strong　and　bravefor　a　woman；　oh；　do　go　in　to　them　and　take　them　by　the　throat　and　shake　the　life　out　of　them；　the　merciless；　cowardly　beasts！　Oh　that　I　could　be　a　woman　for　an　hour；　or　they　could　be　men；　I'd　soon　have　my　foot　on　some　of　the　wretches。〃

Mrs。　Archbold　acted　Ignition。　〃Come　with　me　both　of　you；〃　she　said；　and　they　were　soon　in　the　female　department。　Up　came　keeperesses　directly；　smirking　and　curtseying　to　her；　and　pretending　not　to　look　at　Adonis。　〃Which　of　you　nurses　tanked　Mrs。　Dale？〃　said　she　sternly。

〃'Twasn't　I；　ma'am；　'twasn't　I。〃

〃Oh；　fie！〃　said　Eliza　to　one；　〃you　know　you　were　at　the　head　of　it。〃

She　pointed　out　two　as　the　leaders。　The　Archbold　instantly　had　them　seized　by　the　otherswho；　with　treachery　equal