hard cash-第141章

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And　at　clock…like　intervals　a　harmless　but　dirty　idiot；　who　was　allowed　to　roam　the　ward；　came　and　chanted　through　the　keyhole；　〃Everything　is　nothing；　and　nothing　is　everything。〃

This　was　the　only　observation　he　had　made　for　many　years。

His　ears　assailed　with　horrors；　of　which　you　have　literally　no　conception；　or　shadow　of　a　conception；　his　nose　poisoned　with　ammoniacal　vapours；　and　the　peculiar　wild…beast　smell　that　marks　the　true　maniac；　Alfred　ran　wildly　about　his　cell　trying　to　stop　his　ears；　and　trembling　for　his　own　reason。　When　the　fearful　night　rolled　away；　and　morning　broke；　and　he　could　stand　on　his　truckle…bed　and　see　the　sweet　hoar…frost　on　a　square　yard　of　grass　level　with　his　prison　bars；　it　refreshed　his　very　soul；　and　affected　him　almost　to　tears。　He　was　then；　to　his　surprise；　taken　out；　and　allowed　to　have　a　warm　bath　and　to　breakfast　with　David　and　the　rest；　but　I　suspect　it　was　done　to　watch　the　effect　of　the　trial　he　had　been　submitted　to。　After　breakfast；　having　now　no　place　to　go；　he　lay　on　a　bench；　and　there　exhausted　nature　overpowered　him；　and　he　fell　fast　asleep。

Mrs。　Archbold　came　by　on　purpose；　and　saw　him。　He　looked　very　pale　and　peaceful。　There　was　a　cut　on　his　forehead　due　to　Rooke's　knuckles。　Mrs。　Archbold　looked　down；　and　the　young　figure　and　haughty　face　seemed　so　unresisting　and　peaceful　sad；　she　half　relented；　and　shed　some　bitter　tears。　That　did　not；　however；　prevent　her　setting　her　female　spies　to　watch　him　more　closely　than　ever。

He　awoke　cold　but　refreshed；　and　found　little　Beverley　standing　by　him　with　wet　eyes。　Alfred　smiled　and　held　out　his　hand　like　a　captive　monarch　to　his　faithful　vassal。　〃They　shan't　put　you　in　the　noisy　ward　again；〃　sobbed　Frank。　〃This　is　your　last　night　here。〃

〃Hy；　Frank；　you　rascal；　my　boots！〃　roared　Rooke　from　an　open　window。

〃Coming；　sircoming！〃

Alfred's　next　visitor　was　the　Robin。　He　came　whispering；　〃It　is　all　right　with　Garrett；　sir；　and　he　has　got　a　key　of　the　back　gate；　but　you　must　get　back　to　your　old　room；　or　we　can't　work。〃

〃Would　to　Heaven　I　could；　Robin；　another　night　or　two　in　the　noisy　ward　will　drive　me　mad；　I　think。〃

〃Well；　sir；　I'll　tell　you　what　you　do：　which　we　all　have　to　do　it　at　odd　times：　hold　a　candle　to　the　devil：　here　she　comes：　I　think　she　is　everywhere　all　at　one　time。〃　The　Robin　then　sauntered　away；　affecting　nonchalance：　and　Alfred　proceeded　to　hold　the　candle　as　directed。　〃Mrs。　Archbold；〃　said　he　timidly　rising　from　his　seat　at　her　approach。

〃Sir；〃　said　she　haughtily；　and　affecting　surprise。

〃I　have　a　favour　to　ask　you；　madam。　Would　you　be　so　kind　as　to　let　me　go　back　to　my　room？〃

〃What；　you　have　found　I　am　not　so　powerless　as　you　thought！〃

〃I　find　myself　so　weak；　and　you　so　powerful　thatyou　can　afford　to　be　generous。〃

〃I　have　no　more　power　over　you　than　you　have　over　me。〃

〃I　wish　it　was　so。〃

〃I'll　prove　it；〃　said　she。　〃Who　has　got　the　key　of　your　room？　Hayes？〃　She　whistled；　and　sent　for　him；　and　gave　him　the　requisite　order　before　Alfred。　Alfred　thanked　her　warmly。

She　smiled；　and　went　away　disposed　to　change　her　tactics；　and；　having　shown　him　how　she　could　torment；　try　soothing　means；　and　open　his　heart　by　gratitude。

But　presently　looking　out　of　her　window　she　saw　the　Robin　and　him　together；　and　somehow　they　seemed　to　her　subtle；　observant　eyes；　to　be　plotting。　The　very　suspicion　was　fatal　to　that　officer。　His　discharge　was　determined　on。　Meantime　she　set　her　spies　to　watch　him；　and　tell　her　if　they　saw　or　heard　anything。

Now　Mrs。　Archbold　was　going　out　to　tea　that　evening；　and；　as　soon　as　ever　this　transpired；　the　keepers　secretly　invited　the　keeperesses　to　a　party　in　the　first…class　patients　drawing…room。　This　was　a　rare　opportunity；　and　the　Robin　and　Garrett　put　their　heads　together　accordingly。

In　the　dusk　of　the　evening　the　Robin　took　an　opportunity　and　slipped　a　new　key　of　the　back　gate　into　Alfred's　hand；　and　told　him　〃the　trick　was　to　be　done　that　very　night：〃　he　was　to　get　Thompson　to　go　to　bed　early；　and；　instead　of　taking　off　his　clothes；　was　to　wait　in　readiness。　〃We　have　been　plying　Hayes　already；　〃　said　the　Robin；　〃and；　as　soon　as　_she_　is　off；　we　shall　hocuss　him；　and　get　the　key；　and；　while　they　are　all　larking　in　the　drawing…room；　off　you　go　to　Merrimashee。〃

〃Oh；　you　dear　Robin！　You　have　taken　my　breath　away。　But　how　about　Vulcan？〃

〃Oh；　we　know　how　to　make　him　amiable：　a　dog…fancier；　a　friend　of　mine；　has　provided　the　ondeniable　where　dogs　is　concerned：　whereby　Garrett　draws　the　varmint　into　the　scullery；　and　shuts　him　in；　while　I　get　the　key　from　the　other。　_It's_　all　right。〃

〃Ah；　Robin；〃　said　Alfred；　〃it　sounds　too　good　to　be　true。　What？　this　my　last　day　here！〃

The　minutes　seemed　to　creep　very　slowly　till　eight　o'clock　came。　Then　he　easily　persuaded　David　to　go　to　bed；　Hayes　went　up　and　unlocked　the　door　for　them：　it　closed　with　a　catch…lock。　Hayes　was　drunk；　but　full　of　discipline；　and　insisted　on　the　patients　putting　out　their　clothes；　so　Alfred　made　up　a　bundle　from　his　portmanteau；　and　threw　it　out。　Hayes　eyed　it　suspiciously；　but　was　afraid　to　stoop　and　inspect　it　closer：　for　his　drunken　instinct　told　him　he　would　pitch　on　his　head　that　moment：　so　he　retired　grumbling　and　dangling　his　key。

At　the　end　of　the　corridor　he　met　Mrs。　Archbold　full　dressed；　and　with　a　candle　in　her　hand。　She　held　the　candle　up　and　inspected　him；　and　a　little　conversation　followed　that　sobered　Mr。　Hayes　for　a　minute　or　two。

Mrs。　Archbold　was　no　sooner　gone　to　her　little　tea…party　than　all　the　first…class　ladies　and　gentlemen　were　sent　to　bed　to　get　a　good　sleep　for　the　good　of　their　health；　and　the　keepers　and　keeperesses　took　their　place　and　romped；　and　made　such　a　row；　sleep　was　not　easy　within　hearing　of　them。　They　sat　on　the　piano；　they　sang　songs　to　a　drum　accompaniment　played　on　the　table；　they　danced；　drank；　flirted；　and　enjoyed　themselves　like　schoolboys。　Hayes　alone　was　gloomy　and　morose：　so　the　Robin　and　Garrett　consoled　him；　drank　with　him；　and　soothed　him　with　the　balm　of　insensibility：　in　which　condition　they　removed　him　under　charitable　pretences；　and　searched　his　pockets　in　the　passage　for　the　key　of　Alfred's　room。

To　their　infinite　surprise　and　disappointment　it　was　not　upon　him。

The　fact　is；　Mrs。　Archbold　had　snatched　it　from　him　in　her　wrath；　and　put　it　in　her　own　pocket。　How　far　her　suspicions　went；　how　much　her　spies　had　discovered；　I　really　don't　know；　but　somehow　or　other　she　was　uneasy　in　her　mind；　and；　seeing　Hayes　in　such　a　state；　she　would　not　trust　him　during　her　absence；　but　took　the　key　away　with　her。

The　Robin　and　Garrett　knew　nothing　of　this；　and　were　all　abroad；　but　they　thought　Rooke　must　have　the　key；　so　they　proceeded　to　drink　with　him；　and　were　just　about　to　administer　a　really　effective　soporific　in　his　grog；　when　they　and　all　the　merry　party　were　suddenly　startled　by　violent　ringing　at　the　bell；　and　thundering　and　halloaing　at　the　hall　door。　The　men　jumped　to　their　feet　and　balanced　themselves；　and　looked　half　wild；　half　stupid。　The　women　sat；　and　began　to　scream：　for　they　had　heard　a　word　that　has　terrors　for　us　all：　peculiar　terrors　for　them。

This　alarm　was　due　to　a　personage　hitherto　undervalued　in　the　establishment。

Mr。　Francis　Beverley　had　been　THINKING。　So　now；　finding　all　the　patients　boxed　up；　and　their　attendants　romping　in　the　drawing…room；　he　lighted　seven　fires；　skilfully　on　the　whole；　for　practice　makes　perfect；　but；　singular　oversight；　he　omitted　one　essential　ingredient　in　the　fire；　and　that　was　the　grate。

To　be　plain；　Mr。　Francis　made　seven　bonfires　of　bed…curtains；　chairs；　and　other　combustibles　in　the　servants'　garrets；　lighted　them　contemporaneously；　and　retired　to　the　basement；　convinced　he　had　taken　the　surest　means　to　deliver　his　friend　out　of　Drayton　House：　and　with　a　certain　want　of　candour　that　characterises　the　weak；　proceeded　to　black　his　other　bad　master's　shoes　with　singular　assiduity。

There　was　no　wind　to　blow　the　flame；　but　it　was　a　clear　frost；　and　soon　fiery　tongues　shot　out　of　three　garret…windows　into　the　night；　and　lurid　gleams　burnished　four　more；　and　the　old　house　was　burning　merrily　overhead；　and　ringing　with　hilarity　on　the　first　floor。

But　the　neighbours　saw