hard cash-第148章

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ifying　doctors；　and　the　madhouse　keepers？〃

〃Humph！　You　might　indict　them　all　for　a　conspiracy；〃　said　Mr。　Compton；　〃but　you　would　be　defeated。　As　a　rule；　avoid　criminal　proceedings　where　you　have　a　civil　remedy。　A　jury　will　give　a　verdict　and　damages　where　they　would　not　convict　on　the　same　evidence。　Yours　is　just　one　of　those　cases　where　Temper　says；　'indict！'　but　Prudence　says；　'sue！'　and　Law；　through　John　Compton；　its　oracle　in　this　square；　says；　sue　the　defendant　and　no　other。　Now；　who　is　the　true　defendant　here；　or　party　liable　in　law？〃

〃The　keeper　of　the　asylum；　for　one。〃

〃No。　If　I　remember　right；　all　proceedings　against　him　are　expressly　barred　by　a　provision　in　the　last　statute。　Let　us　see。〃

He　took　down　the　statutes　of　the　realm；　and　showed　Alfred　the　clause　which　raises　the　proprietor　of　a　madhouse　above　the　civic　level　of　Prince　Royal。　〃Curse　the　law；〃　said　Alfred　bitterly。

〃No；　don't　curse　the　Law。　Curse　the　Act　if　you　like；　but　we　can't　get　on　without　the　Law；　neither　of　us。　Try　again。〃

〃The　certifying　doctor；　sir？〃

〃Humph！〃　said　Mr。　Compton；　knitting　his　brows：　〃a　jury　might　give　you　a　verdict。　But　it　would　probably　be　set　aside　by　the　full　court；　or　else　by　a　court　of　error。　For；　unless　you　could　prove　informality；　barefaced　negligence；　or　_mala　fides；_　what　does　it　come　to？　A　professional　man；　bound　to　give　medical　opinions　to　all　comers；　is　consulted　about　you；　and　says　he　thinks　you　are　insane：　you　turn　out　sane。　Well；　then；　he　was　mistaken：　but　not　more　than　he　is　in　most　of　his　professional　opinions。　We　lawyers　know　what　guesswork　Medicine　is：　we　see　it　in　the　witness…box。　I　hate　suing　opinions：　it　is　like　firing　bullets　at　snipes　in　a　wind。　Try　again。〃

Alfred　groaned。　〃Why　there　is　nobody　left　but　the　rogue　who　signed　the　order。〃

〃And　if　you　were　a　lawyer；　that　alone　would　tell　you　he　is　the　defendant。　Where　a　legal　wrong　has　been　committed　by　A。　B。　and　C。；　and　there　is　no　remedy　against　A。　or　B。；　there　must　either　be　one　against　C。；　or　none　at　all：　but　this　Law　abhors　as　Nature　does　a　vacuum。　Besides；　this　defendant　has　_done_　the　wrong　complained　of。　In　his　person　you　sue　an　act；　not　an　opinion。　But　of　course　you　are　not　cool　enough　to　see　all　this　just　at　first。〃

〃Cool；　sir；〃　said　Alfred　despairingly；　〃I　am　frozen　with　your　remorseless　law。　What；　of　all　these　villains；　may　I　only　attack　one；　and　can't　I　imprison　even　him；　as　he　has　me？　Such　narrow　law　encourages　men　to　violence；　who　burn　under　wrongs　like　mine。〃

Mr。　Compton　looked　keenly　at　his　agitated；　mortified　client；　but　made　no　concession。　He　gave　him　a　minute　to　digest　the　law's　first　bitter　pill：　and　then　said；　〃If　I　am　to　act　for　you；　you　had　better　write　a　line　to　the　Commissioners　of　Lunacy　requesting　them　to　hand　me　copies　of　the　order　and　certificates。〃　Alfred　wrote　it。

〃And　now；〃　said　Mr。　Compton　thoughtfully；　〃　I　don't　think　they　will　venture　to　recapture　you　during　the　fourteen　days。　But　still　they　might；　and　we　attorneys　are　wary　animals。　So　please　give　me　at　once　a　full　authority　to　act　under　advice　of　counsel　for　your　protection。〃

Alfred　wrote　as　requested；　and　Mr。　Compton　put　the　paper　in　his　drawer；　remarking；　〃With　this　I　can　proceed　by　law　or　equity；　even　should　you　get　into　the　asylum　again。〃　He　then　dismissed　Alfred　somewhat　abruptly；　but　with　an　invitation　to　call　again　after　three　clear　days。　Like　most　ardent　suitors　after　their　first　interview　with　passionless　law；　he　went　away　sadly　chilled；　and　so　home　to　his　cheerless　lodging；　to　count　the　hours　till　he　could　see　Julia；　and　learn　his　fate　from　her　lips。

This　very　morning　a　hasty　note　came　to　Edward　from　Folkestone；　worded　thus：


〃Oh；　Edward：　my　worst　misgivings！　The　two　have　parted。　Poor　papa　has　taken　a　man's　boat　and　is　in　sight。　We　shall　follow　directly　in　a　steamboat。　But　the　other！　You　know　my　fears；　you　must　be　father　and　mother　to　that　poor　child　till　I　come　homeYour　sad　mother；

〃LUCY　DODD。〃


Julia　held　out　her　hand　for　the　note。　Edward　put　it　in　his　pocket。

〃What　is　that　for？〃　said　the　young　lady。

〃Why　surely　I　may　put　my　own　property　in　my　pocket。〃

〃Oh；　certainly。　I　only　want　to　look　at　it　first。〃

〃Excuse　me。〃

〃Are　you　in　earnest；　Edward？　Not　let　me　see　dear　mamma's　letter？〃　and　the　vivid　face　looked　piteously　surprised。

〃Oh；　I'll　tell　you　the　contents。　Papa　had　got　to　Folkestone　and　taken　a　boat；　and　gone　to　sea：　then　mamma　took　a　steamboat　and　after　him：　so　she　will　soon　catch　him；　and　is　not　that　a　comfort？〃

〃Oh；　yes；〃　cried　Julia；　and　was　for　some　time　too　interested　and　excited　to　think　of　anything　else。　But　presently　she　returned　to　the　charge。　〃Anything　else；　dear？〃

〃Humph？　Well；　not　of　equal　importance。〃

〃Oh；　if　it　is　of　no　importance；　there　can　be　no　reason　for　not　telling　me。　What　was　it？〃

Edward　coloured　but　said　nothing。　He　thought　however；　and　thus　ran　his　thoughts：　〃She's　my　intellectual　superior　and　I've　got　to　deceive　her；　and　a　nice　mess　I　shall　make　of　it。〃

It　_is_　of　importance；〃　said　Julia；　eyeing　him。　〃You　have　told　a　story：　and　you　don't　love　your　sister。〃　This　fulminated；　she　drew　herself　up　proudly　and　was　silent。　A　minute　afterwards；　stealing　a　look　at　her；　he　saw　her　eyes　suddenly　fill　with　tears；　_apropos_　of　nothing　tangible。

〃Now　this　is　nice；〃　said　he　to　himself

At　noon　she　put　on　her　bonnet　to　visit　her　district。　He　put　on　his　hat　directly；　and　accompanied　her。　Great　was　her　innocent　pleasure　at　that：　it　was　the　first　time　he　had　done　her　the　honour。　She　took　him　to　her　poor　people；　and　showed　him　off　with　innocent　pride。

〃Hannah；　this　is　my　brother。〃　Then　in　a　whisper；　〃Isn't　he　beautiful？〃　Presently　she　saw　him　looking　pale；　unheard　of　phenomenon！　〃There　now；　you　are　ill；〃　said　she。　〃Come　home　directly；　and　be　nursed。〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　he。　〃I　only　want　a　little　fresh　air。　What　horrid　places　what　horrid　sights　and　smells！　I　say；　you　must　have　no　end　of　pluck　to　face　them。〃

〃No；　no；　no。　Dearest；　I　pray　for　strength：　that　is　how　I　manage。　And　oh；　Edward；　you　used　to　think　the　poor　were　not　to　be　pitied。　But　now　you　see。〃

〃Yes；　I　see；　and　smell　and　all。　You　are　a　brave；　good　girl。　Got　any　salts　about　you？〃

〃Yes；　of　course。　There。　But　fancy　a　young　lion　smelling　salts。〃

〃A　young　duffer；　you　mean；　that　has　passed　for　game　through　the　thing　not　being　looked　into　close。〃

〃Oh；　you　can　he　close　enough；　where　I　want　you　to　be　open。〃

No　answer。

The　next　day　he　accompanied　her　again；　but　remained　at　the　stairfoot　while　she　went　in　to　her　patients；　and；　when　she　came　down；　asked　her；　Could　no　good　Christian　be　found　to　knock　that　poor　woman　on　the　head　who　lived　in　a　plate。

〃No　good　Heathen；　you　mean；〃　said　Julia。

〃Why；　yes；〃　said　he；　〃the　savages　manage　these　things　better。〃

He　also　accompanied　her　shopping；　and　smoked　phlegmatically　outside　the　shops；　nor　could　she　exhaust　his　patience。　Then　the　quick　girl　put　this　and　that　together。　When　they　were　at　home　again　and　her　bonnet　off；　she　looked　him　in　the　face　and　said　sweetly；　〃I　have　got　a　watch…dog。〃　He　smiled；　and　said　nothing。　〃Why　don't　you　answer？〃　cried　Julia　impetuously。

〃Because　least　said　is　soonest　mended。　Besides；　I'm　down　upon　you：　you　decoy　me　into　a　friendly　conversation；　and　then　you　say　biting　things　directly。〃

〃If　I　bite　you；　you　sting　me。　Such　want　of　confidence！　Oh　how　cruel！　how　cruel！　Why　can　you　not　trust　me？　Am　I　a　child？　No　one　is　young　who　has　suffered　what　I　have　suffered。　Secrets　disunite　a　family：　and　we　were　so　united。　And　then　you　are　so　stupid；　_you_　keep　a　secret？　Yes；　like　a　dog　in　a　chain；　you　can't　hide　it　one　bit。　You　have　undertaken　a　task　you　are　not　fit　for；　sir；　to　hide　a　secret　you　must　be　able　to　tell　fibs：　and　you　can't：　not　for　want　of　badness；　but　cleverness　to　tell　them　smoothly；　you　know　it；　you　know　it；　and　so　out　of　your　abominable　slyness　you　won't　say　a　word。　There；　it　is　no　use　my　trying　to　provoke　him。　I　wish　you　were　not　so　good…tempered；　so　apathetic　I　mean；　of　course。〃　Then；　with　one　of　her　old　rapid　transitions；　she　began　to　caress　him　and　fawn　on　him：　she　seated　him　in　an　arm…chair　and　herself　on　a　footstool；　and　suddenly　curling　round　his　neck；　murmured；　〃Dear；　dear　brother；　have　pity　on　a　poor　girl；　and　tell　her　i