hard cash-第152章

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bove　his　head；　and；　with　his　long　sinewy　arm　and　elastic　body；　discharged　a　blow　frightful　to　look　at；　for　youth；　strength；　skill；　and　hate　all　swelled；　and　rose；　and　struck　together　in　that　one　furious　gesture。　If　the　wood　had　held；　the　skull　must　have　gone。　As　it　was；　the　banister　broke　over'　the　man's　head　（and　one　half　went　spinning　up　to　the　ceiling）。　The　man's　head　cracked　under　the　banister　like　a　glass　bottle；　and　Rooke　lay　flat　and　mute；　within　the　blood　running　from　his　nose　and　ears。　Alfred　hurled　the　remnant　of　the　banister　down　at　Hayes　and　the　others；　and　darted　into　a　room　（it　was　Julia's　bedroom）；　and　was　heard　to　open　the　window；　and　then　drag　furniture　to　the　door；　and　barricade　it。　This　done；　he　went　to　load　his　pistol；　which　he　thought　he　had　slipped　into　his　pocket　after　felling　Rooke。　He　found　to　his　dismay　it　was　not　there。　The　fact　was；　it　had　slipped　past　his　pocket　and　fallen　down。

During　the　fight；　shriek　upon　shriek　issued　from　the　drawing…room。　But　now　all　was　still。　On　the　stairs　lay　Vulcan　dead；　Rooke　senseless：　below；　Julia　in　a　dead　faint。　And　all　in　little　more　than　a　minute。

Dr。　Wolf　arrived　with　the　police　and　two　more　keepers；　new　ones　in　the　place　of　Wales　and　Garrett　discharged；　and　urged　them　to　break　into　the　bedroom　and　capture　the　maniac：　but　first　he　was　cautious　enough　to　set　two　of　them　to　watch　the　back　of　the　house。　〃There；〃　he　said；　〃where　that　load　of　hay　is　going　in：　that　is　the　way　to　it。　Now　stand　you　in　the　yard　and　watch。〃

This　last　mandate　was　readily　complied　with；　for　there　was　not　much　to　be　feared　on　the　stones　below　from　a　maniac　self…immured　on　the　second　story。　But　to　break　open　that　bedroom　door　was　quite　another　thing。　The　stairs　were　like　a　shambles　alreadya　chilling　sight　to　the　eyes　of　mercenary　valour。

Rooke　was　but　just　sensible：　the　others　hung　back。　But　presently　the　pistol　was　found　sticking　in　a　pool　of　gore。　This　put　a　new　face　on　the　matter；　and　Dr。　Wolf　himself　showed　the　qualities　of　a　commander。　He　sent　down　word　to　his　sentinels　in　the　yard　to　he　prepared　for　any　attempt　on　Alfred's　part；　however　desperate：　and　he　sent　a　verbal　message　to　a　stately　gentleman　who　was　sitting　anxious　in　lodgings　over　the　way；　after　bribing　high　ad　low；　giving　out　money　like　water　to　secure　the　recapture；　and　so　escape　what　he　called　his　unnatural　son's　vengeance；　for　he　knew　him　to　be　by　nature　bold　and　vindictive　like　himself。　After　these　preliminaries；　Doctor　Wolf　headed　his　remaining　forcesto　wit；　two　keepers；　and　two　policemen；　and　thundered　at　the　bedroom　door；　and　summoned　Alfred　to　surrender。

Now　among　the　spectators　who　watched　and　listened　with　bated　breath；　was　one　to　whom　this　scene　had　an　interest　of　its　own。　Mr。　Hurd；　disconcerted　by　Alfred's　sudden　reappearance；　and　the　lovers'　reconciliation；　had　hung　about　the　entry　very　miserable；　for　he　was　sincerely　attached　to　Julia。　But；　while　he　was　in　this　stupor；　came　the　posse　to　recapture　Alfred；　and　he　heard　them　say　so。　Then　the　shots　were　fired　within；　then　Wolf　and　his　men　got　in；　and　Mr。　Hurd；　who　was　now　at　the　door；　got　in　with　them　to　protect　Julia；　and　see　this　dangerous　and　inconvenient　character　disposed　of。　He　was　looking　demurely　on　at　a　safish　distance；　when　his　late　triumphant　rival　was　summoned　to　surrender。

No　reply。

Dr。　Wolf　coaxed。

No　reply。

Dr。　Wolf　told　him　he　had　police　as　well　as　keepers；　and　resistance　would　be　idle。

No　reply。

Dr。　Wolf　ordered　his　men　to　break　in　the　door。

After　some　little　delay；　one　of　the　keepers　applied　a　chisel；　while　a　policeman　held　his　truncheon　ready　to　defend　the　operator。　The　lock　gave　way。　But　the　door　could　not　open　for　furniture。

After　some　further　delay　they　took　it　off　its　hinges；　and　the　room　stood　revealed。

To　their　surprise　no　rush　was　made　at　them。　The　maniac　was　not　even　in　sight。

〃He　is　down　upon　his　luck；〃　whispered　one　of　the　new　keepers；　〃we　shall　find　him　crouched　somewhere。〃　They　looked　under　the　bed。　He　was　not　there。　They　opened　a　cupboard；　three　or　four　dresses　hung　from　wooden　pegs；　they　searched　the　gowns　most　minutely；　but　found　no　maniac　hid　in　their　ample　folds。　Presently　some　soot　was　observed　lying　in　the　grate；　and　it　was　inferred　he　had　gone　up　the　chimney。

On　inspection　the　opening　appeared　almost　too　narrow。　Then　Dr。　Wolf　questioned　his　sentinels　in　the　yard。　〃Have　you　been　there　all　the　time？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Seen　nothing？〃

〃No；　sir。　And　our　eyes　have　never　been　off　the　window　and　the　heads。〃

Here　was　a　mystery；　and　not　a　clue　to　its　solution。　The　window　was　open；　but　five…and…twenty　feet　above　the　paved　yard；　had　he　leaped　down　he　must　have　been　dashed　to　pieces。

Many　tongues　began　to　go　at　once；　in　the　midst　of　which　Edward　burst　in；　and　found　the　two　dead　men　of　contemporary　history　consisted　of　a　dead　dog　and　a　stunned　man；　who；　having　a　head　like　a　bullet；　was　now　come　to　himself　and　vowing　vengeance。　He　found　Julia　very　pale；　supported　and　consoled　by　Mr。　Hurd。　He　was　congratulating　her　on　her　escape　from　a　dangerous　maniac。

She　rose　and　tottered　away　from　him　to　her　brother　and　clung　to　him。　He　said　what　he　could　to　encourage　her；　then　deposited　her　in　an　arm…chair　and　went　upstairs；　he　soon　satisfied　himself　Alfred　was　not　in　the　house。　On　this　he　requested　Dr。　Wolf　and　his　men　to　leave　the　premises。　The　doctor　demurred。　Edward　insisted；　and　challenged　him　to　show　a　magistrate's　warrant　for　entering　a　private　house。　The　doctor　was　obliged　to　own　he　had　none。　Edward　then　told　the　policemen　they　were　engaged　in　an　illegal　act；　the　police　had　no　authority　to　take　part　in　these　captures。　Now　the　police　knew　that　very　well；　but；　being　handsomely　bribed；　they　had　presumed；　and　not　for　the　first　time；　upon　that　ignorance　of　law　which　is　deemed　an　essential　part　of　a　private　citizen's　accomplishments　in　modern　days。　In　a　word；　by　temper　and　firmness；　and　a　smattering　of　law　gathered　from　the　omniscient　_'Tiser；_　Edward　cleared　his　castle　of　the　lawless　crew。　But　they　paraded　the　street；　and　watched　the　yard　till　dusk；　when　its　proprietor　ran　rusty　and　turned　them　out。

Julia　sat　between　Edward　and　Mr。　Hurd；　with　her　head　thrown　back　and　her　eyes　closed；　and　received　in　silence　their　congratulations　on　her　escape。　She　was　thinking　of　his。　When　they　had　quite　done；　she　opened　her　eyes　and　said；　〃Send　for　Dr。　Sampson。　Nobody　else　knows　anything。　Oh　pray；　pray；　pray　send　for　Dr。　Sampson。〃

Mr。　Hurd　said　he　would　go　for　Dr。　Sampson。　She　thanked　him　warmly。

Then　she　crept　away　to　her　bedroom；　and　locked　herself　in；　and　sat　on　the　hearthrug；　and　thought；　and　thought；　and　recalled　every　word　and　tone　of　her　Alfred；　comparing　things　old　and　new。

Dr。　Sampson　was　a　few　miles　out　of　town；　visiting　a　patient。　It　was　nine　o'clock　in　the　evening　when　he　got　Julia's　note；　but　he　came　on　to　Pembroke　Street　at　once。　Dr。　Wolf　and　his　men　had　retired；　leaving　a　sentinel　in　the　street；　on　the　bare　chance　of　Alfred　returning。　Dr。　Sampson　found　brother　and　sister　sitting　sadly；　but　lovingly　together。　Julia　rose　upon　his　entrance。　〃Oh；　Doctor　Sampson！　Now　_is_　hewhat　they　say　he　is？〃

〃How　can　I　tell；　till　I　see　'm？〃　objected　the　doctor。

〃But　you　know　they　call　people　mad　who　are　nothing　of　the　kind；　for　you　said　so。〃

Sampson　readily　assented　to　this。　〃Why　it　was　but　last　year　a　surjin　came　to　me　with　one　Jackson；　a　tailor；　and　said；　'Just　sign　a　certificate　for　this　man：　his　wife's　mad。'　'Let　me　see　her；'　sid　I。　'What　for；'　sis　he；　'when　her　own　husband　applies。'　'Excuse　me；'　sis　I；　'I'm　not　a　bat；　I'm　Saampson。'　I　went　to　see　her；　she　was　nairvous　and　excited。　'Oh；　I　know　what　you　come　about；'　said　she。　'But　you　are　mistaken。'　I　questioned　her　kindly；　and　she　told　me　her　husband　was　a　great　trile　t'　her　nairves。　I　refused　to　sign。　On　that　disn't　the　tailor　drown　himself　in　the　canal　nixt　day？　He　was　the　madman；　and　she　knew　it　all　the　time；　but　wouldn't　tell　us；　and　that's　a　woman　all　over。〃

〃Well　then；〃　said　Julia　hopefully。

〃Ay；　but；〃　said　Sampson；　〃these　cases　are　exceptions　after　all；　and　the　chances　are　nine　to　one　he's　mad。　Daun't　ye　remember　that　was　one　of　the　solutions　offered　ye；　whem　he　levanted　on　his　wedding…day？〃　He　added　satirically；　〃And　couldn't　all　that