hard cash-第99章

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　tail　of　another；　which　the　housemaid's　broom　had　scotched　not　killed：　that　side　of　the　room　they　entered　by　was　all　books。　The　servant　said；　〃Stay　here　a　moment；　sir；　and　I'll　send　her　to　you。〃　With　this　he　retired　into　the　drawing…room；　closing　the　door　softly　after　him：　once　closed　it　became　invisible；　it　fitted　like　wax；　and　left　nothing　to　be　seen　but　books；　not　even　a　knob。　It　shut　to　with　that　gentle　but　clean　click　which　a　spring　bolt；　however　polished　and　oiled　and　gently　closed；　will　emit。　Altogether　it　was　enough　to　give　some　people　a　turn。　But　Alfred's　nerves　were　not　to　be　affected　by　trifles；　he　put　his　hands　in　his　pockets　and　walked　up　and　down　the　room；　quietly　enough　at　first；　but　by…and…bye　uneasily。　〃Confound　her　for　wasting　my　time；〃　thought　he；　〃why　doesn't　she　come？

Then；　as　he　had　learned　to　pick　up　the　fragments　of　time；　and　hated　dawdling；　he　went　to　take　a　book　from　the　shelves。

He　found　it　was　a　piece　of　iron；　admirably　painted：　it　chilled　his　hand　with　its　unexpected　coldness：　and　all　the　books　on　and　about　the　door　were　iron　and　chilly。

〃Well；〃　thought　he；　〃this　is　the　first　dummy　ever　took　me　in。　What　a　fool　the　man　must　be！　Why　he　could　have　bought　books　with　ideas　in　them　for　the　price　of　these　impostors。〃

Still　Peggy　did　not　come。　So　he　went　to　a　door　opposite；　and　at　right　angles　to　the　farthest　window；　meaning　to　open　it　and　inquire　after　her：　lo　and　behold　he　found　this　was　a　knob　without　a　door。　There　had　been　a　door　but　it　was　blocked　up。　The　only　available　door　on　that　side　had　a　keyhole；　but　no　latch；　nor　handle。

Alfred　was　a　prisoner。

He　no　sooner　found　this　out　than　he　began　to　hammer　on　the　door　with　his　fists；　and　call　out。

This　had　a　good　effect；　for　he　heard　a　woman's　dress　come　rustling：　a　key　was　inserted；　and　the　door　opened。　But；　instead　of　Peggy；　it　was　a　tall　well…formed　woman　of　thirty；　with　dark　grey　eyes；　and　straightish　eyebrows　massive　and　black　as　jet。　She　was　dressed　quietly　but　like　a　lady。　Mrs。　Archbold；　for　that　was　her　name；　cast　on　Alfred　one　of　those　swift；　all…devouring　glances；　with　which　her　sex　contrive　to　take　in　the　features；　character；　and　dress　of　a　person　from　head　to　foot；　and　smiled　most　graciously　on　him；　revealing　a　fine　white　set　of　teeth。　She　begged　him　to　take　a　seat；　and　sat　down　herself。　She　had　left　the　door　ajar。

〃I　came　to　see　Margaret　Black；〃　said　Alfred。

〃Margaret　Black？　There　is　no　such　person　here；〃　was　the　quiet　reply。

〃What！　has　she　gone　away　so　early　as　this？〃

Mrs。　Archbold　smiled；　and　said　soothingly；　〃Are　you　sure　she　ever　existed；　except　in　your　imagination？〃

Alfred　laughed　at　this；　and　showed　her　Peggy's　letter。　She　ran　her　eye　over　it；　and　returned　it　him　with　a　smile　of　a　different　kind；　half　pitying；　half　cynical。　But　presently　resuming　her　former　manner；　〃I　remember　now；〃　said　she　in　dulcet　tones：　〃the　anxiety　you　are　labouring　under　is　about　a　large　sum　of　money；　is　it　not？〃

〃What；　can　you　give　me　any　information　about　it？〃　said　he；　surprised。

〃I　think　we　can　render　you　great　_service_　in　the　matter；　infinite　service；　Mr。　Hardie；〃　was　the　reply；　in　a　voice　of　very　honey。

Alfred　was　amazed　at　this。　〃You　say　you　don't　know　Peggy！　And　yet　you　seem　to　know　me。　I　never　saw　you　in　my　life　before；　madam；　what　on　earth　is　the　meaning　of　all　this？〃

〃Calm　yourself；〃　said　Mrs。　Archbold；　laying　a　white　and　finely　moulded　hand　upon　his　arm；　〃there　is　no　wonder　nor　mystery　in　the　matter：　_you　were　expected。_〃

The　colour　rushed　into　Alfred's　face；　and　he　started　to　his　feet；　some　vague　instinct　told　him　to　be　gone　from　this　place。

The　lady　fixed　her　eyes　on　him；　put　her　hand　to　a　gold　chain　that　was　round　her　neck；　and　drew　out　of　her　white　bosom；　not　a　locket；　nor　a　key；　but　an　ivory　whistle。　Keeping　her　eye　steadily　fixed　on　Alfred；　she　breathed　softly　into　the　whistle。　Then　two　men　stepped　quietly　in　at　the　door；　one　was　a　short；　stout　snob；　with　great　red　whiskers；　the　other　a　wiry　gentleman　with　iron…grey　hair。　The　latter　spoke　to　Alfred；　and　began　to　coax　him。　If　Mrs。　Archbold　was　honey；　this　personage　was　treacle。　〃Be　calm；　my　dear　young　gentleman；　don't　agitate　yourself。　You　have　been　sent　here　for　your　good；　and　that　you　may　be　cured；　and　so　restored　to　society　and　to　your　anxious　and　affectionate　friends。〃

〃What　are　you　talking　about？　what　do　you　mean？〃　cried　Alfred；　〃are　you　mad？〃

〃No；　_we_　are　not；〃　said　the　short　snob；　with　a　coarse　laugh。

〃Have　done　with　this　fooling；　then；〃　said　Alfred　sharply；　〃the　person　I　came　to　see　is　not　here；　good　morning。〃

The　short　man　instantly　stepped　to　the　door；　and　put　his　back　to　it。　The　other　said　calmly；　〃　No；　Mr。　Hardie；　you　cannot　leave　the　house　at　present。〃

〃Can't　I？　Why　not；　pray？〃　said　Alfred；　drawing　his　breath　hard：　and　his　eyes　began　to　glitter　dangerously。

〃We　are　responsible　for　your　safety：　we　have　force　at　hand　if　necessary；　pray　do　not　compel　us　to　summon　it。〃

〃Why；　where　am　I？〃　said　Alfred；　panting　now；　〃is　this　a　prison？〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　Mrs。　Archbold　soothingly：　〃it　is　a　place　where　you　will　be　cured　of　your　headaches　and　your　delusions；　and　subjected　to　no　unnecessary　pain　nor　restraint。〃

〃Oh；　bother；〃　said　the　short　snob　brutally。　〃Why　make　two　bites　of　a　cherry？　You　are　in　my　asylum；　young　gentleman；　and　a　devilish　lucky　thing　for　you。〃

At　this　fatal　word；　〃asylum；〃　Alfred　uttered　a　cry　of　horror　and　despair；　and　his　eyes　roved　wildly　round　the　room　in　search　of　escape。　But　the　windows　of　the　room；　though　outside　the　house　they　seemed　to　come　as　low　as　those　of　the　drawing…room；　were　partly　bricked…up　within；　and　made　just　too　high　to　be　reached　without　a　chair。　And　his　captors　read　that　wild　glance　directly；　and　the　doctor　whipped　one　chair　away；　while　Mrs。　Archbold；　with　more　tact；　sat　quietly　down　on　the　other。　They　all　three　blew　their　whistles　shrilly。

Alfred　uttered　an　oath　and　rushed　at　the　door；　but　heard　heavy　feet　running　on　stone　passages　towards　the　whistles；　and　felt　he　had　no　chance　out　that　way：　his　dilating　eye　fell　upon　the　handle　of　the　old　defunct　door：　he　made　a　high　leap；　came　down　with　his　left　foot　on　its　knob　of　brass；　and；　though　of　course　he　could　not　stand　on　it；　contrived　to　spring　from　it　slap　at　the　windowMrs。　Archbold　screamedhe　broke　the　glass　with　his　shoulder；　and　tore　and　kicked　the　woodwork；　and　squeezed　through　on　to　a　stone　ledge　outside；　and　stood　there　bleeding　and　panting；　just　as　half　a　dozen　keepers　burst　into　the　room　at　his　back。　He　was　more　than　twenty　feet　from　the　ground：　to　leap　down　was　death　or　mutilation：　he　saw　the　flyman　driving　away。　He　yelled　to　him；　〃Hy！　hy！　stop！　stop！〃　The　flyman　stopped　and　looked　round。　But　soon　as　he　saw　who　it　was；　he　just　grinned：　Alfred　could　see　his　hideous　grin；　and　there　was　the　rattle　of　chairs　being　brought　to　the　window；　and　men　were　mounting　softly　to　secure　him。　A　coarse　hand　stole　towards　his　ankle；　he　took　a　swift　step　and　sprang　desperately　on　to　the　next　ledgeit　was　an　old　manor　house；　and　these　ledges　were　nearly　a　foot　broadfrom　this　one　he　bounded　to　the　next；　and　then　to　a　third；　the　last　but　one　on　this　side　of　the　building。　The　corner　ledge　was　but　half　the　size；　and　offered　no　safe　footing：　but　close　to　it　he　saw　the　outside　leaves　of　a　tree。　That　tree；　then；　must　grow　close　to　the　corner；　could　he　but　get　round　to　it　he　might　yet　reach　the　ground　whole。　Urged　by　that　terror　of　a　madhouse　which　is　natural　to　a　sane　man；　and　in　England　is　fed　by　occasional　disclosures；　and　the　general　suspicion　they　excite；　he　leaped　on　to　a　piece　of　stone　no　bigger　than　one's　hat；　and　then　whirled　himself　round　into　the　tree；　all　eyes　to　see　and　claws　to　grasp。

It　was　a　weeping　ash：　he　could　get　hold　of　nothing　but　soft　yielding　slivers；　that　went　through　his　fingers；　and　so　down　with　him　like　a　bulrush；　and　souse　he　went　with　his　hands　full　of　green　leaves　over　head　and　ears　into　the　water　of　an　enormous　iron　tank　that　fed　the　baths。

The　heavy　plunge；　the　sudden　cold　water；　the　instant　darkness；　were　appalling：　yet；　like　the　fox　among　the　hounds；　the　gallant　young　gentleman　did　not　lose　heart　nor　give　tongue。　He　came　up　gurgling　and　gasping；　and　swimming　for　his　life　in　manly　silence：　he　swam　round　and　roun