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hard cash-第94章

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〃Yes; I am here;〃 said she sharply; and came out of the room hastily; and shut it。 〃What do you want; sir?〃

Alfred clasped his hands together。 〃If you are a woman; have pity on me。〃

She was taken by surprise。 〃What can I do?〃 said she in some agitation。 〃I am only a servant。〃

〃At least tell me where I can find the Visiting Justice; before the keepers stop me。〃

〃Hush! Speak lower;〃 said Hannah。 〃You _have_ complained to one; haven't you?〃

〃Yes; but he seems a feeble old fogy。 Where is the other? Oh; pray tell me?〃

〃I mustn't: I mustn't In the noisy ward。 There; run。〃

And run he did。

Alfred was lucky enough to get safe into the noisy ward without being intercepted。 And then he encountered a sunburnt gentleman; under thirty; in a riding…coat; with a hunting…whip in his hand: it was Mr。 Vane; a Tory squire and large landholder in the county。

Now; as Alfred entered at one door; Baker himself came in at the other; and they nearly met at Vane。 But Alfred saluted him first; and begged respectfully for an interview。

〃Certainly; sir;〃 said Mr。 Vane。

〃Take care; sir; he is dangerous;〃 whispered Baker。 Instantly Mr。 Vane's countenance changed。 But this time Alfred overheard the formula; and said quietly: 〃Don't believe him; sir。 I am not dangerous; I am as sane as any man in England。 Pray examine me; and judge for yourself。〃

〃Ah; that is his delusion;〃 said Baker。 〃Come; Mr。 Hardie; I allow you great liberties; but you abuse them。 You really must not monopolise his Worship with your fancies。 Consider; sir; you are not the only patient he has to examine。〃

Alfred's heart sank: he turned a look of silent agony on Mr。 Vane。

Mr。 Vane; either touched by that look; or irritated by Baker's pragmatical interference; or perhaps both; looked that person coolly in the face; and said sternly: 〃Be silent; sir; and let _the gentleman_ speak to me。〃


CHAPTER XXXIII

ALFRED thus encouraged told his story with forced calmness; and without a word too much。 Indeed; so clear and telling was the narrative; and the logic so close; that incoherent patients one or two stole up and listened with wonder and a certain dreamy complacency; the bulk; however; held aloof apathetic: inextricably wrapped in fictitious Autobiography。

His story told; Alfred offered the Dodds in evidence that the fourteen thousand pounds was no illusion; and referred to his sister and several friends as witnesses to his sanity; and said the letters he wrote were all stopped in the asylum: and why? That no honest man or woman might know where he was。

He ended by convincing Mr。 Vane he was a sane and injured man; and his father a dark designing person。

Mr。 Vane asked him whether he had any other revelations to make。 Alfred replied; 〃Not on my own account; but for the sake of those afflicted persons who are here for life。 Well; the beds want repaving; the vermin thinning; the instruments of torture want abolishing; instead of hiding for an hour or two when you happen to come: what do the patients gain by that? The madmen dare not complain to you; sir; because the last time one did complain to the justices (it was Mr。 Petworth); they had no sooner passed through the iron gate; than Cooper made an example of him; felled him with his fist; and walked up and down him on his knees; crying; 'I'll teach you to complain to the justices。' But one or two gentlemanly madmen; who soon found out that I am not one of _them;_ have complained to _me_ that the attendants wash them too much like Hansom cabs; strip them naked; and mop them on the flag…stones; then fling on their clothes without drying them。 They say; too; that the meat is tough and often putrid; the bread stale; the butter rancid; the vegetables stinted; since they can't be adulterated。 And as for sleep; it is hardly known; for the beds are so short your feet stick out; insects; without a name to ears polite; but highly odoriferous and profoundly carnivorous; bite you all night; and dogs howl eternally outside; and; when exhausted nature defies even these enemies of rest; then the doctor; who seems to be in the pay of Insanity; claps you on a blister by brute force; and so drives away sleep; Insanity's cure; or hocuses you by brute force as he did me; and so steals your sleep; and tries to steal your reason; with his opium; henbane; morphia; and other tremendous brain…stealers。 With such a potion; sir; administered by violence; he gave me in one night a bursting fever; headache; loss of sight; and bleeding at the nose; as Mrs。 Archbold will tell you。 Oh; look into these things; sir; in pity to those whom Heaven has afflicted: to me they are but strokes with a feather。 I am a sane man torn from love and happiness; and confined among the mad; discomfort is nothing to me; comfort is nothing; you can do nothing for me but restore me to my dignity as a man; my liberty as a Briton; and the rights as a citizen I have been swindled out of by a fraudulent bankrupt and his tools; two venal doctors; who never saw me but for one five minutes; but came to me ready bribed at a guinea apiece; and so signed away my wits behind my back。〃

〃Now; Mr。 Baker;〃 said Vane; 〃what do you say to all this?〃

Baker smiled with admirable composure; and replied with crafty moderation; 〃He is a gentleman; and believes every word he says; but it is all his delusions。 Why; to begin; sir; his father has nothing to do with putting him in here; nothing on earth。 (Alfred started; then smiled incredulous。) And; in the next place; there are no instruments of restraint here; but two pair of handcuffs and two strait jackets; and these never hardly used; we trust to the padded rooms; you know。 And; sir;〃 said he; getting warm; which instantly affected his pronunciations 〃if there's a hinsect in the ouse; I'll heat im。〃

Delusion is a big word; especially in a mad…house; it overpowers a visitor's understanding。 Mr。 Vane was staggered。 Alfred; whose eager eyes were never off his face; saw this with dismay; and feeling that; if he failed in the simpler matter; he should be sure to fail in establishing his sanity; he said with inward anxiety; though with outward calmness; 〃Suppose we test these delusions?〃

〃With all my heart;〃 said Vane。

Baker's countenance fell。

〃Begin with the instruments of restraint。 Find me them。〃

Baker's countenance brightened up; he had no fear of their being found。

〃I will;〃 said Alfred: 〃please to follow me。〃

Baker grinned with anticipated triumph。

Alfred led the way to a bedroom near his own; and asked Mr。 Baker to unlock it。 Baker had not the key; no more had Cooper。 The latter was sent for it; he returned; saying the key was mislaid。

〃That I expected;〃 said Alfred。 〃Send for the kitchen poker; sir: I'll soon unlock it。〃

〃Fetch the kitchen poker;〃 said Vane。

〃Good gracious! sir;〃 said Cooper; 〃he only wants that to knock all our brains out。 You have no idea of his strength and ferocity。〃

〃Well lied; Cooper;〃 said Alfred ironically。

〃Fetch _me_ the poker;〃 said Vane。

Cooper went for it; and came back with the key instead。

The door was opened; and they all entered。 Alfred looked under the bed。 The rest stood round it。

There was nothing to be seen but a year's dust

Alfred was dumb…foundered; and a cold perspiration began to gather on his brow。 He saw at once a false move would be fatal to him。

〃Well; sir;〃 said Vane grimly。 〃Where are they?〃

Alfred caught sight of a small cupboard; he searched it; it was empty。 Baker and Cooper grinned at his delusion quietly; but so that Vane might see that formula。 Alfred returned to the bed and shook it。 Cooper and Baker left off grinning; Alfred's quick eye caught this; and he shook the bed violently; furiously。

〃Ah!〃 said Mr。 Vane; 〃I hear a chink。〃

〃It is an iron bedstead and old;〃 suggested Baker。

Alfred tore off the bed…clothes; and then the mattress。 Below the latter was a framework; and below the framework a receptacle about six inches deep; five feet long; and three broad; filled with chains; iron belts; wrist…locks; muffles; and screw…locked hobbles; &c。; a regular Inquisition。

If Baker had descended from the Kemble family; instead of rising from nothing; he could not have acted better。 〃Good Heavens!〃 cried he; 〃where do these come from? They must have been left here by the last proprietor。〃

Vane replied only by a look of contempt; and ordered Cooper to go and ask Mr。 Tollett to come to him。

Alfred improved the interval。 〃Sir;〃 said he; 〃all my delusions; fairly tested; will turn out like this。〃

〃They _shall_ be tested; sir; I give you my word。〃

Mr。 Tollett came; and the two justices commenced a genuine scrutinytheir first。 They went now upon the true method; in which all these dark places ought to be inspected。 They did not believe a word; they suspected everything; they examined patients apart; detected cruelty; filth and vermin under philanthropic phrases and clean linen; and the upshot was they reprimanded Baker and the attendants severely; and told him his licence should never be renewed; unless at their next visit the whole asylum was reformed。 They ordered all the iron body…belts; chains; leg…locks; wrist…locks; and muffs; to be put into Mr。 Tollett's carriage; and concluded a long ins
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