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ring him to come at once with a lawyer and an honest physician； and liberate him。
Mrs。 Archbold returned soon after； and he asked her if she would lend him sealing…wax： 〃I dare not trust to an envelope in such a place as this；〃 said he。 She lent him sealing…wax。
〃But how am I to post it？〃 said he。
〃Easily： there is a box in the house； I will show you。〃
She took him and showed him the box： he put his letters into it； and in the ardour of his gratitude kissed her hand。 She winced a little and said； 〃Mind； this is not by my advice； I would never tell my friends I had been in a madhouse； oh； never。 I would be calm； make friends with the servants they are the real mastersand never let a creature know where I had been。〃
〃Oh； you don't know my Julia；〃 said Alfred； 〃she will never desert me； never think the worse of me because I have been entrapped illegally into a madhouse。〃
〃Illegally； Mr。 Hardie！ you deceive yourself； Mr。 Baker told me the order was signed by a relation； and the certificates by first…rate lunacy doctors。〃
〃What on earth has that to do with it； madam； when I am as sane as you are？〃
〃It has everything to do with it。 Mr。 Baker could be punished for confining a madman in this house without an order and two certificates； but he couldn't for confining a sane person under an order and two certificates。〃
Alfred could not believe this； but she convinced him that it was so。
Then he began to fear he should be imprisoned for years： he turned pale； and looked at her so piteously； that to soothe him she told him sane people were never kept in asylums now； they only used to be。
〃How can they？〃 said she。 〃The London asylums are visited four times a year by the commissioners； and the country asylums six times； twice by the commissioners； and four times by the justices。 _We_ shall be inspected this week or next； and then you can speak to the justices： mind and be calm； say it is a mistake； offer testimony； and ask either to be discharged at once or to have a commission of lunacy sit on you。 Ten to one your friends will not face public proceedings： but you must begin at the foundation； by making the servants friendlyand bybeing calm。〃 She then fixed her large grey eyes on him and said； 〃Now if I let you dine with me and the first…class patients； will you pledge me your honour to 'be calm；' and not attempt to escape？〃 Alfred hesitated at that。 Her eye dissected his character all the time。 〃I promise；〃 said he at last with a deep sigh。 〃May I sit by you？ There is something so repugnant in the very idea of mad people。〃
〃Try and remember it is their misfortune； not their crime；〃 said Mrs。 Archbold； just like a matronly sister admonishing a brother from school。
She then whistled in a whisper for Brown； who was lurking about unseen all the time。 He emerged and walked about with Alfred； and by…and…bye； looking down from a corridor； they saw Mrs。 Archbold driving the second…class women before her to dinner like a flock of animals。 Whenever one stopped to look at anything； or try and gossip； the philanthropic Archbold went at her just like a shepherd's dog at a refractory sheep； caught her by the shoulders； and drove her squeaking headlong。
At dinner Alfred was so fortunate as to sit opposite a gentleman； who nodded and grinned at him all dinner with a horrible leer。 He could not； however； enjoy this to the full for a little distraction at his elbow： his right hand neighbour kept forking pieces out of his plate and substituting others from his own。 There was even a tendency to gristle in the latter。 Alfred remonstrated gently at first； the gentleman forbore a minute； then recommenced。 Alfred laid a hand very quietly on his wrist and put it back。 Mrs。 Archbold's quick eye surprised this gesture： 〃What is the matter there？〃 said she。
〃Oh； nothing serious； madam；〃 replied Alfred； 〃only this gentleman does me the honour to prefer the contents of my plate to his own。〃
〃Mr。 Cooper！〃 said the Archbold sternly。
Cooper； the head keeper； pounced on the offender； seized him roughly by the collar； dragged him from the table； knocking his chair down； and bundled him out of the room with ignominy and fracas； in spite of a remonstrance from Alfred； 〃Oh； don't be so rough with the poor man。
Then the novice laid down his knife and fork； and ate no more。 〃I am grieved at my own ill…nature in complaining of such a trifle；〃 said he when all was quiet
The company stared considerably at this remark： it seemed to them a most morbid perversion of sensibility； for the deranged； thin…skinned beyond conception in their own persons； and alive to the shadow of the shade of a wrong； are stoically indifferent to the woes of others。
Though Alfred was quiet as a lamb all day； the attendants returned him to the padded room at night； because he had been there last night。 But they only fastened one ankle to the bed…post： so he encountered his Lilliputians on tolerably fair termsnumbers excepted： they swarmed。 Unable to sleep； he put out his hand and groped for his clothes。 But they were outside the door； according to rule。
Day broke at last： and he took his breakfast quietly with the first…class patients。 It consisted of cool tea in small basins instead of cups； and table…spoons instead of tea…spoons； and thick slices of stale bread thinly buttered。 A few patients had gruel or porridge instead of tea。 After breakfast Alfred sat in the first…class patients' room and counted the minutes and the hours till Edward should come。 After dinner he counted the hours till tea…time。 Nobody came； and he went to bed in such grief and disappointment as some men live to eighty without ever knowing。
But when two o'clock came next day； and no Edward； and no reply； then the distress of his soul deepened。 He implored Mrs。 Archbold to tell him what was the cause。 She shook her head and said gravely； it was but too common； a man's nearest and dearest were very apt to hold aloof from him the moment he was put into an asylum。
Here an old lady put in her word。 〃Ah； sir； you must not hope to hear from anybody in this place。 Why； I have been two years writing and writing； and can't get a line from my own daughter。 To be sure she is a fine lady now： but it was her poor neglected mother that pinched and pinched to give her a good education； and that is how she caught a good husband。 But it's my belief the post in our hall isn't a real post： but only a box； and I think it is contrived so as the letters fall down a pipe into that Baker's hands； and so then when the postman comes〃 The Archbold bent her bushy brows on this chatty personage。 〃Be quiet； Mrs。 Dent； you are talking nonsense； and exciting yourself： you know you are not to speak on that topic。 Take care。〃
The poor old woman was shut up like a knife； for the Archbold had a way of addressing her own sex that crushed them。 The change was almost comically sudden to the mellow tones in which she addressed Alfred the very next moment； on the very same subject： 〃Mr。 Baker； I believe； sees the letters： and； where our poor patients （with a glance at Dent） write in such a way as to wound and perhaps terrify those who are in reality their best friends； they are not always sent。 But I conclu