按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
perhaps terrify those who are in reality their best friends； they are not always sent。 But I conclude _your_ letters have gone。 If you feel you can be calm； why not ask Mr。 Baker？ He is in the house now； for a wonder。〃
Alfred promised to be calm； and she got him an interview with Mr。 Baker。
He was a full…blown pawnbroker of Silverton town； whom the legislature； with that keen knowledge of human nature which marks the British senate； permitted； and still permits； to speculate in Insanity； stipulating； however； that the upper servant of all in his asylum should be a doctor； but omitting to provide against the instant dismissal of the said doctor should he go and rob his employer of a lodgerby curing a patient。
As you are not the British legislature； I need not tell you that to this pawnbroker insanity mattered nothing； nor sanity： his trade lay in catching； and keeping； and stinting； as many lodgers； sane or insane； as he could hold。
There are certain formulae in these quiet retreats； which naturally impose upon greenhorns such as Alfred certainly was； and some visiting justices and lunacy commissioners would seem to be。 Baker had been a lodging…house keeper for certified people many years； and knew all the formulae： some call them dodges： but these must surely be vulgar minds。 Baker worked 〃the see…saw formula。〃
〃Letters； young gentleman？〃 said he： 〃they are not in my department They go into the surgery； and are passed by the doctor； except those he examines and orders to be detained。〃
Alfred demanded the doctor。
〃He is gone；〃 was the reply。 （Formula。）
Alfred found it as hard to be calm as some people find it easy to say that word over the wrongs _of others。_
The next day； but not till the afternoon； he caught the doctor： 〃My letters！ Surely； sir； you have not been so cruel as to intercept them？〃
〃I intercept no letters；〃 said the doctor； as if scandalised at the very idea。 〃I see who writes them； and hand them to Mr。 Baker； with now and then a remark。 If any are detained； the responsibility rests with him。〃
〃He says it rests with you。〃
〃You must have misunderstood him。〃
〃Not at all； sir。 One thing is clear； my letters have been stolen either by him or you； and I will know which。〃
The doctor parried with a formula。
〃You are _excited；_ Mr。 Hardie。 Be calm； sir； be calm： or you will be here all the longer。〃
All Alfred obtained by this interview was a powerful opiate。 The head…keeper brought it him in bed。 He declined to take it。 The man whistled； and the room filled with keepers。
〃Now；〃 said Cooper； 〃down with it； or you'll have to be drenched with this cowhorn。〃
〃You had better take it； sir；〃 said Brown； 〃the doctor has ordered it you。〃
〃The doctor？ Well； let me see the doctor about it。〃
〃He is gone。〃
〃He never ordered it me；〃 said Alfred。 Then fixing his eyes sternly on Cooper； 〃You miscreants； you want to poison me。 No； I will not take it。 Murder！ murder！〃
Then ensued a struggle； on which I draw a veil： but numbers won the day； with the help of handcuffs and a cowhorn。
Brown went and told Mrs。 Archbold； and what Alfred had said。
〃Don't be alarmed；〃 said that strong…minded lady： 〃it is only one of the old fool's composing draughts。 It will spoil the poor boy's sleep for one night； that is all。 Go to him the first thing in the morning。〃
About midnight Alfred was seized with a violent headache and fever： towards morning he was light…headed； and Brown found him loud and incoherent： only he returned often to an expression Mr。 Brown had never heard before
〃Justifiable parricide。 Justifiable parricide。 Justifiable patricide。〃
Most people dislike new phrases。 Brown ran to consult Mrs。 Archbold about this one。 After the delay inseparable from her sex； she came in a morning wrapper； and they found Alfred leaning over the bed and bleeding violently at the nose。 They were a good deal alarmed； and tried to stop it： but Alfred was quite sensible now； and told them it was doing him good。
〃I can manage to see now；〃 he said； 〃a little while ago I was blind with the poison。〃
They unstrapped his ankle and made him comfortable； and Mrs。 Archbold sent Brown for a cup of strong coffee and a glass of brandy。 He tossed them off； and soon after fell into a deep sleep that lasted till tea…time。 This sleep the poor doctor ascribed to the sedative effect of his opiate。 It _was_ the natural exhaustion consequent on the morbid excitement caused by his cursed opiate。
〃Brown；〃 said Mrs。 Archbold； 〃if Dr。 Bailey prescribes again； let me know。 He shan't square _this_ patient with his certificates； whilst I am here。〃
This was a shrewd； but uncharitable； speech of hers。 Dr。 Bailey was not such a villain as that。
He was a less depraved； and more dangerous animal： he was a fool。
The farrago he had administered would have done an excited maniac no good； of course； but no great harm。 It was dangerous to a sane man： and Alfred to the naked eye was a sane man。 But then Bailey had no naked eye left： he had been twenty years an M。 D。 The certificates of Wycherley and Speers were the green spectacles he worevery green oneswhenever he looked at Alfred Hardie。
Perhaps in time he will forget those certificates； and； on his spectacles dropping off； he will see Alfred is sane。 If he does； he will publish him as one of his most remarkable _cures。_
Meanwhile the whole treatment of this ill…starred young gentleman gravitated towards insanity。 The inner mind was exasperated by barefaced injustice and oppression； above all； by his letters being stopped； for that convinced him both Baker and Bailey； with their see…saw evasions； knew he was sane； and dreaded a visit from honest； understanding men： and the mind's external organ； the brain； which an asylum professes to soothe； was steadily undermined by artificial sleeplessness。 A man can't sleep in irons till he is used to them and； when Alfred was relieved of these； his sleep was still driven away by biting insects and barking dogs； two opiates provided in many of these placid Retreats； with a view to the permanence rather than the comfort of the lodgers。
On the eighth day Alfred succeeded at last in an object he had steadily pursued for some time： he caught the two see…saw humbugs together。
〃Now；〃 said he； _〃you_ say _he_ intercepts my letters； and _he_ says it is _you_ who do it。 Which is the truth？〃
They were staggered； and he followed up his advantage： 〃Look me in the face； gentlemen；〃 said he。 〃Can you pretend you do not know I am sane？ Ah； you turn your heads away。 You can only tell this bare…faced lie behind my back。 Do you believe in God； and in a judgment to come？ Then； if you cannot release me； at least don't be such scoundrels as to stop my letters； and so swindle me out of a fair trial； an open； public trial。〃
The doctor parried with a formula。 〃Publicity would be the greatest misfortune could befall you。 Pray be calm。〃
Now； an asylum is a place not entirely exempt from prejudices： and one of them is； that any sort of appeal to God Almighty is a sign or else forerunner of maniacal excitement。
These philosophers forget that by stopping letters； evading public trials； and； in a word； cutting off all appea