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hard cash-第122章

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ed at this total:

〃Admitted April 11。 Had a very wild look; and was much excited。 Attempted suicide by throwing himself into a tank。 Attacked the keepers for rescuing him; with prodigious strength and violence。 Refused food。〃

And some days after came an entry with his initials instead of his name; which was contrary to law。 〃A。 H。 Much excited。 Threats。 Ordered composing draught。〃

And a day or two after: 〃A。 H。 Excited。 Blasphemous。 Ordered blister。〃

The first entry; however; was enough。 The doctor had but seen real facts through his green spectacles; and lo! 〃suicide;〃 〃homicide;〃 and 〃refusal of food;〃 three cardinal points of true mania。

Mr。 Vane asked Dr。 Bailey whether he was better since he came。

〃Oh; infinitely better;〃 said Dr。 Bailey。 〃We hope to cure him in a month or two。〃

They then sent for Mrs。 Archbold; and had a long talk with her; recommending Alfred to her especial care: and; having acted on his judgment and information in the teeth of those who called him insane; turned tail at a doctor's certificate; distrusted their eyesight at an unsworn affidavit。

Alfred was packing up his things to go away; bright as a lark。 Mrs。 Archbold came to him; and told him she had orders to give him every comfort; and the justices hoped to liberate him at their next visit。

The poor wretch turned pale。 〃At their next visit!〃 he cried; 〃What; not to…day? When is their next visit?〃

Mrs。 Archbold hesitated: but at last she said; 〃Why you know; I told you; they come four times every year。〃

The disappointment was too bitter。 The contemptible result of all his patience; self…command; and success; was too heart…breaking。 He groaned aloud。 〃And you can come with a smile and tell me that; you cruel woman。〃 Then he broke down altogether and burst out crying。 〃You were born without a heart;〃 he sobbed。

Mrs。 Archbold quivered at that。 〃I wish I had been;〃 said she; in a strange; soft; moving voice; then; casting an eloquent look of reproach on him; she went away in visible agitation; and left him sobbing。 Once out of his sight she rushed into another room; and there; taking no more notice of a gentle madwoman; its occupant; than of the bed or the table; she sank into a chair; and; throwing her head back with womanly abandon; hid her hand upon her bosom that heaved tempestuously。

And soon the tears trickled out of her imperious eyes; and ran unrestrained。

The mind of Edith Archbold corresponded with her powerful frame; and bushy brows。 Inside this woman all was vigour: strong passions; strong good sense to check or hide them; strong will to carry them out。 And between these mental forces a powerful struggle was raging。 She was almost impenetrable to mere personal beauty; and inclined to despise early youth in the other sex; and six months spent with Alfred in a quiet country house would probably have left her reasonably indifferent to him。 But the first day she saw him in Silverton House he broke through her guard; and pierced at once to her depths; first he terrified her by darting through the window to escape: and terror is a passion。 So is pity; and never in her life had she overflowed with it as when she saw him drawn out of the tank and laid on the grass。 If; after all; he was as sane as he looked; that brave high…spirited young creature; who preferred death to the touch of coarse confining hands!

No sooner had he filled her with dismay and pity; than he bounded from the ground before her eyes and fled。 She screamed; and hoped he would escape; she could not help it。 Next she saw him fighting alone against seven or eight; and with unheard…of prowess almost beating them。 She sat at the window panting; with clenched teeth and hands; and wished him to beat; and admired him; wondered at him。 He yielded; but not to them: to her。 All the compliments she had ever received were tame compared with this one。 It thrilled her vanity。 He was like the men she had read of; and never seen: the young knights of chivalry。 She glowed all over at him; and detecting herself in time was frightened。 Her strong good sense warned her to beware of this youth; who was nine years her junior; yet had stirred her to all her depths in an hour; and not to see him nor think of him too much。 Accordingly she kept clear of him altogether at first。 Pity soon put an end to that; and she protected and advised him; but with a cold and lofty demeanour put on express。 What with her kind acts and her cold manner he did not know what to make of her; and often turned puzzled earnest eyes upon her; as much as to say; Are you really my friend or not? Once she forgot herself and smiled so tenderly in answer to these imploring eyes; that his hopes rose very high indeed。 He flattered himself she would let him out of the asylum before long。 That was all Julia's true lover thought of。

A feeling hidden; and not suppressed; often grows fast in a vigorous nature。 Mrs。 Archbold's fancy for Alfred was subjected to this dangerous treatment; and it smouldered; and smouldered; till from a _penchant_ it warmed to a fancy; from a fancy to a passion。 But _penchant;_ fancy; or passion; she hid it with such cunning and resolution; that neither Alfred nor even those of her own sex saw it; nor did a creature even suspect it; except Nurse Hannah; but her eyes were sharpened by jealousy; for that muscular young virgin was beginning to sigh for him herself; with a gentle timidity that contrasted prettily with her biceps muscle and prowess against her own sex。

Mrs。 Archbold had more passion than tenderness; but what woman is not to be surprised and softened? When her young favourite; the greatest fighter she had ever seen; broke down at the end of his gallant effort and began to cry like a girl; her bowels of compassion yearned within her; and she longed to cry with him。 She only saved herself from some imprudence by flight; and had her cry alone。 After a flow of tears; such a woman is invincible; she treated Alfred at tea…time with remarkable coldness and reserve。 This piece of acting led to unlooked…for consequences: it emboldened Cooper; who was raging against Alfred for telling the justices; but had forborne from violence for fear of getting the house into a fresh scrape。 He now went to the doctor; and asked for a powerful drastic。 Bailey gave him two pills; or rather boluses; containing croton oil_inter alia;_ for Bailey was one of the _farraginous_ fools of the unscientific science。 Armed with this weapon of destruction; Cooper entered Alfred's bedroom at night; and ordered him to take them: he refused。 Cooper whistled; and four attendants came。 Alfred knew he should soon be powerless。 He lost no time; sprang at Cooper; and with his long arm landed a blow that knocked him against the wall; and in this position; where his body could not give; struck him again with his whole soul; and cut his cheek right open。 The next minute he was pinned; handcuffed; and in a straitjacket; after crippling one assailant with a kick on the knee。

Cooper; half stunned; and bleeding like a pig; recovered himself now; and burned for revenge。 He uttered a frightful oath; and jumped on Alfred as he lay bound and powerless; and gave him a lesson he never forgot。

Every art has 
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