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bounced up very early in the narrative； and went striding up and down the room： he was pale with indignation； and his voice trembled with emotion； and every now and then he broke in on the well…governed narrative with oaths and curses； and observations of this kind〃Why dinnt ye kill um？ I'd have killed um。 I'd just have taken the first knife and killed um。 Man； our Liberty is our Life。 Dith to whoever attacks it！〃
And so Edward coming in with Alfred's dinner on a tray； found the _soi…disant_ maniac delivering his wrongs with the lofty serenity of an ancient philosopher discussing the wrongs of another； Julia crying furtively into the tub； and the good physician trampling and raving about the room； like what the stoical narrator was accused of being。 Edward stopped； and looked at them all over the tray。 〃Well；〃 said he； 〃if there's a madman in the room； it is not Hardie。 Ahem。〃
〃Madman？ ye young ijjit；〃 roared the doctor； 〃he's no madder than I am。〃
〃Heaven forbid；〃 said Alfred drily。
〃No madder than _you_ are； ye young Pump。〃
〃That's an ungenerous skit on Edward's profession；〃 objected the maniac。
〃Be quite now； chattering；〃 said the excited doctor； 〃I tell ye ye niver were mad； and niver will be。 It's just the most heartless imposture； the most rascally fraud I've ever caught the Mad Ox out in。 I'll expose it。 Gimme pninkpapr。 Man； they'll take y' again if we don't mind。 But I'll stop that： these ineequities can only be done in the dark。 I'll shed the light of day on 'em。 Eat your dinner； and hold your tongue a minuteif ye can。〃 The doctor had always a high sense of _Alfred's_ volubility。
He went to work； and soon produced a letter headed； 〃PRIVATE MADHOUSES。〃 In this he related pithily Alfred's incarceration； and the present attempt to recapture him； with the particulars of his escape。 〃That will interest th' enemy；〃 said he drily。 He vouched for Alfred's sanity at both dates； and pledged himself to swear to it in a court of law。 He then inquired what it availed to have sent one tyrant to Phalaris and another to Versailles in defence of our Liberty； since after all that Liberty lies grovelling at the mercy of Dr。 Pill…box and Mr。 Sawbones； and a single designing relative？ Then he drew a strong picture of this free…born British citizen skulking and hiding at this moment from a gang of rogues and conspirators； who in France and other civilised countries that brag less of liberty than we do； would be themselves flying as criminals from the officers of justice； and he wound up with a warm appeal to the press to cast its shield over the victim of bad laws and foul practices。 〃In England；〃 said he； 〃Justice is the daughter of Publicity。 Throughout the world deeds of villainy are done every day in kid gloves： but； with us； at all events； they have to be done on the sly！ Here lies our true moral eminence as a nation。 Utter then your 'fiat lux；' cast the full light of publicity on this dark villainy； and behold it will wither； and your oppressed and injured fellow…citizen be safe from that very hour。〃
He signed it and read it out to them； or rather roared it。 But he had written it so well he could not make it bad by delivery。 Indeed； he was a masterly writer of English； you must know。 Julia was delighted； but Alfred shook his head。 〃The editor will not put it in。〃
〃Th' editor！ D'ye think I'm so green as to trust t' any one editor？ D'ye think I've lived all these years and not learned what poor cowardly things men are？ Moral courage！ where can you find it？ Except in the dickshinary？ Few to the world their honest thoughts _avow；_ the groveller policy robs justice _now_
And none but Sampson dares to lift a hond Against the curst corruption of the lond。
Now； lad； I'm off to my printer with this。 They are working night and day just now： there will be two hundred copies printed in half an hour。〃
〃And me； doctor；〃 said Julia。 〃Am poor I to have no hand in it？ How cruel of you？ Oh pray； pray； pray let me help a little。〃
〃Put on your bonnet； then； directly；〃 said he： 〃in war never lose a minute。〃
〃But I am so afraid they may be lying in wait for him outside。〃
〃Then we'll give them a good hiding： there are three of us； all good men and staunch；〃 said the indomitable doctor。
〃No； no；〃 said the pugnacious Alfred。 〃Julia does not like fighting： I heard her screaming all the time I was defending myself on the stairs： let us be prudent： let us throw dust in their eyes。 Put me on a bonnet and cloak。〃
〃And a nice little woman you'll make； ye fathom。〃
〃Oh； I can stoopto conquer。〃
Julia welcomed this plan almost with glee； and she and Edward very soon made a handsome brazen…looking trollop six feet high。 Then it had to stoop； and Edward and Julia helped it out to the carriage； under the very noses of a policeman and a keeper； who were watching for Alfred： seeing whichoh frailty of woman！the district visitor addressed it aloud as her aunt； and begged it to take care： which she afterwards observed was acting a falsehood； and 〃where was her Christianity？〃
Alfred was actually not recognised： the carriage bowled away to the great printing house； it was on that side the water。 The foreman entered into the thing with spirit； and divided the copy； small as it was； among two or three compositors： so a rough proof was ready in an incredibly short time； the doctor corrected it： and soon they began to work off the copies。 The foreman found them Mitchell's newspaper list； and envelopes by the hundred； and while the copies were pouring in； all hands were folding and addressing them to the London and provincial editors。 The office lent the stamps。 The doctor drove Alfred to his own lodgings； and forbade him to reappear in Pembroke Street until the letter should come out in the London journals。
That night the letters were all posted； and at daybreak were flying north； south； east and west。 In the afternoon the letter came out in four London evening papers； and the next morning the metropolis and the whole kingdom were ringing with them； and the full blaze of publicity burst upon this dark deed。
Ay； stout Sampson； well you knew mankind； and well you knew the nation you lived in。 Richard Hardie； in the very act of setting detectives to find Alfred's lurking…place； ran his nose against this letter in the _Globe。_ He collapsed at the sight of it； and wrote directly to Dr。 Wolf； enclosing it and saying that it would be unadvisable to make any fresh attempt。 His letter was crossed by one from Dr。 Wolf； containing Sampson's thunderbolt extracted from the _Sun；_ and saying that no earthly consideration should induce him to meddle with Alfred _now。_ Richard Hardie flung himself into the train； and went down to his brother at Clare Court。
He was ill at ease。 He felt like some great general； who has launched many attacks against the foe； very successful at first； then less successful； then repulsed with difficulty； then repulsed with ease； till at last the foe stands before him impregnable。 Then he feels that ere long that iron enemy will attack him in turn； and that he； exhausted by his own onslaughts； must defend himself how he can。 Yet there was a pause； he passed a whole quiet peaceful day with his br