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！
e invaluable； including； as they do； the nocturnal and diurnal attendance of a Psycho…physical physician； who knows the Psychosomatic relation of body and mind； and can apply physical remedies； of the effect of which on the physical instrument of intelligence； the grey matter of the brain； we have seen so many examples。〃
The good doctor then feelingly deplored the inhumanity of parents and guardians in declining to subject their incubators to opportune and salutary restraint under the more than parental care of a Psychosomatic physician。 On this head he got quite warm； and inveighed against the abominable _cruelty_ of the thing。 〃It is contrary；〃 said he； 〃to every principle of justice and humanity； that a fellow…creature； deranged perhaps only on one point； should； for the want of the early attention of those whose duty it is to watch over him； linger out his existence separated from all who are dear to him； and condemned without any crime to be a prisoner for life。〃
Mr。 Hardie was puzzled by this sentence； in which the speaker's usual method was reversed； and the thought was bigger than the words。
〃Oh；〃 said he at last； 〃I see。 We ought to incarcerate our children to keep them from being incarcerated。〃
〃That is one way of putting it with a vengence；〃 said Mr。 Osmond staring。 〃No； what my good friend means〃
〃Is this； where the patient is possessor of an income of such a character as to enable his friends to show a sincere affection by anticipating the consequences of neglected morbid phenomena of the brain； there a lamentable want of humanity is exhibited by the persistent refusal to the patient； on the part of his relatives； of the incalculable advantage of the authoritative advice of a competent physician accompanied with the safeguards and preventives of〃
But ere the mellifluous pleonast had done oiling his paradox with fresh polysyllables； to make it slip into the banker's narrow understanding； he met with a curious interruption。 Jane Hardie fluttered in to say a man was at the door accusing himself of being deranged。
〃How often this sort of coincidence occurs；〃 said Osmond philosophically。
〃Do not refuse him； dear papa； it is not for money： he only wants you to give him an order to go into a lunatic asylum。〃
_〃Now； there is a sensible man；_〃 said Dr。 Wycherley。
〃Well； but；〃 objected Mr。 Hardie； 〃if he is a sensible man； why does he want to go to an asylum？〃
〃Oh； they are all sensible at times；〃 observed Mr。 Osmond。
_〃Singularly so；_〃 said Dr。 Wycherley； warmly。 And he showed a desire to examine this paragon； who had the sense to know he was out of his senses。
〃It would be but kind of you； sir；〃 said Jane； 〃poor； poor man！〃 She added； he did not like to come in； and would they mind just going out to him？
〃Oh no； not in the least： especially as you seem interested in him。〃
And they all three rose and went out together； and found the petitioner at the front door。 Who should it be but James Maxley！
His beard was unshaven； his face haggard； and everything about him showed a man broken in spirit as well as fortune： even his voice had lost half its vigour； and； whenever he had uttered a consecutive sentence or two； his head dropped on his breast pitiably： indeed； this sometimes occurred in the middle of a sentence； and then the rest of it died on his lips。
Mr。 Richard Hardie was not prepared to encounter one of his unhappy creditors thus publicly； and； to shorten the annoyance； would have dismissed him roughly： but he dared not； for Maxley was no longer alone nor unfriended。 When Jane left him to intercede for him； a young man joined him； and was now comforting him with kind words； and trying to get him to smoke a cigar； and this good…hearted young gentleman was the banker's son in the flesh； and his opposite in spirit； Mr。 Alfred Hardie。
Finding these two in contact； the Doctors interchanged demurest glances。
Mr。 Hardie asked Maxley sullenly what he wanted of them。
〃Well； sir；〃 said Maxley despondingly； 〃I have been to all the other magistrates in the borough； for what with losing my money； and what with losing my missus； I think I bain't quite right in my head； I do see such curious things； enough to make a body's skin creep at times。〃 And down went his head on his chest
〃Well？〃 said Mr。 Hardie； peevishly： 〃go on： you went to the magistrates； and what then？〃
Maxley looked up； and seemed to recover the thread： 〃Why they said 'no；' they couldn't send me to the 'sylum； not from home： I must be a pauper first。 So then my neighbours they said I had better come to you。〃 And down went his head again。
〃Well； but；〃 said Mr。 Hardie； 〃you cannot expect me to go against the other magistrates。〃
〃Why not； sir？ You have had a hatful o' money of me： the other gentlemen han't had a farthing。 They owes me no service； but you does： nine hundred pounds' worth； if ye come to that。〃
There was no malice in this； it was a plain broken…hearted man's notion of give and take； but it was a home…thrust all the same； and Mr。 Hardie was visibly discountenanced； and Alfred more so。
Mr。 Osmond； to relieve a situation so painful； asked Maxley rather hastily what were the curious things he saw。
Maxley shuddered。 〃The unreasonablest beasts； sir； you ever saw or heard tell on： mostly snakes and dragons。 Can't stoop my head to do no work for them； sir。 Bless your heart； if I was to leave you gentlemen now； and go and dig for five minutes in my garden； they would come about me as thick as slugs on cabbage。 Why 'twas but yester'en I tried to hoe a bit； and up come the fearfullest great fiery sarpint： scared me so I heaved my hoe and laid on un' properly： presently I seemed to come out of a sort of a kind of a red mist into the clear： and there laid my poor missus's favourite hen； I had been and killed her for a sarpint！〃 He sighed； then； after a moment's pause； lowered his voice to a whisper： 〃Now suppose I was to go and take some poor Christian for one of these gre…at bloody dragons I do see at odd times； I might do him a mischief； you know； and not mean him no harm neither。 Oh； dooee take and have me locked up； gentlemen； dooee now： tellee I ain't fit to be about； my poor head is so mazed。〃
〃Well； well；〃 said Mr。 Hardie； 〃I'll give you an order for the Union。〃
〃What； make a pauper of me？〃
〃I cannot help it；〃 said the magistrate： 〃it is the routine； and it was settled at a meeting of the bench last month that we must adhere to the rule as strictly as possible； the asylum is so full： and you know； Maxley； it is not as if you were dangerous。〃
〃That I be； sir： I don't know what I'm a looking at or a doing。 Would I ha' gone and killed my poor Susan's hen if I hadn't a been beside myself？ and she in her grave； poor dear： no； not for untold gold： and I be fond of that tooused to be； however： but now I don't seem to care for money nor nothing else。〃 And his head dropped。
Look here； Maxley； old fellow；〃 said Alfred sarcastically； 〃you must go to the workhouse； and stay there till you hoe a pauper； take him for a crocodile and kill him； then you will get into an asylum whether the Barkington magistrates like it or not： that is the _routine；_ I believe； and as reasonable as most rout