oh!
he
was
so
fat
;
there
,
round
.
And
he
twisted
his
mouth
so
”
(
imitating
him
)
“
and
squinted
into
them
so
.
Then
I
was
full
of
hope
;
and
said
to
myself
;
'
Dear
mamma
and
Edward
!
'
And
so
,
when
he
ended
by
saying
,
'
No
,
'
like
all
the
rest
,
I
burst
out
crying
like
a
goose
.
“
My
poor
girl
,
”
cried
Mrs.
Dodd
,
with
tears
in
her
own
eyes
,
“
why
expose
yourself
to
these
cruel
rebuffs
?
”
“
Oh
,
do
n't
waste
your
pity
,
mamma
;
those
great
babyish
tears
were
a
happy
thought
of
mine
.
He
bought
two
directly
to
pacify
me
;
and
there
's
the
money
.
Thirty
shillings
!
”
And
she
laid
it
proudly
on
the
table
.
“
The
old
cheat
,
”
said
Edward
;
“
they
were
worth
two
guineas
apiece
,
I
know
.
”
“
Not
they
;
or
why
would
not
anybody
else
give
twopence
for
them
?
”
“
Because
pictures
are
a
drug
.
”
He
added
that
even
talent
was
not
saleable
unless
it
got
into
the
Great
Grooves
;
and
then
looked
at
Mrs.
Dodd
,
she
replied
that
unfortunately
those
Grooves
were
not
always
accessible
.
The
City
firm
had
received
her
stiffly
,
and
inquired
for
whom
she
had
worked
.
“
Children
,
my
heart
fell
at
that
question
.
I
was
obliged
to
own
myself
an
amateur
and
beg
a
trial
.
However
,
I
gave
Madame
Blanch
's
card
:
but
Mr.
—
I
do
n't
know
which
partner
it
was
—
said
he
was
not
acquainted
with
her
:
then
he
looked
a
little
embarrassed
,
I
thought
,
and
said
the
Firm
did
not
care
to
send
its
stuff
to
ladies
not
in
the
business
.
I
might
cut
it
to
waste
,
or
—
he
said
no
more
;
but
I
do
really
think
he
meant
I
might
purloin
it
.
”
“
Why
was
n't
I
there
to
look
him
into
the
earth
?
Oh
,
mamma
,
that
you
should
be
subjected
to
all
this
!
”
“
Be
quiet
,
child
;
I
had
only
to
put
on
my
armour
;
and
do
you
know
what
my
armour
is
?
Thinking
of
my
children
.
So
I
put
on
my
armour
,
and
said
quietly
,
we
were
not
so
poor
but
we
could
pay
for
a
piece
of
cloth
should
I
be
so
unfortunate
as
to
spoil
it
;
and
I
offered
in
plain
terms
to
deposit
the
price
as
security
.
But
he
turned
as
stiff
at
that
as
his
yard
measure
;
'
that
was
not
Cross
and
Co.
's
way
of
doing
business
,
'
he
said
.
But
it
is
unreasonable
to
be
dejected
at
a
repulse
or
two
;
and
I
am
not
out
of
spirits
;
not
much
:
”
with
this
her
gentle
mouth
smiled
;
and
her
patient
eyes
were
moist
.
The
next
day
,
just
after
breakfast
,
was
announced
a
gentleman
from
the
City
.
He
made
his
bow
and
produced
a
parcel
,
which
proved
to
be
a
pattern
cloak
.
“
Order
,
ladies
,
”
said
he
briskly
,
“
from
Cross
,
Fitchett
,
and
Co.
,
Primrose
Lane
.
Porter
outside
with
the
piece
.
You
can
come
in
,
sir
.
”
Porter
entered
with
a
bale
.
“
Please
sign
this
,
ma'am
.
”
Mrs.
Dodd
signed
a
receipt
for
the
stuff
,
with
an
undertaking
to
deliver
it
in
cloaks
,
at
11
Primrose
Lane
,
in
such
a
time
.
Porter
retreated
.
The
other
said
,
“
Our
Mr.
Fitchett
wishes
you
to
observe
this
fall
in
the
pattern
.
It
is
new
.
”
“
I
will
,
sir
.
Am
I
to
trouble
you
with
any
money
—
by
way
of
deposit
,
sir
?
”
“
No
orders
about
it
,
ma'am
.
Ladies
,
your
most
obedient
.
Good
morning
,
sir
.
”
And
he
was
away
.
All
this
seemed
like
a
click
or
two
of
City
clock-work
:
followed
by
rural
silence
.
Yet
in
that
minute
Commerce
had
walked
in
upon
genteel
poverty
,
and
left
honest
labour
and
modest
income
behind
her
.
Great
was
the
thankfulness
,
strange
and
new
the
excitement
.
Edward
was
employed
to
set
up
a
very
long
deal
table
for
his
mother
to
work
on
,
Julia
to
go
and
buy
tailors
'
scissors
.
Calculations
were
made
how
to
cut
the
stuff
to
advantage
,
and
in
due
course
the
heavy
scissors
were
heard
snick
,
snick
,
snicking
all
day
long
.
Julia
painted
zealously
,
and
Edward
,
without
saying
a
word
to
them
,
walked
twenty
miles
a
day
hunting
for
a
guinea
a
week
;
and
finding
it
not
.
Not
but
what
employment
was
often
bobbed
before
his
eyes
:
but
there
was
no
grasping
it
.
At
last
he
heard
of
a
place
peculiarly
suited
to
him
;
a
packing
foreman
's
in
a
warehouse
at
Southwark
;
he
went
there
,
and
was
referred
to
Mr.
A.
's
private
house
.
Mr.
A
.
was
in
the
country
for
a
day
.
Try
Mr.
B
.
Mr.
B
.
was
dining
with
the
Lord
Mayor
.
Returning
belated
,
he
fell
in
with
a
fire
;
and
,
sad
to
say
,
life
was
in
jeopardy
:
a
little
old
man
had
run
out
at
the
first
alarm
,
when
there
was
no
danger
,
and
,
as
soon
as
the
fire
was
hot
,
had
run
in
again
for
his
stockings
,
or
some
such
treasure
.
Fire
does
put
out
some
people
's
reason
;
clean
.
While
he
was
rummaging
madly
,
the
staircase
caught
,
and
the
smoke
cut
off
his
second
exit
,
and
drove
him
up
to
a
little
staircase
window
at
the
side
of
the
house
.
Here
he
stood
,
hose
in
hand
,
scorching
behind
and
screeching
in
front
.
A
ladder
had
been
brought
:
but
it
was
a
yard
short
:
and
the
poor
old
man
danced
on
the
window-ledge
and
dare
not
come
down
to
a
gallant
fireman
who
stood
ready
to
receive
him
at
great
personal
peril
.
In
the
midst
of
shrieks
and
cries
and
shouts
of
encouragement
,
Edward
,
a
practised
gymnast
,
saw
a
chance
.
He
ran
up
the
ladder
like
a
cat
,
begged
the
fireman
to
clasp
it
tight
;
then
got
on
his
shoulders
and
managed
to
grasp
the
window-sill
.
He
could
always
draw
his
own
weight
up
by
his
hands
:
so
he
soon
had
his
knee
on
the
sill
,
and
presently
stood
erect
.
He
then
put
his
left
arm
inside
the
window
,
collared
the
old
fellow
with
his
right
,
and
,
half
persuasion
,
half
force
,
actually
lowered
him
to
the
ladder
with
one
Herculean
arm
amidst
a
roar
that
made
the
Borough
ring
.
Such
a
strain
could
not
long
be
endured
;
but
the
fireman
speedily
relieved
him
by
seizing
the
old
fellow
's
feet
and
directing
them
on
to
the
ladder
,
and
so
,
propping
him
by
the
waist
,
went
down
before
him
,
and
landed
him
safe
.
Edward
waited
till
they
were
down
:
then
begged
them
to
hold
the
ladder
tight
below
;
he
hung
from
the
ledge
,
got
his
eye
well
on
the
ladder
below
him
,
let
himself
quietly
drop
,
and
caught
hold
of
it
with
hands
of
iron
,
and
twisting
round
,
came
down
the
ladder
on
the
inside
hand
over
head
without
using
his
feet
,
a
favourite
gymnastic
exercise
of
his
learnt
at
the
Modern
Athens
.
He
was
warmly
received
by
the
crowd
and
by
the
firemen
.
“
You
should
be
one
of
us
,
sir
,
”
said
a
fine
young
fellow
who
had
cheered
him
and
advised
him
all
through
.
“
I
wish
to
Heaven
I
was
,
”
said
Edward
.
The
other
thought
he
was
joking
,
but
laughed
and
said
,
“
Then
you
should
talk
to
our
head
man
after
the
business
;
there
is
a
vacancy
,
you
know
.
”
Edward
saw
the
fire
out
,
and
rode
home
on
the
engine
.
There
he
applied
to
the
head
man
for
the
vacancy
.
“
You
are
a
stranger
to
me
,
sir
,
”
said
the
head
man
.
“
And
I
am
sure
it
is
no
place
for
you
;
you
are
a
gentleman
.
”
“
Well
;
is
there
anything
ungentlemanly
in
saving
people
's
lives
and
property
?
”
“
Hear
!
hear
!
”
said
a
comic
fireman
.
The
compliment
began
to
tell
,
though
.
Others
put
in
their
word
.
“
Why
,
Mr.
Baldwin
,
if
a
gentleman
ai
n't
ashamed
of
us
,
why
should
we
be
ashamed
of
him
?
”
“
Where
will
ye
get
a
better
?
”
asked
another
;
and
added
,
“
He
is
no
stranger
;
we
've
seen
him
work
.
”
“
Stop
a
bit
,
”
said
the
comic
fireman
:
“
what
does
the
dog
say
?
Just
call
him
,
sir
,
if
you
please
;
his
name
is
Charlie
.
”
Edward
called
the
fire-dog
kindly
;
he
came
and
fawned
on
him
;
then
gravely
snuffed
him
all
round
,
and
retired
wagging
his
tail
gently
,
as
much
as
to
say
,
“
I
was
rather
taken
by
surprise
at
first
,
but
,
on
the
whole
,
I
see
no
reason
to
recall
my
judgment
.
”
“
It
is
all
right
,
”
said
the
firemen
in
chorus
;
and
one
that
had
not
yet
spoken
to
Edward
now
whispered
him
mysteriously
,
“
Ye
see
that
there
dog
—
he
knows
more
than
we
do
.
”
After
the
dog
,
a
biped
oracle
at
head-quarters
was
communicated
with
,
and
late
that
very
night
Edward
was
actually
enrolled
a
fireman
;
and
went
home
warmer
at
heart
than
he
had
been
for
some
time
.
They
were
all
in
bed
;
and
when
he
came
down
in
the
morning
,
Julia
was
reading
out
of
the
'
Tiser
a
spirited
and
magniloquent
description
of
a
fire
in
Southwark
,
and
of
the
heroism
displayed
by
a
young
gentleman
unknown
,
but
whose
name
the
writer
hoped
at
so
much
the
line
would
never
be
allowed
to
pass
into
oblivion
,
and
be
forgotten
.
In
short
,
the
'
Tiser
paid
him
in
one
column
,
for
years
of
devotion
.
Now
Edward
,
of
course
,
was
going
to
relate
his
adventure
;
but
the
journal
told
it
so
gloriously
,
he
hesitated
to
say
,
“
I
did
all
that
.
”
He
just
sat
and
stared
,
and
wondered
,
and
blushed
,
and
grinned
like
an
imbecile
.
Unfortunately
looks
seldom
escaped
the
Doddesses
.
“
What
is
that
for
?
”
inquired
Julia
reproachfully
.
“
Is
that
sheepish
face
the
thing
to
wear
when
a
sister
is
reading
out
an
heroic
action
?
Ah
,
these
are
the
things
that
make
one
long
to
be
a
man
,
to
do
them
.
What
are
you
thinking
about
,
dear
?
”
“
Well
,
I
am
thinking
the
'
Tiser
is
pitching
it
rather
strong
.
”
“
My
love
,
what
an
expression
!
”
“
Well
,
then
,
to
be
honest
,
I
agree
with
you
that
it
is
a
jolly
thing
to
fight
with
fire
and
save
men
's
lives
;
and
I
am
glad
you
see
it
in
that
light
;
for
now
you
will
approve
the
step
I
have
taken
.
Ladies
,
I
have
put
myself
in
the
way
of
doing
this
sort
of
thing
every
week
of
my
life
.
I
'm
a
fireman
.
”
“
You
are
jesting
,
I
trust
?
”
said
Mrs.
Dodd
anxiously
.
“
No
,
mamma
.
I
got
the
place
late
last
night
,
and
I
'm
to
enter
on
my
duties
and
put
on
the
livery
next
Monday
.
Hurrah
!
”
Instantly
the
admirers
of
fiery
heroes
at
a
distance
overflowed
with
grief
and
mortification
at
the
prospect
of
one
in
their
own
family
.
They
could
not
speak
at
all
at
first
:
and
,
when
they
did
,
it
was
only
“
Cruel
!
cruel
!
”
from
Julia
;
and
“
Our
humiliation
is
now
complete
,
”
from
Mrs.
Dodd
.
They
soon
dashed
Edward
's
spirits
,
and
made
him
unhappy
;
but
they
could
not
convince
him
he
had
done
wrong
.
However
,
in
the
heat
of
remonstrance
,
they
let
out
at
last
that
they
had
just
begun
to
hope
by
dint
of
scissors
and
paint-brush
to
send
him
back
to
Oxford
.
He
also
detected
,
under
a
cloud
of
tender
,
loving
,
soothing
,
coaxing
and
equivocating
expressions
,
their
idea
of
a
Man
:
to
wit
,
a
tall
,
strong
,
ornamental
creature
,
whom
the
women
were
to
cocker
up
,
and
pet
,
and
slave
for
;
and
be
rewarded
by
basking
,
dead
tired
,
in
an
imperial
smile
or
two
let
fall
by
their
sovereign
protege
from
his
arm-chair
.
And
,
in
fact
,
good
women
have
often
demoralised
their
idols
down
to
the
dirt
by
this
process
;
to
be
sure
their
idols
were
sorryish
clay
,
to
begin
.
Edward
was
anything
but
flowery
,
so
he
paraded
no
manly
sentiments
in
reply
;
he
just
bluntly
ridiculed
the
idea
of
his
consenting
to
prey
on
them
;
and
he
said
humbly
,
“
I
know
I
ca
n't
contribute
as
much
to
our
living
as
you
two
can
—
the
petticoats
carry
the
brains
in
our
family
—
but
,
be
a
burden
to
you
?
Not
if
I
know
it
.
”
“
Pride
!
pride
!
pride
!
”
objected
Julia
,
lifting
her
grand
violet
orbs
like
a
pensive
Madonna
.
“
And
such
pride
!
The
pride
that
falls
into
a
fire-bucket
,
”
suggested
prosaic
mamma
.
“
That
is
cutting
,
”
said
Edward
:
“
but
,
soyons
de
notre
siecle
;
flunkeyism
is
on
the
decline
.
I
'll
give
you
something
to
put
in
both
your
pipes
:
'
Honour
and
rank
from
no
condition
rise
.
Act
well
thy
part
;
in
that
the
honour
lies
.
'
”
“
Yes
,
yes
,
”
said
Mrs.
Dodd
,
“
only
first
choose
your
part
;
and
let
your
choice
be
reasonable
.
”
“
Mine
was
Hobson
's
,
and
he
never
chooses
wrong
.
Come
,
come
,
”
said
he
,
and
appealed
calmly
to
their
reason
,
by
which
means
he
made
no
impression
at
all
.
Then
he
happened
to
say
,
“
Besides
,
I
must
do
something
.
I
own
to
you
I
am
more
cast
down
than
I
choose
to
show
.
Mother
,
I
feel
like
lead
ever
since
she
died
.
”
Now
on
this
,
their
faces
filled
with
sympathy
directly
.
So
encouraged
he
went
on
to
say
:
“
But
when
I
got
my
hand
on
that
old
duffer
's
collar
,
and
lowered
him
to
the
ladder
,
and
the
fire
shot
roaring
out
of
the
window
after
him
,
too
late
to
eat
him
,
and
the
crowd
cheered
the
fireman
and
me
,
I
did
feel
warm
about
the
waistcoat
,
and
,
for
the
first
time
this
ever
so
long
,
life
seemed
not
quite
ended
.
I
felt
there
was
a
little
bit
of
good
left
,
that
even
a
poor
dunce
like
me
could
do
,
and
she
could
approve
—
if
she
can
look
down
and
see
me
,
as
I
hope
she
can
.
”
“
There
,
there
,
”
said
Mrs.
Dodd
tearfully
,
“
I
am
disarmed
,
But
,
my
darling
,
I
do
not
know
what
you
are
talking
about
:
Stay
;
why
,
Edward
,
surely
—
I
hope
—
you
were
not
the
young
gentleman
in
the
paper
,
the
one
that
risked
his
life
so
nobly
,
so
foolishly
—
if
it
was
you
.
“
Why
,
mother
,
did
n't
I
tell
you
it
was
me
?
”
said
Edward
,
colouring
.
“
No
,
that
you
did
not
,
”
said
Julia
.
“
Was
it
?
was
it
?
oh
do
be
quick
and
tell
one
.
There
,
it
was
.
”
“
Well
,
it
was
:
ah
,
I
remember
now
;
that
splendiferous
account
shut
me
up
.
Oh
,
I
say
,
did
n't
the
'
Tiser
pitch
it
strong
?
”
“
Not
at
all
,
”
cried
Julia
;
“
I
believe
every
word
,
and
ever
so
much
more
.
Mamma
,
we
have
got
a
hero
,
and
here
he
is
at
breakfast
with
us
,
like
an
ordinary
mortal
.
”
She
rose
suddenly
with
a
burst
of
her
old
fire
and
fell
upon
him
and
kissed
him
,
and
said
earnestly
how
proud
she
was
of
him
;
“
And
so
is
mamma
.
She
may
say
what
she
likes
.
”
“
Proud
of
him
!
ah
,
that
I
am
;
very
proud
,
and
very
unhappy
.
Heroes
are
my
horror
.
How
often
,
and
how
earnestly
have
I
prayed
that
my
son
might
not
be
brave
like
his
father
,
but
stay
quietly
at
home
out
of
harm
's
way
.
”
Here
remonstrance
ended
;
the
members
of
this
family
,
happy
by
nature
,
though
unhappy
by
accident
,
all
knew
when
to
yield
to
each
other
.
Unfortunately
,
in
proportion
as
all
these
excitements
great
and
small
died
,
and
her
life
became
quiet
and
uniform
,
the
depth
of
Julia
's
wound
showed
itself
more
and
more
.
She
never
sang
nor
hummed
,
as
she
used
to
do
,
going
about
the
house
.
She
never
laughed
.
She
did
burst
out
with
fervid
sentiments
now
and
then
,
but
very
rarely
;
on
the
whole
,
a
pensive
languor
took
the
place
of
her
lovely
impetuosity
.
Tears
rushed
in
a
moment
to
her
eyes
with
no
visible
cause
.
She
often
stole
to
the
window
,
and
looked
all
up
and
down
the
street
;
and
when
she
was
out
of
doors
,
she
looked
down
every
side
street
she
passed
;
and
sometimes
,
when
a
quick
light
step
came
behind
them
,
or
she
saw
a
tall
young
gentleman
at
a
great
distance
,
her
hand
twitched
her
mother
's
arm
or
trembled
on
it
.
And
,
always
,
when
they
came
home
,
she
lingered
a
moment
at
the
door-step
and
looked
all
round
before
she
went
in
.
At
all
these
signs
one
half
of
Mrs.
Dodd
's
heart
used
to
boil
with
indignation
,
and
the
other
half
melt
with
pity
.
For
she
saw
her
daughter
was
looking
for
“
the
Wretch
.
”
Indeed
Mrs.
Dodd
began
to
fear
she
had
done
unwisely
in
ignoring
“
the
Wretch
.
”
Julia
's
thoughts
dwelt
on
him
none
the
less
;
indeed
all
the
more
as
it
seemed
;
so
the
topic
interdicted
by
tacit
consent
bade
fair
to
become
a
barrier
between
her
and
Mrs.
Dodd
,
hitherto
her
bosom
friend
as
well
as
her
mother
.
This
was
intolerable
to
poor
Mrs.
Dodd
:
and
at
last
she
said
one
day
,
“
My
darling
,
do
not
be
afraid
of
me
;
rob
me
of
your
happy
thoughts
if
you
will
,
but
oh
,
not
of
your
sad
ones
.
”
Julia
began
to
cry
directly
.
“
Oh
no
,
mamma
,
”
she
sobbed
,
“
do
not
you
encourage
me
in
my
folly
.
I
know
I
have
thrown
away
my
affections
on
one
who
—
—
I
shall
never
see
him
again
:
shall
I
,
mamma
?
Oh
,
to
think
I
can
say
those
words
,
and
yet
go
living
on
.
”
Mrs.
Dodd
sighed
.
“
And
if
you
saw
him
,
would
that
mend
the
chain
he
has
chosen
to
break
?
”
“
I
do
n't
know
;
but
if
I
could
only
see
him
to
part
friends
!
It
is
cruel
to
hate
him
now
he
has
lost
his
sister
;
and
then
I
have
got
her
message
to
give
him
.
And
I
want
to
ask
him
why
he
was
afraid
of
me
:
why
he
could
not
tell
me
he
had
altered
his
mind
:
did
he
think
I
wanted
to
have
him
against
his
will
?
Oh
,
mamma
,
”
said
she
imploringly
,
“
he
seemed
to
love
me
;
he
seemed
all
truth
.
I
am
a
poor
unfortunate
girl
.
”
Mrs.
Dodd
had
only
caresses
to
soothe
her
with
.
She
could
not
hold
out
any
hopes
.
One
day
Julia
asked
her
timidly
if
she
might
be
a
district
visitor
:
“
My
dear
friend
was
,
and
advised
me
to
be
one
too
;
but
I
was
wilful
in
those
days
and
chose
to
visit
by
fits
and
starts
,
and
be
independent
.
I
am
humbled
now
a
little
:
may
I
,
mamma
?
Since
she
died
every
word
of
hers
seems
a
law
to
me
.
”
Mrs.
Dodd
assented
cordially
;
as
she
would
to
anything
else
her
wounded
one
had
proposed
.
This
project
brought
Julia
into
communication
with
the
new
curate
;
and
who
should
it
prove
to
be
but
Mr.
Hurd
?
At
sight
of
him
she
turned
white
and
red
,
and
the
whole
scene
in
the
church
came
back
to
her
.
But
Mr.
Hurd
showed
considerable
tact
for
so
young
a
man
;
he
spoke
to
her
in
accents
of
deep
respect
,
but
confined
his
remarks
strictly
to
the
matter
in
hand
.
She
told
her
mother
when
she
got
home
;
and
expressed
her
gratitude
to
Mr.
Hurd
,
but
said
she
wished
they
did
not
live
in
the
same
parish
with
him
.
This
feeling
,
however
,
wore
off
by
degrees
,
as
her
self-imposed
duties
brought
her
more
and
more
into
contact
with
him
,
and
showed
her
his
good
qualities
.
As
for
Mr.
Hurd
,
he
saw
and
understood
her
vivid
emotion
at
sight
of
him
;
saw
and
pitied
;
not
without
wonder
that
so
beautiful
a
creature
should
have
been
jilted
.
And
from
the
first
he
marked
his
sense
of
Alfred
's
conduct
by
showing
her
a
profound
and
chivalrous
respect
which
he
did
not
bestow
on
other
young
ladies
in
his
parish
;
on
the
contrary
,
he
rather
received
homage
from
them
than
bestowed
it
.
By-and-bye
he
saw
Julia
suppress
if
not
hide
her
own
sorrow
,
and
go
sore-hearted
day
by
day
to
comfort
the
poor
and
afflicted
:
he
admired
and
almost
venerated
her
for
this
.
He
called
often
on
Mrs.
Dodd
,
and
was
welcome
.
She
concealed
her
address
for
the
present
from
all
her
friends
except
Dr.
Sampson
;
but
Mr.
Hurd
had
discovered
her
,
and
ladies
do
not
snub
the
clergy
.
Moreover
,
Mr.
Hurd
was
a
gentleman
,
and
inclined
to
High
Church
.
This
she
liked
.
He
was
very
good-looking
too
,
and
quiet
in
his
manners
.
Above
all
,
he
seemed
to
be
doing
her
daughter
good
;
for
Julia
and
Mr.
Hurd
had
one
great
sentiment
in
common
.
When
the
intimacy
had
continued
some
time
on
these
easy
terms
,
Mrs.
Dodd
saw
that
Mr.
Hurd
was
falling
in
love
with
Julia
;
and
that
sort
of
love
warm
,
but
respectful
,
which
soon
leads
to
marriage
,
especially
when
the
lover
is
a
clergyman
.
This
was
more
than
Mrs.
Dodd
bargained
for
;
she
did
not
want
to
part
with
her
daughter
,
and
under
other
circumstances
would
have
drawn
in
her
horns
.
But
Mr.
Hurd
's
undisguised
homage
gratified
her
maternal
heart
,
coming
so
soon
after
that
great
insult
to
her
daughter
;
and
then
she
said
to
herself
:
“
At
any
rate
,
he
will
help
me
cure
her
of
'
the
Wretch
.
'
”
She
was
not
easy
in
her
mind
,
though
;
could
not
tell
what
would
come
of
it
all
.
So
she
watched
her
daughter
's
pensive
face
as
only
mothers
watch
;
and
saw
a
little
of
the
old
peach
bloom
creeping
back
.
That
was
irresistible
:
she
let
things
go
their
own
way
,
and
hoped
for
the
best
.
CHAPTER
XL
THE
tenacity
of
a
private
lunatic
asylum
is
unique
.
A
little
push
behind
your
back
and
you
slide
into
one
;
but
to
get
out
again
is
to
scale
a
precipice
with
crumbling
sides
.
Alfred
,
luckier
than
many
,
had
twice
nearly
escaped
;
yet
now
he
was
tighter
in
than
ever
.
His
father
at
first
meant
to
give
him
but
a
year
or
two
of
it
,
and
let
him
out
on
terms
,
his
spirit
broken
and
Julia
married
.
But
his
sister
's
death
was
fatal
to
him
.
By
Mrs.
Hardie
's
settlement
the
portion
of
any
child
of
hers
dying
a
minor
,
or
intestate
and
childless
,
was
to
go
to
the
other
children
;
so
now
the
prisoner
had
inherited
his
sister
's
ten
thousand
pounds
,
and
a
good
slice
of
his
bereaved
enemy
's
and
father
's
income
.
But
this
doubled
his
father
's
bitterness
—
that
he
,
the
unloved
one
,
should
be
enriched
by
the
death
of
the
adored
one
!
—
and
also
tempted
his
cupidity
:
and
unfortunately
shallow
legislation
conspired
with
that
temptation
.
For
when
an
Englishman
,
sane
or
insane
,
is
once
pushed
behind
his
back
into
a
madhouse
,
those
relatives
who
have
hidden
him
from
the
public
eye
,
i.e.
,
from
the
eye
of
justice
,
can
grab
hold
of
his
money
behind
his
back
,
as
they
certified
away
his
wits
behind
his
back
,
and
can
administer
it
in
the
dark
,
and
embezzle
it
,
chanting
“
But
for
us
the
'
dear
deranged
'
would
waste
it
.
”
Nor
do
the
monstrous
enactments
which
confer
this
unconstitutional
power
on
subjects
,
and
shield
its
exercise
from
the
light
and
safeguard
of
Publicity
,
affix
any
penalty
to
the
abuse
of
that
power
,
if
by
one
chance
in
a
thousand
detected
.
In
Lunacy
Law
extremes
of
intellect
meet
;
the
British
senator
plays
at
Satan
;
and
tempts
human
frailty
and
cupidity
beyond
what
they
are
able
to
bear
.
So
behold
a
son
at
twenty-one
years
of
age
devoted
by
a
father
to
imprisonment
for
life
.
But
stop
a
minute
;
the
mad
statutes
,
which
by
the
threefold
temptation
of
Facility
,
Obscurity
,
and
Impurity
,
insure
the
occasional
incarceration
and
frequent
detention
of
sane
but
moneyed
men
,
do
provide
,
though
feebly
,
for
their
bare
liberation
,
if
perchance
they
should
not
yield
to
the
genius
loci
,
and
the
natural
effect
of
confinement
plus
anguish
,
by
going
mad
or
dying
.
The
Commissioners
of
Lunacy
had
power
to
liberate
Alfred
in
spite
of
his
relations
.
And
that
power
,
you
know
,
he
had
soberly
but
earnestly
implored
them
to
exercise
.
After
a
delay
that
seemed
as
strange
to
him
as
postponing
a
hand
to
a
drowning
man
,
he
received
an
official
letter
from
Whitehall
.
With
bounding
heart
he
broke
the
seal
,
and
devoured
the
contents
.
They
ran
thus
—
“
Sir
,
—
By
order
of
the
Commissioners
of
Lunacy
,
I
am
directed
to
inform
you
that
they
are
in
the
receipt
of
your
letter
of
the
29th
ultimo
,
which
will
be
laid
before
the
Board
at
their
next
meeting
.
—
I
am
,
etc.
”
Alfred
was
bitterly
disappointed
at
the
small
advance
he
had
made
.
However
,
it
was
a
great
point
to
learn
that
his
letters
were
allowed
to
go
to
the
Commissioners
at
all
,
and
would
be
attended
to
by
degrees
.
He
waited
and
waited
,
and
struggled
hard
to
possess
his
soul
in
patience
.
At
times
his
brain
throbbed
and
his
blood
boiled
,
and
he
longed
to
kill
the
remorseless
,
kinless
monsters
who
robbed
him
of
his
liberty
,
his
rights
as
a
man
,
and
his
Julia
.
But
he
knew
this
would
not
do
;
that
what
they
wanted
was
to
gnaw
his
reason
away
,
and
then
who
could
disprove
that
he
had
always
been
mad
?
Now
he
felt
that
brooding
on
his
wrong
would
infuriate
him
;
so
he
clenched
his
teeth
,
and
vowed
a
solemn
vow
that
nothing
should
drive
him
mad
.
By
advice
of
a
patient
he
wrote
again
to
the
Commissioners
begging
for
a
special
Commission
to
inquire
into
his
case
;
and
,
this
done
,
with
rare
stoicism
,
self-defence
,
and
wisdom
in
one
so
young
,
he
actually
sat
down
to
read
hard
for
his
first
class
.
Now
,
to
do
this
,
he
wanted
the
Ethics
,
Politics
,
and
Rhetoric
of
Aristotle
,
certain
dialogues
of
Plato
,
the
Comedies
of
Aristophanes
,
the
first-class
Historians
,
Demosthenes
,
Lucretius
,
a
Greek
Testament
,
Wheeler
's
Analysis
,
Prideaux
,
Horne
,
and
several
books
of
reference
sacred
and
profane
.
But
he
could
not
get
these
books
without
Dr.
Wycherley
,
and
unfortunately
he
had
cut
that
worthy
dead
in
his
own
asylum
.
“
The
Scornful
Dog
”
had
to
eat
wormwood
pudding
and
humble
pie
.
He
gulped
these
delicacies
as
he
might
;
and
Dr.
Wycherley
showed
excellent
qualities
;
he
entered
into
his
maniac
's
studies
with
singular
alacrity
,
supplied
him
with
several
classics
from
his
own
shelves
,
and
borrowed
the
rest
at
the
London
Library
.
Nor
did
his
zeal
stop
there
;
he
offered
to
read
an
hour
a
day
with
him
;
and
owned
it
would
afford
him
the
keenest
gratification
to
turn
out
an
Oxford
first
classman
from
his
asylum
.
This
remark
puzzled
Alfred
and
set
him
thinking
;
it
bore
a
subtle
family
resemblance
to
the
observations
he
heard
every
day
from
the
patients
;
it
was
so
one-eyed
.
Soon
Alfred
became
the
doctor
's
pet
maniac
.
They
were
often
closeted
together
in
high
discourse
,
and
indeed
discussed
Psychology
,
Metaphysics
,
and
Moral
Philosophy
with
indefatigable
zest
,
long
after
common
sense
would
have
packed
them
both
off
to
bed
,
the
donkeys
.
In
fact
,
they
got
so
thick
that
Alfred
thought
it
only
fair
to
say
one
day
,
“
Mind
,
doctor
,
all
these
pleasant
fruitful
hours
we
spend
together
so
sweetly
will
not
prevent
my
indicting
you
for
a
conspiracy
as
soon
as
I
get
out
:
it
will
rob
the
retribution
of
half
its
relish
,
though
.
”
“
Ah
,
my
dear
young
friend
and
fellow-student
,
”
said
the
doctor
blandly
,
“
let
us
not
sacrifice
the
delights
of
our
profitable
occupation
of
imbibing
the
sweets
of
intellectual
intercourse
to
vague
speculations
as
to
our
future
destiny
.
During
the
course
of
a
long
and
not
,
I
trust
,
altogether
unprofitable
career
,
it
has
not
unfrequently
been
my
lot
to
find
myself
on
the
verge
of
being
indicted
,
sued
,
assassinated
,
hung
.
Yet
here
I
sit
,
as
yet
unimmolated
on
the
altar
of
phrenetic
vengeance
.
This
is
ascribable
to
the
fact
that
my
friends
and
pupils
always
adopt
a
more
favourable
opinion
of
me
long
before
I
part
with
them
;
and
ere
many
days
(
and
this
I
divine
by
infallible
indicia
)
,
your
cure
will
commence
in
earnest
;
and
in
proportion
as
you
progress
to
perfect
restoration
of
the
powers
of
judgment
,
you
will
grow
in
suspicion
of
the
fact
of
being
under
a
delusion
;
or
rather
I
should
say
a
very
slight
perversion
and
perturbation
of
the
forces
of
your
admirable
intellect
,
and
a
proper
subject
for
temporary
seclusion
.
Indeed
this
consciousness
of
insanity
is
the
one
diagnostic
of
sanity
that
never
deceives
me
and
,
on
the
other
hand
,
an
obstinate
persistence
in
the
hypothesis
of
perfect
rationality
demonstrates
the
fact
that
insanity
yet
lingers
in
the
convolutions
and
recesses
of
the
brain
,
and
that
it
would
not
be
humane
as
yet
to
cast
the
patient
on
a
world
in
which
he
would
inevitably
be
taken
some
ungenerous
advantage
of
.
”
Alfred
ventured
to
inquire
whether
this
was
not
rather
paradoxical
.
“
Certainly
,
”
said
the
ready
doctor
;
“
and
paradoxicality
is
an
indicial
characteristic
of
truth
in
all
matters
beyond
the
comprehension
of
the
vulgar
.
”
“
That
sounds
rational
,
”
said
the
maniac
very
drily
.
One
afternoon
,
grinding
hard
for
his
degree
,
he
was
invited
downstairs
to
see
two
visitors
.
At
that
word
he
found
out
how
prison
tries
the
nerves
.
He
trembled
with
hope
and
fear
.
It
was
but
for
a
moment
:
he
bathed
his
face
and
hands
to
compose
himself
;
made
his
toilet
carefully
,
and
went
into
the
drawing-room
,
all
on
his
guard
.
There
he
found
Dr.
Wycherley
and
two
gentlemen
;
one
was
an
ex-physician
,
the
other
an
ex-barrister
,
who
had
consented
to
resign
feelessness
and
brieflessness
for
a
snug
1500l
.
a
year
at
Whitehall
.
After
a
momentary
greeting
they
continued
the
conversation
with
Dr.
Wycherley
,
and
scarcely
noticed
Alfred
.
They
were
there
pro
forma
;
a
plausible
lunatic
had
pestered
the
Board
,
and
extorted
a
visit
of
ceremony
.
Alfred
's
blood
boiled
,
but
he
knew
it
must
not
boil
over
.
He
contrived
to
throw
a
short
,
pertinent
remark
in
every
now
and
then
.
This
,
being
done
politely
,
told
;
and
at
last
Dr.
Eskell
,
Commissioner
of
Lunacy
,
smiled
and
turned
to
him
:
“
Allow
me
to
put
a
few
questions
to
you
.
”
“
The
more
the
better
,
sir
,
”
said
Alfred
.
Dr.
Eskell
then
asked
him
to
describe
minutely
,
and
in
order
,
all
he
had
done
since
seven
o'clock
that
day
.
And
he
did
it
.
Examined
him
in
the
multiplication
table
.
And
he
did
it
.
And
,
while
he
was
applying
these
old-fashioned
tests
,
Wycherley
's
face
wore
an
expression
of
pity
that
was
truly
comical
.
Now
this
Dr.
Eskell
had
an
itch
for
the
classics
:
so
he
went
on
to
say
,
“
You
have
been
a
scholar
,
I
hear
.
”
“
I
am
not
old
enough
to
be
a
scholar
,
sir
,
”
said
Alfred
;
“
but
I
am
a
student
.
”
“
Well
,
well
;
now
can
you
tell
me
what
follows
this
line
—
“
Jusque
datum
sceleri
canimus
populuinque
potentem
'
?
”
“
Why
,
not
at
the
moment
.
”
“
Oh
,
surely
you
can
,
”
said
Dr.
Eskell
ironically
.
“
It
is
in
a
tolerably
well-known
passage
.
Come
,
try
.
”
“
Well
,
I
'll
try
,
”
said
Alfred
,
sneering
secretly
.
“
Let
me
see
—
'
Mum
—
mum
—
mum
—
populumque
potentem
,
In
sua
victrici
conversum
viscera
dextra
.
'
”
“
Quite
right
;
now
go
on
,
if
you
can
.
”
Alfred
,
who
was
playing
with
his
examiner
all
this
time
,
pretended
to
cudgel
his
brains
,
then
went
on
,
and
warmed
involuntarily
with
the
lines
—
“
Cognatasque
acies
et
rupto
foedere
regni
Certatum
totis
concussi
viribus
orbis
In
commune
nefas
;
infestis
que
obvia
signis
Signa
,
pares
aquilas
,
et
pila
minantia
pilis
.
”
“
He
seems
to
have
a
good
memory
,
”
said
the
examiner
,
rather
taken
aback
.
“
Oh
,
that
is
nothing
for
him
,
”
observed
Wycherley
;
“
He
has
Horace
all
by
heart
;
you
'd
wonder
:
And
mouths
out
Homer
's
Greek
like
thunder
.
”
The
great
faculty
of
Memory
thus
tested
,
Dr.
Eskell
proceeded
to
a
greater
:
Judgment
.
“
Spirited
lines
those
,
sir
.
”
“
Yes
,
sir
;
but
surely
rather
tumid
.
'
The
whole
forces
of
the
shaken
globe
?
'
But
little
poets
love
big
words
.
”
“
I
see
;
you
agree
with
Horace
,
that
so
great
a
work
as
an
epic
poem
should
open
modestly
with
an
invocation
.
”
“
No
,
sir
,
”
said
Alfred
.
“
I
think
that
rather
an
arbitrary
and
peevish
canon
of
friend
Horace
.
The
AEneid
,
you
know
,
begins
just
as
he
says
an
epic
ought
not
to
begin
;
and
the
AEneid
is
the
greatest
Latin
Epic
.
In
the
next
place
the
use
of
Modesty
is
to
keep
a
man
from
writing
an
epic
poem
at
all
but
,
if
he
will
have
that
impudence
,
why
then
he
had
better
have
the
courage
to
plunge
into
the
Castalian
stream
,
like
Virgil
and
Lucan
,
not
crawl
in
funking
and
holding
on
by
the
Muse
's
apron-string
.
But
—
excuse
me
—
quorsum
haec
tam
putida
tendunt
?
What
have
the
Latin
poets
to
do
with
this
modern
's
sanity
or
insanity
?
”
Mr.
Abbott
snorted
contemptuously
in
support
of
the
query
.
But
Dr.
Eskell
smiled
,
and
said
:
“
Continue
to
answer
me
as
intelligently
,
and
you
may
find
it
has
a
great
deal
to
do
with
it
.
”
Alfred
took
this
hint
,
and
said
artfully
,
“
Mine
was
a
thoughtless
remark
:
of
course
a
gentleman
of
your
experience
can
test
the
mind
on
any
subject
,
however
trivial
.
”
He
added
piteously
,
“
Still
,
if
you
would
but
leave
the
poets
,
who
are
all
half
crazy
themselves
,
and
examine
me
in
the
philosophers
of
Antiquity
.
Surely
it
would
be
a
higher
criterion
.
”
Dr.
Wycherley
explained
in
a
patronising
whisper
,
“
He
labours
under
an
abnormal
contempt
for
poetry
,
dating
from
his
attack
.
Previously
to
that
he
actually
obtained
a
prize
poem
himself
.
”
“
Well
,
doctor
,
and
after
that
am
I
wrong
to
despise
poetry
?
”
They
might
have
comprehended
this
on
paper
,
but
spoken
it
was
too
keen
for
them
all
three
.
The
visitors
stared
.
Dr.
Wycherley
came
to
their
aid
“
You
might
examine
my
young
friend
for
hours
and
not
detect
the
one
crevice
in
the
brilliancy
of
his
intellectual
armour
.
”
The
maniac
made
a
face
as
one
that
drinketh
verjuice
suddenly
.
“
For
pity
's
sake
,
doctor
,
do
n't
be
so
inaccurate
.
Say
a
spot
on
the
brilliancy
,
or
a
crevice
in
the
armour
;
but
not
a
crevice
in
the
brilliancy
.
My
good
friend
here
,
gentlemen
,
deals
in
conjectural
certificates
and
broken
metaphors
.
He
dislocates
more
tropes
,
to
my
sorrow
,
than
even
his
friend
Shakespeare
,
whom
he
thinks
a
greater
philosopher
than
Aristotle
,
and
who
calls
the
murder
of
an
individual
sleeper
the
murder
of
sleep
,
confounding
the
concrete
with
the
abstract
,
and
then
talks
of
taking
arms
against
a
sea
of
troubles
;
query
,
a
cork
jacket
and
a
flask
of
brandy
?
”
“
Well
,
Mr.
Hardie
,
”
said
Dr.
Eskell
,
rather
feebly
,
“
let
me
tell
you
those
passages
,
which
so
shock
your
peculiar
notions
,
are
among
the
most
applauded
.
”
“
Very
likely
,
sir
,
”
retorted
the
maniac
,
whose
logic
was
up
;
“
but
applauded
only
in
a
nation
where
the
floods
clap
their
hands
every
Sunday
morning
,
and
we
all
pray
for
peace
,
giving
as
our
exquisite
reason
that
we
have
got
the
God
of
hosts
on
our
side
in
war
.
”
Mr.
Abbott
,
the
other
commissioner
,
had
endured
all
this
chat
with
an
air
of
weary
indifference
.
He
now
said
to
Dr.
Wycherley
,
“
I
wish
to
put
to
you
a
question
or
two
in
private
.
”
Alfred
was
horribly
frightened
:
this
was
the
very
dodge
that
had
ruined
him
at
Silverton
House
.
“
Oh
no
,
gentlemen
,
”
he
cried
imploringly
.
“
Let
me
have
fair
play
.
You
have
given
me
no
secret
audience
;
then
why
give
my
accuser
one
?
I
am
charged
with
a
single
delusion
;
for
mercy
's
sake
,
go
to
the
point
at
once
,
and
examine
me
on
that
head
.
”
“
Now
you
talk
sense
,
”
said
Mr.
Abbott
;
as
if
the
previous
topics
had
been
chosen
by
Alfred
.
“
But
that
will
excite
him
,
”
objected
Dr.
Eskell
?
“
it
always
does
excite
them
.
”
“
It
excites
the
insane
,
but
not
the
sane
,
”
said
Alfred
.
“
So
there
is
another
test
;
you
will
observe
whether
it
excites
me
.
”
Then
,
before
they
could
interrupt
him
,
he
glided
on
.
“
The
supposed
hallucination
is
this
:
I
strongly
suspect
my
father
,
a
bankrupt
—
and
therefore
dishonest
—
banker
,
of
having
somehow
misappropriated
a
sum
of
fourteen
thousand
pounds
,
which
sum
is
known
to
have
been
brought
from
India
by
one
Captain
Dodd
,
and
has
disappeared
.
”
“
Stop
a
minute
,
”
said
Mr.
Abbott
.
“
Who
knows
it
besides
you
?
”
“
The
whole
family
of
the
Dodds
.
They
will
show
you
his
letter
from
India
,
announcing
his
return
with
the
money
.
”
“
Where
do
they
live
?
”
“
Albion
Villa
,
Barkington
.
”
Mr.
Abbott
noted
the
address
in
his
book
,
and
Alfred
,
mightily
cheered
and
encouraged
by
this
sensible
act
,
went
on
to
describe
the
various
indications
,
which
,
insufficient
singly
,
had
by
their
united
force
driven
him
to
his
conclusion
.
When
he
described
David
's
appearance
and
words
on
his
father
's
lawn
at
night
,
Wycherley
interrupted
him
quietly
:
“
Are
you
quite
sure
this
was
not
a
vision
,
a
phantom
of
the
mind
heated
by
your
agitation
,
and
your
suspicions
?
”
Dr.
Eskell
nodded
assent
,
knowing
nothing
about
the
matter
.
“
Pray
,
doctor
,
was
I
the
only
person
who
saw
this
vision
?
”
inquired
Alfred
slily
.
“
I
conclude
so
,
”
said
Wycherley
,
with
an
admirable
smile
.
“
But
why
do
you
conclude
so
?
Because
you
are
one
of
those
who
reason
in
a
circle
of
assumptions
.
Now
it
happens
that
Captain
Dodd
was
seen
and
felt
on
that
occasion
by
three
persons
besides
myself
.
”
“
Name
them
,
”
said
Mr.
Abbott
sharply
.
“
A
policeman
called
Reynolds
,
another
policeman
,
whose
name
I
do
n't
know
,
and
Miss
Julia
Dodd
.
The
policemen
helped
me
lift
Captain
Dodd
off
the
grass
,
sir
;
Julia
met
us
chose
by
,
and
we
four
carried
Dr.
Wycherhey
's
phantom
home
together
to
Albion
Villa
.
”
Mr.
Abbott
noted
down
all
the
names
,
and
then
turned
to
Dr.
Wycherley
.
“
What
do
you
say
to
that
?
”
“
I
say
it
is
a
very
important
statement
,
”
said
the
doctor
blandly
;
“
and
that
I
am
sure
my
young
friend
would
not
advance
it
unless
he
was
firmly
persuaded
of
its
reality
.
”
“
Much
obliged
,
doctor
;
and
you
would
not
contradict
me
so
rashly
in
a
matter
I
know
all
about
and
you
know
nothing
about
,
if
it
was
not
your
fixed
habit
to
found
facts
on
theories
instead
of
theories
on
facts
.
”
“
There
,
that
is
enough
,
”
said
Mr.
Abbott
.
“
I
have
brought
you
both
to
an
issue
at
last
.
I
shall
send
to
Barkington
,
and
examine
the
policemen
and
the
Dodds
.
”
“
Oh
,
thank
you
,
sir
,
”
cried
Alfred
with
emotion
.
“
If
you
once
apply
genuine
tests
like
that
to
my
case
,
I
shall
not
be
long
in
prison
.
”
“
Prison
?
”
said
Wycherley
reproachfully
.
“
Have
you
any
complaint
,
then
,
to
make
of
your
treatment
here
?
”
inquired
Dr.
Eskell
.
“
No
,
no
,
sir
,
”
said
Alfred
warmly
.
“
Dr.
Wycherley
is
the
very
soul
of
humanity
.
Here
are
no
tortures
,
no
handcuffs
nor
leg-locks
,
no
brutality
,
no
insects
that
murder
Sleep
—
without
offence
to
Logic
.
In
my
last
asylum
the
attendants
inflicted
violence
,
here
they
are
only
allowed
to
endure
it
.
And
,
gentlemen
,
I
must
tell
you
a
noble
trait
in
my
enemy
there
:
nothing
can
make
him
angry
with
madmen
;
their
lies
,
their
groundless
and
narrow
suspicions
of
him
,
their
deplorable
ingratitude
to
him
,
of
which
I
see
examples
every
day
that
rile
me
on
his
account
;
all
these
things
seem
to
glide
off
him
,
baffled
by
the
infinite
kindness
of
his
heart
and
the
incomparable
sweetness
of
his
temper
;
and
he
returns
the
duffers
good
for
evil
with
scarcely
an
effort
.
”
At
this
unexpected
tribute
the
water
stood
in
the
doctor
's
eyes
.
It
was
no
more
than
the
truth
;
but
this
was
the
first
maniac
he
had
met
intelligent
enough
to
see
his
good
qualities
clearly
and
express
them
eloquently
.
“
In
short
,
”
continued
Alfred
,
“
to
be
happy
in
his
house
all
a
man
wants
is
to
be
insane
.
But
,
as
I
am
not
insane
,
I
am
miserable
;
no
convict
,
no
galley
slave
is
so
wretched
as
I
am
,
gentlemen
.
And
what
is
my
crime
?
”
“
Well
,
well
,
”
said
Dr.
Eskell
kindly
,
“
I
think
it
likely
you
will
not
be
very
long
in
confinement
.
”
They
then
civilly
dismissed
him
;
and
on
his
departure
asked
Dr.
Wycherley
his
candid
opinion
.
Dr.
Wycherley
said
he
was
now
nearly
cured
;
his
ability
to
discuss
his
delusion
without
excitement
was
of
itself
a
proof
of
that
.
But
in
another
month
he
would
be
better
still
.
The
doctor
concluded
his
remarks
thus
—
“
However
,
gentlemen
,
you
have
heard
him
:
now
judge
for
yourselves
whether
anybody
can
be
as
clever
as
he
is
,
without
the
presence
of
more
or
less
abnormal
excitement
of
the
organs
of
intelligence
.
”
It
was
a
bright
day
for
Alfred
;
he
saw
he
had
made
an
excellent
impression
on
the
Commissioners
,
and
,
as
luck
does
not
always
come
single
,
after
many
vain
attempts
to
get
a
letter
posted
to
Julia
,
he
found
this
very
afternoon
a
nurse
was
going
away
next
day
.
He
offered
her
a
guinea
,
and
she
agreed
to
post
a
letter
.
Oh
the
hapiness
it
was
to
the
poor
prisoner
to
write
it
,
and
unburden
his
heart
and
tell
his
wrongs
.
He
kept
his
manhood
for
his
enemies
;
his
tears
fell
on
the
paper
he
sent
to
his
forlorn
bride
.
He
had
no
misgivings
of
her
truth
;
he
judged
her
by
himself
:
gave
her
credit
for
anxiety
,
but
not
for
doubt
.
He
concluded
a
long
,
ardent
,
tender
letter
by
begging
her
to
come
and
see
him
,
and
,
if
refused
admission
,
to
publish
his
case
in
the
newspapers
,
and
employ
a
lawyer
to
proceed
against
all
the
parties
concerned
in
his
detention
.
Day
after
day
he
waited
for
an
answer
to
his
letter
;
none
came
.
Then
he
began
to
be
sore
perplexed
,
and
torn
with
agonising
doubts
.
What
if
her
mind
was
poisoned
too
!
What
if
she
thought
him
mad
!
What
if
some
misfortune
had
befallen
her
!
What
if
she
had
believed
him
dead
,
and
her
heart
had
broken
!
Hitherto
he
had
seen
his
own
trouble
chiefly
;
but
now
he
began
to
think
day
and
night
on
hers
;
and
though
he
ground
on
for
his
degree
not
to
waste
time
,
and
not
to
be
driven
mad
,
yet
it
was
almost
superhuman
labour
;
sighs
issued
from
his
labouring
breast
while
his
hard
,
indomitable
brain
laboured
away
,
all
uphill
,
at
Aristotle
's
Divisions
and
Definitions
.
On
the
seventh
day
,
the
earliest
the
mad
statute
allowed
,
the
two
Commissioners
returned
,
and
this
time
Mr.
Abbott
took
the
lead
,
and
told
him
that
the
policeman
Reynolds
had
left
the
force
,
and
the
Dodds
had
left
the
town
,
and
were
in
London
,
but
their
address
not
known
.
At
this
Alfred
was
much
agitated
.
She
was
alive
,
and
perhaps
near
him
.
“
I
have
heard
a
good
deal
of
your
story
,
”
said
Mr.
Abbott
,
“
and
coupling
it
with
what
we
have
seen
of
you
,
we
think
your
relatives
have
treated
you
,
and
a
young
lady
of
whom
everybody
speaks
with
respect
—
”
“
God
bless
you
for
saying
that
!
God
bless
you
!
”
“
—
treated
you
both
,
I
say
,
with
needless
severity
.
”
Dr.
Eskell
then
told
him
the
result
of
the
Special
Commission
,
now
closed
.
“
I
believe
you
to
be
cured
,
”
said
he
;
“
and
Mr.
Abbott
has
some
doubts
whether
you
were
ever
positively
insane
.
We
shall
lay
your
case
before
the
Board
at
once
,
and
the
Board
will
write
to
the
party
who
signed
the
order
,
and
propose
to
him
to
discharge
you
at
once
.
”
At
this
magnificent
project
Alfred
's
countenance
fell
,
and
he
stared
with
astonishment
.
“
What
!
have
you
not
the
power
to
do
me
justice
without
soliciting
Injustice
to
help
you
?
”
“
The
Board
has
the
power
,
”
said
Dr.
Eskell
;
“
but
for
many
reasons
they
exercise
it
with
prudence
and
reserve
.
Besides
,
it
is
only
fair
to
those
who
have
signed
the
order
,
to
give
them
the
graceful
office
of
liberating
the
patient
;
it
paves
the
way
to
reconciliation
.
”
Alfred
sighed
.
The
Commissioners
,
to
keep
up
his
heart
,
promised
to
send
him
copies
of
their
correspondence
with
the
person
who
had
signed
the
order
.
“
Then
,
”
said
Mr.
Abbott
kindly
,
“
you
will
see
your
case
is
not
being
neglected
.
”
The
following
precis
,
though
imperfect
,
will
give
some
idea
of
the
correspondence
:
1.
The
Board
wrote
to
Thomas
Hardie
,
letting
him
know
the
result
of
the
Special
Commission
,
and
requesting
him
to
discharge
his
nephew
.
Thomas
quaked
.
Richard
smiled
,
and
advised
Thomas
to
take
no
notice
.
By
this
a
week
was
gained
to
Injustice
,
and
lost
to
Justice
.
2.
The
Board
pointed
out
Thomas
Hardie
's
inadvertence
in
not
answering
No.
1
;
enclosed
copy
of
it
,
and
pressed
for
a
reply
.
Thomas
quaked
,
Richard
smiled
.
3.
Thomas
Hardie
to
the
Board
.
From
what
he
had
heard
,
it
would
be
premature
to
discharge
Alfred
.
Should
prefer
to
wait
a
month
or
two
.
4.
Board
to
Alfred
,
conveying
this
in
other
terms
.
5.
Alfred
to
Board
,
warning
them
against
this
proposal
.
To
postpone
justice
was
to
refuse
justice
,
certainly
for
a
time
,
probably
for
ever
.
6.
The
Board
to
Thomas
Hardie
,
suggesting
that
if
not
released
immediately
Alfred
ought
to
have
a
trial
—
i.e.
,
be
allowed
to
go
into
the
world
with
a
keeper
.
7.
Alfred
to
the
Board
,
begging
that
Dr.
Sampson
,
an
honest
independent
physician
,
might
be
allowed
to
visit
him
and
report
to
them
.
8.
The
Board
to
Alfred
,
declining
this
,
for
the
present
as
unadvisable
,
they
being
in
correspondence
with
the
person
who
had
signed
the
order
—
with
a
view
to
his
liberation
.
9.
T
.
Hardie
to
the
Board
,
shuffling
,
and
requesting
time
to
make
further
inquiries
.
10.
The
Board
,
suggesting
there
should
be
some
reasonable
limit
to
delay
.
11.
T
.
Hardie
,
asking
for
a
month
to
see
about
it
.
12.
The
Board
,
suggesting
a
week
.
13.
Alfred
Hardie
,
asking
permission
to
be
visited
by
a
solicitor
with
a
view
to
protection
of
his
liberty
and
property
.
14.
The
Board
,
declining
this
,
pending
their
correspondence
with
other
parties
;
but
asking
him
for
the
names
and
addresses
of
all
his
trustees
.
15.
Thomas
Hardie
,
informing
the
Board
he
had
now
learned
Alfred
had
threatened
to
kill
his
father
as
soon
as
ever
he
should
get
out
,
and
leaving
the
Board
to
discharge
him
on
their
own
responsibility
if
they
chose
after
this
warning
:
but
declining
peremptorily
to
do
so
himself
.
16
,
17
,
18.
The
Board
,
by
advice
of
Mr.
Abbott
,
to
Alfred
's
trustees
,
warning
them
against
any
alienation
of
Alfred
's
money
under
the
notion
that
he
was
legally
a
lunatic
;
and
saying
that
a
public
inquiry
appeared
inevitable
,
owing
to
Mr.
T
.
Hardie
's
unwillingness
to
enter
into
their
views
.
19.
To
Alfred
,
inquiring
whether
he
wished
to
encounter
the
expense
of
Chancery
proceedings
to
establish
his
sanity
.
20.
Alfred
to
the
Board
,
imploring
them
to
use
their
powers
and
discharge
him
without
further
delay
,
and
assuring
them
he
meditated
no
violence
on
his
liberation
,
but
should
proceed
against
all
parties
under
legal
advice
.
21.
The
Board
to
T
.
Hardie
,
warning
him
that
he
must
in
future
pay
Alfred
's
maintenance
in
Asylum
out
of
his
own
pocket
,
and
pressing
him
either
to
discharge
the
young
man
,
or
else
to
apply
to
the
Lord
Chancellor
for
a
Commission
de
Lunatico
Inquirendo
,
and
enclosing
copy
of
a
letter
from
Wycherley
saying
the
patient
was
harmless
.
22.
T
.
Hardie
respectfully
declining
to
do
either
,
but
reminding
the
Commissioners
that
the
matter
could
be
thrown
into
Chancery
without
his
consent
;
only
the
expense
,
which
would
be
tremendous
,
would
fall
on
the
lunatic
's
estate
,
which
might
hereafter
be
regretted
by
the
party
himself
.
He
concluded
by
promising
to
come
to
town
and
visit
Alfred
with
his
family
physician
,
and
write
further
in
a
week
.
Having
thus
thrown
dust
in
the
eyes
of
the
Board
,
Thomas
Hardie
and
Richard
consulted
with
a
notoriously
unscrupulous
madhouse
keeper
in
the
suburbs
of
London
,
and
effected
a
masterstroke
;
whereof
anon
.
The
correspondence
had
already
occupied
three
months
,
and
kept
Alfred
in
a
fever
of
the
mind
;
of
all
the
maddening
things
with
which
he
had
been
harassed
by
the
pretended
curers
of
insanity
,
this
tried
him
hardest
.
To
see
a
dozen
honest
gentlemen
wishing
to
do
justice
,
able
to
do
justice
by
one
manly
stroke
of
the
pen
,
yet
forego
their
vantage-ground
,
and
descend
to
coax
an
able
rogue
to
do
their
duty
and
undo
his
own
interest
and
rascality
!
To
see
a
strong
cause
turned
into
a
weak
one
by
the
timidity
of
champions
clad
by
law
in
complete
steel
;
and
a
rotten
cause
,
against
which
Law
and
Power
,
as
well
as
Truth
,
Justice
,
and
Common
Sense
,
had
now
declared
,
turned
into
a
strong
one
by
the
pluck
and
cunning
of
his
one
unarmed
enemy
!
The
ancients
feigned
that
the
ingenious
gods
tortured
Tantalus
in
hell
by
ever-present
thirst
,
and
water
flowing
to
just
the
outside
of
his
lips
.
A
Briton
can
thirst
for
liberty
as
hard
as
Tantalus
or
hunted
deer
can
thirst
for
cooling
springs
and
this
soul-gnawing
correspondence
brought
liberty
,
and
citizenhood
,
and
love
,
and
happiness
,
to
the
lips
of
Alfred
's
burning
,
pining
,
aching
heart
,
again
,
and
again
,
and
again
;
then
carried
them
away
from
him
in
mockery
.
Oh
,
the
sickening
anguish
of
Hope
deferred
,
and
deferred
:
“
The
Hell
it
is
in
suing
long
to
bide
.
”
But
indeed
his
hopes
began
to
sicken
for
good
when
he
found
that
the
Board
would
not
allow
any
honest
independent
physician
to
visit
him
,
or
any
solicitor
to
see
him
.
At
first
,
indeed
,
they
refused
it
because
Mr.
Thomas
Hardie
was
going
to
let
him
out
:
but
when
T
.
Hardie
would
not
move
at
their
request
,
then
on
a
fresh
application
they
refused
it
,
giving
as
their
reason
that
they
had
already
refused
it
.
Yet
in
so
keen
a
battle
he
would
not
throw
away
a
chance
:
so
he
determined
to
win
Dr.
Wycherley
altogether
by
hook
or
by
crook
,
and
get
a
certificate
of
sanity
from
him
.
Now
a
single
white
lie
,
he
knew
would
do
the
trick
.
He
had
only
to
say
that
Hamlet
was
mad
.
And
“
Hamlet
was
mad
”
is
easily
said
.
Dr.
Wycherley
was
a
collector
of
mad
people
,
and
collectors
are
always
amateurs
,
and
very
seldom
connoisseurs
.
His
turn
of
mind
co-operating
with
his
interests
,
led
him
to
put
down
any
man
a
lunatic
,
whose
intellect
was
manifestly
superior
to
his
own
.
Alfred
Hardie
,
and
one
or
two
more
contemporaries
,
had
suffered
by
this
humour
of
the
good
doctor
's
.
Nor
did
the
dead
escape
him
entirely
.
Pascal
,
according
to
Wycherley
,
was
a
madman
with
an
illusion
about
a
precipice
;
John
Howard
a
moral
lunatic
in
whom
the
affections
were
reversed
;
Saul
a
moping
maniac
with
homicidal
paroxysms
and
nocturnal
