hard cash-第117节
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r and certificates； and so imprison himself illegally； but with perfect ease； no remonstrance against that illegality from the guardians of the law！ When he got what plain men call sane； he naturally wanted to be free； and happening to remember he alone had signed the order of imprisonment； and the imaginary doctor's certificates； he claimed his discharge from illegal confinement。 Answer： 〃First obtain a legal order for your discharge。〃 On this he signed an order for his discharge。 〃That is not a legal order。〃〃It is as legal as the order on which I am here。〃 〃Granted； but； legally or not； the asylum has got you； the open air has not got you。 Possession is ninety…nine points of Lunacy law。 Die your own illegal prisoner； and let your kinsfolk eat your land； and drink your consols； and bury you in a pauper's shroud〃 All that Alfred could do for these victims was to promise to try and get them out some day； D。V。 But there was a weak…minded youth； Francis Beverley； who had the honour to be under the protection of the Lord Chancellor。 Now a lunatic or a Softy； protected by that functionary； is literally a lamb protected by a wolf； and that wolf _ex officio_ the cruellest； cunningest old mangler and fleecer of innocents in Christendom。 Chancery lunatics are the richest class； yet numbers of them are flung among pauper and even criminal lunatics； at a few pounds a year； while their committees bag four…fifths of the money that has been assigned to keep the patient in comfort。
Unfortunately the protection of the Chancellor extends to Life and Reason； as well as Fleece； with the following result：
In public asylums about forty per cent。 are said to be cured。
In private ones twenty…five per cent； at least； most of them poorish。
Of Chancery Lunatics not five per cent。
Finally； one…third of all the Chancery Lunatics do every six years exchange the living tombs they are fleeced and bullied in for dead tombs where they rest； and go from the sham protection of the Lord Chancellor of England to the real protection of their Creator and their Judge。
These statistics have been long before the world； and are dead figures to the Skimmer of things； but tell a dark tale to the Reader of things； so dark； that I pray Heaven to protect me； and all other weak inoffensive persons； from the protection of my Lord Chancellor in this kind。
Beverley was so unfortunate as to exist before the date of the above petition： and suffered the consequences。
He was an aristocrat by birth； noble on both sides of his house； and unluckily had money。 But for that he would have been a labouring man； and free。 My Lord Protector committed him with six hundred pounds a year maintenance money to the care of his committee； the Honourable Fynes Beverley。
Now this corporate； yet honourable individual； to whom something was committed； and so Chancery Lane called him in its own sweet French the thing committed； was a gentleman of birth； breeding； and intelligence。 He undertook to take care of his simple cousin； and what he did take care of was himself。
THE SUB…LETTING SWINDLE。
I。 The Honourable Fynes Beverley； Anglo…French committee； or crown tenant； sub…let soft Francis for L。 300 a year； pocketed L。 300； and washed his hands of Frank。
2。 Mr。 Heselden； the sub…tenant； sub…let the Softy of high degree for L。 150； pocketed the surplus； and washed his hands of him。
3。 The L。 150 man sub…let him to Dr。 Wolf at L。 60 a year； pouched the surplus； and washed his hands of him。
And now what on earth was left for poor Dr。 Wolf to do？ Could he sub…embezzle a Highlander's breeks？ Could he subtract more than her skin from off the singed cat？ Could he peel the core of a rotten apple？ Could he pare a grated cheese rind？ Could he flay a skinned flint？ Could he fleece a hog after Satan had shaved it as clean as a bantam's egg？
Let no man dare to limit genius； least of all the genius of extortion。
Dr。 Wolf screwed comparatively more out of young Frank than did any of the preceding screws。 He turned him into a servant of all work and half starved him； money profit； L。 45 out of the L。 60； or three…fourths； whereas the others had only bagged one…half。 But by this means he got a good servant without wages； and on half a servant's food； clearing L。 22 and L。 12 in these two items。
Victim of our great national vice and foible； Vicariousness； this scion of a noble house； protected in theory by the Crown； vicariously sub…protected by the Chancellor； sub…vicariously sub…sham protected by his kin； was really flung unprotected into the fleece market； and might be seenat the end of the long chain of subs。 pros； vices； locos； shams； shuffles； swindles； and liesshaking the carpets； making the beds； carrying the water； sweeping the rooms； and scouring the sordid vessels； of thirty patients in Drayton House； not one of whom was his equal either in birth or wealth； and of four menials； who were all his masters and hard ones。 His work was always doing； never done。 He was not the least mad nor bad； but merely of feeble intellect all round。 Fifty thousand gentlemen's families would have been glad of him at L。 300 a year； and made a son and a brother of him。 But he was under the vicarious protection of the Lord Chancellor。 Thin； half…starved； threadbare； out at elbows； the universal butt； scoffed at by the very lunatics； and especially ill treated by the attendants whose work he did gratis； he was sworn at； jeered； insulted； cuffed and even kicked； every day of his hard； hard life。 And yet he was a gentleman； though a soft one； his hands； his features； his carriage； his address； had all an indefinable stamp of race。 How had it outlived such crushing； degrading usage？ I don't know； how does a daisy survive the iron roller？ Alfred soon found him out； and to everybody's amazement； especially Frank's； remonstrated gently but resolutely and eloquently； and soon convinced the majority； sane and insane； that a creature so meek and useful merited special kindness； not cruelty。 One keeper； The Robin； _alias_ Tom Wales； an exprize fighter； was a warm convert to this view。 Among the maniacs only one held out； and said contemptuously he couldn't see it。
〃Well；〃 said Alfred； 〃lay a finger on him after this； and I'll lay a hand on you； and aid your intellectual vision。〃
Rooke and Hayes treated remonstrance with open and galling contempt。 Yet the tide of opinion changed so； they did not care to defy it openly： but they bullied poor Beverley now and then on the sly； and he never told。 He was too inoffensive for this world。 But one day； as Alfred was sitting with his door ajar； writing a letter of earnest expostulation to the Commissioners； who had left his first unanswered； he heard Hayes at the head of the stairs call roughly； 〃Frank！ Frank！〃
〃Sir；〃 replied the soft little voice of young Beverley。
〃Come； be quick； young shaver。〃
〃I'm coming； sir；〃 and up ran Beverley。
〃Here； take this tray downstairs。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Stop； there's a bit of bread for you。〃 And Hayes chucked him a crust； as one throws it to another man's dog。
〃Thank you； sir；〃 said Mr。 Beverley； stooping down for it； and being habitually as hungry as a ratcatcher's tyke； took an eager bite in that position。
〃How dare you eat it there；〃 said Hayes brutally： 〃take it to your own crib： come； mizzle。〃 And with that lent him a contemptuous kick behind； which owing to his position sent him off his balance flat on the tray； a glass broke under him。 Poor young Mr。 Beverley uttered a cry of dismay； for he knew Hayes would not own himself the cause。 Hayes cursed him for an awkward idiot； and the oath went off into a howl； for Alfred ran out at him brimful of Moses； and with a savage kick in the back and blow on the neck； administered simultaneously； hurled him head foremost down the stairs。 Alighting on the seventh step； he turned a somersault； and bounded like a ball on to the landing below； and there lay stupefied。 He picked himself up by slow degrees； and glared round with speechless awe and amazement up at the human thunderbolt that had shot out on him and sent him flying like a feather。 He shook his fist； and limped silently away all bruises and curses； to tell Rooke and concert vengeance。 Alfred； trembling still with ire； took Beverley to his room （the boy was as white as a sheet）； and encouraged him； and made him wash properly； brushed his hair； dressed him in a decent tweed suit he had outgrown； and taking him under his arm； and walking with his own nose haughtily in the air； paraded him up and down the asylum； to show them all the best man in the house respected the poor soft gentleman。 Ah； what a grand thing it is to be young！ Beverley clung to his protector too much like a girl； but walked gracefully and kept step； and every now and then looked up at Alfred with a loving adoration； that was sweet； yet sad to see。 Alfred marched him to Mrs。 Archbold； and told his tale； for he knew Hayes would misrepresent it； and get him into trouble。 She smiled on the pair； gently deplored her favourite's impetuosity； entreated him not to go fighting with that great monster Rooke； and charmed him by saying； 〃Well； and Frank _is_ a gentleman； when he is dressed like one。〃
〃Isn't he？〃 said Alfred eagerly。 〃And whose
