hard cash-第121节
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ellow； and a great detester of foul play。 What he saw made him now side heartily with Alfred； and all he wanted was to be indemnified for his risk。
He looked down and said； 〃You see； sir； I have a wife and child to think of。〃
Alfred offered him two hundred pounds。
〃That is more than enough； sir；〃 said the Robin； 〃but you see I can't do it alone。 I must have a pal in it。 Could you afford as much to Garrett？ He is the likeliest； I've heard him say as much as that he was sick of the business。〃
Alfred jumped at the proposal： he would give them two hundred apiece。
〃I'll sound him；〃 said the Robin； 〃don't you speak to him； whatever。 He might blow the gaff。 I must begin by making him drunk； then he'll tell me his real mind。〃
One fine morning the house was made much cleaner than usual； the rotatory chair； in which they used to spin a maniac like a teetotum； the restraint chairs； and all the paraphernalia were sent into the stable； and so disposed that； even if found； they would look like things scorned and dismissed from service： for Wolf； mind you； professed the non…restraint system。
Alfred asked what was up； and found all this was in preparation for the quarterly visit of the Commissioners： a visit intended to be a surprise； but Drayton House always knew when they were coming； and the very names of the two thunderbolts that thought to surprise them。
Mrs。 Archbold communicated her knowledge in off…hand terms。 〃It is only two old women： Bartlett and Terry。〃
The gentlemen thus flatteringly heralded arrived next day。 One an aged； infirm man； with a grand benevolent head； bald front and silver hair； and the gold…headed cane of his youth； now a dignified crutch： the other an ordinary looking little chap enough； with this merithe was what he looked。 They had a long interview with Mrs。 Archbold first； for fear they should carry a naked eye into the asylum。 Mr。 Bartlett； acting on instructions； very soon inquired about Alfred； Mrs。 Archbold's face put on friendly concern directly。 〃I am sorry to say he is not so well as he was a fortnight agonot nearly so well。 We have given him walks in the country； too； but I regret to say they did him no real good； he came back much excited； and now he shuns the other patients； which he used not to do。〃 In short； she gave them the impression that Alfred was a moping melancholiac。
〃Well； I had better see him；〃 said Mr。 Bartlett； 〃just to satisfy the Board。〃
Alfred was accordingly sent for； and asked with an indifferent air how he was。
He said he was very well in health； but in sore distress of mind at his letters to the Commissioners being intercepted by Mrs。 Archbold or Dr。 Wolf。
Mrs。 Archbold smiled pityingly。 Mr。 Bartlett caught her glance； and concluded this was one of the patient's delusions。 （Formula。）
Alfred surprised the glances； and said； 〃You can hardly believe this； because the act is illegal。 But a great many illegal acts； that you never detect； are done in asylums。 However； it is not a question of surmise； I sent four letters in the regular way since I came。 Here are their several dates。 Pray make a note to inquire whether they have reached Whitehall or not。〃
〃Oh； certainly； to oblige you；〃 said Mr。 Bartlett； and made the note。
Mrs。 Archbold looked rather discomposed at that。
〃And now； gentlemen；〃 said Alfred； 〃since Mrs。 Archbold has had a private interview； which I see she has abused to poison your mind against me； I claim as simple justice a private interview to disabuse you。〃
〃You are the first patient ever told me to walk out of my own drawing…room；〃 said Mrs。 Archbold； rising white with ire and apprehension； and sweeping out of the room。
By this piece of female petulance she gave the enemy a point in the game； for； if she had insisted on staying； Mr。 Bartlett was far too weak to have dismissed her。 As it was； he felt shocked at Alfred's rudeness： and so small a thing as justice did not in his idea counterbalance so great a thing as discourtesy； so he listened to Alfred's tale with the deadly apathy of an unwilling hearer。 〃Pour on： I will endure；〃 as poor Lear says。
As for Dr。 Terry； he was pictorial； but null； effete； emptied of brains by all…scooping…Time。 If he had been detained that day at Drayton House； and Frank Beverley sent back in his place to Whitehall； it would have mattered little to him； less to the nation； and nothing to mankind。
At last Mr。 Bartlett gave Alfred some hopes he was taking in the truth； for he tore a leaf out of his memorandum…book； wrote on it； and passed it to Dr。 Terry。 The ancient took it with a smile； and seemed to make an effort to master it； but failed； it dropped simultaneously from his finger and his mind。
Not a question was put to Alfred； so he was fain to come to an end； he withdrew suddenly； and caught Mrs。 Archbold at the keyhole。 〃Noble adversary！〃 said he； and stalked away； and hid himself hard by： and no sooner did the inspectors come out； and leave the coast clear； than he darted in and looked for the paper Mr。 Bartlett had passed to Dr。 Terry。
He found it on the floor： and took it eagerly up； and full of hope； and expectation； read these words：
WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE STUFF THE MATRON'S GOWN IS MADE OF？ I SHOULD LIKE TO BUY MRS。 BARTLETT ONE LIKE IT。
Alfred stood and read this again； and again he searched for some hidden symbolical meaning in the words。 High…minded； and deeply impressed with his own wrongs； he could not conceive a respectable man； paid fifteen hundred a year to spy out wrongs； being so heartless hard as to write this single comment during the earnest recital of a wrong so gigantic as his。 Poor Alfred learned this to his cost； that to put small men into great places is to create monsters。 When he had realised the bitter truth； he put the stony…hearted paper in his pocket； crept into the yard； and sat down； and； for all he could do； scalding tears ran down his cheeks。
〃Homunculi quanti sunt！〃 he sobbed； 〃homunculi quanti sunt！〃
Presently he saw Dr。 Terry come wandering towards him alone。 The Archbold had not deigned to make him safe； senectitude had done that。 Alfred； all heartsick as he was； went to the old gentleman out of veneration for the outside of his headwhich was Shakespearianand pity for his bodily infirmity； and offered him an arm。 The doctor thanked him sweetly； and said； 〃Pray； young man； have you anything to communicate？〃
Then Alfred saw that the ancient man had already forgotten his face； and so looking at him with that rare instrument of official inspection； the naked eye； had seen he was sane； and consequently taken him for a keeper。
How swiftly the mind can roam； and from what a distance gather the materials of a thought！ Flashed like lightning through Alfred's mind this line from one of his pets； the Greek philosophers：
＇Greek text＇
〃And this is the greatest stroke of art； to turn an evil into a good。〃
Now the feebleness of this aged Inspector was an evil： the thing then was to turn it into a good。 Shade of Plato； behold how thy disciple worked thee！ 〃Sir；〃 said he； sinking his voice mysteriously； 〃I have： but I am a poor man： you won't say I told you： it's as much as my place is worth。〃
〃Confidence； strict confidence；〃 replied Nestor； going over beaten tracks； for he had kept many a queer secret with the loyalty which does his profession so much honour。
〃Then； sir； there's a young gentleman confined here； who is no more mad than you and I； and never was mad。〃
〃You don't say so。〃
〃That I do； sir： and they know they are doing wrong； sir； for they stop all his letters to the Commissioners； and that is unlawful； you know。 Would you like to take a note of it all； sir？〃
The old fogie said he thought he should； and groped vaguely for his note…book： he extracted it at last like a loose tooth； fumbled with it； and dropped it： Alfred picked it up fuming inwardly。
The ancient went to write； but his fingers were weak and hesitating； and by this time he had half forgotten what he was going to say。 Alfred's voice quavered with impatience； but he fought it down； and offered as coolly as he could to write it for him： the offer was accepted； and he wrote down in a feigned hand； very clear
〃DRAYTON HOUSE； _Oct。 5。_A sane patient； Alfred Hardie； confined here from interested motives。 Has written four letters to the Commissioners； all believed to be intercepted。 Communicated to me in confidence by an attendant in the house。 Refer to the party himself； and his correspondence with the Commissioners from Dr。 Wycherley's： also to Thomas Wales； another attendant； and to Dr。 Wycherley： also to Dr。 Eskell and Mr。 Abbott； Commissioners of Lunacy。〃
After this stroke of address Alfred took the first opportunity of leaving him； and sent Frank Beverley to him。
Thus Alfred； alarmed by the hatred of Mrs。 Archbold； and racked with jealousy； exerted all his intelligence and played many cards for liberty。 One he kept in reserve； and a trump card too。 Having now no ink nor colouring matter； he did not hesitate； but out penknife； up sleeve； and drew blood from his arm； and with it wrote once more to the Commissioners； but kept this letter hidden for an ingenious purpose。 What that purpose was my reader shall divine。
CHAPTER XL
