hard cash-第152节
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the plaintiff and his ailments； bodily and mental； for many years； and communicated his suspicions to one of the first psychological physicians of the age； declining； with a modesty which we； who know less of insanity than he does； would do well to imitatedeclining； I say； to pronounce a positive opinion unfavourable to the plaintiff； till he should have compared notes with this learned man； and profited by his vast experience。
In this strain he continued for a good hour； until the defendants case seemed to be a thing of granite。 His oration ended； he called a string of witnesses： every one of whom bore the learned counsel out by his evidence in chief。
But here came the grand distinction between the defendants case and the plaintiff's。 Cross…examination had hardly shaken the plaintiff's witnesses： it literally dissolved the defendant's。 Osmond was called； and proved Alfred's headaches and pallor； and his own suspicions。 But then Colt forced him to admit that many young people had headaches without going mad； and were pale when thwarted in love； without going mad： and that as to the L。 14；000 and the phantom； he _knew_ nothing； but had taken all that for granted on Mr。 Richard Hardie's word。
Dr。 Wycherley deposed to Alfred's being insane and abnormally irritable； and under a pecuniary illusion； as stated in his certificate： and to his own vast experience。 But the fire of cross…examination melted all his polysyllables into guesswork and hearsay。 It melted out of him that he； a stranger； had intruded on the young man's privacy； and had burst into a most delicate topic； his disagreement with his father； and so had himself created the very irritation he had set down to madness。 He also had to admit that he knew nothing about the L。 14；000 or the phantom； but had taken for granted the young man's own father； who consulted him； was not telling him a deliberate and wicked falsehood。
_Colt。_In short； sir； you were retained to make the man out insane； just as my learned friend there is retained。
_Wycherley。_I think； sir； it would not be consistent with the dignity of my profession to notice that comparison。
_Colt。_I leave defendant's counsel to thank you for that。 Come； never mind _dignity；_ let us have a little _truth。_ Is it consistent with your dignity to tell us whether the keepers of private asylums pay you a commission for all the patients you consign to durance vile by your certificates？
Dr。 Wycherley fenced with this question； but the remorseless Colt only kept him longer under torture； and dragged out of him that he received fifteen per cent。 from the asylum keepers for every patient he wrote insane； and that he had an income of eight hundred pounds a year from that source alone。 This； of course； was the very thing to prejudice a jury against the defence： and Colt's art was to keep to their level。
Speers； cross…examined； failed to conceal that he was a mere tool of Wycherley's； and had signed in manifest collusion； adhering to the letter of the statute； but violating its spirit for certainly； the Act never intended by 〃separate examination；〃 that two doctors should come into the passage； and walk into the room alternately； then reunite； and do the signing as agreed before they ever saw the patient。 As to the illusion about the fourteen thousand pounds； Speers owned that the plaintiff had not uttered a word about the subject； but had peremptorily declined it。 He had to confess； too； that he had taken for granted Dr。 Wycherley was correctly informed about the said illusion。
〃In short；〃 said the judge； interposing； 〃Dr。 Wycherley took the very thing for granted which it was his duty to ascertain； and you； sir； not to be behind Dr。 Wycherley； took the thing for granted at second hand。〃 And when Speers had left the box； he said to Serjeant Saunders； 〃If this case is to be defended seriously； you had better call Mr。 Richard Hardie without further delay。〃
〃It is my wish； my lud； but I am sorry to say he is in the country very ill； and I have no hope of seeing him here before to…morrow。〃
〃Oh； well； so that you _do_ call him。 I shall not lay hearsay before the jury： hearsay gathered from Mr。 Richard Hardiewhom you will call in person if the reports he has circulated have any basis whatever in truth。〃
Mr。 Saunders said coolly； 〃Mr。 Richard Hardie is not the defendant；〃 and flowed on； nor would any but a lawyer have suspected what a terrible stab the judge had given him so quietly。
The surgeon of Silverton House was then sworn； and produced the case book； and there stood the entries which had been so fatal to Alfred with the visiting justices。 Suicide； homicide； self…starvation。 But the plaintiff got to Mr。 Colt with a piece of paper； on which he had written his view of all this； and cross…examination dissolved the suicide and homicide into a spirited attempt to escape and resist a false imprisonment As for the self…starvation； Colt elicited that Alfred had eaten at six o'clock though not at two。 〃And pray； sir；〃 said he； contemptuously； to the witness； 〃do you never stir out of a madhouse？ Do you imagine that gentlemen in their senses dine at two o'clock in the nineteenth century？〃
〃No。 I don't say that。〃
〃What _do_ you say； then？ Is forcible imprisonment of a bridegroom in a madhouse the thing to give a _gentleman_ a _factitious_ appetite at _your_ barbarous dinner…hour？〃
In a word； Colt was rough with this witness； and nearly smashed him。 Saunders fought gallantly on； and put in Lawyer Crawford with his draft of the insane deed； as he called it； by which the erotic monomaniac Alfred divested himself of all his money in favour of the Dodds。 There was no dissolving this deed away； and Crawford swore he had entreated the plaintiff not to insist on his drawing so unheard…of a document； but opposition or question seemed to irritate his client； so that he had complied； and the deed was to have been signed on the wedding…day。
All the lawyers present thought this looked really mad。 Fancy a man signing away his property to his wife's relatives！！ The court； which had already sat long beyond the usual time； broke up； leaving the defendant with this advantage。 Alfred Hardie and his friends made a little knot in the hall outside； and talked excitedly over the incidents of the trial。 Mr。 Compton introduced Fullalove and Vespasian。 They all shook hands with them； and thanked them warmly for the timely and most unexpected aid。 But Green and a myrmidon broke in upon their conversation。 〃I am down on Mr。 Barkington _alias_ Noah Skinner。 It isn't very far from here； if you will follow me。〃 Green was as excited as a foxhound when Pug has begun to trail his brush： the more so that another client of his wanted Noah Skinner； and so the detective was doing a double stroke of business。 He led the way； it was dry； and they all went in pairs after him into the back slums of Westminster； and a pretty part that is。
Now as they went along Alfred hung behind with Julia； and asked her what on earth she meant by swearing that it was all over between her and him。 〃Why your last letter was full of love； dearest； what could you be thinking of to say that？〃
She shook her head sadly； and revealed to him with many prayers for forgiveness that she had been playing a part of late： that she had concealed her father's death from him； and the fatal barrier interposed。
〃I was afraid you would be disheartened； and lose your first class and perhaps your trial。 But you are safe now； dear Alfred； I am sure the judge sees through them； for I have studied him for you。 I know his face by heart； and all his looks and what they mean。 My Alfred will be cleared of this wicked slander； and happy with some oneAh！〃
〃Yes； I mean to be happy with some one；〃 said Alfred。 〃I am not one of your self…sacrificing angels； thank Heaven！ Your shall not sacrifice us to your mother's injustice nor to the caprices of fate。 We have one another； but you would immolate me for the pleasure of immolating yourself。 Don't provoke me too far； or I'll carry you off by force。 I swear it； by Him who made us both。〃
〃Dearest； how wildly you talk。〃 And with this Julia hung her head； and had a guilty thrill。 She could not help thinking that eccentric little measure would relieve her of the sin of disobedience。
After making known to her his desperate resolution； Alfred was silent； and they went sadly side by side； so dear； so near； yet always some infernal thing or other coming between them。 They reached a passage in a miserable street。 At the mouth stood two of Green's men； planted there to follow Skinner should he go out： but they reported all quiet。 〃Bring the old gentleman up；〃 said Green。 〃I appointed him six o'clock； and it's on the stroke。〃 He then descended the passage； and striking a light led the way up a high stair。 Skinner lived on the fifth story。 Green tapped at his door。 〃Mr。 Barkington。〃
No reply。
〃Mr。 Barkington； I've brought you some money。〃
No reply。
〃Perhaps he is not at home；〃 said Mr。 Compton。
〃Oh； yes； sir； I sent a sharp boy up； and he picked the paper out of the keyhole and saw him sitting reading。〃
He then applied his own eye to the keyhole。 〃I see something black；〃 said he； 〃I think he suspects。〃
While he hesitated； th
