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dding…day；　you　can't　have　known　it　is　my　wedding…day；　fiends；　monsters；　I　tell　you　it　is　my　wedding…day。　Oh；　pray　send　the　lady　to　me；　she　can't　be　all　stone；　and　my　misery　might　melt　a　stone。〃　He　listened　for　an　answer；　he　prayed　for　an　answer。　There　was　none。　Once　in　a　mad…house；　the　sanest　man　is　mad；　however　interested　and　barefaced　the　motive　of　the　relative　who　has　brought　two　of　the　most　venal　class　upon　the　earth　to　sign　away　his　wits　behind　his　back。　And　once　hobbled　and　strapped；　he　is　a　_dangerous_　maniac；　for　just　so　many　days；　weeks；　or　years；　as　the　hobbles；　handcuffs；　and　jacket　happen　to　be　left　upon　him　by　inhumanity；　economy；　or　simple　carelessness。　Poor　Alfred's　cries　and　prayers　were　heard；　but　no　more　noticed　than　the　night　howl　of　a　wolf　on　some　distant　mountain。　All　was　sullen　silence；　but　the　grating　tongue　of　the　clock；　which　told　the　victim　of　a　legislature's　shallowness　and　a　father's　avaricethat　Time；　deaf　to　his　woe；　as　were　the　walls；　the　men；　the　women；　and　the　cutting　bands；　was　stealing　away　with　iron　finger　his　last　chance　of　meeting　his　beloved　at　the　altar。

He　closed　his　eyes；　and　saw　her　lovelier　than　ever；　dressed　all　in　white；　waiting　for　him　with　sweet　concern　in　that　peerless　face。　〃Julia！　Julia！〃　he　cried；　with　a　loud　heart…broken　cry。　The　half…hour　struck。　At　that　he　struggled；　he　writhed；　he　bounded：　he　made　the　very　room　shake；　and　lacerated　his　flesh；　but　that　was　all。　No　answer。　No　motion。　No　help。　No　hope。

The　perspiration　rolled　down　his　steaming　body。　The　tears　burst　from　his　young　eyes　and　ran　down　his　cheeks。　he　sobbed；　and　sobbing　almost　choked；　so　tight　were　his　linen　bands　upon　his　bursting　bosom。

He　lay　still　exhausted。

The　clock　ticked　harshly　on：　the　rest　was　silence。　With　this　miserable　exception：　ever　and　anon　the　victim's　jammed　body　shuddered　so　terribly　it　shook　and　rattled　the　iron　bedstead；　and　told　of　the　storm　within；　the　agony　of　the　racked　and　all　foreboding　soul。

For　then　rolled　over　that　young　head　hours　of　mortal　anguish　that　no　tongue　of　man　can　utter；　nor　pen　can　shadow。　Chained　sane　amongst　the　mad；　on　his　wedding…day；　expecting　with　tied　hands　the　sinister　acts　of　the　soul…murderers　who　had　the　power　to　make　their　lie　a　truth！　We　can　paint　the　body　writhing　vainly　against　its　unjust　bonds；　but　who　can　paint　the　loathing；　agonised　soul　in　a　mental　situation　so　ghastly？　For　my　part　I　feel　it　in　my　heart　of　hearts；　but　am　impotent　to　convey　it　to　others；　impotent；　impotent。

Pray　think　of　it　for　yourselves；　men　and　women；　if　you　have　not　_sworn_　never　to　think　over　a　novel。　Think　of　it　for　your　own　sakes：　Alfred's　turn　to…day；　it　may　be　yours　to…morrow。



CHAPTER　XXXII

AT　two　o'clock　an　attendant　stole　on　tiptoe　to　the　strong…room；　unlocked　the　door；　and　peeped　cautiously　in。　Seeing　the　dangerous　maniac　quiet；　he　entered　with　a　plate　of　lukewarm　beef　and　potatoes；　and　told　him　bluntly　to　eat。　The　crushed　one　said　he　could　not　eat。　〃You　must；〃　said　the　man。　〃Eat！〃　said　Alfred；　〃of　what　do　you　think　I　am　made！　Pray　put　it　down　and　listen　to　me。　I'll　give　you　a　hundred　pounds　to　let　me　out　of　this　place；　two　hundred；　three。〃

A　coarse　laugh　greeted　this　proposal。　〃You　might　as　well　have　made　it　a　thousand　when　you　was　about　it。〃

〃So　I　will；〃　said　Alfred　eagerly；　〃and　thank　you　on　my　knees　besides。　Ah；　I　see　you　don't　believe　I　have　money。　I　give　you　my　honour　I　have　ten　thousand　pounds：　it　was　settled　on　me　by　my　grandfather；　and　I　came　of　age　last　week。〃

〃Oh；　that's　like　enough；〃　said　the　man　carelessly。　〃Well；　you　_are_　green。　Do　you　think　them　as　sent　you　here　will　let　you　spend　your　money？　No；　your　money　is　theirs　now。〃

And　he　sat　down　with　the　plate　on　his　knee　and　began　to　cut　the　meat　in　small　pieces；　while　his　careless　words　entered　Alfred's　heart；　and　gave　him　such　a　glimpse　of　sinister　motives　and　dark　acts　to　come　as　set　him　shuddering。

〃Come　none　o'　that；〃　said　the　man；　suspecting　this　shudder。　He　thought　it　was　the　prologue　to　some　desperate　act；　for　all　a　chained　madman　does　is　read　upon　this　plan：　his　terror　passes　for　rage；　his　very　sobs　for　snarls。

〃Oh；　be　honest　with　me；〃　said　Alfred　imploringly；　〃do　you　think　it　is　to　steal　my　money　the　wretch　has　stolen　my　liberty？〃

〃What　wretch？〃

〃My　father。〃

〃I　know　nothing　about　it；〃　said　the　man　sullenly；　〃in　course　there's　mostly　money　behind；　when　young　gents　like　you　come　to　be　took　care　of。　But　you　musn't　go　thinking　of　that；　or　you'll　excite　yourself　again。　Come　you　eat　your　vittles　like　a　Christian；　and　no　more　about　it。〃

〃Leave　it；　that　is　a　good　fellow；　and　then　I'll　try　and　eat　a　little　by…and…bye。　But　my　grief　is　greatoh　Julia！　Julia！　what　shall　I　do？　And　I　am　not　used　to　eat　at　this　time。　Will　you；　my　good　fellow？〃

〃Well；　I　will；　now　you　behave　like　a　gentleman；〃　said　the　man。

Then　Alfred　coaxed　him　to　take　off　the　handcuffs。　He　refused；　but　ended　by　doing　it；　and　so　left　him。

Four　more　leaden　hours　rolled　by；　and　then　this　same　attendant　（his　name　was　Brown）　brought　him　a　cup　of　tea。　It　was　welcome　to　his　parched　throat；　he　drank　it；　and　ate　a　mouthful　of　the　meat　to　please　the　man；　and　even　asked　for　some　more　tea。

At　eight　four　keepers　came　into　his　room；　undressed　him；　compelled　him　to　make　his　toilette；　&c。；　before　them；　which　put　him　to　shamebeing　a　gentlemanalmost　as　much　as　it　would　a　woman。　They　then　hobbled　him；　and　fastened　his　ankles　to　the　bed；　and　put　his　hands　into　muffles；　but　did　not　confine　his　body；　because　they　had　lost　a　lucrative　lodger　only　a　month　ago；　throttled　at　night　in　a　strait…waistcoat。

Alfred　lay　in　this　plight；　and　compared　with　anguish　unspeakable　his　joyful　anticipations　of　this　night　with　the　strange　and　cruel　reality。　〃My　wedding　night！　my　wedding　night！〃　he　cried　aloud；　and　burst　into　a　passion　of　grief。

By…and…bye　he　consoled　himself　a　little　with　the　hope　that　he　could　not　long　be　incarcerated　as　a　madman；　being　sane；　and　his　good　wit　told　him　his　only　chance　was　calmness。　He　would　go　to　sleep　and　recover　composure　to　bear　his　wrongs　with　dignity；　and　quietly　baffle　his　enemies。

Just　as　he　was　dropping　off'　he　felt　something　crawl　over　his　face。　Instinctively　he　made　a　violent　motion　to　put　his　hands　up。　Both　hands　were　confined；　he　could　not　move　them。　He　bounded；　he　flung；　he　writhed。　His　little　persecutors　were　quiet　a　moment；　but　the　next　they　began　again。　In　vain　he　rolled　and　writhed；　and　shuddered　with　loathing　inexpressible。　They　crawled；　they　smelt；　they　bit。

Many　a　poor　soul　these　little　wretches　had　distracted　with　the　very　sleeplessness　the　madhouse　professed　to　cure；　not　create；　in　conjunction　with　the　opiates；　the　confinement　and　the　gloom　of　Silverton　House；　they　had　driven　many　a　feeble　mind　across　the　line　that　divides　the　weak　and　nervous　from　the　unsound。

When　he　found　there　was　no　help；　Alfred　clenched　his　teeth　and　bore　it：〃Bite　on；　ye　little　wretches；〃　he　said　〃bite　on；　and　divert　my　mind　from　deeper　stings　than　yoursif　you　can。〃

And　they　did；　a　little。

Thus　passed　the　night　in　mental　agony；　and　bodily　irritation　and　disgust。　At　daybreak　the　feasters　on　his　flesh　retired；　and　utterly　worn　out　and　exhausted；　he　sank　into　a　deep　sleep。

At　half…past　seven　the　head　keeper　and　three　more　came　in；　and　made　him　dress　before　them。　They　handcuffed　him；　and　took　him　down　to　breakfast　in　the　noisy　ward；　set　him　down　on　a　little　bench　by　the　wall　like　a　naughty　boy；　and　ordered　a　dangerous　maniac　to　feed　him。

The　dangerous　maniac　obeyed；　and　went　and　sat　beside　Alfred　with　a　basin　of　thick　gruel　and　a　great　wooden　spoon。　He　shovelled　the　gruel　down　his　charge's　throat　mighty　superciliously　from　the　very　first；　and　presently；　falling　into　some　favourite　and　absorbing　train　of　thought；　he　fixed　his　eye　on　vacancy；　and　handed　the　spoonfuls　over　his　left　shoulder　with　such　rapidity　and　recklessness　that　it　was　more　like　sowing　than　feeding。　Alfred　cried　out　〃Quarter！　I　can't　eat　so　fast　as　that；　old　fellow。〃

Something　in　his　tone　struck　the　maniac；　he　looked　at　Alfred　full；　Alfred　looked　at　him　in　return；　and　smiled　kindly　but　sadly。

〃Hallo！〃　cried　the　maniac。

〃What's　up　now？〃　said　a　keeper　fiercely。

〃Why　this　man　is　sane。　As　sane　as　I　am。〃

At　this　there　was　a　horse　laugh。

〃Saner；〃　persisted　the　maniac；　〃for　I　am　a　little　queer　at　times；　you　know。〃

〃And　no　mistake；　Jemmy。　Now　what　makes　you　think　he　is　sane？〃

〃Looked　me　full　in　the　face；　and　smiled　at　me。〃

〃Oh；　that　is　your　test；　is　it？〃

〃Yes；　it　is。　You　try　it　on　any　of　those　mad　beggars　there　and　see　if　they　can　stand　it。〃

〃Who　invented　gunpowder？〃　said　one　of　the　insulted　persons；　looking　as　sly　and　malicious　as　a　magpie　going　to　steal。

Jemmy　exploded　directly：　〃I　did；　ye　rascal；　ye　liar；　ye　rogue；　ye　Baconian！〃　and　going　higher；　and　higher　in　this　strain；　was　very　soon　handcuffed　with　Alfred's　handcuffs；　and　seated　on　Alfred's　bench　and　tied　to　two　rings　in　the　wall。　On　this　his　martial　ardour　went　down　to　zero：　〃Here　is　treatment；　sir；〃　said　he　piteously　to　Alfred。　〃I　see　you　are　a　gentleman；　now　look　at　this。　All　spite　and　jealousy　because　I　invented　that　invaluable　substance；　which　has　done　so　much　to　prolong　human　life　and　alleviate　human　misery。〃

Alfred　was　now　ordered