hard cash-第108章

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im；　ma'am；　but　he　would　not　listen　to　us。〃

〃Cooper；〃　said　Mrs。　Archbold　as　soon　as　she　recovered　her　breath；　〃you　are　not　fit　for　your　place。　To…morrow　you　go；　or　I　go。〃

Cooper；　cowed　in　a　moment　by　the　handcuffs；　began　to　whine　and　say　that　it　was　all　Alfred's　fault。

But　Mrs。　Archbold　was　now　carried　away　by　two　passions　instead　of　one；　and　they　were　together　too　much　for　prudence。　She　took　a　handful　of　glossy　locks　out　of　her　bosom　and　shook　them　in　Cooper's　face。

〃You　monster！〃　said　she；　〃you　should　go；　for　_that；_　if　you　were　my　own　brother。〃

The　two　young　nurses　assented　loudly；　and　turned　and　cackled　at　Cooper　for　cutting　off　such　lovely　hair。

He　shrugged　his　shoulders　at　them；　and　said　sulkily　to　Mrs。　Archbold；　〃Oh；　I　didn't　know。　Of　course；　if　you　have　fallen　in　love　with　him；　my　cake　is　burnt。　'Tisn't　the　first　lunatic　you　have　taken　a　fancy　to。〃

At　this　brutal　speech；　all　the　more　intolerable　for　not　being　quite　false；　Mrs。　Archbold　turned　ashy　pale；　and　looked　round　for　a　weapon　to　strike　him　dead；　but　found　none　so　handy　and　so　deadly　as　her　tongue。

〃It's　not　the　first　you　have　tried　to　MURDER；〃　said　she。　〃I　know　all　about　that　death　in　Calton　Retreat：　you　kept　it　dark　before　the　coroner；　but　it　is　not　too　late；　I'll　open　the　world's　eyes。　I　was　only　going　to　dismiss　you；　sir：　but　you　have　insulted　me。　I'll　hang　you　in　reply。〃

Cooper　turned　very　pale　and　was　silent；　his　tongue　clove　to　the　roof　of　his　mouth。

But　a　feeble；　unexpected　voice　issued　from　the　bed　and　murmured　cheerfully；　though　with　some　difficulty；　a　single　word

〃Justice！〃

At　an　expression　so　out　of　place　they　all　started　with　surprise。

Alfred　went　on：　〃You　are　putting　the　saddle　on　the　wrong　horse。　The　fault　lies　with　those　villains　Baker　and　Bailey。　Cooper　is　only　a　servant；　you　know；　and　obeys　orders。〃

〃What　business　had　the　wretch　to　cut　your　hair　off？〃　said　Mrs。　Archbold；　turning　on　Alfred　with　flashing　eyes。　Her　blood　once　up；　she　was　ready　to　quarrel　even　with　him　for　taking　part　against　himself。

〃Because　he　was　ordered　to　put　on　a　blister；　and　hair　must　come　off　before　a　blister　can　go　on；〃　replied　Alfred　soberly。

〃That　is　no　excuse　for　him　beating　you　and　trying　to　break　your　front　teeth。〃

She　didn't　mind　so　much　about　his　side　ribs。

〃No；〃　replied　Alfred。　〃But　I　hit　him　first：　look　at　the　bloke's　face。　Dear　Mrs。　Archbold；　you　are　my　best　friend　in　this　horrid　place；　and　you　have　beautiful　eyes；　and；　talk　of　teeth；　look　at　yours！　But　you　haven't　much　sense　of　justice；　forgive　me　for　saying　so。　Put　the　proposition　into　signs；　there　is　nothing　like　that　for　clearing　away　prejudice。　B。　and　C。　have　a　scrimmage：　B　begins　it；　C。　gets　the　worst　of　it；　in　comes　A。　and　turns　awayC。　Is　that　justice？　It　is　me　you　ought　to　turn　away；　and　I　wish　to　Heaven　you　would：　dear　Mrs。　Archbold；　do　pray　turn　me　away；　and　keep　the　other　blackguard。〃

At　this　extraordinary　and；　if　I　may　be　allowed　the　expression；　Alfredian　speech；　the　men　first　stared；　and　then　laughed；　the　women　smiled；　and　then　were　nearer　crying　than　laughing。

And　so　it　was；　that　justice　handcuffed；　straitjacketed；　blistered；　and　impartial；　sent　from　its　bed　of　torture　a　beam　through　Cooper's　tough　hide　to　his　inner　heart。　He　hung　his　head　and　stepped　towards　Alfred：　〃You're　what　I　call　a　man；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　care　a　curse　whether　I　stay　or　go；　after　what　she　has　said　to　me。　But；　come　what　may；　you're　a　gentleman；　and　one　as　can　put　hisself　in　a　poor　man's　place。　Why；　sir；　I　wasn't　always　so　rough；　but　I　have　been　twenty　years　at　it；　and　mad　folk　they'd　wear　the　patience　out　of　Jove；　and　the　milk　of　human　kindness　out　of　saints　and　opossums。　However；　if　I　was　to　stay　here　all　my　life；　instead　of　going　to…morrow；　I'd　never　lift　hand　to　trouble　you　again；　for　you　taking　my　part　again　yourself　like　that。〃

〃I'll　put　that　to　the　test；〃　said　Mrs。　Archbold　sharply。　〃Stayon　your　probation。　Hannah！〃

And　Baby…face　biceps　at　a　look　took　off　his　handcuffs；　which　she　had　been　prominent　in　putting　on。

This　extraordinary　scene　ended　in　the　men　being　dismissed；　and　the　women　remaining　and　going　to　work　after　their　kind。

〃The　bed　is　too　short　for　one　thing；〃　said　Hannah。　〃Look　at　his　poor　feet　sticking　out　and　cold　as　a　stone：　just　feel　of　them；　Jane。〃

〃No；　no；　murder！〃　cried　Alfred；　〃that　tickles。〃

Hannah　ran　for　a　chair；　Jane　for　another　pillow。　Mrs。　Archbold　took　off　his　handcuffs；　and；　passing　her　hand　softly　and　caressingly　over　his　head；　lamented　the　loss　of　his　poor　hair。　Amongst　them　they　relieved　him　of　his　straitjacket；　set　up　his　head；　covered　his　feet；　and　he　slept　like　a　top　for　want　of　drastics　and　opiates；　and　in　spite　of　some　brilliant　charges　by　the　Lilliputian　cavalry。

After　this　the　attendants　never　molested　Alfred　again；　nor　did　the　doctor；　for　Mrs。　Archbold　got　his　boluses；　and　sent　them　up　to　a　famous　analysing　chemist　in　London；　and　told　him　she　had；　and　said；　〃I'll　thank　you　not　to　prescribe　at　random　for　_that_　patient　any　more。〃　He　took　the　lady's　prescription；　coming　as　it　did　in　a　voice　quietly　grim；　and　with　a　momentary　but　wicked　glance　shot　from　under　her　black　brows。

Alfred　was　all　the　more　miserable　at　his　confinement：　his　melancholy　deepened　now　there　was　no　fighting　to　excite　him。　A　handsome　bright　young　face　clouded　with　sadness　is　very　pitiable；　and　I　need　not　say　that　both　the　women　who　had　fallen　in　love　with　him　had　their　eyes；　or　at　least　the　tails　of　their　eyes；　for　ever　on　his　face。　The　result　varied　with　the　characters　of　the　watchers。　That　young　face；　ever　sad；　made　Mrs。　Archbold　sigh；　and　long　to　make　him　happy　under　her　wing。　How　it　wrought　on　the　purer　and　more　womanly　Hannah　will　be　revealed　by　the　incident　I　have　to　relate。　Alfred　was　sitting　on　a　bench　in　the　corridor　bowed　down　by　grief；　and　the　Archbold　lurking　in　a　room　hard　by；　feasting　her　eyes　on　him　through　an　aperture　in　the　door　caused　by　the　inspection　plate　being　under　repairwhen　an　erotic　maniac　was　driven　past。　She　had　obtained　accesswith　marvellous　cunningto　the　men's　side；　but　was　now　coming　back　with　a　flea　in　her　ear；　and　faster　than　she　went；　being　handcuffed　and　propelled　by　Baby…face　biceps。　On　passing　the　disconsolate　Alfred　the　latter　eyed　him　coyly；　gave　her　stray　sheep　a　coarse　pushas　one　pushes　a　_thing_and　laid　a　timid　hand；　gentle　as　falling　down；　upon　the　rougher　sex。　Contrast　sudden　and　funny。

〃Don't　be　so　sad；　sir；〃　she　murmured；　cooing　like　the　gentlest　of　doves。　〃I　can't　bear　to　see　you　look　like　that。〃

Alfred　looked　up；　and　met　her　full　with　his　mournful　honest　eyes。　〃Ah；　Hannah；　how　can　I　be　anything　but　sad；　imprisoned　here；　sane　amongst　the　mad？〃

〃Well；　and　so　am　I；　sir；　so　is　Mrs。　Archbold　herself。〃

〃Ay；　but　you　have　not　been　entrapped；　imprisoned　on　your　wedding…day。　I　cannot　even　get　a　word　sent　to　my　Julia；　my　wife　that　ought　to　be。　Only　think　of　the　affront　they　have　made　me　put　on　her　I　love　better；　ten　times　better；　than　myself。　Why；　she　must　have　been　waiting　for　me；　humiliated　perhaps　by　my　absence。　What　will　she　think　of　me？　The　rogues　will　tell　her　a　thousand　lies：　she　is　very　high　spirited；　Hannah；　impetuous　like　myself；　only　so　gentle　and　so　good。　Oh；　my　angel；　my　angel；　I　shall　lose　you　for　ever。〃

Hannah　clasped　her　hands；　with　tears　in　her　eyes：　〃No；　no；〃　she　cried；　〃it　is　a　burning　shame　to　part　true　lovers　like　you　and　her。　Hush！　speak　low。　Brown　told　me　you　are　as　well　as　he　is。〃

〃God　bless　him　for　it；　then。〃

〃You　have　got　money；　they　say；　try　it　on　with　Brown。〃

〃I　will。　Oh　you　darling。　What　is　the　matter？〃

For　Baby…face　was　beginning　to　whimper。

〃Oh；　nothing；　sir；　only　you　are　so　glad　to　go；　and　we　shall　be　sorry　to　part　with　you：　but　you　won't　care　for　thatoh！　oh！　oh！〃

〃What；　do　you　think　I　shall　forget　you　and　your　kindness？　Never：　I'll　square　accounts　with　friends　and　foes；　not　one　shall　be　forgotten。〃

〃Don't　offer　me　any　of　your　money；〃　sobbed　Hannah；　〃for　I　wouldn't　touch　it。　Good…bye；〃　said　she：　〃I　shan't　have　as　much　as　a　kiss　for　it　I'll　be　bound：　good…bye；〃　said　she　again；　and　never　moved。

〃Oh；　won't　you；　though；〃　cried　Alfred　gaily。　〃What　is　that？　and　that？　and　that？　Now；　what　on　earth　are　you　crying　about？　Dry　your　tears；　you　dear　good…h