hard cash-第140章

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estraint；　composing　draughts；　and　other　quick　maddeners。　Rooke　entered　into　the　game　zealously　from　two　motives；　he　was　devoted　to　Mrs。　Archbold；　and　he　hated　Alfred；　who　had　openly　defied　him；　and　mortified　his　vanity　about　Frank　Beverley。

One　Saturday　Alfred　was　ordered　out　to　walk　with　Rooke　and　Hayes　and　Vulcan。　He　raised　no　objection：　suspected；　felt　homicidal；　suppressed　the　impulse；　and　by　this　self…command　he　got　time　to　give　that　letter　to　Beverley　with　instructions。

But；　all　the　walk；　he　was　saying　to　himself　that　Julia　was　in　the　house；　and　he　was　kept　away　from　her；　and　a　rival　with　her；　this　made　him　sicken　and　rage　by　turns。　He　came　back　in　a　state　verging　on　fury。

On　entering　the　yard　poor　Beverley；　who　had　done　his　bit　of　cunning；　and　by　reaction　now　relapsed　into　extra　simplicity；　came　running；　and　said；　〃I've　done　it；　she　has　got　it。〃

〃What　have　you　done？　Who　has　got　what？〃　cried　Rooke。

〃Don't　tell；　Frank。〃

〃If　you　don't　I'll　shake　your　life　out；　ye　young　blackguard；〃　cried　Rooke；　seizing　him　and　throttling　him　till　he　was　black　in　the　face。

Alfred's　long…pent　fury　broke　out：　he　gnashed　his　teeth　and　dashed　his　fist　in　Rooke's　face。

Rooke　staggered　back　and　bellowed　with　pain　and　anger；　then　rushing　at　him　incautiously；　received　a　stinger　that　staggered　him；　and　nearly　closed　his　right　eye。　He　took　the　hint；　and　put　himself　in　a　posture　that　showed　he　was　skilled　in　the　art　of　self…defence。　He　stopped　two　blows　neatly；　and　returned　a　heavy　one　upon　the　ribs。　Alfred　staggered　back　some　steps；　but　steadied　himself；　and；　as　Rooke　rushed　in　too　hastily　to　improve　his　advantage；　caught　him　heavily　on　the　other　eye；　but　lost　his　own　balance　a　little；　which　enabled　Rooke　to　close；　then　came　a　sharp　short　rally　of　re…echoing　blows；　and　Rooke；　not　to　be　denied；　got　hold　of　his　man；　and　a　wrestling　bout　ensued；　in　which　Alfred　being　somewhat　weakened　by　misery　and　broken　rest；　Rooke's　great　weight　and　strength　enabled　him；　after　a　severe　struggle；　to　fall　with　his　antagonist　under　him；　and　knock　the　breath　out　of　his　body　for　the　moment。　Then　Hayes；　who　had　stood　prudently　aloof；　came　in　and　helped　handcuff　him。　They　could　not　walk　up　and　down　him　for　the　Robin；　who　stood　by　with　a　professional　air　to　see　fair　play。

〃Ah；　cold　iron　is　your　best　chance；〃　he　said　satirically。　〃Never　you　mind；　sir：　you　hit　quick　and　well：　I'd　back　_you_　at　long　odds　in　the　ring：　both　his　peepers　are　in　deep　mourning。〃　He　added；　〃A　cow　can　beat　a　man　wrestling。〃

When　Alfred　was　handcuffed　they　turned　him　loose。　It　soon　transpired；　however；　that　he　was　now　a　dangerous　maniac　（Formula）　and　to　be　confined　in　the　noisy　ward。

On　hearing　this　he　saw　the　trap　he　had　fallen　into；　saw　and　trembled。　He　asked　himself　what　on　earth　he　should　do；　and　presently　the　saying　came　back　to　him；　〃And　this　is　the　highest　stroke　of　art；　to　turn　evil　into　good。〃　He　argued　thus：　Wolf's　love　of　money　is　my　great　evil；　he　will　destroy　me　for　money；　do　anything　for　money。　Then　suppose　I　offer　him　money　to　be　honest。　He　begged　an　interview　with　Dr。　Wolf　on　business。　This　was　accorded　at　once。　He　asked　the　doctor　plump　whether　he　received　a　large　sum　to　detain　him　under　pretence　of　insanity。

〃Not　very；　considering　the　trouble　you　sometimes　give；　Mr。　Hardie；〃　was　the　dry　reply。

〃Well；　then；　Justice　shall　outbid　rascality　for　once。　I　am　a　sane　man；　and　you　know　it；　a　man　of　my　word；　and　you　know　it。　I'll　give　you　a　thousand　pounds　to　let　me　out　of　this　place。〃

Dr。　Wolf's　eyes　sparkled。

〃You　shall　have　any　bond　or　security　you　like；　and　the　money　within　a　week　of　my　deliverance。〃

Dr。　Wolf　said　he　should　be　delighted　to　do　it；　if　he　could　conscientiously。

At　this　piece　of　hypocrisy　Alfred's　cheek　reddened；　and　he　could　not　speak。

〃Well；　well；　I　do　see　a　great　change　in　you　for　the　better；〃　said　Dr。　Wolf。　〃If；　as　I　suspect；　you　are　convalescent；　I　will　part　with　you　without　a　thousand　pounds　or　a　thousand　pence。

Alfred　stared。　Had　he　mistaken　his　man？

〃I'll　tell　you　what；　though；〃　said　the　smooth　doctor。　〃I　have　got　two　pictures；　one　by　Raphael；　one　by　Correggio。〃

〃I　know　them；〃　said　the　quick…witted　Alfred；　〃they　are　worth　more　than　a　thousand　pounds。〃

〃Of　course　they　are；　but　I　would　take　a　thousand　pounds　from　you。〃

〃Throw　me　in　my　liberty；　and　I'll　make　it　guineas。〃

〃We　will　see　about　that。〃　And　with　this　understanding　the　men　of　business　parted。　Dr。　Wolf　consulted　Mrs。　Archbold　then　and　there。

〃Impossible；〃　said　she；　〃the　law　would　dissolve　such　a　bargain；　and　you　would　be　exposed　and　ruined。〃

〃But　a　thousand　pounds！〃　said　the　poor　doctor。

〃Oh；　he　offered　me　more　than　that；〃　said　Mrs。　Archbold。

〃You　don't　mean　to　say　so；　when　was　that？〃

〃Do　you　remember　one　Sunday　that　I　walked　him　out；　to　keep　clear　of　Mrs。　Dodd？　Have　you　not　observed　that　I　have　not　repeated　the　experiment？〃

〃Yes。　But　I　really　don't　know　why。〃

〃Will　you　promise　me　faithfully　not　to　take　any　notice　if　I　tell　you？〃

The　doctor　promised。

Then　she　owned　to　him　with　manifest　reluctance　that　Alfred　had　taken　advantage　of　her　kindness；　her　indiscretion；　in　walking　alone　with　him；　and　made　passionate　love　to　her。　〃He　offered　me　not　a　thousand　pounds；〃　said　she；　〃but　his　whole　fortune；　and　his　heart；　if　I　would　fly　with　him　from　_these　odious　walls；_　that　was　his　expression。〃

Then　seeing　out　of　a　corner　of　her　eye　that　the　doctor　was　turning　almost　green　with　jealousy；　this　artist　proceeded　to　describe　the　love　scene　between　her　and　Alfred；　with　feigned　hesitation；　yet　minute　detail。　Only　she　inverted　the　parts：　Alfred　in　her　glowing　page　made　the　hot　love；　she　listened　abashed；　confused；　and　tried　all　she　could　think　of　to　bring　him　to　better　sentiments。　She　concluded　this　chapter　of　history　inverted　with　a　sigh；　and　said；　〃So　now　he　hates　me；　I　believe；　poor　fellow。〃

〃Do　you　regret　your　refusal？〃　asked　Dr。　Wolf　uneasily。

〃Oh　no；　my　dear　friend。　Of　course；　my　judgment　says　that　few　women　at　my　age　and　in　my　position　would　have　refused。　But　we　poor　women　seldom　go　by　our　judgments。〃　And　she　cast　a　tender　look　down　at　the　doctor's　feet。

In　short；　she　worked　on　him　so；　that　he　left　Alfred　at　her　disposition；　and　was　no　sooner　gone　to　his　other　asylum　six　miles　off；　than　the　calumniated　was　conducted　by　Hayes　and　Rooke　through　passage　after　passage；　and　door　after　door；　to　a　wing　of　the　building　connected　with　the　main　part　only　by　a　covered　way。　As　they　neared　it；　strange　noises　became　audible。　Faint　at　first；　they　got　louder　and　louder。　Singing；　roaring；　howling　like　wolves。　Alfred's　flesh　began　to　creep。　He　stopped　at　the　covered　way：　he　would　have　fought　to　his　last　gasp　sooner　than　go　further；　but　he　was　handcuffed。　He　appealed　to　the　keepers；　but　he　had　used　them　both　too　roughly：　they　snarled　and　forced　him　on；　and　shut　him　into　a　common　flagged　cell；　with　a　filthy　truckle…bed　in　it；　and　all　the　vessels　of　gutta…percha。　Here　he　was　surrounded　by　the　desperate　order　of　maniacs　he　at　present　scarcely　knew　but　by　report。　Throughout　that　awful　night　he　could　never　close　his　eyes　for　the　horrible　unearthly　sounds　that　assailed　him。　Singing；　swearing；　howling　like　wild　beasts！　His　right…hand　neighbour　reasoned　high　of　faith　and　works；　ending　each　pious　argument　with　a　sudden　rhapsody　of　oaths　and　never　slept　a　wink。　His　left…hand　neighbour　alternately　sang；　and　shouted；　〃Cain　was　a　murderer；　Cain　was　a　murderer；〃　and　howled　like　a　wolf；　making　night　hideous。　His　opposite　neighbour　had　an　audience；　and　every　now　and　then　delivered　in　a　high　nasal　key；　〃Let　us　curse　and　pray；〃　varying　it　sometimes　thus：　〃Brethren；　let　us　work　double　tides。〃　And　then　he　would　deliver　a　long　fervent　prayer；　and　follow　it　up　immediately　with　a　torrent　of　blasphemies　so　terrific；　that　coming　in　such　a　contrast　they　made　Alfred's　body　wet　with　perspiration　to　hear　a　poor　creature　so　defy　his　Creator。　No　rest；　no　peace。　When　it　was　still；　the　place　was　like　the　grave；　and　ever　and　anon；　loud；　sharp；　tremendous；　burst　a　thunderclap　of　curses；　and　set　those　poor　demented　creatures　all　yelling　again　for　half…an…hour；　making　the　tombs　ring。　And　at　clock…like　intervals　a　harmless　but　dirty　idiot；　who　was　allowed　to　roam　the　ward；　came　and　c