hard cash-第79章

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Mr。　Hardie　was　puzzled　by　this　sentence；　in　which　the　speaker's　usual　method　was　reversed；　and　the　thought　was　bigger　than　the　words。

〃Oh；〃　said　he　at　last；　〃I　see。　We　ought　to　incarcerate　our　children　to　keep　them　from　being　incarcerated。〃

〃That　is　one　way　of　putting　it　with　a　vengence；〃　said　Mr。　Osmond　staring。　〃No；　what　my　good　friend　means〃

〃Is　this；　where　the　patient　is　possessor　of　an　income　of　such　a　character　as　to　enable　his　friends　to　show　a　sincere　affection　by　anticipating　the　consequences　of　neglected　morbid　phenomena　of　the　brain；　there　a　lamentable　want　of　humanity　is　exhibited　by　the　persistent　refusal　to　the　patient；　on　the　part　of　his　relatives；　of　the　incalculable　advantage　of　the　authoritative　advice　of　a　competent　physician　accompanied　with　the　safeguards　and　preventives　of〃

But　ere　the　mellifluous　pleonast　had　done　oiling　his　paradox　with　fresh　polysyllables；　to　make　it　slip　into　the　banker's　narrow　understanding；　he　met　with　a　curious　interruption。　Jane　Hardie　fluttered　in　to　say　a　man　was　at　the　door　accusing　himself　of　being　deranged。

〃How　often　this　sort　of　coincidence　occurs；〃　said　Osmond　philosophically。

〃Do　not　refuse　him；　dear　papa；　it　is　not　for　money：　he　only　wants　you　to　give　him　an　order　to　go　into　a　lunatic　asylum。〃

_〃Now；　there　is　a　sensible　man；_〃　said　Dr。　Wycherley。

〃Well；　but；〃　objected　Mr。　Hardie；　〃if　he　is　a　sensible　man；　why　does　he　want　to　go　to　an　asylum？〃

〃Oh；　they　are　all　sensible　at　times；〃　observed　Mr。　Osmond。

_〃Singularly　so；_〃　said　Dr。　Wycherley；　warmly。　And　he　showed　a　desire　to　examine　this　paragon；　who　had　the　sense　to　know　he　was　out　of　his　senses。

〃It　would　be　but　kind　of　you；　sir；〃　said　Jane；　〃poor；　poor　man！〃　She　added；　he　did　not　like　to　come　in；　and　would　they　mind　just　going　out　to　him？

〃Oh　no；　not　in　the　least：　especially　as　you　seem　interested　in　him。〃

And　they　all　three　rose　and　went　out　together；　and　found　the　petitioner　at　the　front　door。　Who　should　it　be　but　James　Maxley！

His　beard　was　unshaven；　his　face　haggard；　and　everything　about　him　showed　a　man　broken　in　spirit　as　well　as　fortune：　even　his　voice　had　lost　half　its　vigour；　and；　whenever　he　had　uttered　a　consecutive　sentence　or　two；　his　head　dropped　on　his　breast　pitiably：　indeed；　this　sometimes　occurred　in　the　middle　of　a　sentence；　and　then　the　rest　of　it　died　on　his　lips。

Mr。　Richard　Hardie　was　not　prepared　to　encounter　one　of　his　unhappy　creditors　thus　publicly；　and；　to　shorten　the　annoyance；　would　have　dismissed　him　roughly：　but　he　dared　not；　for　Maxley　was　no　longer　alone　nor　unfriended。　When　Jane　left　him　to　intercede　for　him；　a　young　man　joined　him；　and　was　now　comforting　him　with　kind　words；　and　trying　to　get　him　to　smoke　a　cigar；　and　this　good…hearted　young　gentleman　was　the　banker's　son　in　the　flesh；　and　his　opposite　in　spirit；　Mr。　Alfred　Hardie。

Finding　these　two　in　contact；　the　Doctors　interchanged　demurest　glances。

Mr。　Hardie　asked　Maxley　sullenly　what　he　wanted　of　them。

〃Well；　sir；〃　said　Maxley　despondingly；　〃I　have　been　to　all　the　other　magistrates　in　the　borough；　for　what　with　losing　my　money；　and　what　with　losing　my　missus；　I　think　I　bain't　quite　right　in　my　head；　I　do　see　such　curious　things；　enough　to　make　a　body's　skin　creep　at　times。〃　And　down　went　his　head　on　his　chest

〃Well？〃　said　Mr。　Hardie；　peevishly：　〃go　on：　you　went　to　the　magistrates；　and　what　then？〃

Maxley　looked　up；　and　seemed　to　recover　the　thread：　〃Why　they　said　'no；'　they　couldn't　send　me　to　the　'sylum；　not　from　home：　I　must　be　a　pauper　first。　So　then　my　neighbours　they　said　I　had　better　come　to　you。〃　And　down　went　his　head　again。

〃Well；　but；〃　said　Mr。　Hardie；　〃you　cannot　expect　me　to　go　against　the　other　magistrates。〃

〃Why　not；　sir？　You　have　had　a　hatful　o'　money　of　me：　the　other　gentlemen　han't　had　a　farthing。　They　owes　me　no　service；　but　you　does：　nine　hundred　pounds'　worth；　if　ye　come　to　that。〃

There　was　no　malice　in　this；　it　was　a　plain　broken…hearted　man's　notion　of　give　and　take；　but　it　was　a　home…thrust　all　the　same；　and　Mr。　Hardie　was　visibly　discountenanced；　and　Alfred　more　so。

Mr。　Osmond；　to　relieve　a　situation　so　painful；　asked　Maxley　rather　hastily　what　were　the　curious　things　he　saw。

Maxley　shuddered。　〃The　unreasonablest　beasts；　sir；　you　ever　saw　or　heard　tell　on：　mostly　snakes　and　dragons。　Can't　stoop　my　head　to　do　no　work　for　them；　sir。　Bless　your　heart；　if　I　was　to　leave　you　gentlemen　now；　and　go　and　dig　for　five　minutes　in　my　garden；　they　would　come　about　me　as　thick　as　slugs　on　cabbage。　Why　'twas　but　yester'en　I　tried　to　hoe　a　bit；　and　up　come　the　fearfullest　great　fiery　sarpint：　scared　me　so　I　heaved　my　hoe　and　laid　on　un'　properly：　presently　I　seemed　to　come　out　of　a　sort　of　a　kind　of　a　red　mist　into　the　clear：　and　there　laid　my　poor　missus's　favourite　hen；　I　had　been　and　killed　her　for　a　sarpint！〃　He　sighed；　then；　after　a　moment's　pause；　lowered　his　voice　to　a　whisper：　〃Now　suppose　I　was　to　go　and　take　some　poor　Christian　for　one　of　these　gre…at　bloody　dragons　I　do　see　at　odd　times；　I　might　do　him　a　mischief；　you　know；　and　not　mean　him　no　harm　neither。　Oh；　dooee　take　and　have　me　locked　up；　gentlemen；　dooee　now：　tellee　I　ain't　fit　to　be　about；　my　poor　head　is　so　mazed。〃

〃Well；　well；〃　said　Mr。　Hardie；　〃I'll　give　you　an　order　for　the　Union。〃

〃What；　make　a　pauper　of　me？〃

〃I　cannot　help　it；〃　said　the　magistrate：　〃it　is　the　routine；　and　it　was　settled　at　a　meeting　of　the　bench　last　month　that　we　must　adhere　to　the　rule　as　strictly　as　possible；　the　asylum　is　so　full：　and　you　know；　Maxley；　it　is　not　as　if　you　were　dangerous。〃

〃That　I　be；　sir：　I　don't　know　what　I'm　a　looking　at　or　a　doing。　Would　I　ha'　gone　and　killed　my　poor　Susan's　hen　if　I　hadn't　a　been　beside　myself？　and　she　in　her　grave；　poor　dear：　no；　not　for　untold　gold：　and　I　be　fond　of　that　tooused　to　be；　however：　but　now　I　don't　seem　to　care　for　money　nor　nothing　else。〃　And　his　head　dropped。

Look　here；　Maxley；　old　fellow；〃　said　Alfred　sarcastically；　〃you　must　go　to　the　workhouse；　and　stay　there　till　you　hoe　a　pauper；　take　him　for　a　crocodile　and　kill　him；　then　you　will　get　into　an　asylum　whether　the　Barkington　magistrates　like　it　or　not：　that　is　the　_routine；_　I　believe；　and　as　reasonable　as　most　routine。〃

Dr。　Wycherley　admired　Alfred　for　this；　and　whispered　Mr。　Osmond；　〃How　subtly　they　reason。〃

Mr。　Hardie　did　not　deign　to　answer　his　son；　who　indeed　had　spoken　at　him；　and　not　to　him。

As　for　poor　Maxley；　he　was　in　sad　and　sober　earnest；　and　could　not　relish　nor　even　take　in　Alfred's　irony。　He　lifted　his　head　and　looked　Mr。　Hardie　in　the　face。

〃You　be　a　hard　man；〃　said　he；　trembling　with　emotion。　〃You　robbed　me　and　my　missus　of　our　all；　you　ha'　broke　her　heart；　and　turned　my　head；　and　if　I　was　to　come　and　kill　_you；_　'twould　only　be　clearing　scores。　'Stead　of　that；　I　comes　to　you　like　a　lamb；　and　says　give　me　your　name　on　a　bit　of　paper；　and　put　me　out　of　harm's　way。　'No；'　says　you；　'go　to　the　workhouse！'　Be　_you_　in　the　workhouseyou　that　owes　me　nine　hundred　pounds　and　my　dead　missus？〃　With　this　he　went　into　a　rage；　took　a　packet　out　of　his　pocket；　and　flung　L。　900　of　Mr。　Hardie's　paper　at　Mr。　Hardie's　head　before　any　one　could　stop　him。

But　Alfred　saw　his　game；　stepped　forward；　and　caught　it　with　one　hand；　and　with　the　dexterity　of　a　wicket…keeper；　within　a　foot　of　his　father's　nose。　〃How's　that；　Umpire？〃　said　he：　then；　a　little　sternly；　〃Don't　do　that　again；　Mr。　Maxley；　or　I　shall　have　to　give　you　a　hidingto　keep　up　appearances。　He　then　put　the　notes　in　his　pocket；　and　said　quietly；　_〃I_　shall　give　you　your　money　for　these　before　the　year　ends。〃

〃You　won't　be　quite　so　mad　as　that；　I　hope；〃　remonstrated　his　father。　But　he　made　no　reply：　they　very　seldom　answered　one　another　now。

〃Oh；〃　said　Dr。　Wycherley；　inspecting　him　like　a　human　curiosity；　〃nullum　magnum　ingenium　sine　mixtura　dementiae。〃

〃Nec　parvum　sine　mixtura　stultitiae；〃　retorted　Alfred　in　a　moment　and　met　his　offensive　gaze　with　a　point…blank　look　of　supercilious　disdain。

Then　having　shut　him　up；　he　turned　to　Osmond：　〃Come；〃　said　he；　〃prescribe　for　this　poor　fellow；　who　asks　for　a　hospital；　so　Routine　gives　him　a　workhouse。　Come；　you　know　there　is　no　limit　to　your　skill　and　good　nature：　y