hard cash-第56章

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He　had　not　long　to　wait：　the　man　came　away　directly；　and　walked；　head　erect；　past　Mr。　Hardie；　and　glanced　full　in　his　face；　but　did　not　vouchsafe　him　a　word。　It　was　Alfred　himself。

Mr。　Hardie　was　profoundly　alarmed　and　indignant。　〃The　young　traitor！　Never　enter　the　house？　no；　but　he　comes　and　tells　her　everything　directly　under　her　window　on　the　sly；　and；　when　he　is　caughtdefies　me　to　my　face。〃　And　now　he　suspected　female　cunning　and　malice　in　the　way　that　thunderbolt　had　been　quietly　prepared　for　him　and　launched；　without　warning；　in　his　very　daughter's　presence；　and　the　result　just　communicated　to　Julia　Dodd。

In　a　very　gloomy　mood　he　followed　his　son；　and　heard　his　firm　though　elastic　tread　on　the　frosty　ground；　and　saw　how　loftily　he　carried　his　head；　and　from　that　moment　feared；　and　very；　very　nearly　hated　him。

The　next　day　he　feigned　sick　and　sent　for　Osmond。　That　worthy　prescribed　a　pill　and　a　draught；　the　former　laxative；　the　latter　astringent。　This　ceremony　performed；　Mr。　Hardie　gossipped　with　him；　and；　after　a　detour　or　two；　glided　to　his　real　anxiety。　〃Sampson　tells　me　you　know　more　about　Captain　Dodd's　case　than　he　does：　he　is　not　very　clear　as　to　the　cause　of　the　poor　man's　going　mad。〃

〃The　cause？　Why；　apoplexy。〃

〃Yes；　but　I　mean　what　caused　the　apoplexy？〃

Mr。　Osmond　replied　that　apoplexy　was　often　idiopathic。*　Captain　Dodd；　as　he　understood；　had　fallen　down　in　the　street　in　a　sudden　fit：　〃but　as　for　the　mania；　that　is　to　be　attributed　to　an　insufficient　evacuation　of　blood　while　under　the　apoplectic　coma。〃

…　*〃Arising　of　itself。〃　A　term　rather　hastily　applied　to　disorders　the　coming　signs　of　which　have　not　been　detected　by　the　medical　attendant。

The　birth　of　Topsy　was　idiopathicin　that　learned　lady's　opinion。　…

〃Not　bled　enough！　Why；　Sampson　says　it　is　because　he　was　bled　too　much。〃

Osmond　was　amused　at　this；　and　repeated　that　the　mania　came　of　not　being　bled　enough。

The　discussion　was　turned　into　an　unexpected　quarter　by　the　entrance　of　Jane　Hardie；　who　came　timidly　in　and　said；　〃Oh；　Mr。　Osmond；　I　cannot　let　you　go　without　telling　you　how　anxious　I　am　about　Alfred。　He　is　so　thin；　and　pale；　and　depressed。〃

〃Nonsense；　Jane；〃　said　Mr。　Hardie；　〃have　we　not　all　cause　to　be　dejected　in　this　house？〃　But　she　persisted　gently　that　there　was　more　in　it　than　that；　and　his　headaches　were　worse；　and　she　could　not　be　easy　any　longer　without　advice。

〃Ah！　those　headaches；〃　said　Mr。　Osmond；　〃they　always　made　me　uneasy。　To　tell　the　truth；　Miss　Hardie；　I　have　noticed　a　remarkable　change　in　him；　but　I　did　not　like　to　excite　apprehensions。　And　so　he　mopes；　does　he？　seeks　solitude；　and　is　taciturn；　and　dejected？〃

〃Yes。　But　I　do　not　mind　that　so　much　as　his　turning　so　pale　and　thin。〃

〃Oh；　it　is　all　part　of　one　malady。〃

〃Then　you　know　what　is　the　matter？〃

　〃I　think　I　do；　and　yours　is　a　wise　and　timely　anxiety。　Your　brother's　is　a　very　delicate　case　of　hyperaesthetic　character；　and　I　should　like　to　have　the　advice　of　a　profound　physician。　Let　me　see；　Dr。　Wycherley　will　be　with　me　to…morrow：　may　I　bring　him　over　as　a　friend？〃

This　proposal　did　not　at　all　suit　Mr。　Hardie。　He　put　his　own　construction　on　Alfred's　pallor　and　dejection；　and　was　uneasy　at　the　idea　of　his　being　cross…questioned　by　a　couple　of　doctors：

〃No；　no；〃　said　he；　〃Taff　has　fancies　enough　already。　I　cannot　have　you　gentlemen　coming　here　to　fill　his　head　with　many　more。〃

〃Oh；　he　has　fancies；　has　he？〃　said　Osmond　keenly。　〃My　dear　sir；　we　shall　not　say　one　word　to　_him：_　that　might　irritate　him：　but　I　should　like　_you_　to　hear　a　truly　learned　opinion。〃

Jane　looked　so　imploringly　that　Mr。　Hardie　yielded　a　reluctant　assent；　on　those　terms。

So　the　next　day；　by　appointment；　Mr。　Osmond　introduced　his　friend　Dr。　Wycherley：　bland　and　bald　with　a　fine　bead；　and　a　face　naturally　intelligent；　but　crossed　every　now　and　then　by　gleams　of　vacancy；　a　man　of　large　reading；　and　of　tact　to　make　it　subserve　his　interests。　A　voluminous　writer　on　certain　medical　subjects；　he　had　so　saturated　himself　with　circumlocution；　that　it　distilled　from　his　very　tongue：　he　talked　like　an　Article；　a　Quarterly　one；　and　so　gained　two　advantages：　1st；　he　rarely　irritated　a　fellow…creature；　for　if　he　began　a　sentence　hot；　what　with　its　length；　and　what　with　its　windiness；　he　ended　it　cool：　item；　stabs　by　polysyllables　are　pricks　by　sponges。　2ndly；　this　foible　earned　him　the　admiration　of　fools；　and　that　is　as　invaluable　as　they　are　innumerable。

Yet　was　there　in　the　mother…tongue　he　despised　one　gem　of　a　word　he　vastly　admired：　like　most　Quarterly　writers。　That　charming　word；　the　pet　of　the　polysyllabic；　was　〃OF。〃

　He　opened　the　matter　in　a　subdued　and　sympathising　tone　well　calculated　to　win　a　loving　father；　such　as　Richard　Hardiewas　not。

〃My　good　friend　here　informs　me；　sir；　you　are　so　fortunate　as　to　possess　a　son　of　distinguished　abilities；　and　who　is　at　present　labouring　under　some　of　those　precursory　indications　of　incipient　disease　of　the　cerebro…psychical　organs；　of　which　I　have　been；　I　may　say；　somewhat　successful　in　diagnosing　the　symptoms。　Unless　I　have　been　misinformed；　he　has；　for　a　considerable　time；　experienced　persistent　headache　of　a　kephalalgic　or　true　cerebral　type；　and　has　now　advanced　to　the　succeeding　stage　of　taciturnity　and　depression；　not*　unaccompanied　with　isolation；　and　probably　constipation：　but　as　yet　without　hallucination；　though　possibly；　and；　as　my　experience　of　the　great　majority　of　these　cases　would　induce　me　to　say；　probably　he　is　not**　undisturbed　by　one　or　more　of　those　latent；　and；　at　first；　trifling　aberrations；　either　of　the　intelligence　or　the　senses；　which　in　their　preliminary　stages　escape　the　observation　of　all　but　the　expert　nosologist。〃

*Anglice；　〃accompanied。〃　**Anglice；　〃disturbed。〃

〃There；　you　see；〃　said　Osmond；　〃Dr。　Wycherley　agrees　with　me：　yet　I　assure　you　I　have　only　detailed　the　symptoms；　and　not　the　conclusion　I　had　formed　from　them。〃

Jane　inquired　timidly　what　that　conclusion　was。

〃Miss　Hardie；　we　think　it　one　of　those　obscure　tendencies　which　are　very　curable　if　taken　in　time〃　Dr。　Wycherley　ended　the　sentence：　〃But　no　longer　remediable　if　the　fleeting　opportunity　is　allowed　to　escape；　and　diseased　action　to　pass　into　diseased　organisation。〃

Jane　looked　awestruck　at　their　solemnity；　but　Mr。　Hardie；　who　was　taking　advice　against　the　grain；　turned　satirical。　〃Gentleman；〃　said　he；　〃be　pleased　to　begin　by　moderating　your　own　obscurity；　and　then　perhaps　I　shall　see　better　how　to　cure　my　son's　disorder。　What　the　deuce　are　you　driving　at？〃

The　two　doctors　looked　at　one　another　inquiringly；　and　so　settled　how　to　proceed。　Dr。　Wycherley　explained　to　Mr。　Hardie　that　there　was　a　sort　of　general　unreasonable　and　superstitious　feeling　abroad；　a　kind　of　terror　of　the　complaint　with　which　his　son　was　threatened；　_〃and　which；_　instead　of　the　most　remediable　of　disorders；　is　looked　at　as　the　most　incurable　of　maladies：〃　it　was　on　this　account　he　had　learned　to　approach　the　subject　with　singular　caution；　and　even　with　a　timidity　which　was　kinder　in　appearance　than　in　reality；　that　he　must　admit。

〃Well；　you　may　speak　out；　as　far　as　I　am　concerned；〃　said　Mr。　Hardie；　with　consummate　indifference。

〃Oh；　yes！〃　said　Jane；　in　a　fever　of　anxiety；　〃pray　conceal　nothing　from　us。〃

〃Well；　then；　sir；　I　have　not　as　yet　had　the　advantage　of　examining　your　son　personally；　but；　from　the　diagnostics；　I　have　no　doubt　whatever　he　is　labouring　under　the　first　fore…shadowings　of　cerebro…psychical　perturbation。　To　speak　plainly；　the　symptoms　are　characteristic　of　the　initiatory　stage　of　the　germination　of　a　morbid　state　of　the　phenomena　of　intelligence。

His　unprofessional　hearers　only　stared。

〃In　one　word；　then；〃　said　Dr。　Wycherley；　waxing　impatient　at　their　abominable　obtuseness；　〃it　is　the　premonitory　stage　of　the　precursory　condition　of　an　organic　affection　of　the　brain。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　Mr。　Hardie；　〃the　brain！*　I　see；　the　boy　is　going　mad。〃

*　What　a　blessing　there　are　a　few　English　words　left　in　all　our　dialects。

The　doctors　stared　in　their　turn　at　the　prodigious　coolness　of　a　tender　parent。　〃Not　exactly；〃　said　Dr。　Wycherley；　〃I　am　habitually　averse　to　exaggeration　of　symptoms。　Your　son's　suggest　to　me　'the　Incubation　of　Insanity；'　nothing　more。〃

Jane　uttered　an　exclamation　of　horror；　the　doctor　soothed　her　with　an　assurance　that　there　was　no　cause　for　alarm。　〃Incipient　aberration〃　was　of　easy　cure：　the　mischief　lay　in　delay。　〃Miss　Hardie；〃　said　he　paternally；　〃during　a　long　and　busy　professional　career；　it　has　been　my　painful　province　to　witness　the　deplorable　consequences　of　the　non…recognition；　by　friends　and　relatives；　of　the　precedent　symptoms　of　those　organic　affections　of　the　brain；　the　relief　of　which　was　within　the　reach　of　well…known　therapeutic　agents　if　exhibited　seasonably。〃

He　went　on　to　deplore　the　blind　prejudice　of　unprofessional　persons；　who　choose　to　fancy　that　other　diseases　creep；　but　Insanity　pounces；　on　a　man；　which　he　expressed　thus　neatly：　〃that　other　deviations　from　organic　conditions　of　health　are　the　subject　of　clearly　defined　though　delicate　gradations；　but　that　the　worst　and　most　climacteric　forms　of　cerebro…psychical　disorder　are　suddenly　developed　affections　presenting　no　evidence　of　any　antecedent　cephalic　organic　change；　and　unaccompanied　by　a　premonitory　stage；　or　by　incipient　symptoms。〃

This　chimera　he　proceeded　to　confute　by　experience：　he　had　repeatedly　been　called　in　to　cases　of　mania　described　as　sudden；　and　almost　invariably　found　the　patient　had　been　cranky　for　years；　which　he　condensed　thus：　〃His　conduct　and　behaviour　for　many　years　previously　to　any　symptom　of　mental　aberration　being　noticed；　had　been　characterised　by　actions　quite　irreconcilable　with　the　supposition　of　the　existence　of　perfect　sanity　of　intellect。〃

He　instanced　a　parson；　whom　he　had　lately　attended；　and　found　him　as　constipated　and　as　convinced　he　was　John　the　Baptist　engaged　to　the　Princess　Mary　as　could　be。　〃But；〃　continued　the　learned　doctor；　〃upon　investigation　of　this　afflicted　ecclesiastic's　antecedent　history；　I　discovered　that；　for　years　before　this；　he　had　exhibited　conduct　incompatible　with　the　hypothesis　of　a　mind　whose　equilibrium　had　been　undisturbed。　He　had　caused　a　number　of　valuable　trees　to　be　cut　down　on　his　estate；　without　being　able　to　offer　a　sane　justification　for　such　an　outrageous　proceeding；　and　had　actually　disposed　of　a　quantity　of　his　patrimonial　acres；　_'and　which'_　clearly　he　never　would　have　parted　with　had　he　been　in　anything　resembling　a　condition　of　sanity。〃

〃Did　he　sell　the　land　and　timber　below　the　market　price？〃　inquired　Mr。　Hardie；　perking　up；　and　exhibiting　his　first　symptoms　of　interest　in　the　discussion。

〃On　that　head；　sir；　my　informant；　his　heir…at…law；　gave　me　no　information：　nor　did　I　enter　into　that　class　of　detail。　You　naturally　look　at　morbid　phenomena　in　a　commercial　spirit；　but　we　regard　them　medicallyand　all　this　time　most　assiduously　visiting　the　sick　of　his　parish　and　preaching　admirable　serious。

The　next　instance　he　gave　was　of　a　stockbroker　suffering　under　general　paralysis　and　a　rooted　idea　that　all　the　_specie_　in　the　Bank　of　England　was　his；　and　ministers　in　league　with　foreign　governments　to　keep　him　out　of　it。　〃H