The Freemason's Daughter: A Novel — page 252: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE FREEMASONS DAUGHTER. 245 —one thing or another, that I have scarcely a moment to call my own.’ ““So much the better,’ * thought the owner of the establishment; ‘‘he will have less time to occupy himself with affairs in which he has no concern.” Fresh compliments and shakings of the hand were exchanged, and the visitors left the asylum, not less to Mr. Crab’s satisfaction than their own. For some time the two master masons walked together in silence: the scene they had witnessed had produced a profound impression, although a different one upon each. | There is nothing more melancholy than a visit to a madhouse—more humiliating to human pride than to watch the various phases of the disease which destroys the distinguishing quality of man, and reduces the statue of the Divinity to clay. * Poor Gridley,” sighed Keeting; “how we have been deceived.” “We have indeed,” said his companion. “ And yet his letter seemed rational enough.” “And he, I doubt not, is as rational as his letter; though how long the ruffians into whose hands he has fallen will allow him to remain so is another question.” The look of astonishment with which Mr. Mor- daunt’s observation was received, at any other time, had the occasion been less serious, would have provoked a smile: it seemed to ask if he was mad too. COniiclooecl SS (SO mn