The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 259: what you’re looking at

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

246 “But what's going to be done with this here chap ?” inquired the keeper as he and the mas- ter stopped at the grating of Melmoth’s 8 cell, ! that rests with the roport which I and the may send in,” responded the governor of the workhouse, in a lower tone than at first. “All confirmed cases of madness are to be packed off to the county asylam, thank God: but I don’t know whether this is a confirmed case or not. What do you think?” “J've already told you my opinion, sir,” was the keeper's answer. “You don’t. believe the fellow to be mad?” said the master interrogatively, but in a still more sub- dued voice than before. “No—Iil be hanged if I do,” returned the keeper, not troubling himself to moderate his osusl lond and dictatorial manner of spesk- oe. “Hush? murmured the master. “The poor Govil sleeps-—— “Not hof ojaculated the keeper, groffly. “ think, sir, I haven't seen enongh of madness, both real and feigned, not to know which is which, arter having filled this sitivation for seventeen year, come next Janivary? ‘Why, look at the wery position of the feller as he-lies on his bed theve : I'll be damned if it isn’t all sham f° “If I thought so—after all I've heard about him from our surgeon end a certain Mr. Thurston who was heret other day when he went off into a fit,” said the governor, in a half-musing tone, but speaking in a voice that was clearly audible not only to the keeper but'likewise to Melmoth himecif—“1I say that if I thought he really was playing any of his tricks, 'a devilish soon have him packed off to Newgate, I would—the monster f” “Well, and youll have to do it, eir—and to. morrow too,” exclaimed the keeper, bratally : “for il take my avy the fellow 15 no mare madi than I nx We will eee aboutit,” rejoined the master : then after a fow moment's pause, he added, “All things considered, I shall take your advice and send in a roport, to-morrow, to she effect that you re- commond.* The governor and the keeper then withdrew, Closing the door of the passage behind them ;— and total darkness once more reigned in the place | extreme occupied by the mad-cells. Yoe—darkness, but not silence: for scarcely had the'two officials retired, when the yells, screams, and other uneouth noises which were wont to make the night terrible there, burst forth again, and with re- doubled horror. Starting from his from it, as if he were a maddened lion—Melmoth bars, which vibrated to the fury of the shook. He felt that he was going crazy : he was already crased for the time being! Goaded to the wildest reck- lessness by his own dreadful thoughts—by the in- fernal din which raged like the revelry of hell around him—and by the terrible prospects opened up to his contemplation by the discourse which he had just overheard between the governor and the — Melmoth had lost all control over his actions. Althongh his lips gave not utterance to 3 ward, yet it seemed to him as if some inward voloe were roaring out, *I am mad! J am mad "and, under the terrible influence of the demoniao spell which pavement—then against the bars—and then upon the bed, all the iron-work of which clanked as if chains were suddenly thrown down upon the floor. He was inforiate : his eyes gleamed in their blood- shot rage like those of a hyena;—and the foam oozed from his mouth. fection of his fury wae canght by those kindred spirits already goaded to such a rabid extreme: twro or three, whose limbs had been hitherto held powerless snd motionless 3 by the strait;jacket and the mattress, burat the trowsers fastened to from their bonds as giants would cast off the trammels of strawe 2--and the whole lunatic company began dashing themaecbres, each against the bars of his own cell —- while the most appalling cries and yells thrilled through the very walls of massive atone. In a few minutes the keeper burst into the pas- sage to ascertain the cause of a disturbance more terrible than even it usually was, and which had seathed his-cars as he was traversing the yard that lay between the tenement containing the mad-cells and the main building. Seizing an encrmous whip, he set his lemtern npon a window-ledge—pushed the deor close in.order to prevent as much as pos- sible of the infernal din from being heard outside— and then began to flagellate the maniacs one after another with the most merciless severity. ‘Through the-bers ewept the long knotted lash of the mis- creant’s ikmout—-a knout of which the present Bmperer of Rassia (once Queen Victoria's wel- eoused guest) would have envied him the possession. Vainly did the yelling maniacs endeavour to elude the terrible thong: vainly also did they attempt to seize it and enatoh the accureed instrument from given him a marvellous experience in its efficient wielding. It literally rent the clothes from the backs of the sufferers; and in great livid wales or bloody streaks did the flesh rise up wherever the lash fell. The punishment was diabolical — the socompenying yells and aries were appalling in the oeDet Ah}--all on s sudden a new and fearful in- terest is given to the scene. For one of those ma- olecs who had a few minutes before burst from their coercive garments an if it were a mere vesture of tinder that they were casting off,—one of those infariate lunatics who seemed suddenly to have been inspired with the strength of Sampson, now all ina moment dashed open the iron gate of his cell. I¢ was the lock which gave way:—the bolt bent and yielded an if it were of lead—and the grated door screamed upon its hinges as it flew open [ An ejaculation of anguished terror burst from the lips of the keeper, as a sense of his mortal danger flashed like lightning to his mind. "Twas the same as if a goaded tiger had suddenly broken loose. Not an instant was there for flight: door is burst open-—and, ee as te ay? ame wink, the liberated maniac, bounding forth, springs COMMIUC AOOLK (CO