The String of Pearls; or, The Barber of Fleet Street — page 125: what you’re looking at

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

Po pt atin ty THE STRING OF PEARLS. a tr no Mt “*No, sir,’ said I, ‘we hadn’t need, for when any of the poor things set to screaming, it would make them feel very uncomfortable indeed.’ «So it would, there is an advantage in that to yourself as well as to them. It would be disagreeable to you to know that you were disturbing your neighbours, and they would feel equally nncomfortable in being disturbed, and yet you must |; do your duty.’ “Ay! to be sure,’ said [; ‘I must do my duty, and people won’t pay me for letting madmen go, though they may for keeping them ; and besides that, I think || some on ’em would get their throats cut, if L did.’ “* You are right—quite right,’ said he; ‘fam glad to find you of that mind, || for I came to you concerning an affair that requires some delicacy about ib, since || if is a female patient.’ | : "Ah! said I, ‘I always pay great attention, very great attention; and [|| don’t recollect a case, however violent it may be, but what I can overcome. I always make ’em acknowledge me, and there’s much art in that.” | «©¢To be sure, there must be.’ | «¢ And, moreover, they wouldn’t so soon crouch and shrink away from me, and do | | what I tell ’em, if I did not treat them with kindness, that is, as far as is consis- tent with one’s duty, for I mustn’t forget that.’ «* Fixactly,’ he replied; ‘ those are my sentiments exagt ly.’ «¢ And now, sir, will you inform me in what way I can serve you ?’ “¢Why I have arelative, a female relative, who is unhappily affected with a brain disease; we have tried all we can do, without any effect, Do what we will, it comes to the same thing in the end.’ | «« Ah! said 1; ‘poor thing—-what a dreadful thing it must be to you or any of her friends, who have the charge of her, to see her day by day an incurable maniac. Why, it is just as bad as when a friend or relative is dead, and you are obliged to have the dead body constantly in your house, and before your eyes.’ «« Tixactly, my friend,’ said the stranger; ‘exactly, you are a man of discern. || ment, Mr. Foge. Isee, that is truly the state of the case. You may then guess | at the state of our feelings, when we have to part with one beloved by us.’ | As he spoke, he turned right round, and faced me, looking very hard into my ace. | | 6 Well,’ said I, ‘your’s is a hard case; but to have one afflicted about you in & the manner the young lady is, is truly distressing; it’s like having a perpetual |) lumbago in your back.’ ««Hexactly,’ said the atranger. ‘I tell you what, you are the very man to do this thing for me.’ “<¢] am sure of it,’ said I. «Then we understand each other, eh? said the stranger. ‘I must say I like your appearance, it is not often such people as you and I meet.’ «¢] hope it will be to our mutual advantage,’ said I, ‘because such people don’t meet every day, and we oughtn’t to meet to no purpose ; so, in anything delicate and confidential you may command me.’ | ZT see, you are a clever man,’ said he ; ‘ well, well, I must pay you in pro- | portion to your talents. How do you do business—by the job, or by the year» «« Well,’ said J, ‘where it’s a matter of some nicety, it may be both—but it entirely depends upon circumstances. I had better know exactly what it is I have to do.’ | “© Why, you see, it isa young female about eighteen, and she is somewhat || troublesome—takes to screaming, and all that kind of thing. 1 want her taken care of, though you must be very careful she neither runs away nor suddenly commits any mischief, as her madness does not appear to me to have any particular form, and would at times completely deceive the best of us, and then suddenly she will break out violently, and snap or fly at anybody with her teeth,’ *¢<Ts she so bad as that 2’ % “© Yes, quite. So it is quite impossible to keep her at home; and I expect it will be a devil of aiob toget her here. I tell you what you shall have; Vil pay Se ee a a a aN it IIE ICEL I CALE LOCI I LOO LOLI TOOL 4. deinen: 5 ditiniiaceeeiala a aiamaels Sc ae eect ~ a omicbooks.com