"Oh, no, no," he repeated to himself, "surely they will not starve me to death."
As he uttered these words, he heard the plaintive1 singing commence again; and he could not help thinking that it sounded like some requiem2 for the dead, and that it was a sort of signal that his hours were numbered. Despair again began to take possession of him, and despite the savage3 threats of the keeper, he would again have loudly called for help, had he not become conscious that there were footsteps close at hand. By dint4 of listening most intently he heard a number of doors opened and shut, and sometimes when one was opened there was a shriek5, and the lashing6 of the whips, which very soon succeeded in drowning all other noises. It occurred to Tobias, and correctly too, for such was the fact, that the inmates7 of that most horrible abode8 were living, like so many wild beasts, in cages fed. Then he thought how strange it was that even for any amount of money human beings could be got to do the work of such an establishment. And by the time Tobias had made this reflection to himself, his own door was once more opened upon its rusty9 hinges. There was the flash of a light, and then a man came in with a water-can in his hand, to which there was a long spout10, and this he placed to the mouth of Tobias, who fearing that if he did not drink then he might be a long time without, swallowed some not over-savoury ditch water, as it seemed to him, which was thus brought to him. A coarse, brown-looking, hard loaf was then thrown at his feet, and the party was about to leave his cell, but he could not forbear speaking, and in a voice of the most supplicating11 earnestness he said—
"Oh, do not keep me here. Let me go, and I will say nothing of Todd. I will go to sea at once if you will let me out of this place, indeed I will; but I shall really go mad here!"
"Good that, Watson, ain't it?" said Mr. Fogg, who happened to be one of the party.
"Very good, sir. Lord bless you, the cunning of 'em is beyond anything in the world, sir; you'd be surprised at what they say to me sometimes."
"But I'm not mad—indeed I'm not mad!" cried Tobias.
"Oh," said Fogg, "it's a bad case I'm afraid; the strongest proof of insanity12 in my opinion, Watson, is the constant reiteration14 of the statement that he is not mad on the part of a lunatic. Don't you think it is so, Mr. Watson?"
"Oh, of course, sir, of course."
"Ah! I thought you would be of that opinion; but I suppose as this is a mere15 lad, we may do without chaining him up; and, besides, you know that to-day is inspection16 day, when we get an old fool of a superannuated17 physician to make us a visit."
"Yes, sir," said Watson, with a grin, "and a report that all is well conducted."
"Exactly. Who shall we have this time, do you think? I always give a ten guinea fee."
"Why, sir, there's old Dr. Popplejoy, he's 84 years old, they say, and sand blind; he'll take it as a great compliment, he will, and no doubt we can humbug18 him easily."
"I dare say we may; I'll see to it; and we will have him at twelve o'clock, Watson. You will take care to have everything ready, of course, you know; make all the usual preparations."
Tobias was astonished that before him they chose thus to speak so freely, but despairing as he was, he little knew how completely he was in the power of Mr. Fogg, and how utterly19 he was shut out from all human sympathy. Tobias said nothing; but he could not help thinking that, however old and stupid the physician whom they mentioned might be, surely there was a hope that he would be able to discover Tobias's perfect sanity13. But the wily Mr. Fogg knew perfectly20 well what he was about, and when he retired21 to his own room, he wrote the following note to Dr. Popplejoy, who was a retired physician, who had purchased a country house in the neighbourhood. The note will speak for itself, being as fine a specimen22 of hypocrisy23 as we can ever expect to lay before our readers—
"Sir,—Probably you may recognise my name as that of the keeper of a lunatic asylum in this neighbourhood. Consistent with a due regard for the safety of that most unhappy class of the community submitted to my care, I am most anxious, with the blessing25 of Divine Providence26, to ameliorate as far as possible, by kindness, that most shocking of all calamities—insanity. Once a year it is my custom to call in some experienced, able, and enlightened physician to see my patients (I enclose a fee)—a physician who has nothing to do with the establishment, and therefore cannot be biassed27. If you, sir, would do me the favour at about twelve o'clock to-day, to make a short visit of inspection, I shall esteem28 it a great honour, as well as a great favour.
"O. D. Fogg."
"To Dr. Popplejoy, &c."
This note, as might be expected, brought the old purblind30, superannuated Dr. Popplejoy to the asylum, and Mr. Fogg received him in due form, and with great gravity, saying, almost with tears in his eyes—
"My dear sir, the whole aim of my existence now, is to endeavour to soften31 the rigours of the necessary confinement32 of the insane, and I wish this inspection of my establishment to be made by you in order that I may thus for a time stand clear with the world—with my own conscience I am, of course, always clear; and if your report be satisfactory about the treatment of the unhappy persons I have here, not the slightest breath of slander34 can touch me."
"Oh yes, yes," said the old garrulous35 physician; "I—I—very good—eugh, eugh—I have a slight cough."
"A very slight one, sir. Will you, first of all, take a look at one of the sleeping chambers36 of the insane?"
The doctor agreed, and Mr. Fogg led him into a very comfortable sleeping-room, which the old gentleman declared was very satisfactory indeed, and when they returned to the apartment into which they had already been, Mr. Fogg said—
"Well then, sir, all we have to do is to bring in the patients, one by one, to you as fast as we can, so as not to occupy more of your valuable time than necessary; and any questions you ask will, no doubt, be answered, and I, being by, can give you the heads of any case that may excite your especial notice."
"Exactly, exactly. I—I—quite correct. Eugh—eugh!"
The old man was placed in a chair of state, reposing37 on some very comfortable cushions; and take him altogether, he was so pleased with the ten guineas and the flattery of Mr. Fogg—for nobody had given him a fee for the last fifteen years—that he was quite ready to be the foolish tool of the madhouse-keeper in almost any way that he chose to dictate38 to him. We need not pursue the examination of the various unfortunates who were brought before old Dr. Popplejoy; it will suffice for us if we carry the reader through the examination of Tobias, who is our principal care, without, at the same time, detracting from the genial39 sympathy we must feel for all who, at that time, were subject to the tender mercies of Mr. Fogg. At about half-past twelve the door of Tobias's cell was opened by Mr. Watson, who, walking in, laid hold of the boy by the collar, and said—
"Hark you, my lad! you are going before a physician, and the less you say the better. I speak to you for your own sake; you can do yourself no good, but you can do yourself a great deal of harm. You know we keep a cart-whip here. Come along."
Tobias said not a word in answer to this piece of altogether gratuitous40 advice, but he made up his mind that, if the physician was not absolutely deaf, he should hear him. Before, however, the unhappy boy was taken into the room where old Dr. Popplejoy was waiting, he was washed and brushed down generally, so that he presented a much more respectable appearance than he would have done had he been ushered41 in in his soiled state, as he was taken from the dirty mad-house cell.
"Surely, surely," thought Tobias, "the extent of cool impudence42 can go no further than this; but I will speak to the physician, if my life should be sacrificed for so doing. Yes, of that I am determined43."
In another minute he was in the room, face to face with Mr. Fogg and Dr. Popplejoy.
"What—what?—eugh! eugh!" coughed the old doctor; "a boy, Mr. Fogg, a mere boy. Dear me! I—I—eugh! eugh! eugh! My cough is a little troublesome I think, to-day—eugh! eugh!"
"Yes, sir," said Fogg, with a deep sigh, and making a pretence44 to dash a tear from his eye; "here you have a mere boy. I am always affected45 when I look upon him, doctor. We were boys ourselves once, you know, and to think that the divine spark of intelligence has gone out in one so young, is enough to make any feeling heart throb46 with agony. This lad though, sir, is only a monomaniac. He has a fancy that some one named Sweeney Todd is a murderer, and that he can discover his bad practices. On all other subjects he is sane33 enough; but upon that, and upon his presumed freedom from mental derangement47, he is furious."
"It is false, sir, it is false!" said Tobias, stepping up. "Oh, sir, if you are not one of the creatures of this horrible place, I beg that you will hear me, and let justice be done."
"Oh, yes—I—I—eugh! Of course—I—eugh!"
"Sir, I am not mad, but I am placed here because I have become dangerous to the safety of criminal persons."
"Oh, indeed! Ah—oh—yes."
"I am a poor lad, sir, but I hate wickedness; and because I found out that Sweeney Todd was a murderer, I am placed here."
"You hear him, sir," said Fogg; "just as I said."
"Oh, yes, yes. Who is Sweeney Todd, Mr. Fogg?"
"Oh, sir, there is no such person in the world."
"Ah, I thought as much—I thought as much—a sad case, a very sad case, indeed. Be calm, my little lad, and Mr. Fogg will do all that can be done for you, I'm sure."
"Oh! how can you be so foolish, sir," cried Tobias, "as to be deceived by that man, who is making a mere instrument of you to cover his own villany? What I say to you is true, and I am not mad!"
"I think, Dr. Popplejoy," said Fogg, with a smile, "it would take rather a cleverer fellow than I am to make a fool of you; but you perceive, sir, that in a little while the boy would get quite furious, that he would. Shall I take him away?"
"Yes, yes—poor fellow!"
"Hear me—oh, hear me," shrieked48 Tobias. "Sir, on your death-bed you may repent49 this day's work—I am not mad—Sweeney Todd is a murderer—he is a barber in Fleet-street—I am not mad!"
"It's melancholy50, sir, is it not?" said Fogg, as he again made an effort to wipe away a tear from his eyes. "It's very melancholy."
"Oh! very, very."
"Watson, take away poor Tobias Ragg, but take him very gently, and stay with him a little, in his nice comfortable room, and try to soothe51 him; speak to him of his mother, Watson, and get him round if you can. Alas52, poor child! my heart quite bleeds to see him. I am not fit exactly for this life, doctor, I ought to be made of sterner stuff, indeed I ought."
"Well," said Mr. Watson, as he saluted53 poor Tobias with a kick outside the door, "what a deal of good you have done!"
The boy's patience was exhausted54; he had borne all that he could bear, and this last insult maddened him. He turned with the quickness of thought, and sprang at Mr. Watson's throat. So sudden was the attack, and so completely unprepared for it was that gentleman, that down he fell in the passage, with such a blow of his head against the stone floor that he was nearly insensible; and, before anybody could get to his assistance, Tobias had so pommelled and clawed his face, that there was scarcely a feature discernible, and one of his eyes seemed to be in fearful jeopardy55. The noise of this assault soon brought Mr. Fogg to the spot, as well as old Dr. Popplejoy, and the former tore Tobias from his victim, whom he seemed intent upon murdering.
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1
plaintive
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| adj.可怜的，伤心的 | |
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requiem
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| n.安魂曲，安灵曲 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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dint
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| n.由于，靠；凹坑 | |
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shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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lashing
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| n.鞭打；痛斥；大量；许多v.鞭打( lash的现在分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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inmates
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| n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 ) | |
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8
abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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9
rusty
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| adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的 | |
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10
spout
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| v.喷出，涌出；滔滔不绝地讲；n.喷管；水柱 | |
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11
supplicating
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| v.祈求，哀求，恳求( supplicate的现在分词 ) | |
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insanity
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| n.疯狂，精神错乱；极端的愚蠢，荒唐 | |
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13
sanity
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| n.心智健全，神智正常，判断正确 | |
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reiteration
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| n. 重覆, 反覆, 重说 | |
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15
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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16
inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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17
superannuated
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| adj.老朽的，退休的；v.因落后于时代而废除，勒令退学 | |
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18
humbug
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| n.花招，谎话，欺骗 | |
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19
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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hypocrisy
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| n.伪善，虚伪 | |
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asylum
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| n.避难所，庇护所，避难 | |
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blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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26
providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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biassed
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| （统计试验中）结果偏倚的，有偏的 | |
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esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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29
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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purblind
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| adj.半盲的；愚笨的 | |
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31
soften
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| v.(使)变柔软；(使)变柔和 | |
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32
confinement
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| n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限 | |
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33
sane
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| adj.心智健全的，神志清醒的，明智的，稳健的 | |
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34
slander
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| n./v.诽谤，污蔑 | |
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garrulous
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| adj.唠叨的，多话的 | |
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chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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37
reposing
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| v.将（手臂等）靠在某人（某物）上( repose的现在分词 ) | |
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38
dictate
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| v.口授；(使)听写；指令，指示，命令 | |
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genial
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| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
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40
gratuitous
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| adj.无偿的，免费的；无缘无故的，不必要的 | |
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41
ushered
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| v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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42
impudence
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| n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼 | |
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43
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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44
pretence
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| n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰 | |
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45
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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46
throb
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| v.震颤，颤动；(急速强烈地)跳动，搏动 | |
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47
derangement
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| n.精神错乱 | |
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48
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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repent
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| v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔 | |
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50
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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51
soothe
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| v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承 | |
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52
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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53
saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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54
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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55
jeopardy
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| n.危险；危难 | |
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