"Hallo!" cried the maniac.
"What's up now?" said a keeper fiercely.
"Why this man is sane. As sane as I am."
At this there was a horse laugh.
"Saner," persisted the maniac; "for I am a little queer at times, you
know."
"And no mistake, Jemmy. Now what makes you think he is sane?"
"Looked me full in the face, and smiled at me."
"Oh, that is your test, is it?"
"Yes, it is. You try it on any of those mad beggars there and see if they
can stand it."
"Who invented gunpowder?" said one of the insulted persons, looking as
sly and malicious as a magpie going to steal.
Jemmy exploded directly: "I did, ye rascal, ye liar, ye rogue, ye
Baconian!" and going higher, and higher in this strain, was very soon
handcuffed with Alfred's handcuffs, and seated on Alfred's bench and tied
to two rings in the wall. On this his martial ardour went down to zero:
"Here is treatment, sir," said he piteously to Alfred. "I see you are a
gentleman; now look at this. All spite and jealousy because I invented
that invaluable substance, which has done so much to prolong human life
and alleviate human misery.
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