"
Alfred could not believe this, but she convinced him that it was so.
Then he began to fear he should be imprisoned for years: he turned pale,
and looked at her so piteously, that to soothe him she told him sane
people were never kept in asylums now; they only used to be.
"How can they?" said she. "The London asylums are visited four times a
year by the commissioners, and the country asylums six times, twice by
the commissioners, and four times by the justices. _We_ shall be
inspected this week or next; and then you can speak to the justices: mind
and be calm; say it is a mistake; offer testimony; and ask either to be
discharged at once or to have a commission of lunacy sit on you. Ten to
one your friends will not face public proceedings: but you must begin at
the foundation, by making the servants friendly--and by--being calm." She
then fixed her large grey eyes on him and said, "Now if I let you dine
with me and the first-class patients, will you pledge me your honour to
'be calm,' and not attempt to escape?" Alfred hesitated at that. Her eye
dissected his character all the time.
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