The whole house was in a furious bustle. All the hobbles, and chains, and
instruments of restraint were hastily collected and bundled out of sight,
and clean sheets were being put on many a filthy bed whose occupant had
never slept in sheets since he came there, when two justices arrived and
were shown into the drawing-room.
During the few minutes they were detained there by Mrs. Archbold, who was
mistress of her whole business, quite a new face was put on everything
and everybody; ancient cobwebs fell; soap and water explored unwonted
territories: the harshest attendants began practising pleasant looks and
kind words on the patients, to get into the way of it, so that it might
not come too abrupt and startle the patients visibly under the visitors'
eyes: something like actors working up a factitious sentiment at the wing
for the public display, or like a racehorse's preliminary canter.
Alfred's heart beat with joy inexpressible. He had only to keep calm, and
this was his last day at Silverton Grove. The first thing he did was to
make a careful toilet.
The stinginess of relations, and the greed of madhouse proprietors, make
many a patient look ten times madder than he is, by means of dress.
Pages:
725
726
727
728
729
730
731
732
733
734
735
736
737
738
739
740
741
742
743
744
745
746
747
748
749