VOLUME ONE, CHAPTER EIGHT.
Mad as the sea and wind, when both contend which is the mightier. SHAKESPEARE.
"So far we have succeeded, my dear Mrs Forster," said Miss Dragwell; "Iwill now return home, and come back as soon as I can with thepost-chaise. Mr Ramsden's servant shall come with me to conduct you tothe asylum, and I trust in a quarter of an hour to see you clear ofthese foolish people of Overton, who think that you are the party infault: you had better remain in your room, and not appear again at thewindow; the crowd will disperse when they are tired of watching:good-bye, my dear Mrs Forster, good-bye."
Mrs Forster was in too sulky a humour to vouchsafe an answer; and MissDragwell quitted the house. Betsy had taken advantage of the turmoiland the supposed lunacy of her mistress, to gossip in the neighbourhood.Nicholas Forster was in the shop, but took no notice of Miss Dragwellas she passed through. He appeared to have forgotten all that hadoccurred, and was very busy filing at his bench. There we must leavehim, and follow the motions of the mischief-loving Miss Dragwell.
Upon her return, the party collected at the parsonage considered thatthey had proceeded far enough; but Miss Dragwell thought otherwise; shehad made up her mind that Mrs Forster should pass a day or two in theLunatic Asylum, and she felt assured that Mr Ramsden, through whoseassistance her intention must be accomplished, would not venture todispute her wishes.
Her father, with a loud Ha, ha, ha! proposed that Mr Spinney shouldappear as a ghost by the bedside of Mrs Forster, wrapped up in a sheet,with a He, he, he! and that thus the diversion should end; but thisproject was overruled by Mr Spinney, who protested that nothing shouldinduce him again to trust himself, with a He, he, he! in the presence ofMrs Forster.
Ramsden, although well acquainted with Doctor Beddington, who had chargeof the asylum, was not sure that he would be pleased with their freak,and earnestly dissuaded his intended from proceeding any farther.
"It is useless to argue, my dear George, I am Quixote enough to revengethe injuries of those who have been forced to submit to her temper; andmoreover I hope to effect a cure. Desperate diseases, you must be awareas a medical man, require desperate remedies. I consider that atermagant and a lunatic are during their paroxysms on a par, as rationalbehaviour in either party may be considered as a lucid interval. Lether, if it be only for one hour, witness herself reflected in thevarious distorted mirrors of perverted mind; and if she has anyconscience whatever, good will spring from evil. I joined this plotfrom a love of mischief; but I carry it on from a feeling thatfavourable results will be produced."
"But my dear Fanny--"
"I will have it so, Ramsden, so don't attempt to dissuade me; we are notmarried yet, and I must not be thwarted in my short supremacy. Surelyyou ought not to be displeased at my desire to `tame a shrew.' I give afair promise not to fall into an error which I so ardently detest: now,send for the chaise, write a letter to Doctor Beddington, and leave meto arrange with Mrs Forster."
Ramsden, like many others when teased by a pretty woman, consentedagainst his will; he wrote a letter to Doctor Beddington, explainingcircumstances, and requesting his pardon for the liberty which he hadbeen persuaded to take.
Miss Dragwell, as soon as the letter was sealed, put on her bonnet, andtaking Mr Ramsden's servant with her, stepped into the chaise, anddrove to the house of Mr Nicholas Forster. She found Mrs Forstersquatted on the bed in her ludicrous attire, awaiting her return withimpatience.
"Oh! Mrs Forster, I have had such trouble, such difficulty; but MrRamsden has been persuaded at last. There is a letter to DrBeddington, and Mr Ramsden's servant is in the chaise at the door; thesooner you are off the better; the people are so outrageous, and callyou such shocking names."
"Do they?" replied Mrs Forster, whose wrath kindled at the information.
"Yes, indeed; and that wretch Betsy declares that she'll put the ropeover your neck with her own hands."
"Does she?" cried Mrs Forster, her eyes twinkling with rage.
"Yes; and your husband, your foolish husband, says that he'll be able tomake his improvement in the duplex, now that you'll be hanged."
"He does, does he?" replied Mrs Forster, catching her breath, andgrinding her teeth as she jumped off the bed.
"Now, my dear Mrs Forster, it's no use minding what they say; all youhave to do is to escape as soon as possible; the magistrate's warrantmay arrive this minute, and then it will be too late; so come down atonce:--how lucky that you have escaped! it must be a dreadful thing tobe hanged!"
This last remark, always brought forward by Miss Dragwell, when she hada point to carry, induced Mrs Forster to hasten down stairs to thepost-chaise, which she found already occupied by Mr Ramsden's servant.As soon as she entered, it was driven off with speed in the directionalready communicated to the post-boy.
We shall leave the town of Overton to recover its quiet, for such abustle had not occurred for many years, and Miss Dragwell to exult inthe success of her plot, while we follow Mrs Forster to her newquarters.
The chaise rattled on, Mr Ramsden's servant crouching in a corner, asfar as possible from Mrs Forster, evidently about as well pleased withhis company as one would be in a pitfall with a tiger. At last itstopped at the door of the Lunatic Asylum, and the post-boy dismountingfrom his reeking horses, pulled violently at a large bell, whichanswered with a most lugubrious tolling, and struck awe into the breastof Mrs Forster.
When the door was opened Mr Ramsden's servant alighted, and went in todeliver his letter to the doctor. The doctor was not at home; he hadobtained his furlough of three weeks, and was very busy with hisfishing-rod some thirty miles distant; but the keepers were inattendance, and, as Mr Ramsden's servant stated the insanity of MrsForster, and that she had been sent there by his master, they raised noobjections to her reception. In a few minutes the servant reappearedwith two keepers, who handed Mrs Forster out of the chaise, andconducted her to a receiving-room, where Mrs Forster waited someminutes in expectation of the appearance of Doctor Beddington. In themean time, Mr Ramsden's servant, having no farther communication tomake, left the letter for Doctor Beddington, and returned in the chaiseto Overton.
After a quarter of an hour had elapsed, Mrs Forster inquired of one ofthe keepers, who had, much to her annoyance, taken a chair close to her,whether the doctor intended to come.
"He'll come by-and-bye, good woman. How do you feel yourself now?"
"Very cold--very cold, indeed," replied Mrs Forster, shivering.
"That's what the poor brutes always complain of--ar'nt it, Jim?"observed another keeper, who had just entered. "Where be we to stowher."
"I sent Tom to get Number 14 ready."
"Why, you don't think that I'm mad!" cried Mrs Forster, with terror.
"So, softly--so--so," said the keeper next to her, patting her, as hewould soothe a fractious child.
The violence of Mrs Forster, when she discovered that she wasconsidered as a lunatic, fully corroborated to the keepers the assertionof Mr Ramsden's servant; but we must not dwell upon the scene whichfollowed. After an ineffectual struggle, Mrs Forster found herselflocked up in Number 14, and left to her own reflections. The previousscenes which had occurred, added to the treatment which she received inthe asylum, caused such excitement, that, before the next morning, shewas seized with a brain fever, and raved as loudly in her delirium asany of the other unfortunate inmates there incarcerated.