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im in mockery。 Oh； the sickening anguish of Hope deferred； and deferred：
〃The Hell it is in suing long to bide。〃
But indeed his hopes began to sicken for good when he found that the Board would not allow any honest independent physician to visit him； or any solicitor to see him。 At first； indeed； they refused it because Mr。 Thomas Hardie was going to let him out： but when T。 Hardie would not move at their request； then on a fresh application they refused it； giving as their reason that they had already refused it。 Yet in so keen a battle he would not throw away a chance： so he determined to win Dr。 Wycherley altogether by hook or by crook； and get a certificate of sanity from him。 Now a single white lie； he knew would do the trick。 He had only to say that Hamlet was mad。 And 〃Hamlet was mad〃 is easily said。
Dr。 Wycherley was a collector of mad people； and collectors are always amateurs； and very seldom connoisseurs。 His turn of mind co…operating with his interests； led him to put down any man a lunatic； whose intellect was manifestly superior to his own。 Alfred Hardie； and one or two more contemporaries； had suffered by this humour of the good doctor's。 Nor did the dead escape him entirely。 Pascal； according to Wycherley； was a madman with an illusion about a precipice； John Howard a moral lunatic in whom the affections were reversed； Saul a moping maniac with homicidal paroxysms and nocturnal visions； Paul an incoherent lunatic； who in his writings flies off at a tangent； and who admits having once been the victim of a photopsic illusion in broad daylight； Nebuchadnezzar a lycanthropical lunatic； Joan of Arc a theomaniac； Bobby Burton and Oliver Cromwell melancholy maniacs； Napoleon an ambitious maniac； in whom the sense of impossibility became gradually extinguished by visceral and cerebral derangement； Porson an oinomaniac； Luther a phrenetic patient of the old demoniac breed； alluded to by Shakespeare：
〃One sees more devils than vast Hell can hold。 That is the madman。〃
But without intending any disrespect to any of these gentlemen； he assigned the golden crown of Insanity to Hamlet。 To be sure； this character tells his friends in the play he shall _feign_ insanity； and swears them not to reveal the reason； and after this hint to his friends and the pit （it is notorious he was not written for readers） he keeps his word； and does it as cleverly as if his name was David or Brutus instead of Hamlet； indeed； like Edgar； he rather overdoes it； and so puzzles his enemies in the play； and certain German criticasters and English mad doctors in the closet； and does not puzzle his bosom friend in the play one bit； nor the pit for whom he was created。 Add to this his sensibility； and his kindness to others； and his eloquent grief at the heart…rending situation which his father's and mother's son was placed in and had brains to realise； though his psychological critics； it seems； have not； and add to all that the prodigious extent of his mind； his keen observation； his deep reflection； his brilliant fancy； united for once in a way with the great Academic； or judicial； intellect； that looks down and sees all the sides of everythingand what can this rare intellectual compound be？ Wycherley decided the question。 Hamlet was too much greater in the world of mind than S。 T。 Coleridge and his German criticasters； too much higher； deeper； and broader than Esquirol； Pinel； Sauze； Haslam； Munro； Pagan； Wigan； Prichard； Romberg； Wycherley； and such small deer； to be anything less than a madman。
Now； in their midnight discussions； Dr。 Wycherley more than once alluded to the insanity of Hamlet； and offered proofs。 But Alfred declined the subject as too puerile。 〃A man must exist before he can be insane；〃 said the Oxonian philosopher； severe in youthful gravity。 But when he found that Dr。 Wycherley； had he lived in Denmark at the time； would have conferred cannily with Hamlet's uncle； removed that worthy relative's disbelief in Hamlet's insanity； and signed the young gentleman away behind his back into a lunatic asylum； Alfred began to sympathise with this posthumous victim of Psychological Science。 〃I believe the bloke was no madder than I am；〃 said he。 He got the play； studied it afresh； compared the fiction with the legend； compared Hamlet humbugging his enemies and their tool； Ophelia； with Hamlet opening his real mind to himself or his Horatio the very next moment； contrasted the real madness the author has portrayed in the plays of Hamlet and Lear by the side of these extravagant imitations； to save； if possible； even dunces； and dreamers； and criticasters from being taken in by the latter； and at their next seance pitched into the doctor's pet chimera； and what with logic； fact； ridicule； and the author's lines； knocked it to atoms。
Now； in their midnight discussions； Dr。 Wycherley had always handled the question of Alfred Hardie's Sanity or Insanity with a philosophical coolness the young man admired； and found it hard to emulate； but this philosophic calmness deserted him the moment Hamlet's insanity was disputed； and the harder he was pressed the angrier； the louder； the more confused the Psychological physician became； and presently he got furious； burst out of the anti…spasmodic or round…about style and called Alfred a dd ungrateful； insolent puppy； and went stamping about the room； and； finally； to the young man's horror； fell down in a fit of an epileptic character； grinding his teeth and foaming at the mouth。
Alfred was filled with regret； and； though alarmed； had the presence of mind not to call for assistance。 The fit was a very mild one in reality； though horrible to look at。 The doctor came to； and asked feebly for wine。 Alfred got it him； and the doctor； with a mixture of cunning and alarm in his eye； said he had fainted away； or nearly。 Alfred assented coaxingly； and looked sheepish。 After this he took care never to libel Hamlet's intellect again by denying his insanity； for he was now convinced of what he had long half suspected； that the doctor had a bee in his own bonnet； and Alfred had studied true insanity all this time； and knew how inhumane it is to oppose a monomaniac's foible； it only infuriates and worries him。 No power can convince him。
But now he resolved to play on the doctor's foible。 It went against his conscience； but the temptation was so strong。 He came to him with a hang…dog air。
〃Doctor；〃 said he； 〃I have been thinking over your arguments； and I capitulate。 If Hamlet ever existed； he was as mad as a March hare。〃 And he blushed at this his first quibble。
Dr。 Wycherley beamed with satisfaction。
〃My young friend； this gives me sincere pleasure； not on my account； but on your own。 There goes one of your illusions then。 Now tell methe L。 4；000！ Have you calmly reconsidered that too？〃
Alfred hung his head； and looked guiltier and guiltier。
〃Why；〃 said he； 〃that never amounted to anything more than a strong suspicion。 It has long ceased to occupy my mind in excess。 However； should I ever be so fortunate as to recover my liberty； I have no objection to collect the evidence about it pro and con。； and then make you the judge instead of myself。〃 This he delivered with an admirable appearance of indifference。
〃Very well； sir；〃 said the doctor drily。 〃Then； now I have a piece of good news for _you。_
〃Oh； doctor； what is that？〃
〃Your cure is complete； that is all！ You are now a sane man； as sane as I am。〃
Alfred was a little disappointed at this piece of news； but recovering himself； asked him to certify that and let him send the certificate to the Board。 Dr。 Wycherley said he would with pleasure。
〃I'll bring it to you when I make my round；〃 said he。
Alfred retired triumphant； and went in at Plato with a good heart。
In about an hour Dr。 Wycherley paid him the promised visit。 But what may not an hour bring forth？ He came with mortification and regret in his face to tell Alfred that an order of transfer had been signed by the proper parties； and counter…signed by two Commissioners； and he was to go to Dr。 Wolf's asylum that day。
Alfred groaned。 〃I knew my father would out…wit my feeble friends somehow or other；〃 said he。 〃What is his game！ do you know？〃
〃I suppose to obtain a delay； and meantime get you into an asylum； where they will tell the Commissioners you are worse again； and perhaps do something to make their words good。 Dr。 Wolf； between ourselves； will say or do almost anything for money。 And his asylum is conducted on the old system； though he pretends not。〃
〃My dear friend；〃 said Alfred； 〃will you do me a favour？〃
〃How could I deny you anything at this sorrowful moment？〃
〃Here is an advertisement I want inserted in the _Morning Advertiser。_〃
〃Oh； I can't do that； I fear。〃
〃Look at it before you break my heart by refusing me。〃
Dr。 Wycherley looked at it； and said it was innocent； being unintelligible： and he would insert it himself。
〃Three insertions； dear doctor； said Alfred。 〃Here is the money。
The doctor then told him sorrowfully he must pack up his thingsDr。 Wolf's keepers were waiting for him。
The moment of parting came。 Then Alfred solemnly forgave Dr。 Wycherley for signing away his wits； and thanked him for al