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s favourite child was irksome： he made an excuse and strolled out in his turn into the silent night。 It was calm and clear： the thousand holy eyes； under which men prefer to do their crimesexcept when they are in too great a hurry to waitlooked down and seemed to wonder anything can be so silly as to sin； and beneath their pure gaze the man of the world pondered with all his soul。 He tormented himself with conjectures： through what channel did Alfred suspect him？ Through the Dodds？ Were they aware of their loss？ Had the pocket…book spoken？ If so； why had not Mrs。 Dodd or her son attacked him？ But then perhaps Alfred was their agent： they wished to try a friendly remonstrance through a mutual friend before proceeding to extremities； this accorded with Mrs。 Dodd's character as he remembered her。
The solution was reasonable； but he was relieved of it by recollecting what Alfred had said； that he had not entered the house since the bank broke。
On this he began to hope Alfred's might be a mere suspicion he could not establish by any proof； and at all events； he would lock it in his own breast like a good son： his never having given a hint even to his sister favoured this supposition。
Thus meditating； Mr。 Hardie found himself at the gate of Albion Villa。
Yet he had strolled out with no particular intention of going there。 Had his mind； apprehensive of danger from that quarter； driven his body thither？
He took a look at the house； and the first thing he saw was a young lady leaning over the balcony； and murmuring softly to a male figure below； whose outline Mr。 Hardie could hardly discern； for it stood in the shadow。 Mr。 Hardie was delighted。
〃Aha； Miss Juliet；〃 said he； 〃if Alfred does not visit you； some one else does。 You have soon supplied your peevish lover's place。〃 He then withdrew softly from the gate； not to disturb the intrigue； and watched a few yards off； determined to see who Julia's nightly visitor was； and give Alfred surprise for surprise。
He had not long to wait： the man came away directly； and walked； head erect； past Mr。 Hardie； and glanced full in his face； but did not vouchsafe him a word。 It was Alfred himself。
Mr。 Hardie was profoundly alarmed and indignant。 〃The young traitor！ Never enter the house？ no； but he comes and tells her everything directly under her window on the sly； and； when he is caughtdefies me to my face。〃 And now he suspected female cunning and malice in the way that thunderbolt had been quietly prepared for him and launched； without warning； in his very daughter's presence； and the result just communicated to Julia Dodd。
In a very gloomy mood he followed his son； and heard his firm though elastic tread on the frosty ground； and saw how loftily he carried his head； and from that moment feared； and very； very nearly hated him。
The next day he feigned sick and sent for Osmond。 That worthy prescribed a pill and a draught； the former laxative； the latter astringent。 This ceremony performed； Mr。 Hardie gossipped with him； and； after a detour or two； glided to his real anxiety。 〃Sampson tells me you know more about Captain Dodd's case than he does： he is not very clear as to the cause of the poor man's going mad。〃
〃The cause？ Why； apoplexy。〃
〃Yes； but I mean what caused the apoplexy？〃
Mr。 Osmond replied that apoplexy was often idiopathic。* Captain Dodd； as he understood； had fallen down in the street in a sudden fit： 〃but as for the mania； that is to be attributed to an insufficient evacuation of blood while under the apoplectic coma。〃
… *〃Arising of itself。〃 A term rather hastily applied to disorders the coming signs of which have not been detected by the medical attendant。
The birth of Topsy was idiopathicin that learned lady's opinion。 …
〃Not bled enough！ Why； Sampson says it is because he was bled too much。〃
Osmond was amused at this； and repeated that the mania came of not being bled enough。
The discussion was turned into an unexpected quarter by the entrance of Jane Hardie； who came timidly in and said； 〃Oh； Mr。 Osmond； I cannot let you go without telling you how anxious I am about Alfred。 He is so thin； and pale； and depressed。〃
〃Nonsense； Jane；〃 said Mr。 Hardie； 〃have we not all cause to be dejected in this house？〃 But she persisted gently that there was more in it than that； and his headaches were worse； and she could not be easy any longer without advice。
〃Ah！ those headaches；〃 said Mr。 Osmond； 〃they always made me uneasy。 To tell the truth； Miss Hardie； I have noticed a remarkable change in him； but I did not like to excite apprehensions。 And so he mopes； does he？ seeks solitude； and is taciturn； and dejected？〃
〃Yes。 But I do not mind that so much as his turning so pale and thin。〃
〃Oh； it is all part of one malady。〃
〃Then you know what is the matter？〃
〃I think I do； and yours is a wise and timely anxiety。 Your brother's is a very delicate case of hyperaesthetic character； and I should like to have the advice of a profound physician。 Let me see； Dr。 Wycherley will be with me to…morrow： may I bring him over as a friend？〃
This proposal did not at all suit Mr。 Hardie。 He put his own construction on Alfred's pallor and dejection； and was uneasy at the idea of his being cross…questioned by a couple of doctors：
〃No； no；〃 said he； 〃Taff has fancies enough already。 I cannot have you gentlemen coming here to fill his head with many more。〃
〃Oh； he has fancies； has he？〃 said Osmond keenly。 〃My dear sir； we shall not say one word to _him：_ that might irritate him： but I should like _you_ to hear a truly learned opinion。〃
Jane looked so imploringly that Mr。 Hardie yielded a reluctant assent； on those terms。
So the next day； by appointment； Mr。 Osmond introduced his friend Dr。 Wycherley： bland and bald with a fine bead； and a face naturally intelligent； but crossed every now and then by gleams of vacancy； a man of large reading； and of tact to make it subserve his interests。 A voluminous writer on certain medical subjects； he had so saturated himself with circumlocution； that it distilled from his very tongue： he talked like an Article； a Quarterly one； and so gained two advantages： 1st； he rarely irritated a fellow…creature； for if he began a sentence hot； what with its length； and what with its windiness； he ended it cool： item； stabs by polysyllables are pricks by sponges。 2ndly； this foible earned him the admiration of fools； and that is as invaluable as they are innumerable。
Yet was there in the mother…tongue he despised one gem of a word he vastly admired： like most Quarterly writers。 That charming word； the pet of the polysyllabic； was 〃OF。〃
He opened the matter in a subdued and sympathising tone well calculated to win a loving father； such as Richard Hardiewas not。
〃My good friend here informs me； sir； you are so fortunate as to possess a son of distinguished abilities； and who is at present labouring under some of those precursory indications of incipient disease of the cerebro…psychical organs； of which I have been； I may say； somewhat successful in diagnosing the symptoms。 Unless I have been misinformed； he has； for a considerable time； experienced persistent headache of a kephalalgic or true cerebral type； and has now advanced to the succeeding stage of taciturnity and depression； not* unaccompanied with isolation； and probably constipation： but as yet without hallucination； though possibly； and； as my experience of the great majority of these cases would induce me to say； probably he is not** undisturbed by one or more of those latent； and； at first； trifling aberrations； either of the intelligence or the senses； which in their preliminary stages escape the observation of all but the expert nosologist。〃
*Anglice； 〃accompanied。〃 **Anglice； 〃disturbed。〃
〃There； you see；〃 said Osmond； 〃Dr。 Wycherley agrees with me： yet I assure you I have only detailed the symptoms； and not the conclusion I had formed from them。〃
Jane inquired timidly what that conclusion was。
〃Miss Hardie； we think it one of those obscure tendencies which are very curable if taken in time〃 Dr。 Wycherley ended the sentence： 〃But no longer remediable if the fleeting opportunity is allowed to escape； and diseased action to pass into diseased organisation。〃
Jane looked awestruck at their solemnity； but Mr。 Hardie； who was taking advice against the grain； turned satirical。 〃Gentleman；〃 said he； 〃be pleased to begin by moderating your own obscurity； and then perhaps I shall see better how to cure my son's disorder。 What the deuce are you driving at？〃
The two doctors looked at one another inquiringly； and so settled how to proceed。 Dr。 Wycherley explained to Mr。 Hardie that there was a sort of general unreasonable and superstitious feeling abroad； a kind of terror of the complaint with which his son was threatened； _〃and which；_ instead of the most remediable of disorders； is looked at as the most incurable of maladies：〃 it was on this account he had learned to approach the subject with singular caution； and even with a timidity which was kinder in appearance than in reality； that he must admit。
〃Well； you may speak out； as far as I am concerned；〃 said Mr。 Hardie； with consummate indifference。
〃Oh； yes！〃 said Jane； in a feve