Besides, if we give battle
to-day we fight the heir at law; but in three or four months we may
have him on our side, and trustees appointed by you. By that time, too,
Sir Charles will have got over that abominable capture, and be better
than he was a week ago, constantly soothed and consoled--as he will
be--by the hope of offspring. When the right time comes, that moment we
strike, and with a sledge-hammer. No letters to the commissioners then,
no petitioning Chancery to send a jury into the asylum, stronghold of
prejudice. I will cut your husband in two. Don't be alarmed. I will
merely give him, with your help, an _alter ego,_ who shall effect his
liberation and ruin Richard Bassett--ruin him in damages and costs, and
drive him out of the country, perhaps. Meantime you are not to be a lay
figure, or a mere negative."

"Oh, sir, I am so glad of that!"

"Far from that: you will act defensively. Mr. Bassett has one chance;
you must be the person to extinguish it. Injudicious treatment in the
asylum might retard Sir Charles's cure; their leeches and their
sedatives, administered by sucking apothecaries, who reason it _a
priori,_ instead of watching the effect of these things on the patient,
might seriously injure your husband, for his disorder is connected with
a weak circulation of blood in the vessels of the brain. We must
therefore guard against that at once. To work, then. Who keeps this
famous asylum?"

"Dr. Suaby."

"Suaby? I know that name. He has been here, I think. I must look in my
Index rerum et hominum. Suaby? Not down. Try Asyla.--Asyla; 'Suaby: see
letter-book for the year--, p. 368.' An old letter-book. I must go
elsewhere for that."

He went out, and after some time returned with a folio letter-book.

"Here are two letters to me from Dr. Suaby, detailing his system and
inviting me to spend a week at his asylum. Come, come; Sir Charles is
with a man who does not fear inspection; for at this date I was bitter
against private asylums--rather indiscriminately so, I fear. Stay! he
visited me; I thought so. Here's a description of him: 'A pale,
thoughtful man, with a remarkably mild eye: is against restraint of
lunatics, and against all punishment of them--Quixotically so. Being
cross-examined, declares that if a patient gave him a black eye he
would not let a keeper handle him roughly, being irresponsible.' No
more would I, if I could give him a good licking myself. Please study
these two letters closel