Bedlam Page #6

She seems quite ladylike. Quite sane.

Or as I might express myself

before the bar...

compos mentis en lex.

Then I shall ask her.

We can have Dan

and the four of us can play Paroli.

Madam, would you care to join us?

We are going to play Paroli.

That's kind of you. But I have no money.

Money? We play on our word.

I have a wealth of words. I don't cheat.

But I warn you, I'm not above amending

the mistakes of fortune.

This, Mistress Bowen, is Oliver Todd.

He won't speak to you nor to me,

but there's no harm in him.

And he writes and reasons well.

And this is Dan.

Sometimes he fancies himself a dog.

But he has no malice in him.

And he remembers how to play cards.

I am Long.

Sidney Long, the crown solicitor.

Whose enemies will not let him practice

at the bar.

I, the most skilled of them all.

I have many enemies.

Many, many enemies.

I understand.

I shouldn't have told you that.

But believe me, we who are near

this pillar are the safe ones.

The good ones. The wisest.

That's why they let us have the candle.

But the rest...

You must be careful of the rest.

I am careful.

Let's begin the play.

Now, I will hold the bank.

Twenty thousand pounds.

Five pounds for a card.

Five pounds.

Five whippets, ten bassets,

one gazehound.

Anyone wish another card?

Five pounds.

Anyone else?

Banco.

- Paroli.

- Fortune smiles at your first play.

- What card?

- Knave of spades.

You win.

- Eight bulldogs.

- What's that?

A poor wretch.

Sims gave him a dose of iron this morning.

The chains are scruffing his flesh.

Will the warders not help him?

They've heard too many groans to bother.

But what about you?

Don't you ever help the others?

Why should we help?

We are the people of the pillar.

A card?

Wait. I can't play with that going on.

- May I have the candle?

- Be careful of the straw.

Do your chains hurt you?

Where does it hurt?

Here?

Would it help if I put a bit of cloth there

to ease your arm?

Better?

He's quiet now. That was kind of you.

It's just that I don't care for sad music

with my game of Paroli.

- A card?

- Five pounds.

Ten whippets.

- Any others?

- Fifteen pounds.

Anyone else?

Banco.

A very pleasant group you make,

dear people.

It's so nice to find you here amongst

the upper classes, Mistress Bowen.

But that's exactly

where I expected you to be.

It's a law of physics. The lighter elements,

like scum, rise to the top.

Thank you, Master Sims.

A delicate compliment.

I see you've joined

what little we have of society.

The group around the pillar.

Is this the brotherhood

your Quaker friend preaches?

Or perhaps you're afraid

amongst the others.

- I'm not afraid.

- Then you have forgotten.

Forgotten what?

Forgotten that you were going

to reform Bedlam.

Cleanliness. Soft beds for the delight

of the patients. Good treatment.

You've been here a week, Mistress Bowen,

and your only friends are these.

Our nobility.

The brotherhood of man.

Give me clean straw,

I'll make beds for them.

Bandages, I'll bind their wounds.

- Water and soap...

- That I would delight to see.

You shall have water. You shall have soap.

You shall have straw enough.

- I hope you make good use of them.

- I will, never fear.

I leave you to dream

of these Augean labors.

And may your dreams be sweet

and cleanly.

Rolls

Hot rolls

But where is it?

You promised a chapter for today.

I appeal to you, Master Long. Is it fair?

I support his family, feed his children.

Even pay my tuppence to come in

and get my script, and it is not ready.

We've been busy.

We've been helping Mistress Bowen.

Mistress Bowen? Who is she?

A new female warder.

- Now about the next chapter...

- No, not a warder, Master Gray.

An inmate like ourselves who does

all she can to help her fellow sufferers.

- But what can she do?

- Look, I'll show you.

What can she do, you ask?

She can feed those who haven't wit

enough to feed themselves.

She can wash the helpless.

Cheer the despondent.

She can be...

She is an angel in this darkness.

Very interesting. But this book you have.

Those drawings?

The pictures?

You don't know half their wonder,

Master Gray.

If I could only get a light

behind these pages...

I could throw them large as life

upon the wall.

Aye, that's not a bad notion.

One could charge admission.

You could even tell the story

Todd's writing that way.

But, you forget.

It's because of these pictures

that I'm here.

That and because

I'm the best lawyer in England.

- I, the most skilled of them all.

- Yes, of course.

And you, Oliver...

you'd best finish that chapter

by tomorrow...

or I shall withdraw my support

from your family, understand?

Dan, did you chance to see a trowel?

A trowel?

I'll build you a wall, a wall that high.

Master Long, have you seen a trowel?

I beg your pardon?

A trowel. A mason's instrument.

I mislaid it some days ago. I'd like it back.

Yes. A trowel.

I'm not mad, Master Long. I had a trowel.

Certainly, Mistress Bowen.

We'll help you find it.

You think I'm mad.

Sometimes, I think I've gone mad myself.

Scrubbing and making beds...

and all for people who don't even know

I'm trying to help them.

They know.

Good morning, Mistress Bowen.

What a happy place this has become.

Everything is so much cleaner.

The idiots even have their faces washed.

Such a little time

and this wonderful change in Bedlam.

What wonders will you not accomplish

in a lifetime?

Madam, you are to be congratulated.

- What do you want?

- I want only to reward you.

Did you not ask for

a separate sleeping apartment?

I'd like to sleep in peace.

- The main room is noisy at night.

- And I have a room for you.

A pretty chamber.

If you will come with me?

Unfortunately, you will have to share this

comfortable apartment with one other.

- But I'm sure you won't mind that.

- Better one than 100.

This is your new chamber, my dear lady.

Won't you enter?

You've not driven me mad yet, Sims.

I would not go in there.

And I wanted so much to please you.

Wait. This was to show you...

that all those mawkish theories

you learned from the Quaker are lies.

Men are not brothers.

Men are not born good and kind.

Even the mindless ones are savage

and must be ruled with force.

I know your thoughts on the matter, Sims.

They do not interest me.

The others, yes. You can prove

the little value of gentleness.

But look at this man. Look at him

and tell me that kind words...

and tender deeds can rule him. Look.

I am looking. It proves nothing.

But you don't dare enter the cage

with him. That proves much.

That proves the falsity of all that

you've come to believe.

- It does not.

- Then enter the cage.

Gentle him with a word.

Conquer him with kindness.

Or admit that your Quaker lies.

You would enter?

My friend, you do not wish to hurt me,

nor I you.

I...

Perhaps you'd like to talk.

I will listen to you.

I...

I know, you're trying to remember.

Someday you will.

You will remember.

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