lilQlIlRERpoiSbAip ^^smm^^^ CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND GIVEN IN 1891 BY HENRY WILLIAMS SAGE Cornell Unlveralty Library PS 2729.R27I5 Inqulrendo Islanc 3 1924 022 252 872 Cornell University Library The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924022252872 INQUIRENDO ISLAND BY HUDOR GENONE NEW YORK & LONDON G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS Copyright By G. p. Putnam's Sons i88s Press t>f G. P. Putjiam's Sons PREFACE. The following pages contain certain things which, unless considered in connection with the whole narrative, may possibly be misinterpreted, and I will especially ask my readers not to overlook the concluding chapter which I have called my Postface. While the story may be termed a satire, it will, I trust, not be found wanting in a spirit of full' reverence for the essential truths of God's universe. Between the pestilential marshes of superstition and the cold glaciers of reason, lies the fertile table-land of com- mon sense, and it is there I have endeavored to take my stand. CONTENTS. CHAP. PAGE I. The Wreck OF THE Speedwell i II. A Discourteous Reception 9 III. Mr. Nudwink's Serious Conversation 19 IV. The Girl of the Garden 31 V. In the Alcove 39 VI. The Convalescent Court 48 VII. Gallwood's Enmity is Manifested 58 VIII. On the Course of Discipline 68 IX. Some Necessary Statistics 78 X. The Greatest Common Divisor 87 XI. Oliver Imparts Information 99 XII. Church of the Least Common Multiple 108 XIII. I Refuse to Partake of Parsnips 117 XIV. Gallwood's Promised Wife 125 XV. His Text was Taken from the First Ground Rule 137 XVI. I AM Engaged to be Married 146 XVII. Gallwood's Little Supper 156 XVIII. Gallwood Smiled Again 168 XIX. My Faith-cure 182 XX. How Wonderful ARE Love's Sweet Influences. 195 XXI. The Science of Numbers 205 XXII. Trouble in Earnest 217 XXIII. He Insisted that I Belonged to a Highly Re- spectable Family 226 XXIV. Inconsistency and Contumacy 236 XXV. Some Testimony for the Prosecution 245 XXVI. More Testimony 259 XXVIL "To THE Unknown God." 272 XXVIII. The Revised Version 286 V VI CONTENTS. CHAP. PAGE XXIX. My Own Funeral 296 XXX. An Appropriate Occasion 308 XXXI. Some Details in Respect to my Coffin 318 XXXII. " Into the World at Liberty again." 334 POSTFACE 343 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. CHAPTER I. THE WRECK OF THE SPEEDWELL. TT was quite early in tlie morning that I set out alone -*■ from Far Rockaway in one of my father's pleasure boats. The wind being fair and not too brisk, I ventured to steer out through the inlet upon the open sea. I tacked about all day along the coast, trolling for blue-fish, and about noon, happening to strike a school of Spanish mackerel, I delayed my return until almost nightfall. At last, long after sunset, the head of the Speedwell was turned towards the land ; but a fog had come rolling in from the east, and the shore was wholly hidden from view. There was no compass on board, and stars and moon were hidden overhead. With all the judgment I possessed, the course was kept in that direction in which the inlet was supposed to lie. An hour passed, and then the breeze, which had held fair, began to die out. The fog became denser and denser, and the wind at last failed altogether. I became alarmed. It grew darker and darker, and the palpable mist wrapped itself about me, cold, and clammy, and comfortless, although the night was in June, and the day had been warm. The boat was an open one, and I was soon wet through. At least two hours must have passed during which the Speedwell lay like a log on the 2 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. > ocean, rolling gently as the lazy waves rose and fell, the sail flapping, and the mast and rudder creaking. Then with the lifting of the fog the wind freshened. I thought with joy that I should now probably be able to see the stars, and by their aid steer for home. But the fog only lifted from off the sea to hang in the shape of a dense cloud between the friendly stars and me, and the wind rising rapidly, threw the sea into so great a turmoil that, even had I known the course towards the inlet, there was no safety except in keeping the boat's head to windward. So, cold, wet, sleepy, and comfortless, I was forced to keep the tiller all that unhappy night. The morning broke at last. I scanned the horizon in every direction, but all around was nothing but a waste of savage waters, and the wind all the time due west. I knew now that every moment I was leaving home further and further behind. Still I did not despair, for upon my course lay the track of the many steamships that cross the Atlan- tic. After the second nightfall the wind again went down ; but the clouds continued to hang low, and worn out, I clung to the tiller for all the weary hours of the daylight. With painful eagerness my eyes rested upon the misty horizon ; but the night folded itself again about me, and not a sail was seen. Still all through the dark, the wind held west, and the waves angrily heaved onward my little craft. I clung despairingly to the helm, and again the morning broke. Another day passed and another night. Sleep I could not while the wind was high. There was a sufficient supply of water in the locker, but a few crusts of bread were all that was left of the lunch that had been provided. These I ate raven- ously, and then from time to time cast longing glances at the fish that I had caught. Famished, I at last was drivea THE WRECK OF THE SPEEDWELL. 3 to the extremity of thus satisfying my hunger. This was on the fourth day when the winds had died out, and a great calm had overspread the sea. Then, too, it was that I could sleep, waking at frequent intervals in hope of rescue ; but the sun beat pitilessly down, the Speedwell drifted eastward, and far and near no sail. The sixth night fell in clouds and darkness ; again the waters rose, and the wind, always from the west, blew fast and furious. Another night of terror and despair, the angry ocean gnashing its white teeth of foam astern, and all else dark. Driving through the night, gripping the rudder, sud- denly I heard through the gloom the sound of surf break- ing ahead. But as yet there was no sign of land, and while trembling with apprehension, the sound of the breakers grew nearer and nearer, and in an instant the boat, plunging forward, struck upon a sunken ledge of rock, over which the sea dashed with great fury. My expertness as a swimmer was of little avail in those savage surges. Stabbed and mangled by the thrusts of the keen ledge, the poor boat sank gurgling to its death, while the same monster wave, having perfidiously betrayed my companion, cast me, gasping and stunned, upon a sloping beach beyond. There I lay, just beyond the waters, till my strength returned. I staggered to my feet. The dawn was just breaking ; the fog was lifting ; the wind was lowering. By the dim light J saw above me a towering precipice of granite, and on the shore, here and there, interspersed with narrow patches of mud, jag- ged swords of rock, and farther out, rising up through the foaming billows, merciless nature held aloft her sharp dirks in bared brown hands. With them she had stabbed my Speedwell. It happens often to men that when the brain is dullest the soul is 4 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. most thoughtful ; or perhaps 'tis then that, pitying our weakness, our guardian angel thinks for us. Whether it was I or my angel that thought, the idea came to me thus, cold and wet and miserable as I was, how nature -continually is at war with itself. Brooding over this thought I dragged myself wearily along the sands, seeking some way of ascent in the line of precipitous rocks above me. It was some time before I was successful in discov- ering a way, and when at last an opening was found, and by dint of rough climbing I mounted upward, the effort so exhausted me that I sank down upon the soft short grass that covered the ledge, and with the sun shining brightly, fell asleep. It w-as noon when I awoke. I was stiff and sore, but the sleep had refreshed me, and had, moreover, dried my sodden clothes. I got up, and walked about vigorously. I had lost my hat, but this I did not regard as important. My fatigue over, curiosity naturally asserted itself. Where was I ? What land was it upon which I stood ? My first thought was that it was one of the Bermuda Islands, and yet on reflection I knew that this could- not be. Accord- ing to the best calculation I could make, having due re- gard to the fact that I had merely drifted with the wind, the Speedwell must have averaged over five knots an hour. The island was therefore at least seven hundred miles from the coast. As I gazed about me it may be im- agined with some considerable astonishment, I perceived that where I was appeared to be the highest land in any direction. There was a slight mist that bounded the view at a distance of perhaps half a mile ; but the mist lay like a fleecy veil along the ground, while overhead it was perfectly cloudless. Had there been mountains or any considerable elevation they would have been plainly THE WRECK OF THE SPEEDWELL. 5 visible. I went to the edge of the cliff and looked down : except in the spot by which I had ascended, and in one or two other places north and south, where gaps and fis- sures appeared, the rock was a perpendicular wall. With my returning strength came appetite. I had eaten noth- ing since the day before, and then only the stale fish, from which I now revolted with a great loathing. I was as yet in doubt whether or not the island was inhabited ; but I felt assured that, if inhabitants there were, they must be civilized, and therefore friendly ; so I set out on my way inland without any special apprehension of any kind. The mist gradually lifted, and the prospect widened. The turf upon which I trod was soft, and the grass such as one sees upon a well-kept lawn, interspersed with the blossoms of white clover. At a distance a number of dun- colored and tawny cows were grazing, and a few birds, — orioles, sparrows, and thrushes, — flew about at the verge of the bluff. There was not a tree in sight, nor a bush, and no signs of vegetation of any sort, except the short mat of grass and clover. The sight of the cows revived my spirits, convincing me that the land upon which evil for- tune had cast me was by no means desolate. Then, too, I was thirsty, and forthwith began casting about to pro- cure a drink of milk from one of my friends the cows. The idea was an excellent one ;■ but like many other no- ble conceptions of the human mind, quite valueless until put into actual operation. In this case it was all theory and no practice^ for the cattle were shy, and would not suffer me to approach. Having lost my hat in the sea, my only resource in the way of a milk pail was my leather wallet, a birthday gift from my mother. However, not that it mattered much. If I had possessed the best milk pail in the world it would have been all the 6 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. same ; the cows were shy, and although I chased one or two till tired out, I could not get near them. I solaced myself with the reflection that the smartest man living cannot milk a cow at a distance ; and while I was walk- ing on, meditating, I almost stumbled over the figure of a man lying at full length upon the grass. He got upon his feet directly when he perceived me and stared in mute astonishment. He had an air that appeared to me to be foreign. I could not tell, however, by his gait or his appearance, to what nationality he belonged ; so I resolved to try a few European languages, of which fortunately I possessed a smattering. " Comment s'appelle ce pays ci ? " I enquired, trying to infuse into my voice at least as much suavity as his stony stare invited. He stared at me in gruff silence. " Come si chiama questa isola ? " He grunted, but still said nothing. " SBaS — " I began, making another attempt. Then he found his voice. " Shut up, ye blamed fool ! " said he in unmistakable English, which had in it a burr that sounded even a trifle Milesian. "What ye mane onyway wid yer gibberish ? " I need not say that I was delighted ; not so much at the strange being's rudeness, as at the very strong evi- dence his speech gave me that we should have little dif- ficulty, so far as language went, in becoming better ac- quainted. In my pleasure at hearing the sound of his voice I smiled, and would have spoken, but the man broke in : " Come, now ; be aff out o' this." THE WRECK OF THE SPEEDWELL. 7 " Won't you be kind enough to tell me the name of this place ? " I said, polite for two. " Be aff out of this," he repeated, at the same time pointing very emphatically across the field. Instinct- ively I looked in the direction his fat, horny hand indi- cated*, and, walking leisurely towards us, I saw another individual, who — so far as the distance enabled me to judge — appeared to be of the same species as the first. I waited no longer, but assured that it was better to fly to an ill I knew not of than to bear the one I had, I walked rapidly away, instigated to this course by further impera- tive summons to " be aff." On approaching the new stranger I discovered that although he was undoubtedly of the same species as the first I had met, yet he evidently belonged to quite a dis- tinct variety. In short, I detected in his gait and car- riage, and in the expression of his face, that peculiar sign of gentlehood which no garb can hide or reveal. His dress I also saw, though of a similar pattern to the other's, was of a rich material, and his hat was several inches higher. I smiled and bowed. The stranger returned my salute with grave civility ; and made as if to pass on, but a question of mine de- tained him. " Will you be kind enough to tell me," I said, this time having the address to speak English, " what the name of this place may be ? " " Inquirendo Island," he answered, fixing his eyes upon me with what was undeniably a peculiar expression. " Pardon me if I detain you a moment," I continued, "but I find myself in a most unfortunate dilemma. I was blown off from the coast several days ago, and last 8 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. night had the misfortune to be wrecked on the rocks di- rectly below us. Although my education was not neg- lected I find myself at this moment quite unable to recall the precise location of this island. I assume it to be in the Atlantic Ocean somewhere to the north of the Bermu- das. Am I right ? " The gentleman shook his head, and smiled in a sad way that appeared to me to be very strange. " Doubtless you are right," he said, with a sigh. " Surely you know its latitude and longitude ? " " No, I do not, I confess ; nor do I wholly understand your meaning. However, I cannot wait here. I have im- portant business — " " But, sir," I pleaded, as he moved on a few steps, " I only wish to ask a few questions. I am a shipwrecked stranger, and should feel greatly obliged for a little infor- mation." The man paid no more attention to me ; but began walking away, with some dignity, but also with great, agility. I felt incensed, thinking that my usual quick per- ceptions had been at fault in so quickly accounting him a gentleman. I turned and strode after him. CHAPTER II. A DISCOURTEOUS RECEPTION. ' I ^HE instant he heard me coming he increased his pace -*- to a very fast walk indeed, and from that, as I still strove to overtake him, to a pompous trot ; a very queer kind of a trot, in which one foot was always deftly planted before the other was lifted. It seemed a comical gait to go at; but nevertheless the gentleman contrived to get over the ground very quickly. I was considerably irritated at this peculiar and per- verse method of responding to my very courteous re- quests for information, and being irritated, and moreover a fast runner, I made after him at all speed. On he went, now puffing and panting with his exertions, and when I bade fair to overtake him he began to bawl at the top of his exhausted lungs : " Mike ! Mike ! Mike ! " Scarce had the words left his lips before, just over a knoll in front of us, appeared the Milesian, full- tilt, amb- ling along in an uneasy fashion, head down. As soon as he espied me he roared like a young steer, and lifting up one brawny arm hurled a cobble-stone at me so deftly that if I had not seen the arm go up, I should infallibly have myself gone down, at the very least with a sorely bruised head. As it was, the stone whizzed past my ears, and. the sensation I experienced was in its way a compliment to Mike's marksmanship. I stopped instantly, out of pru- dence, 9 lO INQUIRENDO ISLAND. The other arm went up, and another missile at Mike's instigation sought to claim my acquaintance. I remon- strated at this treatment with my heels. I am no cow- ard, but I did not regard it as at all essential that I should stay and bandy paving-stones with one so evidently dex- terous in using them ; besides, I was very hungry. As I went Mike cried out : " Be aff, now, out o' this," more vi- ciously than ever. Without at all knowing in what direction to go in order to procure something eatable I nevertheless proceeded straight on, till to my amazement, rounding one of the numerous knolls, I came upon an iron fence ; not a flimsy barbed concern, but a good, solid, substantial post-and- picket lence, some four feet or more in height. I was sufficiently observant, notwithstanding my hunger, to note that there were no evidences of the iron having been painted. On the contrary, it appeared to be quite fresh from the foundry. This was all the more singular to me as I had dealt in iron largely in the course of business, and knew very well that in that salt atmosphere one damp night on our own seaboard would have sufficed to rust it. Another discovery that I made almost at the same time pleased me even more than this : it was that on the other side of the fence and parallel to it was a well-worn foot- path. To leap the fence was the work of a moment, and the chance that in one direction the path led down hill, determined me to proceed that way. Soon I encountered other fences intersecting the first, all however of a similar pattern and material ; but the path kept right on, almost in a bee-line, due north, up hill and down, over stiles, and through narrow openings. Here and there in the several fields through which I passed were cattle grazing, of the same peculiar breed that I had first seen, and in one was A DISCOURTEOUS RECEPTION. II a large flock of sheep. With these were two men or half- grown boys ; but I judged it prudent to keep to the path rather than go out of my way on their account. At last the foot-track led into a field of corn, tall and now just in the ear. I was by this time so ravenously hungry that I did not stop to consider whether or not my plucking an ear or two might be considered a trespass, or even a felony. I availed myself of the right of nature to provide for one's necessities, and never in my life did any- thing taste so good. I munched on, feeling at every mouth- ful in better humor, until I had eaten my fill, all the time, however, strolling leisurely along. As I threw my last cob away the path emerged from amid the tall stalks, and I stood on the crest of a very considerable elevation. Astonishment and delight stayed my footsteps. I found myself on the verge of a most singular landscape. Imme- diately at my feet lay what appeared to be a vast garden, laid out with the utmost regularity in long parallel beds, between which were narrow paths, crossing each other at intervals. The ground sloping to the north and east was covered with vegetation, but here, as in all my journeying thus far, there was no sign of either tree or shrub. At the foot of the slope, beyond the garden, rose a number of spires and turrets and sharp-pointed gables. There at last certainly was some sort of civilization. The main path now crossed the cultivated ground, and I went on, intent only upon reaching the village. Vegetables of all kinds abounded in the garden. There were beds-of beets and carrots, turnips and jadishes, cucumbers and melons, and here and there, busy at work, were men and women, the latter clad in short tunics and wearing caps of a pecul- iar pattern. As I passed them they all rose up and looked with bulging eyes, as if I had dropped from the 12 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. clouds, while they nudged one another, and made remarks to themselves in'low tones. I went on towards the clus- tering houses, disregarding the staring eyes. Men and women alike seemed possessed with the most profound but silent amazement at my personal appearance. As I walked on I could not help musing upon the very evident fact that my attire must seem to these islanders striking if not peculiar. I was hatless in the first place, and my checked suit was certainly very different from the cos- tumes of any whom I had as yet encountered. Silent astonishment among the laborers gave way to some rather boisterous demonstrations from sundry ur- chins and half-grown boys whom I met loitering around in the village street when at last I came among the houses. Their manners were not essentially different from those of an equal number of young fellows of the baser sort in any small place in my own country, and bearing in mind the glassiness of our own house, I shall attempt no description of their rudeness. It might well be, you understand, that when communication is estab- lished between the island and New York, the Inquiren- dians might revenge themselves by retorting in kind. Not only did these youths accost me, but when I passed on in dignified silence, they followed ; keeping, it is true, at a considerable distance, but being no less annoying on that account. I wandered on, however, doing my best to preserve an air of composure, and being continually on the lookout for a place where I could procure a sufficiency of something further to stay my appetite, which now in- deed began to be ravenous. Strange as it may appear, the entire xdllage was built altogether of iron ; not only was there no wood used any- where in construction, but there was not a sign of a tree. A DISCOURTEOUS RECEPTION. 1 3 nor even a shrub, in any direction ; and I will here state the fact that, with a single exception, the nearest approach to anything wooden that I saw while on the island, was a particularly stout corn-stalk.* The houses seemed to be all dwellings, and at the windows were seated females apparently engaged in some sedentary occupation. They were of all ages and vary- ing degrees of comeliness ; but all had eyes, and all stared their best at me. This of course ?dded to my embarrass- ment, but I strode on, trying to feel as little like a dog with a tin-can attachment as possible. The string of hoodlums gathered accretions as I pro- gressed, and when I turned into what proved to be the main business thoroughfare, I had full two score of fol- lowers ; and the grown people, stopping as I came up, stood on the iron curb-stones and stared ; while up went the sashes, bang went the blinds, click went the door fastenings, and young and old, male and female, at win- dows and doors, in dwellings and shops, stood and stared at me for dear life. I was very much mortified. Shops there were a plenty, but as yet no restaurant or bakery. I had passed one butcher's stall, where two or three whole carcasses were exposed for sale ; but I had not yet arrived at that state of desperation which impelled me to try raw flesh. Seeing an establishment bearing the sign " Hats and Caps " I put on a bold front, — mindful of my bare head, — and approached the proprietor, who stood, like half the street, hands on hips, eyeing me. * I may as well also at this point except from this statement the heads of certain of the inhabitants, as will more fully appear further 14 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. " I should like to purchase a hat," I said. The man, a stalwart person of mature years, looked at me for an instant with grave suspicion plainly written on his features, and then letting his hands drop to his side, he turned about and entered the shop. There was no counter or anything like it ; down the centre of the store was a narrow aisle, and piled up on the floor, and hang- ing on a multiplicity of hooks, were hats similar in shape to those I had seen on the heads of the inhabitants, of varying sober hues, and of an infinite number of sizes. " Fit yourself," said the man, sullenly. Then casting a glance out of the open door he called, " John ! " Instantly a dapper young chap appeared. " Go out and tell that crowd to leave. If they won't, call the watch." John obeyed, and the hoodlums fled over to the oppo- site side of the street, and stood there in row watching while I fitted myself with one of the hats. " I guess this will do," I said at last ; " how much is it ? " I was enabled to be confident in respect to my ability to purchase, for it so happened that in my wallet were some half -eagles and a lot of silver change. I had also several bills of the Highland National Bank of Newburgh and of the Herkimer Bank of Rome, N. Y., but these I knew would probably be of no value, and were not included as available assets. " Thrippence hapenny," responded the man. Thinking that this was certainly very cheap I produced my change, and selecting a ten-cent piece tendered it to the hatter. " What's this ? " he asked, contemptuously^ " Ten cents." A DISCOURTEOUS RECEPTION. 15 " Fakens ! " he retorted with a snort, holding it out. " What do I want with that ? " " Ain't it good ? " said I — " won't it pass here ? " " See here, young man," he exclaimed, in a tone of con- siderable decision, "I'm getting tired of your pranks. Just you pay for that there hat without any more non- sense. If you don't, I'll call the watch." " Call the town clock, if you like," said I, with some show of indignation ; " but if you can't change ten cents perhaps you will take gold ? " This seemed to mollify him. " I'll take gold, of course," he answered, promptly. I showed him a five-dollar piece. He examined it crit- ically, rung it on the floor, and bit it. " It's gold, certainly," he remarked, "but for all that it's no good." At this, of course, I remonstrated. "What's the matter with it .? " I said. " It hasn't got our stamp on it." Then he added, look- ing at me with a curious expression, " See here, young man, what part of the island are you from, anyway ? " I tried to explain that I was a stranger, and had been cast ashore on the coast not very far from the village ; but to this he listened with a pitying smile. I suppose if I had told him that I had dropped down from the clouds he could not have been more disdainful.. He stood looking at me with a most peculiar expression on his face, and the other man who had been addressed as John als o stood and stared. " What'll you take for this ? " said tjlfe shop^eper at length, balancing the coin on his finger. " It ought to pass for a pound," said I, " if you use Eng- lish money." l6 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. " You're from the east, ain't you ? " said the man, when he had finished replying to my questions. " No," I answered, " I am from New York." "Where?" " New York." He shook his head. " Poor fellow," he said, compassionately, " how long have you been away from your friends ? " I was beginning to get irritated, not liking his tone. ^ "I was six days at sea," I answered, a little crossly, " You don't appear to believe me when I tell you that I was ■wrecked on the coast." " At any rate, I feel very sorry for you," he remarked, placidly. A kind heart and thievish palm sometimes go together. Then the door opened and John came in with the change. This was counted out to me in silver and some coppers. The silver was very small and the copper very large, and the devices on all the coins were quite unfamil- iar to me, although I was well acquainted with English money. However, I put it all in my pocket, and strolled on up the street. When I emerged from the hatter's shop I again became an object of curiosity; but I disregarded the imperti- nence of the populace, and at the proper place, which I had no difficulty in finding, had the satisfaction to partake of an abundant repast. The beefsteak was excellent and my appetite enormous, notwithstanding the corn ; but all the time I was eating the proprietor and his_assistants regarded me furtively. I paid for my breakfast from the change that the hatter had given me, ind was immensely surprised at the very moderate charge. At the door I was accosted by two persons in a sort of A DISCOURTEOUS RECEPTION. 1 7 uniform, who, with an affectation of politeness, begged to know from what part of the island I came. I was now getting used to this question, but the manner of it in this instance appeared to me to be somewhat peremptory. I am not in the habit of permitting impertinence, and my resentment caused me to reply with some heat. " There ! you hear him," said a voice. I looked around and saw that it was my acquaintance, the hatter. This in- creased my wrath tenfold, for I could not see what busi- ness it was of the hatter's. I therefore shook my fist at him with some vehemence. He forthwith fell back, and the assembly of urchins be- gan to hoot, and crow, and make a variety of unseemly noises. My demonstration in respect to the hatter was no doubt unwise. It certainly seemed to determine the action of the two uniformed men, whom, from their proceedings, I now judged to be policemen. With one accord they stepped forward, and each taking an arm, I was summarily hauled along the street. I struggled and remonstrated, but all in vain. I was threatened with a club if I persisted, and so discreetly forbore further resistance. We came at last, having been followed the entire dis- tance by the noisy crowd, to alow, unpretentious building, over whose door was set a curious quartered shield, on either side of which were two eccentric carvings of fero- cious nondescript animals, half lion, half bull, blazing with shining gilt. Behind a rail at an elevated desk sat an elderly indi- vidual of a benevolent appearance, who was forthwith ad- dressed as "Judge " by my conductors. A few whispered words passed. I heard the judge say " asylum," and then the two policemen marched me out again. I protested 1 8 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. vigorously ; but to all my appeals the judge was not only pitiless, but absolutely indifferent. He paid no attention at all to me, and after his instructions had been given, went on writing as if he had done all that humanity as well as duty demanded. Again in the street I was lugged back down the thor- oughfare, followed as before by the noisy and boisterous urchins. The windows again went up, the heads popped out, and there was the same scene of staring and amaze- ment. Some one had, I suppose, been sent on ahead, for when we arrived at the extreme end of the town, in fact almost in the fields, we found in front of what appeared to be a stable, a peculiar vehicle, to which were harnessed a couple of lank and bony steers. In this conveyance I was harshly bidden to take my place, and then, seated between the two policemen, we bounced and jolted over a poorly macadamized road out into the country. Though uncomfortable and irritated, I could not avoid seeing that the country was well cultivated, and in the suc- cession of hills and vales, with watercourses at frequent in- tervals, was surpassingly lovely. We drove on, up hill and down, at a lively gait, the little oxen trotting along uncon- cernedly, while I preserved an indignant, and my conduct- ors a stoical, silence. After a fatiguing drive we came in sight of a large building, several stories in height, with turrets at the angles, the whole surrounded by a high wall of solid masonry. CHAPTER III. MR. NUDWINK'S serious CONVERSATION". A S we drove up two immense iron gates swung inward ■^^*- in response to a whistle from one of the policemen, and with a bang and clatter we wheeled into a great court- yard all paved with cobble stones laid in a mosaic pattern. I was called upon peremptorily to alight, and several strapping young men issued from a door in one of the corner turrets, and to the care of one of these I was con- signed — a tall, burly, black-browed, sinister fellow, to whom I felt at once and instinctively the strongest aversion. I had the dissatisfaction to Overhear a remark from one of the blue-coats that I had better be carefully guarded, As I had already manifested some belligerent proclivities; This speech had the effect to arouse my wrath, hitherto 'restrained from very hopelesshess. I gave vent to my feelings in an indignant outburst of remonstrance. " What have I done," I demanded, " to be treated in this way ? " To this n6 response was made. The black-browed turnkey (for that this was his occupation I became speed- ily satisfied) vouchsafed no information, and only grinned in a horrid, odious Way. A whispered consultation fol- lowed, and bidding me follow him the man strode on into the building. I was conducted into a small apartment and told to sit down. After waiting half an hour or so three old men 19 20 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. came in and asked me questions, to all of which I replied truthfully. They asked me from what part of the island I came, and I repeated the story of my fortunate landing. They shook their heads very much over this, and having looked at my tongue and felt my pulse they all retired as gravely as they entered, not deigning to acquaint me with the result of their deliberations, nor to reply to my pro- tests. However, I was not left very long in doubt, for two stout fellows soon after appeared, and unceremoni- ously taking each an arm they marched me between them through a long passage-way and up a flight of steps and along a corridor. They stopped in front of a small room, the door of which was open. It was lighted by a narrow window, through which I caught a glimpse of the verdant country. Into this room I was introduced forth- with in spite of my protestations. " What was it I had done ? " I asked indignantly ; but to this sensible question I received no reply. The men not unkindly bade me be still, and then going out locked the door and bolted it se- curely. I peered after them through the grated opening, and even tried the effect of remonstrance, but it was all without avail. They went away and the corridor was • empty. I soon found that I was by no means solitary, for as I clung to the grating I observed here and there, at similar openings in doors up and down the hallway, hands grasping the bars, and eyes gazing at me through them. I ventured to make a remark, not addressed to any par- ticular pair of eyes, but appealing in a forlorn, purpose- less way to a common humanity that appeared to abound about me. " What place is this ? " I asked. At first silence ; then one or two rattlings of doors MR. NUDWINK S SERIOUS CONVERSATION. 21 followed, and at last a hollow voice snapped out: " This is hell ! " " Pithy but not comforting," I thought ; but undismayed, and with an ardent desire for information, I persisted with interrogations ; to all of which receiving more or less incoherent answers, I became convinced that the unknown with whom I was conversing was a lunatic. Not until then did the idea — a horrible one indeed — occur to me that I also was kept in durance as a maniac. So dreadful were my feelings then that even now I cannot recall them without a shudder. I believe in my heart that for a time I was in some degree deranged. Certain it is that an unutterable woe and agony unspeak- able possessed me. Famished, I could not eat, though food — palatable food — was brought me. Athirst all the time, I could not drink. In dire distress I paced mo- notonously back and forth from window to grating day after day ; at times fretting furiously, at others apathetic, at all despairing. I know not the length of time that elapsed before I was in a measure restored to myself. The three wise- visaged old men, whom many a time I cursed to their teeth, and whom I now know were mad-doctors, came singly at intervals, and made a pretence of conversation. With the lapse of time I waxed wise, discovering, as all must sooner or later, whether in Inquirendo or else- where, that temper is the very poorest possible refuge in any sort of distress. At first I took refuge in sullen- ness and obstinacy, giving over my fits of fury ; then, finding that silence and scorn had no effect in softening the obstinate hearts or the crusty intellects of my keepers, I resorted to the stratagem of feigning satisfac- tion, and falling in with the notion that I actually labored 22 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. under a delusion. My own heart needed softening, no doubt, and the means to that end were found in a sight of a sweet face flitting here and there in the garden that my window overlooked. It was the face of a lovely young girl tending her flowers beneath the window. I dare avow this, that the sight of her awakened within me all my powers, set me to thinking, and in the end was the cause of my liberation. In seeing her at first I felt a breath of the cool air of freedom. I saw myself as I was, a foolish fellow with wits unused. So, with the passing days, as I saw her again and again, new hope came into my soul, and with deep purpose I planned and plotted for my liberty. There is, after all, no incentive to action so grand, so complete as the motive that a woman gives. If one can fall in love with a moving picture, then from my window I loved, though as yet I had not heard her speak. She came and went day after day, and I only watched her, thrilling with pleasure as she came into the garden, and with disappointment when she left it. I began my studies in patience — affected an air of melancholy resignation, no longer loudly proclaimed my sanify, nor cursed those who came near me. The three wise doctors came as usual: wise-visaged as ever at first, then puzzled, then interested, questioning, and in the end affably conversing. The questions, as b.efore, related to my past life, as to who I was, and whence I came; but these I parried, pretending that I could not recall my identity, and being especially careful that I did not claim to have been dropped by the sea upon the island. I would press my hand upon my temples, put on an air of thoughtfulness, MR. nudwink's serious conversation. 23 and express myself as longing to recover a something that I felt was missing. One day the trio came together. The door was un- barred by an attendant — the black, ill-looking fellow to whom I had, on many occasiens, manifested a desperate aversion. They entered, and with one accord began to talk. They felt my pulse, and went over the old round of queries. " Did I still persist in the absurd notion that I had come to the island from across the sea?" they said. I smiled, as if at the absurdity of the notion, as a man might recovering from the delusion that he had dropped from the sky from some other planet. "That is all over," I answered, "but yet I am quite unable to account for my presence here." " Very good," said they, " you are recovering. It will now be only a question of time." Thus, consulting together, they agreed that my disease, as they were pleased to call it, was likely to be of no long continuance. A name they had for it, of course — a good long name, but this I have forgotten — and there was much said about diet, and some suggestions as to exer- cise. To all I listened with much placidity,' greatly long- ing to have my fling at their follies, but impressed with the hopelessness of so doing. The oldest and wisest looking of the three, whose opinions I plainly saw guided the rest, now hinted that according to the method — as I understood him — habitu- ally pursued in cases like mine, the time had come for some stimulating recreation and society. My heart gave a great bound as I heard this ; but I took care to express myself very guardedly, saying that the confinement had become intolerably irksome to me, and that I felt an 24 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. intense longing to be free from under restraint. " Though, gentlemen," I went on, hating myself as I spoke for my hypocrisy, "I feel the need of medical care. I am greatly impressed with the conviction that by following your directions implicitly I shall recover the use of all my faculties, some of which I now clearly understand are impaired." The doctors, and especially the wise old one, were de- lighted. " This is a very peculiar case," said they, and whipping out note-books they jotted down the whole mat- ter. All shook hands with me, a thing that had not hap- pened before, when they left, promising that in a day or two everything should be duly, arranged. After they had gone, a sober, serious, long-faced indi- vidual, whom I had seen perambulating up and down the corridors at intervals during my sojourn, came to my door, accompanied by the black-looking keeper. This person introduced himself to me in a gentlemanly way, saying that his name was Nudwink, and that he was the chaplain of the institution. I bowed, and offered him the only chair, a light steel concern, with back and arms, a very good imitation of canework, whilst I myself sat upon the bed. " I am rejoiced to learn, sir," said Mr. Nudwink with a smile, " that you are in a fair way toward recovery." I replied that my' joy was also great, but that I was well aware that I still needed advice. " And now as to your spiritual welfare," said the chap- lain, after we had conversed upon the subject of my health for some little time, " I trust that the time has ar- rived when I may speak freely." I assured him that he need be under no restraint, and yet, I do not know why, I began to feel just a little bored,. MR. NUDWINK'S serious CONVERSATION. 25 for when he mentioned my spiritual welfare, the man's manner became instantly sanctimonious, exactly as our parsons act at home. Furthermore I felt a little loath to enter upon a conversation respecting sacred subjects, as I was not a member of any church, and was also averse to have any one pry into what I, perhaps too modestly, regarded as a private matter between myself and my con- science. I did not think it prudent to repel Mr. Nud- wink, who, taking my assent for granted, proceeded : " Have you known what it is to trust in Mathematics ? " Very naturally I stared at this peculiar question. " Pardon me," 1 said, " I must have misunderstood you." " Have you ever been led to a consideration of the truth — the truth of overruling Numbers ? " " Numbers ? " " Yes, j'es," he answered, impatiently. " No," said I, doubtfully, " I cannot say that I have ex- actly ; perhaps it is because I do not altogether under- stand." " My question was a plain one, young man," said the chaplain, frigidly, " the wayfaring man need not err." " Oh," said I, brightening, " you mean religion. If you mean that, I must say that I am not a member of any church." " Did you not have a religious training, my friend ? " " Oh, yes, I go to church pretty regularly." " What church were you in the habit of attending pre- vious to being brought to this institution ? " " Well, I went to the — " I hesitated, having learned wis- dom and being unwilling to commit myself to anything that might savor of a disordered imagination. It was on the tip of my tongue to declare point blank that I occa- sionally dropped in at the Methodist church, but I was not 26 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. sure how this statement might be received, so I hesi- tated. " Perhaps it was the Established church ? " he suggested. " Sometimes," I said, guardedly. " Then you must have heard the truth in its purity." " I suppose I did," I replied, being as non-committal as possible. " And there you heard of Mathematics ? " What did he mean ? I felt myself turning very red in the face. I certainly had heard of Mathematics ; but then it had so happened that I had never heard of it in the Established, or in fact any other church. I felt a re- luctance to avow this, and so, shamefaced, I contented myself with the statement that I had heard of Mathematics. " And Numbers ? " he interrupted. " Yes, I have heard of Numbers." " And the Nine Digits, you have been taught of them ? " " Oh, yes," I replied, truthfully enough, but not at all comprehending the relevancy of the chaplain's remarks. " Then the groundwork at least has been laid," said he, with a smile that to me was very awful. " Perhaps at the knees of a pious mother? " I replied that my mother was certainly very pious. " Then doubtless you owe it to her, your acquaintance ■with these sacred things ? " I said nothing. " Your mother taught you, I presume ? " he continued. "No," said I, forgetting myself and my prudence, " she didn't. When I was a little shaver I had a govern- ess ; after that I went to a day-school — " " Do you mean seriously to tell me that your mother, being a pious woman, never herself instructed you in the knowledge of Mathematics ? " MR. NUDWINK'S serious CONVERSATION. 27 " Never." " That is incomprehensible to me," he said, very sol- emnly. " My mother had a large family — " I began, apologet- ically. " But still, a mother's duty, surely — " " We were all turned over to the governess, and after- wards when we got older went to day-school." '■ And she never herself instructed you ? I am surprised." He certainly appeared to be so, as also probably did I. " I was taught at school," I said, thinking it necessary to say something. " Sunday-school, I presume you mean." " No, day-school. I had my first lessons there. I was taught, to be sure, by the governess, but I really learned very little from her." " Did not your mother attend church ? " "Oh, yes." " Let me put a few questions . to you," he said, airily, crossing his legs complacently. " Certainly." " In the first place, to acquaint myself with the exact state of your heart, I shall ask you : Who is Mathemat- ics?" "Who?" " Yes, yes, who ? " " You don't mean who ? " said I, astonished beyond measure. " Yes, I do, of course I do ; why not ? " " You don't mean who, you mean what." The chaplain gave himself an impatient shake. " Let me ask you another question : Who is Numbers ? " " Numbers ? " 28 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. "Yes, yes." " One, two, three, four," I began. He stopped me abruptly. "That is not what I mean. You say that you have heard of Numbers : who is he ? " " Who ? " I asked, more puzzled than ever. " Yes, who ? " he answered, rather crossly. " You mean what are numbers, don't you ? " He stared. I met his look frankly, trying to divest mv- self of all appearance of impertinence, or what was more difficult, of folly, and making a desperate endeavor to in- fuse into my manner an inquiring docility. He kept on staring till it embarrassed me. " Perhaps I do not exactly understand," I stammered. " It is quite evident that you do not," he answered, "but it is not your fault, of course ; and yet I was given to un- derstand that your mind had recovered its tone — " I started, glad of this information. " Do not be hasty," said Mr. Nudwink, also starting, per- haps with trepidation, for he cast a quick, uneasy look towards the door. " Do nothing and say nothing rash. No doubt these vagaries will also disappear speedily, but, poor man, you ought to be fortified — " " With a demi-lune ? " said I jocosely, and thinking what I said was, under the circumstances, a very fair joke. Mr. Nudwink scowled. " I do not gather anything relevant to our subject from your remarks," he said. "I dislike to explain a joke," I said, "but if you can spare half an hour, I shall be most happy to make this one plain." * He scowled more than ever, and went on, disregarding what I had proposed : " Fortified with that trust in Math- MR. NUDWINKS SERIOUS CONVERSATION. 29 ematics, which will enable you to be serene under all ad- versities." I began to think that the chaplain must himself be one of the patients. "Do you read your Arithmetic regularly.?" he asked, this time in a perfunctory way, quite as if he regarded me as utterly given over to an evil power. " At home, do you mean ? " " No, here." " I can't say that I have," I faltered. " You have a copy, have you not ? " " Copy ?— of what ? " " Of your Arithmetic, of course ; to what else could I re- fer ? Young man, do not trifle. Surely you cannot fail to comprehend so simple a question." Mr. Nudwink looked very fierce for a chaplain, and fortunately I was able to mollify him. It occurred to me that I had seen a little book on a shelf over my bed when I was first admitted to the cell. Perhaps that was the work on mathematics to which he referred. I now recalled the fact that I had kicked it under the bed one day in a moment of irritation. " I guess I know what you mean," I said. " I'll look for it." With that I got down instantly on hands and knees, and searched under the bed. My long experience at home with the female named Bridget — alas ! I had never imagined that the tears would fill my eyes at the thought of her — enabled me to know by instinct that the book was in the remotest corner, and, as my slippers used in days of yore, would be found covered with dust. I dragged myself out at last with the' volume in my possession. I got up and slapped the lids together with a bang. The dust filled the air. 30 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. "Phew ! " exclaimed Mr. Nudwink, while I made a des- perate effort to free my own person,' as well as the little book, from the dust and wretched little odds and ends of ravellings, and hairs, and feathers "that are so persistent in their embraces when one has crawled under a bed. Ex- cept that my chamber person was named Tom instead of Bridget, there was really little difference in the way the room was looked after. But this is a digression. " Phew ! " repeated the chaplain, as I slapped the book again. "You are raising an intolerable dust, and be- sides " — he lowered his voice — " it is irreverent." " Is this the book ? " I said, holding it out. He took it. " Have you not read it ? " he asked, with a very sour face. " Read it ! No, I haven't. Why should I read it ? " " Why, young man, do you ask that question seriously ?" " I do, of course. It seems to be nothing but the four ground rules." The chaplain stood up, full of wrath. " Wretched 3'oung man," he said, " be warned in time. Your conduct indicates either the most lax training, or a moral obliquity for which I am totally at a loss to ac- count. I trust it may not be the latter." I made some effort to convince him that it was not moral obliquity that had restrained me from the perusal of the volume ; but Mr. Nudwink was not to be appeased by any protestations of mine. " Take it and read it," he said, solemnly, " and may its principles sink into your heart and be productive of great good." CHAPTER IV. THE GIRL OF THE GARDEN. NO doubt Mr. Nudwink reported adversely to my sanity ; but happily for me he was not the sole ex- pert in such matters, and in due time, it is to be presumed after consulting together, the three doctors came and in- formed me that my case had been considered, and that it had been determined to afford me a certain amount of re- laxation and amusement. " In fact," said they, " this even- ing the Governor gives a little entertainment to those of the patients who are convalescing, and you have been, at our desire, included among those invited." I expressed my sense of gratitude, and they all three felt my pulse, and gave me many cautions as to my be- havior ; telling me that they held themselves responsible for my good conduct. Of course I assured them that I should not misbehave, and as a stroke of policy, remarked that I should always regard the taste of liberty as of their procuring. It is unnecessary to state with what intense longing I looked forward to the evening. They brought me my dinner at the usual time, but I could ear nothing. At nightfall the lamps were lighted here and there. The shadows deepened into night, and as time passed I be- came more and more anxious. At last two of the at- tendants came and unlocked my door. " Come," said one, laconically. 31 32 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. This man was not the surly, black-faced fellow towards whom I had conceived so great an aversion. He was ex- ceedingly mild and gentle, and though not given to the use of many words, had a knack of imparting much infor- mation with the few he employed. I followed him along the corridor, delighted at the chance of even that much freedom. We, descended tlie great iron stairs, and on the lower floor I found myself among a number of others, whose subdued manner and general air of being under subjection instantly convinced me were convalescents like myself. They were all young men with one exception, and he could hardly have passed fifty years, though his hair, which fell over his shoulders, was white as snow, as was also his flowing beard. The attendant politely bowed, and waving his hand towards me ejaculated : " Mr. Cliff." Several of the patients smiled and greeted me in a friendly way, and I was speedily informed as to their names. The elderly gentleman was perhaps the most civil of them all ; and in the interval that ensued before the attendant came to conduct us to the place of enter- tainment, he became very communicative, telling me that his name was Bullinger, and confiding in a whisper that in his case a strange mistake had been made. " The fact is, Mr. Cliff," said he, shaking his head, with a pitying smile, " I have never had anything the matter with me at all. My friends won't believe it, because they are so stupid ; but I have made a great discovery." I began at once to take an interest in him, and yet fearing that it might be regarded as presuming, I refrained from asking the nature of his discovery. He talked on, amplifying upon the ignorance and incapacity of his relatives, and the ingratitude of the world, and was so exceedingly af- THE GIRL OF THE GARDEN. 33 fable and entertaining that I found myself taking a sin- cere interest in his affairs. My attention having the effect to render him confidential, he proceeded to relate certain particulars respecting his treatment. I felt irresistibly drawn towards him, and was debating in my mind whether it would not be well to confide in him when, lowering his voice, he asked if I had no desire to know of what his dis- covery consisted. I begged him to tell me. " You will not divulge my secret ? " he asked. I assured him that he might safely trust me. " If it should be known that I have mentioned the mat- ter," said Mr. Bullinger, " it would be considered evidence that I was not yet well enough to be trusted. You can see for yourself," he added, " how perfectly sane I am ; and I suppose to you my prudence in not mentioning the discovery to others ought to be sufficient evidence of a sound mind." " Certainly," I replied, convinced from his manner that the old gentleman had really been made a victim of. Then in a fit of confidence I added, " I too am accused unjustly of a delusion." " Ah," said he, rather vacantly. " But tell me of your discovery," I said. His vacant expression left him in an instant. " It is a grand discovery," he said, rubbing his thin hands joyously, " but one that as yet the age frowns upon. I am a very diligent observer of nature, and I have discovered — it has in fact been revealed to ine — that spiders have souls." Perhaps ray face, always tell-tale, revealed my disap- pointment at this revelation. He seemed to notice that I exhibited no elation. " Are you, too, incredulous ? " he asked, mournfully. 3 34 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. "I know as wonderful things," I answered, evasively. " Do you ? Are you too a student of nature ? " " To some extent." " Ah ! then you can sympathize. You are one of the few who understand and appreciate. You are one who knows the abounding mystery of nature." " What would you think of one," I said, experimenting, " who knew of a vast country to which this Inquirendo Island was but a tiny place ? who had indeed himself come from this strange land beyond the sea, where there were many wonderful things wholly, strange to the Inquiren- dians .■' who came hither in something that floated over the sea till it came to this shore — " I was going on, giving in the form of an anecdote my own adventures, when Mr. Bullinger broke out laughing. " You are a most genial gentleman," he said, " most companionable and entertaining in trying to beguile me into temporary forgetfulness of my own misfortunes ; and you exhibit a most surpassing talent. You would succeed admirably as a romancer, for the imaginings of your mind are truly astounding. Why, my dear sir, if you had searched the universe from end to end you could not have conceived of a more incredible thought. I presume that it was your object to delineate by a few expressive word-strokes the worst vagaries of which the mind could, by any possibility, be capable. Permit me to add that what you have said is a fitting prelude to your own revela- tion. You have, in romantic fashion, pictured the ravings of a madman. Now, sir, I long to hear from your lips the secret of nature that is yours." He paused, smiling, and looked at me inquiringly. What was I to say ? No doubt something was expected. Perhaps! appeared confused. He hastened to reassure me. THE GIRL OF THE GARDEN. 35 " Say on, Mr. Cliff," said he, most urbanely, " whatever jTOur secret may be, it is quite safe with me." " And I have your word that you will not divulge — " " Divulge 1 never. I am a man of the highest honor." " Then listen." I laid my hand on his arm, and whispered in his ear : " I have discovered that sand fleas can be developed into cows and oxen by feeding them on — " " On what ? on what ? " Mr. Bullinger turned his large eyes upon mine and almost trembled with expectancy. At this instant a large door at one end of the apart- ment in which we stood swung open, disclosing amid a glare of light from a hundred brilliant gas-jets a beauti- ful salon, in which moved forward, as if to greet us, a num- ber of ladies and gentlemen. In obedience to a signal from our conductor, or attendant, or keeper, whichever he might be styled, we all turned towards the open door, and to our promised festivities. As we advanced, a volume of entrancing music burst forth, filling all the space, and thrilling me with a sense of indescribable and satisfying harmony. In the midst of the bewildering cadences of the music, my friend, who adhered all the while closely to my side, took occasion to whisper earnestly in* my ear : " On what ? on what, Mr. Cliff ?— for the sake of all the digits, on what ? " I was too much- annoyed at the interruption to my en- joyment of the melody to pay special attention to the peculiar oath. " Hush ! " I said, with some impatience, " listen ! " " Tell me on what you feed the fleas," he persisted. " Tell me that and I shall be content." 36 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. " Pure oxygen,," I said, snappishly, uttering at random tlie first idea that occurred to me. Mr. Bullinger kept his word, like a man of honor, as he had claimed to be. He relapsed instantly into a placid and well-satisfied silence, first murmuring : "Thanks, many thanks. You shall see that I deserve your confi- dence." The extensive corridor in which we had been waiting was, though lighted by a number of bracket lights, dull and sombre compared to the bewildering glare that burst, like the delightful music, upon our senses as the great doors swung outward. In obedience to the signal, I moved forward with the rest, Mr. Bullinger keeping close to my side, somewhat to my annoyance. We passed on, through the wide doorway, and a vision of beauty burst upon my sight. Forgot were all the others in their gaudy apparel ; forgot the bewilder- ing sights and sounds in the one glory that greeted me. Standing a little apart from the rest, her lovely white hands clasped in front of her and with a wistful expression upon her beautiful face, upturned as if to respond to the look I bent upon her, was the girl of the garden, the maiden whom, day by day, from the solitary window, I had watched among the flowers, not thinking that so soon, and upon such equal terms, I should be permitted to enter her pres- ence. In my turn I was formally presented, and our hands met in one glad thrill of joy. Who, recalling that entrancing hour when first they saw the divinity of their lives — the girl who first inspired them with the emotion of love — will not sympathize with me in exhibiting a little exhilaration of spirits in describing the charming being upon whom now my eyes rested. Eveii if you have jpeen married dozens of years you can afford to THE GIRL OF THE GARDEN. 37 forget that little trouble about the spring bonnet and lis- ten. Perhaps you are still a bachelor, through no fault of your own ; or worse slill — some might cynically say better — a divorce court may have intervened ; but yet there must have been times when fond memory has pictured the maid as she first appeared to you. So, consider this one of those times, and foregoing your cynicism, let me tell you how sweet Margery Mayland looked that night. It needs no flight of imagination to enable me to depict her, for I see her, hovering sprite-like, all clad in fleecy white, between the pen and the paper even now. A form of beauty, not too tall, and yet of that comely and correct stat- ure that is at once dignified and intensely womanly; shapely, with the shape of well rounded arras, bare to the shoulders, and a supple, swaying figure. Beautiful, with beauty of abundant brown hair, falling in the island fashion in a rippling wave about her shoulders ; with the beauty of sparkling blue eyes, whose long lashes rested for a moment as I looked upon her peach-bloom cheeks, whereon the color came and went like the pink aurora, changing and glowing, flushing or paling, as the thought or fancy changed, even as the Arctic blazonry pales and flushes on the cheek of the fair Northern sky. I know if you had seen this maid that evening you would pardon any attempt at poetry of description, even if futile to arouse the old emotions in your stoic senses. We — the half dozen or so convalescents — were speed- ily presented, one after another, to the assembled guests. There were altogether about half a score, and of these several were ladies ; but with only two have we, in this narration, concern. The young girl's mother was pre- sented, a mild, gentle, blue-eyed lady, with long white hair wound about her head, and a soft, low voice. 38 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. The Governor of the institution, husband of this lady and father of Margery, was tall, dignified, and elegant. A man of commanding presence and of rather austere bearing, he moved about as a gentleman among his guests, talking now to one and again to another and affable to all. The three doctors were also there, smiling and cour- teous, but I could see watchful also, as were the half dozen attendants, among whom, to my disgust, I recog- nized the black-browed turnkey who had been my abomi- nation from the first. None, however, were obtrusive, and while the music went on, in fitful, fanciful cadences, I con- trived to bring about an interview apart from the rest with Margery. To do this required some little tact, for my companion of the outer corridor, Mr. Bullinger, was pertinacious and strove to affix himself to me, doubtless with a view to further information respecting the evolu- tion of the oxen. I thinlc that from the first moment our eyes met there was a subtle attraction between Margery and me. At all events, in the course of an hour we were together in a recess of the large apartment and talking like old friends while the others were waltzing to the strains of the band. A curtain of fine but heavy fabric was swung over the embrasure — a curtain embroidered with golden figures on a green ground, looped up with heavy gold cord, and pinned with fire-gilt rampant lions. The floor was of iron of most peculiar texture, inlaid in squares and figures of varied hues, with an artistic blending of shape and color. Tapestries hung from the walls, and pictures of strange, uncouth design were pendant here and there. The arched roof was of alternate beams and panels, the beams bev- elled and of lustreless gilt, the panels deep blue, studded with golden stars. CHAPTER V. IN THE ALCOVE. SO Strange, so extraordinary indeed, were all the de- tails of that place, and so peculiar the various inci- dents of the dancing, the music, the supper, and the devices by which amusement was provided, that in a description of these things alone there might be sufficient interest ; but I am not ashamed to confess that in the enjoyment of the delicious society of Margery I was to a great extent oblivious of all else. I could not avoid per- ceiving that the manners of all present were cultured, and differed in no essential respect, save in trifling points of precedence and etiquette, from those of the best so- ciety to which I had been accustomed at home. Perhaps not exactly of all present. I shall have to except one individual, whose uncouth and unmannerly ways were, before the festivity was over, a source of considerable annoyance. But this will more fully appear afterwards. Let me now relate something of the conversation that I had with Margery. We waltzed together, swinging jround the vast apart- ment to the time of the fifes and cornets of the band. Oh, that waltz ! how charming it was, and yet more charming still was the time I passed in the curtained alcove. Margery appeared a little shy at first, and this was no doubt very natural, as she must have regarded me as one of whom it would be well to beware, so far as any sud- 39 40 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. den intimacy went. Being the daughter of the Governor of the asylum she was in a measure conversant with the peculiarities of the convalescents, and probably past ex- perience had told her that there was little or no danger in any intercourse with those favored with invitations. Still I perceived some little evidence of shyness, and being piqued thereby, strove to impress her with the fact — to me undoubted — that my faculties were unimpaired, I said something to this effect. " You are 'quite well now, are you ? " she asked, de- murely. I looked at her full in the face. She blushed slightly and I began to laugh. " Why do you laugh ? " said Margery. " Oh, I was going to tell you something ; but on reflec- tion I conclude it would be better not." " You had better tell me," she said, very sweetly ; " you may trust me, even if I am the Governor's daughter." " Well, I will trust you," said I, impulsively. "Thank you." " Though I know what you will think — " " I will tell you what I think, Mr. Cliff. I can promise that." " I was going to tell you that there really never has been anything the matter with me." A shade came at once over Margery's face. " I knew that I had better not say that," I said. " Why ? " she answered, looking down. " Because you would not believe me." " I did not say so, Mr. Cliff," she answered, soberly. " But I know what you think. You need not tell me, for I know." IN THE ALCOVE. 4 1 " Then you need not ask me, and I am relieved from my promise." She looked up again and laughed. " I suppose almost all who come- here say the same thing," I said, " do they not ? " " Sometimes, not always." " Do you ever believe them ? " " I have never believed any one — before." " Ah, then," I said, joyously, "you do, after all, believe me?" She was silent. "There is Mr. Bullinger," I said, as that person paced along in front of the alcove, looking in with an impatient expression, " would you believe him if he told you that ? " " No indeed ; — but still, he. would be likely to say so. They all do." So saying, Margery sighed. " All but me," I said softly, " I do not so pretend. I know that I have been ill and that I yet require care ; but I am also very sure now that it will not be for long." Instantly into the girl's face there came an expression of delight. She raised her sweet blue eyes directly to my own. She blushed vividly as she said : " How glad I am, Mr. Cliff, to hear you speak so. Papa tells me that the doctors all say it is a sure sign of recov- ery. I am so glad for your sake." " Do they say that it is a sign of recovery when one real- izes his illness and the necessity of a cure ? " " Yes." " Then I must be getting well," I responded, affecting great joy, " for I do realize that." " So Dr. Setbon says," said Margery. " Dr. Setbon ? Which is he ? " 42 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. " The oldest of the three doctors who have the care of the patients — the one with long white hair." " So he has been speaking to you of me, has he ? " " Not to me exactly. I heard him talking to papa." " And the other doctors— do they say the same ? " "Oh, yes." " And your father ? " " Papa is guided by the doctors' advice. You know that he has really no power to say that any one is well. He has to recommend." "Recommend that they be discharged? " " Yes, he recommends those he thinks ought to be dis- charged, when the doctors agree, to the judge." " And do you think he will recommend me ? " " Oh, I am sure he will. The doctors all say that you have gotten over — what they called the delusion. You won't mind my calling it that now, will you ? " " Of course not," I said, lying shamelessly, " I under- stand myself that it was delusion." " I am sure it will not be long now before you will be entirely free," she continued, " and I am so glad for your sake. Every one says so — at least they all do who have any power ; papa and the doctors." " You speak as if there were others who did not favor my release, Miss Mayland. Who are they ? " " I do not know that I ought to speak of them." " I shall regard the confidence as sacred," I murmured softly. " Tell me, please, I should be on my guard." My manner was so persuasive and my voice so beseeching that Margery yielded. " Yes, there are two who are opposed to your release. I will tell you this frankly and trust to you. One is Mr. Gallwood— " IN THK ALCOVE. 43 " Gallwood ! " I exclaimed, vehemently, " that black- looking turnkey ! " Margery blushed and looked pained. " He is certainly dark complexioned," she said, mildly, " but, Mr. Cliff, he is not a turnkey. He is the assistant, superintendent — and besides," she added, after a short pause, " he is papa's cousin." " Your father's cousin ! That is a surprise. Then he must be yours also." " Oh, no, he is not mine. Cousinship, you know, only goes one remove." She blushed again very deeply. " That is true," I responded, " I had forgotten that ; but why should he be unwilling that I should be free ? " " I cannot tell ; but he persists in declaring that you are not yet recovered.'' " Who else is there. Miss Mayland ? You spoke of an- other." " It is the chaplain.'' "Mr. Nudwink?" " Yes." " And what cause has he to be unfriendly ? " I asked in amazement. " I think it is on religious grounds," she responded, with some hesitation. " Religious grounds ! " I said,- in more amazement still, " what does he know of my religious convictions ? " " Hasn't he spoken on the subject of religion to you ? " " Not one word," I replied, solemnly. " That is certainly very strange. I heard papa and Dr. Setbon talking with the chaplain, and I am sure Mr. Nud- wink's opposition is all on account of what he called your irreligion." "What did he say?" 44 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. " He said that your views of religion were so absurd as to indicate an unsettled mind." " How extraordinary ! " I exclaimed, " how very extraor- dinary, when not a single word has passed between us on the subject — but — stop ! — I do remember that he spoke of my attending church, and said something that I thought very impertinent about the instruction my mother gave me ; but he dropped that, and began talking about arith- metic till I confess I thought he was by far the crazier of the two." Margery laughed. " You made him angry, Mr. Cliff ; you did, indeed. It was unwise ; but he is a good man if he is persistent and peculiar. Promise me when he comes again to talk to you that you will listen." "Of course I shall listen. I did listen, and I was very polite to him notwithstanding all his nonsense." " He says that it was you who talked nonsense." " He is an old fossil," I said, indignantly. " I don't mind telling you that I am of the same opin- ion ; but Mr. Nudwink is very good ; mamma thinks so much of him. She says he is so spiritually minded." " It is your mother who is spiritually minded," I re- sponded, gallantly. "Yes, mamma is very lovely," said Margery. " Is Mr. Nudwink married ? " I asked. " No, indeed ; but why do you ask that question ; does it appear to you that he is the sort of gentleman that a lady could love ? " I shuddered. " I should say not, most decidedly ; but speaking of marriage, may I ask a question ? " IN THE ALCOVE. 45 I looked at her searchingly, and her eyes fell before mine as she inclined her head. " Are you engaged .' " I whispered. She shook her head with a little coquettish movement. " No, I am not engaged ; and what is more," she added, looking up with sudden vivacity, "I do not propose to be." This reply was a discouragement. Not that I had any definite purpose then formed respecting Margery, but her tone was so determined that _ I interpreted it to mean a fixed opposition to matrimony. " That will be some man's great loss, I fear." " Indeed it will," she responded energetically, and then recollecting herself, added hastily, " Oh, what am I saying ? That was all foolishness — I only meant that I am yet too young. I am only seventeen, Mr. Cliff, and that is too young to be thinking of such a thing." " Decidedly so," I answered, " if such a thing be the wrong man." " Who told you it was the wrong man ? " Again she raised her eyes to mine. " I guessed it." " Are you in the habit of making such guesses? " " Did I guess right ? " " Perhaps," she answered in a low tone. "Tell me," I said persuasively, "tell me about if. If you are in any trouble. Miss Margery, tell me about it please, perhaps I can help )'ou." Margery toyed with the deep fringe of her fleecy dress, her eyes cast down. " Ought I ? " she murmured. I was about to renew my persuasions when Mr. Bul- linger, whom I had observed, not without apprehension, 46 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. pass and repass the alcove with staring eyes, suddenly stopped in his walk and advanced a step within. I rose to my feet instantly, a trifle vexed to be thus interrupted. " What do you wish, Mr. BuUinger ? " I said, perhaps a little hastily. " The oxen, the oxen," he answered, his voice trembling and his eyes bloodshot and gleaming, " I must know more. You must spare me the time to explain your method. I have waited till I can stand it no longer." " Another time, Mr. Bullinger, I shall be most happy." " No, now, now." He stamped his foot angrily. " That is impossible," I said, firmly. " Tell me," he cried, in a voice husky with passion, " tell me or I shall reveal the whole thing. I shall divulge the fact of your insanity — your hopeless insanity." " You are forgetting yourself, Mr. Bullinger," I answered, sharply, "you forget that you are in the presence of a lady." " So you refuse, do you ? " " Most certainly I do, and I request you to withdraw at }} * once. He became at once livid with passion. Words burst forth from his lips in a torrent that caused him to gulp and gurgle. Stammering and choking, his words thuihped out, like wine from an upturned decanter. I pitied the man, and yet fearing, for Margery's sake, lest some violence should be attempted, I made haste to place myself between her and the madman. This action irritated him to an extraordinary degree. Shrieking put, " Tell me your method — if you don't, I'll have it out of your throat," he advanced toward me. Mr, Bullinger was not a very large man, and I had no IN THE ALCOVK. 47 fear whatever of the result of a personal encounter; yet I felt an extreme pity for him. Poor fellow, he could not help his delusion. I turned my head — " What shall I do, Miss Margery?" I asked. "Do nothing," she replied, " I ara used to these things." So speaking, she drew aside the drapery that hung over the alcove, and touched a gilt button in the iron wall. Two or three sharp clangs as of little gong bells were heard at a distance. Mr. Bullinger appeared to hear them also, and they rendered him frantic. He fairly foamed at the mouth as he rushed forward towards me, his fists doubled up menacingly. He threw himself upon me white with passion, striking out aimlessly right and left. CHAPTER VL THE CONVALESCENT COURT, ]\ /r ARGERY'S presence of mind didsatdesert her; she ■'■'-*■ rose at once and stood in silence. There was a sound of hurrying feet, making their way among the danc- ers ; for the dance still went on, and as Mr. Bullinger, white with fury, assaulted me, two of the keepers, followed by the black-browed Mr. Gallwood, enterpdTthe alcove. Two or three, of Mr. Bullinger's" frenzied blows I had parried; but he was wary and agile, and moreover very mad, and the third time he struck out his sharp knuckles made themselves felt upon my lower lip. For an instant, realizing that he had hurt me, I forgot my caution, and mad in my turn, I beat down his guard, and launching out, came home upon the man's eye and sent him sprawl- ing on the floor. At this very instant in rushed the attendants, and Gall- wood, despite my protestations, seized me by the arm. "Let go," I exclaimed passionately, struggling to free myself. But he only clung the closer, and one of the oth- ers, while Bullinger was led away, came and held me. I looked around in despair for Margery, but she had left the alcove. " What is the meaning of this outrage ? " I asked defi- antly. Gallwood sneered. " Outrage, indeed," he answered sullenly. " This comes 48 THE CONVALESCENT COURT. 49 from letting you out too soon. We'll have you back again, my fine fellow. I see you are violent yet — oh, you need a little taking down, and you are likely to get it. Now march." Of what avail would any further struggles be ? Margery had apparently deserted me. Well aware that any resist- ance would be futile, I submitted with an ill grace, and was conducted ignominiously back to my solitary room. The music sounded ominous and harsh and discordant; it seemed to speak of treachery and desolation, and for a time when I found myself alone it was only to brood despairingly over my forlorn condition. As Gallwood shut and bolted the iron door, he leered at me through the grating. " It won't do, you know, to try your games on me," he remarked savagely. " I've been watching you, and I know what you're trying to do. Let me tell you you can't come it." Perhaps unwisely, I retorted with some imprecation, letting the scoundrel know that I had no fears of him. He went away with his usual odious grin upon his face, and I stood for a moment glaring after him, and feeling that if only once I was free how rejoiced I should feel to stand face to face with the man. Though Margery had left me with such apparent unkindness in the alcove, yet, as I afterwards discovered, it had been to seek her father on my behalf. The Gov- ernor, a stern man and conscientious in the discharge of his duty, had been unwilling at the time to interfere, know- ing that Gallwood was himself attending to the matter. So it had happened that I was dragged away in company with the unfojrtunate Bullinger, and like him regarded as one whom it would be unsafe to trust. 4 50 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. Although Margery's persuasions had not prevailed with her father that night, she had renewed her efforts in the morning, and by this time had enlisted her mother also in the endeavor. Governor Mayland then sent for Gallwood, and the two had a private conference. To this finally Dr. Setbon had been summoned, and it was at last determined, much to Gallwood's chagrin, that a special examination should be accorded to me. I had been gazing out upon the little garden where first I had seen Margery, and was terribly depressed in spirits, when there was a rattling at my door and the three doctors entered. This time, primed by Gallwood, they were scep- tical enough, and it required all my self-command to relate without acrimony the incidents of the previous evening. In the end, to my great joy, I succeeded in impressing the doc- tors if not with an assured conviction of my sanity, at least with doubts. They were all honest men, and did not fail to understand, in some degree, the position in which I had been placed by Bullinger's importunities. They left me with assurances that I might trust to them for justice. This comforted me beyond measure. So I watted all that day and part of the next in the hope that every moment would bring me release. At the usual time my meals were brought ; but I could hardly bear to leave the window, where I watched expectant of the lovely form of Margery. Once the vil- lanous Gallwood came to my door, and looking in, scowled at me hatefully. Again the tall, angular form of Mr. Nud- wink appeared in the corridor ; but he strode past my cell without even looking in, and with an expression that seemed to me one of great ill-nature upon his uncomely face. THE CONVALESCENT COURT. 5 I About noon the next day Dr. Setbon, accompanied by one of the attendants, appeared. " Come with us, Mr. Clifif," said the doctor, kindly. I obeyed, of course, with much alacrity, and descending to the lower floor, we were ushered into the Governor's private room. I had been presented to my Margery's father at the ball, and then he had been all affability and good humor. Now, however, he was on duty, and I found him strict, sober, sedate, and unapproachable. " Take a chair, Mr. Cliff," he said, in a voice of military precision. I obeyed promptly. " Mr. Cliff," he continued, " your case is one that seems to be a peculiar one, and to demand a most thorough in- vestigation. At the ball, night before last, to which you were admitted, by the advice of the physicians, as a con- valescent, you suffered yourself to be betrayed into ex- citement ; you showed irritation, and you ended by com- mitting an assault upon another of the convalescents, one BuUinger." " It was he that assaulted me," I said ; " I was forced to defend myself. Your daughter. Miss Margery, can tell you that I am speaking the truth." Mr. Mayland waved his hand. "Allow me to conclude my remarks, Mr. Cliff. Do not permit yourself to become excited. You will be allowed ample opportunity to present your case. As I before stated, you committed an assault upon Mr. BuUinger. As to whether you or he was the aggressor that remains to be determined. It is a serious thing and one that our Islw does not tolerate, the keeping of an innocent or sane man under restraint ; but it is even more serious to let loose 52 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. upon society one who might prove dangerous to its peace. It is true that you have been duly pronounced conva- lescent, and as such entitled to a certain limited amount of freedom, consistent with your own safety, and with the safety of those about you. At the ball you were on trial, and it is now a disputed question as to whether on that occasion, in your encounter with Mr. Bullinger, you did or did not give evidence of a want of control over yourself sufficient to deprive you of your convalescent privileges. It is my duty to decide this matter. If you choose you may employ counsel, and this course I strongly advise. If, however, you decide to conduct your own case, I wish to warn you that, not only will the previous facts be con- sidered,, but your actions, bearing, and words during the examination will also be considered, and have great weight in the decision." While the Governor was speaking, a door at one end of the room opened and Gallwood and Nudwink entered. " What is your decision, Mr. Cliff ? " said the Governor. " Shall counsel be assigned to you or not ? " I cast one glance at those two men, both standing by the door, stiff and sombre. " If it involves any special question of law," I replied, guardedly, " I shall have to ask the aid of counsel." The faces of the two men clouded directly. " Only matters of fact are to be considered," said the Governor. "Then," I responded, " I shall conduct my own case." Mr. Gallwood's expression changed instantly, a peculiar light shone in his savage eye, and Mr. Nudwink also ap- peared to be well satisfied with my answer. " Very well," said the Governor, serenely ; then turning round in his chair he addressed Mr. Gallwood : THE CONVALESCENT COURT. S3 " Are you ready to proceed ? " "We are," responded Gallwood. "The convalescent court is now open," continued the Governor, in a louder tone. At these words a young man in uniform stepped for- ward, and tapping three times on the floor with a staff of steel, cried, " Oyez ! oyez ! oyez ! the convalescent court stands open." The door by which Gallwood and Nudwink had pre- viously entered now again swung wide, and the two as- sociate doctors entered, followed by Mrs. Mayland and her daughter Margery. Margery's eyes were cast down, and they all took the seats assigned to them without a word. " The defence will now open," said the Governor, " and in accordance with the law, and the will of the crown, I here exhibit my writ under seal." A document was produced by an official, and held up for inspection. " Mr, Cliff," continued the Governor, " it is now your privilege either to relate what occurred yourself, or to call such witnesses as you may desire to have heard respecting the occurrence of night before last." In response to this intimation I told my story ; making it as short as possible, and being particular to evince no hostility to Mr. Bullinger. When I had finished I had the satisfaction to perceive that the Governor appeared sat- isfied, and Gallwood and Nudwink were scowling. With some trepidation I then requested Margery to testify. She told her story quietly, without questioning, and fully corroborated all that I had said. After this the doctors in turn testified, at my request, stating th^t they had made certain examinations touching my mental condition, and ^4 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. that, in their opinion, I was and had been for some time in a convalescent state, and that, assuming the facts to be as stated by myself and Margery, nothing that happened had caused them to alter their views. When the third doctor had finished testifying there was a short interval of silence, and then I was asked by the Goyernor if I closed my case. I signified that there was nothing further to be offered on my behalf, and then Gallwood came forward and told his story of the encounter. What he said was fair enough. In fact so fair that I was in the highest degree astonished to hear him. When he had finished he called the doctors one after another, but, to my great astonishment, he asked them only one question : " Had they conversed with me at any time upon religious subjects ? " To this query they all responded, " No." " The Reverend Mr. Nudwink," said Gallwood. With a self-satisfied smirk the chaplain came forward, and sitting down leisurely in the witness chair, crossed his legs, and folded his thin arms. " You have attended Mr. Cliff constantly since his ad- mission to the asylum, have you not ? " ' The chaplain bowed. " Have you had opportunities for frequent conversation with him in respect to his religious belief ? " " I have." " In your capacity-as his spiritual adviser, have you at any time become informed as to hie views of religious sub- jects ? " "Until he was pronounced convalescent," responded Nudwink, " I of course refrained from unduly exciting him, although, as with all the other unfortunates committed to THE CONVALESCENT COURT. 55 my spiritual charge, I caused him to be provided with a copy of the Aritlimetic." I started. " There was that infernal arithmetic again," I thought. Perhaps Gallwood perceived my slight emo- tion. He seemed to brighten perceptibly, and went on with his questions : " Since he was declared convalescent have you had any conversation" with him, and if so, what was the nature of such conversation ? " " The day that he was pronounced convalescent I visited him, and I regret to state that not only was he perverse and flippant in the extreme, and even derisive in his treat- ment of sacred things, but he seemed to be absolutely in- sensible to all good influences ; and not only that, but he manifested the most utter ignorance upon religious sub- jects, as well as profound indifference to them." " Did you question him as to his religious faith ? " " No, I found that to be quite futile." " On what account ? « " Solely on account of his utter insensibility." " To what did you attribute that ? " " I was at a loss to know. At first it appeared to me to be either complete depravity, or the grossest levity ; but after thinking the matter over more deliberately, I have become convinced, with all due deference to the previously expressed opinions of Dr. Setbon and his learned associ- ates, that his want of comprehension and disregard of religion was, and I may say is, due to some peculiar mania. I can account for his manifest peculiarities on no other ground." " Give some instances of these peculiarities, Mr. Nud- wink, as they came under your observation." " In the course of this conversation which I have merr- 56 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. tioned, I took occasion to ask Mr. Cliff if he had ever been instructed by his mother in respect to Mathematics. His answer astonished me. He gave me the information that all he had learned of that great theme had been taught him by a governess or at a day-school. This he said, although having previously admitted that his mother was a pious woman, and an attendant, as I understood him, of the Established church. There was some more conversation of a similar character, and his remarks were of so peculiar a nature that I determined to probe the thing to the bottom, and to that end I propounded a series of questions. His replies to these queries convinced me that his mind was either given over to corrupt influences or was still darkened. I trust for the sake of his soul it may be only the latter." As he said this, Mr. Nudwink eyed me grimly. " You had better state your questions and Mr. Clifi's re- plies," said Gallwood, cheerfully, seeing that apparently his cause was prospering in Nudvy^nk's hands. " I asked him," continued the witness, " ' Who was Mathematics ? ' and he replied, with the most irreverent manner, 'You don't mean who, you mean what.' As- tounded beyond measure, I then asked him, ' Who was Numbers ? ' He replied in exactly the same way as before — " " By calling Numbers, what ? " said Gallwood. " Yes." " Abominable ! " ejaculated Gallwood ; " that is, it would have been, had poor Mr. Cliff been responsible." " Of course I have great charity," said Nudwink, com- placently. " Certainly, we understand that ; but your duty to so- ciety is paramount. Now was there anything further took THE CONVALESCENT COURT. 57 place — any further remarks of Mr. Cliff of a similar tenor indicating, in your opinion, unsoundness ? " "Yes; some of his remarks were wholly irrelevant. I utterly failed to understand their drift. Among other things which he said was something respecting a joke, and he invited me to come some time when I could spare half an hour, when, as he said, he would explain it. Then I asked him if he read his Arithmetic. To this he re- sponded that he had not, and in fact that precious book had been tossed under the bed, from which he extricated it covered with dust." " Did you question him concerning his knowledge of it .? " "I did." " Did he appear to be acquainted with its contents ? " " Not only unacquainted, but absolutely indifferent, and boastful of his want of knowledge ; and yet — and this was the most singular circumstance — while actually derid- ing the Holy Arithmetic he referred to the Four Ground Rules as if he did, after all, possess a certain degree of in- formation. I confess that I was shocked beyond meas- ure ; but as I before remarked, I am now convinced that in respect to tliese subjects Mr. Cliff is still insane." CHAPTER VII, gallwood's enmity is manifested. << T^HAT will do, Mr. Nudwink," said Gallwood. -*■ "Now, Mr. Cliff," he continued, with a patroniz- ing smile, " I shall, if you please, propound certain ques- tions to you." I felt very nervous, for this was a course that I had not expected. I was acquainted in a general way with the rules of evidence of our own courts, and had even taken some little interest in the controversy respecting our crim- inal code of procedure. I was aware that under our New York law, I had the privilege of refusing to testify,, on the ground that what I might say would have a tendency to criminate myself ; but I had found the customs of Inquirendo so widely at vari- ance with those of the State of New York, that, bearing in mind the Governor's declaration that my method of de- fence would go far towards forming his opinion, I quickly decided that I had best not offer this plea. I did debate with myself for an instant the advantages of a strict course of lying ; but this I at once discarded, not so much that it was wicked, as that it was not feasi- ble. In lying, I did not feel myself at all a match for the unscrupulous Gallwood. It was evident to me that the line of questioning to which I was about to be subjected was not at all in the nature of a cross-examination. But whose witness was I, S8 GALLWOODS ENMITY IS MANIFESTED. 59 my own or Mr. Gallwood's ? While ,1 was trying to deter- mine what my course should be, Gallwood, all urbanity, proceeded : " What is your full name ? " " John Cliff," I answered promptly. " Your father's name ? " " William Cliff." " His business ? " " Stock broker," I responded unthinkingly, and then re- membering that I was wholly in the dark as to the exist- ence of any such profession in Inquirendo, I blushed and probably looked guilty. " What do you mean by the term broker ? " said Gall- wood. I thought a moment, very vigorously. Clearly here was a case where wits were better than lies. " One who breaks," I answered, well satisfied. " Does he break cattle, or sheep ? " " Sheep ; that is, lambs — mostly lambs." I said this knowing that breaking lambs on Wall Street was in fact my father's vocation, and also persuaded that my reply was in strict accordance with the ways of busi- ness in the island as- well as in New York. My readiness of reply seemed to disconcert my prosecu- tor slightly ; but he was not easily abashed, and went on directly : " Where do you live ? " "Just now," I answered, "my residence appears to be in the asylum." " No levity, Mr. Cliff," interposed the Governor, and then I was aware that I had made a mistake. " Answer the question," said Gallwood. What could I say to this ? Could I declare that I lived, when in the city, on the south-west corner of Park Place and Sixty-oddth Street? Manifestly not ; nor could 6o INQUIRENDO ISLAND. I proclaim my home to be at Far Rockaway, where we had taken a furnished house for the summer. I nfight, it is true, have mentioned some locality on the island, but for one or two reasons : in the first place, if I did mention a locality the probabilities were quite strong, and favored the conclusion, that I would be remanded to my cell while some one, — most likely Gallwood himself, — would go to that identical spot and make inquiries ; in the second place, I knew of no locality to mention. It had been suggested to me that I came from the east end, but at this time my notions of the geography of In- quirendo were extremely vague, and if I had stated that my home was at the east end I was not sure what the ef- fect might be. All these forms of reply being, it appeared to me, inadmissible, I boldly resolved to avow my igno- rance, and frankly lie. In the United States, as I have had frequent occa- sion to observe, there is nothing so convincing and so plausible as a frank lie. I found it much the same in Inquirendo. " Answer my question," repeated Gallwood. Then with an appearance of the utmost frankness and candor, I avowed my total inability to tell in what part of the island my home"was situated. I explained that in most respects I felt myself to be thoroughly recovered, but that I was aware of a lack of memory, the defect of which I was unable to overcome. This answer had an effect upon the Governor that I saw was displeasing in the extreme to Gallwood. Mr. Mayland nodded in a way that appeared to indicate satis- faction with my reply, and Dr. Setbon smiled complacently. He was evidently on my side, and looking towards the corner where Margery sat beside her mother, I noticed gallwood's enmity is manifested. 6 1 that she was also sweetly smiling. This greatly encour- aged me, and I felt nerved for anything further that the odious Gallwood might have in store. " You have listened to the testimony of Mr. Nudwink, have you not ? " asked Gallwood. He spoke angrily, and his brow was blacker than ever. I knew that even if I had foiled him on that special point, the man would be pertinacious. What was the cause of his antipathy to me I did not then know, but that he hated me I was convinced. " I have heard what Mr. Nudwink said," I answered calmly. " Who is Mathematics ? — or, rather, let me put the question in a different shape : give me your idea — if you have one — of Mathematics." Who was Mathematics ? Here was that same question that the absurd Nudwink had poked at me. It was quite evident that a trap had been laid for me. If I should retort as I had on the previous occasion would not that be detrimental to my interest ? I pondered a moment. Give him my idea of mathematics, of course I could do that. That appeared easy. As to who mathematics was I could not pretend to say : but I could certainly define the abstract idea. " Mathematics is the science of the relations of quan- tity," I said. Mr. Gallwood scowled furiously. Mr. May- land smiled and so did Margery, while Mr. Nudwink moved uneasily in his chair and seemed to be much in- censed. All this appeared to me to be a very large effect from so simple a cause as my plain answer. " What is the Arithmetic ? " continued Gallwood, ab- ruptly. " The science of numbers," I answered, promptly. 62 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. This reply seemed to astonish Gallwood greatly. He lowered on me savagely with his black, brutal eyes, i^ which glittered unmistakable hatred. "One question more," he hissed, leaning forward and holding up his forefinger menacingly; "how many dig- its are there ? " " Nine," I answered. " What is your idea of a cipher ? " " Nothing, naught." " What do the Four Ground Rules treat of ? " " Addition, sub — " " I did not ask you to name them ; I asked you of what they treated ? " he snapped. " Of the processes — the fundamental processes of Arith- metic."' " Of the Arithmetic ? " " Yes." " What is the first called .' " " Addition." " The others, in their order ? " " Subtraction, multiplication, and division." Mr. Gallwood, for some cause unknown to me, was now perfectly furious. His face was actually livid with pas- sion ; but controlling himself, he continued with a bitter sneer : " So, Mr. Cliff, in your conversation with our wor- thy chaplain you saw fit to deliberately deceive and pre- varicate. Well, I shall question you no more. The Archten himself can, we are told, quote Arithmetic, and I presume that is the case with you." Having so delivered himself Gallwood sat down abruptly, and turning to Nudwink, the two entered at once into conversation, which, though conducted in a very low gallwood's enmity is manifested. 63 tone, was accompanied by much vigor of expression and gesticulation. " Have you any further questions to put, Mr. Gall- wood ? " asked the Governor. " None, sir," responded Gallwood, sulkily. " Do you desire to call any further witnesses ? " " No, sir, none ; we rest." "And you, Mr. Cliff," continued Mr. Mayland, politely, " are there others whom you desire to question ? " " No, sir," I answered, politely, " none." " Then I shall myself ask a few : have you no recollec- tion at all as to your home ? " I adhered to my previous statement. " You say that your father's name is William Cliff ? " " It is." " Mr. Gallwood." " Sir." " Have you ever known of a family of that name upon the island ? " " Never, sir." " Do you believe there is a family of that name ? " " I do not." " Mr. Nudwink." The chaplain responded. He was asked the same questions, and his answers were of a like character to those of Gallwood. The three doctors in turn were questioned, and they all admitted that the name was unfamiliar. " If you know of any one, Mr. Cliff," said the Governor, " who can testify respecting your family, you may have time to call them." I explained that I was unable to do tliis ; but that I was still confident as to my own name and that of my father. 64 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. " Now as to your knowledge of Mathematics. How is it that, while here in court you have, without hesitation, and with a manifest comprehension of the subject, re- plied to the inquiries that were made, when, according to the testimony of Mr. Nudwink, you showed yourself on a former occasion either so indifferent or so ignorant ? " I had certainly hoped that with the ending of Gall- wood's attempt to 'disconcert me, all reference to the subject of Mathematics had been over; but here it was again. The very word itself had become hateful to me. 1 could not help associating it with the sanctimonious and, as I believed, hypocritical chaplain, and also with the yet more distasteful Gallwood. For a moment I cudgelled my brains in silence. It would not do, I thought, to say that I had not understood Nudwink, for I feared a renewal of. the inquiry as to the exactness of my views, which were indeed very vague. I deemed it best, therefore, to boldly avow a want of confidence in the man. The reference that had been made to my joking aided me in this, serving to render my story probable. " I was only having a little fun," I answered meekly. " Fun," said the Governor, " on such a subject, and with the chaplain, who only had your good at heart ! Do you regard such conduct as seemly ? " " Perhaps not." " Decidedly not," said the Governor, with much em- phasis. I ventured to say that I thought Mr. Nudwink was a very peculiar man. " He is a most devoted man to his duties among the inmates of the asylum," said the Governor, severely, " and in addition preaches most acceptably to a large congre- gation in the adjoining village." gallwood's enmity is manifested. 6s To this I made no response. " He is a most exemplary Mathematician, Mr. Cliff," the Governor proceeded to say, " and you would do well in the future to profit by his admonitions." I inclined ray head submissively. " Is there anything further in the way of testimony ? " said the Governor, casting his eye around the room. Mr. Gallwood rose and stood erect in the midst of a deep silence. My friend— for so I must now call him — Dr. Setbon, gave me a little nudge. " Stand up, Mr. Cliff," he said. So I also rose. " There seems to be nothing further," said the Governor, when he had gazed about for a short interval. "Now, Mr. Gallwood, if you so desire, you may proceed with your argument in the case; the court allows twenty minutes." My friend the doctor gave me a little tug from behind and I resumed my chair. Gallwood availed himself of his privilege of speech to the fullest extent, and managed to crowd more vitupera- tion and venom into that space of time, as well as more lies, than I could have believed possible. I shall not report his argument — if argument I were justified in calling it. He took the ground that my defective memory, in addition to the irrelevancy of my replies to Mr. Nudwink's pertinent inquiries, and my reckless be- havior to the chaplain, constituted valid evidence that I was totally unfit for convalescent privileges. There was one allusion that he made which I did not under- stand at the time, and this, as it was quite short, I take the liberty of quoting from memory : " Not only unfit," said Gallwood, passionately, " but so 5 66 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. far removed from fitness that, despite the kindly hearts of our good doctors and the strong religious charity of our estimable chaplain, I am almost persuaded to de- clare him to be hopeless. Full well I know the awful significance of those two brief words— well styled the dead language— which, if pronounced by the court, are terrible as fate. Full well I understand my own responsi- bilities as prosecutor; yet mindful of my obligations, I dare aver, in my paramount duty to the entire com- munity, that not only is Mr. Cliff not convalescent, but he is also in my opinion ' non compos.' " So, amid a breathless silence, and an attention that I myself regarded as greater than the gravity of the occa- sion demanded, Mr. Gallwood sat down. I observed that Margery and her mother were both crying bitterly ; that Dr. Setbon was furtively wiping his eyes, and that even the Governor seemed to be affected. Recovering himself promptly, Mr. Mayland asked me if I desired to make an appeal in my own behalf. I rose, and in a very short and temperate speech, I expressed my willingness to leave the matter to the judgment of the court. When I had concluded there was another pause, and then the Governor, in the same tone in which he had pronounced the court open, declared it closed. The tip-staff was instantly upon his feet, bawling ; " Oyez ! oyez ! oyez ! the convalescent court stands closed." All rose to their feet. Mrs. Mayland and Margery went out noiselessly by the door through which they came. They were followed by Nudwink and Gallwood, the latter casting back at me one baleful glance. Then I was conducted into an ante-room, and waited there, I confess gallwood's enmity is manifested. 67 in some suspense, in company with the three doctors and an attendant, for perhaps half an hour. Tliere was then a bustling, and the tip-staff came out and summoned us to re-enter the court room. Mr. Mayland was seated at his desk, in the same attitude of magisterial dignity as before ; but his counte- nance being perfectly impassible, nothing indicated what his decision might be. As we sat down, the further door was thrown open, and the others entered. Margery and her mother both held their heads down, and it seemed that the girl was weeping. This I thought rather strange ; but my attention was diverted by the constable, who, with his " Oyez ! oyez ! oyez ! " opened the court as before. The Governor now looked at me a moment fixedly, and then proceeded, in a low calm voice, to pronounce his opinion. CHAPTER .VIII- ON THE COURSE OF DISCIPLINE. (( T^HE circumstances in your case, Mr. Cliff," said the -'- Governor, " are very peculiar. It is seldom that so iliany intricate questions are involved in a matter of convalescence, as in yours. Questions of fact have arisen in three specific details ; namely : the question as to your accountability for the attack upon Mr. Bullinger; the question of the defective memory ; and the further ques- tion of aberration as indicated by your unaccountable conduct in reference to religious subjects. The law is plain. It* is that although a patient may be pronounced convalescent by the physicians, and thereby admitted to certain privileges, yet this action is subject to reversal on a proper presentation of the case, and for good cause shown. " You have, I will say at the outset, Mr. Cliff, shown a fertility of resource, and a very considerable degree of in- formation upon various subjects, and in respect to your own conduct of the case, no fault whatever is to be found. You are probably not versed in the law, but it is my duty to see that you do not suffer from any lack of legal knowl- edge. I will therefore briefly state that, in his capacity as assistant superintendent of the asylum, it has devolved upon Mr. Gallwood, entirely within the scope of his powers, to present you to the court as one to whom it is unsafe to intrust the privileges of convalescence. He 6a ON THE COURSE OF DISCIPLINE. 6g has, in the course of the proceedings, fully demonstrated his wisdom and fulfilled his duties well, and having ar- raigned you on the three several questions of fact before enumerated his responsibility ceased. This responsibility is, as the law very properly provides, of a very serious na- ture. The responsibility of our three physicians, Dr. Set- bon and his associates, is limited to fine, and in serious cases, to loss of position ; and is also limited to three days after recommendation of convalescent liberties. Within three days an act was done by you — the attack upon your fellow patient — which, had it resulted in death or serious injury to him, would have rendered the physi- cians amenable to the law in such case made and provided. Fortunately there was no serious injury done ; but in his province of assistant superintendent it then became imper- ative that Mr. Gall wood should take action. Had he acquiesced in your view of the case, — that Bulliriger was the sole offender, — he might have become, in case any future act of yours should result in serious bodily harm to any one, personally liable to the full extent of the statute, which, as you may perhaps not be aware, provides an adequate pecuniary compensation to the sufferer, or in case death should result, to his heirs; and also, in that event, imprisonment. It must therefore be plain to you, Mr. Cliff, that in prosecuting you to the extreme limit, Mr. Gallwood does not in any degree exceed his rights, and would even be derelict in his duty to society had he done otherwise. " In the act of the arraignment, however, Mr. Gallwood's responsibility ceases, and under the law it again devolves upon Dr. Setbon and his associates, and also upon the court, to this extent, that if, by accepting your pleas in whole or in part, you were to be restored to your conva- yo INQUIRENDO ISLAND. lescent liberty, and any untoward event should occur, we would be each severally liable, as before noted, in pecuni- ary damages, and also subject — at the crown's discretion — to loss of position. " It now lies within the prerogative of the court to adju- dicate in one of four ways : First, you may be either re- manded absolutely to the asylum, and your assignment as a convalescent declared invalid ; or, second, you may be declared to have sustained your position in every respect with full convalescent liberties unimpaired; or, third, it is within the court's power to place you on the course of discipline, whereby your liberty as a convales- cent would be much curtailed ; or, — and I hesitate before naming that dread alternative ; but as an adjudication is asked on that special matter I must do so, — in the fourth and last case I can pronounce the awful sentence, — sub- ject, it is true, to revision by the Sun Court, — of non com- pos." The Governor paused, and appeared greatly moved by something, the nature of which I hardly comprehended. In the silence that ensued Margery's voice was heard pas- sionately sobbing. Of course I knew that it was a very dreadful thing to be pronounced a lunatic ; but why should the Governor be so perturbed ? and why should Margery feel moved by such strong emotion ? I confess that I was puzzled ; but so many things had happened to disconcert me that I regarded this as only one of many, and not more formidable than what had preceded. I sat stolid, concerned, it is true, and impatient, but not, I think, manifesting any great distress. The Governor proceeded : " Having indicated the sev- eral courses that are open to the court I now pass to the questions of fact. In the encounter with Mr. Bullin- ger, were you blameworthy ? I answer. No." My heart ON THE COURSE OF DISCIPLINE. 7 1 gave a joyous bound. " In respect to your defective memory, your own testimony is the controlling testimony. You have admitted with much candoryour own incapacity, and, in so doing, have established the point conclusively in my mind that no danger is to be apprehended from that source alone, and on that count also you are absolved from blame. To come to the third point, is it or is it not a fact, that your levity towards our estimable chaplain was of such a character as to justify this court in regarding it as serious ? To the mind of the court this point seems to be involved in very great obscurity. Your own explana- tion is either truthful — in which case it was levity almost unpardonable — or it was ingenious, and by your very in- genuity you thereby demonstrated your own defects. " No point is better established in our system of juris- prudence than this; that cunning is always an attribute of impaired mental faculties. It is true that on other points you sustained yourself admirably, and the court gives you due credit for the excellent temper you have shown during the examination; still, all this may have been assumed, and I take this occasion to state that had you shown more feeling at the allusions to a possible decree of non compos it would have been more becoming. However, we are not all constituted alike, and this may have been only a matter of phlegmatic temperament. " It is not, under our law, in a trial of this character, the province of the prosecution to touch upon the original charges which lead to incarceration; but in its- judgment the court has the right to take that into consideration in rendering a decision. Bearing all the facts in mind, the court determines that the first charge, an unprovoked attack upon Mr. Bullinger, is not sustained, and therefore pronounces you of that charge not guilty. Of the second •j2 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. charge, defective memory, guilty, but the court attaches no blame to you thereby, and regards it as but a physical impairment, which time may, and probably will, remedy. Of the third charge, undue levity, the court pronounces you guilty." The Governor's voice was intensely solemn as he pro- nounced this ominous word, and again Margery broke forth into sobs. I was by this time somewhat moved my- self, but I sat expectant of what was to follow. After a brief interval Mr. Mayland proceeded : " The court now in its discretion, aware of the high degree of responsibil- ity attaching to its action, decrees as follows : that you be placed upon the course of discipline from this day for one year, unless sooner discharged." As the Governor pronounced these words he bowed his head gravely; there was a simultaneous sigh from the three doctors. I looked towards Gallwood and Nudwink ; both were scowling, while the faces of Mrs. Mayland and Margery brightened into smiles. Both the smiles and the scowls were alike reassuring. I was in dense ignorance as to what the course of discipline consisted; but that Margery should smile and Gallwood scowl thereat was sufficient evidence that it was not especially dreadful. The whole matter was explained to me in the ante-room by my good friend Dr. Setbon, who shook my hand warmly, congratulating me upon the favorable impression I had made. Margery and her mother also came and spoke to me. There was a tear in Mrs. Mayland's eye as she took my hand. " While you are filled with joy at your wonderful preservation do not forget to whom you owe all this," she said. "The Governor?" I asked, "do you mean him?" ON THE COURSE OF DISCIPLINE. 73 " Oh, no, I refer to a higher than the Governor, in whose hands are all human ordinances, and from whom proceed all human judgments." " Oh, yes," I answered humbly, being indeed fervently thankful to that higher power. " I grieve to think," continued the old lady, " that you should have treated the counsels of the chaplain in an unbecoming way — " " Mr. Cliff explained that it was only ai> aversion to Mr. Nudwink, mamma,'' said Margery, stealing a glance at me out of her lovely eyes. " Still he ought to have remembered the sacred charac- ter of the man and of his mission. Promise me, Mr. Cliff," Mrs. Mayland added, with much fervor, " promise me that you will read your Arithmetic hereafter with due dili- gence." " I shall certainly do so," I answered, " as you and Miss Margery request it." " We do request it," said Margery, sweetly. "And pray," added Mrs. Mayland,. "pray to Mathemat- ics, and may the Greatest Common Divisor sustain and comfort you. Now I shall say good-by. When it is all settled in respect to the course of discipline no doubt it will be permitted that you shall visit us." Mrs. Mayland gave me her hand, Margery smiled charmingly, and they both withdrew, leaving me alone with Dr. Setbon. The excellent doctor rubbed his hands gleefully. "I am charmed, Mr. Cliff, charmed with the way in which you conducted yourself during the examination. My professional reputation was at stake, and I was, I con- fess, for awhile exceedingly anxious, but you sustained 74 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. yourself through the trying ordeal with the greatest cool- ness. Now as to the future — " " There are one or two things that I should like to have explained," I said, feeling that I could trust the doctor in some measure. " Name them, Mr. Cliff, I shall be delighted to afford you any assistance in my power." " You are aware that I have admitted my defective memory, doctor .■' " " With uncommon candor, my dear sir, with most un- common candor." " You remember the course the examination took re- specting my so-called levity with the chaplain .' " " Perfectly, sir, perfectly." " You recall that I laid it to a little pleasantry on my part on account of a personal dislike I had for Mr. Nud- wink ? " " I don't wonder at it, not in the least. He is a man for whom I have myself the very strongest aversion." " It seemed to me that I had no other course open to me than Jo explain my apparently unaccountable conduct as a joke." " And was it not a joke ? " asked the doctor, opening his eyes very wide. " No, doctor, I was not joking ; that is, except in one in- stance. I dislike to prevaricate, but to have told the ex- act truth at court I feared would have been prejudicial to my interests." " Then what was the true explanation ? I am quite at a loss to conceive of any other." " The explanation is a simple one." "What is it?" " I may trust you, doctor, may I not ? " ON THE COURSE OF DISCIPLINE. 75 "Thoroughly, sir." " Then I shall have to admit that my defective memory extended to all those points referred to by Mr. Nud- wink." " You do not mean to tell me," exclaimed the doctor in amazement, " that you have lost all memory of religious truth ? " What was I to say in reply to this ? The questions of religion and arithmetic had become so inextricably in- volved in my mind that I felt myself quite incapable of disentangling them. Still, the doctor must be answered. I had declared to myself that I would trust him, and he had given me the assurance that he was to be trusted. " To be frank, doctor," I said, " I fear I must say that, if not all, I have at least lost the memory of much. As to what constitutes religious truth I seem to have now only a dim perception." " Remarkable, most remarkable." " I realize my own deficiency in this as in those other respects of which you are aware, and I deem it my duty to be thoroughly candid." " You are quite right, Mr. Cliff, quite right. However, this puts quite a new phase upon the matter. Yours, sir, is a most remarkable ease ; the most remarkable that has ever come under my observation." He paused and rubbed his brow reflectively. " Singular, very singular," he continued, " that a mind as bright as yours in so many respects should yet fail utterly on these points. We physicians are of course continually dealing with lapses of memory of almost all degrees, but your case stands by itself. However, one great point gained is this, that you know your own weakness to its fullest ex- tent, and will therefore be prepared to cooperate with me f6 INQUIR.ENDO ISLAND. in such efforts as I shall think best to make during the ensuing year, while you are on the course of discipline." " Will you kindly explain what is meant by this course of discipline, doctor?" " There are really several grades of the course of dis- cipline," he replied, " and it is mainly my duty to assign to each patient thereon his proper grade ; each has its special hardships and special exemptions. In your case, as I am informed by the Governor that you are possessed of ample means, the burden will not be as heavy as it otherwise would." " In what way ? " I asked. " You will have to be continually under supervision, of course. That is requisite more or less in every grade of the course ; but I shall arrange it so that you can travel, if you so desire it, with your attendant." " Travel ! " said I, delightedly. " I should like that." " And perhaps on your journey over the island, it may happen that your eye may light upon some familiar scene that will revive the dormant smouldering cinders of mem- ory." "That is possible," I answered, overjoyed at the pros- pect before me of a certain degree of freedom. "I shall arrange at once for a suitable attendant," continued Dr. Setbon. " Let me see ; who is there I can get ? You need a man of more than ordinary intelligence, who would be able to inform you on all points." " Yes, doctor," said I, hypocritically." " I am well aware that on these points where memory fails I must be taught as a child." " Right, sir ; you have hit it exactly," exclaimed the doc- tor, taking my hand with enthusiasm. " You inspire me with more and more confidence, and in your case I am ON THE COURSE OF DISCIPLINE. 77 going to depart somewhat from my ordinary custom. I shall assign as your companion a young man — a nephew of my own — whom you will find an agreeable associate, and who will be more likely than any one I know to im- part the knowledge you desire quickly and ably. With him as your instructor I feel convinced that before the year rolls round you will have become completely restored to yourself." Dr. Setbon then left me, having called in one of the attendants. In about an hour he returned, and with him he brought his nephew; whom he introduced simply as Oliver. CHAPTER IX. SOME NECESSARY STATISTICS. HAVING learned by some sad and some rather hu- morous experiences, I diligently set myself to the task of acquiring information respecting the singular land in which my lot was now cast. I called to mind the old adage that " a shut mouth makes a wise head," and in my intercourse with those in whose company I was thrown I contrived after a time to extract a considerable amount of information without directly asking for it. Then, too, the Governor's library was at my disposal, and of the works therein I availed myself freely. There was of course a great deal that was wholly incomprehensible, for the ma- jority of the subjects treated of were of a mystical charac- ter; and of the remainder the greater part were disserta- tions in which the crudest notions of the properties of numbers were combined with moral speculations, and es- says of a recondite and didactic character. There was one book, however, that afEorded me some insight into the origin of the peculiar islanders. The style of this work was of an elevated and poetic type, but the printing was blind, the paper, though heavy, was of a poor quality, and the language at times, on account of the remark- able spelling, almost incomprehensible. I shall not vent- ure to quote — although my memory of its contents is excellent — from this singular production ; but shall en- deavor to recount such of its statements as may serve 78 SOME NECESSARY STATISTICS. 79 to give some general idea in respect to the history of the island. Like the narratives of the beginnings of all other lands, the early history of Inquirendo Island is evidently either myth or garbled statement, part fact and part conjecture. It is gravely stated that in the beginning Mathematics created all things ; that nine days were occupied in this work, and that on the ninth day nine individuals — three males and three females, and three others — who are de- scribed as workers, were sent from Heaven, or Oversea, as it is indifferently called, and from whom all the dwellers in the island were descended. From certain matters of internal evidence, and a proc- ess of deduction based upon the character of the writing and the description that was given of these nine original Adams and Eves, I arrived at the conclusion that they had been inhabitants of the British Isles, and flourished, as the historians say, about the close of the sixteenth cent- ury. The three men are described in the first chapter of the narrative as being very distinct in their characteris- tics : one, who was called the Angel, was of a high and noble disposition ; another, called Caledon, was similar to the first, but, as I gathered, more warlike, and also more industrious, but far less able ; while the third, named Erin, was of a truculent and at the same time submissive disposition, and who appeared to be more allied to the workers than to the others, and particularly to Angel. This latter personage seems to have possessed qualities that lifted him far above his companions, and it is to him that the civilization of the island was attributed. Indeed so extraordinary does he appear in the narrative that I was at first tempted to regard him as purely mythical. He was credited with the invention of every one of the 8o INQUIRENDO ISLAND. appliances by which this people mitigated the severity of life. To him was due the discovery of the ores of iron, gold, silver, and copper, and to him the processes by which these ores were utilized. From him this peculiar people received all they had of religion, as to which I shall be more explicit further on. Then also he devised the system of computation, by which all accounts were kept, and by which all reckoning was done. From several sources, including information procured from time to time in conversations, I became acquainted with certain facts pertaining to the knowledge which the islanders had of the exact sciences. Their year was divided into three hundred and sixty-five days, and, by a system of intercalations, the want of accord between the apparent and the real was remedied. The notation by which they expressed quantities was of the most extra- ordinary description, and which, so far as I have been able to discover, bears no analogy to that of any other known system that has ever existed upon the face of the earth. It was all based, as I discovered only after much dili- gence, upon the remarkable assumption that nine was the extreme limit to which the human mind was capable of expanding. Of course they discovered that multiples did exist; but their only notion of large aggregations of things was by combinations of nines and other lesser numbers, arranged in accordance with empirical formula. For instance, to designate 365 they used this expression: 985 -I- 5,* which puzzled me at first exceedingly. In my researches I discovered that so long as computations were confined to the nine digits, their methods and ours were identical ; but, as will more fully appear hereafter, ten *(9X8xs + S = 36S-) SOME NECESSARY STATISTICS. 8 1 was to them an unknown quantity : lo was to them 9 + I ; II, 9 4- 2 ; 81 in their method was written 99 ; 82, 99 + I, and so on. All this appears to us exceedingly com- plex and cumbersome ; but I could not see but that all ordinary operations were performed with exactness and despatch by the islanders. Every year consisted of thirty-six weeks of nine days each, the ninth day corresponding to our Sunday. By this arrangement four days were of necessity left over : but this was remedied by adding one additional week every two years and subtracting one every sixth year ; but as this, in the course of time, would cause the year to fall short, every thirty-sixth year there was no subtraction. This with the dropping of a day every forty-fourth year, when the new moon coincided with the opposition of Mars, brought the civil and solar year in almost exact accord ; fully as much as by the Gregorian calendar. Since my return I have been able to compare the meth- ods of the Inquirendians with those of other civilizations, and I find some strange similarities between them and the Egyptians, and also the Aztecs. But upon all this I shall not enlarge. I might have had more to say in respect to these coincidences, but the Lentor Library has been closed so long, and apparently so purposelessly, that I have been unable to examine certain very valuable works there, and especially the " Codex," a fac simile of that in the Bodlein Library. The system of nines prevailed in every relation upon the island. The political arrange- ments were dependent upon nine and its multiples. There were nine departments, and the Council of Elders, by which appellation I refer to their legislative body, was composed of eighty-one delegates, nine from each depart- ment. The judiciary consisted of what were called the 6 82 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. star courts, presided over by a justice, appointed by the elders in the several departments, and which had jurisdic- tion in minor cases. Next to these were the moon courts, one in each department, having original jurisdiction in criminal cases only, and appellate jurisdiction in civil mat- ters. The judges were appointed by the council and held office for life. Above all these courts, and having orig- inal and appellate jurisdiction in criminal cases, was the Sun Court, whose sittings were held at the capital or chief city in the centre of the island, where also the elders met. There were three judges of the sun court, elected by the council and holding office for life. In all these courts there was a system of jury trials, in which, as with us, matters of fact were submitted to the jurors. There was also what was designated the supreme jury, consisting of nine men chosen by the elders for their high character, whose province it was solely to try those who, for any cause, should be impeached by the elders. The officials subject to impeachment were the judges of the different courts and the executive. The code of this singular peo- ple was in nothing more extraordinary than in the powers, privileges, and responsibilities of the chief magistrate. He was chosen by the popular vote ; his term of office was three years, and during the time of his occupancy of the executive chair, he was to all intents and purposes an absolute despot. He could, if it so pleased him, usurp the functions of any courts or any judge, and by his arbitrary ^yord alone mete out any punishment that did not extend to death. The police or army of the island, as well as all the subordinate officers, particularly those of fina,nce, the special officers, such as governors of mines, mints, prisons, and the asylum, were all directly under his sway. It was his prerogative to issue writs over his own signa- SOME NECESSARY STATISTICS. 83 ture to the several moon courts — or for that matter to the other courts — whereby any one who appeared to be acting in a manner inimical to the peace of the realm could be summarily treated, being either taken before the executive in person, or to such other as he might designate. It was thus that I myself was dealt with. The writ of Habeas Corpus was unknown ; but a far more jjotent power was retained by the people, apd which, if the history that I have quoted is to be relied upon, had always proved suffi- cient to preserve their liberties : it was the powerful weapon of impeachment, held by the council of elders, who, being directly responsible to the people by whom they were elected, had the most extreme interest in pre- venting the least approach to an abuse of the arbitrary power confided to the chief magistrate. The punishment which the supreme jury was authorized to inflict was death — if innocent, acquittal ; if guilty, death. This tre- mendous power had been sufficient, so it was asserted, to prevent any despotism and to restrain the successive despots. "* During my residence on the island I visited in succes- sion every part, and made myself acquainted with the working of the system of government, and also with the social constitution in every respect. As nearly as I could approximate, the island was one hundred and sixty miles long from east to west, and about ninety miles wide in the widest part. The population I estimated to be about one hundred and sixty thousand, of whom about forty-five thousand were gathered in the several towns, and a little less than ten thousand in the capital, from which the asy- lum to which I had been first conducted was distant not many miles. Communication was kept up by means of roads, some of which were macadamized after a rough 84 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. fashion and kept in order by the government, and the re- mainder of which, called department roads, were ill made and dusty or muddy, and kept in such repair as they were by the funds of the several departments. The iron mine in the sixth department was under the charge of an officer directly responsible to the chief mag- istrate. There was also an officer in control of the cop- per mine in the fourth department. The silver workings were in the seventh and the-gold in the ninth department : but these were not productive, and the chief coins of the country in use were of silver and copper. My possession of fourteen five-dollar gold pieces and some silver was a very great advantage, for although I was compelled to have my gold recoined, the amount of it that I possessed was sufficient to give me in the money of the island a very considerable property. I was careful to make an estimate of my fortune, and comparing it with our own standard I arrived at the conclu- sion that I was worth in Inquirendo the equivalent of seventy or eighty thousand dollars, enough to render me independent of all labor. Stock companies were unknown ; but partnerships were common. There were only a few ways by which capital could be invested. The land itself was subject to purchase and sale ; but there were large tracts kept by the govern- ment as common land upon which at a fixed rate cattle and sheep could be pastured. Money could therefore be in- vested in lands and houses, in cattle or sheep, and also in business in the towns. But the investment most favored by the people of means, who wished to spare themselves all trouble, was in the " funds " or bonds of the govern- ment. This was the way in which I disposed of my own fortune, and although only two per cent, was realized, I SOME NECESSARY STATISTICS. 85 found that my income was quite sufficient for all m}^ needs. The most interesting of all the government works that" I was enabled to visit was the great iron " Fabrican " as it was called, situated on the outskirts of the town in the sixth department, adjoining the iron mine, and in close proximity to the anthracite coal deposit, which I omitted to state above was also under official supervision. This " Fabrican " was an immense structure, or rather collection of structures, covering altogether as much as six acres. Its walls were of stone and very massive, the bond being a cement composed mainly of puzzolana, although iron bolts and braces were used, especially at the corners. The roof was peaked, and of iron, as were also the interior partitions. Far more interesting, however, than the build- ing itself was the process of manufacture carried on within. As to this it will be impossible to make more than a brief mention. It is proposed to make an early visit to the island, and certain scientific gentlemen have agreed to accompany me thither, from whom a more full and interesting report may be expected. My own scientific education is, I confess, limited ; but I happened to inherit half a dozen shares of the stock of a gas company in New York, and so became interested in all matters pertaining to gas ; for the excellent reason that the original half dozen shares, by a judicious process of watering, has since become a liberal fortune. They call it now " consolidated ; " perhaps a better name would be "expanded." This, however, is digressing. I felt called upon to al- lude to gas, inasmuch as in the " Fabrican " the ores of iron — a very inferior carbonate — were converted by a series of processes into any desired manufactured article 86 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. by the aid of oxygen, carbonic oxide, and hydrogen in regulated proportions, and, what was more remarkable still, the articles so manufactured were absolutely non- corrodible, not only as to their surfaces, but throughout their structure. I have now in my possession samples of this iron which I shall be pleased to show at any time ; although, as I stated above, a full report upon the whole subject may be expected very soon. CHAPTER X. THE GREATEST COMMON DIVISOR. T N the preceding chapter I summarized the information ■'■ that I gathered from time to time respecting the Inqui- rendians and their manners and customs. In obtaining all this I was under the necessity of observing great caution ; for from the first Oliver assumed that I was well informed upon all ordinary subjects. If I was compelled to be reti- cent as to a great many things, in one point my tongue was allowed full swing. I was at liberty to ask any question I saw fit as to religion, and indeed my friend Oliver, being of a serious turn of mind, was exceedingly diligent, in sea- son and out of season, in striving to impress me with what he was pleased to call the truth. All our arrangements having been made, Oliver and I set out upon our tour of exploration of the island. I had the joy of being permitted to pass an evening in the soci- ety of Margery before we departed, and — Oliver having been discreet enough to engage the attention of Mrs. Mayland — I found myself so enraptured by her beauty and loveliness that I could not avoid making some refer- ence to the passion that consumed me. " I have never known what love was. Miss Margery,'' I said, as we sat apart from the rest at an open window of the Governor's villa. ' She looked up shyly, her face suffused with blushes. " Never until I saw you." Then I continued, telling her 87 88 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. how hopeless life would be if I could not look forward to the day when she would be my own. Seeing that in spite of my ardent words she remained silent, I pressed her for a reply. " Can you not bid me hope .? " I said. She had cast down her eyes after that first eager, burn- ing look. She now raised them again to mine. " You do not know what you ask, Mr. Cliff," she an- swered, in a tone of the deepest dejection. " Why, oh, why ? " She shook her head sadly. " Tell me," I continued, " only tell me what it is that stands between us. Is it this ban that is upon me ? Is it because I am not yet wholly free ? " "No, oh, no." " Say only that I may hope," I cried, " say only that, and I shall be satisfied." Still no reply. Margery was painfully embarrassed. "I love you," I exclaimed, "I love you, my darling, devotedly. Can you not say that the time may come when I may — " Suddenly Margery started. I looked hastily in the direc- tion of her glance. There stood, with a grim smile upon his scornful mouth and a sinister look in his black eyes, the hated Gallwood. He approached slowly. " Is it not too cool by the open window, Margery, my dear ? " he said, in his low rasping voice. As if under the spell of a fascination which she could not resist, Margery moved away from the window, and from me. I rose to my feet angrily, and had I dared, would have spoken my mind freely to the man, bidding him begone. THE GREATEST COMMON DIVISOR. 89 But luckily I remembered my own condition, and knew in time how futile it would be to provoke a contest of- any sort. Gallwood was wonderfully polite to me, and to Margery deferential in the extreme, notwithstanding the slight tinge of exaction in his arbitrary tone. What right had he, I asked myself, to even suggest to the girl that she should leave my side ? I glanced toward her, and one look of encouragement, however slight, and hopeless as I felt, would have caused me to throw off all restraint. Alas, no look was there ; but on the contrary a listless, forlorn expression, almost despairing. Oliver had now risen, and Mrs. Mayland came forward. " Must you go so soon ? " she said, with a smile. " We start to-morrow early," replied Oliver. " So I think Mr. Cliff and I had better say good-night." Of course I could do nothing but acquiesce. I strove in vain for a glance from Margery. As I took her hand for one instant in mine I felt that it was cold as ice, and with the touch a shudder passed over her, and her lips were white and her voice tremulous as she said " good- by." Oliver was in high spirits as we left the asylum on our journey. Our light steel buggy was drawn by a spir- ited' team of steers, who bore us swiftly away from those gloomy precincts. On the crest of a hill I turned and cast back one wistful glance, not at the bleak iron walls which had been to me a prison, but at the lovely villa where dwelt my Margery. Oliver talked continually, pointing out the different spots of interest as we spun past them, and explaining in some detail the plan which he had marked out for our journey. go INQUIRENDO ISLAND. It is not needful that the thread of the narrative should be broken to relate our various adventures. Suffice it that on the first night we found ourselves in the capital city, having traversed the greater part of two of the departments. We drove directly to an inn, on the main street of the town. " To-inorrow," said Oliver, as I was about to retire for the night, " to-morrow will be Numbers' day, and we shall then begin in earnest that instruction in sacred things which it is my province and duty to impart." As we had ridden along over the roads on our way to the capital, Oliver had taken occasion to impart consider- able information, some of which I have in fact incorpo- rated into the prosy chapter that preceded this. Little by little the astounding character of the religion of this won- derful people was made known to me. Astonished as I was by the revelation of the nature of what I heard, I was yet exceedingly careful to manifest no undue surprise. I heard with amazement the most profound that the Arith- metic was the revealed word of Mathematics, and that in the four ground rules was to be found the way of life, in which the fool need not err. I said nothing when Oliver told me that he had himself once been a unit, but was now an integer, having been cancelled by the written solution. I kept silent when he informed me that he was thinking of becoming a minister of the Established church, whose doctrines were based upon division, resolved into its com- ponent parts of dividend, divisor, and quotient; and I was careful not to interrupt when he told me that there was not only much worldliness but considerable heresy on the island, and that erroneous and strange doctrines were being preached. " Hold fast to the truth, Mr. Cliff," said Oliver, earnestly, THE GREATEST COMMON DIVISOR. 91 " as you shall hear it expounded, and do not suffer your- self to be led astray by any fallacy, however alluring." I was awakened the morning after my arrival at the cap- ital by the chime of bells. We had arrived so late the previous night that I had only been able to get a casual glimpse of the town. I now went to the window and looked out. Below in the street the tide of life was already begin- ning to surge to and fro. I dressed myself, and then Oliver came to my door, (our rooms adjoined,) and we went down to breakfast. At an hour corresponding to our half-past ten the chimes again began. "To-da)'," said Oliver, "we shall devote the morning to the services of the Established church, and this even- ing, if agreeable, we shall go to the Church of the Holy Decimal." I had arrived at a point now when I was astonished at nothing ; so I responded, " All right," in a tone of satis- faction, and we set out on our way to the Cathedral. " The Cathedral of the Greatest Common Divisor," Oli- ver explained, "is considered by far the most beautiful building on the island. The ceremonies that you will see to-day are of the most convincing character, and you will understand better by your own observation the sacred realities which they typify, than by any remarks of mjpe." " What do these ceremonies consist of ? '*" I asked. " The rite of cancellation will be administered by the apostle, and after this, and the services of high notations, there will be a sermon by the reverend Paul Patmos. It is this sermon to which I desire to call your especial atten- tion, for it is always the custom to deliver a discourse to the newly cancelled integers, which you will doubtless find replete with just the information befitting your condition." 92 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. By this time we had arrived at the door of the vast cathedral. It was indeed a superb building. A tall iron tower rose in the centre, from which the chiming bells pealed forth. The walls of the edifice were of solid stone, beautifully laid in courses and adorned with sculptured figures of stone and iron, all of surpass- ing beauty. Here and there, too, at the angles were iron turrets, partly gilded, and ornamented with intricate arabesques. The style of the architecture differed from any that I had ever seen, though I have since found that it was not uncommon in the island. Square in shape, the size of the cathedral was immense. , It must have oo6u- pied, with its adjoining structures — wherein, as Olivet, ex- plained, dwelt the apostle and the ministers of the dioQfese, — upwards of ten or twelve acres. ( Within, the sight was one of entrancing beauty. As' the exterior of the building was square in form, so the interior was circular, and the roof, supported by elegantly chased and enamelled columns, was arranged in segments and angles in such a manner that the slightest sound from the central platform, whereon all the ceremonies were con- ducted, was reflected to the audience, who sat, tier above tier, in rows of seats in a great circle. When we entered, the larger part of the audience was alr^jidy seated, and it was not long before, at the sharp clang of a silver bell, the doors of the cathedral were closed, and a dead silence fell upon the multitude. Then in a low plaintive cadence strains of subdued music rose upon the air, and at the same instant, as by magic, the cir- cular platform or dais in the centre was filled by a multi- tude of children, all clad in blue garments, and from whose arms were suspended fleecy white draperies. As they sang or chanted, keeping time to the music that rose and fell, THE GREATEST COMMON DIVISOR. 93 these children swayed their arras to and fro with an har- monious motion. I could distinguish no words, but the air seemed to be a familiar one that I had often listened to at home. The hymn ended, the children disappeared, and their places were supplied by a number of individuals who ap- peared to be clergymen, although their vestments were of a pattern hardly befitting my own ideas of that sacred call- ing. They were all in fact arrayed in azure, as the chil- dren had been, but without the fleecy white wings. A long and peculiar ceremonial now ensued, in which reading alternated with music, and wherein at intervals the chil- dren appeared and disappeared and reappeared, flitting in and out among the azure-clad elders. There was little that I could understand of the reading, except that it was from the Arithmetic, the drawling tone of the reader pre- veiiting any sure comprehension. At last there was a sudden hush, and from the midst of those who were officiating, stepped to the circumference of the circular dais an aged and venerable prelate, who moved round till he had made the entire circle of the plat- form, crying as he went in a loud voice : " Ciphers about to be enrolled as integers by the rites of the church will now come forward." There was a movement amidst the audience, and down the convergent aisles, here and there, young and old were seen making their way. The blue and white children reappeared, chanting, " Cancellation ! oh, glorious cancellation ! " to which the prelate who had first spoken responded, "Who are to be thereby made fit for Oversea." Various other sentences were sung and recited, some- times in unison and again . alternately, the people joining. 94 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. Meanwhile, the candidates for cancellation had come for- ward and were arranged on a row of seats immediately in front of the platform. When they were all seated, the music ceased, the children vanished, and the clergy in silence and with a ghostly, gliding motion, filed around and seated themselves, facing outward, at the foot of a sort of rostrum in the exact centre. Upon this rostrum now mounted the venerable prelate, who appeared to be the chief of the ceremonial, and who was indeed (as I was afterward told by Oliver) the apostle, or chief bishop, of the Established church. Here the apostle stood erect at his full height, but turn- ing round continually with his head thrown back and face upward, till I thought it must surely have made him dizzy. All the time he kept up a monotonous mumbling, the purport of which I could not understand. At length he called aloud the single word " Numbers ! " There was intense silence for an interval, and then he cried again, yet louder, thrice : " Numbers ! Numbers ! Numbers ! " As he concluded, down from the summit of the dome above him, held by golden cords at the corners, appeared a square concern that I saw instantly was made of wood. It was the first wood that I had seen on the island, and more intently observing it, I perceived that it was evidently a raft, an ordinary raft, made up of detached parts of a vessel of a very old-time pattern. It swung down lower and lower, till it was suspended directly over the prelate's head. He reached out his hand and touched it, saying as he did so in a loud voice, " Oh, blessed raft, to whom we owe our lives eternally. Be blessed forever." When these words had been uttered the raft, swaying from side to side, was drawn up again by the golden cords into the dome. As it disappeared all the multitude THE GREATEST COMMON DIVISOR. 95 bowed their heads, and the apostle lifted up his arms, hold- ing them extended wide, his eyes cast upward. Then, gradually his arms fell to his side, and as he turned his face earthward, three young priests issued forth from beneath the dais, bearing on their shoulders an immense silver bowl. They circled round the platform while the apostle, descending, came and walked beside them. At intervals the apostle reached out his hand, dipped it into the contents of the silver vessel, and, reciting certain words monotonously, sprinkled the candidates with the fluid contents. It was a dense black liquid that the bowl contained ; but it was not till afterwards that I was in- formed by Oliver that it was ink — the ink washed from the sacred notations inscribed by the candidates as a pre- lude to cancellation. It was the sacred written solution of the Arithmetic. When thrice again the circuit had been made the three young priests descended into the dim recess beneath the chancel, and the apostle continued his solemn pacing alone ; chanting — now in unison with the children and the cancelled ones — a low melodious refrain, weird and wonderful. The journey ended, the apostle seated himself upon the cushioned steps of the dais, and the music and the chanting ceased. There was an interval of solemn si- lence. All heads were bowed, and I heard now and then the sound of low sobbing from the benches below where the new-made integers knelt. Oliver at my side had also sunk upon his knees, and his eyes, cast reverently up- ward, were filled with tears. His attitude of devotion, his clasped hands and streaming eyes, were positive evi- dences of the most devout and intense religious feeling. All that multitude were engaged in prayer, in which — 96 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. SO potent is the example of true emotion — I uncon- sciously joined, praying to the God in whom I had been taught to believe for help in all my adversity. The silent prayer ended, one of the younger priests arose, and circling the platform announced that the Rev- erend Paul Patmos would preach. " My discourse, it is true," said the Reverend Mr. Pat- mos, " is addressed to you, beloved integers, who have just been cancelled, and thereby become the inheritors of a new nature : no longer naughts or units, the old things have passed away, and you have entered upon a new life. With your cancellation vows you have put off forever the old leaven of abstraction, and are henceforth concrete and heirs of Oversea. For what saith the Arithmetic ? ' A concrete number is applied to a particular thing ; but an abstract is not applied.' What could possibly be plainer or more convincing than this ? By a particular thing (or person, as the marginal reading is), we plainly discern one who is particular in his daily walk and con- versation. " There has been much diversity of opinion among mathematicians as to the sense in which the word ' ap- plied ' should be taken, and some, not sufficiently ap- prehending the spirit of Division, have insisted that the word was really apples, and in support of this argument the story, plainly a myth, of a certain Adam, is gravely brought forward. " You have, as problems, been duly instructed. You have learned that Mathematics is found in the Dividend, Divisor, and Quotient, and that outside of the Arithme- tic was nothing to be learned of any abiding value. In the act of being plunged into the written solution and re- ceiving on your brow the mysterious and sacred sign of THE GREATEST COMMON DIVISOR. 07 division, you have become integers, and as such, heirs of the promise. "Brethren, do not forget your high calling. Be instant in expressing yourselves, not alone by notation, but also by numeration. There be those, who will seek to delude you from the plain path; but be not deceived, neither notation availeth anything nor numeration, but to be an integer. "To express numbers, as the Arithmetic plainly read- eth, three methods are given : by words, which, as the context justifies us, meaneth aloud, that our fellow men may know how firm we are in the faith ; by letters — also called the Roman method — whereby we write down our desires, and place them in the hands of our pastors ; and by figures, where we indicate, or our pastors indicate for us, our desires in what is commonly called chalktalk on a blackboard. All these methods are admissible, and are acceptable to Numbers and to Mathematics. In this capi- tal city I need hardly call your attention to the manifest wording of the Arithmetic, which speaks of the seven capital letters, and is an assured revelation that the so- called Roman method is more acceptable here than either of the other two. " I need not warn you, brethren and integers, of the de- vices by which the Arch Ten seeks to destroy you. Do not suffer yourselves to be deluded. Some will seek to persuade you that to express numbers by letters is wrong, because it is called the Roman method. To all such turn a deaf ear. Truth is mighty and will prevail. " Let rae earnestly counsel you to beware of false prophets. Give diligent heed to what your pastors incul- cate, so that when you are divided at last there may be no remainder. Remember what the Arithmetic saith : ' The 7 98 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. dividing of both divisor and dividend by the same num- ber does not change the value of the quotient.' And again in another place, ' The multiplying of both divisor and dividend by the same number doth not change the value of the quotient.' And mark the fate of the wicked ! Again the Arithmetic saith : ' Cut oif the ciphers from the right of the divisor,' and a part of the same passage, ' Annex the figures cut off to the remainder, if there be one.' How solemn these words, and how their import should sink into the heart. It admonishes us to keep our loins girded." CHAPTER XI. ■ OLIVER IMPARTS INFORMATION. MR. PATMOS here concluded his sermon, and stepped down from the rostrum. At a signal from the apostle all the multitude, priests, integers, singers, and the whole assembly, rose to their feet, and the music swelled out into a delicious strain. At the conclusion of the anthem, which was now chanted, the congregation again bent their heads for a short time in silence and then slowly dispersed. Oliver and I made our way down the aisle into the street, and on our way back to the inn we were both very thoughtful. What a strange spectacle it was of which I had been a witness. The gorgeous ceremonial and the devoutness of that vast multitude were contrasted in my mind forcibly with the frivolity and absurdity of the rites of the church. The sermon, to which I had listened most attentively, had been delivered in a perfunctory, almost indifferent way, in a droning voice, and with hardly any gestures or in- flection. What Mr. Patmos delivered had been read from a roll held in his hand, from which occasionally he lifted his eyes, and when he turned a leaf of the manuscript he sometimes took the opportunity to gesticulate in a feeble, inanimate way. Feeble and inanimate as he had been, I could not fail to observe that there were many there, be- sides the integers to whom his remarks had been espe- cially addressed, who were deeply affected. My friend Oliver was profoundly so. 99 lOO INQUIRENDO ISLAND. As we walked on in silence I took note of the appear- ance of the throng that issued forth from the portals of the cathedral. While within the walls the greater portion of these, especially the elders, were grave and subdued ; but once outside they began laughing and chatting in the most frivolous and worldly way imaginable. They were without exception well dressed, and their manners were those of cultivated people. Some of their conversation I could not avoid over- hearing. " Oh, Mira, did you notice that odious bonnet } " " Whose ? " responded the one addressed, a girl in her teens, as was also her companion. "Why, Kate Puff's, to be sure." " Yes, I noticed it ; wasn't it abominable ? " " And how rudely she behaved during the service — " " I wasn't paying attention to her. It was as much as I could do to keep my face straight, seeing that Louisa Bolster being cancelled — " " Louisa- Bolster ! you don't mean to tell me that she was cancelled ! " " She was, I saw her with my own eyes." " You don't tell me ! " " Isn't it too absurd ? " " I should say so. The way that girl carries on is per- fectly shocking." "But how did you like Mr. Patmos? Isn't he fine- looking ? " " La ! no, do you ? " "By the way, to change the subject, when did you see Fred last ? " The other girl blushed, and laughed, and tossed her OLIVER IMPARTS INFORMATION, 101 head. She made some response, but as they turned down, a side street, I did not hear it. Two stout, elderly gentlemen were directly behind us. At first they talked in low tones, but as they went on they became animated, and I caught something of what was said. " What was the quotation at the last call ? " Some reply was made that I did not catch. " It's going to be a bull market all next week," the first speaker continued, "mark my words.'' " That depends upon the news from the East," said the other. " I tell you, prices are up now higher than they ought to be — " " Perhaps so ; but they're bound to go higher." So they talked, elbowing their way past us. As they went by I recognized the two pompous, burly, well-fed, elderly men who sat in the pew in front of us in the cathedral, and who had been especially diligent in mak- ing those responses in which the congregation joined. Oliver and I sat down in the little parlor of the inn, but for some time nothing was said. Oliver had his Arith- metic, and employed himself in perusing its contents. At last, holding the book open in his lap, he looked up at me. "Did you not find the. services very impressive this morning, Mr. Cliff ? " he asked. " Very," I answered. " Mr. Patmos' discourse was a very able one," contin- ued Oliver, " and one calculated to do great good." " It was certainly very instructive." " Yes, and what is more to the purpose, so doctrinal. Mr. Patmos is a most excellent man, and more than that, a good churchman." I02 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. " There were some few things that I did not exactly understand — " " Ask any questions you like, Mr. Cliff. I shall be most happy to explain; though it did appear to me that the entire scheme of division was most ably elucidated in Mr. Patmos' excellent address to the integers." "What was that thing that was let down from the roof?" Oliver looked at me with a horrified expression. "Is it possible that is unknown to you? " I nodded. "Strange, strange," murmured Oliver; "that was the Holy Raft." "What is that?" Oliver hesitated. " I hardly know how to explain," he answered, " so as to convey the sublime truth of which that is the sign and token to your unenlightened mind. It is the emblem of our division, whereby we are saved from Undersea. Thereby Numbers in a mysterious way rescued our fathers, and thereby rescued also us. They who are only ciphers become by the means of the Holy Raft and the written solution saved forever." " Saved from what ? " "From Undersea." " Where is Undersea, and what is it ? " ^ " It is a place of endless drowning : a place of eternal torment, of groans and gasps, and frantic cries, and strangling and despair. A place where the Arch Ten holds sway over all who neglect the ordinances of the church and deny the truths of the Arithmetic; a place where Mathematics is not ; but where despair reigns." " Then to be saved one must believe — " I began. OLIVER IMPARTS INFORMATION. I03 "Believe on the Holy Raft," Oliver answered, solemnly. "Be a partaker in the ordinances, and be made an in- teger by the written solution." " And is that the only way ? " " The only way," he repeated. " And if I do not, or cannot believe ? " "Then you are eternally drowned^ The Arithmetic is conclusive on that point. Here in this volume I turn to passage after passage, all having the same fearful import. The one quoted by Mr. Patmos in his sermon this morn- ing is apt and to the point : ' Cut off the ciphers — ' so it reads. What, could be more conclusive ? Those who do not become grafted into the church by cancellation are ' cut off forever,' so the Arithmetic saith, ' from the right of the Divisor.' Thenceforth for them is nothing after ocean but Undersea." " After ocean ? " " In other words, after death.'' " Oh, then ocean and death are equivalent terms." " Certainly ; were you not' at least familiar with that fact ? " " It did not occur to me," I answered, a little embar- rassed at Oliver's surprised tone. He sighed deeply, as he said, " It is my sincere hope that what you have heard to-day may be the beginning of a new life to you, Mr. Cliff, so that at the last you may dwell forever in Oversea. Ah ! here comes dinner : roast lamb and mint sauce. Draw up your chair, Mr. Cliff, we can converse upon these subjects again at our leisure." After we had finished our pudding I ventured thought- lessly to say that I should like a good cigar. " A what ? " asked Oliver. " A cigar. I haven't had a smoke in an age. I am not 104 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. a slave to the weed, but I confess now and then I like a good havanna." Oliver stared. " I wholly fail to understand you, Mr. Cliff. What is it you mean by a cigar or an havanna ? " At once I recollected myself. In my fraternizing with Oliver I had almost persuaded myself that old times had come' again. The church services that morning, the snatches of conversation to which I had been a listener, and the geniality of my friend had been all so like home scenes, in the general tone of human sympathy pervading them, that I had been beguiled into forgetfulness. I blushed, and for a moment hesitated. Oliver noted my embarrassment, but like the kindly fellow that he was, he put the matter aside. " Don't fall to dreaming, Mr. Cliff," he said ; " of all things don't allow yourself to do that. Now this after- noon you can have your choice ; you can either remain here comfortably at home — take a nap if you choose — or, if you prefer it, there are services that you can attend — " " Church services .■" " Oliver smiled. " Hardly that. We of the Established church are not willing to go quite that length, Say rather services of the other denominations. Our own we regard as the only real true church, though I am free to admit that in their way most of the others have their uses." " Then there are other bodies of — " " Sects ; oh, yes, I am sorry to say that sectarianism is rife at the present day — painfully so." " How many of these sects are there ? " " There are quite a number professing doctrines widely at variance with the truth. One — which, by the way, I OLIVER IMPARTS INFORMATION. 105 am perhaps not altogether justified in calling a sect — ia the Church of the Decimals. They are a part, so to speak, of our own church, though out of the Establish- ment." " And the others — what is their belief ? " "Oh, as to their belief," responded Oliver, airily, "what they profess and what they practice are two very different things." " Then these others are not good people," I ventured to remark. Oliver shook his head. " I am not prepared to say that there are not many without the pale of the church who are actuated by good motives. Some I know are estimable citizens ; but yet they are not partakers of the ordinances." " Do they not believe as you believe ? " " In a measure I must answer yes ; at least they profess to." " Do they believe in Mathematics ? " " Oh, yes, of course." " And in Numbers ? " " They nearly all profess to do so ; how sincerely I cannot myself say." " Do they believe in the raft ? " " That is, in the main, the profession that they make." " Then in what respects do these sects differ from the church ? " " They differ radically in many essentials — " " For instance ? " " In the first place, take the Multipliers — " " The Multipliers ? " " Yes; those who adhere to the doctrines of one Calvin 106 INQUIRENDO ISLAND.' Multiple, who assert that Mathematics consist solely of the Multiplier, Multiplicand, and Product — " " That is absurd," I said involuntarily. " Of course it is absurd ; but I am extremely glad to see that you appear to grasp the subject so quickly. Then that does really strike you as absurd ? " " To be sure it does," I answered, honestly enough. " There is great hope for you, Mr. Cliff. I feel confi- dent that in your case the right course is being taken." " Are there other sects beside this one } " " Oh, yes ; the next in point of influence, and superior to that which I have named in the sum of attendants, is the Subtractors, who adhere to the pernicious notion that the Subtrahend, Minuend, and Difference constitute Math- ematics." " How ridiculous ! " I observed, naturally feeling pro- foundly what I said. " How glad I am that it presents itself to you in that light," said Oliver, earnestly. " It shows conclusively that the morning's work has not been in vain. Beside those named there are others, inferior in influence, who promul- gate their doctrines : the Adders, the Numerators, and the Denominators. Then there are others still, calling them- selves the Reformed Adders, the Reformed Numerators, and so on." " But still you say that all these sects believe in certain things in common with the church. Please explain wherein the exact difference lies." " For one thing, they all — I may say all — refuse due submission to the church ; impiously denying the va- lidity of the authority of the apostle, and of the priests and pastors, and sacrilegiously scouting the truth in OLIVER IMPARTS INFORMATION. 1 07 respect to the mysterious change whereby in the written solution ciphers are changed to integers." "You speak of ciphers being changed to integeis. I noticed a number of babies on the front row during that ceremony this morning." " Oh, yes, the church receives infants." " And do they too become integers by cancellation ? " " Not by cancellation, but by the written solution," " And is the effect the same ? " " Precisely, in effect it is. When these infants arrive at mature years they renew their vows by cancellation." " Do the other sects admit infants ? " " Some do, and some do not ; but let me assure you, Mr. Cliff, that all these other sects have very widely departed from the truth. They have, or some of them have, a form by which they profess to believe a cipher can be converted into an integer by what they call a mental solution." " Then they use no ink ? " I asked. Oliver became very grave. " It is not called ink, it is the written solution," he re- plied. " I think I should like to go to one of these churches this afternoon," I said, after a pause, "if it is agreeable to you." I saw that Oliver felt a little annoyed, but he was very polite, and expressed himself as being perfectly willing to accompany me. " There is the Multipliers' place of expression on the corner of Main Street, just above here," said he. " They call it the Church of the Least Common Multiple. I do not know how true it is, never having heard him, but they say that Mr. Straitlase is a fine pulpit orator." CHAPTER XII. CHURCH OF THE LEAST COMMON MULTIPLE. ' I ""HE edifice that was usually known as the church of -*• the " Least Common Multiple " was a structure of a very different character from the magnificent cathedral. It was, without and within, strikingly plain — indeed, barn- like in want of ornament. We entered and were shown to seats with much polite- ness. These seats were arranged in rows facing in one direction, and the appearance of the interior did not dif- fer greatly from one of our plainer churches in New York ; that is, so far as the general characteristics went. In the place usually allotted to the reading desk was a long platform, upon which were already seated when we ■ arrived three persons in the ordinary attire of the island- ers. The audience collected slowly, and was not nearly so large, in proportion to the size of the building, as the one which had witnessed the ceremonial of the morning. There were many more women than men, and they all ap- peared to be persons of less wealth than the worshippers in the cathedral. I call them worshippers ; but the name in Inquirendo was expressers, or those who express opinions. The word express is also used by the islanders in the sense of to pray. The service began by a hymn, started by one of the 1 08 CHURCH OF THE LEAST COMMON MULTIPLE. 109 gentlemen on the platform, who came forward, and, wav- ing his hand, a simple little hurdy-gurdy in a loft over- head struck up a tune. The gentleman began to sing, keeping time with his hand and fore arm, which he kept| working like the handle to a pump. One by one the con- gregation joined in, till, by the time they had arrived at the third verse, there was a great noise. When the hymn was over the precentor sat down, and another of the trio stepped to the front. He raised his hands, and all in the pews bent their heads while a prayer was offered : a prayer so simple, so touching, so pathetic, so beautiful, that despite the terrible eccentricity of the language, I felt moved by it to the heart, and while the pastor poured out his petition to his unknown God, I felt my heart yearn as it never had before towards the Heav- enly Father who knoweth the infirmities of his children, and remembereth we are all but dust. My eyes uncon- sciously filled with tears as the minister prayed for those in aflfliction or adversity, and I could not forbear, in view of my own forlorn condition, lifting up my own thoughts, not ashamed that they were in company with such strange speech. The prayer closed with an appeal to Numbers for guid- ance and protection. " And may the product be with you all. Goosetracks." There was another hymn, and then the Reverend Mr. Straitlase came forward. " My text will be found on the seventh page of the Arithmetic, sixteenth line," said the Reverend Mr. Strait- lase. " It includes in reality the whole of that line, but I shall confine my remarks chiefly to the two words ' mental solution.' " The word solution in the original, as all commentators no INQUIRENDO ISLAND. agree, signifies to dissolve in its primary and to solve in its secondary sense ; so that it is a dissolving and a solv- ing at one and the same time. The language of this pas- sage is figurative, as is indeed the major part of the Arithmetic, and if we would read the sacred volume aright, we must very carefully avoid the evils of a too close ad- herence to literalism. This is the rock upon which the Established church and the Decimals have stumbled. " How unworthy of Mathematics does it appear to us who believe in the truth as it is in Numbers ; how un- worthy, I say, that a written solution should be deemed essential to fit a cipher to become an integer. No, my friends ; it is not essential that we should be cancelled by any written solution. The mental will suffice. " You naturally ask the grounds of these conclusions. It is not alone that as Multipliers we profess a certain rule ; but we ought to be able to refute the sophistries of those who may seek to draw us aside from the straight path. " Let me go back in history to the time of that illus- trious reformer, Calvin Multiple. He came upon the arena of the island at a time when all were given up to the service of Decimals. He it was who burst our bonds, and by pointing out the manifest fact that it was the prod- uct alone that should be our guide, he dealt a vigorous blow for truth that even his enemies acknowledge. " The product alone, did I say ? no, it is the product en- lightened by the Arithmetic. " The teachings of the Arithmetic are plain ; no one need err therein ; but until the time of Multiple they were kept hidden from the people. The Arithmetic was not suffered to be read, and in consequence men's minds were kept in bondage. He caused the first copies to be inscribed, and to-day it is the proud boast of the people CHURCH OF THE LEAST COMMON MULTIPLE. Ill of Inquirendo that each family is provided with at least one. " Before his time no other solution than the written was used in the process of cancellation. To-day a large ma- jority use only the mental. Truth is mighty and will prevail. It is because it is truth that the mental solution has prevailed. " It has been made a subject of objection to this doctrine that by taking sufficient time any one could cancel him- self by a written solution, but that only a few were capa- ble of performing the mental solution. I need only say in conclusion, beloved, that the ways of Mathematics are not as our ways, and that if it be foreordained that only a few should be cancelled the wisest and most befitting thing that we can do is to see that we are numbered among the few. Goosetracks ! " While I was diligently employed in listening for the grounds of the reverend gentleman's opinions, which I certainly understood he had promised to furnish, he brought his discourse to a close, as I thought, somewhat abruptly. There was more singing, but as the music was insuffer- ably poor, and as I was annoyed at what I regarded as a logical failure, I was not sorry when the service ended. On the way back to the inn I expressed myself quite forcibly as to the want of logic in the discourse. Oliver, who had in fact dozed through the services, and who, hav- ing missed his comfortable nap at the inn, was now yawn- ing, brightened up perceptibly at my remarks. " Your perceptions are excellent, Mr. Cliff, most excel- lent. Really, I hardly gave you credit for such discern- ment. Of course, what was said was in the highest de- gree illogical." 112 INQUIR^NDO ISLAND. " There didn't seem to be either head or tail to what he said. It was only a string of dogmatic assertion." " Very true," responded Oliver. " To a churchman the cold platitudes of the Multipliers are entirely unsatisfying. The doctrines they teach are quite erroneous, but of all others that of the mental solution is the most absurd and unmathematical." " They all seemed to be very devout and attentive," I observed. " Oh, no doubt they are," said Oliver. " Do not think me uncharitable. I do not say that the Multipliers are not a very respectable body of citizens." " What do they mean by goosetracks ? " " Goosetracks ?— h'm — well, — that means — in fact, it is — I don't know that I can explain exactly." " I heard it also in the cathedral." " Oh, yes — to be sure, — it is a form of assent, so to speak." " Of assent ? " " Yes, literally it signifies — " Oliver scratched his head and looked puzzled. " The fact is, Mr. Cliff, that is quite an immaterial point. My mathematical studies were, as I think I told )'ou, interrupted a great deal, but the idea to be conveyed is about this : that is our opinion. It is a term employed to convey the idea of strong emphasis." That evening, although I was very tired, having at- tended church twice already^a proceeding to which I was wholly unaccustomed — Oliver had no difficulty in per- suading me to go with him again. This time we went to the church of Saint Complex Fraction of the Decimal denomination, or, as Oliver called it, the Arithmetical church. It was situated at a distance from our hotel, and although we found it large CHURCH OF THE LEAST COMMON MULTIPLE. 1 13 and elegant, it was in the midst of the very poorest quar- ter of the town. The length of our walk gave Oliver an excellent opportunity to impart information. "The Decimals," he said, " are the oldest of all our de- nominations. They are, in fact, the original church estab- lished by our forefathers by direct command of Numbers. Together with the establishment they constitute the valid church of Numbers upon the island. They hold with us the same essential truths, and are imbued with the same spirit. In their expression you will find a strong similar- ity. The bond of sympathy is very powerful." "You say there are no differences in your beliefs ? " " Very slight differences." " Then why not unite ? " " There is a very powerful body — with which I confess myself in hearty accord — who are looking expressively to a closer union with the mother church. In the opinion of many of our prelates the time is not far distant when we shall go over to the Decimals. Many are now uniting themselves singly ; but that I do not approve of, it weak- ens our own body. When the time is ripe the church as an organization will take action." " How did it happen that you ever separated ? " " The separation occurred on no point of doctrine. We always have been, as we are to-day, in full and complete sympathy. It was in the main a political measure, brought about by the perversity of one of our crowns, one Henry Huit, who had a quarrel with the chief apostle. According to the best accounts — ^you can read up on that when we return, Mr. Mayland has a fine library — he had some trouble with his wife. I don't know exactly about what ; but the result was as I have said. He formed a new body, which has since been known as the Established 8 114 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. church. In essentials it differed in no particular from the old church, though on account of the prejudices of some of the sects-r-" " Were there already other sects ? " I interrupted. " Oh, yes ; the spirit of dissent was rampant at that time ; but very little is really known of that remote epoch. Speaking of the sects a thought occurs to me, Mr. Cliff ; curious I never thought of it before — " " What is that ? " " You say your father's name was W. Cliff ? " " Yes." " I wonder, I do really wonder if that could be possi- ble ? " " What could be possible ? " " One of the originators of these sects had a similar name to yours. He was called Iccliff or Yccliff. W. Ic- cliff, I think it was. Do you think it likely that you be- long to that family ? " " Very possible," I answered, not wishing to commit my- self further than this. Oliver slapped his hands together. " I do verily believe it may prove to be so," he said, en- thusiastically. " At all events, we shall probe the matter to the bottom." " You were telling me about the formation of the Estab- lished church," I said, anxious not to pursue this subject. " Yes, our establishment, as it is at present constituted, was brought about by this Henry Huit, and, as I stated, there was an unfortunate pandering to the views of some of the dissenters. The result was that in our expression book, based for the most part upon the Arithmetic, were incorporated many things that the mature judgment of the church at the present day does not approve. How- CHURCH OF THE LEAST COMMON MULTIPLE. 115 ever, I am happy to say that the Fast church is largely in the ascendant." " The Fast church ? " " That is the terra designating those who favor a closer union, in fact an absolute one, with the Decimals." " What are the others called ? " OUver laughed. " Oh, we call them slow ; but there is only an insignificant minority left, which, after all, is of no vital importance." " Between these two divisions, the fast and slow, what are the real points of difference ? I ask because these questions interest me greatly." " I assure you, Mr. Cliff, nothing affords me more pleas- ure than to give you all the information in my power. It is my duty in the first place, and beside that, your anxiety shows that your complete recovery is not remote. As to the slow church party I can only say this, that their opposi- tion is frivolous and unbecoming. They make ridiculous objections to certain of our most cherished tenets, and have even gone to the extreme length of getting up a new expression book, from which they pretend to have ex- tracted what they wickedly call the Romanizing germs ; of course we churchmen know that this is preposterous, that the book is saturated through and through with Roman methods." " Why do you call them Romans > " " Because the. church — and by that term I mean all, both Decimals and Fast — uses the Roman method of notation exclusively." " Do both branches, fast and slow, have the same cer- emonies ? " " By no means, and there is another point of the similar- Il6 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. ity. The Slows approximate in their mode of worship to the Multipliers, and even use the mental solution." " Please explain the Roman method." " I would, Mr. Cliff, cheerfully," replied Oliver, " but you can see for yourself. Here we are at the church," CHAPTER XIII. I REFUSE TO PARTAKE OF PARSNIPS T OOKING up, I saw a stately portal, of an order of -*-' architecture somewhat similar to that of the great cathedral. Over it hung a vast pointea arch, decorated and adorned by a profusion of the most fantastic vagaries of hammered iron. On either side were great stone but- tresses, and towering overhead were two immense spires reaching up towards the clouds. There were turrets and pinnacles also, and in every available spot images, graven in stone or cast in iron ; some were beautiful, some gro- tesque, and some commonplace enough. I had but a moment to view all these things, for Oliver passed directly on into the great doorway. With us went in a large concourse, almost all of the poorest class, but all with bent head and devout demeanor. Oliver's manner was subdued and sober. Within the porch, on one side, was a niche, containing a sculptured group, and held on the shoulders of two iron cherubs was a silver flagon. To this Oliver went directly as I saw also others go. He dipped his finger in the flagon, and with the contents smeared his forehead lightly with a long stroke and beneath and above one dot, thus : -^ Nothing that I now saw was in any degree surprising ; but this, until I thought the matter over, was a little mys- terious. I convinced myself, however, very speedily that this was the sign of division with which my friend had be- 117 Il8 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. daubed his forehead. Strains of music swelled forth as the inner doors, swinging noiselessly, admitted us into the church. It was in many respects the counterpart of the cathedral, but there were points of dissimilarity that were marked. For instance, back of the audience were large recesses, all of a highly ornamental character, emblazoned with gilt and gorgeous coloring. Here too were multi- tudes of images, clothed in a profusion of robes in various colors, but chiefly purple and scarlet. Over the entrance to each alcove, and again, over the heads of the images, were reproductions in iron of the great raft which was swung in the cathedral. These were sometimes plain but more often richly gilded, and in some instances embossed with singular profusion. We sat down, and then while the music filled the vast space, I looked towards the cen- tral platform. The arrangement here difEered from that in the cathedral, inasmuch as in the centre was no ros- trum, but elevated ten or twelve feet upon four gilded columns was an exact copy of the wooden raft. At first so remarkable was the likeness, I was not sure that this too was not of wood ; but I was afterwards assured by Oliver that it was of iron. One of the strangest of the peculiarities to which I was now attracted was the multiplicity of lights, not, as in the cathedral, swung from the roof or on brackets, but stand- ing on gilded candlesticks in front of and around the various images. At the base of those gilded columns in the centre were also statues, larger and more ornate than those in the alcoves, and also more richly clad, and before these the lights were almost innumerable. About half a dozen young men and boys, apparelled in scarlet raiment, fluttered about, in a meaningless manner, back I REFUSE TO PARTAKE OF PARSNIPS. II9 and forth, round and round, going through a remarkable series of evolutions, wholly incomprehensible to me. The music, which had been low and soft and plaintive, now swelled out into a tide of harmony, and a rich pageant appeared as by magic; children, dressed as the. others, came singing up from beneath the circular plat- form. These were followed by a numerous retinue, some with arms folded upon their breasts, others holding aloft gilded poles, on top of which were various carvings, imi- tation rafts and images, and others still bearing flagons on their heads, that smoked, sending up long slender spi- rals of incense, whose entrancing perfume was wafted towards us — which was, in fact, sorely needed, for the nat- ural odor was intolerable. They all now began singing or chanting a loud refrain, the words of which it was impossible to understand. The chanting stopped, and one of the red-robed priests, holding a book in his right hand, circled round the dais, calling out at intervals : — " Great Raft 1 " When he did so almost all the people shouted back something, reading out of the books which they too had. Oliver had one of these books, and by looking over his shoulder I was enabled to follow the responses. " Great Raft ! " said the priest. " Most excellent and extraordinary ! " responded the multitude with one accord. " Remarkable pontoon ! " cried the priest, " Floating bridge ! " answered the people. " That helped us in our trouble ! " "That will help us now." " That helped our fathers ! " " And will rescue us from eternal ocean ! " I20 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. " Great Raft ! " "Wonderful!" " Mysterious thing ! " " That we cannot comprehend ! " So back and forward between the priest and the peo- ple these and similar epithets were bandied. While the priest tallied he circled round, and when his lungs became fatigued another started up and circled in his turn in a weary round. It would be almost impossible, and certainly as fatiguing to the reader as to myself, to recount the marvellous per- formances that I was a witness to. The reading over, there ensued a most extraordinary spectacle, wherein min- gled priests, and boys, and candles, and rafts, and censers, slowly revolving, like the images in a kaleidoscope, round and round, while chants mingled with the voices repeat- ing words at intervals. , I noticed that no one of all the throng was more atten- tive than Oliver, and that he made all the responses quite as familiarly as any one else. On our way home I asked him how it was that he, professing to belong to the Divis- ors, was so fervent in his observance of another and dis- similar ritual. "The ritual is a little different, Mr. Cliff," replied Oliver, " but there the difference practically ends." On arriving at the inn Oliver showed me what he called the " Rule " of the two churches, or, as I should have called it, the creed. It was the same in the ex- pression books of both the Divisors and the Decimals. As I afterwards memorized it I am able to give it in full :— " I am of the opinion (or, ' I guess,' the priests being privileged to allow the use of either form of expression) I REFUSE TO PARTAKE OF PARSNIPS. 121 that Mathematics made the island. I believe (or I guess that I believe) that ail tliere is to Mathematics is con- tained in Division, and consists of the Dividend, Divisor, and Quotient. I believe (or I guess) that ocean has be- yond it Oversea, and that Undersea is beneath it. I be- lieve that Numbers will save me from Undersea, and that by the raft I shall be conducted to Oversea. I believe in the nine digits, and in the Four Ground Rules." Oliver said much more to me that night than I have been able to remember. In fact I was so sleepy that I was hardly able to pay attention. When at last I retired sleep came almost instantly, but my dreams were full of strange sights, and weird and painful fancies, wherein, jumbled together like phantoms, were Numerators and Numbers, quotients and dividends, multiples and deci- mals, jogging each other and gibbering noisily all the long night. "How do you feel this morning, Mr. Cliff.'" Oliver asked, politely, at the breakfast-table. " To be honest," I answered, " I feel like a mixed num- ber." I intended this only as a silly joke, not being — as the kind reader has perhaps taken the pains to find out for himself — very wise. This phrase happened, singularly enough, to indicate that peculiar state of mind which with us is sometimes alluded to as " the anxious seat." Of course, being unaware of this, I was not a little astonished when Oliver promptly grasped ray hand and fervently congratulated me. I thought it best to dissemble, and to let Oliver do the talking, a privilege of which he availed himself to the utmost. His theology, or what he called his mathematics, was not especially entertaining, for I had experienced a 122 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. surfeit of that the previous day ; but when he began to allude to a continuance of our journey I listened with at- tention. " I find," said Oliver, "that there are several families of the name of Ycliff at the east end, and therefore I sug- gest that we make our way thither by easy stages." Of course I acquiesced ; not that my hopes were very strong that in any of these people I should discover rela- tives of my own, but impressed with the idea that the faster we got on the sooner our journey would be over, and the sooner I should be permitted to retuirn to my beloved Margery. I do not think that in the proper place any statement was made in respect to my purchase of a complete outfit of Inquirendian costume. It is well that the reader should know that by the kindness of Dr. Setbon all this had been attended to, and that by him also my gold had been invested. We therefore attracted no especial atten- tion as we drove on across the country. We traversed the sixth and the greater part of the seventh department with- out any special incident happening. Oliver was very hopeful that in the Ycliffs I should find my kindred, and on Thursday morning, as we drove down a long slope, lined on both sides of the highway with ex- tensive plantations, he kept asking if there was anything familiar in what I saw ; and when I felt myself compelled to answer that so far there was nothing, Oliver was evi- dently disappointed. " I was in hopes," he said, " that when we crossed the hills you would recall something of the scene. I feel con- vinced that your home is really at the east, and that when you are seen by your friends they will recognize you." We drove into the chief town of the department about I REFUSE TO PARTAKE OF PARSNIPS. 1 23 noon, but there had been no such recognition. The inhabitants appeared to regard us with complete indif- ference, unless, as was sometimes the case, we wished to purchase something, when all we met became on the in- stant wondrously civil. I cannot say that their charges were extravagant, but I feel convinced that we usually paid too much. I was very much gratified by observing that the prevail- ing sad colors of the ordinary Inquirendian citizen's cos- tume was varied at the east end now and then, and at the tavern where we put up for dinner one of the hostlers had on a checked suit, not altogether dissimilar from the one that I had on that unfortunate morning when I was cast ashore upon the island. " I am led to think that you are from the east," Oliver remarked, as we sat down to the table, "from the fact of the strong probability that your name is really Yclifl, and from the further fact that the inhabitants of the ninth department dress in a peculiar style." I told Oliver that I had noticed the hostler. " Yes," he answered, " my own attention was drawn to him. The eastern people are not usually fond of going far from home. I took an opportunity to question this man. He sdys he is acquainted with two families named Ycliii, and one is engaged in sheep raising. I think you testified that this was your father's business ? " I managed to make some confused reply. " At all events," continued Oliver, " we can do no better than to push on towards thie east. I feel the greatest confidence that if you once find yourself among familiar scenes that old memories will reawaken." Then dinner was brought in and Oliver addressed himself to carving the steak. 124 INQUIRENDO ISLANP. There was a dish of parsnips upon the table, which I passed to him. " No ; no parsnips to-day, Mr. Cliff," said he. " I thought you were fond of parsnips," I said, surprised. " So I am, exceedingly fond of them, but this is Thurs- day, and the church rules are stringent in respect to par- snips on Thursday." " Oh ! I was not aware of that," I said. " Were you not ? Did I not explain that to you ? " And Oliver continued, as he helped himself to the steak, and a plentiful supply of every other vegetable, to explain the motive of the church in proscribing parsnips. " It is a mortification of the flesh," he said, " and is in the highest degree conducive to the mathematical life. While we are refraining, we are afforded an excellent opportu- nity for meditation and expression. The mind is rendered clear, and we are purged thereby from all gross and car- nal desires." " Is this a common custom," I asked, " among all the de- nominations ? " " By no means ; it is the exclusive privilege of the Dec- imals, by which term ' I, of course, as you now under- stand, include the Fast of the Established church." "lAnd the Slows do not consider this essential?" " The majority, I grieve to say, ignore this solemn obli- gation altogether." Out of deference to my friend's principles I did not my- self partake of parsnips. As a mixed number, I thought it prudent to abstain, and besides, I never was very fond of that vegetable. CHAPTER XIV. gallwood's promised wife. A FTER dinner, while we waited for the steers to finish -^*- their corn, we sat in the parlor of the inn. Upon the centre table were a number of papers and some pamphlet literature of an ephemeral character. To while away the time, I loolcfid over some of these. The Eighth Depart- ment Chronicle was a stupid affair, filled with a mass of local nonsense and with absurd advertisements. The Capital Register was a little better, but I turned away from these and picked up a slender magazine, the title of which had some attraction for me. It was called the Knowledgable. I turned over the pages listlessly, and my eyes lighted upon the following lines : THE POET PRIEST. I. There are times when the heart Of a poet is full, And his thoughts would fain strike Though the weapon be dull ; And innate ideas Flash, like glittering swords, Forth fierce from their scabbards Of thought into words. Oh ! speed the glad time When the soul shall be free From the bondage of sect, And shall hearken to me ; 125 126 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. When thought shall be prophet And poet be priest, And the shackle opinion From truth be released. There are pitiful things In this island to-day ; Our mission it is To drive doubt all away. Things are what they seem, And black never is white ; For creeds are but rhymes For the. rhythm of right.- " Who are these Knowledgables ?" I asked. Oliver was reading a red-covered pamphlet. He put it down as he replied : "They are nothing but infidels, Mr. Cliff; if you will be advised by me, you will not even peruse their literature. It is pernicious in the extreme. They profess that they are guided by reason, and that morality is the sole end of man. That publication is edited by one Festus Idler, who is at the head of an institution called the Association for Mental Advancement. He is all the more dangerous, inasmuch as he professes to be doing a good work among the poor of the capital. I am told that he has a free school which is somewhat largely attended, where, in ad- dition to secular knowledge, he imparts so-called instruc- tion to the young in his peculiar views." " A school of morality ? " " That is what he proclaims it to be. Yet it is not, I ap- prehend, needful to call your attention to the self-evident fact that no mere morality can be of any avail that is not rooted and grounded in the Arithmetic. The only truth gallwood's promised wife. 127 that this island knows, is that which has there been re- vealed — the truth as it is in Numbers.'' So saying Oliver resumed his reading. I put down the Knowkdgable, and picked up a more bulky magazine. " That is the Diatribe" said Oliver, looking up. " In that you will find nothing especially offensive, although the tone of some of its articles of late has not been quite in accord with the teachings of the church. It is, however, purely literary in its character, and you will find nothing between its covers particularly offensive. I must warn you, Mr. Cliff, that as a mixed number, it behooves you to be especially on your guard." I turned over the pages of the Diatribe. Its contents consisted of the usual miscellany ; but there was one little poem that I read with interest. It was entitled PERHAPS. More of the island do they see Whose feet the highest summits press, And more of death — that dreadful sea For whose deep wrong seems no redress. Vain, o'er the dark horizon, vain For the white angel's wings I scan ; They come, they go, they come again ; But in them is there hope for man ? But they who from deep caverns gaze, Or who on highest summits are. Behold the glory he displays Who gave the eye to see the star. Perhaps our Undersea begins Here ; through eternity to run, For those who suffer for the sins In some far purer island done. 128 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. I view the ocean — stormy, still — It seems so sure ; it seems so vast, I only trust th' Almighty will Some happy home shall give at last. Where I shall iind my Oversea When the tense cord of living snaps I do not know ; but life must be ; For justice there is no perhaps. No truth, whatever be its name. To Mathematics is offence ; For love demands no mightier claim. No holier creed than innocence. We hear opinion's vain perhaps, And think it faith to call unwise Who hear the heart's low thunder claps Of some grand cadence — truth's device. -Oh, truth, thy growth is slow of speed. First must thy roots strike deeply down, Thou hast the life within the seed. The tree, alas I has not yet grown. Prophet is he whose earnest brain An upturned cup yet holdeth still, Waiting intrust the holy rain. That blackest clouds shall soonest fill; Or one whose thoughts, like falling rain, Pour forth from overflowing cup ; Who could not, if he would, restrain What the glad sunlight gathered up. And if upon his bosom writ Some bow of hope mankind may mark, Or on the tears wrung out of it. What matter if himself be dark. When I looked up from the perusal of these lines, which in portions had certainly impressed me as being very admirable, I found Oliver's eyes fixed upon mine. GALLWOODS PROMISED WIFE. 1 29 " I see you have been reading Mr. Janus' poem," said he, with a smile. " It is called ' Perhaps,' " I answered. " I had not no- ticed the author's name." " It is by Janus. That poem has excited considerable attention." " On what account ? " " Chiefly, I presume, for the originality of the thought. It is, of course, unarithmetical ; but being novel, there have been found many who consider it a fair piece of writing." " It did not occur to me as being so very original," I an- swered. " The lines are very pretty, no doubt, but I should not say that the ideas were riew." " They have been considered so." " In what respect are they so original ? " " It is universally admitted that Oversea is situated be- yond the ocean, and that Undersea is beneath it ; but in his poem Mr. Janus seems to imply that it may be situ- ated above us. Of course, as a good churchman I can- not but regard this as rank heresy. We know %'ery well that there is nothing above us ; that is apparent to the senses — nothing but the lights of the sky. Of course, some concession is due. to poetic license ; but there ought to be a limit somewhere. I am exceedingly chify in pe- rusing these secular publications. There is one verse which is peculiarly objectionable." " Which is that ? " " Wherein he speaks of no truth being an offence to Mathematics." " Well, is not Mathematics all truth ? " " Of course it is ; but not in the sense in which Mr. Janus writes. What could be njore contrary to the spirit 9 130 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. of the Arithmetic than the statement that no better creed was needed than innocence ? " "That struck me as the most beautiful of all the verses — " " Beautiful ! oh, I am willing to grant that it is all beau- tiful. No doubt the merit of the verses is considerable, though I should say not sufficient to evoke the comment they have. But that is not the point ; it is this : all truth is of Mathematics, that is granted ; but how contrary to the Arithmetic that a cipher, innocent -or guilty, should have any value. No, a cipher must first be washed in the written solution ; must first become an integer to be saved from ocean. No cipher can float." " Yet it seems to me that the thought expressed in that verse is one that is deserving of attention." " Mere words, Mr. Cliff," said Oliver, with much earnest- ness, " mere words. We are expressly told that we must rely upon the truth as it is in Numbers. No doctrine is more pregnant with fallacy than that the unenlightened cipher can hope to be saved." " But how is he to be enlightened ? I ask for informa- tion, having a very strong desire to learn these things that are to me yet so obscure — " " Yoijr yearning is commendable, Mr. Cliff." " An^' begin to feel," I continued, thinking with good reason that this would be an incentive to Oliver, " some glimmering that I have somewhere heard something sim- ilar before." Oliver, as I had expected, brightened up at this. " I am truly glad to hear you speak thus. It gives me much hope. You ask how a cipher is to be enlightened. I reply, by the change into an integer. A cipher must first be enlightened by the Arithmetic. It is only by gallwood's promised wife. 131 Numbers that a cipher can be saved from ocean. Trust in the raft, Mr. Cliff. Have faith in its mysterious and awful power. You are now mixed, no doubt, and that is encouraging. Mixture is a sure sign of ultimate so- lution. That is proverbial. In all your enquiries, I be- seech you to abjure that reasonable spirit which thinks itself sufficient of itself. The church, through her ac- credited and responsible priests, is the only interpreter of the Arithmetic. Discard, as beneath your consideration and unworthy of it, all that tends to distract your mind from a consideration of what is vital and essential." " But has a cipher no value whatever in the Arithme- tic .? " " I am astonished that you should ask that question, Mr. Cliff," replied Oliver, gravely, " after what you have heard 'and witnessed. No indeed, no value can by any possibility be attached to a cipher who has not been changed in his whole nature." " I admit that a cipher of itself has no value. I see that now distinctly, but — " " Much has been done, Mr. Cliff, much," Oliver inter- rupted, heartily. " When that is once admitted all the rest is easy. How simple the rest ! only trust, only be- lieve." " And yet," said I, " on reasonable grounds, that seem to me to be purely Arithmetical, which includes being reasonable — " " Of course," said Oliver, sententiously. "On those grounds,'' I continued, " the value of a cipher would depend upon its distance from the decimal point, would it not ? " Oliver, who had been sitting leisurely with his red- 132 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. covered book open upon Jiis knees, turned towards me with a start. " Then you do indeed see that ? " he exclaimed, earn- estly. " Why, of course, that is self-evident." Oliver got up, and coming over to me grasped my hand warmly. " You have arrived at the truth," he said. "Wonderful," he continued, half to himself, " wonderful. The ways of Mathematics are passing strange. Then you do thor- oughly realize that." " I do." " And in the realization has not a chord been awakened of some forgotten memory ? " " I confess," I responded, truthfully enough, " that all this appears to have been instilled into me in earlier years." " Then be assured," said Oliver, " that the time of your probation will now be short. If you see clearly that you, as a cipher, depend upon your distance from the decimal point, the time is not far distant when you will have passed your mixed condition, and will resolve to connect your- self with the churchj knowing that therein lies your only hope of escape from the sea." " Well," I said, " I shall think over all that you have so kindly told me, and when I feel impelled to actually join the church I shall mention it." " Do so, do so," said Oliver; "but now we had better be on our way. The steers are ready. Now that your memory appears to have been in some degree re-awakened I am more than ever anxious that you should visit those families in the east." It does not appear to me that any detailed description GALL WOOD S PROMISED WIFE. 133 of our further journeyings, either in the ninth or eastern department, or through the interior of the island, would be either profitable or entertaining. I believe that we traversed almost every nook and corner of the east end in search of my relatives, and interviewed any number of Ycliffs, who one and all promptly disowned me. All this was very irksome, and finally became so unbearable that I implored Oliver to let the matter rest. " What great harm is done," I remonstrated, " even if I do fail to provide myself with a local habitation .■" Let us be on our way westward again." Oliver sighed deeply and seemed much depressed. " I had great hopes," he answered, " that here at the east something would have occurred to evoke the latent memory of your home ; but it appears that this was not to be." Again he sighed. " Is it so important ? " I asked. " Yes, it, is in the highest degree important. It was my uncle Dr. Setbon's most ardent wish that this should hap- pen, for thereby no doubt you would have cleared your- self from the course of discipline, and probably on our return have been restored to perfect freedom." '.'And is that absolutely essential?" I asked, feeling myself turning pale. " No, I do not say absolutely," replied Oliver. " The strong presumptive evidence that your present mixed con- dition gives of mental soundness, may, and I. trust in Mathematics doubtless will, have a very great influence. Should you elect to become an integer and come out before the island as a Mathematician it would have still greater weight ; but — " Oliver hesitated, " I need not tell 134 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. you that for one cause or another you have made ene- mies — " "Yes," I broke in impetuously, "that damned infernal Gallwood, and that snivelling hypocrite Nudwink. They are both precious scamps." " Well, Mr. Cliff, perhaps you are not far astray in your estimate of Mr. Nudwink. He professes to be a good churchman, and yet uses only the mental solution. On that ground alone I should be inclined to coincide with you. In your reference to Gallwood you used two epithets that are very peculiar. May I ask what the words damned and infernal mean ? " I now felt myself blushing, as before I had felt myself paling. I had spoken hotly and in wrath. Still the words had been uttered and they must be explained. " I had a bad habit once of swearing," I said, " and to break myself of it I invented some meaningless phrases. I find it answers the same purpose as a vent for emotion, and hurts no one. " This explanation satisfied Oliver completely, so much so that he complimented me on the ingenuity I displayed when I made the matter clear that damned was a harm- less word for drowned, and that infernal was a gentle term for Undersea. I was able to interpret myself in this manner by hanging around the stables on several occasions when the steers were being harnessed, and thereby overhearing the hostlers. The first time this occurred I remember how astonished I was. It was at the chief town of the eighth department, and there had been some delay in bringing our convey- ance, r found the chief of the stable, and made inquiry for our steeds, if I may be permitted so to designate the steers ; 'tis but a slight change of orthography. GALLWOODS PROMISED WIFE. I3S It seemed that a stable-boy or hostler had been remiss, and on him the other vented himself With much foul lan- guage, which was returned, quite as well as a Yankee boy of twenty might have done, with lip. " Why in Undersea and drowning didn't you have those steers ready when I told you ? " demanded the boss. The boy was sulkily getting out the vehicle. " Mathematics drown you, why don't you answer ? " The other got very red in the face and muttered some reply. "You Mathematics drowned Undersea cipher," roared the enraged livery man, " if I catch you forgetting again I'll discharge you." " Go to Undersea," retorted the boy, " I ain't going to be bullied by you." Then they had it hot and heavy. It was an excellent lesson for me, and one that was of avail to me in furnish- ing Oliver with an explanation of my meaningless jargon. "The fact is," I continued, "I do not feel very mathe- matical when I think of that Gallwood." " Yet it would be better if you did nothing further to provoke his anger,'' said Oliver. " Then let him beware how he interferes with me. The way he interrupted that evening at the Governor's when Miss Margery and I were talking I regard as rude and ungentlemanly in the extreme." "Yes, I know he can be abrupt in his manner," said Oliver, soberly, "but perhaps you gave him some little cause to feel irritated — •" " I ! What cause have I ever given him ? For some reason- utterly unknown to me he seems to have taken a dislike—" 136 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. " Is it possible, Mr. Cliff, that you cannot surmise the reason ? " " Indeed I cannot." " Have you not manifested some slight interest in Miss Margery, Mr. Cliff ? Of course I understand nothing seri- ous—" " Nothing serious," I exclaimed, passionately. "Oliver, I will tell you, because I believe you are a true friend ; but I would die for that girl — " Oliver started. We were riding along at a slow trot up a long incline. Perhaps the oxen were tired (we had come a considerable distance), -for when Oliver started, he unconsciously tugged at the lines, and we came to a dead halt in the road, and sat there looking into each other's eyes. " Yes," I continued, "I love her as I do my very life." " You astonish me," said Oliver, " beyond measure." " I loved her the first time I saw her." " That was at the convalescent ball — " " No, I had seen her before that, — I had seen her in the garden — " " From your window ? " "Yes." " Have you spoken ? " "To her?" " Yes." " No, not yet." " Then, Mr. Cliff," said Oliver, with a sigh of relief, " let me warn you never to do so." " Why not ? " I asked, with some dignity. " If I love her why should I not speak to her ? " " Because by so doing you will gain the deadly enmity of Gallwood forever. She is his promised wife." CHAPTER XV. HIS TEXT WAS TAKEN FROM THE FIRST GROUND RULE. ' I ^WO months had passed since Oliver and I left the -*■ asylum, when, having traversed the island from end to end, we again returned to it. It was an intensely hot day in August, and I was feeling terribly depressed, not only on account of the blow that I had received in learn- ing of Margery's engagement, but from another and totally different cause. Two days before, in passing through the third depart- ment, it had happened that I became a reluctant witness to a strange and remarkable spectacle, and one so en- tirely at variance with our own customs that it may per- haps be worth while to digress a little in order to give some account of what I saw. Thoughtlessly I asked my friend what was the meaning of a certain large concourse of people wending their way in the direction of the ocean that lay not far from the highway. Oliver responded by telling me that it was a funeral, and at the same time suggested that we might wait and witness the ceremo- nies. My desire for information had been much lessened since I had been told that my beloved Margery was forever lost to me; but a spectacle of a gloomy nature was in consonance with my depressed feeling, and I acquiesced at once in the suggestion. It was a strange procession 137 138 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. iij. whose wake we followed. First came an immense cata- falque drawn by thirty or more oxen, all moving at a slow and stately walk ; on either side of these and of the cata- falque itself were youths and maidens, clad in white from head to foot, wrapped in one immense garment that, cov- ering their heads, trailed on the ground behind them. They were all singing a weird and solemn dirge, in which the whole of the cortege joined in a sort of chorus at inter- vals. On the vast palanquin, each one covered with sheets of different dyes, were long narrow iron boxes that I was aware from the manifest weight must be of iron, and I was also aware that they were coffins. Behind this peculiar hearse came a great multitude, partly on foot and partly in the Various conveyances peculiar to the country ; but all were sombre, and while some wept others joined their voices in the sad refrain. Besides the young singers there were others in the midst of the procession who were clad in white. These were the mourners. As we drew up on the crest of a height overlooking the sea the cortege filed past, and then I saw, seated among a number of others all clad in white, the cadaverous visage of my ancient enemy, the Reverend Mr. Nudwink. He saw me by the side of Oliver ; for one moment he fixed upon me a frigid, stony look, but offering no sign of recognition, he passed slowly on. I now looked about me for signs of a graveyard, but I could see none. Oliver motioned to me to follow him, and in silence I did so. In silence the mourners filed ahead with the clergymen, Nudwink prominent among them. In silence the singers took their places, and the multitude ranged themselves in a semi-circle round what I at first supposed was the opening to a vault. There PARSON NUDWINK'S TEXT. I39 were so many in front of me at first that it was with diffi- culty that I could see ; but it happened that Oliver had been at the Mathematical Seminary with one of those who officiated, and this young clergyman procured us standing room near the spot where the funeral ceremonies were to take place. This clergyman was quite a young man, of a slender build and pale countenance ; but in the short interval we had to converse I found him exceedingly affable, not to say jocular. He wore glasses, and had a slight cough, and was in all other respects similar to the usual young man in orders at home, except that his surplice was a little more like a sheet, and was made of some heavy woollen fabric. Oliver introduced ine, and Mr. Ezra Smalls (that was his name) chattered with us placidly, divesting himself for the time of the solemnity habitual to such an occasion. " We're going to have a shower," said Oliver. " Yes," replied Mr. Smalls, looking up, " I hope We shall, for, through some inadvertence, the sexton has omitted to bring the usual supply of water." While I was wondering what this could mean, the hearse had been disembarrassed of its load, and the iron boxes or coffins were piled in tiers on either side of what had appeared to be the gateway or door to a vault. A few moments after Mr. Smalls was summoned to join the other clergymen, and we were left alone. We could see, however, all that was passing, and it is needless to say that I was intensely interested. The singing began again ; a chant, the words of which; being so near, I was able to follow. It was singularly beautiful. I can recall only a few lines, and even these indistinctly. After the chant there was an expression 14° INQUIRENDO ISLAND. from Mr. Smalls, and then the Reverend Mr. Nudwink delivered a discourse. It was not long. " His text," Mr. Nudwink stated, " was taken from the First Ground Rule, and was as follows: 'Only like numbers can be added.' " In the course of his remarks, which I make no effort to report in full, Mr. Nudwink explained the difference that existed between the various classes of men respecting nat- ural characteristics. " First," he said, " are the naughts, sunk in sin ; next, are the units, who are not naturally de- prave'd, but are not on that account in a less perilous condition ; next, the problems or mixed numbers, and last, the integers. You know, my friends, that Arithmetical scholars have differed greatly upon the great question of the salvation of the cipher. All admit that he must be- come a whole number, but the point of difference is the means by which this shall be accomplished. Some have maintained that notation alone was sufficient, and others that numeration would suffice. But the Arithmetic is clear and precise. There is no uncertain §ound about this declaration that comes upon the ear like the sound of many waters : ' A prime number has no divisor,' and again, a 'composite number has other divisors,' thus clearly proving that without the true divisor there was no hope that there would be a quotient. Others have main- tained the opinion that notation was of little moment, but that love, charity, good-will, and so on, was all-sufficient. Now I turn to the Arithmetic to see what these things mean, and I read texts that appear to support all of these seemingly contradictory views. I say appear to do so, for we who believe and have been cancelled rejoice only in Numbers and in the solution. I do not say only the writ- ten, but also the mental solution ; the main thing is to be PARSON NUDWINk'S TEXT. I41 an integer. Trust to the saving power of the raft. We assemble here to-day to commit to the ocean whence they came the souls of twelve — " Some one by Mr. Nudwink's side gave him a nudge, and whispered. He stopped for a moment, stooped down, and listened. " Yes, fifteen ; I was in error," continued the clergyman, straightening up, "beloved integers, I was in error; not that the exact number matters — fifteen souls. Shall they all find an abiding-place in Oversea ? It can be safely said of those who relied upon the raft that they shall. Yes, beloved, the raft can float their souls. ' How do I know that this is true ? ' the prime number asks defiantly. I answer, ' By notation.' No one has seen the raft float, but we have the testimony of our fathers who passed through the flood that it did float, and that Numbers was swallowed up therefrom that our fathers might be saved. If our fathers were thus saved so shall we be, and so shall the souls of these now in the boxes be safe, and pass on to Oversea through the waters. Be not deceived, beloved hearers, there is no warrant in the Arithmetic for any other doc- trine than this which I have taken for my text : ' Only like numbers shall be added.' True, the Arithmetic saith, ' A unit is one of a kind ' — disposition being under- stood as it reads in the margin ; but of what avail is mere kindness of disposition ? No, the cipher must be- come a problem presented for solution, must be cancelled till there be no remainder, and this can only be done by notation in Numbers, and numeration will then follow ; but you must be first like Numbers." Here the sermon, ended. Mr. Nudwink got down from the wagon which had served as an improvised pul- pit. Four stout fellows now shouldered each a box, and advanced towards the doors of iron. As the bearers ap- 142 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. preached others laid hold of these doors, and they, swing- ing, disclosed to my astonishment a wide opening that led slantwise down the hill, fifty feet or more below to the sea. This opening was not closed overhead, but was of solid iron as to the bottom and sides, and perfectly smooth throughout. Mr. Nudwink stood at the mouth of the shaft, which was not unlike an immense coal shute. He had a bottle in his hand, from which he sprinkled a few drops on the iron box as it was held by the bearers for a moment, while he pronounced in a loud voice the words, " Water to water." Then he opened the Arithmetic and read the following extracts : " A factor of a Number is its Divisor." " The Number above the line is called the Numerator." "The Divisor and Quotient are factors of the Divi- dend." Wlien he had finished these quotations, Mr. Nudwink again sprinkled his bottle over the box, saying again, " Water to water," and at this the bearers heaved with all their strength, and the heavy coffin went thundering down the inclined plain till it reached the lower end, suspended over the sea, into which it plunged with a great splash. With the whole of the fifteen the same performance was gone through, except that, towards the close of the ob- sequies it began to sprinkle, and the bottle was not called into requisition. All the coffins were similar in size and shape, and were massive in the extreme — all, with one exception, which, though even more ponderous than the rest, was shaped like a cylinder, and was, more- over, ornamented with various peculiar and singular de- vices. As we drove away in the rain after the exercises were over I asked Oliver to explain why it was that there was PARSON NUDWINK S TEXT. 143 this difference. In reply, he told me that the usual coffins were furnished at a fixed price from the " Fabrican," where they were kept in stock ; but that if the deceased or his family desired a burial casket of a different pattern, and were able to pay for it, there existed no reason why their wants should not be gratified. " The chief consideration with us all," said Oliver, " is that after life's journey shall be over our mortal remains shall be confided to the great deep." " And is eternal life unattainable to those who are not consigned to the sea ? " I asked. Oliver looked at me in some astonishment. " Of course not," he replied, " I thought you understood that. How else could the raft avail to conduct the in- teger to Oversea ? " " True," said I, " that was something I had not thought of before ; but explain to me, if you please, why some prefer to have a different coffin." " In the case of the person you saw buried to-day," answered Oliver, "he was a very eccentric man of large wealth. He had been, so I am told, ill for a long time, and amused himself with designing the peculiar, round box which you saw. You know, of course, that the coffins are ordinarily arranged with hinges, so devised that no water can enter until the raft appears. These hinges this indi- vidual had made of silver. They were, I am told, of the most elaborate and expensive pattern, and there were, in addition, various appliances in the interior." " Is it allowed to fill the coffin as any one's caprice may dictate ? " I asked. " Oh, yes ; that is, if sufficient room be left for the body, and provided the external size be not too great for the sea-way or grave." 144 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. " What is the size of the sea-way ? " " Six feet each way." " How many of these sea-ways are there ? " "There is one in each department; and besides that there is the criminals' sea-way in the fifth, and the non compos' sea-way in the fourth department." " The non-compos' ? " I asked, " pray what is that ? " " Can it be possible, Mr. Cliff, that you are not informed upon that point ? " said Oliver, with a slight shudder. " Well, I will explain. Whenever a person, for any reason, such as habitual crime, chronic insanity, or any other cause, becomes unfit for society, and it has become cer- tain that he never can be made fit, he being tried for his life before the Sun Court at the capital, then sentence of death is passed upon him, in order that society and the government may be relieved of the burden and danger of maintaining him.'' While Oliver was speaking a light broke in upon my mind. I remembered the peculiar sensations that I had experienced when Mr. Mayland, in the court room, had alluded to a possible sentence of non compos in my own case. I now realized for the first time the danger in which I had been placed. My anxiety had in great measure departed, but I felt that I needed sympathy and consolation. " Tell me, Oliver," I said, earnestly, " my lack of mem- ory on certain points will not be a bar to my complete restoration to freedom, will it ? " Oliver shook his head, with some sadness. " That I cannot tell," he answered, slowly ; " you may rely upon me to make the most favorable report that is possible, but what the result may be I cannot possibly tell. It is a strong point, the very strongest possible PARSON NUDWINK'S TEXT. 1 45 point, that you have become a mixed number. That will have a very great influence ; but still there are circum- stances which give great plausibility to Gallwood's claim that you are unfit for society — " "You do not mean,'' I cried, turning pale, "you cannot mean that this infamous wretch would seek to have me pronounced — " " Non compos ? " " Yes." " It would not surprise me if that should be his object, Mr. Cliff; it would not', indeed, and therefore let me renew my caution to you in respect to the Governor's daughter.'' I groaned aloud. " I know it is hard," said Oliver, soothingly. " Hard ! " I exclaimed, with much bitterness, " it is deadly. I would willingly die to rescue that sweet girl from the clutches of such a scoundrel." " You must not allow yourself to give way," said Oliver. "When we arrive at the asylum you will be subjected to another examination, and it is in the highest degree important that you should be able to pass it properly. If you can get upon the second stage of the course all may yet be well." CHAPTER XVI. I AM ENGAGED TO BE MARRIED. 'P\R. SETBON was at the asylum when we returned; ^-^ but the Governor and his family were, I was told, at the cottage on the coast where they always went during the very hot weather. In the course of the next week the Governor returned, and I was subjected to a sort of ex- amination. It was not very severe, however, for neither Gallwood nor Nudwink appeared to press the case against me. I fully understood that the best possible representa- tions had been made in my favor by both Dr. Setbon and Oliver, and to my great joy, Mr. Mayland, having full authority, gave a speedy decision, placing me on the second stage of the course of discipline. The privileges of this condition, as to which I had in- formed myself, were, for one who had for so long experi- enced the misfortune of surveillance, considerable. I was under certain disabilities ; but, as these consisted only in being obliged to report at intervals of thirty-six days to the Governor, and to confine my wanderings solely to the limits of the third department, I did not regard them as excessively burdensome. I was also told that in case I had any especial wish to visit any "particular part of the island I could readily obtain the Governor's permission to do so by making a proper application. Of course my great desire now was to see Margery, but I had naturally some reluctance in pre- 146 I AM ENGAGED TO BE MARRIED. 1 47 ferring any request in this regard to Mr. Mayland. It fell out, in a way much to my satisfaction, that Margery re- turned to the asylum for a brief visit, and to my un- bounded satisfaction, I saw the girl whom I now regarded as the one gleam of light in all the gloom of that desolate place. It seemed to me that she had grown lovelier than ever in the two months that I had passed wandering away from her. Her eyes lighted up, and a rosy blush over- spread her smiling face as she held out her hand to me with charming frankness. It was the day after her father had rendered his decision in my fa.vor when I met her walking in the garden ; that same happy garden where, in the days of my incarceration, I had first seen her. She showed no coyness, but seemed, as I know she was, glad to see me. " Papa has been telling me about you," she said, " and now that you can do so, I hope you will come and see us at our summer house." How my heart beat at that invitation, and then sank immediately at the thought which flashed across my mind of the vanity of all my hopes, and of the claim that the infamous Gallwood had over this sweet creature. I suppose Margery must have noticed some change in my countenance, for she asked me at once with manifest concern if I was not well. I made an evasive answer, which, however, did not satisfy her. ' " Are you in any trouble, Mr. Cliff ? " she asked. " Not more so than usual," I responded. " But to-day I should think you would be feeling happy, now that you are almost free." " I should be happy," I answered, sadly, "very happy, if 148 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. it were not for having heard something lately that has filled my heart with grief." "What is it that you have heard", Mr. Cliff?" she asked, with downcast eyes. Should I tell her ? — ought I ? — dare I ? I recalled the warning of Oliver, and the fact that I was as yet not wholly free. Would it be prudent to speak ? While I was debating these things, she raised her eyes furtively to mine. " Will you not tell me what it is that you have heard that troubles you ? " With that sweetly voiced question, and in the light of those lovely eyes, full of kindness and sympathy, I forgot my prudence ; I forgot — as wiser men than I have done before — all but the fact of the presence of the woman I loved. " 1 heard that you were engaged to be married to — that r— to Mr. Gallwood." Margery started, blushing hotly, and drew herself up with an air of some indignation. " Who told you that, Mr. Cliff ? " she asked, impetuously. " I heard it." " And do you believe it ? " " What else could I do but believe it ? " " Distrust it," she answered. " After what I told you once you should have distrusted such a story." Then I remembered her remark that she was not only not engaged but she never should be. In recalling this I felt strangely renewed hope. " I do remember that," I said, joyously, " Then it is not true ? " " Of course it is not true. Do you think that I could ever marry such a man ? " I AM ENGAGED TO BE MARRIED. 1 49 " I could hardly believe it, Miss Margery ; but it has distressed me, nevertheless, more than you can think." She blushed again vividly and her eyes were again cast down. We were sitting on an iron bench in a secluded part of the garden. Over our heads and through a simple lattice all about us clambered a full-blooming vine of the morn- ing glory. We were hidden away from all the world. A wild thrill of my long pent-up feelings suddenly burst forth. I could restrain myself no longer in the presence of the girl whom I so ardently loved. "Margery, oh, my dearest Margery," I cried, turning towards her, " have you not seen how devotedly I love you ? Do you not feel that it is I, and I alone, who claims your heart .■" Can I, dare I hope .■' " I listened breathlessly for an answer. I leaned toward her. I looked into her downcast eyes, and then, moving nearer, put out my hand and took her own little one in mine. Thrill after thrill of exultant joy shot through me- She did not resist, but still, with downcast eyes and crim- son cheeks, she suffered me to touch her. " Shall it be as I wish, my own dear Margery ? " I mur- mured, softly. Her lips syllabled the low answer, dear to every lover's heart ; the single sweet word, " Yes." " Look at me, Margery," I exclaimed, passionately, press- ing close to her side, and now holding her beautiful hands, one in each of mine, " look into my eyes." She raised her long lashes, and the full light of the blue — a tiny speck astray from the heavens above us — flashed upon me. There was love in those sweet eyes ; love, and peace, artd gladness, and unutterable hope for us both. ISO INQUIRENDO ISLAND. "Darling, oh, my darling," I cried, and clasping my arms about her in one joyous embrace, I drew her rose- bud lips, unresisting, to my own. Oh, the sweetness of that hour. Long we sat there in the motning-gloried shade, thinking not of the flight of time, nor of aught, in fact, but our mutual happiness. Confessing her love for me with maiden shyness^ Mar- gery's head was reclined upon my breast. With my arm about her she felt no dread of the future, and I was buoy- ant with the strength of youth, and impressed with that power and confidence that is part of the blessing of life's morning. Before we Teft the arbor Margery had told me every- thing. Gallwood had indeed sought her as his bride; but, even before she had seen me that evening at the ball, she had felt a strange repulsion towards her father's cousin. He had been persistent, and had won her father's confidence and esteem. " But papa has not been in the least unkind," said Mar- gery. " Oh, he is so good, so tender-hearted. Papa would not hurt a fly. He has urged me to try and like Roth, but I have aly/ays told him it could never be." " Roth ! " I said, " is that his name ? " "Yes, his name is Roth Gallwood," she answered. " How glad I am, dearest Margery," I said, with my lips close to hers, " how glad I am that you were so deter- mined." " So am I glad," she responded ; " more than ever now." Saying this she looked blushingly into my eyes. Ah 1 that sweet time of love's delight ; how sweet it was. We lingered long in the garden, roused only from our lan- guid happiness by the deep stroke of the bell in the tower of the asylum striking one. I AM ENGAGED TO BE MARRIED. 15 1 Margery started. " Oh ! I ought not to have lingered so long," she ex- claimed ; " papa will be wondering what has kept me." " Shall you tell him, dearest ? " " Perhaps you had better tell him, John," she answered. " Is he alone at home ? " " I think he will be after dinner. I am not sure." " Who is there with him now ? " Margery's eyes sank. " Mr. Gallwood is with him now ; he came last night." " Oh, how I hate that man, Margery," I said, shudder- ing. " But you must be very careful, John, not to show it. Remember, you are yet on the course of discipline. Per- haps it would be wiser, after all, that you should say noth- ing to papa until that is settled. Roth is very vindictive. There is no knowing what he may do." "What can he do ? I do not fear him." We were now strolling through the garden ; a thick screen of dahlias lined the path, hiding us from every eye. Margery leaned upon my arm, and looking up full in my face she responded, almost tearfully : " Oh, John, be care- ful ; do not let your temper have the advantage over you. Gallwood is implacable. He will do all he can to hurt you." " How can he hurt me ? " " He can ; be sure he can, unless you are careful." " Then for your sake, my darling, I shall be upon my guard." We had now passed the hedge of dahlias. As we crossed the open space in that portion of the garden where I had first seen Margery among the roses and lilies, there was a sash raised in the iron turret above our heads. 152 • INQUIRENDO ISLAND. Involuntarily we both looked up. There in the open win- dow, looking down upon us with a sinister smile upon his dark countenance, sat Gallwood himself. I felt poor Margery shudder as she leaned upon my arm. I whispered a word of reassurance to her, and then my eyes met the man's, I suppose somewhat defi- antly. " A pleasant walk. Miss Margery," said Gallwood, with affected politeness, bowing grimly as he spoke. Margery raised her face. " A pleasant walk," he repeated. " Confound his impudence," I said, angrily, " Say nothing ; pray say nothing," said Margery, be- seechingly. " You must not irritate him." " Thank you, cousin," she said, aloud, " I have been showing Mr. Cliff the garden." Mr. Gallwood made no reply. We walked on till we reached the gate leading to the Governor's house. " Shall I come this afternoon to see your father, Margery .' " I asked at the gate. ' " Oh, John," she responded, here yes filling with tears, " I feel so despondent I hardly know what to say. Roth will know. He will understand, and he will do all he can to prejudice papa. Oh, how unhappy I am." She cov- ered her face with her hands and burst into an uncontrol- lable agony of tears. I strove to console her, but all I could say was of no avail ; she refused to be comforted. " Go, John," she said at last through her sobs, " you had better go. Papa will be waiting for me. Yes, per- haps you had better come this afternoon. I don't know — do as you think best; but oh, dear John, be assured, whatever happens, of my dear love." I AM ENGAGED TO BE MARRIED. 153 She burst out crying, more bitterly than ever, but would say no more. She gave me her hand, I held it one brief moment, and then she turned and ran into the house. I returned to the asylum, where I was now comfortably provided with a pleasant apartment, my mind, it is needless to say, in a strange turmoil of conflicting emotions. My interview with Mr. Mayland (for I had one that afternoon) passed off much better than I had reason to an- ticipate. I stated the case in respect to my love for Mar- gery with all the skill and earnestness of which I was master. The Governor listened to me with politeness, but thinly disguised astonishment. He' said nothing to interrupt me while I was speaking, but when I concluded, he asked me, not unkindly, whether I was aware of the fact that it was a very unusual proceeding for a person on the course of discipline to entertain seriously views in respect to matrimony. I answered with due deference that I presumed that this was the case. " Perhaps," I observed, taking credit to myself for the ingenuity of the answer, " perhaps it is also unusual for a young lady to accept as satisfactory the proposals of a gentleman under such circumstances." " It is, indeed," responded the Governor ; but though he evidently made an effort to preserve a demure expres- sion, he could not forbear smiling, probably on account of the audacity of my suggestion. " My daughter may have hinted to you, Mr. Cliff," con- tinued the Governor, " that her mother and I have enter- tained other views." " Yes, I have heard so," I answered, sorrowfully. " It has been almost settled that Mr. Gallwood was to be our daughter's husband. He would be very grievously disappointed." 154 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. " I sincerely hope that you will so far grievously disap point him as to permit your daughter to accept my ad dresses." "There must be no engagement, Mr. Cliff." My face fell. " At least until you are wholly free. I must, of course, consult with Margery and with Mrs. Mayland. This is a serious matter, and one that requires the deepest consid- eration." " I may see her, may I not ? " Mr. Mayland remained thoughtful for a moment. " I do not feel myself at liberty to prohibit your seeing her altpgether," he said at last, " but it will not be best that you should see her often. In fact, there will be but little opportunity, inasmuch as we return to Lunatico cottage next Fourth-day ; this being outside the limits of the third department will necessitate a discontinuance of all visits, for a time at least." This information was not pleasing to me ; it was a misadventure upon which I had not reckoned ; but although my suit had not wholly pros- pered, yet, on thinking the whole matter over calmly, I could not but felicitate myself upon the courteous recep- tion that had been accorded to my suit by Mr. Mayland. The next morning I saw Margery again in the garden. No restriction was placed upon our meetings ; but while we were together I could see that Margery was ner- vous and troubled. It is needless to say that I did all that lay in my power to console her. I pointed out to her the certainty that I should very shortly be a free man, and that then I could claim her hand without fear of refusal. I felt very strong in the fact that my few five-dollar gold pieces were safely invested, and were now drawing a comfortable income in Inquirendian funds. Money was a I AM ENGAGED TO BE MARRIED. 155 power in the island as elsewhere. Although at these in- terviews no further mention was made directly of Gallwood, yet I well knew that it was the haunting fear of his mach- inations that caused Margery's trouble. At last, I took a sorrowful farewell of my darling. We parted in the arbor where our troth had been plighted. She returned to the villa, where the ox-team was in readiness to con- vey her to her father's country seat, while I remained under the bower of morning-glories, from which, alas ! the bloom of the morning had now departed. I sat there brooding in deep thought, till, hearing a quick, impatient step on the gravel walk, I looked up, and there, in the doorway, with an evil light in his bold eyes, stood Roth Gallwood. CHAPTER XVII. gallwood's little supper. T T was far more with wrath than fear that I trembled at -'- the sight of this man ; and yet, had I not also good cause to fear ? Had I not made of him even a more bitter enemy than ever ? Did I not now stand between him and the object of his unhallowed love .■' What mercy could I expect at his hands .■' None, I told myself promptly, none. Yet what especial harm could he do me ? I shuddered as I thought of Olive'r's mysterious warning, and thought also of my own ignorance of the law, and of what Gallwood's official position might enable him to ac- complish. But I took courage from the fact that he was subordinate in authority to the Governor, who now, at least for Margery's sake, would not be likely to wish me harm., I returned the man's insolent and defiant glance with one that had at least in it an equal determination. I rose to my feet promptly. " To what am I indebted for this — intrusion ? " I asked, with no pretence at civility. " Ah, you show your teeth quickly," sneered Gallwood, as he came in without ceremony, and seated himself in the further corner of the arbor. " Sit down, Mr. Cliff," he continued, with a cynical smile, " sit down, and do not allow yourself to become ex- cited." I scowled. GALLWOODS LITTLE SUPPER. 157 " I shall not interrupt you long ; pray be seated." Still with the scowl upon my face I resumed my seat. " Are you aware," pursued Gall wood, breaking off a spray of the convolvulus and twirling it non^j^lantly in his fingers, " are you quite aware that in the absence of Governor Mayland from the department all his duties — and powers — have become mine ? " I felt myself turning red. I had not indeed thought of this. Gallwood noticed my change of countenance. His own brightened directly. " I tell you this, Mr. Cliff, solely to put you on your guard. You may have thought, and perhaps still think, that I am unfriendly to you. You would err greatly if you continued to hold such views. I do assure you that I have your good at heart, and for that reason I have come to warn you. Your great trouble, I see plainly, is your ungovernable temper. Now I must beg of 'you to make a serious effort to restrain yourself. I need not say that you have my hearty congratulations upon attaining the second stage of the course of discipline ; but if you will calmly reflect you cannot fail to perceive that there is a wide gulf between your present situation and perfect freedom. My interest in you personally, Mr. Cliff, is very great, but in my official position my interest in any individual must of necessity, and from duty, be subordi- nated to the obligations I am under to society. Do you understand that ? " I could not divest myself of the conviction that Gall- wood was my bitter and determined enemy ; but his tone and manner and words were so polite and so courteous, that being a gentleman, I could not forbear to reply with equal civility. 158 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. " I understand that )'ou have a double duty to perform," I answered. " It lies in a great measure with you, Mr. Cliff," he con- tinued, " uJiether that duty — at least respecting yourself — shall be made difficult and irksome, or whether you can relieve me of the greater part of my responsibility." " Explain yourself," I said, uneasily. " I will do so in few words : the second stage of the course of discipline permits you to wander at your own pleasure anywhere within the limits of the third depart- ment — " " So I am informed — " " Anywhere," Gallwood went on, disregarding my in- terruption, " provided you report every four weeks here at the asylum." " Yes." " There is a clause in the law respecting patients on the second stage of the course which authorizes the Gov- ernor, or in his absence, his deputy — " "Yourself?" " Myself — which in the present instance authorizes me to cause a strict watch to be placed upon the actions and movements of any one whose conduct is not, in my judg- ment, in all respects such as could be implicitly trusted — " " And do you propose to have such a watch kept over me ? " I exclaimed, with some heat, " Tut, tut, Mr. Cliff," he responded, airily, waving the sprig in his hand with a little dramatic gesture. " Not quite so fast. You draw your inferences much too quickly. I had not referred to you — " " No, but you meant to," I blurted out. " Indeed no ; you are much mistaken. I referred to GALL wood's little SUPPER. 1 59 another, whose condition, I grieve to say, I deem some- what precarious^-" " To anotlier ? " I stammered, confused. " Yes, to another." ^^ "To whom?" " Ah, that I cannot tell you, Mr. Cliff, at least not un- til all our arrangements are perfected, and we come to a distinct understanding." " Do I know the person to whom you refer ? " " Oh, yes." " Then why not tell me his name ? " " Listen, Mr. Cliff ; I will tell you the exact situation, and you can then judge better if it will be worth your while to accept a proposition that I shall make to you." " I shall listen, of course," I answered, by this time much mollified. " Your own position, Mr. Cliff, has, by the events of the last few days, become changed for the better, very greatly. I have only lately learned this fact — indeed, it was only to- day that I was informed by my cousin, the Governor, that this was the case." " What was it he told you, Mr. Gallwood ? " I inquired, now all eagerness. "The Governor told me of your proposals respecting his daughter, and he told me, furthermore, that if you both remained of the same mind at the close of the summer that he should give his consent." " He did ? " I exclaimed, rapturously, " and you — " Gallwood passed his hand across his brow with a weary motion. " Oh, I can only congratulate you both. I do so heartily, Mr. Cliff, and I beg of you from this day to cease regarding me in the light of an enemy. It is true l6o INQUIRENDO ISLAND. that at one time I sought the hand of my cousin's daugh" ter in marriage ; but I am not the man to press a suit that I find is distasteful. No matter how much my own heart is burdened I accept my position, if not with cheer- fulness, at any rate, Mr. Cliff, with submission to the will of Mathematics — if there be such a thing," he added, with a lowering brow. It is needless to say that I felt myself greatly relieved by what Gallwood had said. It was not only that from him had come the first intimation that Mr. Mayland was disposed to regard my suit with favor, but that such was the apparent sincerity of the man's manner that I could not but regard him as having spoken in serious earn- est. " What have you to say to my proposal ? " / " What proposal ? " .- " Did you not understand ? I did not, perWos, finish my suggestion ; it was this, that you should' yourselT be placed upon special duty with this other person of whom I spoke. He is on the second stage of the course, as you are ; but, unlike you, I do not regard him as wholly trust- worthy. He has the limits of the department ; but I should like, if the matter can be so arranged, that you would accompany him in his rambles, being careful con- tinually to note any undue eccentricities — " " As an attendant, do you mean ? " I asked, not at all liking the suggestion. "Oh, no, not at all in that capacity; rather as a friend. You would bear to him very much the same relation that Oliver bore to you." " That alters the case," I replied, promptly. " You will find him a finished gentleman," continued GALL wood's little SUPPER. l6l Gallwood. " One with whom you could associate on terms of perfect equality.'' " Can you not tell me his name now } " " Better wait until this evening, Mr. Cliff. We are to have a little supper at my rooms, and then you will meet him." To this I assented. " I am very glad that matters have taken this shape," I said. " Between us, Mr. Gallwood, there need be no further concealments. I can only say how pleased I am that there is to be no enmity — " " Don't mention it, Mr. Cliff," Gallwood interrupted. "Pray don't. It is true that in one matter you have — " He smiled. " You understand ? " He seemed so pleasant, indeed jocose, that I could not forbear responding in a vein of similar pleasantry. "You mean that I have prevailed where you have failed ? " I said, with a laugh. " Just so," he replied, good-humoredly. " At all events," I said, more seriously, " I am very glad to find that you cherish no resentment." " I assure you, none whatever," said Gallwood. " I am very glad," I responded. " Oh, well," he continued, " we all have our ups and downs. You know the proverb, ' What can't be cured must be endured.' I cherish no rrialice.^' So we parted. I was much pleased at the very unex- pected turn that my affairs had taken^ It did indeed ap- pear as if the clouds were lifting, and that I might now look forward to a union with Margery, untrammelled by any untoward event. It was in this joyous frame of mind that I made myself ready for Gallwood's entertainment. A servant had presented me with a politely worded note l62 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. of invitation, and at the designated hour I repaired to the west wing, where the assistant superintendent's rooms were situated. I found Dr. Setbon waiting at the door. He shook me warmly by the hand. " You are looking exceedingly well, Mr. Cliff," he re- marked, amiably. " Your trip with my nephew has put new life and vigor into you." " Where is Oliver, doctor ? " I asked, " I haven't seen him for several days." " He has unfortunately been called away to the bedside of a^dying friend-," replied the doctor, his voice betraying the sympathy he felt. I expressed my sorrow at the tidings. " Poor fellow ! poor fellow ! " continued the doctor, " it will be a great blow to his family, and a great loss to the church." "Was this friend you speak of in the church?" I asked, politely. " Yes, he had only just left the seminary. He was in the class with Oliver, and was greatly esteemed by him. It was very sudden. To be cut off so in the very blush of his youth is indeed sad. I am sure I do not know what his poor mother will do without him. Mr. Smalls was her sole support." " Mr. Smalls ! " I exclaimed, astonished. " Not the Mr. Smalls that I met last week ? " "I do not know.* Did you meet him ?" " Yes, I met him at the funeral." " Oh ! were you there ? I did not know that." "Yes, I was there." " It was there that he was smitten," said the doctor, soberly. gallwood's little supper. 163 " What was the trouble ? " " Sea-sickness," responded the doctor, with a deep sigh. " Sea-sickness ? " said I, amazed. "You may well appear astonished. Mr. Smalls was ordinarily so careful." I had, as the observant reader may have noticed, learned to restrain myself, but by dint of diligent and prudent inquiry I became informed that after the ceremo- nies were over, Mr. Smalls had thoughtlessly permitted himself to stroll along the beach underneath the rocks, with his expression book and his own holy thoughts. Un- mindful of the flight of time, he had walked on and been overtaken by the tide. Though not the exact language Dr. Setbon used, this was the purport of his remarks. " Then he was drowned ! " I exclaimed, horrified. The doctor turned, and fixed upon me a peculiar look. " Drowned ! Oh, no, indeed ; Mr. Smalls trusted all his life to the raft that is abundantly able to save. Is it likely that ocean would have any power over him ? " " Then why — " I began, but stopped, instantly biting my lip, and aware of the imprudence of showing igno- rance. " The truth is, he got wet through. Horrible, horri- ble." The doctor shuddered. " And caught cold ? " I suggested. " Oh, no, the disease is not complicated in any way, but it is none the less mortal. It is a clear case of sea-sick- ness, for which there is no cure. He now lies at Lunat- ico, Mr. Mayland's house, which is situated not far from the spot where he was attacked, just across the line in the second department." 164 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. " Has he had proper medical attendance ? " " The very best. I should myself have attended him but that my duties here prevented. They sent at once to the capital, and two of the most celebrated physicians drove over at once. Dr. Wadewater Muir and Dr. Waltz are both there, day and night.'' " And you say there is no hope ? " " There seems to be none whatever. No cure for the sea-sickness has yet been discovered; that is, no real specific." " I believe I could effect a cure if I were allowed to see him," I said, musingly. " You ! " said Dr. Setbon with astonishment, " I was not aware that you had ever made a study of medicine." " No, I have not made it a study ; but still I feel con- vinced that I could point out a remedy — " " What is the remedy ? " " It would be necessary for me to communicate that in person." " Is it a faith-cure ? " " Well, yes," I responded, irresolutely, thinking that if I could only convince poor Mr. Smalls that his ducking was not necessarily fatal he would recover. "Yes, my cure has, I confess, something of that nature about it." Dr. Setbon smiled incredulously. " That is wholly unscientific," he remarked, " and be- sides, Mr. Nudwink has essayed that already without avail." The dinner was really a charmingly gotten up affair, for which Gallwood deserved the utmost credit. My former aversion to this man had now so entirely disappeared that I was able to meet him without an approach to rancor, and indeed with even some cordiality. He shook hands gallwood's little supper. 165 with me very warmly, and then presented me to those of the guests with whom I was not acquainted. Among those with whom I had not been on familiar terms during the period since I returned to the asylum, I found, to my very great astonishment, my old antagonist, BuUinger. Gallwood brought him up to me as I sat talking to Dr. Setbon and one of the convalescents. Bullinger's face wore a genial smile, and he appeared to be very much pleased to see me. He sat down by us at once and en- tered into conversation. I found that Bullinger was a changed man. He had altogether lost that air of secrecy and caution that I had once noticed, and attributed — rightly, in great part — to his unbalanced mind. Now he was frank and open in his manner, meeting my eye without embarrassment, and con- versing fluently and quietly on ordinary topics. In the course of the evening, after the repast was over, I had an opportunity for a quiet talk alone in one corner with him. He manifested no reluctance to refer to his unfortunate situation; but of his own accord spoke of the unpleasant occurrence at the ball, and, with much mag- nanimity, took all the blame upon himself. " Happily," he said, " I am, I hope, at last relieved of the terrible delusions that have weighed like an incubus upon me for many weary months. I am now on the sec- ond stage of the course, and am confidently led to expect that by the time summer is over I shall be completely re- stored to liberty. But how is it with yourself, Mr. Cliff ? I presume that your probation is over, is it not ? " "Not altogether," I answered. "I am, like yourself, still in the second stage ; but I also have strong hopes that my freedom is not long delayed." l66 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. " Curious freaks those were of mine, were they not ? " said Bullinger, with a laugh. " To what do you refer ? " said I, not knowing exactly how far asylum etiquette justified an acquiescence in a patient's views of a freak. Bullinger laughed heartily. " Do not be afraid to speak out, Mr. Cliff," he said, " I know what your opinions must be. Of course I re- ferred to my own delusion respecting the spiders. It was all excessively real to me at the time, I assure you, and distressing also. I must blame you, Mr. Cliff — or perhaps bless you, who knows, the vagaries of the human mind are so unfathomable — for the turn you gave to my im- agination. I now verily believe that it was the relief from one continual strain of thought of which you were the cause that restored me, under the skilled hands of Dr. Setbon, to mental health." " Of which I was the cause ? How so ? " " Oh, your suggestion respecting the sand fleas. You remember my undue violence, .and I hope have long since pardoned it — " " Of course." " Well, that hint set my mind running in a new chan- nel. In the end the current purified'itself, and now I am happy to say that I feel and know myself to be a well man." " Certainly," I said, " that is apparent." " And are you wholly cured of your notions, Mr. Cliff ? " " In respect to the fleas ? " Bullinger laughed again heartily. " Oh, no ; I under- stand now that your remarks before the ball were only a pretext to get rid of me. I refer to your delusion re- specting Oversea, and all that." GALL wood's little SUPPER. 167 " Oh, that ? " I answered, as if the subject was a trivial one, " of course that is all over." " I am glad to hear it, Mr. Cliff, truly glad. I am sure that you and I will sympathize. Now, I am proposing to myself a little quiet excursion into the country next week, just a run in the department for awhile to get braced up. What do you say to joining me ? " " I should like it above all things," I responded, " but I am — ^that is — it has been suggested — Mr. Gallwood spoke to me — " " Oh, well, if you have another engagement — " " It is not exactly an engagement." " At any rate,'' said Bullinger, " my invitation stands open. I shall not leave for- a day or two, and if you change your mind let me know." The evening passed away very pleasantly. With several of those present I was already acquainted, and there were others with whom I became quite friendly. I found that poor Mr. Smalls' distressing condition was known to all, and his sad fate was the subject of deep commiseration. In the course of the evening I said a word to Gallwood about him. Gallwood was a little startled at first by my suggestion of a cure. I had discreetly said nothing as to any faith being required, and probably the man imagined that I referred to the use of some drug. " You might try," he said, " I see no harm in that." "Is it likely that his disease will prove immediately fatal?" I asked. " Oh, no, he may linger on for some time yet, if the doctors only leave him alone." Gallwood smiled cynic- ally. " I say this," he continued, " with all due respect to the profession." CHAPTER XVIII. GALLWOOD SMILED AGAIN. 'T^ HE next morning I took occasion to speak to Gall- -*■ wood in respect to his proposition, telling him at the same time the suggestion that Bullinger had made. Gallwood smiled. " I suppose," said he, " that you would like to know the name of the travelling companion that I proposed for you ? " " I should, very much," I replied. " There were Mr. Humpath and ; they both appeared to be gentlemen, but I confess I noticed that they seemed a trifle erratic." Gallwood smiled again. " How prone we all are to err," he said. " Neither of those you mentioned is the one ; they are not even patients. The first you mentioned is a young physician from the fourth department, who has just come as an assistant to Dr. Setbon, with high recommendations, and the other is one of the recently appointed attendants." I was very much abashed at my own want of judgment. I stammered out some reply, to the effect that I had no- ticed in these persons' conversation a something that ap- peared to me to indicate eccentricity. "Oh, the young doctor is eccentric, I grant," replied Gallwood ; " but what was it that struck you as especially odd?" " He harped so continually upon an operation that he claimed to have recently performed — " 1 68 GALL WOOD SMILED AGAIN. 1 69 " Oh, that ! why he has gained his reputation by that very operation — " " But such a strange result ! " I said, incredulously. " Did it appear to you to be strange ? " Gallwood asked, musingly. " It did indeed." " How so ? " " His claiming that by an operation on the brain he was enabled to alter completely the man's character seemed to be remarkable in the highest degree." " I confess it was remarkable ; but far from indicating eccentricity it is an evidence of the very highest intel- lect." "And did he really, as he stated, so modify the man's character as to render him gentle, kind, and lovely in dis- position who had before been stubborn and brutal .' " " He did indeed." " Wonderful ! " ' " Yes, it is. The result of the operation has attracted a great deal of attention from scientists on the island." "Wonderful," I repeated. " Heretofore," continued Gallwood, " it has been all the other way. Such operations have not been, as you may perhaps know in a general way, uncommon ; but the re- sult has always been to impair rather than strengthen the moral faculties. The subject in this case was a confirmed drunkard, a thief by instinct, and who, for a deadly assault committed in passion, was serving out a long sentence at hard labor in the prison. He was employed in the forge room ; while there, there was a terrible accident, by which several were killed and many seriously injured. This man was struck on the head by an iron pin, which pierced his skull. He was given up to die ; but this young doctor 170 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. performed an operation, by which, as I stated, not only was his physical health restored, but his moral health as well. He has now completely recovered, taken the pledge to totally abstain from liquor, and has signified his in- tention to join the church. It is said that he recognizes clearly the hand of Mathem.atics in what has befallen him." " How one can be mistaken," I remarked. " I thought that young man was talking most wildly." Gallwood smiled 'again. " It requires an expert in these matters," he- said, " to judge correctly." " So it seems ; but now, Mr. Gallwood, if not either of those whom I have mentioned, who is it that is to be my companion ? " Gallwood smiled again. " It is Bullinger— " "Bullinger?" "Yes." " You do not mean to tell me that his cure is not com- plete ? " " Well, as I told you, Mr. Cliff, he is on the second stage of the course, and therefore I have no direct right of supervision over his actions : but I have casually ob- served certain little things that have caused me consider- able uneasiness — but, Mr. Cliff, you have not told me whether it will please you to make the trip with Bullin- ger." " Of course," I answered. " I do not profess to be a judge, but it did seem to me that Bullinger had quite re- covered the tone of his mind. He talked most rationally to me. In fact, we were in sympathy almost from the first words that passed between us. The very fact that he alluded so calmly to his own previous mental deficiencies GALLWOOD SMILED AGAIN. 171 was a convincing proof to my mind that all trouble was over." 1 J /-. 11 " That goes some distance, I confess, ' responded (jall- wood. " What is the trouble, then ? " I asked, with some anxi- ety. " If I am to be in his society continually for any length of time I ought surely to know his weak point, in order, for his benefit, that I may be on my guard." " Certainly : it is right you should know. What I say to you, Mr. Cliff, is of course in the strictest confidence." " Of course.'' " His old delusions," pursued Gallwood, " have com- pletely vanished, that you remarked yourself ; but I regret to say that I have observed slight evidences— impercepti- ble to a non-expert, perhaps — which have led me to form the conclusion that what we call in technical language secondary symptoms are likely to supervene." " Of what do they consist ? " Gallwood smiled again. " This is a recondite and abstruse matter," he said, speaking now very seriously, " but one to which it behoves you to pay diligent attention. In early youth Bullinger was admitted to the fold of the Established church, and was duly cancelled. As he approached man's estate he gave ' abundant evidence,' as the parsons sa}^, of a radi- cal change. He was devoted to his scientific pursuits, it is true, but he was likewise a devout attendant upon the ordinances of religion. He has been under our care here at the asylum for over a year. After he was pronounced convalescent, you remember the outbreak of which he was guilty at the ball towards yourself. Of course he had then to be placed under restraint, but still that we did not re- gard as a very serious matter. These things must all be 172 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. taken in their bearings towards the general delusion, what- ever that may be. He gradually recovered, and now that he has been placed on the second stage of the course of discipline, only one source of uneasiness remains : his views on religious matters appear to have undergone a radical change." " In what respect ? " I inquired. "He has become a Free-thinker," replied Gallwood. " And is that evidence of the secondary symptoms ? " " It would not be by itself ; that is, the holding of free opinions is no evidence of insanity. If it were," Gall- wood continued, with another smile, " some of the most acute minds in the island would be considered impaired. It is not that, by any means ; it is rather the tendency to a change showing a laxity of fixed principle. In our code of medical jurisprudence, nothing is better established than that this has a direct tendency towards the condition called secondary." " I understand." " I knew that you would, Mr. ClifiE. I was well aware that the mere statement of the case would be sufficient." " Do you wish me to try and turn BuUinger's mind away from his new opinions ? " " By no means," replied Gallwood, hastily ; " rather, if you can do so conscientiously, fall in with his views. In your case no harm will be done, and it may be the means of effecting a complete cure." " I am not bigoted." " I know you are not ; in fact — " Gallwood's voice sank to a whisper, " I have observed you very closely, Mr. Cliflf, of late, and I have partially satisfied myself that you hold somewhat similar views to my own on these metaphysical subjects." GALL WOOD SMILED AGAIN. 1 73 I Started slightly. Could it be possible that Gallwood had perceived the absurdity of which I was so well aware ? " What are your views, Mr. Gallwood ? " I asked. Gallwood smiled again. " I may speak to you in confidence, may I not .■' " he said. "You may.'' "Then I frankly avow that to me all these so-called religions are the merest vagaries. I do not believe in Mathematics, nor in Numbers, nor in the Digits, and I con- sider that the Arithmetic is only valuable for the princi- ples it contains, nothing more.'' I smiled in my turn. " You see what I mean, Mr. Cliff ? " " Perfectl3^" " I speak in the strictest confidence." " Oh, I understand that." " And you, Mr. Cliff, are not your views in accord with mine ? " I hesitated. It is true that by his frankness Gallwood had quite won my confidence ; but still had I not in some measure committed myself to Oliver? I had avowed my- self to be a mixed number, and I felt some doubt whether I had not thereby placed myself on record as desiring a more intimate union with the branch of the church to which he belonged. " I can say this much, Mr. Gallwood, at all events,'' I said, evasively, " that what you have said at least I quite fully concur in." " In respect to the principles contained in the Arithrhe' tic being all there is of value in it ? " " Certainly." 174 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. "Then it seems our views do coincide. May I sug- gest?" "Anything," I replied. " Then if I were in your place I should go to Bullinger at once and accept his proposition. It is all the better that the suggestion came from him. Here," continued Gallwood, " here are tickets for a lecture to be delivered this evening at the capital by a certain noted Free-thinker. I am sure you will be interested, and it will be an excel- lent means of worming— I mean, ingratiating yourself with Bullinger." " But the capital is out of the department — " " Oh, I shall provide for that. If you will come to my office about noon I will furnish you both with passes." "Thank you," I responded heartily, " I shall be very glad to go." Gallwood was about turning away when it occurred to me that all his kindness deserved some further recognition. I held out my hand. " Mr. Gallwood," I said, as he shook me by the hand kindly, " I have been greatly deceived in you. I must take this opportunity of expressing my gratitude to you for the magnanimous manner in which you have acted towards me." Gallwood smiled again. " Don't mention it, Mr. Cliff," he responded, hastily, "pray don't mention it." In the evening, according to this understanding, Bullin- ger and I drove to the capital. Bullinger was very much delighted when he found that I had concluded to accept his invitation. During the drive I had an excellent oppor- tunity to become better acquainted with the man, an oppor- tunity of which I availed myself to the utmost. He gave GALLWOOD SMILED AGAIN. 1 75 me to understand, without directly proclaiming the fact, that he was in entire sympathy with the views of Colonel Hurtheart the lecturer. Of course I was very guarded, not affirming or denying ray own position in the matter, but letting it be known that whatever my own views might be, I was tolerant of the opinions of others. I preserved a degree of reticence in all our conversation, while I endeavored to draw BuUinger out. In this I was success- ful, and by the time we reached the hall where the lecture was to be given I had completely acquired his confidence. As a contrast to the report of the ceremonials of the church which I have, perhaps with too much minuteness, set down in the preceding pages, I venture to give a synopsis of Mr. Hurtheart's address. It was reported at great length in the Free Speech the next day ; but the con- densed account which I read in the Vanitus will be suffi- cient, I think, for 'the general reader. Rather than give my own recollection of the orator's efEort I reproduce ver- batim what the Vanitus printed : " INQUIRENDO'S INFIDEL ORATOR. ' HE RIDICULES MATHEMATICAL CREEDS AND HIS HEARERS ROAR WITH LAUGHTER AND DELIGHT. 'the poetry of BLASPHEMY. '^Hurtheart says that all the churches and all the minis- ters on the island cannot crush him. " Mr. Hurtheart appeared last evening in Bloughem Hall before a somewhat promiscuous audience. He appears to have thriven by his recent tour to the east end, for his 176 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. portly appearance certainly indicated prosperity. His round face and smooth skull fairly shone with the oil of unspiritual joy, and his whole appearance was redolent of self-satisfaction. His appearance on the platform evoked considerable applause, on the subsidence of which Mr. Hurtheart began his address. In the course of his re- marks he wagged his big glossy head, and snapped his little twinkling eyes, and thumped his big pussy hand down on the cushion in front of him with quite as much unction as if he had not been employed in the unholy work to which he devotes himself. As usual, the gentle- man charged a round sum for admission, thereby con- triving to make his peculiar views profitable as well as sensational. " ' What is religion ? ' the gentleman began by asking. He paused and looked around the hall. One or two snick- ered, but no one responded. " ' Do you give it up .? ' " The persons who had snickered before now snickered again, and it was evident also there were a few fresh snick- ers. " ' I see you all give it up,' said Hurtheart, ' and so do I, and so do all sensible people ; but if you go to the par- sons and ask them what is religion, do you think they give it up ? Not much, they don't. What is very wonderful, they have all got a different answer. Now when a joker asks a conundrum usually there is only one answer; but you ask a Decimal priest what is religion and he will tell you one long yarn ; you ask a Multiplier and he'll tell you another. The Adders and the Reformed Adders, the Subtractors and the Reformed Subtracters, and so on to the end of the list, they have all got a yarn to tell you. " 'If this was really a joke it would not be so bad, it GALLWOOD SMILED AGAIN. 1 77 would only be foolishness ; but these people are all in seri- ous earnest. I don't wonder much either that they are so, for these fellows are getting salaries for telling their- different yarns, and a continuance of the salaries depends upon their being able to convince a sufficient number of people that the answer they give is the true answer. Of course, religion does do some good. I noticed the other day that a man was knocked down and beaten in the streets of this city. Some one said that the man who was beaten was a coward. " No," said the man, " I am not a coward, but it's against the rules of the church to fight on Thursdays ; " so you see religion has a powerful hold on society still. I suppose this same man wouldn't eat parsnips on Thursday either — unless he was almighty hungry. (Laughter.) Over at the east end — -I have just come from there, so I know — they are all Adders, and you can say what you like about the raft and the written solution — it isn't blasphemy. But I will give you a word of warning : don't say anything against the mental solu- tion, for that's the worst kind of blasphemy. In order to know whether you are a blasphemer or not you must first be sure what department you are in. " ' Here in this city it is blasphemy to say that Mathemat- ics is not up there under the dome of the cathedral, hoisted up out of the way to keep him from being stolen, or per- haps from running off and getting lost. Imagine the prin- ciples of Mathematics getting lost. Now, when the priests wish to get a little Mathematics they lower him down in the raft from up there under the roof, and get a little piece, and then they hoist him back again. The Decimals and some of these other fellows have — they say they have, and we must believe them — actually appropriated — mind, I don't say stolen — pieces of Mathematics, and they go 178 INQUIRENDO- ISLAND. round showing their breast-pins or their rings and telling us how much better off they are than we, for they have got a piece of the true raft. And they put a little glass around it — why ? — to keep Mathematics from rotting. (Great laughter.) "' The church does nothing for the island. It does nothing for you. It does nothing for me ; though you may well believe it would like to. It would like to drown me ; that's what it would like to do for me, if it could. (Renewed laughter.) " ' Let me read you what the Multipliers say they believe — they say so, mind you, and I am complimentary in say- ing that I think they lie. (Laughter.) It isn't often that one gets as good a chance to compliment an enemy. I don't myself believe there is a Multiplier in all the island who is wicked enough actually to believe this. (Here Mr. Hurtheart read in full the Multipliers' Confession of Faith.) What do you call such stuff ? I call it a libel on Mathematics. The Mathematicians are all united about one thing, apparently, however much they may differ about others. This thing that they unite upon happens, curiously enough, to be by far the most ludicrous and im- probable of all their fables. They tell us that some ages ago — they do not even pretend to guess how many — this island was a desolate, uninhabited place, and that by the will of Mathematics the nine digits were sent hither from Oversea ; that something happened — what no one knows — that put the digits in great peril, and that a certain in- dividual, having some kind of intimate relationship to Mathematics, called Numbers, rescued our forefathers on the thing they call the raft, and which it is pretended came over the ocean. This absurd story is, after all, the sole basis of all this ridiculous mummery called worship, GALLWOOD SMILED AGAIN. 1 79 wherein Numbers is given credit for what is in its very nature an impossibility. I liave gone myself to the ca- thedral and asked to be allowed to investigate this raft ; but the answer they make is about in substance this : " If you don't get right away from here we'll send for a police- man and have you locked up." " But I only want to investigate," I said. "We shan't let you investigate," they answered. " Let me prove that the raft can do as you say," I said. " No, you can't prove it ; you must believe it because we say so." " Isn't that pretty hard on me ? " I say. " It is the will of Mathematics," they answer. And I want Mathematics to understand, right here and now, that I don't believe he had any hand in getting up any such absurdity. I don't myself believe in Mathematics ,• but it is just possible that there may be one, and if so I want it distinctly understood that I thought him a good deal better than the Multipliers do. This creed of the Multipliers would make a cheese laugh, and shock the moral sense of an isosceles triangle. The Multipliers say that I hurt their feelings wlien I tell them that there is no Undersea ; they don't seem to think they hurt mine when they say I am going to Undersea, and the truth is, they don't. I believe this — and I only believe it because I know it, not because some one has told me it is in the Arithmetic. I believe that there is nothing beyond ocean ; nothing at all. Beyond the island it is all ocean, and noth- ing but ocean. There is no Oversea, no Undersea, but just ocean. I should like to believe otherwise if I could, but I can't. I suppose you think it strange that I should say I want to believe ; but I will tell you — it will take but a moment — wliy I wish I could believe in Oversea. When I was a young man, and that is now years ago, I lost my mother. If ever a good woman lived on this island it l8o INQUIRENDO ISLAND. was she. She spent her life going about doing good. She believed in Oversea, and expressed herself night and morning for me that I too might believe. She loved me, and I loved her. She died and was _^buried, and in her grave in the sacred solemn ocean our love lies deep, and dead too, forever. With her last lips she bade me seek her. Her last look, ere in the dark her sweet spirit took its eternal leave of life, was bent imploringly upon me. We parted, as I know, forever ; but could a religion be faund that would bring me to her, how gladly would I believe ! But no ; I stretch out my arms in vain towards the infinite and the lonely powers of nature ; north, and south, and east, and west the stormy billows beat of the dark and dread expanse whose tempestuous lashings touch but to kill, and whose farther shores are lost to mortal vision and knowledge in the fog that never lifts, but broods perpetually over the eternal deep.' " (There was a sound as of weeping among the audi- ence. Like a flash the orator's pathetic mood and manner vanished, a smile stole over his rotund countenance, and in a jocular tone he resumed.) ' I will also tell you why I wish I could believe in Undersea. Two nights ago I was lecturing in this very hall, and while I was here in this very place, guileless as a lamb, some miscreant came in, went to the cloak-room where I had left them, and stole my hat and cane. It is not likely that I shall ever see that hat and cane again. It is even less likely that I shall ever see the thief. Now, if I was sure there was an Undersea there might be just a bare chance that my friend the thief would be come up with ; as it is, alas ! I fear he has got the best of me to all eternity.' " It was after midnight when we drove through the great GALLWOOD SMILED AGAIN. l8l iron gates into the court-yard of the asylum ; those same iron gates through which, in charge of the officers of the law, I had been driven, despondent and wretched, nearly three months before. It was after midnight, but there was a light burning in Mr. Gallwood's office, and as we drove up he opened the door and came out to us. "Well, gentlemen," he said, politely, "how did you enjoy the lecture ? " " Wonderfully," answered Bullinger, " I was charmed." " And you, Mr. Cliff ? " " I was pleased, of course," I responded. " Who could fail to be otherwise ? Mr. Hurtheart is an excellent speaker, fluent, witty, and effective." " But what did you think of his doctrines ? " said Gall- wood, with a smile. " As to his doctrines," I answered, " they were, it ap- peared to me, in the main, simple negations ; but he made some splendid points, and stated some manifest truths in a most convincing way." The light from the open door shone full upon Gall- wood's face. As I bade him good-night our eyes met. " I have enjoyed the evening exceedingly," I said ; and without responding, Gallwood smiled again. CHAPTER XIX. MY FAITH-CURE. T T had now been decided that Bullinger and I should take our journey together. When this was settled I had some conversation with Gallwood in regard to my duties towards my companion. Gallwood made it appear that I was doing the cause of humanity a service in being willing to assist in restoring the patient to mental health. He was exceedingly complimentary in all he said, and his manner emboldened me to make a farther request to be allowed to see Mr. Smalls. " He is Oliver's friend," I said, " and if by any possibil- ity I could benefit him, I should think myself very fortu- nate.'' Gallwood rather evaded a direct answer. " You will be in the vicinity of Mr. Mayland's summer house," he said, "in a day or two ; that is, if you take the route suggested by Bullinger : the line of the third depart- ment passes within a stone's throw of the door of Lunatico Cottage where poor Mr. Smalls now lies. You may have an opportunity of communicating with Oliver there. If he sanctions an interview I shall offer no opposition." With this I was obliged to be content, and the next day Bullinger and I set out, with the same team of steers that I had previously hired. It seemed strange to me to be passing over the road (now virtually a free man) over which I had been driven in such hot haste on the first day of my 182 MY FAITH-CURE. 1 83 sojourn in the island. It was all one to Bullinger which way we went, or how fast we drove, and it may well be imagined that I did not delay. We reached the chief town of the department about the hour that in Inquirendo cor- responds to our two o'clock. As it happened we took din- ner at the same restaurant at which I had procured my first meal. The keeper did not recognize me, nor after- wards, as we strolled past the hat store, did the hatter or his assistant. Before we started again on our journey dil- igent inquiry was made respecting the location of the vil- lage, which we had found, by a map at the asylum, lay not over half a mile or so from Lunatico Cottage. We reached this village about sunset, and repairing at once to the only inn were provided with tolerably comfortable quarters. We had our supper, and then, before it grew dark, strolled out over the hills in the direction of the boundary line between the two departments. After the heat of the day the evening air was delicious. The country was lovely in its garb of verdure, and the breeze that came up from the sea was refreshing in the extreme. The path which we had been directed to take skirted the edge of the high bank overlooking the sea, winding in and out, up and down, and from its being well worn we judged it to be much frequented. It was not long before we came in sight of a villa, almost on the verge of the sea and elevated some forty feet or so above it. My heart beat wildly, throbbing as young hearts will, under the sweet influence of its nearness to the beloved one. Under that roof, I told myself, was Margery. Was she thinking of me, I wondered ? Was there not some subtle chain that binds two loving ones so that she might be aware of my coming ? It was while occupied with these medita- tions that a figure was observed coming from the direction 184 INQUIRENDO ISLAND. of the villa. It was now fast growing dusky, but I rec- ognized at once my friend Oliver. Bullinger too recognized him, and as we had now reached a stout iron fence crossed by a stile, we sat down there and waited. Oliver soon approached. His face wore an expression of care and anxiety, but he welcomed us, nevertheless, with much joy. He explained that poor Mr. Smalls was in a very precarious state, and was not expected to survive the night. " Are the doctors with him ? " asked Bullinger. " Oh, yes, they have not left him, day nor night, since he was stricken down. I am on my way now to the village for a remedy that has been prescribed." Oliver's eyes were full of tears as he continued, "Not that I' have any hope that it will restore ray poor friend, but only that it may possibly prolong his life, and assuage the pangs of his last moments." " Does Mr. Smalls suffer much ? " I asked. " No," Oliver responded, languidly, "it is only a grad- ual wasting away of the vital powers." "What is this remedy that you are about procuring?" asked Bullinger. " It is a preparation called sea-powder," replied Oliver. " I am told that the scientific name for it is sodide of chlo- rium. It has been prescribed not by either Dr. Muir or Dr. Waltz, but by the young physician at the asylum, who, it seems, is a relative of Mr. Smalls. He was sent for yesterday, and only arrived this afternoon : young Dr. Humpath." " Oh, Dr. Humpath ! " said Bullinger. " I know him in- timately. That is the young doctor we met at Mr. Gall- wood's the other evening, Mr. Cliff." " He has a wide reputation," continued Oliver, "and MY FAITH-CURE. 185 seems confident that he may be able to effect a cure ; but I have little faith myself in his ability to do so. His system is widely at variance with established usages, and the other physicians are greatly incensed at his having been called in." " But you say they are there still ? " said Bullinger. " Yes, they have not left the house ; but they have positively refused to consult with Dr. Humpath. The lat- ter, in the short time we had together, told me that his sys- tem consisted in applying what he termed a counter-actant. This sodide of chlorium is obtained, so it is stated, in the form of a white powder from the sea itself. It is only ob- tained with great difficulty and much risk of life by those who make a living by procuring it. It is in consequence very expensive. Taken undiluted it is a deadly poison ; but in doses of one grain in a barrel, and one drop of this solution three times a day, it is said by Dr. Humpath to be efficacious." " What do the other doctors say respecting this mode of treatment ? " asked Bullinger. "They ridicule it ; but it is poor Mrs. Smalls' desire that no means shall be left untried to save her boy. The faith-cure is also being tried ; but, alas ! ineffectually. Mr. Nudwink has been expressing himself since the dawn, and poor Mr. Smalls has my own pin with a piece of the true raft in it on his bosom." Oliver's face was turned towards the sea, and Bullinger gave me a look which implied the strongest possible incre- dulity. We went on for a time in silence in the direction of the village. I strongly desired h. Joseph's Coat. By David Christie Murray. With illustrations by BAliNARD. " A fine storv, skilfully put together, and told With much force. * * * The situations are thoroughly dramatic. * * * The book is a real work of art."— /'a// Mall Gazette. Esau Runswick. By Katharine S. Macquoid, author of " Patty," etc. " An admirable story, abundant in interest both of plot and character, and charm- ing in style." — Boston Gazette. _ ..-—-- - „ PUBLICATIONS OF G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS. THE TRANS-ATLANTIC NOVELS. The Dingy House at Kensington. Cy a new writer. Illustrated. " A simple, natural tale of domestic Ure. * * * Full of good characterization and interesting- incident." — Ck?-tstia?t Union. *' Shows no little insight into character, and a wholesome sense of humor. — Lon- don Spectator, Lady Beauty ; or, Charming to Her Latest Day. 33y Alan Muir. Illustrated. • " A bright and" readable novel. The style is light and graceful, yet it has a pleasing individuality. The character-sketching is rapid and effective, the dialogue natural, usually gay, often humorous, sometimes witty, and frequently epigram- m2.yXQ^V— Literary World. At the Eleventh Hour. By Annie Edwardes, author of "Archie Lovell." ** The people are all natural ; if not perfect, they are human, and they are drawn with knowledge and skill, not to say enthusiasm. The book ends well, with every one's good wishes for the \\exom&^^'—CotHmon'wealthy Boston. Abb^ Constantine. By LuDOVic Hal^vy. Translated from the twentieth Paris edition. " The healthiest and most wholesome French novel since M. About's * Roman d*un Brave Homme.* "~N. Y. Evening Fosi. My Trivial Life and Misfortunes. Two Parts. Part I. — Spinsterhood. Part II. — Meum and Tuum. " A work of great ability, by one who observes keenly and has the power of seeing deeply into character. She has the power of presenting real people. * * * The observations of society are keen and amusing, and the gossip extremely lively and pointed." — London Athen^um. King Capital. By James Sime. " The characters are described with realism, and the story is told with a good deal of racy vigor * * * contains many clever touches of description. • * * A book to be recommended." — London Athenauvi. Her Sailor Love. By Katharine S. Macquoid. *' The book is vigorously written, and the interest is sustained until the end," — Courier^ Boston. WARNER, SUSAN. Diana. By the author of "Wide, Wide World," etc., i2nio, cloth, $i 75 *' For charming landscape pictures, and the varied influences of nature, for analysis of character, and motives of action, we have of late been nothing like it." — The Christian Register. Wych Hazel. i2mo $1 75 " There is a realism in the characters and scenes of the story, which is a prime condition of success in books of this kind. It can hardly fail to be read by thousands and be very popular." — N. Y. JCt/angelisi, The Gold of Chickaree. i2mo, cloth $1 75 " Amongst the very strongest novels in character development which have been written during the past two years." — Boston Traveller. The set, 3 volumes in box $3 25 vi PUBLICATIONS OF G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS.