Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 05.pdf/193

168 anees, which Grice carefully noted in his memorandum book, and found perpetual food for reflection and comment in the deceptive character of the outward appearance of most of those with whom we talked. This cring ing miserable who assures you that he is the son of the king of Mull and that he would not harm a human being, is one of the dastards that shot at the Queen; this wild-looking old man in the infirmary who tells you that a theft committed under the influence of de lirium tremens was the sole cause of his "sequestration from society" murdered a whole family; that youthful lady with the ruddy complexion and the long auburn locks — of which " age cannot wither nor can cus tom stale the infinite variety " — is the person who poisoned a little boy with strychnine in

a fashionable English watering-place, two and twenty years ago, in order to gratify in sane jealousy and love. And so the cata logue of surprises goes on. The fearful inscription which was written in unseen characters on the portals of every asylum in Europe last century, — " All hope abandon, ye who enter here! " — has never been traced above the gates of Broadmoor. Convales cent patients are allowed to go home, or are "boarded out," under proper supervision, the guardians being required to report their progress to Dr. Nicholson from time to time. It would be difficult to imagine a stronger inducement to the inhabitants of this insane colony to make the effort to recover their mental equilibrium than the hope of this conditional release.