Despair again began to take possession of him, and despite the
savage threats of the keeper, he would again have loudly called for
help, had he not become conscious that there were footsteps close at
hand. By dint of listening most intently he heard a number of doors
opened and shut, and sometimes when one was opened there was a shriek,
and the lashing of the whips, which very soon succeeded in drowning all
other noises. It occurred to Tobias, and correctly too, for such was the
fact, that the inmates of that most horrible abode were living, like so
many wild beasts, in cages fed. Then he thought how strange it was that
even for any amount of money human beings could be got to do the work of
such an establishment. And by the time Tobias had made this reflection
to himself, his own door was once more opened upon its rusty hinges. There was the flash of a light, and then a man came in with a water-can
in his hand, to which there was a long spout, and this he placed to the
mouth of Tobias, who fearing that if he did not drink then he might be a
long time without, swallowed some not over-savoury ditch water, as it
seemed to him, which was thus brought to him. A coarse, brown-looking,
hard loaf was then thrown at his feet, and the party was about to leave
his cell, but he could not forbear speaking, and in a voice of the most
supplicating earnestness he said--

"Oh, do not keep me here. Let me go, and I will say nothing of Todd. I
will go to sea at once if you will let me out of this place, indeed I
will; but I shall really go mad here!" "Good that, Watson, ain't it?" said Mr. Fogg, who happened to be one of
the party. "Very good, sir. Lord bless you, the cunning of 'em is beyond anything
in the world, sir; you'd be surprised at what they say to me sometimes." "But I'm not mad--indeed I'm not mad!" cried Tobias. "Oh," said Fogg, "it's a bad case I'm afraid; the strongest proof of
insanity in my opinion, Watson, is the constant reiteration of the
statement that he is not mad on the part of a lunatic. Don't you think
it is so, Mr. Watson?" "Oh, of course, sir, of course." "Ah! I thought you would be of that opinion; but I suppose as this is a
mere lad, we may do without chaining him up; and, besides, you know that
to-day is inspection day, when we get an old fool of a superannuated
physician to make us a visit." "Yes, sir," said Watson, with a grin, "and a report that all is well
conducted." "Exactly. Who shall we have this time, do you think? I always give a ten
guinea fee." "Why, sir, there's old Dr. Popplejoy, he's 84 years old, they say, and
sand blind; he'll take it as a great compliment, he will, and no doubt
we can humbug him easily." "I dare say we may; I'll see to it; and we will have him at twelve
o'clock, Watson. You will take care to have everything ready, of course,
you know; make all the usual preparations." Tobias was astonished that before him they chose thus to speak so
freely, but despairing as he was, he little knew how completely he was
in the power of Mr. Fogg, and how utterly he was shut out from all human
sympathy. Tobias said nothing; but he could not help thinking that,
however old and stupid the physician whom they mentioned might be,
surely there was a hope that he would be able to discover Tobias's
perfect sanity. But the wily Mr. Fogg knew perfectly well what he was
about, and when he retired to his own room, he wrote the following note
to Dr. Popplejoy, who was a retired physician, who had purchased a
country house in the neighbourhood. The note will speak for itself,
being as fine a specimen of hypocrisy as we can ever expect to lay
before our readers--

"The Asylum, Peckham. "SIR,--Probably you may recognise my name as that of the keeper of a
lunatic asylum in this neighbourhood. Consistent with a due regard for
the safety of that most unhappy class of the community submitted to my
care, I am most anxious, with the blessing of Divine Providence, to
ameliorate as far as possible, by kindness, that most shocking of all
calamities--insanity. Once a year it is my custom to call in some
experienced, able, and enlightened physician to see my patients (I
enclose a fee)--a physician who has nothing to do with the
establishment, and therefore cannot be biassed. If you, sir, would do me
the favour at about twelve o'clock to-day, to make a short visit of
inspection, I shall esteem it a great honour, as well as a great favour. "Believe me to be, sir, with the most profound respect, your most
obedient and humble servant,

"O. D. FOGG." "To Dr. Popplejoy, &c."

This note, as might be expected, brought the old purblind, superannuated
Dr. Popplejoy to the asylum, and Mr. Fogg received him in due form, and
with great gravity, saying, almost with tears in his eyes--

"My dear sir, the whole aim of my existence now, is to endeavour to
soften the rigours of the necessary confinement of the insane, and I
wish this inspection of my establishment to be made by you in order that
I may thus for a time stand clear with the world--with my own conscience
I am, of course, always clear; and if your report be satisfactory about
the treatment of the unhappy persons I have here, not the slightest
breath of slander can touch me." "Oh yes, yes," said the old garrulous physician; "I--I--very good--eugh,
eugh--I have a slight cough." "A very slight one, sir. Will you, first of all, take a look at one of
the sleeping chambers of the insane?" The doctor agreed, and Mr. Fogg led him into a very comfortable
sleeping-room, which the old gentleman declared was very satisfactory
indeed, and when they returned to the apartment into which they had
already been, Mr. Fogg said--

"Well then, sir, all we have to do is to bring in the patients, one by
one, to you as fast as we can, so as not to occupy more of your valuable
time than necessary; and any questions you ask will, no doubt, be
answered, and I, being by, can give you the heads of any case that may
excite your especial notice." "Exactly, exactly. I--I--quite correct. Eugh--eugh!" The old man was placed in a chair of state, reposing on some very
comfortable cushions; and take him altogether, he was so pleased with
the ten guineas and the flattery of Mr. Fogg--for nobody had given him a
fee for the last fifteen years--that he was quite ready to be the
foolish tool of the madhouse-keeper in almost any way that he chose to
dictate to him. We need not pursue the examination of the various
unfortunates who were brought before old Dr. Popplejoy; it will suffice
for us if we carry the reader through the examination of Tobias, who is
our principal care, without, at the same time, detracting from the
genial sympathy we must feel for all who, at that time, were subject to
the tender mercies of Mr. Fogg. At about half-past twelve the door of
Tobias's cell was opened by Mr. Watson, who, walking in, laid hold of
the boy by the collar, and said--

"Hark you, my lad! you are going before a physician, and the less you
say the better.