The Freemason's Daughter: A Novel — page 61: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

52 THE FREEMASONS DAUGHTER. I am not mad!’ he added, with a sudden burst of energy. ‘“‘God will not permit the feeble light of reason to become extinct till I have made atonement! By what right, sir,” he said, addressing himself to Mr. Crab, “ do you detain me here ?” ‘Poor fellow! poor fellow !’? exclaimed that benevo- Jent gentleman, with an air of commiseration, which threw Gridley into a paroxysm of passion; for he began to fear that he should have some difficulty in proving his sanity. . ‘‘ Lizzy, come away,” said her mother. The child, terrified at the expression of the old mahk’s countenance, crossed over to her parent, still keeping her eyes fixed with a look of commiseration upon the clerk. *“¢T tell you I am not mad,” he vociferated. ““Of course not,” replied Crab, winking to his assistants. ‘‘ There has been a mistake,”’ added Gridley. * No doubt.” “Or villany,” he added, fixing a searching glance upon his tormentor. “Most likely the medical men who signed the certificate know nothing about it. Oh, no, your worthy employers, Messrs. Grindem and Small, have been imposed upon; I too have been imposed upon,” added Crab. ‘‘ You are not mad; you have not been for the last three days raving in your cell; certainly not.” The cool, sarcastic tone in which the keeper of the COniiclooecl SS (SO