I shrieked. I shrieked and shrieked. I struggled like a fiend. But the more I twisted, the tighter I was held. I saw Gentleman fall ba his seat and the coach start up and begin to turn. I saut her face to the window of cloudy glass. At sight of her eyes, I shrieked again.
There she is! I cried, lifting my hand and pointing. There she is! Do her go! Dont you fug let her go—!
But the coach drove on, the wheels throwing up dust and gravel as the hot up its speed; and the faster it went, the harder I think I fought. Now the other doctor came forward, to help Dr Christie. The woman in the apron came, too. They were trying to pull me closer to the house. I wouldhem. The coach eeding, growing smaller. Theyre getting away! I cried. Then the woman got behind me and seized my waist. She had a grip on her like a mans. She lifted me up the two or three steps that led to the houses front door, as if I might be so mahers in a bag.
Now then, she said as she hauled me. Whats this? Kick ys, will you, and trouble the doctors?
Her mouth was close to my ear, her face behind me. I hardly knew what I was doing. All I knew was, she had me there, aleman and Maud were esg. I felt her speak, bent my head forward, then took it sharply back.
Oh! she cried. Her grip grew slack. Oh! Oh!
Shes beied, said Dr Christie. I thought he was talking about her. Then I saw he meant me. He took a whistle from his pocket and gave it a blow.
Fods sake, I cried, wont you hear me? They have tricked me, they have tricked me—!
The woman grabbed me again—about the throat, this time; and as I turned in her arms she hit me hard, with the points of her fingers, in my stomach. I think she did it in such a way, the doctors did not see. I gave a jerk, and swallowed my breath. Then she did it again. Heres fits! she said.
Watch your hands! called Dr Graves. She may snap.
Meanwhile, they had got me into the hall of the house and the sound of the whistle had brought awo men. They were pulling on broer cuffs over their coat-sleeves. They did not look like doctors. They came and caught hold of my ankles.
Keep her steady, said Dr Graves. Shes in a vulsion. She may put out her joints.
I could not tell them that I was not in a fit, but only wihat the woman had hurt me; that I was anyway not a lunatic, but sane as them. I could not say anything, f to find my breath. I could only croak. The men drew my legs straight, and my skirts rose to my knees. I began to be afraid of the skirts rising higher. That made me twist about, I suppose.
Hold her tight, said Dr Christie. He had brought out a thing like a great flat spoon, made of horn. He came to my side and held my head, and put the spoon to my mouth, between my teeth. It was smooth, but he pushed it hard and it hurt me. I thought I should be choked: I bit it, to keep it from going down my throat. It tasted bad.
I still think of all the other peoples mouths it must have gone in, before mine.
He saw my jaws close. Now she takes it! he said. Thats right. Hold her steady. He looked at Dr Graves. To the soft room? I think so. Nurse Spiller?
That was the woman that held me by the throat. I saw her nod to him, and then to the men in the cuffs, and they turned so that they might walk with me, further into the house. I felt them do it and began tle again. I was not thinking, now, of Gentleman and Maud. I was thinking of myself. I was growing horribly afraid. My st