Il est difficile à celui qui vit hors du monde de ne pas rechercher
les siens. ( MALRAUX)

THE Magdalen Mental Mercyseat lay a little way
out of town, ideally situated in its own grounds
on the boundary of two counties. In order to
die in the one sheriffalty rather than in the other
some patients had merely to move up, or be
moved up, a little in the bed. This sometimes
proved a great convenience.

The head male nurse, Mr. Thomas ("Bim")
Clinch, a huge red, bald, whiskered man of over-
weening ability and authority in his own depart-
ment, had a fancy for Ticklepenny not far short
of love. It was largely thanks to this that
Ticklepenny had been taken on in the first place.
It was largely thanks to it now that Murphy was
taken on in Ticklepenny's stead. For Tickle-
penny had vowed to Bim that if Murphy were
not taken on in his stead, to release him from
the torments of the wards, he would go, pay or
no pay. But if Murphy were taken on he would

-156-