Dr. Martin told mother to-day that Mr. Crewe's mind had
broken down, and they had brought him out from New York. He got
up in a directors' meeting and tried to kill the president of the
Pacific Trust Company, with a chair. He went suddenly mad, Dr.
Martin said."
Marion put out her hands in an unconscious gesture.
"I am not surprised," she said. "That sort of temperament in the
strain of a great struggle is apt to break down and attempt to
gain its end by some act of direct violence."
Then she added:
"My grandfather says in his work on evidence that the human mind
if dominated by a single idea will finally break out in some
bizarre act. And he cites the case of the minister who, having
maneuvered in vain to compass the death of the king by some sort
of accident, finally undertook to kill him with an andiron."
She reflected a moment.
"I am afraid," she continued, "that the harm is already done.
Crewe has set the whole country on the watch. Clinton says there
simply must not be a slip anywhere now. The road must be safe;
he must make it safe." She repeated her expression.
"An accident now that any sort of human foresight could prevent
would ruin him.
Pages:
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283