Ihavebeenthusparticularindescribingher，becauseshewillservetoexemplifythephysician\'smannerofacquiringandretainingtheconfidenceofhispatients。
\'This，\'hesaidaloud，takingmebythehand，andadvancingtothefantasticfigurewithgreatpoliteness-notraisinghersuspicionsbytheslightestlookorwhisper，oranykindofaside，tome:
\'Thisladyisthehostessofthismansion，sir。Itbelongstoher。
Nobodyelsehasanythingwhatevertodowithit。Itisalargeestablishment，asyousee，andrequiresagreatnumberofattendants。Shelives，youobserve，intheveryfirststyle。Sheiskindenoughtoreceivemyvisits，andtopermitmywifeandfamilytoresidehere；forwhichitishardlynecessarytosay，wearemuchindebtedtoher。Sheisexceedinglycourteous，youperceive，\'onthishintshebowedcondescendingly，\'andwillpermitmetohavethepleasureofintroducingyou:agentlemanfromEngland，Ma\'am:newlyarrivedfromEngland，afteraverytempestuouspassage:Mr。Dickens，-theladyofthehouse!\'
Weexchangedthemostdignifiedsalutationswithprofoundgravityandrespect，andsowenton。Therestofthemadwomenseemedtounderstandthejokeperfectlynotonlyinthiscase，butinalltheothers，excepttheirown，andbehighlyamusedbyit。Thenatureoftheirseveralkindsofinsanitywasmadeknowntomeinthesameway，andwelefteachoftheminhighgoodhumour。Notonlyisathoroughconfidenceestablished，bythosemeans，betweenthephysicianandpatient，inrespectofthenatureandextentoftheirhallucinations，butitiseasytounderstandthatopportunitiesareaffordedforseizinganymomentofreason，tostartlethembyplacingtheirowndelusionbeforetheminitsmostincongruousandridiculouslight。