We report the BeppoSAX detection of a hard X-ray excess in the X-ray spectrum of the classical high-ionization Seyfert 2 galaxy Tol 0109–383 .
The X-ray emission of this source observed below 7 keV is dominated by reflection from both cold and ionized gas , as seen in the ASCA data .
The excess hard X-ray emission is presumably due to the central source absorbed by an optically thick obscuring torus with N _ { H } \sim 2 \times 10 ^ { 24 } cm ^ { -2 } .
The strong cold X-ray reflection , if it is produced at the inner surface of the torus , is consistent with the picture where much of the inner nucleus of Tol 0109–383 is exposed to direct view , as indicated by optical and infrared properties .
However , the X-ray absorption must occur at small radii in order to hide the central X-ray source but leave the optical high-ionization emission line region unobscured .
This may also be the case for objects like the Seyfert 1 galaxy Mrk231 .