tommy and co[1].(托米和科)-第12节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
changing his profession。
The solicitor's clerk was waiting for the party on its return from
39
… Page 40…
Tommy and Co。
Kensal Green。 Clodd again offered hospitality。 Mr。 Pincer this time
allowed himself a glass of weak whisky…and…water； and sipped it with an
air of doing so without prejudice。 The clerk had one a little stronger；
Mrs。 Gladman； dispensing with consultation； declined shrilly for self and
partner。 Clodd； explaining that he always followed legal precedent；
mixed himself one also and drank 〃To our next happy meeting。〃 Then
the clerk read。
It was a short and simple will； dated the previous August。 It
appeared that the old gentleman； unknown to his relatives； had died
possessed of shares in a silver mine； once despaired of； now prospering。
Taking them at present value； they would produce a sum well over two
thousand pounds。 The old gentleman had bequeathed five hundred
pounds to his brother…in…law； Mr。 Gladman； five hundred pounds to his
only other living relative； his first cousin； Mr。 Pincer； the residue to his
friend； William Clodd； as a return for the many kindnesses that
gentleman had shown him。
Mr。 Gladman rose； more amused than angry。
〃And you think you are going to pocket that one thousand to twelve
hundred pounds。 You really do？〃 he asked Mr。 Clodd； who； with legs
stretched out before him； sat with his hands deep in his trousers pockets。
〃That's the idea；〃 admitted Mr。 Clodd。
Mr。 Gladman laughed； but without much lightening the atmosphere。
〃Upon my word； Clodd； you amuse meyou quite amuse me；〃 repeated
Mr。 Gladman。
〃You always had a sense of humour；〃 commented Mr。 Clodd。
〃You villain！ You double…dyed villain！〃 screamed Mr。 Gladman；
suddenly changing his tone。 〃You think the law is going to allow you
to swindle honest men！ You think we are going to sit still for you to
rob us！ That will〃 Mr。 Gladman pointed a lank forefinger
dramatically towards the table。
〃You mean to dispute it？〃 inquired Mr。 Clodd。
For a moment Mr。 Gladman stood aghast at the other's coolness； but
soon found his voice again。
〃Dispute it！〃 he shrieked。 〃Do you dispute that you influenced
40
… Page 41…
Tommy and Co。
him？dictated it to him word for word； made the poor old helpless idiot
sign it； he utterly incapable of even understanding〃
〃Don't chatter so much；〃 interrupted Mr。 Clodd。 〃It's not a pretty
voice； yours。 What I asked you was； do you intend to dispute it？〃
〃If you will kindly excuse us；〃 struck in Mrs。 Gladman； addressing
Mr。 Clodd with an air of much politeness； 〃we shall just have time； if we
go now； to catch our solicitor before he leaves his office。〃
Mr。 Gladman took up his hat from underneath his chair。
〃One moment；〃 suggested Mr。 Clodd。 〃I did influence him to make
that will。 If you don't like it； there's an end of it。〃
〃Of course；〃 commenced Mr。 Gladman in a mollified tone。
〃Sit down；〃 suggested Mr。 Clodd。 〃Let's try another one。〃 Mr。
Clodd turned to the clerk。 〃The previous one； Mr。 Wright； if you please；
the one dated June the 10th。〃
An equally short and simple document； it bequeathed three hundred
pounds to Mr。 William Clodd in acknowledgment of kindnesses received；
the residue to the Royal Zoological Society of London； the deceased
having been always interested in and fond of animals。 The relatives；
〃Who have never shown me the slightest affection or given themselves
the slightest trouble concerning me； and who have already received
considerable sums out of my income；〃 being by name excluded。
〃I may mention；〃 observed Mr。 Clodd； no one else appearing inclined
to break the silence； 〃that in suggesting the Royal Zoological Society to
my poor old friend as a fitting object for his benevolence； I had in mind
a very similar case that occurred five years ago。 A bequest to them was
disputed on the grounds that the testator was of unsound mind。 They
had to take their case to the House of Lords before they finally won it。〃
〃Anyhow；〃 remarked Mr。 Gladman； licking his lips； which were dry；
〃you won't get anything； Mr。 Cloddno； not even your three…hundred
pounds； clever as you think yourself。 My brother…in…law's money will
go to the lawyers。〃
Then Mr。 Pincer rose and spoke slowly and clearly。 〃If there must
be a lunatic connected with our family； which I don't see why there
should be； it seems to me to be you； Nathaniel Gladman。〃
41
… Page 42…
Tommy and Co。
Mr。 Gladman stared back with open mouth。 Mr。 Pincer went on
impressively。
〃As for my poor old cousin Joe； he had his eccentricities； but that
was all。 I for one am prepared to swear that he was of sound mind in
August last and quite capable of making his own will。 It seems to me
that the other thing； dated in June； is just waste paper。〃
Mr。 Pincer having delivered himself； sat down again。 Mr。 Gladman
showed signs of returning language。
〃Oh！ what's the use of quarrelling？〃 chirped in cheery Mrs。 Gladman。
〃It's five hundred pounds we never expected。 Live and let live is what I
always say。〃
〃It's the damned artfulness of the thing；〃 said Mr。 Gladman； still very
white about the gills。
〃Oh； you have a little something to thaw your face；〃 suggested his
wife。
Mr。 and Mrs。 Gladman； on the strength of the five hundred pounds；
went home in a cab。 Mr。 Pincer stayed behind and made a night of it
with Mr。 Clodd and Bonner's clerk； at Clodd's expense。
The residue worked out at eleven hundred and sixty…nine pounds and
a few shillings。 The capital of the new company； 〃established for the
purpose of carrying on the business of newspaper publishers and
distributors； printers； advertising agents； and any other trade and
enterprise affiliated to the same；〃 was one thousand pounds in one pound
shares； fully paid up； of which William Clodd； Esquire； was registered
proprietor of four hundred and sixty…three； Peter Hope； M。A。； of 16；
Gough Square； of also four hundred and sixty…three； Miss Jane Hope；
adopted daughter of said Peter Hope （her real name nobody； herself
included； ever having known）； and generally called Tommy； of three；
paid for by herself after a battle royal with William Clodd； Mrs。
Postwhistle； of Rolls Court； of ten； presented by the promoter； Mr。
Pincer； of the House of Commons； also of ten （still owing for）； Dr。 Smith
（ne Schmidt） of fifty； James Douglas Alexander Calder McTear
（otherwise the 〃Wee Laddie〃）； residing then in Mrs。 Postwhistle's first
floor front； of one； paid for by poem published in the first number：
42
… Page 43…
Tommy and Co。
〃The Song of the Pen。〃
Choosing a title for the paper cost much thought。 Driven to despair；
they called it Good Humour。
43
… Page 44…
Tommy and Co。
STORY THE THIRD： Grindley
Junior drops into the Position of
