miss or mrs[1].(小姐还是夫人)-第16节
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longer command it。
〃Did you hear what I said； Richard？〃
〃I heard。 Go on。〃
Sir Joseph proceeded； gathering confidence as he advanced。
〃Half my fortune！〃 he repeated。 〃It's parting with half my life； it's
saying good…by forever to my dearest friend！ My money has been such a
comfort to me； Richard； such a pleasant occupation for my mind。 I know
no reading so interesting and so instructive as the reading of one's
Banker's Book。 To watch the outgoings on one side；〃 said Sir Joseph； with
a gentle and pathetic solemnity； 〃and the incomings on the otherthe sad
lessening of the balance at one time； and the cheering and delightful
growth of it at anotherwhat absorbing reading！ The best novel that ever
was written isn't to be mentioned in a breath with it。 I can not； Richard； I
really can _not_； see my nice round balance shrink up to half the figure
that I have been used to for a lifetime。 It may be weak of me；〃 proceeded
Sir Joseph； evidently feeling that it was not weak of him at all； 〃but we all
have our tender place； and my Banker's Book is mine。 Besides； it isn't as if
you wanted it。 If you wanted it； of coursebut you don't want it。 You are a
rich man； you are marrying my dear Natalie for love； not for money。 You
and she and my grandchildren will have it all at my death。 It _can_ make
no difference to you to wait a few years till the old man's chair at the
fireside is empty。 Will you say the fourth part； Richard； instead of the half？
Twenty thousand；〃 pleaded Sir Joseph； piteously。 〃I can bear twenty
thousand off。 For God's sake don't ask me for more！〃
The lips of the lawyer twisted themselves sourly into an ironical smile。
He was quite as fond of his money as Sir Joseph。 He ought to have felt for
his client； but rich men have no sympathy with one another。 Mr。 Dicas
openly despised Sir Joseph。
There was a pause。 The robin…redbreasts in the shrubbery outside must
have had prodigious balances at their bankers； they hopped up on the
window…sill so fearlessly； they looked in with so little respect at the two
rich men。
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Miss or Mrs。？
〃Don't keep me in suspense； Richard；〃 proceeded Sir Joseph。 〃Speak
out。 Is it yes or no？〃
Turlington struck his hand excitedly on the table； and burst out on a
sudden with the answer which had been so strangely delayed。
〃Twenty thousand with all my heart！〃 he said。 〃On this condition；
Graybrooke； that every farthing of it is settled on Natalie； and on her
children after her。 Not a half…penny to me！〃 he cried magnanimously； in
his brassiest tones。 〃Not a half… penny to me！〃
Let no man say the rich are heartless。 Sir Joseph seized his son…in…
law's hand in silence； and burst into tears。
Mr。 Dicas； habitually a silent man； uttered the first two words that had
escaped him since the business began。 〃Highly creditable；〃 he said； and
took a note of his instructions on the spot。
From that point the business of the settlement flowed smoothly on to
its destined end。 Sir Joseph explained his views at the fullest length； and
the lawyer's pen kept pace with him。 Turlington； remaining in his place at
the table； restricted himself to a purely passive part in the proceedings。 He
answered briefly when it was absolutely necessary to speak； and he agreed
with the two elders in everything。 A man has no attention to place at the
disposal of other people when he stands at a crisis in his life。 Turlington
stood at that crisis； at the trying moment when Sir Joseph's unexpected
proposal pressed instantly for a reply。 Two merciless alternatives
confronted him。 Either he must repay the borrowed forty thousand pounds
on the day when repayment was due； or he must ask Bulpit Brothers to
grant him an extension of time； and so inevitably provoke an examination
into the fraudulent security deposited with the firm； which could end in
but one way。 His last； literally his last chance； after Sir Joseph had
diminished the promised dowry by one half； was to adopt the high…minded
tone which became his position； and to conceal the truth until he could
reveal it to his father…in…law in the privileged character of Natalie's
husband。 〃I owe forty thousand pounds； sir； in a fortnight's time； and I
have not got a farthing of my own。 Pay for me； or you will see your son…
in… law's name in the Bankrupt's List。〃 For his daughter's sakewho could
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Miss or Mrs。？
doubt it？Sir Joseph would produce the money。 The one thing needful
was to be married in time。 If either by accident or treachery Sir Joseph was
led into deferring the appointed day； by so much as a fortnight only； the
fatal 〃call〃 would come； and the firm of Pizzituti； Turlington & Branca
would appear in the Gazette。
So he reasoned； standing on the brink of the terrible discovery which
was soon to reveal to him that Natalie was the wife of another man。
〃Richard！〃
〃Mr。 Turlington！〃
He started； and roused his attention to present things。 Sir Joseph on
one side； and the lawyer on the other； were both appealing to him； and
both regarding him with looks of amazement。
〃Have you done with the settlement？〃 he asked。
〃My dear Richard； we have done with it long since； 〃 replied Sir
Joseph。 〃Have you really not heard what I have been saying for the last
quarter of an hour to good Mr。 Dicas here？ What _can_ you have been
thinking of？〃
Turlington did not attempt to answer the question。 〃Am I interested；〃
he asked； 〃in what you have been saying to Mr。 Dicas？〃
〃You shall judge for yourself；〃 answered Sir Joseph； mysteriously； 〃I
have been giving Mr。 Dicas his instructions for making my Will。 I wish the
Will and the Marriage…Settlement to be executed at the same time。 Read
the instructions； Mr。 Dicas。〃
Sir Joseph's contemplated Will proved to have two meritsit was
simple and it was short。 Excepting one or two trifling legacies to distant
relatives； he had no one to think of （Miss Lavinia being already provided
for） but his daughter and the children who might be born of her marriage。
In its various provisions； made with these two main objects in view； the
Will followed the precedents established in such cases。 It differed in no
important respect from the tens of thousands of other wills made under
similar circumstances。 Sir Joseph's motive in claiming special attention for
it still remained unexplained； when Mr。 Dicas reached the clause devoted
to the appointment of executors and trustees； and announced that this
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Miss or Mrs。？
portion of the document was left in blank。
〃Sir Joseph Graybrooke； are you prepared to name the persons whom
you appoint？〃 asked the lawyer。
Sir Joseph rose； apparently for the purpose of giving special
importance to the terms in which he answered his lawyer's question。 〃I
appoint；〃 he said； 〃as sole executor and trusteeRichard Turlington。〃
It was no easy matter to astonish Mr。 Dicas。 Sir Joseph's reply
absolutely confounded him。 He looked across the table at his client and
delivered himself on this special occasion of as many as three words。
〃Are you mad？〃 he asked。
Sir Joseph's healthy complexion slightly reddened。 〃I never was in
more complete possession of myself； Mr。 Dicas； than at this moment。〃
Mr。 Dicas was not to be silenced in that way。
〃Are you aware of what you do；〃 persisted the lawyer； 〃if you appoint
Mr。 Turlington as sole executor and trustee？ You put it in the power of
your daughter's husband； sir； to make away with every farthing of your
money after your death。〃
Turlington had hitherto listened with an appearance of interest in the
proceedings； which he assumed as an act of politeness。 To
