'I take you all to witness - can you hear me? - I take you all to witness that I recognise as my heir and representative this gentleman, whom most of you see for the first time, the Viscount Anne de St.-Yves, my nephew of the younger line.And I take you to witness at the same time that, for very good reasons known to myself, I have discarded and disinherited this other gentleman whom you all know, the Viscount de St.-Yves.I have also to explain the unusual trouble to which I have put you all - and, since your supper was not over, I fear I may even say annoyance.It has pleased M.Alain to make some threats of disputing my will, and to pretend that there are among your number certain estimable persons who may be trusted to swear as he shall direct them.It pleases me thus to put it out of his power and to stop the mouths of his false witnesses.I am infinitely obliged by your politeness, and I have the honour to wish you all a very good evening.'
As the servants, still greatly mystified, crowded out of the sickroom door, curtseying, pulling the forelock, scraping with the foot, and so on, according to their degree, I turned and stole a look at my cousin.He had borne this crushing public rebuke without change of countenance.He stood, now, very upright, with folded arms, and looking inscrutably at the roof of the apartment.
I could not refuse him at that moment the tribute of my admiration.
Still more so when, the last of the domestics having filed through the doorway and left us alone with my great-uncle and the lawyer, he took one step forward towards the bed, made a dignified reverence, and addressed the man who had just condemned him to ruin.
'My lord,' said he, 'you are pleased to treat me in a manner which my gratitude, and your state, equally forbid me to call in question.It will be only necessary for me to call your attention to the length of time in which I have been taught to regard myself as your heir.In that position, I judged it only loyal to permit myself a certain scale of expenditure.If I am now to be cut off with a shilling as the reward of twenty years of service, I shall be left not only a beggar, but a bankrupt.'
Whether from the fatigue of his recent exertion, or by a well-
inspired ingenuity of hate, my uncle had once more closed his eyes;
nor did he open them now.'Not with a shilling,' he contented himself with replying; and there stole, as he said it, a sort of smile over his face, that flickered there conspicuously for the least moment of time, and then faded and left behind the old impenetrable mask of years, cunning, and fatigue.There could be no mistake: my uncle enjoyed the situation as he had enjoyed few things in the last quarter of a century.The fires of life scarce survived in that frail body; but hatred, like some immortal quality, was still erect and unabated.
Nevertheless my cousin persevered.
'I speak at a disadvantage,' he resumed.'My supplanter, with perhaps more wisdom than delicacy, remains in the room,' and he cast a glance at me that might have withered an oak tree.
I was only too willing to withdraw, and Romaine showed as much alacrity to make way for my departure.But my uncle was not to be moved.In the same breath of a voice, and still without opening his eyes, he bade me remain.
'It is well,' said Alain.'I cannot then go on to remind you of the twenty years that have passed over our heads in England, and the services I may have rendered you in that time.It would be a position too odious.Your lordship knows me too well to suppose I could stoop to such ignominy.I must leave out all my defence -
your lordship wills it so! I do not know what are my faults; I know only my punishment, and it is greater than I have the courage to face.My uncle, I implore your pity: pardon me so far; do not send me for life into a debtors' jail - a pauper debtor.'
'CHAT ET VIEUX, PARDONNEZ?' said my uncle, quoting from La Fontaine; and then, opening a pale-blue eye full on Alain, he delivered with some emphasis:
'La jeunesse se flatte et croit tout obtenir;
