"My dear general!" cried Ralph in amazement, not untouched with scorn for the "canting old prig" who could pretend that the mode of earning a dollar made any difference in its value. "You have completely misunderstood me, I do assure you. No idea could have been farther from my mind, or indeed from the mind of any one who knows as I do your delicate sense of honour. I really must protest against your entertaining so erroneous an impression; and it seems hard that I should be prevented from expressing my boy's sense, and my own, of your assiduous attention to our interests." "That will be time enough after you know what we have done," answered Considine dryly. "At present you know nothing, nor can, till the accounts of the estate have been made up, and submitted to your examination. However, as you agree to take back the promise of a consideration for violating the trust reposed in us, no more need be said." "Violating the trust!" remonstrated Jordan. "And who, pray, my dear Considine, uses unguarded language now?" "Not I. Remember the terms of the will, if you please, Mr. Jordan." "Technically, my dear sir, and verbally, I will not dispute your accuracy; but more than that is due to the intentions of a testator, from friends, and among friends." "You think you know Gerald's intentions better than he did himself, then? For my part, I have thought the will a model of clearness." "Think of the circumstances, general--the present circumstances--and all that has occurred since the will was made." "Nothing has occurred for which the will did not provide." "Excuse me, general. Gerald has come of age, he has gone into business, he sees a use to which he can turn his inheritance. What right have _we_ to balk him, and keep him out of his own?" "I deny that it is his own, or can be, till the time appointed has arrived." "Literally speaking, of course, your position cannot be gainsaid; but consider the circumstances, as I say. When the will was made, there was every chance that quite another person would inherit. That person would have received the money before reaching majority. It seems therefore unfair, and contrary to the testator's wish, that Gerald should have to wait." "I don't see it. What if that other should appear and claim the inheritance?" "Is it likely?" "It is possible. Again, Gerald may die within the next year-and-a-half. We should be personally liable then to the heirs." "His father is one of them, his three aunts are the others--all our friends of long standing. From what you know of them, you can have no misgiving as to our old friend Ralph's doing what is right by those ladies. Had the testator been alive he could not but have been glad to confide them to the care of so good a fellow as his nephew Ralph." "That is just where I must beg to differ. I knew old Gerald most intimately, and I have the best ground for being sure that he would not."