England -- Social life and customs -- Fiction; Short stories, English
"'Indeed, but what is that you are saying?' Llewellyn cried sharply.
'Do you mean that there is a rent charge?'
"'Not exactly a rent charge,' said the lawyer.
"'No!' cried Llewellyn with a twinkle in his eyes. 'Nor any obligation
in law whatever?'
"'Well, no,' Mr. Hughes assented grudgingly.
"'Then,' said Llewellyn Evans, getting up and putting his hands in his
pockets, while he winked at the others, 'we will talk of that another
time.'
"But Mr. Hughes said, 'No!' He was a kind man, and anxious to do the
best for the girl, but he somewhat lost his temper. 'No!' he said,
growing red. 'You will observe, if you please, Mr. Evans, that the
testator says, "Forthwith--forthwith," so that, as sole executor, it
is my duty to ask you to state your intentions now.'
"'Well, indeed, then,' said Llewellyn, changing his face to a kind of
blank, 'I have no intentions. I think that the family has done more
than enough for the girl already.'
"And he would say no other. Nor was it to any purpose that the lawyer
looked at Mrs. Llewellyn. She was examining the furniture, and feeling
the stuffing of the sofa, and did not seem to hear. He could make
nothing of the three Evanses, Nant. They all cried, 'Yes, indeed!' to
what Llewellyn said. Only the Evan Bevans remained, and he turned to
them.
"'I am sure,' he said, addressing himself to them, 'that you will do
something to carry out the testator's wishes? Your share under the
will, Mr. Bevan, will amount to three hundred a year. This young lady
has nothing--no relations, no home. May I take it that you will
settle--say fifty pounds a year upon her? It need only be for her
life.'
"Mr. Bevan fidgeted, but his wife answered the lawyer as bold as
brass. 'Certainly not, Mr. Hughes,' she said. 'If it were twenty
pounds now, once for all, or even twenty-five--and Llewellyn and my
nephews would say the same--I think we might manage that?'
"But Llewellyn shook his head obstinately. 'I have said I have no
intentions, and I am a man of my word, whatever!' he answered. 'Let
the girl go to service. It is what we have wanted her to do. Here are
my nephews. They will be liking a young housekeeper.'
"Well, they all laughed at this except Mr. Hughes, who gathered up his
papers, looking very black, and not thinking of future clients.
Llewellyn, however, did not care a penny for that, but walked to the
bell, masterful-like, and rang it. 'Tell the undertaker,' he said to
the servant, 'that we are ready.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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