JEL. I should think not, my dear sir; but here comes Mr Seedy, and we
shall know all about it.
[_Enter_ Mr SEEDY--Mrs JELLYBAGS, _all courtesy, waves her hand to a
chair in the centre, with a table before it_. Mr SEEDY _sits down,
pulls the will out of his pocket, lays it on the table, takes out his
snuff-box, takes a pinch, then his handkerchief, blows his nose, snuffs
the candles, takes his spectacles from his waistcoat pocket, puts them
on, breaks the seals, and bows to the company_: Mrs JELLYBAGS _has
taken her seat on the left next to him, and_ Dr GUMARABIC _by her
side_. Mrs JELLYBAGS _sobs very loud, with her handkerchief to her
face_.]
SEEDY. Silence, if you please.
[Mrs JELLYBAGS _stops sobbing immediately_.]
EDW. (_putting his arm round_ CLEMENTINA'S _waist_.) My dearest
Clementina!
[Mr SEEDY _hems twice, and then reads_,--]
"The last Will and Testament of Christopher Cadaverous, Gentleman, of
Copse horton, in the County of Cumberland.
"I, Christopher Cadaverous, being at this time in sound mind, do hereby
make my last will and testament.
"First, I pray that I may be forgiven all my manifold sins and
wickedness, and I do beg forgiveness of all those whom I may have
injured unintentionally or otherwise; and at the same time do pardon all
those who may have done me wrong, even to John Jones, the turnpike man,
who unjustly made me pay the threepenny toll twice over on Easter last,
when I went up to receive my dividends.
"My property, personal and real, I devise to my two friends, Solomon
Lazarus, residing at Number 3, Lower Thames-street, and Hezekiah Flint,
residing at Number 16, Lothbury, to have and to hold for the following
uses and purposes:--
"First, to my dearly beloved niece, Clementina Montagu, I leave the sum
of one hundred and fifty pounds, three and a half per cent consols, for
her sole use and benefit, to be made over to her, both principal and
interest, on the day of her marriage." [EDWARD _withdraws his arm from_
CLEMENTINA'S _waist--turns half round from her, and falls back in his
chair with a pish_!]
"To my nephew, Thomas Montagu, I leave the sum of nineteen pounds
nineteen shilling and sixpence--having deducted the other sixpence to
avoid the legacy duty."
[THOMAS _turns from the lawyer with his face to the front of the stage;
crossing his legs_.]
"To my nephew, John Montagu, I leave also the sum of nineteen pounds
nineteen shillings and sixpence."
[JOHN _turns away in the same manner_.]
"To my nephew, once removed, James Stirling, I leave the sum of five
pounds to purchase a suit of mourning."
[JAMES _turns away as the others_.]
"To my nephew, once removed, William Stirling, I leave the sum of five
pounds to purchase a suit of mourning."
[WILLIAM _turns away as the others_.]
"To my kind and affectionate housekeeper, Mrs Martha Jellybags--"
[Mrs JELLYBAGS _sobs loudly, and cries_ "Oh dear! Oh dear!"]
Mr SEEDY. Silence, if you please. (_Reads_.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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