The King's Stratagem, and Other Stories — John Shaqi
The King's Stratagem, and Other StoriesWeyman, Stanley John
General
The King's Stratagem, and Other Stories
Weyman, Stanley John
Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction
"But the girl was gone. It was not to Mrs. Campbell she could make a
moan. It was only the night wind that caught the 'Oh, cruel! cruel!'
which broke from her as she went up the hill. Whether she slept that
night at all I am not able to say. Only that when it was dawn she was
out upon the cliffs, her face very white and sad-looking. The
fishermen who were up early, going out with the ebb, saw her at times
walking fast and then standing still and looking seaward. But I do not
know what she was thinking, only I should fancy that the gulls had a
different cry for her now, and it is certain that when she had
returned and came down into the parlor at Court for the funeral, there
were none of the Evanses could look her in the face with comfort.
"They were all there, of course. Mr. Llewellyn Evans--he was an
elderly man, with a gray beard like a bird's nest, and very thick
lips--was sitting with his wife on the horsehair sofa. The Evanses of
Nant, who were young men with lank faces and black hair combed upward,
were by the door. The Evan Bevans were at the table; and there were
others, besides Mr. Griffith Hughes, who was undoing some papers when
she entered.
"He rose and shook hands with her, marking pitifully the dark hollows
under her eyes, and inwardly confirming his resolution to get her a
substantial settlement. Then he hesitated, looking doubtfully at the
others. 'We are going to read the will before the funeral instead of
afterward,' he said.
"'Oh!' she answered, taken aback--for in truth she had forgotten all
about the will. 'I did not know. I will go, and come back later.'
"'No, indeed!' cried Mrs. Llewellyn Evans, 'you had better stop and
hear the will--though no relation, to be sure.'
"But at that moment Gwen Madoc came in, and peered round with a grim
air of importance. 'Maybe someone,' she said in a low voice, 'would
like to take a last look at the poor master?'
"But no one moved. They sighed and shook their heads at one another as
if they would like to do so--but no one moved. They were anxious, you
see, to hear the will. Only Peggy, who had turned to go out, said,
'Yes, Gwen, I should,' and slipped out with the old woman.
"'There is nothing to keep us now?' said Mr. Hughes briskly when the
door was closed again. And everyone nodding assent the lawyer went on
to read the will, which was not a long one. It was received with a
murmur of satisfaction, and much use of pocket-handkerchiefs.
"'Very fair!' said Mr. Llewellyn Evans, 'He was a clever man, our old
friend.' All the legatees murmured after him 'Very fair!' and a word
went round about the home-brewed, and Robert Evans' recipe for it.
Then Llewellyn, who thought he ought to be taking the lead at Court
now, said it was about time to be going to church.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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