“Miss Chester’s wish?” said the lawyer, with a doubtful glance. “Perhaps you think Miss Chester can do what she pleases? Poor thing, it is very natural she should wish to do something for her brothers. But what if she were making a mistake?” “If you mean that after all the money is not to be hers”--said Langton, with a slight change of colour. “Before we go farther I ought to know--perhaps her father’s death has brought about some change--between her and you?” “No change at all. We were pledged to each other two years ago without any opposition from him. I cannot say that he ever gave his formal consent.” “But it was all broken off--I heard as much from him--by mutual consent.” “It was never broken off. I saw what was coming, and I remained perfectly quiet on the subject, and advised Miss Chester to do the same.” “Ah! and he was taken in!” the lawyer said. This brought the colour to Langton’s face. “I am not aware that there was any taking in in the case. I knew that agitation was dangerous for him. It was better for us to wait, at our age, than to have the self-reproach afterwards.” This was all true, yet it was embarrassing to say. “I see,” said Mr. Babington; “a waiting game doesn’t always recommend itself to the lookers-on, Dr. Langton. It might have lasted for years.” “I did not think,” said Langton hastily, “that it could have lasted for weeks. He has lived longer than I expected.” “And you were there at one side of him, and his daughter at the other, waiting. I think I’d rather not have my daughter engaged to a doctor, meaning no disrespect to you.” “It sounds like something more than disrespect,” said Langton, with offence. “If you think I did not do my duty by my patient”-- “Oh no, I don’t think that; but I think you will be disappointed, Dr. Langton. I don’t quite see why you have sent for the boys. If the one was for your interest, the other was dead against it. It is a disagreeable business altogether. If they were to set up a plea against you of undue influence”-- “I think,” said Langton, “that this is not a subject to be discussed between us. You know very well that my influence with Mr. Chester was”-- “About the same as every other man’s, and that was nothing at all,” said the lawyer, with a laugh. It is unseemly to laugh in a house all draped and shrouded in mourning, and the sound seemed to produce a little stir of horror in the silent place, all the more that Winifred came in at the moment, as white as a spectre, in her black dress. Her look of astonished reproach made the lawyer in his turn change countenance. “I beg your pardon, Miss Winifred, I beg you a thousand pardons. It was not any jest, I assure you, it was in very sober earnest. My dear young lady, I need not say how shocked I was and distressed”--