"Seventh: I bequeath my 'Essay upon the Hebrew Letter Aleph' to the College of William and Mary, requesting that it shall be disposed of to some scientific body in Europe, for not less than twenty thousand pounds--that sum to be dedicated to the founding of a new professorship--to be called the _Hoffland Professorship_ for the instruction of young men going to woo their sweethearts. And the professor shall in all cases be a woman. "Eighth: Having disposed of my personal, I now come to add a disposition also of my invisible and more valuable property remaining. I bequeath my memory to the three young ladies to whom I am at present engaged--begging them to deal charitably with what I leave to them; and if harsh thoughts ever rise in their hearts, to remember how beautiful they are, and how utterly impossible it was for their poor friend to resist yielding to that triple surpassing loveliness. If this message is distinctly communicated to them, they will not be angry, but ever after revere and love my memory, as that of the truest and most rational of men. "Ninth: I leave to my executor a lock of my hair, which he shall carry ever after in his bosom--take thence and kiss at least once every day--at the same time murmuring, 'Poor Charles! he loved me very much!' "Tenth, and last: I bequeath my heart to Mr. Ernest Mowbray. I mean the spiritual portion--my love. And if I should make him my executor, I hereby declare that clause ninth shall apply to him, and be carried out in full; declaring that he may utter the words therein written with a good conscience; and declaring further, that my poverty alone induces me to make him so trifling a bequest as this, in the tenth clause expressed. Moreover, he had full possession of it formerly during my life-time; and, finally, I make him my executor. "That is all," said Hoffland, laughing and turning away his head; "a capital will, I think!" Mowbray shook his head. "I have listened to your jesting in silence, Charles," he said, "because I thought it best to let your merry mood expend itself----" "I was never graver in my life!" "Then you were never grave at all. Now let us seriously consult about this unhappy affair. Ah, duelling, duelling! how wicked, childish, illogical, despotic, bloody, and at the same time ludicrous it is! Come, you have lost your key, you say--we cannot go to your lodgings: let us find a room in the 'Raleigh,' and arrange this most unhappy affair. Come." And, followed by Hoffland, Mowbray took his way sadly toward the "Raleigh." CHAPTER XIV. HOSTILE CORRESPONDENCE.