The next day the will was proved, and Mr Selwyn then informed us that
he had found the will of the late Colonel Dempster, which had left his
property to his child unborn, as might be supposed, with a jointure on
the estate, which was entailed. The will, in consequence of the
supposed non-existence of Lionel, had been proved by the next of kin, a
gentleman of large property, and of whom report spoke highly. It was
the intention of Mr Selwyn to communicate with him directly. The
probate-duty, etcetera, had required a large portion of the 1200 pounds
left in the bank, but there was still enough to meet all Lionel's wants
for a year, if he wished to go abroad immediately, and another dividend
would be due in a month, so that there could be no difficulty. Mr
Selwyn explained all this as we drove to his chambers, where I signed
some papers at his request, and Lionel received a check on the bank, and
I sent, by Mr Selwyn, instructions to meet his drafts for the future.
This affair being arranged, Lionel stated his intention of quitting
immediately for Paris. He said that he would go for his passport that
afternoon, as there was time enough left for him to give in his name at
the office; and that he would call to-morrow afternoon to bid me
farewell. He then took his leave, and left me with Mr Selwyn, with
whom I had a long conversation, during which I stated to him that I had
some money of my own, as well as what had been left me by Lady R--,
which I wished to put in safety. He recommended that I should lodge
what I then had at a banker's, and, as soon as I had received the rest,
he would look out for a good mortgage for me. He then handed me into a
coach, and bade me farewell, stating that he would call on the day after
the morrow, at three o'clock, as by that time Lady R--'s maid must have
arrived, and I should have obtained possession of the key of the tin
box, the papers in which he was anxious to examine.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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