'I know, you'll forget nobody, my dear little girl,' cried the Baronet,
'which makes me die contented; not even Mrs. Margland, a little
particularity not being to be considered at one's last end: and much
less Dr. Orkborne, who has so much a better right from you. As to
Indiana, she'll have her own little fortune when she comes of age; and I
dare say her pretty face will marry her before long.--And as to
Clermont, he'll come off rather short, finding I leave him nothing; but
you'll make up for the deficiency, by giving him the whole, as well as a
good wife. As to Lionel, I leave him my blessing; and as to any other
legacy I never happened to promise him any; which is very good luck for
me, as well as my best excuse; and I may say the same to my dear
Lavinia, which is the reason I called her in, because she may not often
have an opportunity to hear a man speak upon his death-bed. However all
I wish for is, that I could leave you all equal shares, as well as give
Eugenia the whole.'
'O my dear Uncle!' exclaimed Eugenia, 'make a new Will immediately! do
everything your tenderness can dictate!--or tell me what I shall do in
your name, and every word, every wish shall be sacredly obeyed!'
'Dear, generous, noble girl! no! I won't take from you a shilling! keep
it all--nobody will spend it so well;--and I can't give you back your
beauty; so keep it, my dear, all, for my oath's sake, when I am gone;
and don't make me die under a prevaricating; which would be but a
grievous thing for a person to do; unless he was but a bad believer:
which, God help us! there are enough, without my helping to make more.'
Mr. Tyrold now again remonstrated, motioning to the weeping group to be
gone.
'Ah! my dear Brother!' said Sir Hugh, 'you are the only right person
that ought to have had it all, if it had not been for my poor weak
brain, that made me always be looking askew instead of strait forward.
And indeed I always meant you to have had it for your life, till the
smallpox put all things out of my head. However, I hope you won't object
to preach my funeral sermon, for all my bad faults, for nobody else will
speak of me so kindly; which may serve as a better lesson for those I
leave behind.'
Tears flowed fast down the cheeks of Mr. Tyrold, as he uttered whatever
he could suggest most tenderly soothing to his Brother: and the young
mourners, not daring to resist, were all gliding away, except Camilla,
whose hand was fast grasped in that of her Uncle.
'Ah, my Camilla,' cried he, as she would gently have withdrawn it, 'how
shall I part with my little dear darling? this is the worst twitch to me
of all, with all my contentedness! And the more because I know you love
your poor old Uncle, just as well as if he had left you all he was
worth, though you won't get one penny by his death!'