us to be seated (which, by the way, he did not do yesterday, a
circumstance that was ominously remarked), he began to talk on
indifferent matters. I could see that a question, big with law and
fortune, was gathering in the breasts both of the Doctor and my
mother, and that they were in a state far from that of the blessed.
But one of the clerks, before they had time to express their
indignant suspicions, entered with a paper, and Mr. Argent, having
glanced it over, said to the Doctor--"I congratulate you, sir, on
the amount of the colonel's fortune. I was not indeed aware before
that he had died so rich. He has left about 120,000 pounds;
seventy-five thousand of which is in the five per cents; the
remainder in India bonds and other securities. The legacies appear
to be inconsiderable, so that the residue to you, after paying them
and the expenses of Doctors' Commons, will exceed a hundred thousand
pounds."

My father turned his eyes upwards in thankfulness. "But," continued
Mr. Argent, "before the property can be transferred, it will be
necessary for you to provide about four thousand pounds to pay the
duty and other requisite expenses." This was a thunderclap. "Where
can I get such a sum?" exclaimed my father, in a tone of pathetic
simplicity. Mr. Argent smiled and said, "We shall manage that for
you"; and having in the same moment pulled a bell, a fine young man
entered, whom he introduced to us as his son, and desired him to
explain what steps it was necessary for the Doctor to take. We
accordingly followed Mr. Charles Argent to his own room.

Thus, in less time than I have been in writing it, were we put in
possession of all the information we required, and found those whom
we feared might be interested to withhold the settlement, alert and