“Charles—­where’s Charles? give me your hand, Charles dear—­let me feel your face:  here, Charles—­a little pocket-book—­good lad—­good lad.  There’s Emily, too—­dear child, she came—­too late—­I forgot her—­I forgot her! general give her half—­half—­if you love—­love—­Emi—­”

All at once her jaw dropped; her eyes, which had till now been preternaturally bright, filmed over; her head fell back upon the pillow; and the rich old aunt was dead.

Julian gave a shout that might have scared the parting spirit!

Really, the general was shocked, and Mrs. Tracy too; and the servants murmured “shame—­shame!” poor Charles hid his face; Emily looked up indignantly; but Julian asked, with an oath, “Where’s the good of being hypocrites?” and then added, “now, mother, let us find the will.”

Then the nurse went to close the dim glazed eyes; and the other sorrowing domestics slunk away; and Charles led Emily out of the chamber of death, saddened and shocked at such indecent haste.

Meanwhile, the hopeful trio rummaged every drawer—­tumbled out the mingled contents of boxes, desk, and escritoire—­still, no will—­no will:  and at last the nurse, who more than once had muttered, “Shame on you all,” beneath her breath, said,

“If you want the will, it’s under her pillow:  but don’t disturb her yet, poor thing!”

Julian’s rude hand had already thrust aside the lifeless, yielding head, and clutched the will:  the father and mother—­though humbled and wonder-stricken at his daring—­gathered round him; and he read aloud, boldly and steadily to the end, though with scowling brow, and many curses interjectional: 

“In the name of God, Amen.  I, Constance Green, make this my last will and testament.  Forasmuch as my niece, Jane Tracy, has watched and waited for my death these two-and-twenty years, I leave her all the shoes, slippers, and goloshes, whereof I may happen to die possessed:  item, I leave Julian, her son, my ‘Whole Duty of Man,’ convinced that he is deficient in it all:  item, I confirm all the gifts which I intend to make upon my death-bed:  item, forasmuch as General Tracy, my niece’s husband, on his return from abroad, greeted me with much affection, I bequeath and give to him five thousand pounds’ worth of Exchequer bills, now in my banker’s hands; and appoint him my sole executor.  As to my landed property, it will all go, in course of law, to my heir, Samuel Hayley, and may he and his long enjoy it.  And as to the remainder of my personal effects, including nine thousand pounds bank stock, my Dutch fives, and other matters, whereof I may die possessed (seeing that my relatives are rich enough without my help), I give and bequeath the same, subject as hereinbefore stated, to the trustees, for the time being, of the Westminster Lying-in Hospital, in trust, for the purposes of that charitable institution.  In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 13th day of May, 1840.