‘Your will, monsieur, must ever be my rule,’ said I, bowing.

‘You have wit, monsieur mon neveu,’ said he, ’the best wit—­the wit of silence.  Many might have deafened me with their gratitude.  Gratitude!’ he repeated, with a peculiar intonation, and lay and smiled to himself.  ’But to approach what is more important.  As a prisoner of war, will it be possible for you to be served heir to English estates?  I have no idea:  long as I have dwelt in England, I have never studied what they call their laws.  On the other hand, how if Romaine should come too late?  I have two pieces of business to be transacted—­to die, and to make my will; and, however desirous I may be to serve you, I cannot postpone the first in favour of the second beyond a very few hours.’

‘Well, sir, I must then contrive to be doing as I did before,’ said I.

‘Not so,’ said the Count.  ’I have an alternative.  I have just drawn my balance at my banker’s, a considerable sum, and I am now to place it in your hands.  It will be so much for you and so much less—­’ he paused, and smiled with an air of malignity that surprised me.  ’But it is necessary it should be done before witnesses.  Monsieur le Vicomte is of a particular disposition, and an unwitnessed donation may very easily be twisted into a theft.’

He touched a bell, which was answered by a man having the appearance of a confidential valet.  To him he gave a key.

‘Bring me the despatch-box that came yesterday, La Ferriere,’ said he.  ’You will at the same time present my compliments to Dr. Hunter and M. l’Abbe, and request them to step for a few moments to my room.’

The despatch-box proved to be rather a bulky piece of baggage, covered with Russia leather.  Before the doctor and an excellent old smiling priest it was passed over into my hands with a very clear statement of the disposer’s wishes; immediately after which, though the witnesses remained behind to draw up and sign a joint note of the transaction, Monsieur de Keroual dismissed me to my own room, La Ferriere following with the invaluable box.

At my chamber door I took it from him with thanks, and entered alone.  Everything had been already disposed for the night, the curtains drawn and the fire trimmed; and Rowley was still busy with my bedclothes.  He turned round as I entered with a look of welcome that did my heart good.  Indeed, I had never a much greater need of human sympathy, however trivial, than at that moment when I held a fortune in my arms.  In my uncle’s room I had breathed the very atmosphere of disenchantment.  He had gorged my pockets; he had starved every dignified or affectionate sentiment of a man.  I had received so chilling an impression of age and experience that the mere look of youth drew me to confide in Rowley:  he was only a boy, his heart must beat yet, he must still retain some innocence and natural feelings, he could blurt out follies with his mouth, he was not a machine to utter perfect speech!  At the same time, I was beginning to outgrow the painful impressions of my interview; my spirits were beginning to revive; and at the jolly, empty looks of Mr. Rowley, as he ran forward to relieve me of the box, St. Ives became himself again.