按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
out。 Ah me； Holly！ life is not worth the trouble of
life； except when one is in loveat least； mine has
not been； but the boy Leo's may be if he has the
courage and the faith。 Good…bye； my friend！〃 and with
a sudden excess of tenderness he flung his arm about
me and kissed me on the forehead； and then turned to
go：
〃Look here； Vincey；〃 I said； 〃if you are as ill as you
think； you had better let me fetch a doctor。〃
〃No； no；〃 he said； earnestly。 〃Promise me that you
won't。 I am going to die； and； like a poisoned rat； I
wish to die alone。〃
〃I don't believe that you are going to do anything of
the sort；〃 I answered。 He smiled； and； with the word
〃Remember〃 on his lips； was gone。 As for myself； I sat
down and rubbed my eyes； wondering if I had been
asleep。 As this supposition would not bear
investigation； I gave it up； and began to think that
Vincey must have been drinking。 I knew that he was；
and had been； very ill； but still it seemed impossible
that he could be in such a condition as to be able to
know for certain that he would not outlive the night。
Had he been so near dissolution surely he would
scarcely have been able to walk； and carry a heavy
iron box with him。 The whole story； on reflection；
seemed to me utterly incredible； for I was not then
old enough to be aware how many things happen in this
world that the commonsense of the average man would
set down as so improbable as to be absolutely
impossible。 This is a fact that I have only recently
mastered。 Was it likely that a man would have a son
five years of age whom he had never seen since he was
a tiny infant？ No。 Was it likely that he could
foretell his own death so accurately？ No。 Was it
likely that he could trace his pedigree for more than
three centuries before Christ or that he would
suddenly confide the absolute guardianship of his
child； and leave half his fortune； to a college
friend？ Most certainly not。 Clearly Vincey was either
drunk or mad。 That being so； what did it mean？ and
what was in the sealed iron chest？
The whole thing baffled and puzzled me to such an
extent that at last I could stand it no longer； and
determined to sleep over it； So I jumped up； and
having put the keys and the letter that Vincey had
left away into my despatch…box； and stowed the iron
chest in a large portmanteau； I turned in； and was
soon fast asleep。
As it seemed to me； I had only been asleep for a few
minutes when I was awakened by somebody calling me。 I
sat up and rubbed my eyes； it was broad daylight
eight o'clock； in fact。
〃Why； what is the matter with you； John？〃 I asked of
the gyp who waited on Vincey and myself。 〃You look as
though you had seen a ghost！〃'
〃Yes； sir； and so I have；〃 he answered； 〃leastways
I've seen a corpse； which is worse。 I've been in to
call Mr。 Vincey； as usual； and there he lies stark and
dead！〃
CHAPTER II
THE YEARS ROLL BY
OF course； poor Vincey's sudden death created a great
stir in the college； but； as he was known to be very
ill； and a satisfactory doctor's certificate was
forthcoming； there was no inquest。 They were not so
particular about inquests in those days as they are
now； indeed； they were generally disliked； as causing
a scandal。 Under all these circumstances； as I was
asked no questions； I did not feel called upon to
volunteer any information about our interview of the
night of Vincey's decease； beyond saying that he had
come into my rooms to see me； as he often did。 On the
day of the funeral a lawyer came down from London and
followed my poor friend's remains to the grave； and
then went back with his papers and effects； except； of
course； the iron chest which had been left in my
keeping。 For a week after this I heard no more of the
matter； and； indeed； my attention was amply occupied
in other ways； for I was up for my Fellowship； a fact
that had prevented me from attending the funeral or
seeing the lawyer。 At last； however； the examination
was over； and I came back to my rooms and sank into an
easy…chair with a happy consciousness that I had got
through it very fairly。
Soon； however； my thoughts； relieved of the pressure
that had crushed them into a single groove during the
last few days； turned to the events of the night of
poor Vincey's death； and again I asked myself what it
all meant； and wondered if I should hear anything more
of the matter； and if I did not； what it would be my
duty to do with the curious iron chest。 I sat there
and thought and thought till I began to grow quite
disturbed over the whole occurrence： the mysterious
midnight visit； the prophecy of death so shortly to be
fulfilled； the solemn oath that I had taken； and which
Vincey had called on me to answer to in another world
than this。 Had the man committed suicide？ It looked
like it。 And what was the quest of which he spoke？ The
circumstances were almost uncanny； so much so that；
though I am by no means nervous； or apt to be alarmed
at anything that may seem to cross the bounds of the
natural； I grew afraid； and began to wish I had had
nothing to do with it。 How much more do I wish it now；
over twenty years afterwards！
As I sat and thought； there was a knock at the door；
and a letter； in a big blue envelope； was brought in
to me。 I saw at a glance that it was a lawyer's
letter； and an instinct told me that it was connected
with my trust。 The letter； which； I still have； runs
thus：
〃Sir；Our client； the late M。 L。 Vincey； Esq。； who
died on the 9th instant in … College； Cambridge； has
left behind him a will； of which you will please find
copy enclosed； and of which we are the executors。 By
this will you will perceive that you take a life…
interest in about half of the late Mr。 Vincey's
property； now invested in consols； subject to your
acceptance of the guardianship of his only son； Leo
Vincey； at present an infant； aged five。 Had we not
ourselves drawn up the document in question in
obedience to Mr。 Vincey's clear and precise
instructions； both personal and written； and had he
not then assured us that he had very good reasons for
what he was doing； we are bound to tell you that its
provisions seem to us of so unusual a nature that we
should have felt bound to call the attention of the
Court of Chancery to them； in order that such steps
might be taken as seemed desirable to it； either by
contesting the capacity of the testator or otherwise；
to safeguard the interests of the infant。 As it is；
knowing that the testator was a gentleman of the
highest intelligence and acumen； and that he has
absolutely no relations living to whom he could have
confided the guardianship of the child； we do not feel
justified in taking this course。
〃Awaiting such instructions as you please to send us
as regards the delivery of the infant and the payment
of the proportion of the dividends due to you；
〃We remain； sir； faithfully yours；
〃GEOFFREY & JORDAN。〃
I put down the letter； and ran my eye through the
will； which appeared； from its utter
unintelligibility； to have been drawn on the strictest
legal pr