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About 1790 my grandfather made a considerable fortune
out of brewing； and retired。 In 1821 he died； and my
father succeeded him； and dissipated most of the
money。 Ten years ago he died also； leaving me a net
income of about two thousand a year。 Then it was that
I undertook an expedition in connection with that；〃
and he pointed to the iron chest； 〃which ended
disastrously enough。 On my way back I traveled in the
South of Europe； and finally reached Athens。 There I
met my beloved wife； who might well also have been
called the 'Beautiful'； like my old Greek ancestor。
There I married her； and there； a year afterwards；
when my boy was born； she died。〃
He paused awhile； his head sank upon his hand； and
then continued；
〃My marriage had diverted me from a project which I
cannot enter into now。 I have no time； HollyI have
no time！ One day； if you accept my trust； you will
learn all about it。 After my wife's death I turned my
mind to it again。 But first it was necessary； or； at
least； I conceived that it was necessary； that I
should attain to a perfect knowledge of Eastern
dialects； especially Arabic。 It was to facilitate my
studies that I came here。 Very soon； however； my
disease developed itself； and now there is an end of
me。〃 And； as though to emphasize his words； he burst
into another terrible fit of coughing。
I gave him some more whiskey； and after resting he
went on；
〃I have never seen my boy； Leo； since he was a tiny
baby。 I never could bear to see him； but they tell me
that he is a quick and handsome child。 In this
envelope；〃 and he produced a letter from his pocket
addressed to myself； 〃I have jotted down the course I
wish followed in the boy's education。 It is a somewhat
peculiar one。 At any rate； I could not intrust it to a
stranger。 Once more； will you undertake it？〃
〃I must first know what I am to undertake；〃 I
answered。
〃You are to undertake to have the boy； Leo； to live
with you till he is twenty…five years of agenot to
send him to school； remember。 On his twenty…fifth
birthday your guardianship will end； and you will
then； with the keys that I give you now〃 （and he
placed them on the table）； 〃open the iron box； and let
him see and read the contents； and say whether or not
he is willing to undertake the quest。 There is no
obligation on him to do so。 Now； as regards terms。 My
present income is two thousand two hundred a year。
Half of that income I have secured to you by will for
life contingently on your undertaking the
guardianshipthat is； one thousand a year
remuneration to yourself； for you will have to give up
your life to it； and one hundred a year to pay for the
board of the boy。 The rest is to accumulate till Leo
is twenty…five； so that there may be a sum in hand
should he wish to undertake the quest of which I
spoke。〃
〃And suppose I were to die？〃 I asked。
〃Then the boy must become a ward of Chancery and take
his chance。 Only be careful that the iron chest is
passed on to him by your will。 Listen； Holly； don't
refuse me。 Believe me； this is to your advantage。 You
are not fit to mix with the worldit would only
embitter you。 In a few weeks you will become a Fellow
of your College； and the income that you will derive
from that combined with what I have left you will
enable you to live a life of learned leisure；
alternated with the sport of which you are so fond；
such as will exactly suit you。〃
He paused and looked at me anxiously； but I still
hesitated。 The charge seemed so very strange。
〃For my sake； Holly。 We have been good friends； and I
have no time to make other arrangements。〃
〃Very well；〃 I said； 〃I will do it； provided there is
nothing in this paper to make me change my mind；〃 and
I touched the envelope he had put upon the table by
the keys。
〃Thank you； Holly； thank you。 There is nothing at all。
Swear to me by God that you will be a father to the
boy； and follow my directions to the letter。〃
〃I swear it；〃 I answered； solemnly。
〃Very well； remember that perhaps one day I shall ask
for the account of your oath； for though I am dead and
forgotten； yet shall I live。 There is no such thing as
death； Holly； only a change； and； as you may perhaps
learn in time to come； I believe that even here that
change could under certain circumstances be
indefinitely postponed；〃 and again he broke into one
of his dreadful fits of coughing。
〃There；〃 he said； 〃I must go； you have the chest； and
my will will be found among my papers； under the
authority of which the child will be handed over to
you。 You will be well paid； Holly； and I know that you
are honest； but if you betray my trust； by Heaven； I
will haunt you！〃
I said nothing； being； indeed； too bewildered to
speak。
He held up the candle； and looked at his own face in
the glass； It had been a beautiful face； but disease
had wrecked it。 〃Food for the worms；〃 he said。
〃Curious to think that in a few hours I shall be stiff
and coldthe journey done； the little game played
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