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And you had some education from the Abbe de Culemberg； a man of a
good house？ Yes； you will do very well。 You have a good manner
and a handsome person； which hurts nothing。 We are all handsome in
the family； even I myself； I have had my successes； the memories of
which still charm me。 It is my intention； my nephew； to make of
you my heir。 I am not very well content with my other nephew；
Monsieur le Vicomte： he has not been respectful； which is the
flattery due to age。 And there are other matters。'
I was half tempted to throw back in his face that inheritance so
coldly offered。 At the same time I had to consider that he was an
old man； and； after all； my relation； and that I was a poor one； in
considerable straits； with a hope at heart which that inheritance
might yet enable me to realise。 Nor could I forget that； however
icy his manners； he had behaved to me from the first with the
extreme of liberality and … I was about to write； kindness； but the
word； in that connection； would not come。 I really owed the man
some measure of gratitude； which it would be an ill manner to repay
if I were to insult him on his deathbed。
'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。
'Now； Rowley； don't be in a hurry；' said I。 'This is a momentous
juncture。 Man and boy； you have been in my service about three
hours。 You must already have observed that I am a gentleman of a
somewhat morose disposition； and there is nothing that I more
dislike than the smallest appearance of familiarity。 Mr。 Pole or
Mr。 Powl； probably in the spirit of prophecy； warned you against
this danger。'
'Yes； Mr。 Anne；' said Rowley blankly。
'Now there has just arisen one of those rare cases； in which I am
willing to depart from my principles。 My uncle has given me a box
… what you would call a Christmas box。 I don't know what's in it；
and no more do you： perhaps I am an April fool； or perhaps I am
already enormously wealthy； there might be five hundred pounds in
this apparently harmless receptacle！'
'Lord； Mr。 Anne！' cried Rowley。
'Now； Rowley； hold up your right hand and repeat the words of the
oath after me；' said I； laying the despatch…box on the table。
'Strike me blue if I ever disclose to Mr。 Powl； or Mr。 Powl's
Viscount； or anything that is Mr。 Powl's； not to mention Mr。 Dawson
and the doctor； the treasures of the following despatch…box； and
strike me sky…blue scarlet if I do not continually maintain；
uphold； love； honour and obey； serve； and follow to the four
corners of the earth and the waters that are under the earth； the
hereinafter before…mentioned （only that I find I have neglected to
mention him） Viscount Anne de Keroual de St。…Yves； commonly known
as Mr。 Rowley's Viscount。 So be it。 Amen。'
He took the oath with the same exaggerated seriousness as I gave it
to him。
'Now；' said I。 'Here is the key for you； I will hold the lid with
both hands in the meanwhile。' He turned the key。 'Bring up all
the candles in the room； and range them along…side。 What is it to
be？ A live gorgon； a Jack…in…the…box； or a spring that fires a
pistol？ On your knees； sir； before the prodigy！'
So saying； I turned the despatch…box upside down upon the table。
At sight of the heap of bank paper and gold that lay in front of
us； between the candles； or rolled upon the floor alongside； I
stood astonished。
'O Lord！' cried Mr。 Rowley； 'oh Lordy； Lordy； Lord！' and he
scrambled after the fallen guineas。 'O my； Mr。 Anne！ what a sight
o' money！ Why； it's like a blessed story…book。 It's like the
Forty Thieves。'
'Now Rowley； let's be cool； let's be businesslike；' said I。
'Riches are deceitful； particularly when you haven't counted them；
and the first thing we have to do is to arrive at the amount of my
… let me say； modest competency。 If I'm not mistaken； I have
enough here to keep you in gold buttons all the rest of your life。
You collect the gold； and I'll take the paper。'
Accordingly； down we sat together on the hearthrug； and for some
time there was no sound but the creasing of bills and the jingling
of guineas； broken occasionally by the exulting exclamations of
Rowley。 The arithmetical operation on which we were embarked took
long； and it might have been tedious to others； not to me nor to my
helper。
'Ten thousand pounds！' I announced at last。
'Ten thousand！' echoed Mr。 Rowley。
And we gazed upon each other。
The greatness of this fortune took my breath away。 With that sum
in my hands； I need fear no enemies。 People are arrested； in nine
cases out of ten； not because the police are astute； but because
they themselves run short of money； and I had here before me in the
despatch…box a succession of devices and disguises that insured my
liberty。 Not only so； but； as I felt with a sudden and
overpowering thrill； with ten thousand pounds in my hands I was
become an eligible suitor。 What advances I had made in the past；
as a private soldier in a military prison； or a fugitive by the
wayside； could only be qualified or； indeed； excused as acts of
desperation。 And now； I might come in by the front door； I might
approach the dragon with a lawyer at my elbow； and rich settlements
to offer。 The poor French prisoner； Champdivers； might be in a
perpetual danger of arrest； but the rich travelling Englishman；
St。…Ives； in his post…chaise； with his despatch…box by his side；
could smile at fate and laugh at locksmiths。 I repeated the
proverb； exulting； LOVE LAUGHS AT LOCKSMITHS！ In a moment； by the
mere coming of this money； my love had become possible … it ha