“Everything.”
“You—even you!” For the moment, he cowered in such emotion as was pitiful to see; but it passed and he grew desperate.
“I say, I will contest this will. It shall be proved invalid. My lawyer Grimes”—
“Mr. Grimes has been here, and is now gone to America,” Anne whispered. “I urged and assisted him to go, that he should not throw disgrace on the family.”
Again Frederick cowered down, then rose, goaded to the last degree. “Nevertheless, this will shall not stand. I will throw it into Chancery. I will leave for London this very day.”
“Stay,” said Nathanael, starting from deep thought, and intercepting him as he was quitting the room. “One word, Frederick.”
“Not one! You are all against me, but I will brave you all. I will have my rights—ay, even if I plead my father's insanity.”
“Oh, horrible!” cried his sisters.
“Frederick, you know that to be impossible,” said Nathanael, sternly.
“Then I will plead what may prove a deeper disgrace to the family than madness, or even—what I am supposed to have done,” catching his brother's arm, and hissing out the words in his face—“I will plead that the will is a forgery.”