“You see, she never called me George,” said Mr. Jephson, in a low voice, “tell her it is all right.”
Before I could reply, the old woman said:
“Let me look at you again,” and she laid her hand in mine. “Bend down and let me look into your eyes. Ay, they are like Rafy’s blue eyes. Will you let me kiss you for his sake?” and she put up her little wasted hands against my cheeks and kissed me. “I knew you wouldn’t wrong Rafy, would you?”
“No, no,” said I, much touched and somewhat confused, and then turning to Mr. Jephson, I said, “There must be something wrong.”
“Perhaps you had better come downstairs with me and I’ll explain,” said Mr. Jephson in, I thought, a slightly agitated tone.
We went to the dining-room, and Mr. Jephson having carefully closed the door, stood with one elbow resting on the fireplace, and addressed me.
“Over thirty years ago a cousin of mine, another nephew of Miss Glasson’s, whose name was Ralph, and of whom she was passionately fond, eloped with a girl beneath his position, and his father proving unforgiving the young couple went to the United States. A short time after arriving there the news of his death by drowning came home. It nearly broke my aunt’s heart, for she had favoured the marriage out of her love for Ralph, and now seemed to think she was in some way responsible for his death. For a time she was bereft of her senses and was under surveillance; when she recovered she seemed to give her whole affection to me, and insisted on my dropping the name of George and calling myself Ralph, which I am entitled to do, as it is my second name. At times she used to speak of him to me and only to me, and she used to talk of the difference between his eyes and mine; of late she very often speaks of him, and, as is often the way of old people, forgets he is dead, but I am the only Ralph in the family now, and it is to me that she intends to leave what she has.”
“I should like to talk to the lady by myself if you see no objection,” I said.
“I fear it would only excite her,” he replied, with a faint suggestion of annoyance. “I have told you everything she can tell. She is ready to sign the will if you will witness it.”
“But if, as you say, she believes the other Ralph is still alive it appears to me it is to him she desires to leave the property.”