Mr. Penacre could transact business of great importance in a fog, by candle-light, and only smiled kindly on the grumblers at whose expense he sat the chief part of his life perched on a stool at his desk.
He read attentively the copy from the pocket-book and the portion of Guy's letter in reference thereto, which the Squire laid before him, rubbed his brow, inked a pen, and wastefully dried it on the tail of his coat, laid it down again, rubbed his hands, and finally faced his visitor with a look of innocent inquiry and a chilling—
"Well, sir?"
"Well, sir," repeated the Squire, impatiently, "what do you make of it?"
"A rather singular circumstance as it has come round, certainly," said Mr. Penacre, calmly; "but you are of course aware that this memorandum has no legal weight. The poor old man must have been labouring under some delusion, and unable to remember facts. His son Mr. Geoffrey assured me that the document in question was destroyed after some satisfactory transaction between the parties concerned."
"Then he knew that such a document did once exist?" remarked the Squire.
"Certainly, certainly, but was quashed by subsequent arrangements, and mutual consent."
"I believe he stated falsely then," said the Squire, warmly, "and the matter must be looked into."
"Well, my dear sir, pray look into it, and what is to be seen? A young gentleman's letter, the writer being chiefly interested; the leaf of an old memorandum-book, which may, or may not, bear the writing of the late Mr. Falconer, and the confused story of an old black nurse, who may, or may not, be honest and sane, and may or may not have interested purposes to serve. No honourable member of the legal profession would undertake such a case. No, my dear sir, first produce this deed, then the witness of the nurse and the pocket-boo will be valuable; for questions would arise on the subject of his mental ability to understand, and his physical power to indite this sentence."
"Did anyone question the elder Mr. Falconer's mental ability and physical power to sign away his estate at the instigation of his childless son?" asked Mr. Hazelwood, sharply.