“It is certain,” answered he; “all but the thousand-pound legacy, and the life-annuity.”
“It will be a surprise for Mr Nigel.”
“Ah! and Mr Woolet too. They did all they could to keep me from advertising for the lost legatee. Of course, they supposed I did so in order to pay him the paltry thousand pounds. Mr Nigel may now have that, and see how far it will cover Woolet’s costs. My word! it will be an explosion! And now for the first steps towards bringing it about.”
“How do you intend to proceed?”
The lawyer looked at me, as if hesitating to answer the question.
“Excuse me,” I said; “I asked rather out of curiosity than otherwise.”
“There you are wrong, good sir. Pardon me for being plain with you. You have the legal authority to act for him.”
“That,” I said, “was only under the supposition that he was to receive a legacy of a thousand pounds. With an estate, as you say, worth a hundred thousand pounds, the affair takes a different shape, and clearly goes beyond my discretionary powers. Though I cannot act as a principal in the matter, I am willing to help you every way I can. I feel sufficiently indebted to your client to do so.”
“And that is just what I intended asking you. Hence my hesitation in replying to your question. I am glad to know that we can count on your assistance. No doubt, we shall need it. Men don’t yield up possession of a hundred thousand without showing fight. We may expect all that, and some questionable strategy besides, from such a fellow as Woolet—a thorough scoundrel—without one jot of principle!”
“But how can they dispute this will?” I asked. “It seems clear enough, and of course you know it to have been the latest and last.”