"What then?" asked Giles. "You'd be for taking the lot of them on your shoulders, I suppose. Well, as things are, you can't do so. Of course they must all go to the workhouse, though to-night it would have been cruel to hint at such a thing."
Michael said nothing, but he had some hope that this might be avoided.
That very day—I have said it was a Saturday—a long conversation had taken place at old Peter's between himself and his favourite Ysenda.
She had looked in as she often did, and was startled and distressed to find him far from well.
"Yes," he said, in answer to her kindly enquiries, "yes, my dear young friend, I am failing fast. You must not grieve about it—the thought of dying is very familiar to me and far from unwelcome. But there is something I wish to consult you about. You know my secret. You know the only legacy I can leave behind me. It is as to this that I want to know your opinion, for you have a good sound judgment as well as a kind heart. To me myself the greatest pleasure would be to bequeath my magic gift to you, my dear Ysenda."
But the girl, as he had in his heart expected, shook her head.
"No, dear Peter," she replied. "There are those nearer to you than I, and more in need of help. Besides—I know the secret; the fulfilling its conditions would therefore be no test of my deserving its benefits. Nor do I stand in want of them. No—dear friend—if, as you kindly say, you consider my advice worth attending to, I would propose this. Bequeath the enchanted table to whichever of your three nephews discovers the inner spell which governs it. In this there will be nothing unfair. You can teach them the magic words, and then inform them that the further secret must be sought and found by themselves—or by himself. Hodge is the eldest—let him have the first trial, then Giles, and lastly Michael."
"And if—supposing Hodge succeeds?" said Peter with a rather curious enquiry in his tone.
Ysenda's face flushed a little.
"Well then, it would be all right. He would continue to use his power as it should be used."