I worked on now in silence; Fletcher, leaning his chin on his hands, sat opposite, staring into my face with breathless anxiety. Presently I exclaimed:
“Halves, Mat! I think you said halves!”
“I—I—I—I—my very dear fellow, I——”
“A very excellent man was your uncle; a most exemplary——”
“All right, I know that,” said Fletcher, cutting me short. “Do read the paper; I have a spade and pick on my library table, all ready for work the moment I know where to begin.”
“But, really, he was a man in a thousand, a man of such discretion, such foresight, so much——”
Down came Fletcher’s hand on the desk.
“Do go on!” he cried; and I could see that he was swearing internally; he would have sworn ore rotundo, only that it would have been uncivil, and decidedly improper.
“Very well; you are prepared to hear all?”
“All! by Jove! by Jingo! prepared for everything.”