'Now—what?'
'That I will tell you, my dear boy, in two or three days. There's many a slip, we know, but this time the cup will reach your lips.'
'What do you mean?' cried the young man, startled. 'Cup? Do you mean to tell me that you have something—something unexpected—coming to me? Something considerable?'
'If it comes—oh! yes, it is quite certain to come—very considerable. You are your mother's only son, and she was an only child, and her grandfather was one Robert Fletcher, wasn't he?'
'I believe he was. There's a family Bible on the shelves that can tell us.'
'Did you ever hear anything about the early life and adventures of this Robert Fletcher?'
'No: he was in the City, I believe, and he left a good large fortune. That is all.'
'That is all. That is all. Well, my dear boy, the strangest things happen: we must never be surprised at anything. But be prepared to-morrow—or next day—or the day after—to be agreeably—most agreeably—surprised.'
'To the tune of—what? A thousand pounds, say?'
'Perhaps. It may amount very nearly to as much—very nearly—Ha! ha!—to nearly as much as that, I dare say—Ho! ho!' He chuckled, and wagged his white head. 'Very nearly a thousand pounds, I dare say.' He walked over to look at the picture.