“No, Mr. Denver,” replied Markham, “his lordship has not expressed any such intention; but there appears to have been some misapprehension in the mind of our late friend as to the actual amount of his property, and what we wish to ascertain from you is, whether Mr. Martindale in bequeathing twenty thousand pounds to Mr. Price, did not imagine that he was giving him more than would have come to him as a residuary-legatee.”
“Certainly,” said Mr. Denver, “that was what Mr. Martindale said in my hearing. He also said, that another reason for altering his will was that he might put your name into it; and I am very glad to hear that your legacy is so much more than you expected. I have heard that Mr. Price feels himself very much disappointed.”
With a slight frown and a look of thoughtfulness, Markham replied, “I am not so well pleased as you may imagine with the unexpected greatness of this legacy, it puts me into a very awkward position. I can by no means think of taking more than Mr. Martindale intended to give me, and it is very unpleasant to appear in the light of conferring an obligation on Lord Trimmerstone.”
Mr. Denver expanded his countenance into a broad look of astonishment, and said, “Bless me, Mr. Markham, why how very scrupulous you are! I cannot see how any body can blame you for taking the legacy. It was not your doing that Mr. Martindale was ignorant of the full value of his property. Though between ourselves, and I hope you will not let it go any farther, I dare say that Mr. Price used no little pains to keep Mr. Martindale in the dark with a view of coming into a handsome fortune as residuary-legatee.”
“And would you have me, Mr. Denver, to take an advantage of another’s wrong?”
“I cannot see,” replied the clergyman, “why you should not: you are not injuring any one. Lord Trimmerstone has quite as much as he expected, and I dare say that he will not desire to deprive you of any part of what falls to your lot.”
Not even the authority of the divine could convince Markham that he should be acting rightly in availing himself of the bequest to its full extent; and there was also in his mind another objection—he was ambitious, as we have before observed, of high reputation; and it would have interfered greatly with his comfort and happiness, had he thought that any persons who at all knew him, had the slightest suspicion that there was any thing in his character that savored of meanness or littleness; nor would he have been pleased to have owed his good fortune merely to accident. These feelings may be fastidious, but they have their use; and though they may not exist very widely, or influence the minds of many individuals, yet they have a power in society, and are useful in keeping up the standard of morals and integrity. If it were not for an occasional example of individuals rising above the ordinary level, the influence of the multitude beneath it would gradually but surely sink the standard, and lead to serious deterioration.
According to appointment, Lord Trimmerstone, a few days after, came to Brigland, for the purpose of discussing with Markham the perplexities of the will. The meeting took place at the house and in the presence of Mr. Denver. When his lordship entered the room he held out his hand with great cordiality to Markham, and did not at all seem to feel his dignity abated by familiarity of address to one of whose understanding and moral worth he had the very highest opinion. So much good had fanaticism done to his lordship, as to render him less haughty in his outward demeanour, and to prompt to at least the semblance of courtesy.
“Mr. Markham,” said the Earl, “I have received a letter from you which has very much surprised me. Do I understand it aright?”