"Have you come to stay here, Miss Clack?" he asked, with a look at my
carpet-bag.
To reveal the contents of my precious bag to such a person as this would
have been simply to invite an outburst of profanity. I lowered myself to
his own level, and mentioned my business in the house.
"My aunt has informed me that she is about to sign her Will,"
I answered. "She has been so good as to ask me to be one of the
witnesses."
"Aye? aye? Well, Miss Clack, you will do. You are over twenty-one, and
you have not the slightest pecuniary interest in Lady Verinder's Will."
Not the slightest pecuniary interest in Lady Verinder's Will. Oh, how
thankful I felt when I heard that! If my aunt, possessed of thousands,
had remembered poor Me, to whom five pounds is an object--if my name had
appeared in the Will, with a little comforting legacy attached to it--my
enemies might have doubted the motive which had loaded me with the
choicest treasures of my library, and had drawn upon my failing
resources for the prodigal expenses of a cab. Not the cruellest scoffer
of them all could doubt now. Much better as it was! Oh, surely, surely,
much better as it was!
I was aroused from these consoling reflections by the voice of Mr.
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