Then, I was sent for at last, to
take my client's instructions on the subject of his will. They proved
to be the simplest instructions I had ever received in the whole of my
professional career.
Sir John was dozing, when I entered the room. He roused himself at the
sight of me.
"How do you do, Mr. Bruff?" he said. "I sha'n't be very long about this.
And then I'll go to sleep again." He looked on with great interest while
I collected pens, ink, and paper. "Are you ready?" he asked. I bowed and
took a dip of ink, and waited for my instructions.
"I leave everything to my wife," said Sir John. "That's all." He turned
round on his pillow, and composed himself to sleep again.
I was obliged to disturb him.
"Am I to understand," I asked, "that you leave the whole of the
property, of every sort and description, of which you die possessed,
absolutely to Lady Verinder?"
"Yes," said Sir John. "Only, I put it shorter. Why can't you put it
shorter, and let me go to sleep again? Everything to my wife. That's my
Will."
His property was entirely at his own disposal, and was of two kinds.
Property in land (I purposely abstain from using technical language),
and property in money.
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