That this income
was regularly paid by the active Trustee, Mr. Godfrey Ablewhite. That
the twenty thousand pounds (from which the income was supposed to
be derived) had every farthing of it been sold out of the Funds, at
different periods, ending with the end of the year eighteen hundred and
forty-seven. That the power of attorney, authorising the bankers to sell
out the stock, and the various written orders telling them what amounts
to sell out, were formally signed by both the Trustees. That the
signature of the second Trustee (a retired army officer, living in
the country) was a signature forged, in every case, by the active
Trustee--otherwise Mr. Godfrey Ablewhite.
In these facts lies the explanation of Mr. Godfrey's honourable conduct,
in paying the debts incurred for the lady and the villa--and (as you
will presently see) of more besides.
We may now advance to the date of Miss Verinder's birthday (in the year
eighteen hundred and forty-eight)--the twenty-first of June.
On the day before, Mr. Godfrey Ablewhite arrived at his father's house,
and asked (as I know from Mr. Ablewhite, senior, himself) for a loan of
three hundred pounds.
Pages:
843
844
845
846
847
848
849
850
851
852
853
854
855
856
857
858
859
860
861
862
863
864
865
866
867