Practically it was my last, but that lawyer's face and manner seemed to justify the expenditure which--so oddly are our minds constituted--I remember reflecting I might regret if I had drawn a false inference.

The man touched his hat profusely, and, I hope, made up his mind to vote for me next time.

Then I turned to the Head of the Firm and said:-- "Pray, don't apologise; but, by the way, beyond that of the death of my poor friend, _what_ is the news ?" "Oh, perhaps you know it," he answered, taken aback at my manner, "though she always insisted upon its being kept a dead secret, so that one day you might have a pleasant surprise." "I know nothing," I answered.
"Then I am glad to be the bearer of such good intelligence to a fortunate and distinguished man," he said with a bow.

"I have the honour to inform you in my capacity of executor to the will of the late Mrs.
Martha Strong that, with the exception of a few legacies, you are left her sole heir." Now I wished that the hat-rack was still at hand, but, as it was not, I pretended to stumble, and leant for a moment against the porter who had received my last shilling.
"Indeed," I said recovering myself, "and can you tell me the amount of the property ?" "Not exactly," he answered, "but she has led a very saving life, and money grows, you know, money grows.

I should say it must be between three and four hundred thousand, nearer the latter than the former, perhaps." "Really," I replied, "that is more than I expected; it is a little astonishing to be lifted in a moment from the position of one with a mere competence into that of a rich man.