You will be investing your money well, for the Hungarian gentleman is the slave of his property, and can leave it to nobody but his lawful heir." "And are you quite certain that you will be the one lawful heir ?" "None but me will bear the name of Karpathy after John Karpathy's death." "I know that; but John Karpathy may marry." Abellino burst out laughing.

"You imagine my uncle to be a very amiable sort of cavalier." "Not at all.

I know very well that he stands at the very brink of death, and that his vital machinery is so completely out of order that if he does not change his diet immediately, and give up his gluttonous habits, of which there is but little hope, I regret to say, he will scarcely live another year.

Pardon me for anticipating so bluntly the decease of a dear relative!" "Go on, by all means." "We who have to do with life assurance transactions are in the habit of appraising the lives of people, and I am regarding your uncle's life just as if it had been insured in one of these institutions." "Your scruples are superfluous.

I have no tender concern whatever for my uncle." The banker smiled.