I would place him in the hands of those who would inspire him with all noble ideas; who would guide him along the paths of honour and virtue; who would cherish and defend him better than I could do were I able to stretch forth my hand from the tomb in his defence.

I would place him in the hands of a man who will be a better father to him than I could ever be, and who, if he cannot love him better than I love him, will, at least, love him more wisely.

The man whom I appoint the legal guardian of my son is Count Rudolf Szentirmay." The good old man warmly pressed the hands of the youth sitting on his right, who thereupon arose from his chair and embraced the Nabob with tears of emotion.

On resuming his seat, he whispered, in a husky voice, of which he was scarce the master, that he accepted the trust.
"'She' also wished it," said the Nabob.

"In her last hour, as she placed my child in the arms of your wife, she said these words: 'Be a mother to my child!' I have not forgotten it; and now I say to you, 'Be a father to my child!' Happy child! What a good father, what a good mother, you will inherit! "And now," continued the Nabob, "a word or two concerning him who was the cause of the bitterest moments of my life.