Милый друг
The Will
’"
"‘Havingnodirectheirs,Ibequeathallmyfortune,comprisingstocksandbondsforsixhundredthousandfrancsandlandedpropertyforfivehundredthousand,toMme.ClaireMadeleineduRoyunconditionally.Ibeghertoacceptthatgiftfromadeadfriendasaproofofdevoted,profound,andrespectfulaffection.’"
Thenotarysaid:"Thatisall.ThatdocumentbearsthedateofAugustlast,andtooktheplaceofoneofthesamenaturemadetwoyearsagointhenameofMme.ClaireMadeleineForestier.Ihavethefirstwill,whichwouldprove,incaseofcontestationonthepartofthefamily,thatCountdeVaudrechadnotchangedhismind."
Madeleinecastdownhereyes;hercheekswerepale.Georgesnervouslytwistedhismustache.
Thenotarycontinuedafteramoment’spause:"ItisofcourseunderstoodthatMadamecannotacceptthatlegacywithoutyourconsent."
DuRoyroseandsaidshortly:"Iasktimeforreflection."
Thenotarysmiled,bowed,andrepliedpleasantly:"Icomprehendthescrupleswhichcauseyoutohesitate.ImayaddthatM.deVaudrec’snephew,whowasinformedthismorningofhisuncle’slastwishes,expresseshimselfasreadytorespectthemifhebegivenonehundredthousandfrancs.Inmyopinionthewillcannotbebroken,butalawsuitwouldcauseasensationwhichyouwouldprobablyliketoavoid.Theworldoftenjudgesuncharitably.
