So the thing was done
as she wished it.
No provision was made for either my death or Ernest's -Miss Pontifex
had settled it that we were neither of us going to die, and was too
ill to go into details; she was so anxious, moreover, to sign her will
while still able to do so that we had practically no alternative but
to do as she told us. If she recovered we could see things put on a
more satisfactory footing, and further discussion would evidently
impair her chances of recovery; it seemed then only too likely that it
was a case of this will or no will at all.
When the will was signed I wrote a letter in duplicate, saying
that I held all Miss Pontifex had left me in trust for Ernest except
as regards L5000, but that he was not to come into the bequest, and
was to know nothing whatever about it directly or indirectly, till
he was twenty-eight years old, and if he was bankrupt before he came
into it the money was to be mine absolutely. At the foot of each
letter Miss Pontifex wrote, "The above was my understanding when I
made my will," and then signed her name. The solicitor and his clerk
witnessed; I kept one copy myself and handed the other to Miss
Pontifex's solicitor.
Pages:
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264