He had maintained his vindictive purpose against
his eldest son, and had applied to a stranger for the professional
assistance which I honestly believe he was ashamed to ask for at my
hands.
"It is needless to trouble you with the provisions of the will in
detail. There were the widow and three surviving children to be provided
for. The widow received a life-interest only in a portion of the
testator's property. The remaining portion was divided between Andrew
and Selina--two-thirds to the brother; one-third to the sister. On the
mother's death, the money from which her income had been derived was
to go to Andrew and Selina, in the same relative proportions as
before--five thousand pounds having been first deducted from the sum and
paid to Michael, as the sole legacy left by the implacable father to his
eldest son.
"Speaking in round numbers, the division of property, as settled by the
will, stood thus. Before the mother's death, Andrew had seventy thousand
pounds; Selina had thirty-five thousand pounds; Michael--had nothing.
After the mother's death, Michael had five thousand pounds, to set
against Andrew's inheritance augmented to one hundred thousand, and
Selina's inheritance increased to fifty thousand.
Pages:
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212