Clare roused himself and interfered for the first
time.
"You have relieved your conscience," he said, addressing the lawyer.
"Give her the right she claims. It _is_ her right--if she will have it."
Mr. Pendril quietly took the written instructions from his pocket.
"I have warned you," he said--and handed the papers across the table
without another word. One of the pages of writing--was folded down at
the corner; and at that folded page the manuscript opened, when Magdalen
first turned the leaves. "Is this the place which refers to my sister
and myself?" she inquired. Mr. Pendril bowed; and Magdalen smoothed out
the manuscript before her on the table.
"Will you decide, Norah?" she asked, turning to her sister. "Shall I
read this aloud, or shall I read it to myself?"
"To yourself," said Miss Garth; answering for Norah, who looked at her
in mute perplexity and distress.
"It shall be as you wish," said Magdalen. With that reply, she turned
again to the manuscript and read these lines:
".... You are now in possession of my wishes in relation to the
property in money, and to the sale of the furniture, carriages, horses,
and so forth. The last point left on which it is necessary for me to
instruct you refers to the persons inhabiting the house, and to certain
preposterous claims on their behalf set up by a solicitor named Pendril;
who has, no doubt, interested reasons of his own for making application
to me.
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