The poor girl had great expectations, and would have come into a very
fine fortune if she had lived a year or two longer."
"Ha! dear me, how very unfortunate! Poor young lady!"
"Jedd and Doddleson--you know them by repute, of course--have been
attending her for the last six weeks. There will be no end of expense for
me; and it has been all of no use."
"Consumption, I suppose?"
"Well, no; not pulmonary disease. A kind of atrophy. I scarcely know what
to call it. Now, look here, Kaye. This illness has thrown all my affairs
into a muddle. Taken in conjunction with the depressed state of the
money-market, it has been altogether an upset for me. I have been staying
at home looking after this poor girl and my wife--who of course is
dreadfully cut up, and that sort of thing--when I ought to have been in
the City. Luckily for me, and for my wife, in whose interests I acted, I
took the precaution to get her daughter's life insured eight or nine
months ago; in point of fact, immediately after finding she was
heir-at-law to a considerable fortune. The policy is for five thousand
pounds. I want you to give me four thousand immediately upon the strength
of the document and of my stepdaughter's will."
"Give you four thousand!" exclaimed Mr. Kaye, with a little unctuous
laugh. "Do you suppose I keep such a balance as that at my banker's?"
"I suppose that you can give me the money if you like.
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