trustees of several notorious charities, three
attorneys, four or five well-known dealers of the stock exchange,
foremost among whom was Sir Joseph Job, and three of the professionally
benevolent, or of those whose sole occupation appears to be that of
quickening the latent charities of their neighbors.

The day after my ancestor was finally removed from our sight, the house
was more than usually crowded. The secret conferences increased both in
earnestness and in frequency, and finally I was summoned to meet these
ill-timed guests in the room which had been the sanctum sanctorum of
the late owner of the dwelling. As I entered among twenty strange faces,
wondering why I, who had hitherto passed through life so little heeded,
should be unseasonably importuned, Sir Joseph Job presented himself as
the spokesman of the party.

"We have sent for you, Mr. Goldencalf," the knight commenced,
decently wiping his eyes, "because we think that respect for our late
much-esteemed, most excellent, and very respectable friend requires that
we no longer neglect his final pleasure, but that we should proceed at
once to open his will, in order that we may take prompt measures for its
execution. It would have been more regular had we done this before he
was interred, for we cannot have foreseen his pleasure concerning his
venerable remains; but it is fully my determination to have everything
done as he has ordered, even though we may be compelled to disinter the
body."

I am habitually quiescent, and possibly credulous, but nature has not
denied me a proper spirit. What Sir Joseph Job, or any one but myself,
had to do with the will of my ancestor did not strike me at first
sight; and I took care to express as much, in terms it was not easy to
misunderstand.

"The only child and, indeed, the only known relative of the deceased," I
said, "I do not well see, gentlemen, how this subject should interest in
this lively manner so many strangers!"

"Very spirited and proper, no doubt, sir," returned Sir Joseph, smiling;
"but you ought to know, young gentleman, that if there are such things
as heirs there are also such things as executors!"

This I did know already, and I had also somewhere imbibed an opinion
that the latter was commonly the most lucrative situation.

"Have you any reason to suppose, Sir Joseph Job, that my late father has
selected you to fulfil this trust?"

"That will be better known in the end, young gentleman. Your lat