one
last injunction. If Ferandet has followed my instructions, as I suppose,
he will have burnt a paper in your presence. This was a second will, by
which my daughter Anna Campbell would have been appointed my universal
legatee, had you not been living. So long as all happened in the right
order, you surviving me, you will understand I should not have wished to
complicate your affairs, by leaving you confronted with a lot of legal
formalities and intricacies. Such would be the consequence of a female
minor who is a foreigner inheriting jointly with you: this would have
plunged you into a veritable mire of technicalities, restrictions,
registrations, and goodness knows what. Nevertheless, it is necessary to
provide fully for the possibility of an accident arising to you before
your marriage with Anna. Our property would go in that case to
collaterals ... and God only knows from how many quarters of the world
these would not be forthcoming! As I wish my fortune to remain with my
children, it is indispensable that you should not forget to make
testamentary dispositions in favour of your cousin, so that the whole
property may go to her in the event of your death, without any more
dispute than there has been in your own case. I leave this matter in
your hands. You will find at my bankers all the indications of surnames,
Christian names, and descriptions which you will require to enumerate,
on the first page of my private ledger, where the account which was
opened for her commences, and yours also, forming a separate banking
account for you two. Madame Saulnier is accustomed to draw what is
required for her: therefore, until your marriage, it is unnecessary for
you to occupy yourself with this detail--all you have to do is to
confirm her credit.

"Now that we have settled this matter, my dear boy, go ahead! I do not
need, I am sure, to remind you to think occasionally of your old uncle:
I know you well, and that satisfies me. I thank you for what you have
been to me, and bless you from the bottom of my heart!

"Come, don't give way, old fellow: I am in Heaven, my soul is free and
rejoicing in the glories of the Infinite. Is there anything in this for
you to mourn over? Farewell."

After reading this letter, my dear Louis, need I tell you that I did the
contrary to what my poor uncle bade me, and that I gave way to my grief.
The tears streamed down my cheeks, my heart was breaking, and I could no
longer see this last wor