emembered saying to Timothy the
day--after Aunt Hester's funeral: "Well; Uncle Timothy, there's Gradman.
He's taken a lot of trouble for the family. What do you say to leaving
him five thousand?" and his surprise, seeing the difficulty there had
been in getting Timothy to leave anything, when Timothy had nodded. And
now the old chap would be as pleased as Punch, for Mrs. Gradman, he knew,
had a weak heart, and their son had lost a leg in the War. It was
extraordinarily gratifying to Soames to have left him five thousand
pounds of Timothy's money. They sat down together in the little
drawing-room, whose walls--like a vision of heaven--were sky-blue and
gold with every picture-frame unnaturally bright, and every speck of dust
removed from every piece of furniture, to read that little
masterpiece--the Will of Timothy. With his back to the light in Aunt
Hester's chair, Soames faced Gradman with his face to the light, on Aunt
Ann's sofa; and, crossing his legs, began:

"This is the last Will and Testament of me Timothy Forsyte of The Bower
Bayswater Road, London I appoint my nephew Soames Forsyte of The Shelter
Mapleduram and Thomas Gradman of 159 Folly Road Highgate (hereinafter
called my Trustees) to be the trustees and executors of this my Will To
the said Soames Forsyte I leave the sum of one thousand pounds free of
legacy duty and to the said Thomas Gradman I leave the sum of five
thousand pounds free of legacy duty."

Soames paused. Old Gradman was leaning forward, convulsively gripping a
stout black knee with each of his thick hands; his mouth had fallen open
so that the gold fillings of three teeth gleamed; his eyes were blinking,
two tears rolled slowly out of them. Soames read hastily on.

"All the rest of my property of whatsoever description I bequeath to my
Trustees upon Trust to convert and hold the same upon the following
trusts namely To pay thereout all my debts funeral expenses and outgoings
of any kind in connection with my Will and to hold the residue thereof in
trust for that male lineal descendant of my father Jolyon Forsyte by his
marriage with Ann Pierce who after the decease of all lineal descendants
whether male or female of my said father by his said marriage in being at
the time of my death shall last attain the age of twenty-one years
absolutely it being my desire that my property shall be nursed to the
extreme limit permitted by the laws of England for the benefit of such
male lineal des