. The surgeon came again just before he was dead, for I had sent
for him. "It is better as it is," said he to me. "Had he not bled to
death, he would have suffered forty eight hours of extreme agony from
the mortification which must have ensued." He closed the major's eyes
and took his leave, and I hastened into the drawing-room and sent for
Timothy, with whom I sate in a long conversation on this unfortunate
occurrence, and my future prospects.

My grief for the death of the major was sincere; much may indeed be
ascribed to habit, from our long residence and companionship; but more
to the knowledge that the major, with all his faults, had redeeming
qualities, and that the world had driven him to become what he had been.
I had the further conviction, that he was attached to me, and, in my
situation, anything like affection was most precious. His funeral was
handsome, without being ostentatious, and I paid every demand upon him
which I knew to be just--many, indeed, that were not sent in, from a
supposition that any claim made would be useless. His debts were not
much above 200 pounds, and these debts had never been expected to be
liquidated by those who had given him credit. The paper he had written,
and had been witnessed by Timothy and another, was a short will, in
which he left me his sole heir and executor. The whole of his property
consisted of his house in Saint James's Street, the contents of his
pocket-book intrusted to my care, and his personal effects, which,
especially in bijouterie, were valuable. The house was worth about 4000
pounds, as he had told me. In his pocket-book were notes to the amount
of 3500 pounds, and his other effects might be valued at 400 pounds.
With all his debts and funeral expenses liquidated, and with my own
money, I found myself in possession of about 8000 pounds--a sum which
never could have been credited, for it was generally supposed that he
died worth less than nothing, having lived for a long while upon a
capital of a similar value.

"I cannot but say," observed Timothy, "but that this is very fortunate.
Had the major not persuaded you to borrow money, he never would have won
so large a sum. Had he lived he would have squandered it away; but just
in the nick of time he is killed, and makes you his heir."

"There is truth in your observation, Timothy; but now you must go to Mr
Emmanuel, that I may pay him off. I will repay the 1000 pounds lent me
by Lord Windermear