make over to you the full
possession of the estate which they have held under the name of Orley
Farm."

The tidings, as so given, were far from conveying to the sense of the
hearer the full information which they bore. He heard the words, and
at the moment conceived that Orley Farm was intended to come into
his hands by some process to which it was thought desirable that
he should be brought to agree. He was to be induced to buy it, or
to be bought over from further opposition by some concession of an
indefinitely future title. But that the estate was to become his
at once, without purchase, and by the mere free will of his hated
relatives, was an idea that he did not realise.

"Mr. Furnival," he said, "what future steps I shall take I do not yet
know. That I have been robbed of my property I am as firmly convinced
now as ever. But I tell you fairly, and I tell Mr. Round so too, that
I will have no dealings with that woman."

"Your father's widow, sir," said Mr. Furnival, "is an unhappy lady,
who is now doing her best to atone for the only fault of which I
believe her to have been guilty. If you were not unreasonable as well
as angry, you would understand that the proposition which I am now
making to you is one which should force you to forgive any injury
which she may hitherto have done to you. Your half-brother Lucius
Mason has instructed me to make over to you the possession of Orley
Farm." These last words Mr. Furnival uttered very slowly, fixing his
keen grey eyes full upon the face of Joseph Mason as he did so, and
then turning round to the attorney he said, "I presume your client
will understand me now."

"The estate is yours, Mr. Mason," said Round. "You have nothing to do
but to take possession of it."

"What do you mean?" said Mason, turning round upon Furnival.

"Exactly what I say. Your half-brother Lucius surrenders to you the
estate."

"Without payment?"

"Yes; without payment. On his doing so you will of course absolve him
from all liability on account of the proceeds of the property while
in his hands."

"That will be a matter of course," said Mr. Round.

"Then she has robbed me," said Mason, jumping up to his feet. "By
----, the will was forged after all."

"Mr. Mason," said Mr. Round, "if you have a spark of generosity
in you, you will accept the offer made to you without asking any
question. By no such questioning can you do yourself any good,--nor
can you do that poor lady any harm."