ubject to legacies of one
hundred pounds to each of his sisters, and a few smaller bequests to the
servants.

"This is as you always feared," said Hester to her husband, observing
the expression of concern in his face, on reading the letter.

"Indeed, I always feared it would be so," he replied. "I did what I
could to prevent this act of posthumous injustice; and I am grieved that
I failed; for nothing can repair it. My sisters will have their money--
the same in amount, but how different in value! They will receive it as
a gift from their brothers, instead of as their due from their
grandfather. I am very sorry his last act was of this character."

"Will you go? Must you go?"

"No, I shall not go--at least, not at present. The funeral would be
over, you see, before I could get there; and I doubt not the rest of the
business may be managed quietly and easily by letter. I have no
inclination to travel just now, and no money to do it with, and strong
reasons of another kind for staying at home. No, I shall not go."

"I am very glad. Now, the first duty is to write to Emily and Anne, I
suppose: and to Frank?"

"Not to Frank just yet. He knows what I meant to do, in case of my
grandfather recurring to this disposition of his property; and, further
than this, I must not influence Frank. He must be left entirely free to
do as he thinks proper, and I shall not communicate with him till he has
had ample time to decide on his course. I shall write to Emily and Anne
to-day."

"I am sorry for them."

"So am I. What a pity it is, when the aged, whom one would wish to
honour after they are gone to their graves, impair one's respect, by an
unjust arrangement of their affairs! How easily might my grandfather
have satisfied us all, and secured our due reverence at the last, by
merely being just! Now, after admitting what was just, he has gone back
into his prejudices, and placed us all in a painful position, from which
it will be difficult to every one of us to regard his memory as we
should wish."

"He little thought you would look upon his rich legacy in this way,"
said Margaret, smiling.

"I gave him warning that I should. It was impossible to refuse it more
peremptorily than I did."

"That must be your satisfaction now, love. You have done everything
that was right; so we will not discompose ourselves because another has
done a wrong which you can partly repair."

"My dear wife, what comfort you giv