I remained with
them that night. Next morning I went to keep my appointment with the
gentleman whom I had met in the coach: I found by the brass plate on the
door that he was a lawyer. He desired me to sit down, and then he
closed the door carefully, and having asked me many questions, to
ascertain if I was really Masterman Ready, he said he was the person
employed at Mr Masterman's death, and that he had found a paper which
was of great consequence, as it proved that the insurance of the vessel
which had belonged to my father and Mr Masterman, and which had been
lost, had not been made on Mr Masterman's share only, but upon my
father's as well, and that Mr Masterman had defrauded my mother. He
said he had found the paper in a secret drawer some time after Mr
Masterman's death, and that my mother being dead, and I being supposed
to be dead, he did not see any use in making known so disagreeable a
circumstance; but that, now I had re-appeared, it was his duty so to do,
and that he would arrange the matter for me, if I pleased, with the
corporation of the town, to whom all Mr Masterman's property had been
left in trust to build an hospital and almshouses. He said that the
insurance on the vessel was three thousand pounds, and that one-third of
the vessel belonged to my father, so that a thousand pounds were due to
him, which the interest for so many years would increase to above two
thousand pounds. This was good news for me, and you may suppose I
readily agreed to all he proposed. He set to work at once, and having
called together the mayor and corporation of the town, and proved the
document, they immediately agreed that I was entitled to the money, and
that it should be paid to me without any contest. Thus you see, Master
William, was a new temptation thrown in my way."

"How do you mean a temptation? It surely was very fortunate, Ready,"
said William.

"Yes, William, it was, as people say, fortunate, according to the ideas
of the world; every one congratulated me, and I was myself so inflated
with my good fortune, that I forgot all the promises of amendment, all
the vows of leading a good life, which I made over my poor mother's
grave. Now do you perceive why I called it a temptation, Master
William?"

"My dear child," said Mr Seagrave, "riches and prosperity in this world
prove often the greatest of temptations; it is adversity that chastens
and amends us, and which draws us to God."

"As soon as the mo