Милий друг
The Will
Doyouknowhowtheacceptanceofitmightbeinterpreted?Weshouldhavetofindsomeadroitmeansofpalliatingit.Weshouldhavetogivepeopletosuppose,forinstance,thathedividedhisfortunebetweenus,givinghalftoyouandhalftome."
Shesaid:"Idonotseehowthatcanbedone,sincethereisaformalwill."
Hereplied:"Oh,thatisverysimple.Wehavenochildren;youcanthereforedeedmepartoftheinheritance.Inthatwaywecansilencemalignanttongues."
Sheansweredsomewhatimpatiently:"Idonotseehowwecansilencemalignanttonguessincethewillisthere,signedbyVaudrec."
Hesaidangrily:"Doyouneedtoexhibitit,oraffixittothedoor?Youareabsurd!WewillsaythatthefortunewasleftusjointlybyCountdeVaudrec.Thatisall.Youcannot,moreover,acceptthelegacywithoutmyauthority;Iwillonlyconsentontheconditionofapartitionwhichwillpreventmefrombecomingalaughing-stockfortheworld."
Sheglancedsharplyathim:"Asyouwill.Iamready."
Heseemedtohesitateagain,rose,pacedthefloor,andavoidinghiswife’spiercinggaze,hesaid:"No—decidedlyno—perhapsitwouldbebettertorenounceitaltogether—itwouldbemorecorrect—morehonorable.Fromthenatureofthebequestevencharitably-disposedpeoplewouldsuspectillicitrelations."
HepausedbeforeMadeleine."Ifyoulike,mydarling,IwillreturntoM.
