第78部分(第1/7 頁)

ently　enjoy；　all　at　once。　And　then　there　are　other　chances　in　life　far　more　thrilling　and　rapture…giving：　this　is　solid；　an　affair　of　the　actual　world；　nothing　ideal　about　it：　all　its　associations　are　solid　and　sober；　and　its　manifestations　are　the　same。　One　does　not　jump；　and　spring；　and　shout　hurrah！　at　hearing　one　has　got　a　fortune；　one　begins　to　consider　responsibilities；　and　to　ponder　business；　on　a　base　of　steady　satisfaction　rise　certain　grave　cares；　and　we　contain　ourselves；　and　blood　over　our　bliss　with　a　solemn　brow。

Besides；　the　words　Legacy；　Bequest；　go　side　by　side　with　the　words；　Death；　Funeral。　My　uncle　I　had　heard　was　dead—my　only　relative；　ever　since　being　made　aware　of　his　existence；　I　had　cherished　the　hope　of　one　day　seeing　him：　now；　I　never　should。　And　then　this　money　came　only　to　me：　not　to　me　and　a　rejoicing　family；　but　to　my　isolated　self。　It　was　a　grand　boon　doubtless；　and　independence　would　be　glorious—yes；　I　felt　that—that　thought　swelled　my　heart。

“You　unbend　your　forehead　at　last；”　said　Mr。　Rivers。　“I　thought　Medusa　had　looked　at　you；　and　that　you　were　turning　to　stone。　Perhaps　now　you　will　ask　how　much　you　are　worth？”

“How　much　am　I　worth？”

“Oh；　a　trifle！　Nothing　of　course　to　speak　of—twenty　thousand　pounds；　I　think　they　say—but　what　is　that？”

“Twenty　thousand　pounds？”

Here　was　a　new　stunner—I　had　been　calculating　on　four　or　five　thousand。　This　news　actually　took　my　breath　for　a　moment：　Mr。　St。　John；　whom　I　had　never　heard　laugh　before；　laughed　now。

“Well；”　said　he；　“if　you　had　mitted　a　murder；　and　I　had　told　you　your　crime　was　discovered；　you　could　scarcely　look　more　aghast。”

“It　is　a　large　sum—don’t　you　think　there　is　a　mistake？”

“No　mistake　at　all。”

“Perhaps　you　ha