CHAPTER XXXIX. MAKING A WILL.

 "Mr. Coleman," said Trimble, with suavity¹, "this is my wife, Mrs. Trimble."

 

The lawyer bowed.

 

"I believe you wish to execute a will, Mrs. Trimble?" said he.

 

"Yes," answered the poor mother, in a spiritless tone.

 

Various questions were asked in relation to the property, and then the lawyer seated himself at a table and wrote the formal part of the will.

 

"I understand you wish to leave the entire property to your husband?" he said, in a tone of inquiry².

 

"In the event of my son's death," interpolated Mrs. Trimble.

 

"But, my dear, he is dead," said Abner Trimble, with a slight frown.

 

"I would prefer to have it expressed in this way."

 

"I am sure," continued Trimble, annoyed, "that Mr. Coleman will consider it unnecessary."

 

"I see no objections to it," said the lawyer. "Of course, the son being dead, it won't count."

 

"Mr. Coleman," explained Mrs. Trimble, "I have no reason to doubt my poor son's death, but I didn't see him die, and there may have been a mistake."

 

"How can there be?" demanded Trimble, impatiently. "Didn't my friend Floyd see him drowned?"

 

"He may have been mistaken. Besides, he only says he did not see him after the boat upset. He may have been picked up by some other boat."

 

For the first time Trimble and Floyd saw the flaw in the story, which had been invented by Trimble himself.

 

"Was there any boat near, Floyd?" asked Trimble, winking³ significantly.

 

"No, sir; not within a quarter of a mile."

 

"Edward could swim. He may have reached one by swimming."

 

This was news to Trimble. He had not been aware that his stepson could swim.

 

"Under the circumstances," said the lawyer, "I think Mrs. Trimble is right."

 

Trimble looked panic-stricken. Knowing that Edward Granger was still living he recognized the fact that such a will would do him no good.

 

"If he were alive he would let us know," he said, after a pause.

 

"Probably he would."

 

"So that we may conclude he is dead."

 

"It might be stipulated⁴ that if the missing son does not appear within three years from the time the will is made he may be regarded as dead?" suggested the lawyer.

 

"One year would be sufficient, it seems to me," put in Trimble.

 

"I would rather make it three," said his wife.

 

Abner Trimble looked disappointed, but did not dare object.

 

The lawyer continued to write.

 

"I understand, then," he observed, "that you bequeath all your estate to your husband, in the event of your son being decided⁵ to be dead."

 

Mrs. Trimble paused to consider.

 

"I think," she said, "I will leave the sum of five thousand dollars to charitable purposes as a memorial of Edward."

 

"I don't think much of charitable societies," growled⁶ Trimble.

 

"Some of them do a great deal of good," said the lawyer. "Are there any particular societies which you would wish to remember, Mrs. Trimble?"

 

"I leave the choice to my executor," said the lady.

 

"Whom have you selected for that office?"

 

"Will you serve?" she asked.

 

"Then you don't care to appoint Mr. Trimble?"

 

"No, I think not."

 

"It is customary to appoint the husband, isn't it, Mr. Coleman?" asked Abner.

 

"It is quite often done."

 

"I would prefer you," said Mrs. Trimble, decidedly.

 

"If it will ease your mind, I will take the office, Mrs. Trimble."

 

"Now," said the lawyer, after a brief interval⁷; "I will read the draft of the will as I have written it, and you can see if it meets your views."

 

He had about half completed reading the document when there was heard a sharp ring at the doorbell. Then there were steps on the stairs.

 

A terrible surprise was in store for Mrs. Trimble.

1 suavity   

n.温和；殷勤

参考例句：

• He's got a surface flow of suavity,but he's rough as a rasp underneath.他表面看来和和气气的，其实是个粗野狂暴的恶棍。
• But the well-bred,artificial smile,when he bent upon the guests,had its wonted steely suavity.但是他哈着腰向宾客招呼的那种彬彬有礼、故意装成的笑容里，却仍然具有它平时那种沉着的殷勤。

2 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

3 winking   

n.瞬眼，目语v.使眼色( wink的现在分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮

参考例句：

• Anyone can do it; it's as easy as winking. 这谁都办得到，简直易如反掌。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The stars were winking in the clear sky. 星星在明亮的天空中闪烁。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 stipulated   

vt.& vi.规定；约定adj.[法]合同规定的

参考例句：

• A delivery date is stipulated in the contract. 合同中规定了交货日期。
• Yes, I think that's what we stipulated. 对呀，我想那是我们所订定的。 来自辞典例句

5 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

6 growled   

v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说

参考例句：

• \"They ought to be birched, \" growled the old man. 老人咆哮道：“他们应受到鞭打。” 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He growled out an answer. 他低声威胁着回答。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 interval   

n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息

参考例句：

• The interval between the two trees measures 40 feet.这两棵树的间隔是40英尺。
• There was a long interval before he anwsered the telephone.隔了好久他才回了电话。