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Advertise; but there are no debts. When's the sale?" "Tuesday week," said Gradman. "Life or lives in bein' and twenty-one years afterward it's a long way off. But I'm glad he's left it in the family...."
The State might take the lot; they're capable of anything in these days." "And carry five," said Gradman to himself. "I forgot Mr. Timothy's in Consols; we shan't get more than two per cent. with this income tax. To be on the safe side, say eight millions. Still, that's a pretty penny." Soames rose and handed him the Will. "You're going into the City. Take care of that, and do what's necessary.
He returned the copies to Gradman, who took them without looking up, swung the chair, restored the papers to their drawer, and went on casting up. "Gradman! I don't like the condition of the country; there are a lot of people about without any common sense. I want to find a way by which I can safeguard Miss Fleur against anything which might arise."
The offices of Cuthcott, Kingson and Forsyte occupied the ground and first floors of a house on the right-hand side; and, ascending to his room, Soames thought: 'Time we had a coat of paint. His old clerk Gradman was seated, where he always was, at a huge bureau with countless pigeonholes.
He took Gradman into his carriage on the way back to the Bayswater Road with a certain glow in his heart. He had a surprise in pickle for the old chap who had served the Forsytes four-and-fifty years a treat that was entirely his doing. How well he remembered saying to Timothy the day after Aunt Hester's funeral: "Well, Uncle Timothy, there's Gradman. He's taken a lot of trouble for the family.
"Well, put him in; but I want somebody who'll take a personal interest. There's no one that I can see." "What about Mr. Valerius, now he's come home?" "Val Dartie? With that father?" "We-ell," murmured Gradman, "he's been dead seven years the Statute runs against him." "No," said Soames. "I don't like the connection." He rose.
Gradman wrote the figure "2" on his blotting-paper. "Ye-es," he said; "there's a nahsty spirit." "The ordinary restraint against anticipation doesn't meet the case." "Nao," said Gradman. "Suppose those Labour fellows come in, or worse! It's these people with fixed ideas who are the danger. Look at Ireland!" "Ah!" said Gradman.
It fell to Soames to issue invitations for the funeral. He had them drawn up by Gradman in his office only blood relations, and no flowers. Six carriages were ordered. The Will would be read afterward at the house. He arrived at eleven o'clock to see that all was ready. At a quarter past old Gradman came in black gloves and crape on his hat. He and Soames stood in the drawing-room waiting.
Soames skewered the document on to a number of other papers and hung up his hat. "I want to look at my Will and Marriage Settlement, Gradman." Old Gradman, moving to the limit of his swivel chair, drew out two drafts from the bottom lefthand drawer. Recovering his body, he raised his grizzle-haired face, very red from stooping. "Copies, Sir." Soames took them.
Soames skewered the document onto a number of other papers and hung up his hat. "I want to look at my Will and Marriage Settlement, Gradman." Old Gradman, moving to the limit of his swivel chair, drew out two drafts from the bottom left-hand drawer. Recovering his body, he raised his grizzle-haired face, very red from stooping. "Copies, sir." Soames took them.
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